Rebirth: Phoenix Riding the Ninth Heaven

The prince came to Chaoyang Palace and told the palace maids to go in. He saw his mother having a meal.

He walked in quickly, with a cheerful smile on his face, and said, "Mother, I'm here to see you!"

Then he pretended to be pitiful, touched his belly and said, "Mother, I am almost starving. Is there anything delicious?"

When Queen Kun saw the prince arrive, a brilliant smile instantly spread across her face, her eyes filled with kindness and tenderness. She softly said, "My son, come and sit down so I can take a good look at you." The prince smiled as he walked over to his mother and slowly sat down. Queen Kun carefully examined his features, her eyes revealing concern.

"Why have you lost weight? Have you been too busy lately? Although work is important, you should also take care of your health!" Queen Kun's tone was filled with worry as she gently stroked the prince's hand.

The prince smiled and consoled her, "Don't worry, mother. I'm fine. It's just that I've been so busy with government affairs lately that I'm inevitably a little tired."

Queen Kun nodded, turned her gaze to the Crown Prince's face, and continued, "You don't have to worry too much about the Crown Princess. She has someone to take care of her. The eldest prince also has a wet nurse to take care of him. You don't have to worry so much. Look how tired you have made yourself." Her eyes were full of love and concern for her son.

The prince responded respectfully, "Thank you, mother, for your concern. I understand and will pay more attention in the future." However, his face looked a little embarrassed, and he continued, "Mother, I seem to have made a mistake. Please help me."

Queen Kun's heart skipped a beat when she heard the prince's humble request. "What a mistake!" she thought. She knew the prince had never asked for her help since he was a child, and this time he must have encountered a difficult situation. However, Queen Kun remained calm and said with a smile, "My son, please tell me what's the matter. Don't worry."

The Crown Prince then recounted everything that had happened between him and Qiao Xinran. It turned out that while the Crown Princess was pregnant, Qiao Xinran had secretly had an affair with him and had done something shameful. Even more abominable was that Wang Yuyan had gotten Qiao Xinran pregnant while she was in confinement after childbirth. Upon hearing this, the Queen was so angry that she slammed her palm on the table and shouted angrily, "My son, you are so confused!"

When the prince heard this, his eyes became sad, and he said painfully: "Mother, I know I was wrong now, but Wang Yuyan is the wife chosen for me by father and you, I have to marry her!" He sighed deeply and continued: "I finally met someone I like, how can I control myself? Although Xinran is the cousin of the crown princess, I really like her. I was attracted to her at the first sight. That soft and weak feeling made me want to protect her immediately." After speaking, the prince lowered his head, a look of deep guilt on his face.

When Queen Kun heard this, she felt pity in her heart and couldn't help but sigh: "My son, I'm not saying this to you, but how can the royal family have so much true feelings? Wang Yuyan's father is an important official who followed your father to conquer the world. He can be said to be a loyal minister. Now you have hidden it from him and made her cousin pregnant. How will the Crown Princess deal with this? How will you explain to your father and the ministers? If the censors find out about this, I'm afraid even your position as Crown Prince will be in jeopardy!" She frowned and looked at her son worriedly.

The prince's face was as pale as paper and he was trembling all over. He knelt slowly on the ground with shaking legs and begged bitterly: "Mother, please! You must save me! I am really desperate and there is really no other way. I can only beg you for help." After saying that, he lowered his head deeply and touched the ground with his forehead, as if expressing his helplessness and despair to his mother.

Queen Kun watched her son in such a state of disgrace, her heart filled with pain and helplessness. She sighed softly, a flicker of pity in her eyes, but she remained firm, saying, "Son, it's not that I won't help you, but this matter is beyond my ability. It's a matter of both magnitude and insignificance. The only thing you can do now is confess your sins to the Crown Princess and accept your punishment. Perhaps this will give you a chance to mend your ways."

Hearing this, the prince's body trembled violently. He looked up, his eyes filled with despair and fear. His lips trembled slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but he held it back. He knew his mother was right. He could not escape the crime he had committed and must face the reality.

Finally, the prince took a deep breath, lowered his head again, and whispered, "Mother, I understand. I will follow your advice, confess my sins, and accept the punishment. I hope that you can forgive my mistakes and give me the opportunity to regain the trust of the previous dynasty and the various great families."

My son, don't be too discouraged. There's still room for improvement. Mother will personally consult with the Crown Princess to see if a compromise can be found to resolve this matter. However, during this period, you must absolutely not have any contact or interaction with Qiao Xinran. Mother will take her to her own palace shortly. Until this matter is resolved, you must have no further contact with her. Remember, the greater good must prevail.

The prince bowed deeply to his mother, and then said, "I am sorry to have caused you so much worry. I sincerely hope to have your support and help, and I hope you can make the decision for me." His voice was full of sincerity and respect, which made people feel his respect and dependence on his mother.

Queen Kun stood quietly, her eyes fixed on the prince's departing figure, a look of deep worry and helplessness in her eyes. She sighed softly, thinking to herself, "This emotional entanglement between men and women is truly the most complicated and troublesome thing!"

She knew that love wasn't about right or wrong, only about likes and dislikes. Some people in this world are willing to risk their lives for love, even their lives; others see love as an integral part of their being, willing to fight for it through thick and thin. Qiao Xinran wasn't sure what this relationship meant for the Crown Prince: a blessing or a curse.

Queen Kun shook her head gently and sighed again: "Alas, for the sake of my child, I should go to the Crown Princess in person to find out the situation. After all, as a mother, I must care about my son's happiness." After that, she turned and slowly left, her figure gradually disappearing into the depths of the palace.

Before Queen Kun stepped into the gate of the Crown Princess's bedroom, she saw a palace maid coming up to her and bowing respectfully: "Greetings to Queen Kun, may your majesty be blessed!" Queen Kun's personal nanny said to the palace maid with a stern face: "Hurry up and tell the Crown Princess that Queen Kun has arrived." Upon hearing this, the palace maid did not dare to delay for a moment and hurriedly turned around and ran into the bedroom to report to the Crown Princess.

The palace maid walked to the Crown Princess's bed, bent down gently, leaned close to her ear, and whispered, "Crown Princess, the Queen has arrived. Please pack quickly, she will be in soon." When Wang Yuyan heard the news, she immediately asked Nanny Li to help her tidy up her clothes and put her hair up.

When the Empress walked into the shop, she saw Wang Yuyan standing quietly beside the bed. Her clothes, though slightly oversized, were neatly dressed, without any extraneous adornments. Her hair was simply tied up with a jade hairpin, without any other unnecessary ornaments. Her overall appearance was simple, elegant, yet dignified.

Empress Kun couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion: "What on earth is this Crown Prince thinking? She actually doesn't like such a dignified, well-educated daughter-in-law! Instead, she prefers that woman named Qiao Xinran. That woman is obviously a flatterer. What's so lovable about her? Perhaps men just like that kind of soft, weak, coquettish and charming look. Alas..."

Although she was complaining about her son in her heart, she didn't show it on her face. She quickly stepped forward, gently helped Wang Yuyan up, looked at her with heartache, then gently patted her hand and scolded her, "How can you get out of bed while you're in confinement? Go lie down on the bed!"

Wang Yuyan smiled slightly and replied obediently, "Don't worry, mother. I understand. I just lay in bed for too long and wanted to go out for a walk."

The Queen shook her head helplessly and gently rebuked, "You are always so stubborn. But remember, if you don't take good care of yourself during the confinement period, you will suffer from illness."

Wang Yuyan nodded, her eyes gleaming with gratitude. "Your Majesty, you are right. I will pay attention to this. Thank you for your concern."

The Queen gently stroked Wang Yuyan's hair and said lovingly, "Silly child, why are you being so polite to your mother? Have a good rest. If you need anything, just tell me."

Is the little grandson fussy at night? Is the wet nurse diligent? Is he getting enough milk? These are all questions you need to consider. After all, this is your first time as a mother, and there may be many things you don't understand. But don't worry, you can always send someone to the palace to ask the Queen Mother for advice. The Queen Mother will often visit and offer advice and guidance.

Because this child is your own flesh and blood! From the moment he's born, you worry about him day and night. When he's little, you worry about him going hungry; when he grows up, you worry about him getting into danger. Alas, as a mother, you never feel like your children have grown up; you worry about them day and night.

Wang Yuyan watched her mother chatter away, realizing she must be looking for him about the Crown Prince and Qiao Xinran. She sighed softly, a hint of helplessness flashing in her eyes, but she maintained a gentle smile as she whispered, "Mother, you've come to see me, is there something important?"

Queen Kun was slightly taken aback, as if she hadn't expected the Crown Princess to ask so directly. She hesitated for a moment, but finally decided to speak frankly: "Yan'er, your Majesty has come here this time because she really wants to discuss something with you."

Wang Yuyan nodded, signaling her mother to continue.

Queen Kun took a deep breath and said slowly: "Yan'er, you also know that the matter between the Crown Prince and Qiao Xinran... is now a done deal. I'm afraid your father will be very dissatisfied if he knows about it." It will affect the Crown Prince's status in the court.