Chapter 1593: Chapter 1586: Want Xie Qingyi to Enter the Palace as a Consort?

"Miss Xie wishes to enter the palace? Can you invite her to have a word with me?"

Rong Yun had not seen others for a long time; her company had always been stern nannies like Momo Yan. She also missed Xie Qingyou and his siblings dearly, for they had treated her very kindly before.

That Miss Xie, with her dignified and elegant demeanor, she liked her very much.

Qin Muyan, ever indulgent, directly summoned Xie Qingyou, requesting him to bring Xie Qingyi to Zhi Luo Palace to pay a visit.

Xie Qingyi entered the palace alongside Xie Qingyou, but their moods were strikingly different. Xie Qingyou’s face was full of joy as he fanned himself, "I heard that sister-in-law has returned, and Mu Yan brother ran to the harem as soon as the court was dismissed. I heard that Lord Li wanted to detain him for a few more words, but he didn’t even hear it, and left in such a hurry! Lord Li’s face, ah, it was uglier than the dead leaves on the ground."

Xie Qingyi seemed a bit nervous, observing her surroundings as she walked, her palms sweating.

When they arrived at Zhi Luo Palace, while Xie Qingyou paid his respects properly, Xie Qingyi lost focus for a moment and knelt on the steps, injuring her leg.

Qin Muyan summoned the court physician to treat her wound and had her taken to a side hall.

In the side hall, the court physician finished bandaging Xie Qingyi’s wound and then withdrew.

Xie Qingyi and Qin Muyan were sitting separated by a screen. Qin Muyan started speaking calmly, "You were never such an imprudent person before. What could be so troubling that you needed to speak with me alone, even to the point of injuring your leg?"

Xie Qingyi smiled. After standing up, she knelt down properly. Even separated by the screen, one could still see her upright and proper posture, "This nobleman’s daughter dares to use a little cleverness before the emperor, which is quite inappropriate. The intention was merely to seek an audience with the emperor to report an important matter."

"What matter?" Qin Muyan put down his teacup, his expression growing more serious.

He understood the childhood companions who grew up with him—Li Yunshu was boisterous and manly, now pretending to be ladylike; Xie Qingyou, carefree and playful, had a pure and kind heart; and it was only Xie Qingyi whom he had cherished since childhood.

Because she was exceptionally talented and intelligent, admired by all, and never harbored malice towards others.

Before speaking, Xie Qingyi thought things over several times in her heart, then boldly asked, "May I dare to ask the emperor if you are indeed planning to... appoint the Princess as the empress and not Li Yunshu?"

Qin Muyan was slightly surprised, "That’s not a question you should be asking."

The court officials had asked him, and he had not given them a definitive answer yet.

It was unexpected for Xie Qingyi to ask this.

Xie Qingyi bowed her head, "This nobleman’s daughter knows she is overstepping, but this matter concerns me and Marquis Xie’s Mansion. I boldly request the emperor... to tell the truth."

Qin Muyan smiled. Nowadays, it seemed that only the Xie siblings would speak to him in such a manner.

He spoke softly, "I indeed do not intend to make Li Yunshu the empress. The Li family has been putting pressure on me; I was swayed for a time, but Jingjing is carrying my child, who will be born soon, and I have consulted the court physician—there’s a nine in ten chance that it will be a prince."

"A... prince?" Xie Qingyi’s expression turned instantly astonished. She had never imagined that Rong Yun, after being away for so long, would bear Qin Muyan’s child and was about to give birth to a prince?

Her heart suddenly felt as if it had traveled through heaven and earth in an instant. The truth she had prepared to reveal to Qin Muyan was now stuck in her throat.

"What important matter do you ultimately have to tell me today?" Qin Muyan found Xie Qingyi’s reaction very strange.

Xie Qingyi pursed her lips, "This nobleman’s daughter has been rude. I originally had something to say, but at the moment... I earnestly request the emperor to grant me the opportunity to enter the palace at any time. After I have carefully considered it, I will tell the emperor."

If it were someone else, Qin Muyan would definitely not let her off so easily.

But Xie Qingyi is a cautious and clever person, Qin Muyan granted her this special permission, "I allow you to enter the palace at any time, think it over and come find me when you are ready. But when you go to see Jingjing later, don’t be so weighed down by thoughts. Jingjing is about to give birth and cannot withstand any stress."

Xie Qingyi knelt down and kowtowed, "This nobleman’s daughter obeys the decree."

Qin Muyan’s every careful instruction was a reflection of his meticulous love for Rong Yun.

Xie Qingyi was extremely envious.

She genuinely felt happy for Rong Yun as well.

She had planned, if Rong Yun could not overcome Li Yunshu, to risk her life to reveal to Qin Muyan the scene she witnessed at the ancestral temple where Li Yunshu met with the rebels, beseeching Qin Muyan to thoroughly investigate the relation between this battle and Marquis Xie’s Mansion, and to prevent Li Yunshu from being instated as empress.

But now, as Rong Yun is about to have her child, Qin Muyan is firmly resolute in making her empress. With this turn of events, she does not need to act so soon to compete for Rong Yun’s sake.

She still has time, to carefully investigate and scheme, collecting evidence with Daddy, preparing to accuse the Li family in the future.

When Qin Muyan brought Xie Qingyi back, Xie Qingyou was already sitting opposite Rong Yun, chattering away for quite a while. Because of the difference between monarch and subject, Xie Qingyou, however curious, could only sit and watch from a distance.

If this were before, in the prince’s mansion, he would have asked Qin Muyan to let him take a closer look.𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

He had seen so many dancers from Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion, but had never seen a pregnant woman; he was truly curious, "Mu Yan brother, is a child really going to come out of sister-in-law’s stomach? It’s so miraculous."

"You’ll know once you marry a madam yourself," Qin Muyan said with a light laugh.

"I... I haven’t had enough fun yet," Xie Qingyou laughed carefreely.

He had heard about how his brother Mu Yan doted on his sister-in-law, even coming to wipe her hair at midnight. If it were him... He shook his head repeatedly, he did not have that patience; he would go to sleep without bothering to dry his hair after washing it.

"Miss Xie seems to have lost some weight," Rong Yun’s gaze fell on Xie Qingyi.

She remembered that during their escape, she had seen Xie Qingyi who had rosy cheeks and was the only woman among that group of fleeing nobility who didn’t panic or cry, noble and pure like a epiphyllum growing on the cliffside.

Now, not having seen her for a year, she seemed not to wear as good a countenance as before.

Xie Qingyi bowed her knee in respect, "The empress has been concerned, this nobleman’s daughter is ashamed to present herself."

"There’s nothing to be ashamed of. Qin Muyan gave me a lot of tonics, and Shunshun and I can’t finish them all. I’ll give some to you, would you like to take them and restore your health?" Rong Yun said with a simple heart.

Xie Qingyi hurriedly expressed her thanks, "This nobleman’s daughter thanks the empress for the generous gift."

Xie Qingyi thought that Rong Yun’s offer of some tonics was just mere politeness, she had no idea that when nanny Yan brought them up, it turned out to be a whole box full of good things, along with a basket of grasshoppers and wooden carvings.

Nanny Yan explained with a smile, "These are things our empress made when she had spare time in the village, they’re not something usually presented, but the empress regards Miss Xie as a good friend and wanted to give some to you. I hope Miss Xie won’t find them contemptible."

Xie Qingyi nodded her head and bowed her knee, "The favour of the empress is already a heavenly grace, how could I find contempt? Moreover, the empress’s craftsmanship is something I do not possess, and her goodwill is the most precious of all."

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