Pregnant Before the Royal Marriage

Chapter 809: Chapter 709 He Is Looking Forward To It_1

Jiang Ning slightly bent her knee to Li Hongyuan, performing a palace courtesy, and said with a smile, “Your Highness is busy, I’ll leave now.”

“What are you going back for?”

“To have lunch with the children.”

“I’ll go too.”

“Then you should go.”

Jiang Ning extended her hand, and Xiachu and Gufeng both rushed to assist her. Xiachu glared at Gufeng and whispered to him to go away, criticising him for being lacking perception, and then pushed him aside.

Even though he dressed like a woman, he was, after all, a man. It was fine on normal occasions, but with the Crown Prince here, was he not courting trouble by doing this?

Eunuchs could serve their female masters closely because they were not considered real men. Was Gufeng also hoping to be castrated?

Gufeng obediently withdrew, conceding his position to the Crown Prince.

Li Hongyuan and Jiang Ning walked side by side a few steps, and Jiang Ning suddenly let out a gasp.

“There’s someone I forgot to introduce you to.” Jiang Ning chuckled, “Do you want to meet her now?”

“Who?”

“A lady of the palace.”

“Why do you think I would prioritise meeting a palace woman over having a meal with the children?” Li Hongyuan said coldly, “Why should I meet a palace woman?”

“Because she looks remarkably like your concubine mother.”

“Really?” Li Hongyuan was not surprised or curious as expected.

He only sneered, “This so-called palace woman who looks like my mother must have been brought in by the Empress, or by your Jiang family.”

“Oh?”

“What are you ‘oh’ing about? When the Empress was searching for women who resembled my mother, it was public knowledge. As for your Jiang family… your father’s omnipotence in court ensures a higher success rate than your Empress.”

Despite his constant taunts, Jiang Ning was not annoyed. With a calm smile, she said, “You’re only partially correct. This palace lady is the daughter of a local official. It was my father’s subordinate who accidentally discovered her. My father then sent her into the palace.”

“Hmph.”

A cold snort from Li Hongyuan.

Jiang Ning said, “Who are you showing this disdain to? So, other princes and ministers can send women to the harem, but our Jiang family can’t?”

Li Hongyuan calmly said, “The Jiang family has already sent out a pair of daughters, isn’t that enough? Are you not satisfied until the whole harem is under Jiang family’s influence?”

Jiang Ning gave him a glance, her eyes cold.

Li Hongyuan nonchalantly said, “Don’t look at me with those eyes. What’s the palace woman’s name?”

“Shui Xiuxiu.”

“Liu Quan, go and retrieve the badge of Shui Xiuxiu and let her leave the palace and go home.” Li Hongyuan commanded.

“It’s too late.”

Jiang Ning, with both hands in her sleeves, leisurely replied.

Li Hongyuan looked at her, “Why?”

“Because, your Emperor Father already knows about the existence of Shui Xiuxiu.” Jiang Ning smiled slyly, a glint of malice sparkling in her eyes, “And he is very much looking forward to it!”

Li Hongyuan stared at her.

“What’s the matter, don’t you believe it?” Jiang Ning laughed, “Your Highness, think about it carefully, lately, hasn’t the Emperor put Concubine Ya out of his mind?”

Li Hongyuan slowly said, “Concubine Ya’s fall from favor is merely due to your instigation in front of Emperor Father.”

“You say this, but you clearly don’t understand your father.” Jiang Ning chuckled, “Your father really loved your mother.”

“True love?” Li Hongyuan’s laugh was full of scorn, “His love for mother was only due to her resemblance to Lin Zizi. He indulges you because you are Lin Zizi’s daughter. Now he is interested in Shui Xiuxiu, is it because she looks like mother, or like Lin Zizi? Emperor Father has spent his entire life chasing after Lin Zizi’s shadow. What a pitiful man!”