In the Changle Palace.

  Qiao Jinniang, who had heard Lu Chen’s complaint, went forward and wrapped her arms around Lu Chen’s narrow waist.

  Qiao jinniang smiled and said, “Since you want to go out with the two of us, just say it. Why are you sulking if you don’t say it directly?

  “Also, look at my hands. I haven’t slept well for two days because of your birthday. I don’t even know how many times the needles have pierced me!”


  Lu Chen saw that there were indeed needle holes in Qiao Jin’s smooth hand, and he couldn’t help but feel sorry for her.

  Qiao Jin held Lu Chen’s hand and walked to a box. She handed the Tiger Doll to Lu Chen and said,

  “You have to put away this birthday gift properly. If someone dirties it again, don’t even think about me making it for You Again!”


  Lu Chen took the tiger doll. Although he was in a hurry to finish the work, the stitching was fine, and the tiger’s eyes were embroidered lifelike.

  Lu Chen said guiltily, “Just now, I really thought that you just casually took a white jade hair crown to send me off.”


  Qiao jinniang smiled and said, “I really wanted to give you this birthday gift, but you’re Shameless, and I still want it! How could I take such a small cloth tiger to the officials.

  How could I not take your birthday seriously?

  You’re really good. You’re so angry at yourself. Just now, I even made you your favorite dishes, but you didn’t touch any of them……”


  Lu Chen said, “Those aren’t my favorites.”


  “Huh?”


  “I only like steamed rabbit meat and braised rabbit meat……”


  By the time Qiao Jinniang reacted, she had already been eaten until she was weak.

  The Sky was dark. There was still a banquet in the palace, but she didn’t have any strength left. She just wanted to have a good sleep.

  Lu Chen, on the other hand, changed into a dragon robe and went to the banquet in high spirits.

  When everyone saw that there was only his majesty and no empress, they could not help but think that the empress seemed to have provoked his majesty during the lunch banquet just now.

  There were even more speculations.

  Zheng Xiao became even more flustered when he did not see Qiao Jinniang. He ordered people to go to the Changle Palace to send a message asking to see Qiao Jinniang, only to find that Qiao Jinniang had already rested.

  It was only dusk at this time, how could she have rested so early?

  Princess Fu Lu looked at the sky and said, “So early? It Can’t be that the rumors about them are true, right?

  Did His Majesty and the Empress Quarrel? That’s not right. What could the two of them possibly quarrel about?”


  Fu Lu had been sick of looking at Princess Shou’an and the Prince Consort ever since she was young.

  But sometimes, when she went to the Changle Palace and saw Lu Chen and Lady Qiao, she was even more sick of them.

  It was not like she and Qiao Lui were newlyweds. They were already an old married couple, yet they were still sick of them.

  Zheng Xiao was extremely worried when she heard this.

  At this moment, the second Prince’s wet nurse carried the crying second prince over.

  Ang ‘er stuck to Lady Qiao a little at night. She would look for Lady Qiao at night. She slept better, but when she was awake, she had to see Lady Qiao.

  After not seeing her for a while, she started to cry.

  The wet nurse came forward and said, “Your Majesty, the second Prince wants to see the empress, but you said not to go in and disturb the empress…… This second prince……”


  Lu Chen ordered the wet nurse to give Ang ‘er to him. He held Ang ‘er in his arms, and the crying caused the baby to stop crying.

  However, this scene attracted a lot of speculation.

  The second prince could not even see the empress when he was crying. Could it be that his majesty was really going to punish the empress?……

  The next day, the discussion about the quarrel between the Empress and the Emperor became more and more noisy.

  When Xie Yun stepped into Chang ‘an, he heard the discussion in a breakfast stall in Chang ‘an.

  He said to his trusted servant, “Stop the carriage.”


  Xie Yun got down from the carriage.

  The women passing by could not help but look at him.

  Such a handsome man was probably rare in the world. His moon-white, wide-sleeved robe made him look extraordinary.

  “You don’t know that His Majesty was already unhappy when the Empress presented her birthday gift yesterday. After that, he was so angry that he did not allow the empress to attend the birthday banquet. Even when the second prince was crying and making a scene, His Majesty forbade the second prince to go and look for the Empress!”


  “This Empress’s affection is only so-so. But now that the Qiao family is extremely powerful, I believe His Majesty would not dare to touch the Empress easily.”


  “No matter how powerful the external relatives are, His Majesty is not a vegetarian. Who knows, he might even depose the Empress?”


  Xie Yun listened with a deep frown and went outside the palace to hand over the invitation.

  Everyone at the Palace Gate felt that this man’s appearance was somewhat familiar, but they could not remember where they had seen him before.

  It was already late in the morning when Qiao Jinniang got up. After she got up, she received Xie Yun’s invitation and ordered someone to bring Xie Yun in.

  However, Hong Ling returned and said, “His Majesty said that young master Xie has not been to Chang ‘an for a long time, so he called young master Xie to Taiji Palace to reminisce about the past.

  However, the Marquise and Princess Fu Lu are here.”


  Qiao jinniang said softly, “Let them in.”


  The moment the Marquise entered, she saw the Haggard Qiao Jinniang, who had not put on any makeup. She could not help but feel sorry for her:

  “Jinniang, did something happen between you and His Majesty?”


  Seeing Zheng Xiao’s worry, Qiao Jinniang said doubtfully, “His Majesty and I are very good. Nothing happened.”


  Zheng Xiao was afraid that the Jinniang would report the good news but not the bad news, so he added, “Jinniang, even though His Majesty bullied you, as his subjects, we can’t do anything for you.

  However, if you say it out loud, we can let the Qiao family help you think of a solution. You mustn’t hold on by yourself.”


  Zheng Xiao didn’t believe that Qiao Jinniang was so Haggard that there was nothing going on. “Your eyes are all green and black……”


  Qiao Jinniang smiled faintly and said, “Mother, his majesty and I are really fine. If you don’t believe me, I will take you to Taiji Palace to find his majesty.”


  Zheng Xiao saw that Qiao Jinniang’s words put down her worries. “Then why didn’t you attend the banquet last night? Now the rumors outside the palace have spread……”


  Qiao Jinniang was also quite helpless. If things did not go well between her and Lu Chen’s wife, the people outside the palace would know faster than they knew.

  She could only comfort them that the world was peaceful and the weather was good. Only then would the people of Chang ‘an have the time to talk about her.

  Qiao Jinniang explained, “I was busy for a few days because of the longevity banquet. In the afternoon, I felt tired, so I took an early rest……”


  Zheng Xiao did not believe her. “Really?”


  Qiao Jinniang was not the kind of person who did not know the big picture. She would not miss such an important banquet because she was tired.

  Naturally, Qiao Jinniang could not tell the truth. “That’s right. I’ll have to trouble mother to explain it to me outside the palace.”
……

  After Qiao Ruoyi left the main hall, she saw a pale figure standing in front of the Taiji Hall from afar. That figure looked very much like Xie Yun.

  Qiao ruoyi walked over and looked at Xie Yun. “May I ask this young master, who are you?”


  Xie Yun said clearly, “I am the current head of the Xie family and Xie Yun’s elder brother.”


  Qiao ruoyi said, “So Xie Yun has an elder brother?”


  “I am her twin elder brother. I have been sick since I was young, so I don’t see many people. After Xie Yun left, my illness slowly improved and I can come out to meet people.”


  Qiao ruoyi said plainly, “I see. Head of the Xie family, we have always remembered your sister’s donation. Sigh, I didn’t expect her to die so young.

  “I found a portrait of a little girl in a book called “Precious history”that she presented. It must be her legacy……”


  Xie Yun suddenly remembered when he heard about the precious history and the portrait.

  When Qiao Jinniang was young, he had drawn a small portrait of Qiao Jinniang and used it as a bookmark. In the end, he put it on the book called “Precious History”.

  However, he had forgotten about it when he was sorting out the books sent to Chang ‘an!

  Fortunately, this precious history book was discovered by Qiao Ruoyi. Otherwise, Xie Yun would not have been able to explain why he had hidden a small portrait of the Empress when she was young.

  At this moment, the Empress was in conflict and could not allow anyone to make an issue out of this!

  Xie Yun asked coldly, “Where’s that small portrait? Give it to me quickly!”