"Yes, she is of noble birth, has an extraordinary appearance, a strong character, cares about the world, has a huge ability to accumulate wealth, and has superb medical skills... These are not something an ordinary woman can have..." Empress Dowager Dugu said after a careful analysis.
"Isn't this normal? She's just a little better than ordinary women..." Xiao Ran felt that Empress Dowager Dugu was exaggerating.
"No, you see, Doctor Gu is already extremely talented, but he only achieved all his studies when he was in his thirties. Empress An is only in her teens, but she has already reached a level that no one else can reach." Empress Dowager Dugu explained.
"But it's within common sense..." Xiao Ran still didn't believe it.
"No, mother is never wrong in judging people. We just haven't discovered the peculiarity of Queen An yet! Otherwise, how could I let Queen An enter my Lan Cang, and as Queen!" said Queen Dowager Dugu, calmly adjusting her sleeves.
Xiao Ran remained silent. For a moment, he began to believe what Empress Dowager Dugu said. This Sister Xin was indeed unusual. Many of her thoughts were not possessed by ordinary women. She was like a fairy from another world...
Empress Dowager Dugu also realized that she had strayed off topic, so she quickly returned to the previous topic and said, "In the next few days, you should quickly find out the true identity of Yingzi. If she is really from my Dugu family, my Dugu clan will be saved!"
"Yes!" Xiao Ran also knew that this matter was of great importance, so he took note of it secretly.
Xiao Ran was about to leave when Empress Dowager Dugu suddenly asked: "Ran'er, do you like Dugu Yue'er..."
"Yes..." Xiao Ran, like Xiao Yu, was quite close to the Queen Mother Gu Du. He didn't want to lie, so he told the truth.
Hearing Xiao Ran's words, Empress Dowager Dugu looked at Xiao Ran with a complicated expression and said: "If you like, I will ask the emperor to grant you a marriage..."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Ran looked up at Empress Dowager Dugu, with a hint of doubt in his eyes.
Seeing this, Empress Dowager Dugu knew what Xiao Ran was thinking, and said helplessly: "The emperor rejected my idea. He doesn't want to take in other concubines, but he has no say in this matter. Even if the Dugu family can't enter the palace, the Lin and He families are eyeing them covetously!"
Xiao Ran thought about it, and finally made up his mind, saying: "Mother, forget it. I don't want to continue..."
When Empress Dowager Dugu heard this, she noticed the helplessness and decadence in Xiao Ran's words, so she comforted him gently: "Ran'er, there will always be something better for you. In the future, if you like someone, just bring him/her. I will fulfill your wish!"
"I understand, son!" Xiao Ran replied respectfully.
Although Empress Dowager Dugu had some selfish motives, she had nothing to say to Xiao Yu and Xiao Ran. It can be said that Empress Dowager Dugu was the one who valued family affection the most in the royal family.
However, Xiao Ran still felt bitter because of Dugu Yue'er. If he could not marry Dugu Yue'er, every woman in the future would be like a puppet and dispensable to him.
"Go away." Empress Dowager Dugu said with her eyes closed. She was very helpless. Her two sons were among the best in the world, but how come they were both rejected by women and could not get their love
Really, it's infuriating!
After leaving Chonghua Palace, Xiao Ran couldn't help but walk to the place where Dugu Yue'er had been in the morning. Xiao Ran couldn't help but squat down and gently stroke the place where Dugu Yue'er had stood.
But he found an exquisite pearl hairpin dropped among the flowers, which was exactly the same as the one Dugu Yue'er was wearing today!
Xiao Ran gently stroked the pearl hairpin with his hand, as if he was caressing his lover.
Just when Xiao Ran was feeling sad, he suddenly saw a white figure. Xiao Ran panicked subconsciously. After all, encountering some strange things late at night was not a happy thing.
"Prince Ming?" the white shadow said in surprise.
"Huh? Silhouette? What are you doing here?" Xiao Ran asked with a puzzled look on his face.
When Jianying saw Xiao Ran, he remembered what happened during the day and a trace of shyness flashed across his face, but it was followed by helplessness. A prince, with nothing to do, was squatting in the garden late at night.
It's amazing!
Silhouette replied respectfully: "I am waiting for the night-blooming cereus to bloom and collecting the dew from it to make cosmetics."
In fact, this matter could be completely handed over to other palace servants, but Jianying had been feeling a little irritable recently, so he took the initiative to take on this job and planned to go to the garden to relax, and happened to meet Xiao Ran.
"But the prince hasn't returned home so late at night..." Silhouette looked at Xiao Ran strangely. When he saw the pearl hairpin in his hand, he actually felt it was a little dazzling.
"The night is getting darker and the dew is heavier, making it the most difficult to rest." Perhaps it was because the moonlight was too bright that Xiao Ran couldn't help but express his feelings.
Yingzi was a woman with a delicate mind, so she naturally noticed the complex emotions in Xiao Ran's heart.
"Your Highness is still resting. It's getting late. If we don't leave the palace soon, I'm afraid the palace gate will be closed." Xiao Ran has always treated the people in Luanhua Palace very well, and Yingzi couldn't help but ask with concern.
Xiao Ran heard this and chuckled: "Even if the palace gates are closed, it's not difficult for me to go out. But I don't want to embarrass my third brother, so I will probably stay in the palace today. By the way, I'm bored, so I'll wait for the Epiphyllum with you..."
Seeing Xiao Ran said this, Silhouette did not respond and said, "Then I'll trouble you, Your Majesty..."
Xiao Ran said nonchalantly: "Even though the blooming time is very short, it is indeed a beautiful sight that cannot be missed."
Upon hearing this, Silhouette smiled and agreed, and the two of them waited together for the Epiphyllum to bloom.
Inside the Yangxin Palace, Xiao Yu's face turned cold as he looked at the pretty woman in a black dress kneeling on the ground.
After a while, until the woman's legs and feet were numb from kneeling, Xiao Yu finally spoke: "Lin Qingcheng, if you were not Yu'er's good friend, you would not be able to leave this Yangxin Palace alive today..."
Hearing this, the woman looked up at Xiao Yu, who looked cold and ruthless, and secretly laughed at herself, saying, "I know, but I just want to fight for my feelings!"
"You are trying to stop a chariot with a mantis arm. You are overestimating your own abilities!" Xiao Yu said coldly.
"I know, but Your Majesty must also know that you must take this concubine. Your Majesty must choose one from the Dugu clan, the He family, and the Lin family as the imperial concubine..." Although Lin Qingcheng was frightened by Xiao Yu's gloomy expression, she would not back down. There is only one chance, and if you miss it, it will be gone.
Xiao Yu looked at Lin Qingcheng with sarcasm and said, "You are the most noble lady in Chaoge, but that's all you can claim. You seduced the man of your sisters behind their backs with bad intentions. Are you offering yourself to her?"
Xiao Yu always presented himself as a modest gentleman, but he never lacked the coldness in the royal family's bones.
Lin Qingcheng knew that he would be bullied when he came here today, but who would have thought that Xiao Yu would be so ruthless when it came to saying hurtful words.