Her voice was hoarse as she said angrily, “Didn’t you also say that it’s because you’re busy that you don’t have the mood to care about those things? When you’re not busy anymore, will you have time and the mood to care? If you have such thoughts, why do you have to bring me into the capital? Let me live alone in the Yu Garden…”
Every word was simply heartbreaking!
A sense of ruthlessness surged in Yin Huaixi’s heart. He pinched Yu Youyao’s chin. “When did I say that? You took it out of context and even blamed it on me. As soon as I entered the capital, I arranged for someone to bring you into the capital without even taking a deep breath. I wanted to reunite with you.”
As if feeling that he had gone a little overboard, he softened his voice. “I neglected the fact that it’s cold and difficult to walk on the road. It’s my fault for making you suffer and feel tired. But why are you so unreasonable? You’re framing me as soon as you open your mouth. It’s true that many emperors have an imperial harem, but there’s still Emperor Xianzong…”
“How am I unreasonable?” Yu Youyao raised her voice and interrupted him. “Yes, Emperor Xianzong and the Empress are monogamous. In the deep palace, they’re like ordinary husband and wife. But why didn’t you tell me that Emperor Chengzong wasn’t born by the empress? The so-called loyalty is a joke.”
Yin Huaixi was stunned.
Yu Youyao looked at him deeply and stood up to leave.
Yin Huaixi held her hand and subconsciously asked, “Where are you going?”
“Back to Xiangping.” Yu Youyao turned around and large tears fell from her eyes. She raised her arm angrily and was about to shake off his hand. “I won’t come to the capital again.”
“Don’t leave.” Yin Huaixi hugged her from behind and refused to let her leave.
“Let go.” Her voice was hoarse, but there was no resentment in her tone. “Why are you still stopping me? When I leave, you can marry as many people as you want. I don’t care how happy you are. All of them are like beautiful snakes, pestering you and refusing to let go. Seeing that the world is circling around you, they treat you as a stallion and fight for the land. This is to fight for favor. They’ll give you some medicine. In order to give birth to a prince, they’ll crawl into your bed or simply give you some medicine to make you sick. Then, they’ll secretly make some red pills and squeeze you dry. The emperor has a short life because of this. I don’t care if you live or die…”
When Yin Huaixi heard her say this, he couldn’t help but feel his scalp go numb. He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “What do you mean by marrying as many people as I want? Just you alone is already enough for me.”
Yu Youyao’s heart ached, and she pursed her lips.
The height of the carriage was limited, so Yin Huaixi had no choice but to lower his head and bend his back. “The capital has just been settled, and there are many complicated matters in the palace. All the matters in the inner palace are handled by Empress Ning. After we hold the ceremony, I’ll issue a decree to send Empress Ning to the palace to recuperate.”
There was no reason for Princess Liyang to stay in the palace.
It was simple and straightforward, without any hesitation.
Yu Youyao’s tense body couldn’t help but soften a little, but she pursed her lips and said nothing.
“The dynasty has already changed. There’s no need to respect the Empress Dowager of the previous dynasty as the Empress Dowager. She made you feel uncomfortable and allowed others to bully you. I worked hard to take down the country so that you don’t have to listen to others and don’t have to feel as aggrieved as when you were young.”
Emperor Chengzong was not born by the Empress. This was a royal secret. Even very few people in the palace knew about it. How could Yu Youyao know such a secret from outside the palace?
Other than Princess Liyang, he could not think of anyone else.
It was not difficult to guess what Empress Ning and Princess Liyang were up to. They had even targeted Yu Youyao without his knowledge.
Yu Youyao was such a smart girl.
The pride of being born into an aristocratic family and the upbringing she had received since she was young would definitely not allow her pride to be easily broken by a few words from an outsider. It would ruin her upbringing and cause her to lose her composure.
She was also extremely angry with him, but she was also suspicious of Princess Liyang’s one-sided words. She did not want to easily fall out with him because of Princess Liyang’s instigation.
Princess Liyang did not have the final say in the so-called “imperial harem”. His attitude was the key.
She had deliberately mentioned Emperor Xianzong to test him.
If he really did not have such thoughts, he would have understood how to react.
If he was disloyal, she wouldn’t have caused such a commotion. They wouldn’t have been entangled and she could have escaped unscathed after many years of relationship.
She was smart and rational.
However, it was heartbreaking. Yin Huaixi picked her up horizontally and placed her on his lap. “I promise that after I ascend the throne, I’ll rectify the name of the Ning Residence. I’ll ensure that the glorious life of Empress Ning and Princess Liyang will end. No matter what they plan, it’s their own business.”
Yu Youyao fell into his arms and sobbed. “You don’t know this, but Princess Liyang came to me and said a bunch of things. I didn’t believe it at first, but…” She was so angry that she punched him and couldn’t help but feel angry. “She also mentioned the entanglement between you and your father with the Ning Residence. I…”
Yin Huaixi was very tolerant of Empress Ning, and many schemes against the palace avoided her.
All along, she had tried her best to avoid getting involved in the matters between him and Empress Ning.
If he didn’t say anything, she wouldn’t ask.
“Are you afraid that I’ll agree to Empress Ning’s scheme for the sake of so-called kindness and debt?” Yin Huaixi was a little angry with her distrust, but he also understood that this distrust stemmed from his secretive attitude towards Empress Ning. “What does the destruction of the Ning Residence have to do with me and my father? How can we owe her?”
Yu Youyao heaved a sigh of relief. She was afraid that Yin Huaixi would be too sentimental and not think clearly.
The Ning Residence was a henchman that the previous emperor had nurtured for the fifth son of the emperor. It was only right for them to support the fifth son of the emperor.
The Ning Residence was placed in an important position by the previous emperor. They rose from their fall and prospered. This was originally a deal between the Ning Residence and the previous emperor, and it was a huge gamble.
No matter who won or lost, it was their own choice. There was no so-called debt.
After the dog emperor ascended the throne, with the Empress Dowager’s protection, it was impossible for him to kill the fifth son of the emperor. If he did not fall out with the Empress Dowager, the gains would not make up for the losses. The Ning Residence protected the fifth son of the emperor, so they took advantage of the situation.
The destruction of the Ning Residence stemmed from the dog emperor’s suspicion.
It had nothing to do with others.
“My father indeed borrowed the protection of Duke Ning’s old subordinates to establish himself in the North. However, all these years, my father has been taking care of Empress Ning in the palace, both openly and secretly, helping her escape all kinds of schemes by Imperial Consort Lu. I’ve also promised to clear the name of the Ning Residence and give Empress Ning a lifetime of glory. How much kindness can’t be repaid?”
He did not say that after the Ning Residence was convicted, the old subordinates of the Ning Residence were not implicated because of the Empress Dowager’s protection. His father had gone to the North to become a vassal state under the Empress Dowager’s arrangements. Those old subordinates treated his father differently because of the Empress Dowager.
However, when others heard this, they couldn’t help but feel a little ungrateful.
It was indeed not appropriate to say it directly.
Yu Youyao cried aggrievedly. “Why didn’t you tell me that you’ve made me feel uncomfortable for so long?”
“Although that’s the case, the two of us are indeed too entangled with the Ning Residence and can’t settle many things clearly. Empress Ning is too scheming.” Yin Huaixi gently rubbed the tears in her eyes with a helpless expression. “I don’t want you to know. If we’re involved with them, some people are too dirty. It’s better not to get involved.”
Since she couldn’t interfere in the matters of the palace, it was best not to get involved.