All the people were astonished about what the emperor said.

Somebody still tried to say something against Hua Qingxin, "So… What Ronghua Hua did yesterday was despicable. She was so brazen-faced to seduce your majesty in the Imperial Garden…"

"She did it to make me happy, and I quite enjoy it."

"Elder brother…"

"You slander her just because she did what you couldn't do?"

Everyone in the palace were at a loss. The Empress Dowager made no comment.

The emperor they had been familiar with was strict, decisive, resolute and cold. But now he seemed to have changed into another person.

But the look in his eyes was still as familiar, indifferent and resolute as it usually was when he was not looking at Hua Qingxin.

The Empress Dowager smiled gently. She was old, with much more experiences. Maybe everyone would meet somebody that made him willing to change himself.

But such changes might not be a good thing.

"The concubines are caring about you. Such outrageous things make people worried. But they are too impatient. You really need someone steady and prudent to serve you." By saying so, she waved to her niece Li Zhuozhuo.

Li Zhuozhuo took the hint. She walked to the emperor gently by folding her hands together in front of her stomach.

The Empress Dowager took this mild girl to her side, with joys and love in her eyes. She then looked at Yun Cang and said, "Zhuozhuo is 16 years old now, and she has always been behaving under my guidance. I think…"

"It's the time to pick a good man for her, so your guidance won't end up in vain"

Hua Qingxin did not hear the words after "I don't care about what she did in the past. I just care about what she does now!".

Her mind was in a chaos, full of mixed feelings. She was not as urgent to die as she was.

Turned out he was not a bad emperor. He was arrogant and self-conceited, but he had his own belief. He dared to say what others thought wrong and disobey the Empress Dowger to protect Hua Qingxin.

If Prince Yun Hai could insist on his choice like him… No, he did not need to do that; if he only said sorry to her, she might have already hung herself before the selection of imperial concubines.

Hua Qingxin was taken out of the Empress Dowger's palace by Yun Cang. Her head was still in a blank. She had no idea about the expressions on those concubines' faces when they saw her off, but she was unafraid for no reason.

Getting back to her own palace, Hua Qingxin saw a person standing in the hall. Hua Qingxin stepped backwards subconsciously.

"Greetings, Ronghua Hua." Hua Ruizi, her elder sister born by her father's concubine, bowed her head and greeted her in curtesy.

Hua Qingxin stared at her elder sister and had a surge of feelings in her heart.

 The man she loved was taken away by her sister easily, and this was the first time for her elder sister to put down her arrogance and bow to Hua Qingxin.

The twist of fate in the world was unpredictable.

Maid Meng stood aside, avoiding eye contact.

Right, now that she was the woman of the emperor, Prince Yun Hai could not come and meet her easily. In addition, gossip in imperial harems might send them to death. She just learned the lesson this morning.

"Take a seat." Hua Qingxin had a deep breath, as if she intended to spit out something dirty.

It is unusual for Hua Ruizi to chat about daily life with Hua Qingxin. Although they were sisters with the same father, the mother of Hua Ruizi was daughter of a minister, but the mother of Hua Qingxin was only the first wife of her father who went through hards.h.i.+ps with him.

Therefore, Hua Ruizi always looked down on her and did not want to talk with her. Hua Qingxin did not want to kiss up to Hua Ruizi, either. She did not want to have any tie with Hua Ruizi after her mother died.

There was something she couldn't figure out. Her mother always behaved herself as a good wife and mother. However, she was accused of accepting bribe on behalf of her father. Her father found her misdoing, and her mother was taken place by Hua Ruizi's mother. This was the reason why Hua Ruizi became the legitimate daughter and got married with Prince Yun Hai.

Soon after that, Hua Qingxin's mother died due to depression.

After some small talk, Hua Ruizi realized that Ronghua Hua did not want to chat with her, and she went straight to the point.

"What?" Hua Qingxin was astonished, "What did you say? You want me to… betray the emperor?"

Hua Ruizi gave her a sign to keep it down, and repeated, "The key is to know the schedule of the emperor. We have to know it in advance to take precautions."

"But… But I'll become your spy, right?" Then the false charge those women made against her this morning in the Empress Dowager's palace would be verified.

"After that you can live with Prince Yun Hai. Do you prefer hanging yourself in this palace?"

Hua Qingxin was astonished, then she shook her head. Of course, she… wanted to live with Prince Yun Hai.

But she would never do such a rebellious thing… She had heard that brothers killed each other for power, but she was really scared when she was involved in it.

Seeing that Hua Qingxin hesitated, Hua Ruizi ridiculed her, "Of course, you are granted the honor of Ronghua, and wealth will come along. You have totally forgotten about your true love."

"No, it's not true." At the thought of living the rest of her life with Prince Yun Hai, Hua Qingxin was tempted to agree. She looked down and muttered, "Does Prince Yun Hai still care about me?"