Hong Qifeng saw that his aunt was getting more and more ridiculous, so she put down her chopsticks and said, “Aunt! Don’t say anymore. You Don’t want your life, I still want it. His Majesty has already said that there is only the empress in the harem.”

Ye suxin laughed and said, “Sister has the ability. After becoming a high official, you dare to throw your chopsticks in front of the elders just because you are favored by His Majesty?”

Hong Qifeng was so angry that she flicked her sleeves and left, hurriedly returning to her own courtyard.

When Hong Qifeng left, the portrait in her sleeves fell to the ground. Aunt Ye picked up the portrait and said, “This portrait looks a little like the Empress!”

Madam Hong looked at it and said, “I think it looks like Qiao ruoshui when she was young.”

Aunt ye said, “The Empress and Qiao Ruoshui look very similar. Seeing the hair ornaments on the little girl’s head, she looks like the daughter of a common family. She is not a noble lady from a noble family, so she must be the Empress!”

Madam Hong was curious and had a big guess in her heart. “Could it be that Qifeng doesn’t like the Emperor and likes the Empress? Everyone says that the emperor treats her differently, but she doesn’t take it seriously at all…”

Madam Hong put away the portrait. This was the portrait of the empress, so naturally, she couldn’t easily accept it.

Aunt ye said, “Qifeng is still young. Perhaps she doesn’t understand the affairs between men and women, but little sister, you really have to give Qifeng some good advice. The emperor always treats her differently. Even if she can’t be an empress, she can still be a noble consort!”

How could madam Hong not want that.

Looking at the power of the Qiao family now, not to mention Zheng Xiao, who was already more distinguished than them, even the second madam of the Qiao family, who had already split up, and the third madam of the Qiao family were all flattered by everyone.

..

In the Changle Palace.

Qiao Jinniang listened to Qiao Ruoyi’s story about the portrait and comforted her, “It’s okay. You Don’t have to be afraid. Even if this portrait is taken away, it’s fine. Just say it’s Qiao Ruoshui.”

She looked similar to Qiao ruoshui, and no one in Chang ‘an had seen her when she was young. They only remembered Qiao Ruoshui’s appearance when she was young.

Qiao Jinniang then explained to Qiao ruoyi, “Xie Yun wouldn’t deliberately harm me. He is a man, and because of the persecution of the second branch, he used the identity of a woman to show others. I met him when we were young, and I only knew he was a man when I came to Chang ‘an.”

Qiao Ruoyi looked at the Jinniang and asked in a low voice, “Then does Xie Yun like you, sister? Otherwise, he wouldn’t have kept the portrait he drew for You When you were young until now.”

Lu Chen came in from the door. When he heard Qiao Ruoyi’s words, he stopped in his tracks.

Qiao jinniang chuckled and said, “He probably likes me the same way that I like you. He only treats me as a sister, not as a love between a man and a woman.”

Qiao Ruoyi was puzzled and said, “Really? But I think he likes his sister.”

Qiao jinniang said, “I like his majesty, so I’d rather risk the world and be scolded by those old officials for being unvirtuous. I Won’t allow His Majesty to take a concubine.

“If Xie Yun really likes me, he definitely won’t watch me marry an unknown man.”

Qiao Jinniang knew very well that Xie Yun’s feelings for her were just a childhood sweetheart’s affection for the younger sister next door. Xie Yun was able to disguise as a woman and protect the eldest and second sons of the Xie family at such a young age when the Xie family was in decline, how could he be an ordinary person?

If he really loved a woman, how could he let her go so easily?

“Unknown origin?”Lu Chen opened the curtain and asked.

Qiao Ruoyi was so scared that she shivered. “Sister…”

She really shouldn’t have kept this a secret, but his majesty still found out about it. She didn’t know if His Majesty would believe that her sister and Xie Yun were fine.

Qiao Jinniang patted Qiao Ruoyi’s hand and said, “His Majesty knows about my past with Xie Yun. At that time, when we just got married, we did business thanks to Xie Yun’s help. You Don’t have to worry. His Majesty isn’t someone who likes to play tricks and get jealous.”

Lu Chen:”…”

Qiao ruoyi bowed and said, “Sister, I’ll go back first. About the portrait…”

“I know. You Don’t have to worry. Do your job well and don’t lose the face of Marquis an Yuan’s manor.”

“Okay.”Qiao ruoyi nodded and left.

Lu Chen let the palace maids go down with him. He held Qiao Jinniang in his arms and said, “I love to get jealous. What Portrait?”

Qiao Jinniang did not hide it from Lu Chen and said, “When I was young, Xie Yun drew a small portrait for me. It was not big, and it happened to be used as a bookmark in a book. Qiao ruoyi saw it, and Xie Yun was afraid that she would cause trouble and let her burn it.

But ruoyi thought that Xie Yun had come back from the dead to deal with me, so she did not burn it immediately.

Now that the small portrait is missing, she was worried that someone would use that small portrait to plot against me…”

Lu Chen said, “What about that little portrait? I’ve never seen you when you were young. Give it to me after you find that little portrait.”

“No, I was chubby when I was young.”Qiao Jinniang did not want to show Lu Chen her appearance when she was young.

Lu Chen said, “Speaking of which, I haven’t drawn a portrait of you for a long time. I’ll go to the hot spring imperial manor in a few days and draw a portrait of you.”

“Okay, I’ll draw one for you too. Bring Ang ‘er and Xi ‘er along. I haven’t drawn Ang ‘er yet.”

Lu Chen said, “You can dispense with that.”

He was afraid that Empress Qiao’s calligraphy would spread in the world after a hundred years. After a thousand years, the descendants would still think that he looked like the person in Empress Qiao’s painting, so there was no need for that.

Qiao Jin said unhappily, “You think my painting skills are bad?”

“Yes.”

Qiao Jin replied, “Yes?”

Lu Chen smiled and said, “My words carry weight. I Can’t say that it goes against my heart. Your painting skills are really terrible. They can’t even compare to Xi’er’s current painting skills.”

Qiao Jin snorted lightly. “Then let go of me. I’m going to practice my painting skills.”

Lu Chen did not let go of her and said, “Your painting is excellent. It’s extremely beautiful. It’s hard to come by in the world…”

Lady Qiao Jin smiled gently. She looked into Lu Chen’s eyes and wrapped her arms around Lu Chen’s neck. “No matter how beautiful my painting is, it can’t compare to brother’s good looks…”

Hong Ling, who was outside, heard the sound of water coming from inside and looked at the Bright Sun.

Many palace servants had come to inquire about how the Emperor and the Empress were arguing. were they going to cripple the Empress?

It was impossible for the empress to be crippled. As for whether the Empress’waist would be crippled, she did not know.

..

It was the first day of the Lunar New Year, and the marquis an Yuan’s family had dinner together.

After the meal, marquis an yuan asked Qiao ruoyi, “Did you ask the Hanlin Institute to bestow your aunt with a Title?”

Zheng Xiao looked at Qiao Ruoyi in surprise. “Ruoyi, why didn’t you discuss this with your family?”

Marquis an Yuan said to Qiao ruoyi, “From ancient times until now, there has been no such thing as giving aunt an order. Your mother is sitting here, and you went to the Imperial Academy to ask for an order for your aunt. This is a slap to the face of Marquis an Yuan’s family, and a slap to the face of the Empress of the Palace!”

Qiao ruoyi said calmly, “In ancient times, if I was an official, I could ask for an order for my birth mother. Since I am also a fifth-grade female official conferred by His Majesty, how could I not ask for an order for my aunt?”