After the urgent meeting with the prime minister, emperor Xie Mingze was at the throne room with his wife.
“I know that the problem shall be fixed soon. I was told that Zhangqian had asked for golds in exchange for rice” emperor Xie Mingze spoke as he reclined his back on his throne.
“But we got enough rice” empress Gu Zongying replied looking very stern. “Speaking of that, the girl said his first wife is her mother”
“He lied to us. And we can’t be partners with liars!” emperor Xie Mingze’s blood were boiling.
“To be sincere, I never trusted him. First, he rejected the royal banquet invitation for next tomorrow, he said his wife wouldn’t be able to attend as well. Something tells me that he doesn’t like that daughter of his” she reasoned.
“Precisely! He was probably scared of something, so he wouldn’t want to give out his other daughters. Then he lied that she is empress Hu Melien’s daughter” the emperor also reasoned. “Well, I’d discuss this with the chiefs after this matter is been resolved, we need to take legal action as soon as possible”
“But they won’t be partners with us again right?” empress Gu Zongying asked thinking about Cai Ruolan.
“Yes” he answered affirmatively.
“But what about the girl? Would she be going back there? I can see that Xie Yuxuan likes her” she questioned. She obviously wouldn’t like Cai Ruolan to leave, especially now that her son seems to like her.
“We shall see about that. But first we must ask the girl some questions”
Empress Gu Zongying wished Cai Ruolan wouldn’t leave, and she was sure that she wouldn’t.
“Imperial mother and father” they both turned when they heard their son’s voice.
He walked up to them, then curtsied a little before taking his seat.
“Yuxuan dear, where is Peizhi and your wife?” empress Gu Zongying asked him, she was expecting the girls to come along with him.
“I don’t know what Xie Peizhi wants to show her” he replied casually. “So what’s the problem? I met the prime minister on my way here, he was talking to general Song and they appeared looking very serious. I hope all is well? You both also left the table without me” he went straight to the matter that brought him there. He was used to attending meetings with his father. And as the crown prince, he mostly solved a few problems.
“We wanted you to have breakfast with your wife” empress Gu Zongying laughed.
“Oh mother!”
“Xie Yuxuan, it appeared that the emperor lied to us about Cai Ruolan’s mother” the emperor began. “The girl said her mother died during her birth, but he says the empress is her moth…”
“The empress is not her mother! You both should have known this” Xie Yuxuan cut his father off mid-sentences.
The emperor exchanged a bewildered glance with his wife.
“Do you think I’d marry any of the empress’s evil daughters?” he asked them.
“So you knew all these while?” empress Gu Zongying asked him in disbelief.
“I thought you both knew. I found out that you both were unaware of that when you looked surprised at the table as she mentioned it” he added in a shrug. He wasn’t the kind that likes to talk that much.
The emperor frowned. “In that case it is over with Zhangqian! We will have to cancel the partnership and also declare…”
“Just cancel the partnership father. Don’t declare war with them. We’ve had enough” Xie Yuxuan spoke looking very irritated.
“Now how about Cai Ruolan?” empress Gu Zongying asked looking very worried. “I don’t want her to go back at least not when Xie Yuxuan loves her….”
“Wait mother! I didn’t say anything ab…”
“But you took a vow on your wedding. That shows that you like her of course” she turned to the emperor. “We should probably invite her for a tea party later and ask her to tell us everything about herself” she suggested.
“Exactly! This matter must be resolved before the banquet next tomorrow” emperor Xie Mingze concluded.
“What royal banquet?” Xie Yuxuan asked looking at his mother.
“We decided to host the royal banquet next tomorrow evening. All men of nobility shall be invited” the empress responded in a smile hoping he would like the sound of that.
“I’m not interested”
The empress’s countenance changed, and her smile turned to sadness. Xie Yuxuan never liked to attend any ceremony or celebration.
“But you should attend the banquet with your wife at least for the first time Yuxuan. Then maybe you’ll attend for the second time after our grandchild’s naming ceremony” empress Gu Zongying said to make him laugh.
But he frowned without asking her any questions regarding the grandchild she had mentioned. “I’ll be busy tomorrow evening and won’t be able to attend the banquet. And I don’t think I’ll let Cai Ruolan attend either. I’ll take my leave now your majesties” he asserted before leaving the throne room.
The empress sat down in defeat. “Stubborn boy!” she turned to the emperor. “Quick let’s send for her, so we could plan the banquet early”
The emperor pondered for a while. “Perhaps we should forget about the banquet, I know why Yuxuan wouldn’t want her to attend. He doesn’t want to introduce her to the public yet, neither does he want her to be the topic of discussion”
The empress nodded in support. “I never knew he does care about her this way”
She felt that her cold-hearted son was changing by caring about someone.
Meanwhile, Xie Peizhi took Cai Ruolan around the palace, she started by showing Cai Ruolan her room and the little foxes she kept as a pet.
“I got those two arctic cub vixens on my twenty third birthday, when I learned that brother was getting married, I decided to keep them so you could take any one you look like” Xie Peizhi told her.
Cai Ruolan was pleased, she loved the two little white foxes that ran around the princess’s room, she was glad that she was owning one.
She pointed to the smallest fox.
“Perfect choice, it could be mother and father grandchild for now” Xie Peizhi laughed.
Cai Ruolan thought of what to name the pretty fox, but she decided to take her time in looking for a pretty name.
“Thank you very much” she smiled.
“That’s not all, I still got…” Xie Peizhi was interrupted by a knock on the door.
“Who’s there?”
“Your highness, their majesties sent me to call young miss” the maid answered.
Cai Ruolan heart were beating, as she wondered why the emperor and empress had sent for her.
‘I hope it’s not because of that prince’ she wondered while walking out with Xie Peizhi.
A/N
Hope you’re enjoying the story guyz please vote and comment. Also feel free to point out any errs.
Lot’s of love.
Huiyin Liang
^_^