Zhao Pan had just finished dealing with the affairs here when a eunuch came rushing over.

"Your Majesty, the Queen Mother is very angry. Please go over quickly."

Zhao Pan was stunned when he heard this, and then asked, "But did the Queen Mother know about Madam Li's affairs?"

The eunuch hesitated and said, "Your Majesty is right. When the Queen Mother found out about this, she was so angry that she smashed the teacup and said she would teach Madam Li a lesson."

"The Empress Dowager has already ordered people to take Madam Li to the Qianqing Palace. Oh, my, this is terrible. Your Majesty, you should go and take a look." The old eunuch said with a bitter face.

When Zhao Pan heard that his favorite concubine was taken away by his mother, he immediately lost his temper. He didn't even get on the imperial sedan chair, but hurried to Empress Dowager Lu's Qianqing Palace.

"Madam Li, I clearly warned you that you were not allowed to get pregnant before the Queen gave birth to a child. Last year, you ignored my order and secretly got pregnant with the dragon seed. The Emperor pleaded for you, and I made an exception and let you give birth to the child because of the child's innocence. Now you are using the same trick again. You think you can rely on the emperor's favor and ignore the rules of the palace and my order, right?"

Before he even entered the main hall, he heard Empress Dowager Lu's stern rebuke. Zhao Pan ran into the Qianqing Palace at a quick pace.

Concubine Li was kneeling on the ground, crying bitterly. When she saw Zhao Pan coming in, she felt like she had found her savior.

"His Majesty--"

She called out weakly, glanced at Empress Dowager Lu's majestic gaze, and quickly lowered her head deeply. She just kept wiping her tears with her hands, looking weak and pitiful.

"Mother--"

As soon as Zhao Pan opened his mouth, Empress Dowager Lu interrupted him sharply, "I have decided to expel her from the palace. Don't plead for her anymore."

When Zhao Pan heard this, his face immediately turned red with anxiety: "Li'er is pregnant with my child, where is my mother going to send her to?"

Empress Dowager Lu said coldly, "The palace rules stipulate that a concubine can only get pregnant if the queen has been childless for three years after entering the palace. She broke the palace rules last year, and I trusted her and allowed her to give birth to the child. Now she knowingly breaks the rules again. Do you still want to plead for her? You are the emperor, do you still have any principles?"

Facing the accusation of Empress Dowager Lu, Zhao Pan lowered his head. Empress Dowager Lu said firmly: "This woman has ulterior motives. Seeing that her last child was a princess, her plan failed. She is relying on your favor and ignores the rules. It is obvious that she will not stop until she gives birth to a son before the queen. Such a scourge, I must drive her out of the palace."

As he said this, he ordered his attendants: "First, take him down and give him Luozi soup, and then send him to the palace."

Seeing that the palace servants were about to take Madam Li, Zhao Pan immediately protected her behind him and said, "If you insist on driving Li'er away, then drive me away with him."

"Pan'er..." Empress Dowager Lu called her son's name heavily and held her chest in anger: "I gave birth to you and raised you, and you always disobey me, right?"

Zhao Pan knelt down next to Madam Li and said to Queen Mother Lu, "Li'er is carrying my own flesh and blood, your grandson. Could it be that your mother is so cruel as to kill this unborn child?"

Empress Dowager Lu smiled coldly upon hearing this: "Pan'er, let me ask you, can't you really see that this woman has ulterior motives?"

"She violated palace rules again and again to get pregnant with your child. Can't you see what she was thinking?"

Zhao Pan defended himself, "Li'er was just careless for a moment and forgot to take the contraceptive soup, so she accidentally got pregnant with my child."

"Shut up!" Empress Dowager Lu scolded, "You are just like your father, both of you are confused and foolish." "Mother..." Zhao Pan called out coldly, and then said angrily, "Father died young, and mother is not satisfied, and you want to slander him like this."

"You--" Empress Dowager Lu pointed at her son and trembled, too angry to speak.

The mother and son were arguing here. As the sound of greetings was heard outside the hall, Queen Lu Xian'er walked in quickly.

When Empress Dowager Lu saw her niece, she suppressed her anger. Lu Xian'er glanced at Zhao Pan and Madam Li, then stepped forward to support Empress Dowager Lu and said in a gentle voice, "Mother, since His Majesty is determined to keep Madam Li's child, then let's fulfill His Majesty's wish."

"Xian'er——" Empress Dowager Lu shook her head: "Don't speak for him."

"This child cannot be kept, and this Madam Li cannot be kept even more." Empress Dowager Lu said stubbornly.

Madam Li knelt down, and the hand under her wide sleeves secretly nudged Zhao Pan. The two looked at each other, and Zhao Pan understood what she meant. She said to Queen Mother Lu: "Mother, since the Queen has also acquiesced to this matter, why are you so determined to put my woman and child to death? This child is also your grandson."

"Shut up." Empress Dowager Lu was annoyed and got angry again: "Xian'er is so gentle, but you don't cherish her. Instead, you are deceived by this woman with bad intentions."

"Emperor, you are too foolish." Empress Dowager Lu said with great sorrow.

"Today, I must get rid of this evil." Empress Dowager Lu once again ordered her attendants, "Why are you still standing there? Take this evil away."

Seeing that Queen Mother Lu was unwilling to let go, she said, "Oh, Your Majesty, save me, Your Majesty, save the child."

Seeing this, Zhao Pan stood up and drew the sword from his waist. He shouted at the palace servant who came forward, "I want to see who dares to touch Madam Li."

Queen Mother Lu looked at her son's crazy appearance and called out in disbelief: "Pan'er, are you crazy? For such a woman, you want to use violence in front of your mother."

Zhao Pan did not respond either. He just held the sword in his hand and stood in front of Lady Li with a gloomy face.

Lu Xian'er was also frightened by Zhao Pan's appearance. The little girl covered her mouth tightly, and tears fell from her eyes.

"Mother, please help His Majesty." The innocent little girl saw the empress dowager and the emperor and their son were at loggerheads, and she cried, "Mother, when the child is born, if it is a boy, I am willing to raise him and treat him as my own child."

In this way, Lady Li's thoughts could be put to rest, and there would also be a reasonable explanation to the outside world for Lady Li's violation of palace rules again.

When Zhao Pan heard this, his expression eased slightly. He turned to look at his queen with a hint of gratitude in his eyes.

Empress Dowager Lu was pale and silent for a long time before she slowly said, "Then I will give in for Xian'er's sake and let the child stay. But after Madam Li gives birth to the child, she will be executed."

Keep the son and leave the mother to prevent future trouble.

After that, Empress Dowager Lu waved her hand weakly at her son and said, "I have made up my mind. If you disobey me again, we will sever our relationship as mother and son." (End of this chapter)