A life of two souls traveling through time

Chapter 257 Mother and son break up

"Your Majesty, long live Your Majesty."

The moon was full and bright. Yan Qiao, dressed in black, walked slowly into the dim side hall next to the imperial study. The figure hidden in the darkness knelt down hurriedly.

"No need to light the lamp, you go outside and keep watch first." Yan Qiao first turned his head to instruct Eunuch Qin behind him. After Eunuch Qin closed the palace door, he sat down under the window in the moonlight, looked at the figure kneeling in front of him and continued: "Yes, your voice is becoming more and more like Youmei, but it's still just like."

Although I couldn't see his face clearly because of the moonlight, his voice was as moist as warm tea and was pleasant to hear.

"I will definitely train more when I return." The figure kneeling on the ground replied respectfully.

"Well, what actions has Hong A Ke taken recently?" Yan Qiao nodded with satisfaction and asked.

"He made drastic changes in the Shadow Sect, and asked this servant to pretend to be the Dark Lord to clear the way for him, and to remove all of the Dark Lord's confidants. Now the Shadow Sect headquarters is full of his people."

"Humph, you do have some tricks. Where's Youmei?"

"I will follow your majesty's order to keep him alive, but he is being controlled by Hong Ah with a secret medicine, so he is half dead and half alive."

"Youmei, Youmei, why do you become more confused as you get older? You didn't even notice that an ungrateful wolf had been hiding by your side for ten years?" Upon hearing this, Yan Qiao raised her eyes and said with a faint smile.

"Hong'a has sent people to southern Xinjiang to look for the secret medicine Gu Xin." The figure kneeling on the ground continued to report.

"Humph, controlling people with drugs only results in an obedient living dead. What's the point?" Yan Qiao sneered disapprovingly again, and then asked, "How is the investigation going in Southern Xinjiang?"

"The person sent by Hong'a to find the secret medicine and help Honghua seize the Poison Insect Valley is Honghua's sister, Yanyu. Now she has been promoted by Hong'a to the Southern Left Protector. As soon as she arrived in Southern Xinjiang, she went straight to the Poison Insect Valley. Our people didn't dare to get close to her, so we didn't find any trace of her. However, recently the Poison Insect Valley has released news of a change of ownership. I think the sisters have succeeded."

"I have heard Youmei mention this Yan Yu before. Although she is a smart person who can get things done, it is a pity that she failed miserably in dealing with the famous Li from the south of the Yangtze River in Jingsong State. I don't believe in her loyalty." Yan Qiao said regretfully. It is most fatal when a smart person betrays his master. It is also what he avoids.

What's more, this Yanyu is not only smart, but also has a powerful sister to support her. With a way out, she will not be easily manipulated by others. It is indeed a pity for him that she cannot become a chess piece in his hands.

"Your Majesty, please be kind to Yanyu..."

"No, let's not alert the enemy for now. Besides, her sister is already the owner of the Poisonous Insect Valley. She will be useful in the future. The most urgent thing is to understand what Hong'a wants to do by controlling the Shadow Gate." Yan Qiao raised his hand slightly to interrupt him.

"Yes, Your Majesty." After a pause, the figure kneeling on the ground continued: "I heard that he has suspended the mission of Jiangnan Mingli."

"It doesn't matter. If he dares to fool me, I will play along with him. I want to see how brave he is." Yan Qiaorunze's voice gradually became as cold as frost, catching the listener off guard and making him feel cold all over.

Yan Qiao had long been suspicious of the fact that the Shadow Sect had not yet killed the famous Li from the south of the Yangtze River in the Jingsong Kingdom. He remained silent because he thought that the Shadow Sect leader Youmei was pretending to obey him but secretly disobeying him. It was not until the servant who was secretly lurking in the Shadow Sect branch was accidentally selected by Hong'a and privately trained to be Youmei's substitute that Yan Qiao realized that it was Hong'a who was so bold and reckless that he teamed up with his subordinates to deceive his superiors in order to usurp power.

When Yan Qiao walked out of the side hall and returned to the imperial study, he was surprised to see Empress Rong waiting inside. His cold and noble eyes immediately softened:

"Why are you here so late at night?"

"How can I rest in peace when your majesty hasn't rested yet?" Queen Rong was dressed in plain clothes but still looked graceful and elegant like a blooming peony. She looked at her tired husband with tender eyes and advised him distressedly: "Your majesty is busy with all kinds of affairs and should take care of your health. You often stay in this imperial study until midnight, and Xuan'er calls for his father every night before going to bed."

"Okay, I will listen to the Queen and go back to accompany Xuan'er." Yan Qiao walked forward and took Queen Rong's hand, with an affectionate smile on his handsome face.

"Xuan'er has already gone to bed at this hour." Queen Rong lowered her eyes and smiled, hesitating for a moment before continuing: "Today, my mother went to the cold palace to see Concubine Meng..."

"Why did your mother go to see her?" Yan Qiao frowned, then pulled the queen to sit on the couch beside her and asked.

"I don't know either, but my mother has been uneasy since she met Concubine Meng..."

"Alas, mother, the same goes for you. Those old things are over and done with. Why bring them up again?" Yan Qiao sighed helplessly before Queen Rong could finish her words.

Seeing that her husband had a worried look on his face and was unwilling to say more, Queen Rong did not continue speaking. When she was the Crown Princess, she often went to the palace to help her mother manage harem affairs. Naturally, she had witnessed the intrigues among the women in the harem. Seeing His Majesty's expression at this time, she could guess the grudge between her mother and Concubine Meng.

"My queen mother wants Concubine Meng to guard the imperial mausoleum." After a moment's silence, Queen Rong continued.

"That's fine. Concubine Meng has always been a restless person. She was quieter when she was crazy. Now that she is sober, let her leave the palace to prevent her from causing trouble in the cold palace in the future and upsetting our mother, and causing trouble for you as well." Yan Qiao thought about it and agreed to his mother's suggestion.

"Prince Han happens to be in the imperial mausoleum as well. If Your Majesty allows the mother and son to be reunited, they might be grateful to Your Majesty for this." Queen Rong secretly breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile.

"Your words have reminded me that neither of them, mother and son, is worry-free. If they were to gather together, they might cause trouble. Anyway, the hundred-day mourning for my father is over. If Yan Han wants to make trouble, let him go back to the mansion." But Queen Rong's words made Yan Qiao alert. He almost forgot about Yan Han.

Like mother, like son. Yan Han alone was already a headache for Yan Qiao, and this Concubine Meng was even more troublesome than her son. Even the late emperor was often irritated by her. Yan Qiao was not afraid of Concubine Meng and her son, nor did he need to think of the old relationship like his father did. However, he always valued his reputation outside. Now that he had just ascended the throne, it was not appropriate for him to turn against his brothers at this moment.

Her husband's words also reminded Empress Rong of the horror on the face of the palace nanny when she spoke of Concubine Meng. After hearing about Concubine Meng's arrogant and domineering behavior in the harem, she secretly felt fortunate that His Majesty always liked women who were obedient and law-abiding. Otherwise, it would be a headache for her to manage the women in the three palaces and six courtyards in the future.

"Oh, by the way, my mother mentioned something today." Thinking of this, Queen Rong took Yan Qiao's arm, lowered her eyes and said softly, "In the past, only I and Concubine Wan served Your Majesty in the East Palace. Now all the courtyards in the harem are vacant. My mother meant that the mourning period for the late emperor has passed, and Your Majesty should also consider the royal heir."

Although Queen Rong said it lightly, she was inevitably lonely in her heart. However, as the mother of a country, she had to be magnanimous and help His Majesty in selecting concubines, enriching the harem, and assisting His Majesty in smoothly expanding the royal family.

"Okay, but the matter of selecting a concubine will trouble you, Queen. Imperial Concubine Wan is idle all day long, so let her help you. If you have any doubts, go and ask mother." Yan Qiao held the Queen in his arms and said gently.

Not long after Yan Qiao ascended the throne, he was already too busy with government affairs to take care of anything. He was not interested in the matter of selecting concubines for the harem, but he also knew that as the king of a country, it was his duty to produce offspring for the royal family. However, there was no one in the harem and he had no time to take care of it, so his queen had to take care of all this.

"As the queen, I must share your majesty's worries. I will take care of the affairs of the harem, your majesty doesn't need to worry." Queen Rong leaned in Yan Qiao's arms and smiled gently.

In the imperial mausoleum outside the city, Yan Han was lying idly under the pavilion, looking at the full moon in the sky, feeling very irritated. If he were in the Han Palace, such a moon view would definitely be accompanied by beauties and fine wine to enjoy it, but here the imperial guards were in charge and even drinking was not allowed.

"Your Highness!"

Suddenly, a dark shadow appeared beside Yan Han. It was his personal bodyguard, Leng Wu.

"Did you see it?" Yan Han quickly sat up and asked nervously.

"Well, it's just that the Concubine Dowager did not accept the necklace. She said..." Leng Wu returned the necklace to Yan Han with both hands, hesitating and not knowing how to say the rest.

"What? She doesn't recognize me as her son anymore?" Yan Han took the necklace and suddenly smiled evilly, which looked even more eerie and strange under the moonlight.

"The... the Concubine Dowager said... the day you acknowledged yourself as the Queen Mother, you severed your relationship with her as mother and son, and from now on, don't call her... she... she doesn't want to..."

"Okay, back off!" Leng Wu's stammering words made Yan Han yell impatiently.

The imperial guards in the distance were frightened and ran forward, but when they saw that it was someone from King Han's entourage, they retreated cautiously.

Being driven away by His Highness, Leng Wu felt relieved. He did not dare to stay any longer, so he stood up and disappeared into the night.

"The mother-son relationship is broken?" Yan Han sneered at the necklace in his hand and continued to talk to himself: "If you hadn't caused trouble in the harem, I wouldn't have to live under someone else's roof. Now you blame me? You really haven't changed at all, you are still so cold-blooded and heartless."

Yan Han finished speaking, with a sinister and cruel smile in his eyes. If it wasn't for the sake of keeping her alive in the cold palace, why would he fight so hard to make meritorious deeds on the battlefield? But now, she said that the mother-son relationship was broken?

From the beginning to the end, he shouldn't have had any expectations of this cruel mother.