CHAPTER 601: CHAPTER 499: BAI XIAOPANG UNLEASHES A BIG MOVE

Lu Qi really hadn’t expected anyone to dare say such a thing in the Imperial Palace. Was she not afraid of eavesdroppers, or worried about being reported to the emperor?

"What are you looking at?"

Liu Qingyun glared at Lu Qi with irritation. "Don’t think that just because you call me ’Mother,’ I’ll acknowledge you as my son. My son is only one!"

Lu Qi took a deep breath, momentarily unsure whether she was truly heartless or intentionally trying to confuse him.

She was Lu Yuan’s mother, and her true identity should indeed be the Princess of Miaojiang.

The "grandfather" she mentioned for Lu Yuan was undoubtedly the Miao King.

So, the Miao King had already arrived in the Imperial City?

Lu Qi led his horse away.

"The old man’s arrived?"

Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow and asked.

Liu Qingyun wiped her son’s forehead with a handkerchief. "Just scaring him!"

Lu Yuan: "..."

Liu Qingyun smoothed out a few stray strands of her son’s hair. "But he should arrive in the Imperial City within these couple of days. If you’re not confident, I’ll perform a scene later and have the archery competition postponed until after your grandfather enters the city."

Lu Yuan replied nonchalantly, "Your son isn’t that weak."

Liu Qingyun, proud, said, "I thought so too."

Lu Yuan, recalling something, asked, "Mother, why did you come to the stables?"

Liu Qingyun’s eyes flickered. "To find you, of course."

Lu Yuan stared directly at her. "Did you do something again?"

Liu Qingyun put on a serious expression. "No, no, I didn’t do anything. What could I possibly do? I just arrived at the Imperial Palace; I’m not even familiar with the layout yet!"

Lu Yuan: "Not familiar with the layout, yet you found the stables?"

Liu Qingyun: "... Oh dear, Lady Hui is calling me! I’ll take my leave!"

She scurried off with practiced ease.

Lu Yuan stroked his chin, entered the stables, and led his white horse out. "Let’s go for a stroll."

Meanwhile, Lu Qi, in the middle of training a horse, encountered Dou Qingyi, who had come looking for him.

This time, he was certain he had not mistaken her identity.

"Mother."

He dismounted gracefully.

Dou Qingyi held a small package of snacks and said to Lu Qi, "The Noble Consort specially had these made for you."

"I’ve already eaten my fill,"

Lu Qi responded.

Dou Qingyi noticed her son’s subdued mood and couldn’t help asking, "Qi’er, what’s wrong? You don’t seem very happy. Are you worried about the upcoming archery competition?"

Lu Qi, after a moment’s hesitation and some inner struggle, finally voiced his doubts: "Just now, I mistook someone else for you and even called her ’Mother.’"

Dou Qingyi blurted out, "Was it Lu Linyuan’s mother?"

Lu Qi stared deeply at Dou Qingyi. "How do you know it was her?"

Dou Qingyi realized she had misspoken and forced a sheepish smile. "I was just guessing. You and Lu Linyuan are around the same age, so I thought his mother and I might be somewhat alike."

Lu Qi didn’t argue whether her explanation made sense but instead asked, "Why does Mother bear some resemblance to her? Do you know her?"

Dou Qingyi smiled. "How would I know her? The world is vast, and coincidences do happen. It’s not unusual for people to look alike."

Lu Qi gazed unwaveringly into Dou Qingyi’s eyes. "But Mother’s similarity to her isn’t just in appearance. It’s in tone, posture, and demeanor—it’s as if...someone is imitating the other."

Dou Qingyi said, "Qi’er, all you need to know is that the woman your father loves most is me."

Lu Qi asked, "When you say ’Father,’ do you mean Prince Jin or the Crown Prince?"

Dou Qingyi was momentarily speechless.

Lu Qi withdrew his sharp gaze, returning to his usual gentle and respectful demeanor. "I understand. I’ll continue training the horse now."

As he spoke, he glanced at the snacks in Dou Qingyi’s hands. "You can keep those for yourself."

He mounted his horse again.

Dou Qingyi watched her son’s departing figure, a sudden chill creeping over her.

Her throat moved as she quickly stepped forward and grabbed his hand. "Qi’er, you are my flesh and blood, the child I carried and gave birth to. I can lose everything, but I cannot lose you."

Lu Qi looked down at her from his elevated position. "Even ’Father’ can be lost?"

Dou Qingyi was momentarily stunned.

Her son, with his face shrouded in shadows against the light, suddenly seemed distant and unnervingly unfamiliar.

"Qi’er..."

Lu Qi smiled. "I know Mother’s answer. In your heart, I’m more important than ’Father.’ That’s enough for me. I’ll make sure you become Empress."

He pulled his hand away.

"Qi’er!"

Dou Qingyi rushed after him once again.

Looking around to ensure no one was nearby, she pulled a jade bottle from inside her capacious sleeve and handed it to him. "Do you remember what I taught you?"

Lu Qi hesitated for a moment. "Mother, I won’t need this."

...

Dou Qingyi returned to the seating area reserved for the women.

The Empress had retreated to the edge of the riding grounds to cool off in a sedan chair.

The April breeze in the Imperial City brought a chill in the mornings and evenings, yet the midday sun left people drenched in sweat.

Consort Hu, suffering from the heat, also summoned a sedan chair to seek shade.

Consort Jiang propped her head up with one hand, sitting under a pavilion and resting her eyes.

Liu Qingyun, meanwhile, was happily munching on snacks.

Palace snacks—delicious!

Suddenly, a shadow loomed over Liu Qingyun.

Without even lifting her head, Liu Qingyun recognized who it was and asked blandly, "What do you want?"

Dou Qingyi said, "May I have a word with you in private?"

Liu Qingyun put down her snacks and wiped her mouth with a handkerchief. "Sure."

Dou Qingyi led Liu Qingyun to a small pond near the riding grounds. A row of trees provided just enough shade to bring some relief from the heat.

Liu Qingyun said indifferently, "Speak plainly and cut to the chase."

Dou Qingyi, adopting a haughty demeanor, said, "I am Prince Jin’s Concubine. You, a woman with neither rank nor title, ought to bow to me."

Liu Qingyun lazily looked her up and down. "After so many years, your airs seem to have grown even faster than your age."

Dou Qingyi’s eyes flickered. "What are you implying?"

Liu Qingyun shook her head. "Don’t pretend, Dou Qingyi. I already know who you are."

Dou Qingyi clenched her handkerchief tightly. "Did the Crown Prince tell you?"

Liu Qingyun admitted openly, "Yes."

Dou Qingyi’s face turned uneasy. "He... why would he..."

Liu Qingyun said, "Why would he confide everything to me? Isn’t that something you already know? Ah Yan has never hidden anything from me. I just didn’t expect that the person I once saved would turn around and stab me in the back!"

Dou Qingyi sneered. "You must regret it now. Being too kind and trusting is your greatest weakness."

Liu Qingyun replied solemnly, "Kindness isn’t my weakness. Malice, on the other hand, is your flaw. I’ve saved many others before, and they were different from you. So no, I have nothing to regret."

Dou Qingyi gazed at the shimmering pond. "At this point, all you can do is talk tough."

Liu Qingyun said coolly, "Did you call me here just to reconnect?"

Dou Qingyi said, "I want you to make your son withdraw from the Qilin competition."

Liu Qingyun said, "What if I refuse?"

Dou Qingyi removed a hairpin from her head and aimed it at her own wrist. "If you don’t agree, you’ll be accused of attempting to harm Prince Jin’s Concubine today."

"The letter has already been delivered to Qi’er—it’s your handwriting, commanding him to withdraw from the competition, or else you would kill me. Surprised? I even learned to forge your handwriting!"

"Oh."

Liu Qingyun raised an eyebrow. "If that’s how you want to play, then—into the water you go!"

With that, Liu Qingyun lifted her foot and kicked Dou Qingyi into the pond!

"Trying to frame me? Maybe in your next life!!!"