The subtle fragrance of cotton needles

Chapter 132 Don’t Hurt My Reputation

It was Concubine Su who finally couldn't help asking him after Mo Yuchen entered the palace again: "Yu An, what exactly are you and the Third Miss up to?"

"Mother, don't you already know what's going on outside? Although it's a bit exaggerated, there's basically nothing wrong with it." Mo Yuchen had no intention of telling anyone about this.

Imperial Concubine Su didn't believe him. How could she not see what was going on in the mind of her son, who she had raised since childhood? "Come on, don't I know what you mean to Third Miss, your mother? Since it was diagnosed by the imperial physician, it must be related to the imperial physician. But Third Miss herself studied medicine, so it won't be that simple."

Although she didn't guess it, Concubine Su was the one who raised Mo Yuchen after all. Even if she couldn't guess it completely, she could still grasp the problem accurately.

Mo Yuchen laughed. Concubine Su was indeed an old lady in the palace. "Since mother has guessed it, there is no need to ask, right? But mother, please help me and don't let father interfere with my marriage."

"Why should I help you if you don't tell me?"

"Mother, just think of it as a gift we prepared for our nephew!"

"Your Majesty, Princess Youchun wants to see you."

Concubine Su immediately gloated over the misfortune: "Announce!"

The man was tall and straight, with a high bun and no decoration. He was wearing a dark red riding suit and walked into the hall quickly with the wind. "Youchun greets the Imperial Concubine. May the Empress be well. I greet my brother Prince Luo."

Mo Yuchen sat there without saying anything, but Concubine Su was very persistent: "No need to be polite, no need to be polite, we haven't seen each other for two or three years. Youchun has grown taller, come here quickly."

Ling Ning walked forward with a smile. Concubine Su pulled her to sit down with her, held her hand, and asked kindly, "You must have suffered a lot in the past two years at the border with your father. Look, you have lost a lot of weight."

"How can it be called hardship? I am so happy for having contributed to our Darong Dynasty. How can it be considered hardship?"

After just saying two sentences, Ling Ning couldn't help but sneak a peek at Mo Yuchen. It's been two years since she last saw him, and Brother Luo Prince has become even more handsome. She was restrained by her father and couldn't go out for the past two days. Today, she finally learned that Brother Luo Prince had returned to Anyue Palace, so she came here without stopping.

Concubine Su knew what she was thinking, but she didn't continue to say to Ling Ning: "Our Youchun is such a good child, not afraid of hardship or fatigue, but the border is cold and bitter, Youchun, you still have to take care of yourself."

"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. Youchun will remember it." Ling Ning didn't listen much, his mind only on Mo Yuchen.

Mo Yuchen didn't look over either, still drinking tea. Ling Ning's eyes darkened for a moment, then recovered in an instant, smiling sweetly at Concubine Su: "Your Majesty, Youchun thought that he had become estranged from Brother Luo Wang after accompanying his father to guard the border for two years. Unexpectedly, Brother Luo Wang sent someone to give me a gift as soon as Youchun came back."

"Oh? Really?" Concubine Su was a little surprised. She had never heard Yu An mention it.

Mo Yuchen then put down his teacup and said, "I think it was arranged by Butler Wang. He sent New Year gifts to each palace as per the custom."

Ling Ning was a little embarrassed, but she also knew that Mo Yuchen never treated anyone specially. She just didn't expect that she had only been at the border for two years and suddenly Mo Yuchen was granted a marriage. She was so angry that she wanted to come back from the border immediately.

"Youchun is a girl, so naturally she thinks a lot. It's not Brother Luo's fault." Ling Ning hurriedly came to Mo Yuchen's rescue. "I think it was arranged by Butler Wang. It's normal for Brother Luo to not know anything. It's all Youchun's fault for misunderstanding."

Concubine Su patted her hands. This girl was really a little sad. "It's okay, Youchun. I have everything you want. I'll let you choose it later."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Ling Ning looked at Mo Yuchen sadly, but the latter did not react at all.

Mo Chen had almost finished his tea and stood up: "Mother, I have something important to attend to, so I will leave the palace first and will come back another day to talk to you."

When Ling Ning heard this, she felt so aggrieved that she almost cried. It was obvious that Brother Luo Wang was avoiding her!

"Why don't you stay for a while? I'll have someone take the things for Youchun first, and you can send her back to Prince Pin's Palace." Concubine Su secretly gave Mo Yuchen a wink, and the latter did not leave immediately.

If this had happened in the past, if he wanted to leave, he would have flown out before Concubine Su could say anything else. Why would he have waited here for someone?

Mo Yuchen suppressed his temper and waited there. Ling Ning was happy to see this. Although she was still a little uncomfortable, as long as her brother Luo Yu didn't hide from her, it was fine.

After leaving Anyue Palace, Mo Yuchen walked in front with big strides, and Ling Ning also quickened his pace behind to catch up.

In fact, Mo Yuchen was just acting as usual. Ling Ning was short in stature and small in body. If he had not practiced martial arts since childhood, he probably would not have been able to keep up.

Mo Yuchen didn't say a word until he reached the palace gate, where he ran into Mo Yuyang and Xia Pinxiang entering the palace.

"I've met the emperor brother."

"Greetings, His Royal Highness Prince Yuan."

Mo Yuchen behaved normally, but Ling Ning saluted Mo Yuyang reluctantly.

"Why did the second brother come out with Youchun?"

Xia Pinxiang then realized that this person was Princess Youchun: "Greetings to His Royal Highness Prince Luo, Princess Youchun."

"I just met my mother and ran into Princess Youchun. My mother asked me to send the princess back home." Mo Yuchen still looked indifferent.

"Is this the concubine of His Royal Highness Prince Yuan?" Although he asked this question, Ling Ning had no intention of getting to know her. The thought of Mo Yuyang made him feel sick.

"Yes, the princess has a keen eye."

Ling Ning didn't want to hear her flattering him: "Is the concubine the second daughter of the Minister of Rites's mansion?"

Ling Ning suddenly remembered that the one who was granted marriage to Brother Luo Wang was the third daughter of the Minister of Rites.

"Yes." Xia Pinxiang muttered in her heart, what's the point of Princess Youchun asking this? She is not on good terms with Xia Yanxiang, but she changed her mind and thought, Princess Youchun likes Prince Luo, isn't that a problem for Xia Yanxiang?

"What is the emperor thinking? Arranging marriages between two sisters and two brothers?" Although Ling Ning had never had contact with Xia Pinxiang, he heard about what Xia Pinxiang and her men had done in the Shangshu Mansion on his way back.

Xia Pinxiang was embarrassed, so Mo Yuyang came out to smooth things over: "Why are you saying all this? Youchun and Uncle Ling have been at the border for two years. Why don't they take a good rest after returning?"

"I have to attend social events everywhere during the first month of the year. How can I have time to rest? Moreover, the border is unstable. I think it is better to worry about this, even if I return to the capital. For someone like Your Highness Prince Yuan who is used to a good life in the capital, he naturally thinks he should rest when he returns."

Ling Ning didn't even give Mo Yuyang the slightest bit of face: "That's right, life in the capital is good. Apart from the intrigues, you won't lose your life at any time. It's normal for His Royal Highness Prince Yuan to want to take a rest when he's tired."

"Lord Youchun, how can you be so rude to His Highness?" Xia Pinxiang raised her eyebrows. "The Emperor's decision to marry my third sister to His Highness Prince Luo is also based on his considerations. No matter how unhappy the Princess is, she can't take it out on others!"

Mo Yuyang had long been accustomed to Ling Ning's attitude, and Xia Pinxiang's half-instigation and half-protection rather surprised him. Thinking of Xia Pinxiang's other purpose, he also had an idea in his mind.

But before he could open his mouth, Mo Yuchen responded indifferently: "The prince and Princess Youchun have always been brother and sister. Concubine, please speak clearly and don't ruin the princess's reputation."

"Brother Prince Luo!" Ling Ning was somewhat dissatisfied with the fact that Mo Yuchen had cut off the relationship so cleanly.

"Did you hear clearly, Concubine? The princess calls me brother. Next time, Concubine, remember this and don't say the wrong thing and hurt the reputation of me and the princess." Mo Yuchen refused to lose at all in his argument.