"Mother." For the first time, the emperor showed a stern look in front of the empress dowager.
Seeing the emperor's somewhat grim expression, the empress dowager was about to scold him subconsciously. But the emperor didn't give her a chance. He stood up and said seriously, "Mother, the harem must not interfere in state affairs."
"Presumptuous! How dare you talk to me like this!" The empress dowager was openly rebuked by the emperor for the first time, and her anger flared up instantly.
Seeing this, the maids and eunuchs all lowered their heads like quails, wishing they could disappear.
When the emperor and the empress dowager quarreled...
They even breathed cautiously.
At this moment, there was a cold glint in the emperor's eyes as he continued, "Mother, the Prince of Ning has done so much for our Great Yan. If I still doubt him, wouldn't it chill people's hearts? I know Mother is thinking for me, but I'm no longer a child. I know right from wrong."
"You!" The empress dowager was rendered speechless by the emperor. After a long while, she forced a sneer and said, "Fine, fine. If you know what you're doing, then so be it! When the Prince of Ning leads his troops to attack the palace, don't come to me complaining!"
"The Prince of Ning is not such a person."
"So you mean I'm being petty?"
The emperor rubbed his temples and said, "Mother, everyone has a heart. Back then when we were isolated and helpless, it was all thanks to the Prince of Ning who supported us. If he had other intentions, he would have just left us alone back then! Well, Mother, I see that you seem a bit tired today. You should go back and rest earlier!"
With that, the emperor ordered the servants to prepare to send the empress dowager back to her palace.
Just as the empress dowager was about to say something, the emperor had already turned around and returned to his desk, seemingly to continue reviewing memorials.
Seeing her usually obedient son suddenly turn against her, the empress dowager was so angry that she almost fainted. But since he was like this, she couldn't say anything more. She just flung her sleeve violently and turned away.
"Your Majesty, the empress dowager~"
The empress dowager's personal maid couldn't help but call out after feeling the empress dowager's violent tremors.
"He's really got some nerve!" The empress dowager said with a cold laugh.
"Your Majesty, don't be angry."
"How can I not be angry! Who does he think he is!"
"Your Majesty, the empress dowager, you need to rest well!" The maid looked around in a panic. Only when she found there was no one else around did she heave a sigh of relief.
If these words were to reach the emperor's ears... God knows what would happen.
Even for the empress dowager... these words really shouldn't be said.
...
The night was getting darker on the boundless grassland. Chu Qing was sitting in the carriage with her legs dangling. Her eyes kept glancing at Ba Tel consciously or unconsciously.
At first, Ba Tel was quite calm.
But as time passed and Chu Qing's eyes hardly left him, Ba Tel finally felt uncomfortable. After coughing a few times, he said awkwardly,
"May I ask, Princess of Ning, is there something on my face?"
Chu Qing turned her head and smiled, replying, "No!"
"Then... why do you keep staring at me?" Ba Tel's ears turned slightly red, but his eyes were clear and bright as he looked at Chu Qing, waiting for her answer.
Hearing this, Chu Qing replied seriously, "Because you look so adorable."
Ba Tel: "?"
Madam Zhou: "?"
Lv Luo: "?"
No way, this Princess of Ning... is she being lustful?
Ba Tel shivered and unconsciously moved a bit farther away.
Seeing this, Chu Qing frowned in confusion, but then continued to say according to her own will, "Ba Tel, do you mind if I ask how old you are this year?"
Ba Tel's body visibly stiffened, and he replied uneasily, "Sixteen..."
"Shouldn't you be married yet?"
"Um..."
"If you're not married, do you mind finding a wife with a big age gap in the future?"
"???"
Chu Qing was smiling brightly, but to Ba Tel, it seemed a bit... creepy?
Madam Zhou gave Chu Qing a strange look, and then a deep look flashed in her eyes.
Lv Luo blushed and gently tugged at Chu Qing's sleeve. Then she leaned close to her ear and whispered, "My lady, I know this Ba Tel is good-looking, but... he can't compare to our prince. Our prince is the real handsome man."
"Lv Luo, what nonsense are you talking about...? I know this!" Chu Qing frowned, and the confusion in her eyes deepened.
Seeing that her mistress didn't seem to understand her meaning, Lv Luo first偷偷 glanced at Ba Tel. Seeing that he seemed to be thinking about something, Lv Luo then continued to whisper to Chu Qing, "My lady! You... stop having thoughts about Ba Tel!"
Chu Qing: "Why not?"
"Princess of Ning." Ba Tel suddenly said very seriously.
"Hmm?"
"I just thought it over carefully. If the Princess of Ning can agree to my conditions... I... can offer myself." After saying that, Ba Tel kept a straight face, looking extremely determined.
"Of course, if the Prince of Ning can also agree..." Then, Ba Tel added another sentence.
"Um... him... I really need to persuade him well." Chu Qing also looked serious, but at this moment, she didn't notice the strange expressions of others.
Madam Zhou, who hadn't said much, took a deep breath and then said in surprise, "Is the Prince of Ning really so magnanimous that he can... accept you finding another... man?"
"I find another man???" Chu Qing widened her eyes, looking completely at a loss.
Then she looked at the expressions of others around her and only then realized belatedly that they seemed to have misunderstood her meaning?
What did they mean by her finding another man!
Was she such a promiscuous woman!!!
Ah... Even if she was, she could accept Wei Ying, but it didn't mean she could accept a teenager!!!
This was defiling the innocent boy!
What were these people thinking!
No wonder Ba Tel was looking at her so strangely at this moment!
"Where are you guys thinking!" Chu Qing rubbed her temples and continued to explain helplessly, "What I mean is... if the child in my belly is a girl, I think Ba Tel would be the perfect choice to be my son-in-law, but it's just my opinion. We'll talk about what happens in the future later. But what were you guys just thinking so messily!"
Ba Tel's face turned even redder, and he stammered but couldn't say a word.
Lv Luo curled up into a ball and didn't dare to make a sound.
She had actually thought such things about her mistress! She was really unforgivable!
The atmosphere suddenly fell into an awkward silence. Just as Chu Qing was about to say something to ease the atmosphere, she saw some lights in the distance.
Then a large expanse of white tents scattered on the grass came into view. A group of people were gathered around a bonfire, and it was unclear what they were doing.
When they saw Chu Qing, Ba Tel and their group, several figures ran towards them.
When they got closer, Chu Qing found that they were a group of innocent and lovely children.
One of the delicate and cute little girls was extremely happy to see Ba Tel and threw herself into his arms.
"Brother Ba Tel! You're finally back!"
Madam Zhou beside them recognized the girl's appearance and couldn't believe it. She trembled and softly called out,
"Yu'er!"