If Sima Han were to become emperor, whether by his own volition or due to circumstances, she would not oppose any of his decisions.
This was the only thing she could do for him.
Shen Xiaoyan had been waiting for Yue Qingxin’s reply, but it never came.
When she saw the resolute and determined expression on Yue Qingxin’s face, she instantly understood.
Although she had anticipated it, seeing Yue Qingxin make such a decision still brought a pang of sadness.
And a sense of relief.
She was fortunate that Zheng Wei was not of royal blood, so he would not be forced into such difficult situations, nor would he ask her to suffer for the sake of some so-called greater good.
Yue Qingxin turned, noticing the melancholy on Shen Xiaoyan’s face, and smiled, “What’s wrong, sister? To govern is to do one's duty. This is perfectly normal. No matter what, one cannot simply enjoy the benefits without paying a price.”
Even without Yue Qingxin saying it, Shen Xiaoyan understood these words very well.
But understanding did not mean accepting.
“I just feel bad for you, sister. Why are we women always in a passive position when it comes to matters of the heart?”
Hearing Shen Xiaoyan suddenly utter such a sentence, Yue Qingxin’s heart ached as well.
Unbeknownst to them, not far behind them, Sima Han and Zheng Wei were watching them quietly.
Zheng Wei saw Sima Han’s expressionless face, but his eyes were turbulent. He sighed and said, “What are you thinking?”
“What she worries about will not happen, and I will not let her be sad.”
Hearing Sima Han’s resonant words, Zheng Wei felt greatly relieved.
He had been afraid that Sima Han’s mindset would change with his status, that he would believe that as emperor, he was entitled to all the privileges of an emperor.
“Then why don’t you tell her? Why make her worry alone?”
Sima Han chuckled softly at this. “Although she has concerns, she still has hope in me. Moreover, no matter how well I promise, I cannot fully reassure her. Therefore, I would rather let future actions speak for themselves.”
Zheng Wei nodded in understanding; that made sense.
Time flew by, and it was already the next day.
Today was the Lantern Festival, which was also Sima Zhu’s birthday.
When Lin Xiaowei had left last time, she had asked Lin Xiaowei to convey a message to Sima Zhu, saying that on the Lantern Festival, they would bring the final batch of holy water to the palace as a birthday gift to the emperor.
After an early breakfast, Shen Xiaoyan and the others began their preparations.
Those entering the palace today were Shen Xiaoyan, Zheng Wei, Sima Han, Yue Qingxin, Yi Zhixie, and Namuchong.
As for Lu Taobao, Kong Huangwei, Bai Ying, and Fujiwara Shifei, they were either not involved in this matter or lacked the necessary status.
Therefore, they all stayed at home, where they could help take care of the four children.
After arranging all matters at home, Shen Xiaoyan and the other five boarded a carriage.
The carriage did not travel fast, and they were not in a hurry; there was still plenty of time.
Even though the distance to the Forbidden City was fixed, no matter how slowly they traveled, they would still reach the gates of the Forbidden City in half an hour.
The group exchanged glances, took a deep breath, and got out of the carriage.
Upon alighting, they saw that the vicinity of the Forbidden City gates was bustling with people, unlike the usual solemn and majestic entrance to the Forbidden City.
Carriage after carriage was parked by the gate, with officials and noble ladies frequently disembarking.
The appearance of Shen Xiaoyan and the others immediately caused a stir in the crowd.
Soon, someone approached.
This person was none other than Yue Qingxin’s second uncle, Yue Zhong.
Yue Zhong’s face was beaming, and he walked directly towards Yue Qingxin, intending to get close to her, but was blocked by Sima Han.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
Sima Han’s tone was unfriendly as he frowned at Yue Zhong and asked.
Yue Zhong chuckled a few times, stroked his beard, and said, “I haven’t seen Xin Xin in a long time, and I just wanted to come over and say hello. Fifth Prince, you can’t be so inhospitable and not allow relatives to exchange a few words, can you?”
Hearing Yue Zhong’s shameless words, Sima Han sneered dismissively.
Now he remembers they are relatives, but where was he before?
Yue Zhong was unfazed by Sima Han’s attitude. In his mind, as long as Yue Qingxin accepted him as her uncle, Sima Han’s objections would be useless.
He had a lot of confidence in Yue Qingxin.
This girl had always been soft-hearted since childhood and especially valued family ties.
Although the Le family had wronged her somewhat in previous years.
But surely she could understand the family’s difficulties?
Thinking this, even with Sima Han standing between them, Yue Zhong shamelessly addressed Yue Qingxin, “Xin Xin, you’ve been back for so long, and you haven’t even come home to visit. Your father, mother, and grandmother miss you dearly.”
Yue Qingxin merely stood there, ignoring Yue Zhong. However, Yue Zhong did not give up and continued to speak to Yue Qingxin, “Xin Xin, you were such a filial child before, what has changed you into this now?”
Hearing Yue Zhong’s shameless words, Yue Qingxin’s face grew completely cold.
“I don’t know what’s changed about me! I only know that years ago, when I left the capital penniless and wanted to borrow some money from the Le mansion, they threw me out directly and publicly declared that they had no daughter like me. What, it’s only been a short time, and you’ve already forgotten what you said?”
Seeing Yue Zhong’s face turn red, Yue Qingxin continued, “Are all the people in the Le mansion snobs? Back then, you thought I was down on my luck, so you eagerly cast me out. Now that you see I’ve returned, with the Grand Tutor by my side, you want to cling to me to get a share of the spoils?”
“I never expected that such a large mansion like the Le family would be filled with such people.”
Yue Qingxin’s words were exhilarating, and Shen Xiaoyan couldn’t help but curl her lips in approval.
She liked Yue Qingxin this way; such a Yue Qingxin shone brightly, drawing people in and making them want to approach.
Furthermore, people like Yue Zhong should have their illusions shattered completely, preventing them from daring to fix their attention on her again.
Yue Zhong was startled by Yue Qingxin’s ferocity and was rendered speechless by her string of accusations.
When had Yue Qingxin become so assertive and aggressive?
“Xin Xin, how can you speak to your uncle like that? Even if the Le family didn’t acknowledge you back then, it was due to circumstances. You can’t expect them to abandon the lives of hundreds of people in the Le mansion for your sake, can you?”
Yue Zhong’s words were full of sorrow, and anyone who didn’t know better would think Yue Qingxin was truly heartless.
“Then Lord Le should also stay away from us now. Doesn’t Lord Le see that His Majesty regards us as a thorn in his side? If we get too close, and later His Majesty decides to deal with us, it could implicate you. What if your entire family is executed?”
Yue Qingxin’s light tone delivered words that were truly shocking.