Chapter 1611 - 1604: Xie Qingyi, Unaware of Grievance

Chapter 1611 -1604: Xie Qingyi, Unaware of Grievance

Qin Muyan cherished her tears the most. Back in the prince’s mansion, he never allowed her to shed a single tear; each of her tears was more precious than golden pearls.

Qin Muyan just stood there. He moved his lips, seemingly wanting to explain something, but when the words reached his lips, all he did was tug at the corner of his mouth and say, “I’m sorry, I have wronged you.”

He failed to protect her well, nor could he secure her position as empress.

Now, even just coming to see her and the child made him too nervous to approach.

The child in Rong Yun’s arms was startled awake, crying for a while before Rong Yun soothed him back to sleep. He snuggled up cozily, his little feet kicking adorably.

Rong Yun settled the child and stood up from the bed, walking over to Qin Muyan.

She looked up at the man, reaching out to touch his temple, puzzled, “Why have you suddenly grown white hair?”

Qin Muyan was a tall and handsome man, and she was deeply infatuated with his appearance; however, looking at him now… he seemed to bear the frost of full temples.

“I have always been much older than you. Growing white hair is not something unusual.” Qin Muyan smiled faintly, holding Rong Yun’s hand and gently wrapping an arm around her waist, tenderly apologizing to her, “Jingjing, I’m sorry. There were many times when I had no control over the situation. Now that I have ascended the throne, I can no longer act willfully as before. When I couldn’t obtain evidence to prove your innocence, I truly misunderstood you.”

He witnessed Qin Ge’s corpse with his own eyes, and the strings in his mind completely snapped.

He fell into a state of collapse, unable to extricate himself, to the point of forgetting what a pure and kind person Rong Yun inherently was.

Mistakenly believing she would kill his mother.

“My mother cherished me, and so did my imperial grandmother…” Rong Yun leaned into his embrace, her eyes brimming with tears, “but I couldn’t save them. I failed to fulfill what my imperial grandmother entrusted to me.”

In Rong Yun’s arms, there lay a golden seal.

When Qin Muyan saw the golden seal in her hands, he lost focus for a moment, then let out a pained chuckle, “So the golden seal was in your hands all along. No wonder I turned the Great Wei Imperial Palace upside-down with everyone and never found it. It’s a pity… I have failed my imperial grandmother, and now I must fail you too.”

His voice, filled with remorse, was so hoarse it was almost unrecognizable, “Jingjing, I’m sorry, I didn’t confer on you the title of empress. The position of empress, I gave to Xie Qingyi. To bring you back to the palace, I could only make you an Imperial Consort, allowing you to continue living in Zhi Luo Palace.”

“Oh.” Rong Yun seemed not too moved by this.

She didn’t care about being empress or not. As long as it wasn’t Li Yunshu who was empress, whether it was Xie Qingyi or someone else… she didn’t care.

After all, she knew very well that there wouldn’t be just her in Qin Muyan’s harem.

“Then aunty, and the palace guard, Hong Xiu and Xiao Xiang, are they alright?” Rong Yun was genuinely concerned, “I’ve been through so much, I’m really worried… you wouldn’t have killed them, would you?”

“No!” Qin Muyan hurriedly explained, “Madam Yan and Hong Xiu Xiao Xiang are fine, it’s just Wei Mingze who…”

Qin Muyan lowered his eyelashes, telling her the news of Wei Mingze’s death to prove her innocence.

After hearing this, Rong Yun was deeply distressed for a long time, repeatedly asking him why this had happened!

Qin Muyan patiently explained to her how Wei Mingze’s family and the Doctor’s family had been held hostage by the Li family, and how they had taken money to bear false witness. It was Wei Mingze’s death to attest her innocence that gave her a chance up until now…

Rong Yun cried uncontrollably, taking a long time to digest and accept the reality.

She clutched Qin Muyan’s sleeve, her eyes determined as she stared at him, “You have to believe me, I have not been defiled. Back then… aunty arrived just in time, and the palace guard also came very quickly.”

They all tried their best to protect her.

She has always been someone cherished and loved by them.

“I believe you,” Qin Muyan said as he lowered his head to kiss her. Hot tears brimmed from his eyes, the scalding temperature clearly reflecting his apology and guilt.

Rong Yun’s slender arms wrapped around his waist. “Then, from now on… you can’t be harsh to me again. I’ll be scared, and Shunshun will be scared too.”

“Alright, I will absolutely never speak harshly to you again. If I do, you can be angry with me for a lifetime and not forgive me,” Qin Muyan held her tightly, wishing he could meld the warmth of her body into his own.

“Qin Muyan, I am willing to go back to the palace with you.”

This was what Rong Yun had personally said after spending a night by his side.

Qin Muyan returned to the palace with her child in his arms.

He couldn’t spend all twelve two-hour periods of the day with her, but he gave her all the love he could provide. Rong Yun loved him just as much as before.

Only now, as a mother, a few more tender and loving glimmers had appeared in her eyes.

She couldn’t learn to scheme or strategize. Like the warmth she’d always exuded since birth, that hadn’t changed.

All the hatred from the past hadn’t hardened her into a firm and decisive person, yet it also hadn’t worn away her pure kindness and sincerity.

The way she treated the people around her remained just as gentle, and this included Xie Qingyi.

Xie Qingyi was completely compliant with her and thought of her in every regard. When Rong Yun requested to spend a night in the ancestor hall before the empress’s coronation ceremony, Xie Qingyi agreed.

Xie Qingyi personally escorted Rong Yun there but when they reached the bottom of the steps, Rong Yun didn’t allow her to follow. She entered the hall accompanied only by Nurse Yan, Hong Xiu, and Xiao Xiang.

Xie Qingyi didn’t go against her wishes. There were tedious rituals scheduled for the next day, but she decided to stay here for Rong Yun, waiting for Qin Muyan to finish his duties before returning.

Qin Muyan arrived at night, with the palace already lit up with lanterns.

He didn’t understand why Rong Yun insisted on sleeping in the ancestor hall this night. Xie Qingyi shook her head slightly, “This servant does not know, but Jingjing is a sensible girl; she will not cause trouble for no reason. Why not go take a look, Your Majesty? This servant won’t disturb you further.”

Qin Muyan nodded, allowing her to leave.

Returning to her quarters in Fengqi Palace, Xie Qingyi’s maidservant was somewhat aggrieved. “Your Highness, although Consort Yun is a good person, you still shouldn’t indulge her so much. When it comes to responsibility, this empty honor ultimately falls on you.”

Xie Qingyi, however, didn’t care at all, her lips curving into a smile. “I’m here precisely to bear these burdens in her stead. The emperor isn’t truly in love with me.”

“Though that’s the case, don’t you truly feel… wronged?” The maidservant’s eyes reddened, lip quivering slightly.

Her mistress, with such excellent qualities, could have become the empress or at least married a desirable husband for a peaceful and smooth life.

But now… she had fallen to the point of preparing a wedding dress for someone else.

It pained her heart!

“How can one have it all in this world?” Xie Qingyi laughed lightly.

She walked alone to the inner sanctuary and opened the door to the side chamber. Inside was an incense table holding Xue Haoling’s memorial tablet with the inscription she had carved herself.

Standing before the tablet, her eyes deep with affection, she said, “My husband, to be able to guard you for a lifetime, I don’t feel wronged; I feel only blessed.”

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