Seeing Wei Ying indulging her willful behavior, Chu Qing was naturally overjoyed. Unable to contain herself, she secretly slipped her hand under the table and gently rubbed Wei Ying's hand.
Wei Ying had truly made his way deep into her heart. She found everything about him pleasing.
The reason Wei Ying indulged Chu Qing was that he had always trusted and had confidence in her.
He knew she could handle things properly without causing discomfort to others.
Although the person who was about to feel uncomfortable was his own mother.
But he didn't think his behavior was in the least bit excessive.
Meanwhile, Nangong Yin also looked extremely delighted.
She could... find a suitable opportunity to talk to him!
Before long, the banquet finally came to an end. The emperor left with that delicate concubine, the Noble Consort Shu, who was also Wen Yi's mother.
Nangong Yin naturally took Chu Qing's arm and led her leisurely towards the imperial garden.
And Wei Ying... naturally followed behind.
Chu Qing stole a glance at her own arm and felt extremely uncomfortable.
She didn't like such intimate contact with strangers.
But... how could she quietly pull her hand away?
Chu Qing was very distressed.
Nangong Yin, however, chatted with her about daily matters on her own. Chu Qing could only reply somewhat perfunctorily.
"Is the Princess of Ning not feeling well?" Nangong Yin noticed Chu Qing's absent - mindedness and patiently assumed a concerned expression.
After all, no matter how much the other woman didn't appeal to her, she was carrying her own son's child.
The baby in her belly was her grandchild!
Thinking of this, when Nangong Yin looked at Chu Qing's swollen belly, there was finally a glimmer of sincere warmth in her eyes.
Chu Qing glanced at her, a smile curving her lips as she replied, "Although the Prince of Ning took the surname of the Princess of Guangling, this child..." Chu Qing smoothly pulled her arm back and placed it on her stomach. Then, squinting with a smile, she continued, "will ultimately be a member of the Yuan family. In the future, it will surely enjoy a life of comfort."
Wei Ying, who had been silently following behind, suppressed his laughter and looked away.
Was his Qingqing about to start?
Sure enough, the smile in Nangong Yin's eyes instantly froze. The swaying tree shadows beside them happened to obscure the darkness on her face.
Seeing that Nangong Yin didn't respond, Chu Qing said calmly, "Could it be that Your Ladyship is not feeling well?"
Nangong Yin took a deep breath and walked forward a few steps until she reached a pavilion. Seeing this, Chu Qing followed at a leisurely pace.
"All of you retreat. Without my permission, no one is allowed to approach here." Nangong Yin changed her gentle demeanor and turned to coldly order the maids following her.
Those people responded and then retreated.
"Your Ladyship, is there something you want to say to me or... the Prince of Ning? This seems... inappropriate. What if it reaches the emperor's ears? The emperor might misunderstand Your Ladyship..." Chu Qing said with a faint smile.
After seeing all the maids retreat, Nangong Yin收起 her smile and sneered, "I've been in this palace for decades. The Princess of Ning needn't worry."
After saying that, she no longer looked at Chu Qing but quickly walked towards Wei Ying.
Seeing this, Wei Ying subconsciously took a few steps back and said coldly and distantly, "The Imperial Noble Consort should not overstep her bounds."
Nangong Yin changed her attitude towards Chu Qing just now. Instantly, her eyes were filled with tears, and she trembled as she tried to reach out and touch Wei Ying.
"After finally seeing my son... how could I still maintain my composure..."
At the end, Nangong Yin seemed unable to hold back any longer and covered her mouth, crying silently.
The way the other woman cried timidly touched Chu Qing.
Was she really repentant?
Or... did she have other motives?
While she could think of other possibilities, Wei Ying...
Thinking of this, Chu Qing looked up at Wei Ying.
Sure enough, a flicker of pain crossed Wei Ying's eyes.
Chu Qing silently sighed and kindly reminded, "Your Ladyship, be careful of eavesdroppers."
But Nangong Yin turned a blind eye and continued to cry to Wei Ying, "My son, can you forgive... me? Back then, I... I was just momentarily confused and handed you over to that person. He... didn't treat you harshly, did he?"
Hearing this, Wei Ying frowned and said, "The Prince of Guangling treated me as his own son."
Nangong Yin forced a smile and said, "That's good..."
Seeing her like this, Wei Ying finally couldn't hold back and asked, "Do you... have anything else you want to say to me?"
After hearing this, Nangong Yin instantly grabbed Wei Ying's shoulders and said excitedly, "Come back! I... I will find a way to let you come back rightfully! Your father, if he knew, would surely be very happy. You are... you are his first son! You are so outstanding, and he will surely make you the crown prince! If you become the crown prince, then I... will surely become the empress! Everything in Dongyi will be yours! My son!"
At the end, Nangong Yin's voice became a bit shrill.
Chu Qing, standing beside them, took in all of Nangong Yin's expressions.
When this woman mentioned the crown prince and the empress, her eyes were overly fanatical.
She...
Clearly had other motives!
Chu Qing frowned and looked at Wei Ying, and at this moment, Wei Ying seemed a bit dazed.
With a gloomy mood, Chu Qing walked between the two of them. She gently removed Nangong Yin's hand from Wei Ying's shoulder and then said, "Your Ladyship, don't be too excited. It's not good for your health."
Chu Qing's voice brought the stunned Wei Ying back to his senses. Then, there was an unfathomable look in Wei Ying's eyes: "How... do you plan to let... me come back? Are you going to say that you believed the nonsense of the national master and handed me over to someone else? Aren't you afraid of being blamed?"
Nangong Yin bit her lower lip and replied with certainty, "You don't need to worry about this. I... have my own way!"
...
After Wen Lang left the Noble Consort Shu, he went to the imperial study.
In the main hall earlier, he didn't notice anything amiss about the Prince of Ning.
But just now... the words the Noble Consort Shu said seemingly inadvertently made a chill run through his heart.
"Your Majesty, don't you think the Prince of Ning's eyes are very similar to the Imperial Noble Consort's? This is really fate. No wonder the Imperial Noble Consort took a fancy to the Princess of Ning. Presumably, it's because she thought the Prince of Ning's eyes were very similar to her own?"
Recalling Wei Ying's appearance, Wen Lang's face darkened.
Indeed, Wei Ying's eyes were very similar to Nangong Yin's.
And her attitude towards the Princess of Ning was just like... his mother's attitude towards his concubines back then.
So...
The Prince of Ning of the Great Yan and Nangong Yin...
Did they have some hidden relationship?
Thinking of this, Wen Lang immediately summoned the secret guard beside him and coldly ordered, "Go and thoroughly investigate the background of Wei Ying, the Prince of Ning. Who... is his mother!"
"Yes."
The secret guard who received the order immediately disappeared.
Wen Lang, however, couldn't calm down for a long time.
The Prince of Ning of the Great Yan coming from afar to pay a visit surely had some hidden agenda!
Thinking of a certain possibility, a murderous aura emanated from Wen Lang.
If...
If Wei Ying was really the child of the Prince of Guangling and Nangong Yin, he would surely make the other person die without a burial place!