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  Murong Xue slightly furrowed her brow and said softly, "Snow heard some rumors that the abandoned second prince's consort, Hongyu, had some old connections with the eldest prince. When Hongyu was resting at home, the eldest prince would often go to visit her. But Snow thinks it must be those idle people gossiping. Snow knows that Hongyu and Princess Yunhui are sisters from the same father but different mothers, and also the eldest prince's cousin. The eldest prince visiting her is just a matter of courtesy. Snow's sister often goes to see Hongyu, if there was anything wrong, she would be the first to be unhappy, but Snow has never heard her complain about anything. It must be those people gossiping idly. Your Majesty, don't take it to heart and get angry over such things."

  The emperor smiled slightly and said with a tinge of pity: "Xue Er, you are too simple-minded. Living in the palace, you must learn to protect yourself."

  Murong Xue lowered her head and said softly: "Xue'er only knows that as long as she is good to the emperor, with the emperor's protection, Xue'er will not have any problems, Xue'er is not afraid, as long as the emperor thinks of Xue'er in his heart, Xue'er is not afraid."

  Eunuch Gao walked in from outside and said loudly: "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince requests an audience."

  The emperor was taken aback for a moment and said: "Help me change clothes, let him wait in the front hall."

  Simazhe sat in the front hall, looking somewhat hesitant. Upon hearing the emperor's voice, he immediately stood up, bowed his body and said: "Your son has seen you, father."

  "Alright, rise. The Emperor sat down on his chair and looked at Sima Zhe, asking, "What brings you to me at this hour?"

  Simazhe hesitated for a moment, then gathered his courage and said: "Father King, I indeed have something to say that's why I came to disturb you. Today is Grandmother's birthday, and I want to ask Father King to allow my second brother and Hongyu to temporarily leave the Siwang Garden to celebrate Grandmother's birthday. Since Hongyu was injured, her body has not been well, and the Siwang Garden is a quiet and desolate place that doesn't suit her staying inside. She has only stayed for a few days, but I heard from the eunuchs that she can't rest properly and has become haggard. After all, Hongyu is Mother's niece, so I also want to ask Father King to show mercy and spare her."

  The Emperor listened patiently to Sima Zhe's words, suppressing his anger and speaking slowly: "You want me to release Hongyu? What's so special about her that you can't let go? Isn't she just a flirtatious woman who appears elegant on the surface but is actually arrogant and proud? Can't you see that she's not worthy of your attention? And what's wrong with Murong Juan? As the Crown Prince, you can have many women, but you cannot be devoted to any one of them. If you focus too much on one woman, you will make mistakes, especially if it's a woman who is not worthy. If it weren't for her connection to the Empress Dowager, I would have killed her long ago for daring to secretly flirt with my other son behind your back. Don't think that I don't know about these old affairs. The arrangements made by your grandmother were only possible because of me. Without my consent, you wouldn't be able to become the Crown Prince, and Sima Qiang wouldn't be able to become the Second Prince. Hongyu wouldn't be able to become the Second Princess either. All of this is because of your mother's influence. Now that things have reached this point, you still can't let go? I won't bother with whether or not you two have rekindled an old flame. I'm only telling you that if you do something that Murong Juan cannot tolerate, I will strip you of your title as Crown Prince for the sake of Xue'er alone. If you think Siwang Garden is a cold and desolate place and Hongyu doesn't belong there, I can grant your wish and let you go accompany her. Let's see how you and Sima Qiang will fight again!"

  Simazhe felt a chill run down his spine, and suddenly he was cold from head to toe. He stood there, stiff and unsure of what to do next.

  "That matter with Ruo Yu, if it weren't for Rui Er covering for you, where would you be standing now? Do you really think you can deceive me about your affairs?" The Emperor said coldly. "How could something that happened under my nose possibly be hidden from me? If I didn't have regard for the efforts of your grandmother and mother, I would have already stripped you of your title as Crown Prince. You'd best just focus on guarding Mu Rong Xuan, that woman may not be the one you truly love, but at least she has no scandals, and is worthy of being the Crown Princess."

  Simazhe hung his head low and didn't dare make a sound.

  "You manipulated the marriage between Xue Er and Rui Er, if I didn't know that Rui Er's reputation for being unruly was all because of you, how could I have agreed to let Muyong Qingliang's third daughter marry Rui Er? Rui Er is also my son, your own brother, can he just marry anyone? Do I not care about him at all? As long as they are my sons, occupying the position of crown prince, they are all people I look up to. Otherwise, why did I choose only the four of you among so many sons? You truly disappoint me!" The Emperor started to get angry, staring at Sima Zhe standing in front of him, feeling a sense of "hating iron for not becoming steel".

  Behind the slightly ajar door, Murong Xue quietly shifted her body. The emperor's sharpness and coldness were not fake at all. To survive in front of the emperor, one could only pretend to be stupid, consolidating their position bit by bit. As for his own son, the emperor still spent so much thought on him, exchanging a slightly more elegant concubine, how much true heart could there be?

  Eunuch Gao came in from outside again and said: "Your Majesty, Empress Dowager asks you to go over."

  The emperor nodded and said to Sima Zhe: "Today is your grandmother's birthday, I have my own arrangements, you don't need to worry about these useless things, just be a good crown prince. Gao Gonggong, go and invite Xue'er to come out, and let's go to the Shangfu Palace together."

  "Yes." Gao Gonggong responded and went to invite Murong Xue from behind.

  Xiangfu Palace, Sima Minglang, who had traveled a long distance, had just arrived, with a dusty and tired face. Beside him was a concubine who had just given birth to a child, a delicate and refined young woman, wearing light red clothes, with a hint of shyness between her eyebrows. She knelt down in front of the Empress Dowager, her voice soft and gentle like the water towns.

  "Yuqin has met with her mother-in-law and wishes her a long life of good health and happiness."

  The empress smiled slightly and looked at Yuqin, saying with a smile: "Minglang, this little girl looks quite good. I heard that she just gave you an adorable daughter?"

  "Yes," Sima Minglang smiled slightly, "she's a very pretty little girl, brought by the wet nurse. This time, because of the sudden arrival, she wasn't able to bring her."

  "Good." The Empress Dowager said happily, "Has he taken a name yet?"

  "Ah," Sima Minglang looked at Yuqin standing beside him and said, "Yuqin is a southerner, born in a small town full of jasmine flowers. We met, got to know each other, and fell in love there, so we gave our daughter the nickname Jasmine."