The beloved baby has a space

Chapter 582 Emperor Minghua's Worries
Old Wang couldn't fall asleep because Old Mrs. Wang thought about it and felt something was wrong, so she sat up and gently woke him up. "Get up."

Old Wang: "What is it now!"

He was extremely tired. He had accompanied Ayu and Qin Huai to the palace during the day, but they were stopped outside. Soon after, someone came to tell him that he didn't need to wait and that the two of them wouldn't be returning that night.

Old Wang knew that waiting outside wasn't a solution, so he went back and told Old Mrs. Wang what had happened. The two of them analyzed the situation together, and it was already late at night.

They weren't worried about Ayu and Qin Huai's safety. Ayu posed no threat to anyone now, and as for Qin Huai, his status was what it was. If he couldn't even protect someone who could openly enter the palace, Emperor Minghua wouldn't be able to maintain such a large dynasty.

Now, Old Mrs. Wang pulled Old Wang up and asked him, "Old man, do you still remember your apprentice, Zhuo Wang?"

“How could I not remember? Isn’t that kid quite famous now? Those people from Xifeng Kingdom asked me about him before, and they even wrote to me last year saying they’d lost contact with King Zhuo and asked me to help them make contact again.” Speaking of this, Old Wang was puzzled. “When they came before, they were quite interested in Ayu, acting like they were determined to snatch her away. But they’ve quieted down in the last two years. Apart from sending a bunch of gifts every year on Ayu’s birthday, they haven’t done anything else.”

Grandma Wang: "Who asked you about the Kingdom of Xifeng? I was talking about the Jade Carving King. After you left today, I heard someone on the street say that Wanning City will be holding a jade carving competition to select this year's jade carving master. The Jade Carving King has been invited to be an examiner and is said to be coming to Wanning City."

"You mean..." Old Wang also sat up abruptly, "Let Zhuo Wang?"

Grandma Wang nodded.

Having been married for over thirty years, the two had developed a great deal of tacit understanding. They knew each other's thoughts and plans without needing to say anything explicitly.

Zhuo Wang was a child adopted by the couple. Old Wang even taught him most of his jade carving skills. Now, more than 20 years later, Zhuo Wang is famous and has the same style as Old Wang back then.

If Old Wang's connections in the capital are not working, then this Prince Zhuo would be a very good choice.

The current emperor is a wise ruler who treats the virtuous and talented with respect, embraces diverse perspectives, and greatly appreciates those with ability.

There must be people in Wanning City who are on good terms with King Zhuo.

"But so many years have passed, and we don't know what kind of person that child is now. If we rashly acknowledge him, it might cause trouble for Ayu." Old Wang began to think about how to make contact with this child without involving Ayu.

No matter how harmonious the imperial court may seem, there are always constant disputes. Driven by enormous interests, anyone can change their nature and true intentions.

Ayu is still very young, and both Old Wang and Old Mrs. Wang don't want her to get involved in these things too early.

If possible, we should also take her away from these troubles.

Even if she could just live an ordinary life in the capital or back in her town, be a rich girl, and live a peaceful and happy life, that would be wonderful.

Grandma Wang sighed, "We should have been more careful back then. Ayu and Qin Huai had verbally agreed to a marriage between their children, so we should have investigated the child's background. Now we wouldn't be in such a passive position."

"You're all talk and no action. If you really disliked it that much, why would you have come all this way here?" Old Wang yawned and turned over to go to sleep.

He really couldn't keep going; he's too old to stay up all night.

Grandma Wang kept her eyes open for a while, thinking through many thoughts, and then she closed her eyes and went to sleep.

But some people can't sleep.

"What? The Empress Dowager intercepted them?!" Emperor Minghua thought that Eunuch Changde had already arranged for the two children to sleep and planned to take them to see the Empress early the next morning, but he did not expect to hear such news when he woke up at the hour of Yin.

Changde Eunuch: "Yes. The Empress Dowager also said that you don't need to worry, she won't do anything to the two children, nor will she delay your affairs."

Emperor Minghua, however, was not entirely at ease.

His relationship with his mother had always been distant, especially after he inadvertently learned about his father and mother's affair. The two then stopped pretending to be affectionate in front of him. Later, when his father went mad, his mother even tried to kill him, but Emperor Minghua stopped her, creating a rift between them.

After the late emperor died, the empress dowager built herself a boat and lived there every day, ignoring everything else.

The two hadn't had a proper conversation in years.

Emperor Minghua still felt a chill run down his spine when he recalled that night many years ago when his mother held a poisoned dagger, intending to stab the unconscious late emperor.

He didn't quite trust his mother.

Where do the two of them live?

"It is said to be the Fengyu Hall."

Emperor Minghua, who was about to set off, stopped in his tracks.

"It's actually Fengyu Palace?" Emperor Minghua was very surprised.

That was where he lived as a child. After he was made crown prince at the age of 10, he moved away from there under the imperial edict of the late emperor.

No one has lived there for many years, and I wonder what it looks like now?

At this moment, many childhood memories surfaced in Emperor Minghua's mind, and his expression gradually softened.

"Let's wait until dawn before proceeding to Fengyu Palace." Emperor Minghua waved his hand, preparing to go to Qinchen Palace to continue handling state affairs.

He was a diligent emperor who only rested for an hour and a half each day, and even when he was really tired, he would only rest for two hours.

On the first and fifteenth of each lunar month, he would spend the night in the Empress's palace, thus setting aside three hours.

The couple's relationship was not harmonious, and the Empress repeatedly told Emperor Minghua not to go anymore. However, Emperor Minghua would go in person every time, and even if he faced the Empress's coldness, he would stay for a full three hours before leaving.

"Your Majesty, you haven't rested for an hour and a half yet today," Eunuch Changde cautiously reminded him.

In the past, Eunuch Changde would never have dared to say such things, as that would have been far too presumptuous.

He was genuinely worried about the Emperor's health, especially since the Empress had fallen seriously ill and Emperor Minghua had not been able to sleep or eat properly for a long time.

Even the strongest body can't withstand such self-destruction.

"I understand. Go and rest. Come and serve me again when it's light." Emperor Minghua waved his hand, dismissing Eunuch Changde, and then sat down at the table.

Today, however, he couldn't calm down to deal with the memorials. His mind was in turmoil, and he was filled with countless thoughts.

Why did the Empress Dowager leave two children behind? Was it to prevent him from treating the Empress?
But the Empress Dowager seemed to have no reason to do this. Although the Empress and the Empress Dowager were not close for many years, they had no major conflicts.

At this moment, the person standing prominently in the Empress's palace is none other than Qin Huai.
Hua Hong saw Qin Huai standing silently at the palace gate and was about to kneel down to him.

Qin Huai: "How is she?"

(End of this chapter)