The two said little more and rose together to leave.
After leaving the Empress Dowager’s chambers, Mei Yan looked at Su Yun Mo, her smile still in place, but her words were not so friendly.
“Little Miss, it’s time to let go of some thoughts. Coveting what’s in the bowl while looking at what’s in another’s is not a good thing.”
Su Yun Mo narrowed her eyes dangerously. “Those words should be mine to say. Your thoughts truly need to be put aside.”
Mei Yan was Leng Ling Yun’s person. Leng Ling Yun having Mei Yan orchestrate this situation was almost certainly at the behest of Ye Jing Kun.
That man had finally lost patience and decided to make a move.
She herself had considered that once Ye Jing Cheng left the capital, Ye Jing Kun would certainly no longer pretend all was well and would surely do something.
She hadn’t expected him to attack from this angle.
“Heh~” Mei Yan chuckled lightly. “What? Do you think that because the Empress Dowager did not agree just now, this matter will not proceed?”
Little did she know that when many opinions are first proposed, there are also many who disagree.
But once an opinion has been put forward and made known, it plants a seed in everyone’s mind.
As for how it will develop in the future, that depends on the circumstances.
Su Yun Mo also held this thought; no one could say for sure how things would develop.
“You don’t know the winner until the very end,” Mei Yan added. Then, she bowed to Su Yun Mo and turned to leave.
Su Yun Mo watched her retreating back, observing her posture, and finally confirmed one thing.
Mei Yan had not been pregnant from beginning to end. Even Ye Jing Cheng, who spent day and night with her, had likely been deceived.
It seemed this woman was not as easy to deal with as she had imagined.
However…
A cold glint flashed in Su Yun Mo’s eyes.
Regardless of how difficult she was to deal with, Su Yun Mo would not let anyone gamble with her future.
She turned and headed in the opposite direction of Mei Yan.
At this time, Liu Lan Xue had already woken up.
Eunuch Jiao was guarding outside. Seeing Su Yun Mo approaching, he was about to relay a message.
Su Yun Mo, without waiting for him to announce her, barged in.
Liu Lan Xue had been tormented all night. She had only just woken up.
As she was putting on her clothes, Su Yun Mo burst in.
The little dumpling ran over and buried her head in Liu Lan Xue’s arms, crying loudly, “Niang Niang, woo woo… someone bullied Mo Mo~”
Liu Lan Xue was initially happy to see the little one approach and was about to ask her to stay for lunch in the palace. Seeing her like this now, she immediately felt a pang of sympathy.
“What’s wrong? Tell me what happened. Did someone bully you?” Liu Lan Xue reached out, picked up the little dumpling, and placed her on her lap.
With one arm around her, she patted her back, while with the other, she gently rubbed her head to help her calm down.
If she had looked down at this moment, she would have noticed that Su Yun Mo was all thunder and no rain; there wasn’t even a tear on her face.
Her sobs were difficult, and she could barely speak coherently, looking utterly pathetic. “Imperial Uncle bullied Mo Mo. Imperial Uncle sold Mo Mo.”
Eunuch Jiao, who had followed her in, took a step inside the doorway and heard Su Yun Mo’s words. His eyelids twitched, and he turned to leave.
However, Liu Lan Xue called out to him first, “Wait a moment. What does Mo Mo mean by that? What did A Yao do?”
“This…” Cold sweat beaded on Eunuch Jiao’s forehead. He looked at the little dumpling in her arms and was speechless.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want to speak, but he dared not!
The Emperor’s feelings for the General’s mansion’s young lady were likely known to everyone.
It just so happened that His Majesty had done something foolish back then. Now that His Majesty and Niang Niang had reconciled, he listened to everything Niang Niang said.
And Niang Niang had always doted on these two children. If she knew the truth, she would surely cause a scene with His Majesty again.
If a commotion arose, he would not have the ability to quell His Majesty’s wrath.
Seeing that Eunuch Jiao refused to speak, Liu Lan Xue lowered her head to look at the little dumpling in her arms, gently patting her back and comforting her.
“Mo Mo, be good. Tell me what happened.”
Su Yun Mo sobbed a couple more times, finally stopping her tears.
She raised her head and looked at Liu Lan Xue. “Imperial Uncle bestowed marriage upon Mo Mo and King Kun. Mo Mo is still so young, and Imperial Uncle didn’t even tell Mo Mo beforehand.”
“What?” Liu Lan Xue’s eyes widened in disbelief. She hadn’t expected something like this to happen.
Her body already ached, and now her heart felt unwell as well.
The little dumpling was still sobbing, her eyes red.
Liu Lan Xue suppressed her anger for the moment and gently comforted her, “Alright, you don’t need to worry about this. I will definitely help you.”
“Really?”
Su Yun Mo looked up at her, her eyes full of pitifulness.
Seeing her like this, Liu Lan Xue felt even more heartbroken. She leaned down and kissed her forehead. “Of course, it’s true. When have I ever lied to you?”
“Consort Liang Niang Niang is the best!” Su Yun Mo’s face immediately lit up with a smile.
Seeing that she had become happy again, Liu Lan Xue also became happy and sent Eunuch Jiao to fetch some pastries.
Eunuch Jiao saw the two, one big and one small, their emotions easing considerably. He didn’t feel happy but rather more fearful.
Your Majesty, Your Majesty, please do not return directly to Niang Niang after today’s court session.
Otherwise, you will be in trouble.
Despite thinking this, Eunuch Jiao knew that Emperor Ye Yao would come.
Emperor Ye Yao was late returning from court today.
Su Yun Mo had a meal at Liu Lan Xue’s place. As she was preparing to leave the palace, she bumped into Emperor Ye Yao, who had just returned from court.
“Mo Mo is here too? Leaving now?” Emperor Ye Yao, still unaware of what awaited him, greeted Su Yun Mo affectionately.
The little dumpling smiled brightly. “Yes, perhaps Imperial Uncle will be very busy later, so Mo Mo will be going back first.”
After saying that, she skipped away, humming a song.
“Very busy?” Emperor Ye Yao didn’t understand her meaning for a moment.
But he didn’t think much of it, taking it as a child’s playful remark.
Emperor Ye Yao stepped into the room.
Eunuch Jiao saw him arrive and desperately signaled to him.
Emperor Ye Yao didn’t understand, or rather, he didn’t see at all.
“Xue’er, I’m back~” Emperor Ye Yao’s mind was solely occupied by Consort Liang at this moment.
As soon as he entered the room, he headed straight for the inner chambers.
Instead of Liu Lan Xue’s soft, coy voice, he was met with a pillow.
And this pillow landed squarely on Emperor Ye Yao’s face.
Emperor Ye Yao grunted, his head reeling from the impact. “Xue’er?”
What was wrong now?
“This concubine is physically exhausted today and cannot serve you. Your Majesty should go elsewhere!” These words clearly carried anger.
Emperor Ye Yao had finally reconciled with her and was unwilling to go elsewhere.
He dismissed the servants and, after closing the door, when the room became quiet, he playfully leaned in.
“Is Xue’er angry because I was too forceful last night? But you can’t blame me for that, it was clearly Xue’er…”
Before the words ‘too delicious’ could even be uttered,
Another pillow was thrown. This time, it hit him squarely in the face.
Emperor Ye Yao, holding the pillow, looked somewhat aggrieved.
He walked to the bedside and looked at the woman lying inside, her back turned to him, ignoring him. He coaxed her with all his might to turn around and look at him.
“If it’s not because of yesterday, then what else could it be? Xue’er, just say what you have to say. Don’t hide it from me.”
“You’ve always known I’m slow-witted. How can I guess if you don’t tell me?”
Liu Lan Xue also knew that this silent treatment was not a solution, but she was simply too angry to let it go.
She suddenly sat up, her cheeks puffed out. “Your Majesty likes others more than me. If that’s the case, why come here?”
If it were before, Liu Lan Xue would not have said such sour, jealous words.
But now, for the sake of her son and Mo Mo, she couldn’t afford to be so reserved.
Emperor Ye Yao was taken aback for a moment, then quickly raised three fingers as if taking an oath. “False, it’s utterly false, a grave injustice.”
He admitted that during the time Xue’er was in the cold palace, he had indeed favored other women in the harem.
But those were merely for the sake of procreation and to win over court officials. He had never truly fallen for any of them.
The only time he had developed feelings for Wang Xi Ting was simply because she resembled Xue’er.