"In the face of major rights and wrongs, I believe we should trust my mother." An Youyou’s expression was serious, "Aunt, think about it carefully, hasn’t my mother always been good to Huahao? Well, doesn’t she like Huahao?! My mother’s relationship with you has always been good, hasn’t it? She basically never meddles in her children’s private love affairs. She always feels that as long as both sides truly love each other, it’s fine. But my mother just opposes Huahao and me being together, what does that tell you?"

Xiao Hezhen frowned.

"It tells me that Huahao and I really can’t be together." An Youyou was very firm.

Xiao Hezhen had been calculating in her mind for all these years, and now hearing An Youyou say this, she was indeed persuaded by her.

Could it really be that close relatives shouldn’t marry?!

"Huahao is such an outstanding young guy, Aunt, do you really worry he won’t bring back a charming young wife for you? Right!" An Youyou suddenly thought of something, "I actually think Xie Qianyun from the General Mansion is quite good."

"Qianyun?" Xiao Hezhen seemed to be recalling Xie Qianyun’s appearance, with the corners of her mouth slightly rising.

Before she could speak.

Wu Huahao hurriedly said, "That little tyrant Xie Qianyun is pretty much like a boy, who in their right mind would marry her home?! She’s even more wild and vulgar than An Youyou! How thick-skinned am I supposed to be to endure such damage?!"

Clearly serious words, yet from Wu Huahao’s mouth, they became hilarious.

The entire room was amused by Wu Huahao.

Even the worried Concubine Li couldn’t help but laugh.

The atmosphere in the grand hall became relaxed.

"But anyway." Xiao Hezhen suddenly became serious again, "I originally kept Huahao in Xun City, waiting for him to marry Youyou, but now you two couldn’t be together, I’ve been thinking about sending Huahao to the military camp to train. Wu Xufan, what do you think?"

"I mentioned it to you when he was ten, that a young man’s ambitions should be everywhere, telling you to send Huahao to the military camp to train, but you said you wanted to keep him in Xun City to nurture him into a refined gentleman, and now it’s been wasted, hasn’t it?!" Wu Xufan said sarcastically.

Xiao Hezhen glared at Wu Xufan.

Wu Xufan sensibly stopped speaking, "I’ll look for Xie Ruotong alone after leaving the palace in a bit, and let her take Huahao with her back to the military camp this time."

"Aren’t any of you going to listen to my opinion?" Wu Huahao asked cautiously.

Was he just going to be packed up and sent away by his parents?!

"You’ve been abandoned, do you still have the nerve to stay in Xun City?!" Wu Xufan rebuked his son without holding back.

"...I’m not born to them!"

An Youyou suddenly felt that she really owed Wu Huahao quite a lot!

...

Nighttime.

Qiankun Hall.

Xiao Luming was handling governmental affairs.

The eunuch said respectfully next to him, "Your Majesty, it’s time for dinner."

Xiao Luming paused, then nodded.

He put down the brush, and upon looking up, saw his mother standing in the grand hall.

Luming’s eyes flashed with a hint of surprise, but the next moment he calmly got up and saluted, "Mother."

"It’s been a while since we dined alone." An Ning spoke frankly.

"Yes." Xiao Luming responded respectfully.

"Tonight I’ll accompany you for dinner."

"Yes."

The two sat at a luxurious round table in the back hall.

The table was filled with dishes, and there were two pots of wine.

An Ning picked up the wine pot.

The eunuch hurried forward to pour wine for her.

An Ning waved her hand, "Let everyone else leave Aijia."

The eunuch glanced at Luming.

Luming nodded slightly.

Only then did the eunuch take the other palace attendants and leave, leaving just the mother and son in the room.

"Luming, all along, Mother has felt she’s let you down." An Ning raised her wine cup.

Naturally, Luming raised his cup respectfully and drank together with An Ning.

"At the time when I became pregnant with you and Youyou, it was unplanned, as was your birth. When I took you both to Xuzhou back then, I only thought of living a normal life and never thought of bringing you to the Imperial Palace, let alone making you emperor at a young age and carrying such a heavy burden. Meanwhile, your father was enjoying leisurely time outside the palace, accompanying me for fun."

"Mother, I’ve never harbored a single complaint." Xiao Luming sincerely replied, "In fact, Mother might not know. When Father handed the power to me back then, he respected my opinion; it wasn’t forced on me by Father. In my view, being able to share the burden for Father and Mother, it’s my unwavering duty."

An Ning was slightly stunned.

She didn’t expect Xiao Jinxing had obtained Luming’s consent; she always thought Xiao Jinxing had forced Luming to take on the responsibilities of the nation.