Upon hearing this, Feng Ke burst out laughing.

Liang Yujiao pouted: "Your Highness, what are you laughing at?"

Feng Ke stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes cold and sharp: "I ask you, what right do you have to demand that I deal with my palace maids? Is this any of your business?"

Liang Yujiao's smile froze instantly: "I...I am the Crown Princess, can't I even punish a palace maid?"

"No."

Feng Ke showed absolutely no respect.

"You have no right to interfere in what happens in my palace, nor do you have the right to manage my people. As for the so-called Crown Princess, it is still unknown whether you can become the Crown Princess. You are getting too excited too soon."

"W-what do you mean?"

"Miss Liang can't even understand what I mean, so how can she be qualified to be the Crown Princess?"

"you……"

It's not that she couldn't understand; it's that she couldn't believe it.

Liang Yujiao thought to herself, "Isn't Feng Ke saying all this just to protect his favorite maid?"

"Your Highness, you actually treated me like this for a palace maid? Aren't you afraid I'll tell my aunt?"

"Go ahead and go," Feng Ke said calmly.

Liang Yujiao's lips trembled slightly with anger. She said angrily, "Don't think I'm afraid of you. I am the Empress's own niece, while you are not the Empress's own son. Aren't you afraid that I will have my aunt replace you?"

This time, Feng Ke was genuinely amused.

“Miss Liang, guess what? If we were to switch places, would the Empress Dowager choose me or a different niece to be the Crown Princess? As far as I know, Lord Liang seems to have more than one legitimate daughter.”

After saying that, Feng Ke ignored Liang Yujiao and left, leaving Liang Yujiao standing there with a pale face.

Yes, the Empress has many nieces to replace her, but there are no other suitable princes in the palace to replace her with.

Now Liang Yujiao dared not complain to the Empress. She didn't even dare to mention the matter and hurriedly left the palace.

When Feng Ke returned to Xiyuan Palace, Qi Ning was taking a nap on a small couch in the inner hall.

Upon seeing Qi Ning, Feng Ke's expression softened.

He walked over quietly and sat down on the small couch.

Feng Ke looked down at Qi Ning for a while, then couldn't help but slowly move closer.

But before he could even touch her face, Qi Ning suddenly opened her eyes.

"Your Highness."

Feng Ke froze, then quickly leaned back: "Awake?"

"Ah."

Qi Ning hadn't actually fallen asleep; she had only closed her eyes and pretended to sleep.

She sat up straight and asked, "Your Highness has returned from Jingyang Palace?"

"Yes."

Feng Ke picked up the teacup on the table and took a sip.

"Oh dear." Qi Ning didn't even have time to stop him. "That's the tea I drank. Your Highness, please have someone bring you a fresh cup of tea."

"Really? But I've already drunk it," Feng Ke said innocently.

He knew perfectly well that Qi Ning had drunk from that cup of tea; he did it on purpose.

Qi Ning looked at him helplessly and had no choice but to give up.

Feng Ke put down his teacup, moved closer to Qi Ning, and said affectionately, "Guess what the Empress called me over to say just now?"

Qi Ning had already learned about the Jingyang Palace incident through the system, so he naturally knew what the Empress and Feng Ke had discussed.

She pretended not to know and asked cooperatively, "What?"

"She told me about marrying the Crown Princess."

"Really? Who is it?"

"Liang Yuewu's niece, the second daughter of the Liang family."

"Oh." Qi Ning remained calm.

Feng Ke said, somewhat aggrieved, "Don't you care at all?"

Qi Ning glanced at him: "What does Your Highness want me to care about?"

Feng Ke held Qi Ning's hand: "You know perfectly well that you are the only one in my heart."

“Your Highness, I am five years older than you.”

“I know that, you don’t need to remind me. So what if you’re five, ten, or twenty years older than me? All I know is that I want to be with you forever and I don’t want you to leave me.”

Feng Ke spoke each word with utmost seriousness.

Looking into his sincere and ardent eyes, Qi Ning was not unmoved.

But then she added, "The Crown Princess won't tolerate me."

Qi Ning also learned that Liang Yujiao had gone to see Feng Ke earlier.

"What Crown Princess?"

Feng Ke frowned slightly: "Although I have temporarily agreed to the Empress's arrangement, it is only a delaying tactic. I will not marry that Miss Liang. Besides, do you think Father Emperor would agree to another Empress from the Liang family?"

Qi Ning knew that the emperor would most likely not agree.

"Even if it's not Miss Liang who becomes the Crown Princess, it will be another young lady from a prominent family."

"Ning'er."

Feng Ke stared at Qi Ning: "I will not have any other Crown Princess, don't you understand? I have told you, I will not marry anyone else, there will be no harem. As long as you agree to be with me, I will take care of everything."

"really?"

"It's absolutely true. You just need to nod and agree."

Qi Ning remained silent for a while before nodding slightly.

In an instant, the worry and tension between Feng Ke's brows disappeared, and a light of surprise shone in his eyes.

He hugged Qi Ning tightly and whispered joyfully in her ear, "I knew it, you have feelings for me too."

Qi Ning smiled and hugged him back.

On the other hand, Liang Yuewu couldn't wait to go to the emperor that very day to discuss the matter of Feng Ke marrying the crown princess.

Unexpectedly, the emperor flatly refused: "No."

The emperor had long anticipated that Liang Yuewu would put the Liang family's daughter in the picture. When he said he wanted her to make arrangements, he meant that she should prepare for Feng Ke's marriage, not that he should choose the bride.

Liang Yuewu's smile froze on her lips: "Your Majesty, why don't you agree? Ke'er himself has already agreed."

The emperor simply replied, "I have already decided on the Crown Princess for Ke'er. If you really want your niece to marry Ke'er, you can make her a concubine."

The emperor didn't give Liang Yuewu a chance to fight for it and made the decision immediately.

When Liang Yuewu returned to her palace, she threw another tantrum.

Feng Ke sat to the side, but Liang Yuewu couldn't vent her anger on him, since Feng Ke had agreed, and the one who disagreed was the emperor.

“Your father is really going too far. You already agreed, but he still won’t agree.”

Feng Ke smiled and said, "Mother, Father must have his reasons for doing this. However, it's not that he doesn't agree, but he's just making Miss Liang a concubine. There's nothing wrong with being a concubine. She's Mother's niece. Would I ever mistreat her?"

Feng Ke was becoming increasingly adept at fooling Liang Yuewu.

Sure enough, when Liang Yuewu heard Feng Ke's words, she felt that they had struck a chord with her, and all the pent-up frustration in her heart dissipated.

Yes, so what if she's a concubine? Once Feng Ke ascends the throne and she becomes the Empress Dowager, can't she still make Liang Yujiao's son the Crown Prince?

Thinking about it this way, Liang Yuewu suddenly found Feng Ke more and more pleasing to the eye: "Ke'er, you are truly a good son of your mother."

No matter how ironic Feng Ke felt inside, he remained outwardly expressionless.

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