Chapter 442 Partiality
Chu Li tilted his head and glanced at Princess Qiongying.
"From ancient times to the present, no queen mother would let her ten-year-old daughter disguise herself as a man and live in fear all day long for the sake of her son's safety!"
Mu Xinyue's voice was choked with sobs. "Mother had no other choice. Your brother's life was on the line at that time. Mother had no choice but to do this to save your brother."
"So, it was you who chose to abandon me!" Chu Li looked at Mu Xinyue's face which was almost exactly the same as her mother's in her previous life, and felt angry.
Why was she not the chosen one?
Why she was the one abandoned.
Is it just because she is a woman?
"Chu Chu, it's all my fault." Mu Ran looked at Mu Xinyue with tears in his eyes, "Mother, I told you I don't want to come back. You see, my sister doesn't accept us..."
"Hmph, you're back too, aren't you? Why are you pretending to be nice?" Chu Li didn't buy it at all.
Mu Xinyue originally felt guilty towards Chuchu, but became angry because of her aggressiveness.
"Chu Chu, you have already taken your brother's place. Queen Mother has never asked you to return the throne to him. Your brother has even advised Queen Mother many times not to come back. Why are you still insisting on doing so?"
Princess Qingran gloated, "That's right, I was the one who usurped the throne. Now that the real prince has returned, he is reluctant to give up the throne!"
Chu Li slapped Princess Qingran twice on the face.
Princess Qingran cried and hid behind Muran, "Brother Crown Prince, she hit me!"
"I will punish you for speaking without restraint, for offending the emperor, and for committing the crime of disrespect. Beating you is the least of your punishment."
Chu Li moved his wrist and raised his sharp eyes.
"If I hear these words again, Xirong Country is in need of a beautiful woman to marry. Who do you think is suitable?"
"This princess will not marry that stinking barbarian!"
Mu Feng brought the eldest prince of Xirong over and happened to hear these words.
The eldest prince, with his face full of flesh and beard, took one look at Princess Qingran and memorized her appearance.
Princess Qiongying originally wanted to cause trouble for Chu Li, but when she heard about the marriage, her face suddenly turned cold and she pulled Princess Qingran out.
"The eldest prince of Xirong, Tuerjiang, pays homage to the Emperor of Great Chu."
When Mu Xinyue saw the people coming from the Western Rong Kingdom to discuss matters, she understood that the harem was not allowed to interfere in government affairs, so she immediately took Muran away.
Chu Li glanced at the two people who were leaving, then retracted his gaze and smiled slightly, "My Lord, you must be tired from the journey. Please take a seat."
Turjiang saw Chu Li dressed in men's clothes, looking very heroic.
It was only when he entered the territory of the Great Chu Kingdom that he learned that Chu Li, who had forced the Golden Scale Kingdom to withdraw its troops, was actually a woman.
Suddenly there was more respect.
"Your Majesty, Xirong thanks you for granting us the right to trade with Dachu. This prince brought you the finest furs, spices, and a thousand fine horses. I hope you will accept them."
Chu Li smiled and nodded, "The eldest prince is thoughtful. As long as I am in power, I will definitely maintain a policy of peaceful trade with the Western Rong."
Turjiang laughed loudly, "Your Majesty, you are so generous! We Xirong people like people like you who don't beat around the bush!"
"Then I will host a welcoming reception for the eldest prince tonight."
"Okay, okay, there's wine, meat, singing and dancing. This prince likes it. Hahaha..."
Mu Xinyue, who was not far away, listened to Tuerjiang's laughter with a frown on her face.
In addition to starting reciprocal exchanges with the Jinlin Kingdom, Chuli also began to trade with the Western Rong, with whom it had fought for many years.
She completely disregarded the advice of her ancestors and insisted on doing what she wanted.
Eunuch Li was also quite shocked to see the late queen and her son return.
He arranged the two of them to live in the former queen's bedroom.
Muran was arranged to stay in a side hall.
Mu Ran packed his luggage and went into the side hall. Mu Xinyue felt very distressed.
She was dissatisfied and asked, "Why not let the prince live in the East Palace?"
Eunuch Li nodded and said, "Your Majesty, there are many things in the East Palace. Your Majesty is frugal and has not built a palace. He has always lived in the East Palace."
"Then let Mu Ran live in the side hall forever?" Mu Xinyue became more and more upset the more she thought about it.
She thought that after she came back, with Chuchu's childhood personality, she would definitely not be too bad to her brother.
Unexpectedly, Chuchu didn't even give her son a eunuch to serve him personally.
Wasn’t she very obedient and likable when she was a child?
Why is he not allowed to do anything now? Muran doesn’t even have a place to live.
Muran advised: "Mother, my sister likes to live there, so let her live there, and don't hurt the harmony among the family."
After Eunuch Li left, Mu Xinyue said coldly: "The thing that your mother feared the most has happened. Chuchu's personality is too much like your father. Look at her strong possessiveness of the imperial power."
Muran smiled calmly, "Mother, we all owe our sister, it's normal for her to be a little emotional, as a brother, it's okay for her to give in."
Mu Xinyue patted his hands and said, "I'm sorry for wronging you."
"I don't feel aggrieved. Mother, has my adoptive father arrived in the capital?" Muran asked.
Mu Xinyue's eyes darkened, "Soon."
After Mu Ran left, Mu Xinyue sat in front of the bronze mirror and looked at her own face.
After all these years, there seem to be fine lines around her eyes.
She looked at Nanny Sun who was serving her and said, "Bring the Snow Skin Cream."
"Yes, Queen Mother."
As Mu Xinyue applied the snow skin cream with her fingertips, she thought that she couldn't grow old.
She has only been with capable men throughout her life.
Men like her and follow her, and her appearance is the weapon that helps Muran regain the throne.
She used men to ensure that her son would secure the throne of the Chu State.
Nanny Sun looked at her master's ageless face.
No wonder the late emperor and several other powerful men loved their masters to death.
Who wouldn’t love such a beautiful and gentle woman?
Princess Chuchu inherited her master's beauty.
It’s a pity that Princess Chuchu’s throne didn’t last long.
Because the master favors boys over girls, and he is most partial to the brother, not the sister.
......
The moon is high in the sky, the candles are flickering, and the music is melodious.
Chu Li entertained the eldest prince of Xirong at a banquet, and all civil and military officials gathered together.
Unexpectedly, Mu Xinyue appeared with Muran in gorgeous clothes.
For a moment, all civil and military officials were shocked.
"Oh my god, the late queen is still alive!"
"Now she can no longer be called the late queen, but rather the empress dowager."
"Then the person next to her is His Majesty's brother Chu..."
The ministers stopped talking and did not continue.
General Mu was stunned that his daughter and grandson were still alive.
Mu Xinyue knelt down in front of General Mu and cried, "Father, my daughter is back."
"Chu Li, kneel down quickly and greet your grandfather." Mu Xinyue looked at her son.
General Mu's eyes were sore, but after hearing the word Chu Li, he immediately looked at Chu Li on the dragon throne, "Your Majesty, what's going on..."
Chu Li smiled faintly, "Did the Queen Mother say it herself, or did I say it on her behalf?"
Mu Xinyue wiped her tears and stood up, "Back then, Chuchu's brother was seriously ill. In order to protect the safety of us mother and son, the late emperor pretended to be dead and asked me to take the prince to find a famous doctor. Now Chuchu has recovered..."
"Mother, why do you call me by my name?" Chu Li asked back as he sat on the dragon throne, looking down at Mu Xinyue.
Mu Xinyue was a woman who could give her an identity if she wanted to, and could take it away if she wanted to. Naturally, she would not let Mu Xinyue get her wish.
Seeing that the person on the dragon throne was unhappy, Mu Xinyue had to change her words in front of all the ministers.
"Now that your Majesty's elder brother Muran has recovered from his illness, I have brought him back."
Tuerjiang stroked his stiff beard and looked Muran up and down.
This is the biological brother of the Queen of Great Chu. He must have come back to seize the throne.
Tsk tsk tsk, the contract was not signed with him, they in Xirong only recognize Chu Li.
So he interrupted Mu Xinyue's words, stood up, looked at Chu Li, raised his glass and said, "Your Majesty, this prince toasts you, let's watch the song and dance!"