C14

"At that time, mother went to the Spirit Hidden Temple to pray, so she came back to find out." She observed the look on his face.

Because a few days ago, she had withdrawn her engagement with the Crown Prince on her own accord. Although she had specially arranged for Senior Servant Gui to inform her of this matter, the army had matters to attend to and had already left the palace. Now that he was back, he might as well tell him himself. Firstly, he wanted to see his heart so that he wouldn't feel wronged. Secondly, Her Majesty had other plans for the day.

"Junior brother, I'll rely on Royal Brother's arrangements." He hadn't been back for two days and still didn't know about the ending of the engagement. When he heard the empress dowager's words, his face grew awkward. Could it be that the empress dowager was planning his wedding date?

It's just as I wanted, Mu Sheng thought, his heart throbbing. However, he still had a serious poker face. When they were on their way to the palace, they had been worried about how to speak up. They hadn't thought that the empress dowager would take the initiative to mention the matter. It just so happened that they were saved.

However, the empress dowager didn't seem to notice the meaning behind Mu Ying's words and continued to speak. "Your Imperial Brother was bewitched by that woman from before, and has always felt guilty towards her. That was why he had betrothed her daughter to his own cleverness. It's fine if you've already promised me, but I didn't expect this woman to be so unlucky as the crown prince didn't want her. Since the crown prince had broken off the engagement, so be it. She could be pointed out to another official or the son of a prince. It is indeed a little too much to pass her on to you. "

"What?" Mu Sheng didn't understand what the empress dowager's words meant, nor was he clear on who the woman was referring to. There were too many people around the emperor that the empress dowager didn't like, but he was certain that the empress dowager didn't seem to like Xue Luoyun very much.

Seeing that the Crown Prince didn't speak, the empress dowager thought he was unhappy, so she hastened to comfort him. "But you don't have to worry, Imperial Mother will make the decision on your behalf. I've already called Senior Servant Gui to go to the Xue Estate a few days ago to end the engagement. You can rest at ease."

"What the hell is going on?!" Mu Sheng was still trying to guess the meaning behind the empress dowager's last sentence, but it turned out to be another chain of bombs. Hearing this, Mu Ying's heart was greatly alarmed. He felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head. The joy in his heart immediately vanished, leaving only endless regret and regret.

"Imperial Mother, this son has never said that he is unwilling. Why would Imperial Mother go and end the engagement?" Mu Ying paused for a moment to clear his mind, then asked with an expressionless face. It was hard to tell whether he was happy or not with this annulment.

"This Xue Luoyun is not worthy of you. Imperial Mother will definitely arrange something for you." The empress dowager straightforwardly said as she picked up the soup beside her and took a sip.

At this point, Mu Ying's heart had already turned cold. He did not dare to say anything more. Even though he was unwilling in his heart, he did not dare to disobey his mother's orders. Besides, he understood the Empress Dowager's character. It was useless for her to say more about anyone she didn't like …

With that thought in mind, in a split-second, a person came to mind. Could it be that the empress dowager was talking about her? Mu Ying made up his mind. Since the empress dowager didn't like him, he didn't want to express his feelings. Otherwise, it would only bring her more trouble.

"My son, what do you think about the marriage?" The empress dowager observed him for a long time, but could not read his mind, so she opened her mouth to ask.

"Your son will be arranged by your mother." "Yes," Mu Sheng replied, but his mind started to worry about Xue Ruoyun.

This girl was in a difficult situation at the Prime Minister's Estate, and the crown prince had already broken off her engagement with her. Only then did she point it out to him, and then was she forced back again by her mother. This repeated over and over again, a lady of a noble family having her marriage annulled twice by the royal family, how much of an influence would this have on her reputation? Recalling the stubborn smile on her face, she suddenly felt a little frustrated.

"The Queen Mother is very relieved that you can think this way." The empress dowager said happily.

At this moment, Senior Servant Gui came in with a group of palace maids and eunuchs. She removed the bird's nest and arranged many fine snacks.

"Come and try it. This is the snack I ordered the kitchen to make for you." She picked up a pear cake and placed it in the bowl in front of Mu Ying.

Mu Ying picked up his chopsticks and placed a piece of meat into his mouth. Perhaps it was due to the matter of annulling the engagement, but he felt that the Pear Blossom Cake was tasteless and tasted as good as chewing wax. It was no longer as sweet as it used to be.

"Recently, I've recruited your sister, Princess Changle, to come here. The two of you haven't seen each other for a long time, so we can reminisce about old times." Her Majesty picked up another pear cake. He spoke seemingly unintentionally.

Mu Ying was startled as he lowered his head to chew the Pear Blossom Cake. A trace of displeasure flashed across his face. He finally understood what he meant by calling him to the palace.

Princess Changle was not the empress dowager's real daughter or descendant from the royal family, but rather the empress dowager's foster daughter.

Years ago, after the empress dowager gave birth to two princes, she wholeheartedly wanted a caring princess. However, after giving birth to a pair of twins, her yin energy and spleen were weak, and she would never have another chance.

The empress dowager worshipped the Buddha and often liked to go to the Spirit Concealment Temple to pray and recite scriptures. One year, when it began to rain on the way back from blessing, Her Majesty heard a faint sound of weeping at the temple door. The guard walked in and discovered that it was an abandoned baby. Its face was purple from the cold and it was crying loudly.

Her Majesty was kind enough to send someone to fetch the baby. Strangely, the baby cried incessantly in the hands of the eunuchs and maids. When the empress dowager took it from her, her tears fell into a smile, and her face blossomed into a smile.

The Empress Dowager was very fond of the infant and could not let him go any longer. She immediately ordered the child to be taken in as a goddaughter and brought back to the palace to be raised personally.

Ever since he was young, Mu Ying had been very concerned about this little sister of his. However, after she grew up, when the relationship between a man and a woman had just begun, Princess Changle had actually developed a lot of love for Mu Ying. Mu Ying had always seen her as his younger sister. He had never thought about the feelings between a man and a woman, other than that of siblings.

Now that the Empress Mother had withdrawn the engagement for her, and had summoned the Princess Changle here, the reason was self-evident.

"Muhou, your son is busy with military matters, so he will take his leave first." Mu Ying stood up and was about to leave.

"My son, you've just come and are about to leave. Is the military really that busy?" The empress dowager was somewhat dissatisfied when she heard this. Chang Le hadn't come yet, but he was about to leave. Didn't her arrangements go to waste?

"Recently, royal brother has assigned me a few important military tasks. I dare not slack off." Mu Sheng quickly moved the Emperor out of the way. No matter how important the empress dowager's plans were, she would not dare to delay the military matters of the previous dynasty.

After sending Mu Sheng off, Senior Servant Gui saw the empress dowager sitting by herself on a chair with one hand on her head. Her mind was in disarray and her expression was one of weariness. She seemed to be in a bad mood. Senior Servant Gui had served by the empress dowager's side for many years, so she had long since seen through the empress dowager's displeasure.