In the deep night, the East Palace was lit up with lights as bright as day.
The door was half open, and Xiao Xuanke, with disheveled hair, sat on the edge of the bed silently, with a gloomy look on his face.
When the queen led a large number of palace people into the courtyard, the wind was blowing fiercely, penetrating into everyone's limbs and bones.
"The Queen has arrived!" the eunuch's sharp announcement broke the silence of the cold night.
Xiao Xuanke stood up lazily. The green stubble that had not been properly cleaned in a few days made him look a little haggard and slovenly.
"See you, Queen Mother." He handed over his hand in a nonchalant manner, as if he had lost interest in everything.
The queen wore a red robe with hundreds of phoenixes and a golden crown on her head. Her sharp eyes stared closely at this incompetent son.
There were wine stains on Xiao Xuanke's sleeves, a pile of leftovers and two pairs of bowls and chopsticks on the table, and even the couch had wrinkles from the fun.
The Queen frowned: "Prince, how long will you continue to be ridiculous!"
Fu Yunqiu entered behind her and gently closed the door to prevent today's scandal from spreading.
Xiao Xuanke glanced at Fu Yunqiu coldly, and then turned to the queen: "The queen's visit late at night disturbs people's peace. Why do you blame your son for coming?"
The queen was angry and her voice was cold: "Are you still pretending to me? Where is the woman who seduced you? Call her here and ask her if she knows the rules and etiquette of the palace!"
Xiao Xuanke laughed: "Where did the queen mother hear the rumors?"
His cold gaze fell on Fu Yunqiu, and his tone immediately became a little sinister: "Yunqiu, isn't it you who is talking nonsense?"
Fu Yunqiu quickly lowered his head: "Yunqiu didn't dare. It was the empress who summoned the courtier into the palace late at night, saying that she had important matters to discuss with His Highness Xiao Xuanke."
The Queen rolled her sleeves: "Do you still need me to listen to what others say? You live in the East Palace, and as the Crown Prince, eyes are staring at you everywhere. Do you think you can really hide the good things you have done?"
After saying that, the queen turned her head and ordered the two maids: "Send people to search the East Palace, and be sure to find that woman for me."
"Yes." The two palace maids immediately went out and followed the instructions.
Fu Yunqiu lowered his head knowingly, his face was gentle and charming, and the red marks on his face had disappeared.
She whispered: "My maiden, please go and help." After receiving the Queen's permission, she resigned and left.
She just left.
Xiao Xuanke's eyes turned cold: "Mother, my son is not a prisoner. Don't you even have the right to favor other women?"
"There are so many restrictions on being a prince, but wouldn't it be even more meaningless if I became an emperor in the future?"
"Presumptuous!" the queen scolded, then glanced outside, took two steps forward and lowered her voice, "You don't want to die? Your father is suspicious. If he hears, your position as crown prince will not be guaranteed."
Xiao Xuanke snorted, lowered his head, and played with the tassels on the bed tent.
"I don't care how many playthings you want to find, whatever your interests are, but it must not be now."
"The new year has passed, and your marriage to the Fu family is about to happen. We can't cause chaos at this time. What you need most is the full support of the powerful officials. You must be honest to me until you get married to Fu Yunqiu."
Xiao Xuanke pursed his thin lips into a thin line, and his pupils were as thick as black stones, showing cold reluctance.
"This time, fortunately, Yunqiu privately reminded me that there were some untrue rumors about you, so that I could respond in time. Otherwise, by the time your father finds out, it will be too late," the queen said.
Xiao Xuanke suddenly raised his head, with a vicious look deep in his eyes.
"Sure enough, it's Fu Yunqiu? Why is she talking so much to you?"
The day before yesterday, Fu Yunqiu asked his maid to bring him soup. He temporarily relented and let him in, but if the maid saw the two gold hairpins lying on his bed, she might have said something irritating when he returned.
He had always thought that Fu Yunqiu was a generous and gentle woman, and she would be a good choice to marry as the crown princess.
But if this woman is jealous, he will never stay in the East Palace!
The dissatisfaction accumulated in Xiao Xuanke's heart at this time was all accumulated on Fu Yunqiu.
The queen advised in a deep voice: "Yunqiu did nothing wrong. She is about to become your crown princess, and she should do everything for your best."
Just at this time, there was noisy movement at the door.
The queen's eldest maid quickly walked in and said, "Your Majesty, I found a hidden girl in the cabinet in the side room."
The queen's expression changed: "Bring it here!"
After a while, Su Wenhua, with disheveled clothes and a flustered expression, was escorted in.
"Your Highness, Your Highness!" She looked at Xiao Xuanke in fear, and before she could speak, she was slapped on the face by the eldest palace maid.
"Be brave, the Queen is here and won't tolerate your being noisy and presumptuous."
With one slap, Su Wenhua's face was red and swollen, making him extremely pitiful.
Xiao Xuanke frowned and said nothing for the time being.
The queen looked at Su Wenhua coldly: "Whose girl are you from?"
Fu Yunqiu walked in behind Su Wenhua. She said, "She is the daughter of the Su family in Pingyi."
"The Su family in Pingyi?" The queen recalled for a moment, her face turned cold, "Who are you, Duke of Pingyi?"
Su Wenhua was trembling all over. He ignored the burning pain on his face and said in a trembling voice, "He is my daughter's grandfather."
The queen was immediately angry and turned to look at the prince: "You are too courageous. Do you know that the Duke of Pingyi is a relative of the Shen family!"
Xiao Xuanke was finally angry: "What's wrong with the Shen family? I'm not colluding with Shen Xiang, why should the mother be panicking!"
The queen was so angry that she felt dizzy, and Fu Yunqiu quickly stepped forward to support her.
"Mom, please calm down. Your Highness must have been temporarily deceived by others, and may not really want to disobey you." She said softly.
Xiao Xuanke suddenly turned his anger towards her: "You have no right to speak here, Fu Yunqiu, don't think that you can take care of the orphan just because you are about to become the crown princess. You are not worthy!"
The queen opened her eyes again and said fiercely: "You are so impudent, Prince, you are simply losing your mind. You will give up your life for a Su family!"
"Before the scandal spreads out, execute Su immediately to avoid future troubles!"
When Su Wenhua heard this, he trembled with fright and hurriedly cried and begged for mercy: "My queen, please forgive me. I just admire His Highness the Crown Prince and want to serve His Highness wholeheartedly."
The maid obeyed the Queen's order and stepped forward to grab Su Wenhua's arms, trying to forcefully pull her out.
"Your Highness, Your Highness, please don't leave me."
The corner of Xiao Xuanke's clothes was tightly held by Su Wenhua, and she cried miserably.
Seeing that she looked somewhat similar to that person, Xiao Xuanke's heart moved slightly with compassion.
He pushed the palace maid away and held Su Wenhua in his arms.
"Queen Mother, Su Wenhua must not die."
"She has been in love with her son for many days. Now, she is more than a month pregnant and must not be taken away."
As soon as these words came out, everyone was shocked, even Su Wenhua raised his confused and tearful eyes.
She... has only been with the prince for a few days, how could she be pregnant?
However, within a few moments, Su Wenhua suddenly understood, and she hurriedly kowtowed to the queen.
He cried and said, "Please forgive me and the child in my belly."
