Traveling through the Tang Dynasty: The Concubine Goes to War

After the emperor left, Yunxi sat alone by the bed, staring blankly ahead, his thoughts drifting away...

She couldn't help but start to doubt whether her decision was correct. At this moment, she felt a strong sense of longing for the crown prince in the East Palace. In the past, at this time, she would definitely accompany the crown prince, tell him a warm bedtime story, and watch him fall asleep slowly under her comfort.

However, the current situation makes her feel extremely confused and lost. She doesn't know what consequences her choice will bring, nor does she know where the future will lead.

The emperor had just stepped out of Yunxi's room and was about to signal his personal guards and eunuchs to return to the palace when he suddenly met the empress dowager's personal maid Liu Ma. Liu Ma hurriedly stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Your servant greets the emperor. The empress dowager invites you!"

The emperor frowned slightly and muttered to himself, "It's so late, what does the Empress Dowager want to talk to me about?" But he immediately responded, "Oh, the Empress Dowager hasn't rested yet?" As he spoke, the emperor followed Nanny Liu to the Empress Dowager's bedroom.

After entering the bedroom, the emperor bowed respectfully to the empress dowager and greeted her, "Your son pays his respects to you, mother!" His voice revealed a hint of respect and obedience.

"Your Majesty, come and sit here. I haven't had a good chat with you for a long time. I know that you have always been diligent in your work and cared for the people, and you have worked hard for state affairs. I don't have the heart to disturb you." The Queen Mother's eyes were full of kindness.

"Yes, mother." The emperor obediently sat on the soft cushion opposite the empress dowager.

"Is the Emperor satisfied with the new concubines?" asked the Queen Mother.

"My mother, I have been busy with state affairs these days, and reports from all over the country have piled up like mountains. I have no time to take care of the new concubines." The emperor paused, frowned slightly, and then said: "I only found some free time tonight to come and see Yang Mengxi. I believe that my mother has already known about this, right?"

The Queen Mother snorted and said with a slightly dissatisfied tone: "Of course I know. I also know that this Yang Mengxi is actually Yang Yunxi. The Emperor just gave her a new identity to cover up her tracks and let her return to you." She paused, stared at the Emperor sharply, and continued, "But have you forgotten? I wanted you to select concubines and fill the harem with concubines, with the goal of having you produce more heirs for the royal family. But you, not only sent them all back to their hometowns, but also allowed them to marry freely..."

The emperor quickly explained, "Mother, calm down. I didn't mean to disobey your will. It's just that I care about the people and have no time to care about the beauties in the harem. Besides, there are so many people in the harem now, and it's quite cumbersome to manage. It would be better to streamline the harem staff, which can save money and avoid unnecessary disputes."

The Queen Mother was still unhappy after hearing what the Emperor said, but she also understood that what he said was true. She sighed and said earnestly: "Your Majesty, the royal heir is the foundation of the country, and you must not ignore it! Even if you are busy with state affairs, you must not forget the responsibilities you shoulder."

The emperor nodded and said he would try to balance government affairs with harem affairs. Seeing this, the queen mother's face lightened up a little and she stopped asking questions. The two chatted about other things for a while, and then the emperor got up and left the palace.

After leaving the Empress Dowager's bedroom, the Emperor walked slowly along the corridors of the palace, his mind filled with all kinds of thoughts.

He was well aware that the Queen Mother's worries were not unfounded, but at the same time he was also convinced that his responsibility to the country and its people was even greater.

"The royal heir is certainly of vital importance, but if we neglect state affairs for this reason, wouldn't that be a complete reversal of the order of priority?" the emperor murmured softly.

As the emperor continued to move forward, he finally arrived at the Imperial Garden. At this moment, the Imperial Garden seemed unusually quiet under the night sky, with only the breeze gently blowing through the flowers, making subtle sounds.

The emperor stopped and stared quietly into the distance, as if he was thinking about something.

"Maybe I should find a suitable time to have an in-depth conversation with Yunxi." He thought to himself.

After all, Yunxi is the person he cherishes most in his heart.

He sincerely hoped to find a way to have the best of both worlds, to satisfy the empress dowager's earnest expectations while maintaining the deep feelings between himself and Yunxi.

Yunxi stood in front of the window and saw Nanny Liu take the emperor into the Queen Mother's bedroom, and then saw the emperor come out of the Queen Mother's bedroom... silently gazing at the hazy moonlight in the sky, with mixed feelings in her heart. She knew the pressure on the emperor and the Queen Mother's expectations, but she hoped that the emperor could live according to his own wishes.

She sighed softly and turned back to the bed, her thoughts flooding back.

The next morning, the sun shone through the window into the room, shining on Yunxi's beautiful face. She gently opened her eyes, stretched, and then got up early as usual and began to dress up. She carefully combed her long hair like a waterfall in front of the mirror and carefully selected a gorgeous dress to put on.

After dressing up, Yunxi went to the Queen Mother's bedroom to pay her respects. In the courtyard of Yongshou Palace, the palace maids bowed to her and greeted her. Yunxi smiled and responded to them. When she arrived at the Queen Mother's bedroom, the Queen Mother was sitting on the couch reading a book.

The Queen Mother looked up and saw Yunxi coming in, with a flash of admiration and love in her eyes. She put down the scroll in her hand, smiled and beckoned Yunxi to come closer. Yunxi walked to the Queen Mother, knelt down to greet her, and respectfully said: "Your Majesty, I greet you, and I wish you a long life and good health."

The Queen Mother took Yunxi's hand and said gently, "Child, get up quickly. I know that the Emperor loves you deeply, but as the ruler of a country, he has many responsibilities to bear. The issue of the royal heir is related to the future of the country, which is also a problem that the Emperor must face. Do you know why I let you live in Yongshou Palace temporarily?"

Yunxi lowered her head and listened, then replied softly, "I am stupid, please enlighten me, Your Majesty." Her tone was humble and polite, revealing her respect for the Queen Mother.

The Queen Mother smiled, patted Yunxi's hand and said, "No, you are not stupid. You are thoughtful and must have guessed my intention. Yongshou Palace is a quiet place, far away from the palace disputes. I don't care whether you are Yang Mengxi or Yang Yunxi, I just hope that you can have more time to think about the royal heirs here."

Yunxi nodded slightly, indicating that she understood the good intentions of the Queen Mother. She said gratefully: "Thank you for your concern, Queen Mother. I will follow your instructions." The Queen Mother nodded with satisfaction and continued: "Child, the relationship between you and the Emperor is deep, and I see it. But as a woman in the harem, you need to consider the overall situation and help the Emperor solve his problems. I believe that with your intelligence and wisdom, you will be able to handle these things well."

After hearing what the empress dowager said, Yunxi understood that she wanted to keep Yunxi under her nose so that the emperor would have more time to favor other new concubines.

Yunxi said that she would try her best to do her part and live up to the Queen Mother's expectations. Afterwards, Yunxi and the Queen Mother chatted about some trivial matters in a harmonious and warm atmosphere. When leaving the Queen Mother's palace, Yunxi felt much more relaxed. She knew that she had a heavy responsibility, but she also felt the care and support of the Queen Mother.