Shocking! In this matriarchal society, every man wants to marry me!

Why did Xia Muning appear in the palace?

Le Xingxi and Zhong Tian exchanged a glance, and Zhong Tian personally stepped forward to open the door.

Xia Muning, dressed in a dark green official robe, waited at the door. When she saw Zhong Tian open the door himself, her expression remained unchanged. She simply knelt down and bowed respectfully, saying, "Xia greets the Imperial Consort."

The way he called out "Imperial Consort" made everyone present look rather unpleasant. Le Xingxi forced a smile, a bitter smile on her face: "I presume you know my situation, so why do you have to say such hurtful things to me?"

"The etiquette cannot be revoked!"

Zhong Tian stepped forward and helped Xia Muning up. Xia Muning stood up with ease, and Zhong Tian asked with some concern, "Muning, why did you come to the palace?"

Xia Muning said coldly, "My wife has not returned to the manor for a long time. As her husband, I should go out and look for her."

Zhong Tian's guilt deepened: "Mu Ning, I told you this when I left..."

"My lady, you only said that something would take you away for a few days and that you wouldn't be returning to the manor, but you didn't say that you were going to the palace to do this head-risking business!"

Nakata had no way to refute it.

Seeing that the atmosphere had become somewhat tense, Le Xingxi personally poured a cup of tea and handed it to Xia Muning: "Master Xia, it was my fault. Drink this cup of tea and I will forgive you."

Xia Muning put the tea aside without drinking it: "I can never afford tea served by the Emperor himself."

Seeing Zhong Tian's anxious gaze, Xia Muning slowly explained, "I entered the palace this time because I heard that the Empress Dowager is seriously ill. As her husband, I need to go to the palace to serve her."

Since everyone here was an acquaintance, Xia Muning didn't bother to hide his true feelings and said sarcastically, "The Empress Dowager's health probably won't hold up for much longer. I want to ask her personally how my brother's score will be settled, so that he won't be unable to rest in peace in the underworld."

Looking at the untouched cup of tea, Le Xingxi said with a somewhat forlorn expression, "The Empress Dowager is recuperating in the palace and will not see anyone."

Xia Muning looked at Le Xingxi: "Yes, I went to see the Empress Dowager, but I was turned away. I told the palace servants who escorted me that I wanted to see the newly appointed Imperial Consort, so I didn't leave the palace immediately! But I had to leave before the palace gates were locked."

Xia Muning held Zhongtian's hand and said firmly, "When I leave the palace, my wife, you must come with me! Staying in the palace for even a moment means danger."

"Ever since I learned of your presence in the palace, I have been tossing and turning, unable to sleep or eat properly. My wife, can you bear to see me and Ping'er living in fear for you day and night?"

Xia Muning looked into Zhongtian's eyes: "My lady, you need to figure out what is most important to you."

Zhongtian was startled.

At this moment, Le Xingxi, who had been standing silently to the side, spoke up: "Zhongniang, Jingtai just came to report that my mother wants to see you. My mother is in Zhengyang Palace! You should go find her quickly and not keep her waiting."

Le Congxi's reason was very clumsy and not even bothered to hide it, but Zhong Tian nodded. Le Congxi's behavior was clearly an attempt to get rid of her. Coincidentally, Zhong Tian also had something to discuss with General Le.

Just as Zhongtian was about to leave, Xia Muning grabbed Zhongtian's collar. His gaze swept over Zhongtian's face as he said, "My lady, your makeup is smudged. Let me touch it up for you myself, so you won't give yourself away when you go out."

"it is good."

The things in Kunning Palace are quite complete. Xia Muning pulled Zhongtian into the mirror, cupped Zhongtian's face, and personally drew her eyebrows and did her makeup. Lazy to get up and draw her eyebrows, this is the kind of boudoir pleasure between husband and wife.

Zhong Tian blushed slightly, but Xia Muning was extremely serious.

"All right."

Nakata quickly checked his appearance in the mirror, and after confirming that everything was alright, he left.

Nakata acted as a lubricant, forcing two people who weren't initially close into the same space. But as soon as Nakata left, this lubricant quickly lost its effectiveness, the air between them was rapidly sucked away, and the space became extremely murky again.

Xia Muning spoke first: "Emperor Yue, what are you trying to do by sending my wife away? Let me tell you, I will not hand over my wife so easily."

Le Xingxi sat on the table, looked at the empty palace and the magnificent decorations. It was a huge cage that trapped him inside, depriving him of his freedom.

"Don't call me Imperial Consort anymore, it sounds really grating. Just call me by my name. I have two things to tell you. The first is that I don't have long to live; I only have three years left to live."

When Le Xingxi said this, his expression was very calm, as if he were talking about someone else's affairs.

"I was diagnosed by doctors as not living past 30, and with the damage to my body from all the stress, the doctors have concluded that I only have three years left to live."

Xia Muning's expression changed slightly: "Does my wife know about this?"

"Of course she didn't know. Only my mother and I knew about this. My mother knew I didn't have long to live, which is why she was willing to forgive my willfulness and help me."

Xia Muning didn't know what to say. At this moment, any words of comfort from him would seem so hypocritical and deceitful.

"The second thing, you might be happy to hear, is that I will no longer be fixated on Zhongniang."

"My senior brother's death made me understand and realize that sometimes people can't be so attached to love and romance. Even if I married Zhongniang and was confined to the backyard for three years, I would still be unhappy."

“I will keep Zhongniang in my heart. If I can leave the palace smoothly, I want to see the landscapes I have never seen before. That is also a way of life.”

"Master Xia, let Zhongniang stay by my side now. I'm all alone in the palace, and no one is with me! I'm really scared."

Xia Muning hesitated for a long time before finally nodding.

"Consort Xia, it's really easy to stay in the palace. I just need to report to His Majesty that it's lonely in the palace and I'd like to keep you here to chat. His Majesty will naturally agree."

Le Xingxi grasped Xia Muning's hand and said sincerely, "Although we are like oil and water, I hope that we can both get what we want!"

The next day, when Jingtai went to report to the Emperor, he saw Master Li kneeling on the ground, and the Emperor's gaze toward her was as cold as ice.

"Master Li, you have served me for a long time now. Tell me, what happened last night?"

"Please forgive me, Your Majesty!" Master Li knelt on the ground and kowtowed repeatedly to admit his mistake.

"Where did Lord Yue go?"

"Consort Yue has gone to see the Empress Dowager!"

"Oh no!" His Majesty immediately stood up, looking somewhat nervous, and said, "Immediately prepare to proceed to Cining Palace!"