Forced to be a concubine? I turned around and married the scumbag's father.

At dinner time, Duan Yu arrived.

Zhao Luoxuan bowed, and Duan Yu took her hand and asked gently, "Are the grapes delicious?"

"Your Majesty, I dare not eat without permission. I will wait for Your Majesty to enjoy it."

Duan Yu squeezed her hand, and when he felt her trying to pull it back, he used force to immobilize her.

He pulled her to a chair, sat down, and then scooped her up and wrapped her arms around his thigh.

Zhao Luoxuan froze.

The maids were also stunned; the king and queen had never been so intimate in public before.

They quickly and silently took a few steps back, staring down at their shoes.

Duan Yu embraced Zhao Luoxuan with one arm and plucked a grape with the other, placing it near her lips.

Zhao Luoxuan said awkwardly in a low voice, "I'll eat it myself."

Duan Yu said softly, "Open your mouth."

Zhao Luoxuan had no choice but to open her mouth.

Duan Yu pushed the grapes into her mouth, and his fingertips gently brushed against her lips.

Zhao Luoxuan could no longer hold back. She struggled and stood up, taking a few steps back and staring warily at Duan Yu.

Duan Yu smiled, picked one, and chewed it in his mouth.

"Hmm, it's sweet with a hint of sourness, the sweetness isn't too strong, and it's very fragrant."

Zhao Luoxuan had no idea what he was up to, so she kept quiet and chewed the grapes in her mouth without making a sound.

"like you."

Duan Yu's two words startled Zhao Luoxuan.

Then a surge of anger rose up. She was the legitimate princess of a great nation, who had received the most rigorous education for noble ladies. She would never act like this.

She adopted a serious expression and curtsied to him: "Your Majesty, I came to see you today to tell you that Qi's mother and father wish to return to Juzhou... It is the anniversary of Qi Jun's passing."

Duan Yu chewed on a grape: "Isn't there a mourning hall set up here?"

"I still wish to visit their graves. My parents' heartfelt wishes are with me; please grant me permission, Your Majesty."

Duan Yu nodded: "Okay. Do you want to come along?"

Zhao Luoxuan suddenly looked up: "Your Majesty... do you grant permission?"

"Approved." Duan Yu smiled slightly: "You've already set up a memorial tablet for your deceased husband. I won't be petty enough to fuss over something as trivial as paying respects to a dead person."

Zhao Luoxuan was somewhat excited, and her expression softened a little.

"Then... I will return after accompanying the two elders back to Juzhou to pay their respects."

Duan Yu picked another grape and popped it into his mouth, then tilted his head and looked at her wistfully: "Will you come back?"

Zhao Luoxuan froze again, staring at the other person, and slowly said, "As your queen, I naturally have to come back."

Duan Yu looked relaxed, but the grapes he was holding were almost flattened.

Hearing this, he loosened his grip and stood up: "Alright, then go and come back quickly. Go and pick out some gifts for Prince Yong and Princess Yong, and give them my regards."

Zhao Luoxuan was overjoyed and curtsied happily: "Your Majesty, I obey your command. I will see you off."

Duan Yu looked at her suddenly smiling face and said, "You look beautiful when you smile."

Zhao Luoxuan's smile froze.

Duan Yu had already walked out.

Zhao Luoxuan frowned, watching his departing figure. Her personal maid came over and whispered, "Princess, actually, the King is really good to you."

Zhao Luoxuan glared at her: "Get ready to go back to Juzhou."

Zhao Luoxuan was very excited to be able to go to Juzhou to see Sister Gu Hua again.

She personally went to the warehouse and selected several novel items, and carefully chose a pair of gold-inlaid jade children's bracelets to give to Mu Chen and Mu Xi.

As night fell, Zhao Luoxuan found it hard to sleep, thinking about how she could set off for Juzhou early the next morning.

Suddenly, a crying sound was heard.

"What's wrong with Qi'er?" Zhao Luoxuan suddenly stood up and rushed towards Duan Qi's room.

The wet nurse held Duan Qi, who was crying uncontrollably, and tried to comfort him.

Zhao Luoxuan entered the room and asked anxiously, "What's wrong? He's usually asleep at this hour!"

The wet nurse was also very anxious: "Your Highness, I don't know what's wrong with the little prince. He hasn't seemed unusual today."

Zhao Luoxuan reached out her hand: "Give me a hug."

Duan Qi reached out to Zhao Luoxuan as soon as he saw her, and Zhao Luoxuan took the baby into her arms.

"Qi'er, what's wrong?"

Little Qi'er stared with her big, teary eyes and burst into tears.

Duan Qi may have been born with congenital deficiencies, and at one year old, he still looked like a six-month-old.

Moreover, he is not very fluent in speaking.

He has never been able to call his mother and father properly.

Zhao Luoxuan had been with him for so long, and they had developed a deep bond.

She gently stroked his back with a pained expression: "Don't cry, it's painful to cry, isn't it? What's wrong, my little Qi'er?"

"Have you gone to summon the imperial physician?"

"Your Highness, they have already gone."

Zhao Luoxuan sat down with Duan Qi in her arms, gently wiped away his tears, and kissed his red, tear-stained face.

Duan Qi gradually stopped crying, and the little boy nestled in Zhao Luoxuan's arms, his little hands trying to wrap around her waist.

Although his little hands were not very strong, he still tried his best.

Zhao Luoxuan's heart skipped a beat. She looked at the wet nurse and asked seriously, "Did you say anything to Qi'er about my plans to go to Juzhou?"

The wet nurse and the maid were so frightened that they knelt down on the ground with a thud.

"Your Highness, we dared not say anything rash. It's just that while we were sunbathing in the courtyard today, we saw someone carrying things out of the storeroom. It was the wet nurse..."

The maid glanced at the wet nurse but didn't dare to continue.

The wet nurse was terrified. She thought Duan Qi was mentally challenged and couldn't speak, so naturally he wouldn't understand what she was saying.

But with the princess's cold face and the maid's testimony, she dared not lie.

She cried and kowtowed, begging for mercy: "This servant deserves to die. This servant thought the little prince couldn't understand, so I just said that the princess was going home, and that was all."

Zhao Luoxuan naturally guessed what the wet nurse had said.

He must be gossiping again, saying that the princess doesn't want him anymore or something.

Although Duan Qi couldn't speak in complete sentences, she actually thought he was a smart child.

But he was also an extremely sensitive child. The little one-year-old baby had no sense of security, so whenever she was around, Duan Qi would cling to her.

Zhao Luoxuan got angry: "Take him to the slap-the-face-thirty times. He doesn't need to serve the little prince anymore. Go to the stables."

The wet nurse was terrified and begged for mercy while crying.

Zhao Luoxuan waved her hand, and two strong old women stepped forward and dragged the person away.

The other servants were so frightened they dared not utter a sound.

Although the princess seems to have a good temper, she is actually very efficient at managing people.

Even though rumors circulated that she and the king had not consummated their marriage, and that Consort Yu was not only favored but also had a child, no one in the harem dared to disobey this princess.

Zhao Luoxuan swept her gaze around coldly: "Anyone who dares to gossip in front of the little prince will never be allowed to appear in the palace again."

"The slaves obey."

The servants all kowtowed in unison.

"Mother... Consort... Mother Consort."

Upon hearing the delicate voice calling out, Zhao Luoxuan was overjoyed and looked down: "Wow, Qi'er can call me Mother now?"

Duan Qi smiled like a kitten.

Zhao Luoxuan touched his face tenderly: "Your mother will always be by your side, Xiao Qi'er, don't worry."

Duan Qi seemed to understand, and nuzzled his little head against her chest.

Zhao Luoxuan felt a pang of tenderness in her heart.

She remembered how she used to snuggle in her mother's arms when she was little, but her mother always scolded her for not sitting properly and not having the dignity of a royal princess.

Zhao Luoxuan touched Xiao Qi'er's small face.

This is the only bloodline of Brother Ji, whom Sister Hua cares about most, and she will raise him well for Sister Hua's sake.

"Pack the little prince's things, and we'll set off together first thing tomorrow morning."

The maids were taken aback.

Zhao Luoxuan knew what they were worried about: "I will explain to the King myself. The King will not prevent Xiao Qi'er from going."

The maids then responded.

Zhao Luoxuan was surprised that Duan Rui readily agreed and even offered to take her back in the king's private car.