Chapter 351: Stealing the Child (3)

Ruyi quickly straightened her posture and replied, "After the fire in the Cold Palace last time, Beauty Yu has been going to the Cold Palace often. At first, Wu'er wouldn't let her in, but later, I don't know what happened, Wu'er let her in. For the past month, she has gone to the Cold Palace almost every other day."

Every other day? Qingfeng pondered for a moment, then asked, "Who else has Beauty Yu been close to recently? Besides her, who else has been to the Cold Palace?"

"No one. Beauty Yu is much the same as usual, rarely associating with others, it's just that she goes to the Cold Palace very frequently. Besides Beauty Yu, no one else has been to the Cold Palace recently."

Beauty Yu must have known about the existence of the child in the Cold Palace. Qingfeng had guessed a bit of her intentions, but that idiot actually went to the Cold Palace every other day—was she afraid others wouldn't know? Qingfeng stood up abruptly and said, "Bring the guards, we're going to the Cold Palace now."

Ruyi was surprised but didn't dare to show it, immediately going out to make arrangements.

Fuling had just returned from the Imperial Kitchen when she saw a dozen Imperial Guards standing straight on both sides of the courtyard gate in front of the Qingfeng Palace. The Mistress walked out with a cold expression, looking like she was going out. Fuling stepped forward and asked in a low voice, "Mistress, you are..."

Qingfeng turned her head slightly and whispered a few words in her ear. Fuling's expression changed instantly, and she exclaimed, "Mistress?!"

"Go." Without waiting for her to say more, Qingfeng had already led Ruyi toward the direction of the Cold Palace, with a group of guards following closely behind.

Fuling froze in place for a long time before coming to her senses. The Mistress actually wanted her to invite the Emperor, the Empress Dowager, and the Empress to the Cold Palace?! Watching Qingfeng's figure as she walked further and further away, Fuling's brows were tightly knitted together. What on earth... did the Mistress want to do?

In the Cold Palace, two women sat beside a crude wooden bed, watching the little baby sleeping soundly in warm bedding. The older woman gently stroked the child's face, her expression full of love. Beside her, the younger woman spoke in a soft voice, though her expression was somewhat urgent, "Sister, you cannot hesitate any longer. Consort Qing... she has gone mad and cannot take care of you both. In the past, you always took care of me, now let me take care of you and the child."

Zhen Zhen watched the sleeping child with gentle eyes and refused as usual, "No, I cannot let the child leave me. Anyway, no one has discovered it yet, let's just keep it hidden for now."

Beauty Yu bit her lip gently. A flash of resentment flickered in her eyes as she looked at Zhen Zhen, but it vanished quickly. Her expression remained soft as she said, "Sister, can you hide it for a moment, but can you hide it for a lifetime? Han'er will slowly grow up. Do you want him to live in this small courtyard forever, hiding and living a life of concealment?"

Zhen Zhen's hand, which was stroking the child's cheek, paused, and her brows knitted slightly. Seeing the hesitation on her face, Beauty Yu was secretly delighted and spared no effort to persuade her, "I am Han'er's aunt. If you let me raise him, I will definitely tell him what a wonderful woman his biological mother was. I can also secretly bring Han'er to see you. If you let others raise him, you won't have the chance to see Han'er at all. And when Han'er grows up to build a career, he can save you from this fire and water..."

"No." Zhen Zhen interrupted Beauty Yu's words in a low voice, repeating the words she had said countless times over the past month in a calm voice: "I said, the child will not leave me. Yueying, don't force me."

In fact, Zhen Zhen knew very well what Beauty Yu was thinking. In the current harem, the Emperor favored only Qingfeng. Even without Qingfeng, a woman of Beauty Yu's looks and talent wouldn't catch the Emperor's eye. She was now setting her sights on Han'er, hoping to use her own mouth to get the Zhen family to submit a petition to the Emperor to let her raise Han'er. She was Han'er's aunt, so it was reasonable. But not to mention that the Empress Dowager and Empress might not agree, even if they did, she wouldn't.

She had worked so hard and taken so many risks to give birth to Han'er. She had never thought about him having a prominent status or building a career, nor did she expect him to help her get out of the Cold Palace and enjoy glory again. She only asked for him to live a safe and peaceful life, for mother and son to be kind and filial, and to live a plain and serene life. Perhaps Qingfeng understood this, but Beauty Yu would never understand.

After trying to persuade her for over a month, Zhen Zhen was still unmoved. Beauty Yu was naturally unwilling to give up. She grabbed Zhen Zhen's hand and continued to lobby, "Sister, I'm not forcing you, I'm helping you, you..."

"Bang, bang, bang!" A series of urgent knocks on the door suddenly rang out. Both of them were startled. Wu'er ran out, pressed against the door, and asked, "Who is it?"

"It's me." The cold voice replied very crisply, and the volume was not low, so both people in the room heard it clearly.

"Qingfeng?" Zhen Zhen looked at Beauty Yu, her eyes full of questions. Wasn't it said she had gone mad? Beauty Yu lowered her head guiltily, secretly wondering as well. Shouldn't she still be treating her face? How could she...

When Wu'er heard it was Qingfeng's voice, she didn't think much and opened the door. Seeing the person standing outside, Wu'er froze in place, unable to come to her senses for a moment.

Having been here several times, Qingfeng was very familiar with this place. Passing by the dazed Wu'er, Qingfeng walked directly into Zhen Zhen's room.

The door was pushed open from the outside, and a plain white figure walked in. "Qingfeng?" The person stood against the light, the whole person standing in a halo. However, what made Zhen Zhen lose her focus was a peerless face, which even the spring sunlight paled in comparison to. Zhen Zhen was unable to recognize her for a moment, "You..." she murmured, unable to speak, only staring at the person in front of her in a daze and surprise.

She was now very accustomed to the surprised expressions of others when they saw her. Qingfeng smiled slightly and said faintly, "Long time no see, Zhen Zhen."

"Long time no see..." Zhen Zhen felt a bit dazed. In fact, it had only been a short two months. Qingfeng's child had died, and now her face... should have recovered its former appearance. Pity... beautiful as she was, the whole person looked much colder than before. A pair of bright eyes were calm, so cold and deep that one couldn't look directly at them. Zhen Zhen couldn't help but feel a bit of emotion.

"Beauty Yu is here too?"

Swept by Qingfeng's cold eyes, Beauty Yu trembled in her heart and quickly knelt down to salute, "Greetings, Consort Qing."

Qingfeng didn't look at her again, nor did she tell her to get up. Her gaze fell on the small figure lying quietly on the bed. A flash of pain crossed Qingfeng's eyes, and she immediately looked away.

"Ruyi."

"Yes." Ruyi understood and stepped forward quickly to hold the baby on the bed in her arms.

Zhen Zhen, who had been dazed, finally understood at this moment. She rushed forward, shouting, "What do you want to do?"

Several guards protected Ruyi and the child behind them, their tall bodies blocking the way. No matter how hard Zhen Zhen tried, she couldn't touch Ruyi again.

"Since this child is the Emperor's flesh and blood, how can he suffer in this Cold Palace? You are a sinner and have no qualifications to raise him. Naturally, I am going to take him away." Qingfeng's cold voice carried no emotion, like a bucket of ice water poured over Zhen Zhen from head to toe. Watching Ruyi about to take the child away, Zhen Zhen's eyes turned red with anxiety, "No! You can't! You can't take my child away!"

In her anxiety, Zhen Zhen rushed forward like a madwoman, pulling at the guards. Beauty Yu was also worried that Qingfeng would really snatch the child away and urged, "Consort Qing, Han'er is Sister's child..."

"When is it your turn to speak in front of me?"

The cold reprimand hit her head-on. Beauty Yu trembled involuntarily, her face turning blue and white. She didn't dare to say anything more, her two hands tightly twisting the silk handkerchief in her hands, her eyes full of unwillingness.

After colliding several times, Zhen Zhen failed to get close to the child, and even fell to the ground in her desperate struggle. Seeing Qingfeng standing coldly on the side, watching all this, Zhen Zhen felt a fire in her heart. How could she have believed that Qingfeng would sincerely help her! Zhen Zhen climbed up from the ground, glared at Qingfeng, and said angrily, "Qingfeng, give me back my child! Your own child is gone, so you come to snatch mine? Aren't you afraid of being struck by lightning for doing this!"

Struck by lightning? Because of her words, Qingfeng's straight back clearly stiffened. Her already cold face became even colder. Facing her accusation, Qingfeng walked toward her step by step, "Without me, you and this child would have died long ago. You're talking to me about being struck by lightning?!"

Ruyi nervously held the child in her arms tighter. Qingfeng looked completely unafraid, her cold eyes looking back at Zhen Zhen.

The two women stared at each other like this, one cold and ruthless with an imposing aura, the other burning with anger and full of misery. Seeing such a situation, several guards quietly moved to stand beside Qingfeng, afraid that Zhen Zhen would go crazy and pounce on Qingfeng. But no one expected that Zhen Zhen, who had just looked like she was going to fight Qingfeng to the death, suddenly bent her knees and knelt heavily on the ground.

"Qingfeng, I beg you, give me back the child. I can't live without him. You understand, don't you..."

Beauty Yu looked in surprise at Zhen Zhen, who had always been aloof, kneeling on the ground, humbly pulling at the corner of Qingfeng's skirt. That sorrowful cry made everyone present feel moved.

Qingfeng remained unmoved, not even looking at the woman on the ground, but the foot she had slightly raised did not kick away the hand Zhen Zhen was using to pull her skirt.

Catching a glimpse of a figure quietly moving toward the door, Qingfeng narrowed her bright eyes and said unhurriedly, "Where is Beauty Yu going? To notify the Emperor? No need to trouble yourself, I have already sent someone to invite him."

Beauty Yu's body, which was pressed against the door, stiffened. At the same time, the sharp, shrill shout unique to eunuchs came from outside the courtyard, "The Emperor has arrived! The Empress Dowager has arrived! The Empress has arrived—"

Hearing that shout, Zhen Zhen suddenly went limp all over, despairingly letting go of the corner of Qingfeng's skirt, and fell to the ground. She knew that no matter who ended up raising the child today, it was impossible for him to stay by her side anymore...

In the Cold Palace, so many people had never gathered at once. The room, which was originally quite spacious, immediately felt crowded. Especially with the arrival of Yan Hongtian, everyone felt a huge sense of oppression.

Qingfeng could feel countless gazes falling on her, one of which came from that man. Qingfeng held her hands tightly under her wide sleeves so that her heart wouldn't lose its rhythm because of that gaze. After adjusting her breathing, Qingfeng raised her eyes to meet that gaze that had been watching her for a long time.

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 352 =====