Zheng Xiyan heard this and a warm smile blossomed on her plain face. That smile was like the warm sunshine in spring, warm but not dazzling. She opened her red lips slightly, and her voice was gentle but with a force that could not be ignored: "Why are you suddenly doing such a big gift?"

Xiao Chengji raised his chin slightly, his eyes were firm, and his expression did not waver at all. He took a deep breath and said with a firm look in his eyes: "Mother, I have thought it through. I want to make Lu Lingyuan the queen."

After hearing this, Zheng Xiyan's expression remained calm, without any ripples. She slowly raised her hand, holding a black piece between her fingertips, and gently placed it on the chessboard. The moment the chess piece touched the chessboard, a crisp sound was made, which was particularly loud in this silent palace, causing Xiao Chengji's heart to tremble slightly.

Zheng Xiyan was silent for a long time, as if the whole world was immersed in the unfinished chess game in her hands.

On the chessboard, black and white chess pieces are intertwined, just like the troubles in the world. She sits alone, lightly twisting the chess pieces with her fingertips. Every time they fall, it seems to be beating the invisible drum of fate.

Xiao Chengji was still kneeling on the ground, the panic on his face gradually revealed itself like sand blown away by the wind.

"Mother..." Finally, the call that had been suppressed for so long sounded again, with an imperceptible tremor in Xiao Chengji's voice.

Biluo stood on one side, her brows furrowed, eyes full of worry. She whispered in Zheng Xiyan's ear: "Your Majesty, His Majesty is still kneeling. Let His Majesty get up first!" Her words were full of helplessness about the scene before her.

Upon hearing this, Zheng Xiyan frowned slightly, and her eyes revealed an unquestionable majesty. She glanced at Xiao Chengji lightly and said in a cold voice: "All of you retreat!" Although the voice was light, it carried an irresistible force.

Biluo and Shuangning looked at each other, a hint of worry flashed in their eyes, but they could only bow and take their leave: "As you command." After that, the two of them slowly left. Rong An was even more humble from beginning to end, even breathing carefully, and left closely behind.

There were only the mother and son left in the room.

Xiao Chengji raised his eyes, his eyes flashing with the majesty and solemnity unique to an emperor. He said in a deep voice: "Mother, I have made up my mind. I want to make Lu Lingyuan my queen!"

Zheng Xiyan's face was calm, like a deep pool, without any waves. She said in a deep voice: "Ji'er, if the Queen Mother tells you that she doesn't want to be your Queen and doesn't want to enter the palace, what will you do?"

Xiao Chengji frowned slightly, a look of surprise flashed across his face, and then he retorted: "Why doesn't she want to?"

Zheng Xiyan sighed softly, a complex emotion flashed in her eyes, and she said slowly: "Ji'er, your mother has been in the palace for nearly twenty years. If she were to choose again, your mother would never set foot in this palace." After she finished speaking, her face was full of helplessness and bitterness.

"The reason why mother is unwilling is because father has let her down. But I am not father and I will never become a person like him." Xiao Chengji spoke firmly, with determination flashing in his eyes.

Zheng Xiyan shook her head, her tone a little sad: "Ji'er, you are wrong. Although this palace is magnificent, it also hides endless bitterness and helplessness. Life in the palace is lonely and unbearable. Everyone is a bird in a cage, bound by many constraints. Where is freedom?"

"Although you are an emperor and hold the power of life and death, but your mother asks you, are you really happy within these palace walls, facing these endless constraints every day?" Zheng Xiyan's every word was gemstone-like and every sentence was gripping. Her expression was serious and her eyes were as sharp as torches.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Chengji fell into an unprecedented silence, and a rare hesitation and doubt flashed across his face, as if he was deeply touched in his heart, but unwilling to admit it.

"Ji'er, she has rejected her mother twice and is unwilling to enter the palace. As the queen mother and your mother, I should have agreed to your request. But as a woman who has struggled in this deep palace for nearly twenty years, I really can't bear to see her step into this endless abyss."

"Today, the Princess of Huai and Princess Lingyang entered the palace. Queen Mother saw that Princess Lingyang behaved gracefully and had an extraordinary bearing. Since the Huai Palace has this intention, I think..." Zheng Xiyan was interrupted by Xiao Chengji before she finished her words. His voice was as cold as the wind, with an unquestionable determination.

"Princess Lingyang comes from a prominent family. She is dignified and virtuous. She is truly a role model for the ladies in the capital. I will choose a good match for her to preserve the reputation of Prince Huai's Mansion." Xiao Chengji's eyes instantly turned cold, without a trace of warmth on his face. He slowly stood up, emitting a powerful aura, as if he was going to crush all obstacles into nothingness.

Zheng Xiyan's expression changed slightly, and she asked softly, her voice as cold as frost: "Ji'er, are you really going to be so stubborn?"

"Mother, I remember you once said that who will be the queen is entirely up to me." Xiao Chengji said expressionlessly, his eyes lightly sweeping across Zheng Xiyan, as if to say that no one is allowed to question his decision.

Zheng Xiyan's face changed drastically and his brows were deeply furrowed. He was deeply aware of his son and would not allow anyone to disobey his orders now.

"Mother, I really want to marry her. I don't know what's wrong with me. These days, whenever I think about establishing a queen, her figure keeps flashing in my mind..." Xiao Chengji became a little excited, his eyes full of sincerity.

At first, Zheng Xiyan thought he was feeling guilty, but at this moment, she realized that he was probably sincere to Lu Lingyuan.

"Mother, I have never asked you for anything, but this time, I beg you to just do as I say this time!" Xiao Chengji pleaded.

Zheng Xiyan sighed deeply and said helplessly: "But have you ever thought that she will hate you for this, hate you for depriving her of her freedom and trapping her in this deep palace like a cage."

"Mother doesn't want you to regret, and she doesn't want to see her sad and painful!" Zheng Xiyan looked embarrassed, with tears in her eyes.

Xiao Chengji's face wavered for a moment, his breathing became heavy, his cheeks twitched, and he said stoically: "She will be willing. I will make her stay in this palace willingly."

"Your son still has important matters to deal with. Mother, please wait for good news from your son! Your son will take his leave!" Xiao Chengji bowed and left with a gloomy face.

Zheng Xiyan looked at his back as he left, feeling strange. She hurried forward and said loudly, "Ji'er..."

Biluo and Shuangning hurried in, "My queen, are you...are you okay?"

Shuangning walked forward and helped Zheng Xiyan sit down. Zheng Xiyan grabbed Shuangning's hand and closed her eyes tightly.

Biluo and Shuangning looked at each other, their faces full of worry. They both heard what had just happened between His Majesty and the Queen Mother.

……

On the second day, Xiao Chengji summoned Princess Anping into the palace in the name of the Empress Dowager.

Lu Lingyuan didn't think much about it and took Yun'er into the palace. But as soon as she entered the palace, someone was already waiting there. It was a palace maid she had never seen before.

"I pay my respects to Princess Anping. May the princess be blessed with good health!" The palace maid was old and had a gentle appearance, but there was a hint of sharpness flashing between her eyebrows.

"No need to be so polite!" Lu Lingyuan looked calm, but she had an inexplicable sense of foreboding and became alert in an instant.

"Thank you, Princess!" the maid said respectfully, "I am here on the orders of the Queen Mother to welcome you into the palace."

"It's the order of the Empress Dowager, but why have I never seen you in Shoukang Palace?" Lu Lingyuan asked in a deep voice, folding her hands in front of her, a hint of doubt flashing across her face.

The maid was not flustered at all, and said calmly, "I serve in the front hall. It is normal and reasonable that the princess has never seen me."

"The Empress Dowager is still waiting for the princess. Please come this way, princess." The palace maid made a gesture of invitation.

Lu Lingyuan's eyes changed slightly, and she looked her up and down with vigilance. After seeing the token on her waist, she let down her guard a little.

That token was the waist badge of Shoukang Palace. She had seen it before. Aunt Biluo also said that the palace maids in every palace in this palace would wear waist badges to facilitate identification and management. The waist badges were extremely important to the palace maids!

Lu Lingyuan followed the palace maid and there was nothing unusual at first, but later, she felt something was wrong more and more. "This is not the way to Shoukang Palace at all. Where are you taking me?" Lu Lingyuan asked coldly.

The maid stopped and said more respectfully, "Don't worry, Princess. I am just following orders. But I promise you that I will not harm you."

Yun'er turned around in panic, only to find several eunuchs following her. She spoke nervously, "Miss..."

Lu Lingyuan was still calm. With the Empress Dowager in charge, no one would dare to touch her. The only one who could summon her into the palace and bring her here was...

Lu Lingyuan frowned slightly, raised her eyes slightly, and a hint of surprise flashed across her eyes.

"Princess, please come in!" the maid said in a deep voice.

Lu Lingyuan looked at the people behind her and knew that there was no way to escape now, so she could only continue to move forward.

Lu Lingyuan had entered the palace many times, but each time she entered, she was led by a palace servant, and each time she only walked around Shoukang Palace and the Imperial Garden. She was not really familiar with other places in the palace.

The palace maid brought Lu Lingyuan to Weiyang Palace. Lu Lingyuan looked up at the three words "Weiyang Palace" and fell into deep thought. What...what on earth was he going to do?

"Princess, please. The person who wants to see you is inside." The maid said in a deep voice.

Lu Lingyuan glanced at her and said coldly, "What will happen if I don't go in?"

"Miss..." Yun'er nervously held her arm. Although she was just a maid, she knew that Weiyang Palace was the residence of the empresses of all dynasties. This...

"My princess, you are joking. I will wait outside. Please come in alone," the maid continued.

"Miss..." Yun'er became more and more worried about her.

Lu Lingyuan patted her hand gently and comforted her: "It's okay, just explain it clearly, you wait for me outside, nothing will happen."

The Queen Mother had promised her, and she believed that the Queen Mother would not go back on her word.

"But, what if..." Yun'er was still worried, and her hands were shaking slightly.

"It's okay!" Lu Lingyuan forced herself to calm down, smiled at her, and then went in alone.

"Girl..." Yun'er wanted to step forward to stop her, but was blocked by the palace maid. "Young lady, please think twice. This is the order of His Majesty. If anyone dares to disobey the imperial order, I don't need to remind you of the consequences!" As she spoke, one could feel an endless sense of oppression.

Yun'er's face changed again and again, becoming more and more frightened.

Lu Lingyuan walked in and approached the main hall step by step. Rong An was waiting there. When he saw her coming, he immediately stepped forward to greet her and said respectfully, "The princess is here. His Majesty has been waiting for you inside for a long time."

Lu Lingyuan guessed correctly, it was indeed him, but she didn't understand why he went to such great lengths to summon her into the palace.

Rong An was afraid that His Majesty was getting anxious waiting, so he urged, "Princess, please go in quickly!"

"Why did your Majesty summon me here?" Lu Lingyuan asked in a deep voice.

Rong An replied with a flattering face: "Princess, you are extremely smart, how could you not guess it? Princess, your good days are still ahead." Rong An said happily with a smile on his face.

Lu Lingyuan's face was tense, with panic welling up in her eyes.

"Princess, please come in quickly!" Rong An urged her again.

Looking at the magnificent Weiyang Palace, Lu Lingyuan felt terrified and depressed. She wanted to escape from here quickly, but she also knew that if she couldn't explain it clearly, she would be trapped here for the rest of her life.

Lu Lingyuan plucked up her courage and stepped in.

As soon as he entered, Xiao Chengji sat on the Phoenix Throne. Hearing footsteps, he slowly opened his eyes. The moment he saw her clearly, his face was immediately filled with an unprecedented tenderness.

Lu Lingyuan pretended to be calm as she stepped forward and bowed, "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you. May your Majesty be blessed with good health!"

"Get up!" Xiao Chengji said gently, then slowly stood up and walked down from the Phoenix Throne. He walked step by step to Lu Lingyuan, getting closer and closer, so that every time he took a step forward, Lu Lingyuan would take a step back.

Xiao Chengji's eyes changed slightly, and he asked in a deep voice: "What? Are you afraid of me?" A hint of disappointment flashed in his eyes.

"I dare not, please forgive me, Your Majesty!" Lu Lingyuan was about to kneel down and apologize, but Xiao Chengji held her arm tightly.

Lu Lingyuan's face was filled with panic, her heartbeat accelerated, and she looked at him with a frown. After she came to her senses, she struggled, but Xiao Chengji grabbed her hand.

"Don't move!" Xiao Chengji said slowly, with a pleading look on his face.

"Your Majesty..." Lu Lingyuan's voice trembled slightly.

"You are so smart, you should know why I summoned you here alone!" Xiao Chengji said softly, his other hand slightly sweating and his expression a little nervous.

"Your Majesty, please let me go!" Lu Lingyuan struggled hard.

Seeing her resistance, Xiao Chengji felt sad, but he didn't want to give up, so he said bluntly: "I like you and want to marry you as my queen."

When these words came out, even though Lu Lingyuan had guessed it long ago, she was still really shocked.

The expression on Lu Lingyuan's face froze, her pupils dilated, and she stood there at a loss.

Seeing that she had no reaction, Xiao Chengji pulled her into his arms with a little force, lowered his head and said softly, "Are you willing to be my queen?"

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