“Cui’er, it’s alright,” When he called Cui’er’s name, Cui’er knew he was angry and dared not say more. Although he was only five years old, his demeanor at times was no less than anyone else’s. Cui’er moved aside, and Lou Sijing had already rushed to Mu Xing’s side, reaching out to hold Mu Xing’s small body, smiling as she spoke, “Yulou, my child, you’re back. Mother Consort missed you so much. Do you know how much Mother Consort missed you? They all said you were dead, but Mother Consort didn’t believe it. Yulou must not be dead. They lied to Mother Consort, right?”
At this moment, Mu Xing was completely touched by Lou Sijing’s maternal obsession. He nodded vigorously, “Mm, don’t be sad.”
“Mother Consort is not sad, Mother Consort is not sad.”
Lou Sijing hugged Mu Xing tightly, patting his back, laughing and dancing like a child. Cui’er saw the situation and felt it was a bit too much. Even if the Crown Prince was angry, she had to intervene. She stepped forward, pulled Mu Xing away, and looked coldly at Lou Sijing, letting out a cold snort.
“Who knows if you’re truly mad or just pretending? Get back.”
Lou Sijing flinched, cried out with a “wow,” as if frightened. She quickly turned, picked up the wooden pillow that had fallen to the ground earlier, hugged it, and went into the dilapidated house.
After she ran off, Mu Xing’s small face darkened, and he spoke displeasedly.
“Cui’er, you’re getting bolder.”
His tone was cold and serious, exuding the domineering aura of an emperor.
Cui’er lowered her head, saying nothing. Her heart felt a pang of sadness. Mu Xing, who had entered the palace, felt increasingly distant from her. Should she return to Xiaoyao Island?
She had left precisely because she was afraid he wouldn’t adapt to the palace. Perhaps this was the opportunity. He no longer needed her; why should she stay? Duanmu was still waiting for him on Xiaoyao Island.
“It was my boldness,” she said softly. Hearing Cui’er’s words, Mu Xing knew she was hurt. He thought about his harshness just now and felt he had indeed been too severe.
Furthermore, he had been angry with Cui’er for someone else’s sake. He truly deserved to be chided. His small face immediately warmed, and his tone softened as he pleaded, “Aunt Cui, you’re not angry with Mu Xing, are you?”
Cui’er looked up at him, said nothing, turned, and walked ahead. Mu Xing and Xin Hun could only follow her as they walked towards Weiyang Palace. Mu Xing thought she might stop being angry after a while. Little did he know that as soon as Cui’er returned to Weiyang Palace and saw the Empress, she expressed her desire to leave the palace and return to Xiaoyao Island.
This truly startled Mu Xing. He had been impatient just now and didn’t want to speak so loudly to Cui’er. He lowered his small head with a sense of grievance.
Liu Liu sat on the high seat, looking at the two people kneeling below. Cui’er looked heartbroken, Mu Xing looked wronged, and little Xin Hun nervously glanced from one to another. Liu Liu raised an eyebrow with amusement, “What’s going on?”
When Mu Xing heard his mother ask, he blinked his long, curled eyelashes and said aggrievedly, “It’s Mu Xing’s fault. Earlier, Mu Xing and Xin Hun went to the cold palace to play. We saw that woman was too pitiful, so we spoke a few words to her. But Aunt Cui got angry and now wants to abandon Mu Xing.”
Cui’er looked at his aggrieved expression. She still felt wronged herself, and her face turned cold.
“Your Highness, originally I thought the Crown Prince was too young. Now that the Crown Prince is older, it is time for me to go back. Please send me back to Xiaoyao Island.”
When Liu Liu heard what Mu Xing and Cui’er said, she knew the two were bickering. However, the thought of Mu Xing going to the cold palace made her expression turn cold and her tone somewhat icy.
“Mu Xing, how can you disobey Aunt Cui? I told you not to go to the cold palace. As for that woman, even I don’t know if she’s truly mad or faking it. What if she tries to harm Mu Xing? Mother and Aunt Cui would be heartbroken.”
“But Mu Xing is fine?”
Mu Xing said righteously, but seeing his mother’s displeased expression, he could only pout and remain silent. Liu Liu glanced at Cui’er.
“Cui’er, don’t be so upset with a child. You were so determined to follow me into the palace. Now, for such a small matter, you’re causing trouble and want to go back. Do you really want to leave?”
Cui’er saw Mu Xing’s aggrieved face and his big eyes looking at her with a plea. She sighed helplessly, “Fine, I’ll wait until the Crown Prince is a little older.”
“Thank you, Aunt Cui. Mu Xing will never dare to do it again,” Mu Xing immediately smiled happily. Liu Liu, sitting on the high seat, saw Mu Xing bouncing around, seemingly unharmed. However, for some reason, her heart still felt uneasy. She beckoned for Mu Xing and Xin Hun to walk over.
“Come, let Mother look. Are you two alright?”
“Okay,” the two little fellows nodded obediently, stood up, and walked to Liu Liu’s side. Liu Liu held her son’s hand and Xin Hun’s hand, examining them up and down. Only when she was sure the two children were truly fine did she breathe a sigh of relief and gently sigh.
Perhaps Lou Sijing was truly mad. She was just being overly anxious. But this constant worry was not good. She should send that foolish woman to Tianxiang Temple immediately.
As Liu Liu was thinking, she suddenly felt a prickle of numbness in Mu Xing’s small hand. She looked down, but there was nothing. However, she felt a hint of unease in her heart. Why would her finger go numb like this? It seemed she had been too tired lately, always worrying too much.
“Alright, you two go and play. Don’t run around recklessly again.”
Liu Liu instructed her son. Mu Xing and Xin Hun nodded obediently, turned, and walked down the jade steps, heading out of the main hall. Cui’er had no choice but to stand up and accompany the young masters out.
In the main hall, Liu Liu’s face was a little pale, breaking out in a cold sweat. For some reason, her head felt dizzy, her body felt numb and painful, and her chest felt as if something was stabbing it, growing more intense. Her hands involuntarily clutched the front of her robes.
Hong Xiu, the palace maid standing behind the Empress, was shocked to see her mistress in such a state and quickly rushed to her side. “Your Highness, what’s wrong? Your Highness?”
Cui’er, Mu Xing, and Xin Hun heard the sharp cry from the main hall and quickly turned around. They saw the Empress’s face contorted in pain as she clutched her clothes, her face as pale as a ghost, large beads of sweat rolling down, and her breathing growing rapid. Cui’er and Mu Xing, as if driven mad, rushed in.
“Mother Empress, what’s wrong? Mother Empress?”
“Your Highness, what’s wrong? Your Highness?”
With such a sudden turn of events, the main hall of Weiyang Palace descended into chaos. Everyone crowded around Liu Liu, kneeling in fear, weeping. Liu Liu endured the heart-wrenching pain and calmly commanded, “Hong Xiu, immediately go and summon the imperial physician.”
“Ming Yue, immediately send someone to invite His Majesty.”
“Yes,” the two young maids immediately wiped away their tears and darted out. The eunuchs outside, hearing that their mistress was in trouble, were already in a panic. The two groups of people immediately set off separately.
One group went to summon the Emperor, and another went to summon the imperial physician. The Emperor arrived before the imperial physician. Upon hearing that the Empress had collapsed, the Emperor practically sprinted over. As soon as he entered the main hall, he heard the sounds of weeping filling the hall. The Emperor’s entire being exuded a chilling aura as he commanded sternly, “Silence! The Empress will be fine. Why are you crying?”
The eunuchs and palace maids were stunned by the Emperor’s cold words, and none dared to make a sound. Even Cui’er and Mu Xing dared not say anything more. Little Xin Hun knelt by their side, waiting with them. The Emperor picked up Liu Liu and saw her usually radiant face now as pale as paper, large beads of sweat rolling down, her palms cold and clammy, her entire body icy cold. Holding her in his arms was like holding a block of ice, her body trembling slightly, as if something were biting at her chest, and she forcefully clutched her robes. Feng Xie felt as if his heart were being crushed by a cartwheel. A fine sheen of sweat appeared on his handsome face, and he gritted his teeth, looking down.
“What exactly is going on? Why has this accident occurred?”
The kneeling palace maids and eunuchs repeatedly kowtowed, “Your servant (I) do not know what is happening! Please punish us, Your Majesty.” The Emperor’s expression was now so ferocious that he looked as if he could devour them all. These eunuchs and palace maids felt as if sharp blades were slicing through their bodies, filled with indescribable fear.