The Rebirth of Li Fei: The Strongest Palace Fighting System

After hearing what the Queen Mother said, the Emperor was silent for a moment, as if he was weighing the pros and cons.

He knew very well that if the matter was handled improperly, it would not only affect the reputation of the royal family, but could also trigger a series of chain reactions.

So, he spoke slowly, with a bit of determination in his tone:

"The Empress Dowager is right. This matter must be carefully considered. But as a descendant of the royal family, the Seventeenth Prince has done something so disgraceful to the family."

The Queen Mother's eyes were deep, and her tone was filled with the heaviness of history as she said to the Emperor:

"Emperor, although Old Seventeen has done something unbecoming this time, you must not punish him severely."

"Why?"

The Queen Mother sighed softly, a complicated look flashing in her eyes:

"I have something in mind. Although Your Majesty may not wish to mention it, I must remind you of this matter. The Fourth Prince's mother was also of humble status. When you were Prince Yong, you were favored by her. This incident once caused the late Emperor to be furious. Your Majesty, have you ever forgotten that past?"

The Emperor's expression froze when he heard this, as if something in his heart had been touched. After a moment's silence, he slowly said:

"I... remember. But back then, the Emperor severely punished his son for this and almost stripped me of my title as a prince. I still remember it vividly."

The Queen Mother nodded slightly, with a hint of admonition in her tone:

"Yes, that's why I'm worried. If you, the Emperor, punish the Seventeenth Prince severely now, it will inevitably become known to everyone, and the incident will be repeated. More importantly, the Fourth Prince is now grown up. If this incident happens again, people will think of the Fourth Prince's biological mother again. How will Hongli feel? I'm afraid he will be unable to hold his head up in front of others."

After hearing this, the emperor's expression became even more solemn. He knew that the empress dowager's worries were not unnecessary.

After a moment's silence, he began to speak:

"What the Empress Dowager said is absolutely right. I had never considered this. The Fourth Prince has indeed grown up, and I cannot ignore his feelings. This matter really needs to be resolved to avoid leaving a psychological shadow on him."

Having said this, the emperor paused, as if thinking about his next move:

"Then, according to the Empress Dowager, how should I handle this matter so as to maintain the dignity of the royal family while also taking into account the feelings of the Fourth Prince?"

When the Queen Mother heard this, a look of approval flashed in her eyes, and she said softly:

"The Emperor has his mind made up, so I won't say anything more. I only hope you can handle this matter properly, without embarrassing the Seventeenth Prince or causing any resentment in the Fourth Prince's heart."

The emperor nodded and said firmly:

"Don't worry, Empress Dowager, I know what to do."

The emperor pondered for a moment, as if looking for a solution that would satisfy both parties. He slowly said:

"However, although it's not uncommon for princes to fall in love with palace maids, considering Old Seventeen's status, it would be better to betroth this horse trainer to Old Seventeen as a palace maid. This way, we can fulfill his wish and prevent the matter from escalating further."

After hearing this, the Queen Mother shook her head slightly, and the worry on her face became even more intense:

"Although it's not uncommon for members of the royal family to fall in love with palace maids, Prince Seventeen hasn't married yet, so how could he easily make a palace maid his wife? Furthermore, this isn't just any palace maid, but a horse trainer of lowly birth! If word gets out that a horse trainer became a legitimate wife, wouldn't the whole world laugh at us? And what will become of the royal family's reputation?"

Upon hearing this, the emperor frowned, obviously thinking about the seriousness of the problem.

After thinking for a moment, he suddenly realized a solution:

"Don't worry, Empress Dowager. This matter is not difficult to resolve. I remember that Meng Jingxian, the legitimate daughter of the Duke of Pei, has long admired Prince Seventeen and even expressed her desire for the position of concubine. This time, we might as well take advantage of the situation and betroth Meng Jingxian to Prince Seventeen. This way, we can use Meng Jingxian's identity to cover up the matter of the horse trainer and deceitfully conceal it. Secondly, we can appease the Duke of Pei, this old minister. It's the best of both worlds."

After hearing what the emperor said, the queen mother finally showed a satisfied smile on her face:

"This is a brilliant plan. Old Seventeen has always objected to marrying Meng Jingxian, but with the horse trainer incident, he probably can't refuse anymore. This way, we can solve the current thorny problem while also finding a good marriage for Old Seventeen. It's truly the perfect match."

After saying this, the Queen Mother and the Emperor smiled at each other, both seeming satisfied with the solution.

They knew that every matter in the palace needed to be handled with caution to ensure that the royal family's reputation and dignity were not damaged. And this time, they seemed to have found a perfect balance.

......

Xiao Tao's face was full of joy, her eyes sparkling with excitement, and she said happily:

"Congratulations, Your Majesty! This mission was successfully completed. Ye Lanyi successfully entered Prince Guo's mansion and did not enter the palace to disrupt the situation. The reward we received this time is 17% of the favor index. This is amazing! Taking into account the favor we previously earned from the Emperor, our current favor index has reached 44% of the Vice Empress. It's incredible!"

When I heard this, a satisfied smile appeared on the corner of my mouth, and an indescribable joy surged in my heart.

I gently stroked the teacup in my hand, my eyes deep, as if I saw the unreachable throne of queen waving at me.

"Unconsciously, we are already not far from the real queen's position."

I said softly, with a firm and confident tone.

"I hope Zhen Huan doesn't return to the palace. If she does, I'm afraid it will stir up another storm."

Xiao Tao was slightly startled when she heard this, then nodded in agreement:

"Yes, Your Majesty is right. Zhen Huan is now with Prince Guo, and they have a deep relationship. However, Prince Guo has married two women at once. I wonder how Zhen Huan will react?"

I shook my head slightly, with a mysterious smile on my face:

"I'm curious too. Let's wait and see."

After saying that, Xiaotao and I once again turned our gaze to the flower shadow axis.

......

The Zen room on Lingyun Peak is hidden among the lush trees and appears particularly quiet and peaceful.

Outside the Zen room, the green bamboo sways gently, as if whispering the secrets of the mountains; inside the Zen room, the flickering candlelight illuminates two faces with complex expressions.

There was a faint scent of sandalwood in the air, but it seemed unable to conceal the awkward and tense atmosphere between the two people.

Zhen Huan sat upright on the wooden chair in the Zen room, looking unhappy and frowning, as if a heavy burden was pressing on her heart.

Prince Guo had a face full of guilt and helplessness. He looked at Zhen Huan with eyes full of apology and affection.

After a while, Zhen Huan finally broke the silence. Although her voice was calm, it revealed a subtle bitterness:

"Then this matter is resolved. A prince is supposed to have three wives and four concubines. It's normal for the emperor to arrange for two women to enter the palace at once."