Did the Seventh Prince attend court today?

That afternoon, Emperor Wulong personally took Lu to Weiyang Palace to see Consort Ling. With him there, Lu was finally able to enter the palace gates of Weiyang Palace.

Unlike the quiet Fengyi Palace, Weiyang Palace was quite lively. When Consort Ling came out to greet the emperor, she was surrounded by a large entourage of more than a dozen eunuchs and palace maids, making quite a grand entrance.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects." Consort Ling curtsied, her delicate and elegant face expressionless, not even sparing a glance at Youlu beside Emperor Wulong.

Emperor Wulong frowned slightly, realizing that Consort Ling disliked Xiao Qi even more than he had thought.

You Lu was forcibly dragged here. Reluctantly, he looked up and saw a woman of stunning beauty standing in front of him. This woman had fair skin and a delicate face, like a fairy. However, there was a hint of melancholy in her eyes and between her brows, as if she were a banished immortal who had been tainted by the mortal world. She also held a scroll of poems in her hand, which added to her scholarly air.

Recognizing her at a glance as the original owner's birth mother, Youlu bowed and said, "Greetings, Mother Consort."

Consort Ling nodded indifferently.

The mother and son remained silent for a moment.

Pixiu: [Your mother is really cold.]

Youlu: [You'll get used to it.]

Emperor Wulong clicked his tongue in surprise and said, "Don't stand outside, come inside."

The group then rushed into the main gate of Weiyang Palace.

In contrast to Consort Ling's aloof and ethereal temperament, the main hall of Weiyang Palace was decorated and furnished with great luxury. There was a bronze incense burner with triangular animal patterns, a cloisonné enamel crane candlestick, a peacock feather palace fan, a sandalwood screen inlaid with white jade and carved landscape, and a curio cabinet filled with rare and precious antiques. At first glance, all the items were of high quality, indicating that she had received many gifts in her daily life.

Although it was luxurious, it lacked any sense of order; all the good things were piled together, giving it a kind of gaudy and tacky feel.

You Lu was silent; it seemed his mother, the concubine, didn't have very good taste.

The Pixiu, however, was very excited, looking at this and smelling that, [Boss, boss, can I eat all of this?!]

"Don't rush, come another day." The deer gave it a reassuring look. "I'd heard before that Consort Ling was the most favored in the harem, and seeing her today, it's certainly true. I'm starting to doubt Father's sincerity."

Emperor Wulong had just passed the rosewood carved magnolia patterned partition screen on the east side of the main hall when he heard this and turned back to glare at him. As he walked in, he mocked him with schadenfreude, "Your mother clearly doesn't like you. Why don't you hurry up and try to curry favor with her?"

It's best not to think about those unnecessary things.

Youlu shrugged, "I don't need her to like me anyway."

He curled his lip and scoffed inwardly. [Back then, she watched helplessly as her child was abducted by thieves, and afterwards pretended not to know. She'd rather raise someone else's child than have her own. I don't want her affection.]

[And the main reason she dislikes me is because she dislikes you, my wretched father! How dare you laugh at me? I bestowed so many good things upon her, yet she resents and hates you. I'm worried for you.]

Emperor Wulong's heart sank, and he choked, unsure whether to feel sorry for him or slap him twice across the face.

Emperor Wulong was not stupid. Over the years, Consort Ling's attitude towards him had always been cold. Of course, he knew that Consort Ling had resentment towards him, but he didn't think she hated him. After all, he believed that he had treated Consort Ling very well. He had never stopped giving her gifts and never forced her to do anything. Consort Ling had never refused his gifts and would occasionally send someone to invite him to Weiyang Palace, but she would just give him a cold shoulder afterwards.

These were not important to him. After all, he loved the Empress and felt guilty towards Consort Ling. He didn't care whether Consort Ling loved him or not. But now, after hearing his youngest son say this, he felt uneasy and couldn't help but prick up his ears to continue eavesdropping.

The deer was still sharing the gossip it had just seen with the Pixiu.

They say a day as husband and wife brings a hundred days of kindness, but for Consort Ling, her relationship with the Emperor is one of only a day as husband and wife, yet a hundred days of hatred.

Although Consort Ling came from a poor background, she had read a few books and was very proud, looking down on those who were mere warriors. In her mind, her father, the Emperor, was nothing but a brute. Years ago, when her father rescued her from being sold into a brothel and brought her back to the palace, she felt that her father had kidnapped her, and she hated him intensely because of this. Later, when she met someone she liked in the palace, her hatred for her father intensified.

Upon hearing this, Pixiu was furious and retorted, "What nonsense! So the Emperor saved her? Does that mean she actually wanted to be sold? Not to mention, after entering the palace, she gained a lot of benefits thanks to your father's favor. I heard that several of her good-for-nothing brothers have become officials, albeit minor ones. But their family has completely turned their lives around and is living a very comfortable life."

[Besides, over the years she's looked down on everyone in the palace because of your father's favor, offending quite a few people. Every time she got into trouble, your father always smoothed things over for her. What more could she possibly want? If she's so tough, she shouldn't ask for anything at all. Saying nothing and complaining all the time is just asking for everything.]

Youlu: [So what? This was forced upon her by her father, not something she wanted. She should still hate him. In fact, she should hate him even more, because this is an insult to her dignity!]

The Pixiu is speechless.

Emperor Wulong was speechless.

The three of them had already entered the warm pavilion on the east side of the main hall and sat down. Emperor Wulong glanced at Consort Ling out of the corner of his eye and suddenly felt that she was not so pleasing to the eye anymore.

He brought Consort Ling back to the palace initially to spite the Empress, but he also found her face quite pleasing to the eye. However, looking at her now, he couldn't feel any goodwill towards her. And what Lu said next shattered all his positive feelings towards Consort Ling.

[She hated not only her father, but also the Empress. Why didn't the Empress offer to help her escape her misery? Leaving the palace was something she couldn't possibly do voluntarily, but since you didn't help me, you were wrong. So I hate, hate, hate everyone! That was Consort Ling's logic.]

The Pixiu rolled its eyes violently. [I'm speechless! This is utterly ridiculous! What kind of person is this?!]

Youlu shook his head: [My assessment of Consort Ling is: She holds a book in her hand, a hint of sorrow between her brows; no matter who you are, you're all my enemies.]

【Great poem! Great poem!】The Pixiu gave a thumbs up in agreement.

Although Emperor Wulong could not hear Pixiu's words, he shared the same opinion as Pixiu at this moment and quietly gave it a thumbs up.

However, he was more concerned about the fact that Consort Ling had someone she loved.

Pixiu and Emperor Wulong had the same thought, and Pixiu asked curiously, "So, who does Consort Ling like?"

[Um...] A deer pouted, [I didn't see it.]

brave troops:??

Emperor Wulong: ? ? ?

Like her father, Consort Ling's past and future were partially concealed, especially her future, which was mostly hidden, with only some everyday details visible.

I have a theory: these people whose destinies were concealed are very likely the ones who survived to the end and knew the true reason for the demise of Dayong. And someone deliberately concealed their destinies to prevent people like me from seeing the future in them and changing it.

Youlu scratched his head, hissing in confusion, "Are there really people this powerful in the mortal realm?"

Pixiu: [The world is full of wonders; perhaps there really are extraordinary people who can do this.]

You Lu nodded, "That makes sense. Looking at it this way, it has its pros and cons. Although the final future is obscured, it indirectly tells me that Consort Ling has a problem. Keeping a close eye on her from now on is definitely the right thing to do."

[That's how it is.] The Pixiu's big head nods little by little.

Emperor Wulong nodded thoughtfully, realizing that the actions of the person behind this were indeed a bit like trying to hide something obvious.

He initially felt some guilt towards Consort Ling, but now he was filled with disgust. However, now was not the time to harm her; he needed to have someone keep a close eye on her.

Having finished discussing the important matters, Pixiu blinked and asked, "So, did Consort Ling have an affair with her sweetheart?"