Xiao Yuling angrily said, “What for? I should be asking you! I, along with your aunt and cousin, went to see the little ones, but Wuyou didn’t let them in. Was this your order?”

Xiao Yunjing’s eyes turned cold. He knew his Empress Mother would never come to the Imperial Study to cause trouble, certainly not as furious as she was today.

He glanced at Xiao Yuxian and her daughter, then said coldly, “Mother, you know full well that I prioritize the safety of the three little ones above all else. Why did you disregard that and come here to question me?”

Xiao Yuling raised her head. “So, you’re saying your aunt and cousin are outsiders? That they would harm the little ones? I was even considering letting your cousin take care of them, but with you acting like this, I wouldn’t dare entrust them to her!”

Only then did Xiao Yunjing properly look at Xiao Yuxian and her daughter, who stood in the room with their heads bowed. Seeing their cautious and respectful demeanor, Only his mother couldn’t see through their intentions.

They actually dare to want to take care of my sons? They should take a good look at themselves and see what they’re really made of!

He waved for Liu Desheng to escort Xiao Yuxian and her daughter out of the Imperial Study. Then, he walked up to Xiao Yuling and asked bluntly, “Are they family, then?”

Hearing this, Xiao Yuling suddenly stood up, looking at Xiao Yunjing in disbelief. “You mean they are outsiders?”

Xiao Yunjing coldly responded, “If Mother insists on arguing with me about whether they are family or outsiders, I suggest you save your breath. You know my temper. Don’t provoke me.”

Xiao Yuling grew even angrier at his words, the fire in her heart impossible to suppress. She pointed at Xiao Yunjing and snapped, “Provoke you? What can you do to me if I provoke you? You unfilial son!”

As she spoke, Xiao Yuling raised her hand to strike Xiao Yunjing.

Xiao Yunjing quickly grabbed her wrist, flung it aside, and said gravely, “If Mother is bored, there’s plenty of wasteland in the Imperial Harem. You can go there and cultivate it.”

He wouldn’t care who it was if they dared to cross his line.

Xiao Yuling had always been a thoughtless person, never thinking before acting, always doing as she pleased. When she was in a good mood, everything was negotiable; when she was in a bad mood, she would act erratically and without reason.

Was his emperor’s throne truly secure now? Not necessarily! He still didn’t know how many factions were eyeing him. After learning he was the prophesied Emperor Star, he understood why so many forces wanted to assassinate him. He had only repelled one wave; who knew when they would regroup and attack again. Moreover, the matter with Li’er was still unresolved, and his thoughtless mother created trouble for him day in and day out. This gave Xiao Yunjing a real headache!

For a moment, Xiao Yuling could hardly believe her son had said such words. Cultivate wasteland? This was practically sending her to the Cold Palace! Only the Cold Palace was a desolate wasteland.

Xiao Yuling knew her son’s temperament. Apart from Gu Qingli and the three little ones, he was cold to everyone, including her, his own mother. They had never shared a deep mother-son bond to begin with, and Xiao Yuling believed Xiao Yunjing was capable of doing exactly what he said.

To think that she had once disregarded everything to send him out of the Imperial Palace, saving his life, only for her son to treat her like this now.

Grief welled up inside Xiao Yuling. She choked out, “Fine! You are very good indeed.”

With that, she flung her hand dismissively and turned to leave the Imperial Study.

Seeing Xiao Yuling about to leave, Xiao Yunjing added, “Mother, in the future, you should think more for the sake of your son and grandsons. If you feel your sister and niece are so dear to you, you can move out and live with them. Your son will not stop you.”

She was someone who simply couldn’t tell right from wrong. A brain is a good thing; unfortunately, his mother didn’t seem to have one. Xiao Yunjing was thankful his own mind wasn’t as muddled as hers. She couldn’t even distinguish priorities. This aunt who came wasn’t even a direct maternal aunt, just a more distant one. And for the sake of her grandchildren, his mother was willing to create unpleasantness with her own son. What was truly ridiculous was letting a woman full of schemes take care of his sons. It was simply baffling!

Xiao Yuling had already walked out, but upon hearing Xiao Yunjing’s words, she felt a chill and stumbled. Xiao Yuxian and her daughter immediately rushed forward to support her.

Xiao Yuling looked back at Xiao Yunjing in the Imperial Study, at his face that so closely resembled the late Emperor. She suddenly felt he was very much a stranger, yet at the same time, it felt perfectly normal.

Weren’t all emperors like this? Cold-hearted and unfeeling. So what if he was her son? He was, after all, the Emperor.

Xiao Yuling said nothing more and led Xiao Yuxian and her daughter back to the Happiness and Longevity Palace.

Xiao Yuxian and her daughter followed silently behind Xiao Yuling. What they had witnessed today had completely overturned their imaginations.

Royal family affection was actually no different from that of ordinary families, perhaps even less so. Which son would dare to speak to his mother in such a manner?

Of course, they knew the Emperor disliked them intensely and felt there was no point in staying in the Imperial Palace any longer. Upon returning to the Happiness and Longevity Palace, the mother and daughter bid farewell to Xiao Yuling.

Xiao Yuling waved her hand, signaling a nanny to select some parting gifts, and then had the mother and daughter escorted out of the Imperial Palace.

Then she stayed alone in her palace, dazed.

She wondered why her relationship with her son had suddenly become so strained. In the past, no matter what, he would never have shamed her like this in front of outsiders. Outsiders…

As she murmured these words, “outsiders,” her mind suddenly cleared somewhat.

That’s right. In her heart, Xiao Yuxian and her daughter were indeed outsiders. She just hadn’t been willing to admit it out loud. At this point, Xiao Yuling also felt she had been a bit unreasonable. No wonder her son was angry with her. They cherished the three little ones as dearly as their own eyes. How could they possibly let outsiders take care of them? Just as Wuyou had said, if anything happened to her precious grandchildren, how could she ever bear the responsibility?

Xiao Yuling inwardly cursed herself for being muddled. She had been utterly foolish, listening only to the words of that young cousin. Now, thinking carefully about their every word and action, Xiao Yuling realized their motives had not been pure. It was she who had always craved familial affection. She had grown up pampered and cherished by everyone, always yearning for such warmth. She had thought she could still find it with Xiao Yuxian. Looking back now, alas! Times had changed, and people were no longer the same; how much true affection could possibly remain?

After some self-reflection, Xiao Yuling felt much more at ease. It would be best to stay away from those people and their affairs in the future. She didn’t want to become estranged from her son, and even more so, she didn’t want to be unable to see her grandsons.

While Xiao Yuling, for her part, had thought things through, Xiao Yuxian and her daughter returned anxiously to the Mu Residence.

They knew this trip to the Imperial Palace was likely their first and also their last. However, the people in the Mu Residence didn’t know this. They, on the other hand, were all too aware of what they were about to face. How would they explain themselves when they returned?

“Mother, what should we say when Father and Grandmother ask us later?”

Xiao Yuxian bit her lip and said, “Just say that the Empress Dowager treated us very well. Don’t mention anything else.”

When they were leaving the Imperial Palace, Nanny Fu had personally given them a stern warning, admonishing them not to utter a single word about what they had witnessed concerning the Empress Dowager and the Emperor. Follow current novels on nοvelfire.net

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