Li Qitian was dressed in an ochre brocade robe. His hair was tied up high and secured with a net. He strode in with his hands clasped behind his back.
"Greetings, imperial brother." Li Helan bowed in a somewhat flustered manner.
Li Qitian didn't even look at her. He cupped his hands towards the Empress Dowager and said: "Imperial mother."
The Empress Dowager didn't care about Li Qitian's careless greeting. In fact, ever since the poisonous swallow's nest incident, Li Qitian had become more and more distant from her. He didn't even seem to be willing to give her the honor that the Empress Dowager should have.
This made the Empress Dowager, who valued status and power, very nervous.
"The emperor is here. Quickly sit down. It's starting to get hot outside, but the emperor still comes frequently. This makes aijia's heart ache. "The Empress Dowager affectionately held Li Qitian's hand and patted it.
Li Qitian smiled and took back his hand without leaving a trace. He took the hot tea that the head palace maid brought over and casually said: "What, Lan 'er feels sorry for the emperor's son-in-law?"
Li Helan's tears hadn't dried yet. Her heart was filled with unwillingness and nervousness. She pondered for a moment before acting like a spoiled child: "Imperial brother, Lan 'er doesn't only feel sorry for the emperor's son-in-law. Lan' er is also doing this for imperial brother. The emperor's son-in-law, he …"
Li Qitian waved his hand and interrupted Li Helan's words, "Zhen heard your words when I was outside. You're saying that Ji Lan can lead troops and zhen still needs him in the future? "
"Yes, yes."
"But didn't imperial mother say that we can use him whenever we need him? Could it be that Ji Lan can disobey the imperial decree?" Li Qitian narrowed his eyes and leaned closer to Li Helan, "Could it be that the emperor's son-in-law said something to you? Is he still dissatisfied? "
Li Helan's heart skipped a beat. She repeatedly shook her head: "No, no, there's no such thing! Chenmei was just acting on her own initiative. Chenmei hasn't even seen Prince Consort's face yet. Moreover, Prince Consort is like a block of wood. He's not someone who can have so many thoughts. Prince Consort will definitely listen to Imperial Brother's orders. It was Chenmei who wanted to get closer to Prince Consort. Prince Consort has been ignoring me all this time … "
When she said the last sentence, Li Helan's voice was mixed with infinite grievance.
The Empress Dowager immediately asked, "Prince Consort ignored you? Is he still unwilling to see you? "
"That's right." Li Helan sobbed and said, "Daughter asked someone to invite him every two days, but he always said that he was busy with work. Otherwise, he would say that he was not in the mansion. I can't always ask people to invite him, otherwise the old nannies will say that I'm asking him too frequently, as if I'm in a hurry … "
Li Helan felt really wronged. She stomped her feet and twisted her waist as she said, "That's a dead blockhead! Do you think you'll lose a piece of meat if you treat me nicely? He's always so cold. What am I supposed to do! "
The Empress Dowager's heart ached for her daughter. When she thought of Ji Zeyu's incomparably handsome yet cold appearance, she felt both love and anger, "That Ji Lan is really something. Emperor, you should at least speak up for your sister when you go back. How can there be overnight hatred between husband and wife? Why is it that Ji Lan has made up her mind not to be with our Lan 'er? "
Li Qitian put down the teacup and said with a chuckle: "Ordinary husband and wife naturally don't have overnight hatred. But what did Lan 'er do?
Li Helan's face turned red.
The empress dowager thought of Li Helan's group of male companions and her expression became a bit awkward.
Li Qitian didn't intend to give Li Helan any face this time and said bluntly: "Ji Lan isn't the kind of spineless person you raised who will wag her tail at you just because you give her some benefits. Only Ji Lan has a clear mind. If she met Pang Zhixi, that scoundrel, if someone dared to make him a cuckold and even found a group of people to enjoy the good relationship with, do you believe that Pang Zhixi will kill you? "
Li Helan's face became hotter and hotter. She stammered: "Didn't Lan 'er dismiss everyone?"
"Heh."
Li Qitian only snorted and then said seriously, "How you want to curry favor with the prince consort is your own business. Doing it behind closed doors can be considered the pleasure of your boudoir. But remember, it's up to me to decide who to use and who not to use. You're all women, so you have to remember the consequences of interfering with politics in the harem. Don't tell me you want to rely on your status as relatives to decide who to use? "
Li Helan's face turned pale with fright.
The Empress Dowager's heart was pierced by the words' status as relatives'.
"Aijia is your mother!"
"That's right." The corners of Li Qitian's lips curled up lazily. "She is a mother who would poison my legitimate son."
Li Helan suddenly raised her head to look at the Empress Dowager and then looked at Li Qitian. For a moment, she didn't know how to console her.
The Empress Dowager was like a puppet whose strings had been pulled out. She slumped against the large pillow behind her.
At this moment, she clearly realized that she had lost the ability to compete with the Empress. In the past, her biggest reliance was the Emperor's filial piety. But now, she finally lost it.
The Empress Dowager's tears flowed down her face. Every wrinkle on her face was filled with regret. If she hadn't been so confident, how could things have turned out like this?
In the end, things didn't work out. The Qin Clan wasn't defeated, the Empress didn't gain the upper hand, and even the Emperor's respect and filial piety were lost.
Li Qitian didn't have the patience to deal with the Empress Dowager and Li Helan's tears. She stood up and said, "I still have some memorials to approve." Cupping her hands, Li Qitian strode out of Ci 'an Palace.
Li Helan and the Empress Dowager looked at each other speechlessly. Jie lowered her head in disappointment.
***
Qin's Mansion.
The Sun Clan cried desperately. In the end, they couldn't take it anymore. They fainted and developed a high fever. Qin Yining hurriedly settled them into the inner residence and asked Bing Tang to treat them.
"Wangfei, this servant sees that Madam's illness is very dangerous. Madam has a high fever, but she doesn't sweat, and she can't take medicine. This situation is really not good. I see that Madam is prepared to die."
Qin Yining was so frightened that she was covered in cold sweat. Her hands were cold. "What should we do?"
She looked dazedly at the Sun Clan lying on her back with pale lips. Her mind was in chaos and she didn't know what to do.
"Something has already happened to Father. If something happens to Mother … …"
"Wangfei, don't worry. This servant will do her best. Madam will get better."
Bing Tang regretted saying this to Qin Yining. Qin Yining still hadn't fully recovered from the injuries he had received in the palace. The swelling on his knees had gone down, but he was still sick. Adding on the fact that he had starved for so many days in Ci 'an Palace, he was so thin that his bones could stand. He was even thinner than when they first met. It was as if a gust of wind could blow him away. If he got angry because of this matter and also fell ill, then wouldn't this family be finished?
Bing Tang gritted her teeth and said seriously, "Wangfei, don't be afraid. I will discuss it with the doctor. Madam's illness will be fine."
Qin Yining nodded and said after a long time, "Okay."
Leaving Bing Tang to treat the Sun Clan, Qin Yining went to the front hall to see Madam Ma.
At this time, Madam Ma was wearing a white belt and squatting to burn joss paper. The tears on her face hadn't dried yet, and she was crying again. She muttered, "What a sin, what a sin."
"Grandmother." Qin Yining squatted down beside Madam Ma. "You have suffered a lot on the way back. Did you encounter any danger on the way? "
"Yi Lass." Madam Ma threw the last few joss paper into the brazier, wiped her hands on her skirt, and pulled Qin Yining to a corner. "Tell Grandmother, why didn't you build a mourning shed in the Prince's Mansion? This house doesn't look very big. Won't it be crowded if the whole family lives here? Did your silly mother-in-law bully you again? "
Madam Ma's eyes were full of worry and anxiety. She had already guessed it when she was led here by the two servants as soon as she entered the city, but they didn't go back to the Prince's Mansion.
Her family knew her own affairs. Madam Ma had been with the Yao father and daughter for most of her life, so how could she not guess what was on their mind?
Qin Yining shook his head and said with a smile, "Grandmother, you think too much. I have already asked Master Zhong to look for a house and happened to find a suitable one, so I moved out. Family Qin is a big family, so it's not good to keep living in the Prince's Mansion. "
"Why is it not good? If the whole family lives together, wouldn't it be cheaper for you and Dai Fu to arrange it? If you are separated, the manpower will be separated, and won't the military strength be weakened? It's not a peaceful era now. Things are happening one after another. You are a smart child. If you weren't bullied too badly, why would you move out at this time? "
Madam Ma's calloused hand held Qin Yining's slightly cold and slender hand and shook it. She then tenderly touched Qin Yining's cheek, "Look at how thin you are. You are like a piece of paper. You must have suffered and been wronged. Your mother-in-law is evil. Don't worry, Grandmother will teach her a lesson later! "
Qin Yining had been wronged for so many days. It was not good to tell the family about what happened with her mother-in-law. She also didn't want to act like a resentful wife and throw a tantrum with Pang Xiao, who was thousands of miles away, so she could only hold it in. All kinds of worries weighed down on her heart. Every time she thought about these trivial matters in the dead of night, her heart would always feel stifled.
Now that Madam Ma had returned and said these words, Qin Yining's pent-up anger was released. When there was no one to love and understand her, and no one to support her, Qin Yining could grit her teeth and be strong. But now, her eyes were wet.
After a long while, Qin Yining held back her tears, "Grandmother, don't say that. My mother-in-law didn't do anything. Besides, Family Qin should be separated. It's indeed not appropriate to build a coffin shed in the prince's mansion. "
Madam Ma immediately understood when she heard this.
"I know, Yi lass. Your mother-in-law was wrong in this matter. We are a family. What in-laws? What Pang family? You and Dai Fu are married, so the two families are tied together. To put it bluntly, if there are enemies against us, how can we deal with them separately?"
Qin Yining wanted to persuade her again, but Madam Ma waved her hand, indicating that she didn't need to say anything more.
The two of them held hands and looked at the empty coffin in the mourning hall. Madam Ma sighed and wiped her tears, "Yi lass, I'll go back to the prince's mansion first.
Alright. "
"Yes, I'll arrange for someone to escort you back."
Madam Ma nodded in agreement. Looking at Qin Yining's thin face and thin body, the anger in her heart surged. She had only been out for a while, but that father and daughter pair had forgotten the most basic manners!
Qin Yining sent Madam Ma out of the mansion and got on the carriage. Just as she was about to turn around and return to the mansion, she saw a tall figure standing at the corner of the street. The person was dressed in a light gray scholarly robe, and he really looked like a scholar.
"Mr. Mu?"
Mu Jinghu nodded with a smile and pointed to the alley on the side of the mansion.
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