She knew very little about the struggle for imperial power and had never been involved in it. So, although Qi Rong was so cold and severe that she couldn't help but feel afraid of him, he was still her Seventh Brother in her heart.
Therefore, when the Empress Dowager mentioned Qi Rong with hatred on her face, the Eighth Princess couldn't help feeling uneasy.
Hearing the Eighth Princess's words, the Empress Dowager looked at her innocent face and reached out to stroke her cheek.
"Some things are better left unknown to you. As for Qi Rong, just stay away from him in the future!"
She didn't want her most precious daughter to be involved in such a dangerous struggle or be used by those with ulterior motives.
In response to the Empress Dowager's admonition, the Eighth Princess subconsciously frowned, and a certain memory from her childhood emerged in her mind.
She was two years younger than Qi Rong. Although they were not very close, they would play together occasionally.
Once, she accidentally fell into the water. At that time, the accompanying maids were not around, and the situation was extremely critical.
She struggled desperately with her limbs. As she watched herself sinking continuously, just as she was about to call for help, her mouth was instantly filled with water, and her breathing became extremely difficult.
Just when she was filled with despair and her consciousness began to blur, the face of her Seventh Brother suddenly appeared in front of her and kept getting closer.
Strangely, it dispelled all the fear in her heart.
She reached out her hand to him with all her strength, and her Seventh Brother immediately grabbed her. Dragging her, his small body struggled to swim towards the shore.
At that time, she was six years old and just starting to remember things. So, this incident was deeply engraved in her mind.
Even after she went to Huaian and great changes took place in the palace, when she saw her Seventh Brother again and began to be in awe of him, she still clearly remembered that her Seventh Brother, who had just learned how to swim for a few days, had even ignored his own life and death to save her!
If it weren't for her Seventh Brother, she would have drowned in the lake in the palace long ago, and there would be no her today.
"Mother, although Seventh Brother exposed the crimes of the Li family in front of the Emperor Brother, causing the Li family to be deliberately isolated by the Emperor Brother, what Seventh Brother did was also a just act!"
"Because no matter what the Li family wanted to obtain, they shouldn't have hired killers to murder Yu'er twice!"
Although she had just returned to the imperial city and didn't know much, she had learned the whole story of what the Li family had done this time from the Empress Sister - in - law.
Thinking of her nephew Qi Yu, who was very close to her, almost died from poisoning and was still recuperating in the Eastern Palace and hadn't fully recovered yet.
Not only her Seventh Brother, but even she herself hated the Li family's actions to the core!
"Even if the Li family is being suppressed by the Emperor Brother, it is all their own fault!"
Even though her mother had temporarily found a scapegoat from the Li family to take all the blame for them.
But anyone with a discerning eye could see that the Li family had developed rebellious intentions and were causing trouble behind the scenes!
"The Emperor Brother didn't severely punish the Li family out of respect for Mother. But as Yu'er's grandmother, aren't you even a little bit angry?!"
The Eighth Princess spoke with conviction and every word hit the mark. Although the Empress Dowager actually agreed with her words, she still said in a deep voice:
"Enough! Don't mention this matter again!"
Regarding this matter, the Empress Dowager also harbored resentment towards the Li family in her heart.
She highly approved of the Li family's desire to regain their former glory. However, they shouldn't have assassinated the Crown Prince without her knowledge!
After that, she had investigated everything clearly. Although some things were not as Qi Rong had said, that he had deliberately slandered the Li family.
But it was indeed the Li family who had assassinated the Crown Prince, colluded with Qiu Daoji, and bribed the Jinyiwei!
She had been angry about these things for a long time and had severely admonished the Li family. But after all, the Li family was her maternal clan, and she couldn't just watch them decline.
The Li family and she were of the same fate, sharing weal and woe.
If the Li family was finished, her position would also become precarious!
Seeing the Eighth Princess's silent expression, the Empress Dowager couldn't help but soften her expression.
"It's understandable that you are close to the Empress and Yu'er and resent the Li family because of Yu'er's injury."
"But even if you are angry and I am angry, it can't change the relationship between the Li family and us. In the future, when you do things, you should think carefully and not act impulsively and blindly."
Seeing the Empress Dowager's attitude soften, the Eighth Princess, who had been a bit aggrieved before, pouted and said:
"Mother is the one. I'm clearly your daughter, but why do I feel that you don't love me and only care about the Li family?"
Hearing her daughter's complaint and seeing her aggrieved expression, the Empress Dowager couldn't help but laugh.
The Empress Dowager tapped the Eighth Princess on the forehead and scolded with a smile:
"If I didn't love you, do you think who would cover up for you after you caused so many troubles?"
If other princesses had committed the same mistakes as the Eighth Princess, they would have been publicly punished long ago!
This would also demonstrate the royal family's justice and preserve the royal family's dignity!
"I didn't do anything!"
Hearing this, the Eighth Princess nestled in the Empress Dowager's arms coquettishly and pretended to have amnesia.
But the Empress Dowager didn't allow her to deny it. She listed all her mistakes one by one and finally said:
"So, you should first take good care of yourself and stop causing trouble. That would be the greatest comfort to me!"
If it weren't for the Eighth Princess, how could the marriage alliance between the Li family and the family of Grand Tutor Wei have fallen through?
Didn't this girl know that she had disrupted many of her plans? When had she ever really punished her?
Hearing the name Wei Xueming from the Empress Dowager, the Eighth Princess curled her lips in disgust.
"She deserved it. She thought she was smart and tried to use me to deal with Yun Xi of the Prime Minister's Mansion. Who knew she was so unlucky to run into the drunk Emperor Brother? What could I do?"
"Moreover, it would have been great for her to enjoy wealth and honor in the palace and be the Emperor Brother's concubine. But she was crying and making a scene, even threatening to kill herself. That's why she couldn't even get the title of a third - rank lady!"
When it came to Wei Xueming, the Eighth Princess showed no sympathy at all. Instead, she belittled her with every word, which made the Empress Dowager frown.
"Look at your naughty look. Who on earth are you like?"
She had ruined a good young lady's reputation, and now the poor girl was still hiding at home. Yet, she had the nerve to speak so boldly!
But the Eighth Princess just grinned and laughed merrily in the Empress Dowager's arms.
"Who do you think I'm like?!"
Looking at the Eighth Princess like this, the Empress Dowager couldn't help but shake her head.
Suddenly, an idea flashed through her mind. After pondering for a moment, she stared sharply at the Eighth Princess and said:
"Wan'er, I also feel quite guilty towards Yu'er for what the Li family did. I'm thinking of finding a good marriage for him in a few days. But there's one thing that worries me a lot."
Hearing that her mother intended to do something for her nephew, the Eighth Princess immediately became happy.
"What is Mother worried about?"
"Yun Xi."
The Empress Dowager only uttered two words, and the Eighth Princess immediately understood. Her eyebrows tightened, and she said:
"Mother, don't worry. Wan'er will find a way to make Yu'er give up on her!"