I died tragically in my previous life, and I want to be an empress in my next life

Mother Xue showed a confused look on her face, and asked puzzledly: "Prince, why didn't you tell me earlier? If I had known earlier, I might have been able to comfort the concubine earlier and prevent her from reaching this point today."

Xuanyuan Ping sighed softly and looked into the distance, "What difference would it make if I had said it earlier? Fate has already determined that the position of the principal wife will never belong to her, so now I can only do my best to compensate her and let her live a stable life."

"Your Highness, your love for your concubine is truly touching. However, you should also consider yourself. You are of royal blood, and you must not ruin things because of these sentimental relationships." Mother Xue advised.

"Mother Xue, don't worry. I know what I am doing. I know what is important and what can be let go." Xuanyuan Ping nodded slightly.

After the two left, Qingyao quietly walked out from the shadows at the corner of the corridor.

Qingyao did not hesitate and quietly went to Yime Pavilion.

"Saved him in the palace?" Pei Zhiyan frowned slightly, thought for a moment, and then asked, "Qingyao, are you sure it was the prince who said it himself?"

Qingyao nodded and answered affirmatively, "Yes, I heard very clearly what the prince said to Mother Xue. He said that the concubine saved him in the palace when he was five or six years old."

"That's why the prince dotes on the concubine so much and indulges her all the time."

Pei Zhiyan was silent for a moment, then said, "Okay, don't make this public, you go back first, I have my own plans."

Qingyao responded and left Yime Pavilion.

Yin Ping looked at Qing Yao's back as she left, feeling puzzled. She couldn't help but turn to Pei Zhiyan and asked softly, "Miss, it seems that the second young lady didn't enter the palace when she was young?"

Pei Zhiyan frowned and thought. She remembered that when Pei Zhixuan was five or six years old, Lord Pei had not yet become the prime minister. At that time, except for her deceased mother, no family members in the backyard of the Pei Mansion were qualified to enter the palace, and it was impossible for her mother to bring a concubine's daughter into the palace.

However, Pei Zhiyan remembered a small incident. When she was young, she often went to the palace with her grandmother. One time in the imperial garden, she saw a group of eunuchs and palace maids bullying a thin child. The child was ragged and looked very pitiful.

Pei Zhiyan was very angry, so she stepped forward and taught the eunuchs and palace maids a lesson, asking them to apologize to the child. The child lowered his head, thanked him quietly, and left. Could that child be Xuanyuan Ping?

If that child was Xuanyuan Ping, how could he mistake himself for Pei Zhixuan?

Pei Zhiyan picked up the teacup, took a sip, and thought to herself, perhaps, if she just tested those two people, she would be able to find out the truth.

On the second day, Pei Zhiyan took Xiaobao to Xuanyuan Ping's yard.

"Your Highness, I heard that my sister has been unwell these days. After all, she is the child's biological mother. I want to take Xiaobao to see her." Pei Zhiyan lowered her eyes, her tone full of concern.

After hearing this, Xuanyuan Ping frowned and was silent for a moment, "The princess is really thoughtful."

Pei Zhiyan saw Xuanyuan Ping was a little hesitant, she bit her lower lip and continued, "Your Highness also knows that my sister has had some misunderstandings about me these days. Why don't you take Xiaobao with me to ease the tension between the sisters?"

Xuanyuan Ping pondered for a moment, nodded, and said, "In that case, I will go with you."

Therefore, Pei Zhiyan, Xuanyuan Ping and Xiaobao went to Yuxiangxie together. Pei Zhixuan came out to greet them. When she saw Xiaobao, she immediately hugged him with tears in her eyes, "Xiaobao, mother missed you so much!"

She hugged Xiaobao tightly, kissed his cheek, and was reluctant to let go for a long time.

After Pei Zhiyan sat down, she picked up a cup of tea, took a sip, and said, "Prince, sister, I want to bring Xiaobao to the palace to visit the Queen Mother tomorrow."

"The Queen Mother loves children the most. The last time she came to the palace, she asked us to bring Xiaobao to the palace more often."

After hearing this, Xuanyuan Ping's face showed joy. It was naturally a good thing that Xiaobao was liked by the Queen Mother and the Emperor.

"That's great." Xuanyuan Ping said.

Pei Zhixuan also nodded and said, "Then my sister should prepare well and go to the palace with me tomorrow."

Pei Zhiyan gently put down the teacup in her hand, frowned slightly, and looked at Pei Zhixuan with some embarrassment, "Sister, the Queen Mother always likes quietness and doesn't like crowds."

"But I am Xiaobao's biological mother." Pei Zhixuan was unhappy. Pei Zhiyan clearly didn't want to take her with her this time. She was probably afraid that if she gained face in front of the Queen Mother, she would lose her support.

"Sister, the Queen Mother is very sentimental. I have often entered the palace to accompany her since I was young," Pei Zhiyan continued, "The Queen Mother is more lenient to me than the average person. This time I brought Xiaobao into the palace to make her happy."

"I'm sure you haven't forgotten about the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet. Last time when Xiaobao was one month old, you went to the palace with him, but the Empress Dowager still has a grudge against you." Pei Zhiyan said.

Pei Zhixuan blushed slightly when she heard this. How could she forget the embarrassing incident at the Queen Mother's birthday banquet that made her lose face in the capital? However, if she brought Xiaobao back to the palace, maybe the Queen Mother would get close to her for Xiaobao's sake. She had to fight for herself.

"Sister, it is precisely because the Queen Mother has a grudge against me that I should bring Xiaobao to the palace more often to win back the Queen Mother's favor."

"My sister had never been to the palace before she married into Prince Jing's Mansion, and she has been to the palace only a few times after marrying into the palace. If you bring Xiaobao into the palace alone, you may not be familiar with the palace rules." Pei Zhiyan said with a smile.

Pei Zhixuan was unwilling to give up like this, and hurriedly said, "I know a little bit about the palace rules, and I won't make any mistakes. Besides, Xiaobao is so cute, the Queen Mother will definitely like him. Sister, please let me go with you."

Xuanyuan Ping interrupted her sharply and looked at Pei Zhixuan with a hint of doubt in his eyes, "You had never been to the palace before you married into Prince Jing's Mansion?"

"Well, well, Xuan'er had never been to the palace before she married into the prince's mansion." Pei Zhixuan didn't know why he asked this, and replied hesitantly.

"Maybe you remembered it wrongly? Didn't you go to the palace once when you were five or six years old?" Xuanyuan Ping asked.

"Xuan'er couldn't have remembered it wrong. At that time, Lin's stepmother was still alive. Every time, Old Madam Lin and stepmother only brought my sister into the palace and never brought me." Pei Zhixuan lowered her head somewhat aggrievedly.

She couldn't help but think of her childhood. At that time, she always envied her sister for being brought into the palace, while she could only stay in the mansion.

Hearing this, the teacup in Xuanyuan Ping's hand fell to the ground with a bang.

Everyone was shocked, but Pei Zhiyan observed Xuanyuan Ping calmly.

Xuanyuan Ping's face became increasingly gloomy, and the atmosphere became increasingly tense. He called over his personal servant, whispered a few instructions, and the servant left like the wind, leaving the room in silence.