"A pearl from the vast ocean?" The queen slapped her hands hard on the table, her face turned ashen, the corners of her mouth drooped, and she trembled unconsciously twice.
"Mother, is it possible that Queen Yuan really has a son outside the palace?" Pei Luoan's face looked unhappy as well. His face was always slightly pale, as if he was sick. When he was gentle, he looked very likable, but now in the hall, he looked a little more gloomy.
"Mother, is this true?" he asked anxiously.
He had to be anxious about this matter as it concerned his future. If the so-called missing person was really the Empress Yuan's son, this would be a serious matter and could be a catastrophe for him.
"The son of Empress Yuan... How could she have a son? He's dead, dead as hell." The queen laughed, and the sound of her laughter seemed to echo in the empty hall, revealing a chill.
"Mother, don't talk about anything else. Just tell me whether she has a son and whether he is really sent out of the palace?" Pei Luoan waved his hands, thinking that it was really unreasonable for the queen to still be talking about life and death at this time.
What is important now is not whether Empress Yuan is dead or alive, but whether she has given birth to a child in the cold palace.
If the so-called pearl in the ocean was born to other concubines, it would not have much impact on her, and she could even be punished for the death of Empress Yuan. But if it was born to Empress Yuan, it would be different.
"When she was sent to the cold palace, it was not discovered that she was pregnant. During the Three Kings Rebellion, her mother's family was implicated, and the emperor ordered her to be sent to the cold palace. Her death was also caused by her mother's family. All of this has nothing to do with me. Even if she wants to take revenge, she can't take revenge on me. That bitch, Concubine He, is the one who is responsible."
The Queen's expression was almost weird. Although she was looking at Pei Luoan, Pei Luoan felt that she was more like looking at a certain place in space.
This look inexplicably made people feel a chill down their spine, but then Pei Luoan felt annoyed.
At this moment, he did not want to find out why Empress Yuan was sent to the cold palace. His mother's words now sounded like an attempt to cover up the truth.
He is not the emperor, so he can vaguely guess some things even if his mother doesn't say them, not to mention that his mother will unconsciously reveal some things.
He later investigated the affairs of Empress Yuan and learned that she was the woman his father truly loved and the one he had been seeking to marry. However, after Empress Yuan entered the palace, her family was found to have had dealings with the remnants of the Three Kings. After the collusion with Empress Yuan's family was discovered, the emperor was furious and all members of Empress Yuan's family were arrested.
The Empress Yuan was impeached and banished to the cold palace because of this.
"Mother, could it be that Queen Yuan really has a son?" Pei Luoan rubbed his eyebrows.
"Impossible... No way, it's impossible for her to have a son. How is that possible?" The Queen muttered, looking absent-minded.
"Mother." Pei Luoan slammed the table impatiently, "Just tell me... Is it possible to let me know the answer? Otherwise, if something is found out, we will die with guilt."
He didn't believe that his mother was innocent. Wasn't it his mother who benefited the most from the incident? His mother's family was originally more powerful than Empress Yuan's family. It was said that at the beginning, his father was unwilling to take more concubines. Later, several families forced his father to take more concubines. Among them was himself.
The mother of the family.
The queen finally came back to her senses, blinked her gloomy eyes, and said with difficulty: "There is... this possibility!"
Even though Pei Luoan already had some ideas, he was still shocked at this time: "Mother..."
"I heard this news at the beginning, but later... she was already in the cold palace. I wanted to show my goodwill and sent some clothes to her... but I never saw her. Later, I went to see the imperial physician but she didn't go... I thought it shouldn't be the case, otherwise your father would never let her stay in the cold palace..."
The Queen lowered her voice and spoke with some tremors.
The existence of Empress Yuan was like a huge mountain pressing down on her head. She was determined to get rid of her no matter what. However, she was smarter than the other concubines. Even if she acted secretly, she seemed kind to Empress Yuan on the surface and seemed very attentive when she could help her.
But after helping, Empress Yuan's life became increasingly difficult.
"Mother isn't sure either?" Pei Luo calmed himself down and asked.
"I don't know... but there is one person who might know." The queen suppressed the jealousy in her heart and said hatefully.
"who?"
"That bitch Imperial Concubine He must have known. She followed Empress Yuan into the palace, saying that she would serve Empress Yuan well and take care of her when she was sick, but then she shamelessly stayed." The Queen said gritting her teeth.
Empress Yuan was her enemy back then, and Concubine He has been her mortal enemy for many years.
"Mother, since it was Empress Yuan's family that had the problem, why was Concubine He fine? Her position at that time should not have been high, right?"
Pei Luoan thought about it and asked with a frown. This was also the thing that puzzled him the most.
Concubine He and Empress Yuan are sisters from the same clan.
"She held a low position at that time, and Empress Yuan's family was not of the same branch as hers. She was just a remote branch of Empress Yuan's family. If she hadn't entered the palace, her branch would have fallen into decline long ago. It was originally a poor family, and later it became prominent because of her. By then, Empress Yuan's family would have disappeared."
The Queen sneered, "She only held a lowly position at the time, and she was far from Empress Yuan's family. She was also pregnant. Even if someone noticed her, they would not mention her because she was pregnant."
Because of her pregnancy and some other reasons, Concubine He escaped. Pei Luoan thought about it carefully and asked, "Mother, if Empress Yuan was still alive, Concubine He would not be favored?"
"Of course not. She imitates Empress Yuan in everything. If she were still alive, she would have no role to play." The Empress said coldly, "This bitch is good at making trouble. She also had a hand in the previous incident. The Emperor thought she was gentle and lovely, but in fact she is just a bitch."
The Queen Mother's eyes turned around and fell on Pei Luoan. The corners of her lips curled up with a strange smile: "It's really similar to Ji Youran. No wonder others hinted that Ji Youran was Concubine He."
Pei Luoan was embarrassed and angry when he heard this: "Mother!"
The Empress waved her hands and said, "You can't let your father find that person, no matter who fathered him... The Imperial Observatory... The Imperial Observatory..."
The Queen paused for a moment, not knowing what to say next. Her face was as gloomy as water.
She never expected that the news she got from the Imperial Observatory was this, not that her son's throne was unstable, but that it was a hidden gem. If she had known it earlier, she would not have reached out for it, and maybe she would not have attracted the emperor's attention.
It is said that it was because she summoned the Imperial Observatory to investigate that the emperor deliberately investigated and asked more questions, and only then did he discover this so-called hidden pearl.
"Mother, I know about this matter. I will investigate it carefully and will never let such a person appear. I will also pay more attention to various places in the capital. But mother, what should we do about Ji Hanyue's horoscope?" Pei Luoan had a headache. Things happened one after another. Even if he had great abilities, he would not be able to resolve them in time.
Ji Hanyue was already dead, and he didn't want to be involved in anything concerning her.
"What does it have to do with you? Someone has sent secret agents to your house. Just deny it." The queen said impatiently. Her mind was now filled with thoughts about the pearl in the ocean, and she thought other things were trivial matters.
"Mother, this kind of thing has always happened. No matter how others look at me, they will feel that I am becoming less and less capable." Pei Luoan said irritably.
"You can just push Ji Youran. She's of no use anyway." The Queen said indifferently.
"Mother, I cannot push Ji Youran away now. She is the daughter of the Ling'an Marquis's mansion. Ji Hanyue has already gotten into trouble, and Ji Youran is now in such a mess. The Ling'an Marquis's mansion has fallen. If all these signs continue like this, everyone will suspect me. I must not let her get into trouble again at this time."
Pei Luoan said angrily.
If something happens to Ji Youran again at this time, people will think that he married Ji Hanyue in order to take over the Ling'anbo Mansion. Now that the Ling'anbo Mansion has no future, he has let go of it. If he really did this, it would dishearten those who followed him.
"Push it to Liu Jingyu?" the Queen asked tentatively.
"Mother, you should think more about Empress Yuan's affairs. I have something else to do, so I will go back first." Pei Luoan felt that he had nothing more to say to the Empress.
One of her consorts got into trouble, and then another one got into trouble. What would she do in the future? The crown prince had a reputation for being unlucky with his wife. Not to mention the crown prince, even ordinary families would avoid it. Her mother only knew how to push the matter out, but she never thought that these things would hurt her too.
After leaving the Queen's Pepper Room, Pei Luoan's face remained gloomy and his brows were furrowed. The matter of changing the horoscope stickers seemed to have nothing to do with him, but overall, it was not an ordinary small matter, and he had to have a reasonable reason.
Ling Anbo's Mansion, Ji Hanyue, Ji Youran, horoscopes... Someone has to take responsibility for this matter, and it would be best if this person has no direct relationship with him. He has to be able to take responsibility for this matter and also be able to pass the buck perfectly.
Pei Luoan walked with his hands behind his back, and several eunuchs followed him with their heads lowered. No one dared to make a sound, for fear of disturbing the prince in front.
Suddenly, Pei Luoan stopped and looked at the face of a woman hiding behind the flowers and trees on the path across the street. Even though she had hidden, from his angle, through the gaps in the flowers, he could still see the familiar delicate features. His heartbeat accelerated involuntarily, and he seemed to have decided what to do. He turned in another direction and walked over...