"Don't you think she's being overly pampered?" Yan Xijun reminded her. She always felt that Yang Zhaorong's obedient and gentle nature wasn't her true self. Moreover, she had a premonition that she wasn't just an ordinary concubine.

  She is so nervous about her identity. It can be expected. Her identity is not simple.

  "She is good at understanding people's intentions, so the emperor naturally likes her more. It's normal for her to be favored. This harem is like that, someone loses favor and someone gains it." Empress Yan said disapprovingly. She thought that no matter how much any concubine in this harem was favored, they would not threaten her position.

  If Empress Yuan had foreseen her later fate, she would not have spoken so confidently and carelessly.

  She was very regretful later for not listening to Si Mei's words. But no matter how much she regretted, it was too late. This is a story for another time.

  Yan Xijun saw her sister say it casually, thinking that she had made up her mind about something, so she didn't mention the matter again.

  A shout of "The Emperor has arrived" scared the two people into a panic. Empress Yan anxiously said: "What should I do? The Emperor is back from his morning court session."

  "Sister is the empress, I'm sure he wouldn't dare do anything to you. Don't be flustered, calm down." Compared to Empress Yan's panic, Yan Xikun was surprisingly calm. At this moment, it was too late to hide anyway. Moreover, the courtyard was empty and bare, with no place to hide.

  "See the Emperor." The voices of the guards at the gate had already sounded. That flash of yellow had already slipped into the courtyard.

  "The concubine requests an audience with Your Majesty." Seeing that he had already entered, Empress Yan and Lady Yan Xi hastily bowed their heads in greeting.

  Chu Yixuan stepped into the courtyard and saw someone he didn't want to see. He also thought of that annoying thing on the imperial court. A fire ignited in his heart, and he rebuked: "What are you doing here?"

  "Your Majesty... Your Majesty." Empress Yan stuttered and couldn't get the words out. She didn't dare to speak. She knew he hated it when his concubines came to his palace.

  "As the empress, don't you understand the rules of the harem?" Chu Yixuan coldly stared at Empress Yan. "You know the law but break it, what crime should you be guilty of."

  "Your Majesty......" Empress Yan was so frightened that she didn't know what to say.

  "Your Majesty, it was actually I who asked the Empress to come over this time. If Your Majesty wants to blame someone, then blame me. This matter cannot be blamed on the Empress."

  Yan Xijun saw that her sister was so flustered that she didn't know how to explain herself. In order not to let the Emperor blame her sister, she had no choice but to step forward and kneel on the ground to apologize to him.

  "It was you who summoned her." Chu Yixuan looked at the person kneeling on the ground with suspicion, gazing at her skeptically.

  "Yes, Your Majesty. I know I was wrong. Please don't punish the Empress." Yan Xikun took all the blame on herself and at the same time didn't forget to clear her sister's name.

  Empress Yan did not expect her to say that. Although she was surprised in her heart, she was also delighted. As long as the emperor could not punish her, she would be at ease. So when she saw her kneeling on the ground, she remained silent and tacitly agreed.

  Chu Yixuan didn't expect her to do this either. In his heart, he thought that he didn't believe the Empress was summoned by her. It's highly likely that the Empress came on her own accord.

  To verify his words, he glanced sideways at Empress Yan and asked coldly: "Empress, is what she said true?"

  Empress Yan glanced at the person kneeling on the ground, her eyes hesitating for a moment before she lowered her head and said: "Reply to His Majesty, it is indeed as she said."

  "Haha." Chu Yixuan sneered. He keenly saw the hint of hesitation in her eyes. It seemed that his guess was not wrong. The her on the ground was innocent.

  Forget it. Since she's so protective of the queen, there's no need for me to pursue this further. I'll let them off the hook this time.

  Thinking of this, Chu Yixuan waved his wide sleeves and looked at Empress Yan's cold face: "Since the mistake is not on you this time, I will forgive you. However, if next time I find out that you are 'disrupting' again, don't blame me for being ruthless."

  "Thank you for your imperial pardon." Empress Yan hastily performed a ritual of gratitude and thanked her.

  "You can go." Chu Yixuan waved his hand coldly at her. "Don't let me see you appear in Zhengyang Palace again next time."

  "I, your concubine, will remember this. It absolutely won't happen again." Empress Yan raised her eyes to look at the fourth sister kneeling on the ground, opened her mouth as if wanting to say something, but in the end didn't say anything and politely retreated.

  Saw the sister did not receive any punishment, safely retreated out. Also relieved in her heart, put down the originally hanging heart. Quietly lowered her head and waited for his verdict.

  He took all the blame upon himself and it's still unknown how he will punish himself.

  Although nervous, she was also calm. In the time spent in the imperial palace, she had experienced great joys and sorrows. Her heart had long since become numb. No matter what happened, she could accept it calmly.

  "Get up too. Has your injury healed?" Looking at her calm and peaceful face, Chu Yixuan felt a pang in his heart and asked with concern.

  She has been with him for a month or so, and he has already figured out her personality. Underneath her calm expression lies a cold heart. To be honest, her mind is not on him at all.

  For the first time, he couldn't see through her heart and couldn't grasp her as a person. He was thoroughly disappointed with himself. The most noble and respected him, the one who held the power of the imperial throne, had everything: wealth, status, women, money... Everything came easily to him, but he never expected that there would be something in this world that he couldn't get - her heart.

  She heard his words of concern and Yan Xijun stared at him with wide eyes in shock. He didn't blame her, but instead showed concern for her. It was really a strange thing.

  "I know this is not your fault. I am a person who understands things clearly and will not wrongly accuse good people. I also understand your intention to protect the empress. Just don't do it again next time."

  She saw her puzzled gaze at herself, and Chu Yixuan opened his mouth to explain.

  He's really a sharp person. Nothing can escape his piercing eyes. How many things in the harem can actually be hidden from him? She thought probably none.

  "Get up." Chu Yixuan stretched out his hand to her. "You haven't had breakfast yet, have you? Have a meal with me."

  Yan Xijun gazed at the pair of white, slender and clean hands that were stretched out towards him, and involuntarily placed his own hand into their palms.

  Chu Yixuan grasped her slightly chilly small hand, and with a gentle tug, he pulled her up. The early autumn morning was a bit cool, so he reached out to adjust her collar. "It's getting cold, wear more clothes from now on, don't catch a chill."

  Yan Xijun stared blankly at him. An emperor who was so cold had changed into another person in an instant. This made her unable to calm down.

  "Order the imperial kitchen to bring up my breakfast." Chu Yixuan lovingly stroked her tender cheek with his finger, chuckled softly, and then turned to instruct Luo Zhong, his personal attendant.

  Luo Zhong took orders and went down.

  "Go inside." Chu Yixuan held her small hand with his large one and led her into the house.