Marquis Duanjing's household had been loyal for generations, with many dying on the battlefield and some being plotted against to protect imperial authority. To this day, only Yan Qing remained, the sole survivor of his family. The Empress Dowager's heart had always been heavy with this.
The Emperor stopped smiling and said to the Empress Dowager, "But he is also your grandson, and the Crown Prince is of legitimate birth. Why then did you change your mind this year, abandon the Crown Prince, and favor Xiao Zhen? Although due to Ling Hua's marriage to Yan Qing, she has earned your personal attention, and you have loved her like your own, isn't it also because you are disappointed in the Crown Prince?"
