Children of Loulan

Chapter 282 Ants on the hot pot

Compared to the fierce atmosphere in the imperial study room, which seemed to be able to ignite everything, the world outside the imperial study room seemed to have been turned on, peaceful and harmonious. However, under this seemingly calm appearance, there seemed to be a surging undercurrent. All the people with ulterior motives were like lurking hunters, staring at every move in the imperial study room. Every slight change could trigger a fierce competition.

Although the queen finally followed Keremuna's seemingly safe advice, tightly closed the door of Kunning Palace, and strictly prohibited anyone from entering or leaving at will, trying to protect that small world, she could never really settle down, and was always worried about what kind of trouble the rumors in the palace would bring her.

Especially at this moment, Madam He was staying in her palace. She was full of anxiety, fearing that something might happen to the baby in Madam He's belly, or that the king believed those malicious rumors and wanted to punish her. This worry made her like an ant trapped on a hot pot, pacing restlessly in the palace, and her anxious figure seemed to tell of her inner panic and uneasiness.

At this moment, she suddenly learned that the king had summoned Consort Xian. This sudden news hit her heart like a bolt from the blue. She was filled with strong curiosity and doubts, and was eager to know why the king summoned Consort Xian and whether it was related to the rumors about her in the palace.

In contrast, Concubine Ru seemed much calmer. She was still busy in her palace, pruning branches skillfully with her hands, and her eyes revealed a hint of comfort. She took a sip of hot tea and tasted the exquisite cakes, her demeanor full of calmness.

Then, she casually asked the palace maid beside her: "How is it, is there any news over there?" There was a hint of curiosity in her tone, but also a kind of calmness that was difficult for others to detect, as if nothing in the world could easily disturb her inner peace.

Wu Mei lowered his head slightly and said softly, "Your Majesty, the guards in the imperial study are guarding very closely and no one is allowed to approach. It will be difficult to find out any information in a short time. As for the queen, I heard that she is now as anxious as an ant on a hot pot, fidgeting, afraid that the king will listen to the rumors and punish her."

Concubine Ru took a sip of tea, a faint sneer appeared on the corner of her mouth, and she slowly said: "The queen is really lucky. She is so stupid in her daily life, but she can ascend to the throne of queen by chance. Moreover, under the years of malicious persecution by Concubine Xian, she can still raise Prince Xuan safely. This luck is really enviable."

After hearing this, Wu Mei showed a hint of disapproval on her face. She said slowly, "Your Majesty, what you said makes sense. Although the virtuous concubine has repeatedly made things difficult for the queen, and her methods seem sinister and vicious, she is actually not a smart person. The tricks she used were low-level and clumsy, simply child's play. Even a small servant like me can easily see the flaws in them, so how could the king not notice them? Besides, since Prince Xuan grew up, he has learned to be grateful and has given the queen a lot of substantial help, which has enabled the queen to gain a foothold in the harem until now with great difficulty." At this time, Wu Mei raised her head slightly, with a firm light flashing in her eyes.

Concubine Ru frowned slightly, a complex emotion flashed in her eyes, and after a sigh, she slowly said: "So the queen is lucky, born in a high position, enjoying all the glory and wealth. Although Concubine Xian has an adopted son, the adopted son is not smart enough to help her, which is really a pity."

After hearing this, Wu Mei said indifferently: "Although King Xuan has outstanding talents and abilities, in the king's heart, our Royal Highness King Cheng is the most reliable. Over the years, His Royal Highness King Cheng has been focusing on self-cultivation and has never had the slightest desire for government affairs. It is precisely because of this that the king is most confident in His Royal Highness. No matter what His Royal Highness does, the king always agrees."

Hearing this, Concubine Ru smiled with satisfaction, gently stroked her sleeves, and said thoughtfully: "Yes, he has two brothers who are so outstanding and have already shined in the court. He can only put aside government affairs and venture into the world, make one or two like-minded friends, and find a different state of mind."

As she spoke, Concubine Ru suddenly seemed to think of something important. A hint of doubt flashed across her eyes. She asked, "Where is Madam Lan? Is she still in the king's bedroom?"

Wu Mei responded softly, "Yes, I heard that ever since she almost fell into the lake and had a miscarriage, the king has been staying by her side, personally serving her medicine and taking good care of her body. This shows how much the king loves her."

After hearing this, Concubine Ru's eyes flashed with contempt, and her disdain became more and more obvious. She raised her chin slightly, and a sneer appeared on the corner of her mouth, as if she had heard the most absurd joke in the world: "Oh, I really didn't expect that our king is actually a romantic man? He is so majestic and cold on weekdays, but he can also be so sentimental."

Her words were full of sarcasm, but there was an imperceptible difference in her eyes. Perhaps it was unwillingness, jealousy, or hatred. Only Concubine Ru herself knew the answer.

At this time, Aidil was like an ant on a hot pot, pacing back and forth in the mansion anxiously, his anxious steps getting faster and faster, as if he wanted to leave deep footprints on the ground. Xilin's figure kept appearing in his mind, her gentle smile and smart eyes, making his heart feel like it was pierced by thousands of needles.

Several times, he had already stepped out of the palace gate, and the strong impulse almost swallowed him up. He wanted to rush into the palace regardless of everything and personally find out about Xilin's situation, even if it was just a glimpse from a distance. But reason was like an invisible shackle, pulling him back again and again, tightly restraining his actions.

Although he could find various seemingly reasonable reasons to enter the palace, such as reporting government affairs to the king or inquiring about some palace affairs, he could also pretend that he happened to encounter something happening in the palace and casually show concern for the safety of the two ladies.

In this way, he would have a chance to meet Xilin and satisfy his deep desire. However, he was afraid that once he met Xilin, the true feelings hidden deep in his heart would be revealed involuntarily. Such sincere feelings could not be concealed and could be easily noticed by people around him. If discovered by someone with ulterior motives, Xilin would be doomed!

Therefore, he would rather endure the heart-wrenching pain himself than bring any harm to Xilin because of a momentary impulse, even if the harm was only a little bit.

However, waiting was like torture, the torture was unbearable, and every moment seemed to be extremely long. Aidil wandered in pain and struggle, his thoughts surging like a tide, but he could only endure the heart-wrenching pain and silently endure everything, just to prevent his mistakes from causing even the slightest harm to Xilin.