amaotonovel Chapter 220 Mulan
Chapter 220 Mulan
In Qingciyuan, Mulan was happily packing her clothes.
Chunlan asked, "Sister Mulan, you look so happy! It seems the temporary job you found this time is quite good!"
Mulan tidied up the place swiftly while saying, "That's great! They're generous, and it's close to Qingci Hospital. I can come back and help out when I have time, and it won't stop me from feeding my little one. And it's only for a few days! I have to go see my employer soon."
Chunlan was also genuinely happy: "Since Sister Mulan had Xiaobao, she has been able to stand up straight in her mother-in-law's house and can work and earn money. Her life is getting better and better."
"Yes! Days like this are really rewarding!"
Two days later, Emperor Shenwu brought Lan Qingwu back to Miaoling Palace.
That night, Prince Ding asked to see Emperor Shenwu, and Emperor Shenwu secretly summoned Prince Ding in Qingliang Palace.
Emperor Shenwu exuded a chill. "Tell me, what's going on? I received your message. How did the Seventh Prince disappear? I specially coaxed Concubine Yi to sleep before coming to see you. Please be brief!"
Prince Ding's face was filled with bitterness. "Your Majesty, I'm afraid you won't be able to hide this from Concubine Yi for a few more days. It was because I failed to live up to your trust that Prince Shen was able to sneak into Quanhe Pavilion. He drugged everyone and secretly took the Seventh Prince away. No one expected that Prince Shen would not only not flee far away, but actually sneak into Miaoling Palace!"
Emperor Shenwu said coldly, "How did he get into Miaoling Palace? How did he get into Quanhe Pavilion? Where did his waist badge come from?"
Prince Ding paused for a moment and said, "As far as I know, it's... the Empress Dowager!"
After Prince Ding finished speaking, he bowed his head to the ground, not daring to look up at Emperor Shenwu's expression.
An oppressive silence filled the Qingliang Palace, and Prince Ding did not dare to move.
After a long moment, Emperor Shenwu sneered, "It was my mother! It was Zhou Qihuai, the secret agent she left by her side! What a loving mother! What's the point of me protecting this Miaoling Palace so tightly? Wasn't it stabbed from the inside by the person closest to me? How ridiculous!"
Prince Ding wanted to cover his ears, but he could only sit there passively and listen to the secrets and discord between the most noble mother and son in the royal family.
As Prince Ding was secretly frustrated, the voice of the Supreme Emperor Shenwu rang out again: "Go and bring the Sixth Prince back! First, use a child to comfort Concubine Yi."
Lan Qingwu woke up in Jingyou Pavilion and saw the Sixth Prince. The Sixth Prince cheered and threw himself into Lan Qingwu's arms.
Ruhan told Lan Qingwu that General Lan loved the Seventh Prince very much and wanted to let the Seventh Prince stay at the Lan family for a few days.
Before Lan Qingwu could think about the key points, he was summoned to Qingliang Palace by Emperor Shenwu.
The Shenwu Emperor asked Lan Qingwu to stay in the back chamber, with the Sixth Prince accompanying her. Mother and son were happily playing when the Shenwu Emperor entered. He walked to the bedside, looked at the two similar faces, one large and one small, and stretched out his long arms to embrace them. "I heard that General Lan's health seems to be improving, and he is very fond of the Seventh Prince, so I am asking him to stay in the Lan family's outer palace for a few more days."
Lan Qingwu completely trusted the Emperor Shenwu, and didn't think much of what he said. The Emperor Shenwu said, "Follow me back to the Imperial City in two days."
Lan Qingwu was surprised: "So fast?"
A hint of coldness flashed through the eyes of the Emperor Shenwu: "Prince Shen is still on the run. I must return to the Imperial City immediately to deal with his affairs."
Lan Qingwu nodded, understanding the dilemma Emperor Shenwu faced in this matter. Empress Dowager Li was caught in the middle, which was really uncomfortable!
Soon, the concubines of the six palaces, civil and military officials, and royal family members all boarded the carriages back to the imperial city, and the long convoy set off towards the imperial city.
The Emperor Shenwu kept Lan Qingwu on the Dragon Chariot, not letting her out of his sight for a moment. Lan Qingwu simply thought that the Emperor Shenwu was provoked, so she obeyed him in everything.
After returning to the palace, Lan Qingwu was taken directly to the bedroom in the main hall of Qianzheng Palace by Emperor Shenwu.
Lan Qingwu's feeling that something was wrong came back. The Emperor Shenwu was acting like this, as if he really wanted to lock him up like a bird in a cage.
That night, Lan Qingwu became anxious in her sleep and woke up with a start. She hadn't been awakened by a nightmare for a long time.
Emperor Shenwu was not in the bedroom. Lan Qingwu sat up, clutching her chest and wiping the cold sweat from her forehead. She tentatively called out, "Brother Heng...Brother Heng!"
Emperor Shenwu seemed to have sensed something and walked into the bedroom. "Wei Ruo Ruo, are you awake? Are you feeling unwell?"
Lan Qingwu shook his head: "I just suddenly felt panicky. Brother Heng, I missed Xiao Qi."
Emperor Shenwu embraced Lan Qingwu in his arms and said, "Okay, I will bring Xiaoqi back in two days. Speaking of which, because Xiaoqi is weak, I am afraid of ruining his luck, so I haven't decided on a name for him. It's a good opportunity for you to help me think of a good name in the next two days."
Lan Qingwu's heart slowly calmed down. She hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Brother Heng, isn't Ruo Ruo going back to her own palace?"
Emperor Shenwu raised his eyebrows: "Why? You don't want to accompany me?"
Lan Qingwu shook his head: "That's not what I meant."
Emperor Shenwu hugged the person in his arms tightly, "Then stay here with me."
Lan Qingwu couldn't leave Qianzheng Palace, so she waited in her bedroom in the main hall every day for Emperor Shenwu to return from court, taking care of the Sixth Prince. However, the uneasiness deep in her heart did not disappear.
The magnificent, majestic and solemn Golden Throne Hall was filled with civil and military officials, as well as royal relatives.
The Shenwu Emperor had just returned from the battlefield, still radiating a cold and murderous aura. He had Li Xiang read the decree directly in the palace: "By the Will of Heaven, the Emperor declares that the late Emperor's fifth son, Prince Shen, Zhou Qihuai, has committed treason, high treason, and attempted rebellion. He has also poisoned loyal and honest people, and his crimes are unforgivable! Today—Prince Shen, Zhou Qihuai, is demoted to a commoner, stripped of his title of Prince, stripped of his surname Zhou, and expelled from the Zhou royal family tree. I order all government offices to issue arrest warrants for Zhou Qihuai! This is hereby announced to the world! I decree—"
The civil and military officials in the hall were frightened by the pressure from Emperor Shenwu and only dared to lower their heads and communicate with each other through eye contact. Prince Ding understood that the emperor really hated Prince Shen to the core.
After the morning court session, Emperor Shenwu did not return to his bedroom in Qianzheng Hall. He just wanted to stay in the front hall for a while. Unexpectedly, one day he would be afraid to see Lan Qingwu's eyes!
Li Xiang bowed carefully and reported: "Your Majesty, the Queen Mother wishes to see you."
Emperor Shenwu said expressionlessly, "Want to see me? Did you receive news that I was going to arrest her beloved son? Didn't I surround the Cining Palace? How come someone is still sending a message to the Empress Dowager?"
Li Xiang replied, "Your Majesty, it's Nanny Li. Nanny Li usually makes many good friends, so there are always one or two who are grateful."
Li Xiang was also deeply troubled by the Emperor Shenwu. How could his majesty feel good after imprisoning his own mother? Concubine Yi was also trapped in the Qianzheng Palace by the Emperor Shenwu, which meant the Emperor had simultaneously imprisoned the two people he cared about most! With the Seventh Prince abducted by Zhou Qihuai, how could the Emperor Shenwu resolve this crisis?
The Shenwu Emperor remained calm, "It's human nature! Well, I'll go to the Cining Palace to take a look. Huanfeng, if you have any news about Zhou Qihuai, report it to me immediately!"