Consort Yu managed to catch her breath with the support of Caining. She took the tea handed over by the palace maid and took two gulps of it before she recovered. She felt weak and knew that she couldn’t be angry at this time. She took a few deep breaths and gradually stabilized her breathing.
Consort Yu gritted her teeth. Her expression was vicious and fierce. “Caining, get someone to summon my younger brother into the palace. Tell him that I’m not feeling well. Ask him to find some ginseng roots of age and send them to the palace.”
“Yes, I’ll get someone to inform Sir Yu right now. Your Highness, please calm down,” Caining said, trying to placate Consort Yu. She was afraid that something bad might happen to her lady. She then reminded again, “Your Highness, you have to pay attention to the little prince in your belly. You mustn’t be angry anymore!”
There was a faint hatred in Consort Yu’s eyes. She sat down again and took a deep breath. “How can I not be angry!”
How could she not be angry? Consort Zhao had dared to bully her. It turned out that there was such a story behind He Yuxiu’s marrying her younger brother in place of He Yufen. Her younger brother was framed by He family and caused an embarrassing thing. Then, they changed the bride to He Yuxiu who had a bad reputation in the palace. They had really regarded her younger brother as a sucker. How could Consort Yu, who had always thought highly of herself, not grit her teeth from anger?
No wonder although her younger brother had always behaved indecently, the news of him did not spread in the entire city. She thought of how she had been reprimanded by the Emperor when her younger brother had gotten into trouble last time. From then on, Consort Yu had been holding a grudge against Consort Zhao.
Consort Zhao had deliberately said that she wanted a marriage with Consort Yu’s family and wanted to marry her most beloved niece to Mingyong. Unexpectedly, soon, things changed and she decided to marry her younger niece. She had really regarded Consort Yu and Mingyong as fools. Now, Consort Yu’s silly younger brother was probably still thanking the He family. She was really hateful.
Standing up, Consort Yu paced around a few times. Suddenly, she asked Caining, who had returned to the palace, “Where is His Majesty now?”
Caining hesitated for a moment and said, “I heard that His Majesty went to the Empress Dowager’s Cining Palace. I think he should still be there now.” When she went out to fetch the soup earlier, she saw the Emperor’s carriage heading for the Cining Palace from afar. Thinking about the mess in Empress Dowager’s place, she thought the Emperor would definitely not be able to get out in a while.
Consort Yu looked down and said coldly, “Get someone to keep an eye on it. Remember to inform me first if His Majesty returns to the imperial study.” She already had a plan in her mind. No matter what would happen, she would not let that slut have the advantage.
Caining tugged at Consort Yu’s sleeve anxiously. “Your Highness, you mustn’t be rash. Even if you go to complain about Consort Zhao now, there is no evidence. The two palace maids wouldn’t dare to say anything bad about Consort Zhao.”
She was Consort Yu’s personal maidservant and had entered the palace with her. Caining’s relationship with Consort Yu was naturally different from that of others. She was afraid that Consort Yu would have such thoughts. Even though Consort Yu was pregnant with the Emperor’s child, Caining knew exactly what was going on. A mother was noble because of her son. Consort Yu had been banished to the Cold Palace a while ago. If not for the one in her belly, she would not even have a chance to come out alive.
It was said that Consort Zhao had been doted on for 10 years. Caining was really worried that Consort Yu would go against her regardless of anything.
Consort Yu said with a cold smile, “It’s alright, Caining. Rest assured, I won’t be rash.”
Caining heaved a sigh of relief when she saw the anger on Consort Yu’s face slowly subside. She nodded and went to serve Consort Yu with soup.
Before Mo Xuetong could leave the palace, she saw Feng Yuran hurrying over with a few eunuchs. His eyes, which had always been lazy, were filled with a hint of viciousness. He lifted his eyes slightly and his handsome face was as dark as water. His entire body was filled with aloof sharpness and his purple skirts fluttered in the air. He was in such a hurry that he seemed not able to wait for the eunuchs behind him.
Mo Xuetong really had never seen Feng Yuran like this before. She could not help but be shocked when she saw this. She thought that something big had happened and hurried up to greet him.
Mo Xuetong looked behind him and asked gently, blinking her watery eyes. “Your Highness, what happened?”
Feng Yuran stopped when he saw Mo Xuetong standing at the entrance of the garden. He looked at her up and down as if he wanted to see what was different about her. When he could see that she was fine, a beautiful smile appeared on his face. He smiled like a blooming flower, taking everyone’s breath away in the blink of an eye.
His beauty was so charming that it seemed to be carved in absolute allure. It could make people drunk at a glance.
“What’s wrong?” Mo Xuetong hurriedly looked away and scolded him in her heart: He’s really a devil. However, there was a sweet smile on her face. She knew that he was fine when she saw how he was as evil as usual. Did he become so abnormal because he’s worried about her? She felt warm in her heart as if she had drunk honey.
Feng Yuran’s beautiful lips curled up into a smile. “What can possibly be wrong? I just want to see if you have returned to the manor. I don’t have anything else to do now. You can return with me.” He walked over and held Mo Xuetong’s hand. His smile grew even wider. His ink-colored hair fluttered in the wind and blew across his handsome face.
Mo Xuetong did not break free and allowed him to take her small hand obediently. “Alright!” She followed him and walked out with him.
The wide sleeves blocked their hands holding each other. However, Mo Xuetong knew that his hand was holding her tightly. His hand, which had always been warm and gentle, was actually a little sweaty. Feng Yuran must have been worried about her! When she thought of this, her hand gently took the initiative to hold his hand. The corners of her lips lifted subconsciously. It seemed that as long as she had him by her side, she would feel a sense of peace and tranquility.
The carriage had already stopped outside the palace gate. Feng Yuran helped Mo Xuetong onto the carriage, and he followed her to board.
When the curtains fell, he reached out to grab Mo Xuetong, who was leaning on the side, and held her in his arms. His eyes slowly cooled down and he said, “Tong’er, did Ling Rui’er secretly frame you?”
This happened in the harem, and it happened not long ago. Feng Yuran already knew about it.
However, Mo Xuetong was no longer surprised about Feng Yuran’s being well-informed. She nodded and leaned against him comfortably. She smiled and said, “It’s alright. Ling Rui’er can’t harm me. It’s alright now.”
Feng Yuran’s expression darkened and cold frost covered his beautiful face. “The Ding General Manor is really too bold. They have been provoking me again and again. Do they really think I have no means…” His phoenix eyes were clear and cold, and there was a bloodthirsty coldness in them. Mo Xuetong knew that he was really angry and did not even try to pretend. He really cared about her! As such, she must not let him worry.
“Yuran, I can handle this matter. You don’t have to help me. You don’t have to worry about women in the back courtyard.” Mo Xuetong tugged at his hand cutely. Her voice was sweet and cute. “You can rest assured that I can handle it. If I can’t handle it, I will definitely ask you to help me.”
The battle in the back courtyard was a battle between women. Mo Xuetong did not wish for Feng Yuran to spend too much energy in the back courtyard. Since she did not wish for Feng Yuran to continue on the tragic path of his last life, she had to accompany him further and steadily. She should be a good wife to help him even more.
Even though Feng Yuran knew that Mo Xuetong was speaking the truth, he was still upset. He thought about it and tugged on his long black hair that had fallen down. Then, he asked devilishly, “Do you want me to teach Ding General Manor a lesson for you?” “I can’t hit a woman in their family, but I can hit a man, right? I have to get revenge for Tong’er.”
Even he couldn’t bear to let his Tong’er get angry, and those people dared to hurt and frame her again and again. Did they really think that he was a person who had no temper?
After making up his mind, he felt a little more relieved in his heart.
However, he was still worried and repeatedly reminded her. “Don’t be so rash in the future. Remember to tell me first if anything is up.” When he heard that the Empress Dowager, Ling Rui’er, Consort Yu, and Consort Zhao all had ill intentions toward her, he was so anxious that he almost directly rushed to Empress Dowager’s Cining Palace.
If his father’s secret guard hadn’t told him everything was fine later, he wouldn’t have been polite to the Empress Dowager at this time. She had enjoyed the worship of his father, and also acted as the Empress Dowager of a country. She was so stupid that she even dared to take away his father’s country. He really didn’t know whether the Empress Dowager felt too proud or she thought King Ning was too powerful. She dared to plot a rebellion. Moreover, she felt so natural in doing so.
Mo Xuetong knew that he was angry just now and knew that he was worried about her. She hurried to appease him with a sweet smile and answered obediently, “Yes, I’ll listen to you from now on.” The corners of her lips curled up sweetly in a place Feng Yuran could not see.
The Empress Dowager did not find Ling Rui’er. She sent for Duke Ding, Ling Zhen.
There were only two people, the aunt and the nephew, in the large hall. The noble Empress Dowager sat on the high chair coldly and looked at the person who knelt on the ground. She suddenly picked up a cup of tea on the table and threw it on the ground. She said angrily, “What are you thinking? Are you thinking of helping Feng Yuxuan onto the throne now? Are the two going to thank you when your support jumps between Feng Yulei and Feng Yuxuan?”
When the teacup fell to the ground, it made a crisp clanging sound.
Empress Dowager’s expression was one of extreme seriousness.
First, she listened to the Empress’s suggestion to support Feng Yulei. Now that she saw that Feng Yulei couldn’t make it, she wanted to turn to Feng Yuxuan. The Empress Dowager and Duke Ding had hidden something from each other before. This was the first time that they had expressed their thoughts in plain words. It was also the first time that she had been candid with Duke Ding Manor.
The Empress Dowager’s expression turned a little green when she thought of how Ling Rui’er could even get people to play some small tricks in her own palace.
The weak Ling Rui’er would not be able to touch the people in her palace. The people in the Cining Palace were all her trusted subordinates. Outsiders would not be able to interfere even if they wanted to. However, the Ding General Manor could. This was because Duke Ding sent these people in for her. Only Duke Ding’s people could order them.
The Empress Dowager ignored Consort Yu’s and Consort Zhao’s words about what happened in the main hall and went easy on He Yuxiu, because she couldn’t allow outsiders to know Ling Rui’er did it. After all, Ling Rui’er was Duke Ding’s daughter and Empress Dowager herself was also a daughter of the previous Duke Ding. They came from the same Ling family.
If people found Ling Rui’er did it, then the Ding General Manor would be in trouble too!
The Empress Dowager would never do such a thing as pulling one strand of the hair could affect the entire body.
Seeing Empress Dowager angry, Duke Ding gathered himself and explained. “Your Majesty, I… didn’t mean that.”
The Empress Dowager looked at Duke Ding with sharp eyes and pressed him step by step. “Then what did you mean? Ling Rui’er framed someone in my palace today and used me as a weapon. The daughter of the Ling General Manor is really something. If the Emperor finds out that this matter has something to do with Ding General Manor, neither you nor my family will stay out of trouble. You don’t think Empress can still put in a good word for you in front of the Emperor now, do you?”
She could not allow the Duke’s Manor to roam around any longer.
“Empress Duke Ding didn’t expect that Ling Rui’er was so bold that she dared to mobilize people in the Empress Dowager’s palace to frame King Xuan’s Consort, which aroused the Empress Dowager’s anger. At this time, he also felt so angry that he gritted his teeth. “Your Majesty, Rui’er is really young and ignorant. I will teach her a good lesson when I go back. Such a thing will never happen again.”
