Chapter 238 Sudden Changes
Mrs. Qiao was panicking and afraid: "But what if the Third Young Madam doesn't mean that?"

Madam Fang stared at her steadily, and said sternly, "Madam, do you want to take a gamble? But can you afford it?"

Qiao was stumped by the question, but she had a clear answer in her heart. She couldn't afford the risk. She had finally had a child, and if she couldn't keep it, her position in the Marquis's Mansion would be in jeopardy. Youshi had always been indifferent to her, and now this would make her even less kind. Chunli had always coveted Cuiyan, and might take the opportunity to make her his concubine. She didn't want to see or afford all the consequences.

Madam Fang's expression softened, "Madam, there's no need to worry too much. We can just quietly reveal the matter of Third Madam fumigating with moxa to Madam. How can Madam remain indifferent? Madam's mind is much more shrewd than ours. She knows all the interests involved."

"Besides, you, the eldest young lady, have never been to the third young lady's place. We live in seclusion, so who would suspect us? If the third young lady were to suspect anything, she would only suspect the second young lady."

Mrs. Qiao was enlightened and regained her composure. What Fang Mama said was right. As long as she was careful, Liuli would not suspect her. Even if she did, she could say that she heard it from her second brother's wife. That was the way it was.

Ye Jiayao left the main courtyard and whispered to Qiao Xi, "Pay attention and see who the servants in this courtyard are in contact with."

She revealed the news to Qiao, believing that Qiao would definitely take action. Although Qiao was not very smart in business, he was not completely without schemes in other aspects. Today, she was not upright enough to use Qiao, which was really a helpless move, but she also had to be on guard against Qiao. It would be best if Qiao could do things flawlessly and everyone could live in peace.

Qiao Xi agreed quietly, and the master and servant went to the upper room in the main courtyard.

Youshi was not at home, saying that she had left the house. The servant said that the mistress had already given orders that no one would have dinner in the upper room today, and that each room would have dinner in its own courtyard. Ye Jiayao did not receive any notice because she had gone to Qiaoshi's place.

Ye Jiayao was eager to go back for dinner. Youshi had been very dissatisfied with her recently. However, she had no reason to complain. First, Youshi was worried, and second, she did not do well in some things due to unavoidable reasons. Oh... wait until the dust settles, and then try to make amends!

When he returned to his yard, Zhou Xing's family had already delivered dinner.

"Where is the prince?" Ye Jiayao asked as she walked in.

Xiang Tao said, "In the study."

Ye Jiayao went to the study and saw Xia Chunyu leaning back in a chair, lost in thought, holding a cup of tea.

"Chun Yu, what are you thinking about? It's time to eat. I'm going to wash my hands first." Ye Jiayao greeted him.

Xia Chunyu came back to his senses and smiled faintly: "Where have you been?"

"I went to see my sister-in-law. She looked well." Ye Jiayao turned and walked away.

When she came out after washing her face and hands, Xia Chunyu was already sitting at the round table, but he was still in a daze.

Qiao Xi lifted the lid of the bowl and filled a bowl of rice for the prince, and placed it in front of him: "Prince, please have your meal."

Ye Jiayao said: "Qiao Xi, there is no need to serve here, you can go downstairs and have your meal!"

There was no one else in the room. Ye Jiayao smiled and said, "Stop being in a daze and eat!"

Xia Chunyu picked up the bowl and put it down again, sighing, "Yaoyao, maybe Xiaojing and Aruan can't be together anymore."

Ye Jiayao was stunned: "Why do you say that?"

Xia Chunyu sighed again: "I thought things were too simple. I stayed in the village for the past few days and didn't realize that something big had happened."

Ye Jiayao's heart sank when he heard what he said: "What's the big deal?"

"This matter has been kept secret in the palace, but Princess Yide knows about it. Xiaojing may not know it yet. In fact, it was the emperor's idea to let A'ruan marry the third prince."

"How could that be? Didn't they say that the Third Prince proposed to marry her?" Ye Jiayao was quite shocked. Wouldn't that overturn all the previous inferences?
"If the emperor meant this, why did he let Xiaojing accompany him before? Anyone would think that the emperor meant that." Ye Jiayao really couldn't understand.

Xia Chunyu was in a heavy mood: "The emperor originally had that intention, but now, something unexpected has happened..." Xia Chunyu's eyes were solemn: "I just received news from Simon that Helian Xuan requested to marry the sister of the Khan of Simon, and this princess has a very high prestige in Simon. She is a brave woman who is as brave as a man."

Ye Jiayao silently digested the news and soon figured out the twists and turns. Helian Xuan helped Simon to quell the civil strife, which was a great achievement for Simon and Huai Song. Helian Xuan was originally the most outstanding general in the dynasty. Now he is going to marry Princess Simon. Not only is he highly meritorious, but he is also marrying Simon. It can be said that in the issue of Simon, in the eyes of the Simon people, the emperor's status is probably not as good as Helian Xuan. How can the emperor not be afraid? If Xiao Jing marries A Ruan again, the northwest and southwest will be under the control of the Helian Palace. How can the emperor be at ease? In addition, the prince's prestige in Huai Song is growing, and the biggest supporter of the military behind the prince is the Helian Palace.

Since ancient times, no matter whether they were wise or foolish emperors, what they valued most was the imperial power in their hands. What they wanted was absolute rule. Emperors would be wary of anyone or anything that threatened the imperial power, even if the threat came from their designated successor to the throne, their own son. Therefore, the emergence of the Third Prince and the favor of Concubine Shu were most likely the emperor's deliberate act of checks and balances.

After thinking through this link, it is not difficult to understand why the Queen Mother and the Empress did not dare to raise any objections to Aruan's marriage, but instead strongly supported it. Because the emperor had begun to be suspicious of the prince and the Helian Palace.

But what should A-Ruan do? I suddenly felt so sad. Would the lively and cheerful A-Ruan still be able to smile as carefree as before?
Xia Chunyu saw her expression and knew that she had thought of the interests involved. In fact, it was obvious that Xiaojing had a good impression of Aruan, but she was not sure of her feelings for the time being. Whether it was because the two families were old friends or because of his friendship with Helian Xuan, he hoped that Xiaojing could be happy. And Aruan, who was far away from her hometown and innocent and lovely, although it was a political marriage, he also hoped that Aruan could marry the person she loved.

However, this is beyond human power.

In order to avoid suspicion, the Helian Palace could not even open their mouths, let alone argue.

"Yaoyao, you...you should go and persuade A'ruan tomorrow! At this time, she needs a friend to comfort her." There was a hint of bitterness and regret in Xia Chunyu's words.

Ye Jiayao was so sad that she wanted to cry. Her eyes were already covered with a layer of mist. How could she comfort herself? Just today, she told A Ruan, don't worry, Xiao Jing will not ignore her.

"Don't be too sad. In fact, the Third Prince is not bad either..."

"Can you marry someone just because he/she is good? There are so many famous ladies in the capital, who is not good? Why do you fall for me? Why do you go through so much trouble to marry me? In the end, you just want to be with the person you like! It is always easy to say about others, but when it comes to yourself, who can be relaxed? If A'ruan had not fallen in love with Xiaojing and had not had this person in her heart, perhaps marrying the third prince would have been a good choice, and she would not have been sad. But you know the pain of having to marry someone else while having someone in your heart." Ye Jiayao was restless and irritable. After hearing what he said, she couldn't control her anger and vented it on him.

Xia Chunyu was speechless. Yes, he knew how it felt, so he had deliberately planned to refuse the marriage. At that time, he had also made the worst plan. If the emperor did not change his mind, he would rather become a monk and live his whole life with someone he did not like. It was too terrible.

However, his refusal to marry would not affect the emperor's imperial rule or the stability of the political situation, so there was room for maneuver. Unlike Xiaojing and Aruan, even if these two wanted to commit suicide for love in front of the emperor, the emperor would not even blink an eye.

Seeing his guilty and gloomy face, Ye Jiayao remained silent, slowly calmed down, and said quietly: "I'm sorry, I know that this matter is beyond human control, I just feel sad."

"You don't have to say sorry. I know you feel bad. But now that things have come to this, we can't help them. We can only comfort them and help them get through this most difficult time." Xia Chunyu covered her hand with one hand, gently held it, and said softly.

Ye Jiayao sniffed, wiped away her tears, and said softly, "I'll go see A'ruan after dinner."

"Don't go tonight. Father and mother are in Prince Helian's Mansion now. I will go there after dinner. If you want to go, let's go together. Ruan doesn't know the truth yet, so let her sleep more peacefully!" Xia Chunyu said.

It turned out that Youshi had gone out temporarily to the Helian Palace. Ye Jiayao nodded silently, feeling sad in her heart. This kind of involuntary pain, she, a modern soul, felt more deeply than the women of this era, and her reaction was more intense.

A'ruan might be able to sleep peacefully tonight, but what about Xiaojing? He must have known the inside story by now, so how does he feel?
Helpless, helpless, and still helpless.

The two of them ate in silence, neither of them having any appetite. After taking a few bites, they changed their clothes and went to Prince Helian's Palace.

When the butler saw them coming, he took them to see Prince Jing without saying a word.

Helian Jing was sitting alone in the study at the moment, his heart was like hundreds of wild horses galloping and roaring, in a mess.

Some things, only when you really face them, you realize that they are not what you originally thought.

When he left the inn, he was still hesitating whether to marry A'ruan. Was this really the best choice? Even if there was no choice, could he accept it happily? Would he feel unwilling?

However, when he returned home, he realized that he had no choice. It was not that he had to marry, but that he could not marry at all.

(End of this chapter)