Chapter 398: So Friendly
Lu Ji nodded slightly and replied: "Pan'er, you know your mother's suffering, which shows that you care about her in your heart."

Zhao Pan immediately said, "Of course I care about my mother."

Lu Ji smiled slightly, then raised his hand and gently patted his nephew's shoulder: "Eldest sister used to be a straightforward and simple person. Over the years, she has been so experienced in this deep palace, all because she has the idea of ​​protecting you in her heart."

Zhao Pan sighed slightly: "I understand the difficulties my mother has gone through and her love for me."

"You just understand."

Lu Ji said nothing more, and turned to say: "It's getting late, your aunt is still waiting for me outside the palace, I'm going to leave the palace now."

"Uncle, take care." Zhao Pan smiled at Lu Ji and said with envy, "Uncle finally married the woman he loves. The couple is in harmony and they are so well-matched. It's really enviable."

Hearing this, Lu Ji stopped the steps he was about to take and turned to Zhao Pan and said, "Being born in an imperial family, a family of power and nobility, there are many things that cannot be done freely. It is a blessing for me to be able to stay with the woman I love."

Before Lu Ji could finish, Zhao Pan interrupted him and asked, "What if uncle doesn't marry the woman he loves in the end?"

"Then I won't marry another woman." He looked at Zhao Pan and said meaningfully, "Or if I really can't bear the pressure and marry another woman, then since I've married her, even if I don't love her in my heart, I won't treat her harshly."

"As a man, you have to be responsible."

After saying that, Lu Ji turned around, walked out of the pavilion, and headed straight out of the palace.

Zhao Pan stood in the pavilion, looking at Lu Ji's receding back. He savored her words, a disdainful smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.

"His Majesty--"

He was just thinking about something when the old eunuch came over and asked, "Your Majesty, it's getting late. Should you go to the Pepper Room?"

Normally, the emperor and empress should sleep together on the first and fifteenth day of every month, as well as on festivals. However, the young emperor has always favored Lady Li and for her, he is even willing to break the rules from time to time. So even though today should be the day for the emperor and empress to sleep together, the old eunuch is not sure what the emperor is thinking.

Unexpectedly, as soon as the old eunuch said this, Zhao Pan said, "Then let's go to the Pepper Room."

The old eunuch did not expect the emperor to make the decision so readily. He was stunned at first, and then hurriedly gave orders.

Lu Xian'er had just taken off her makeup. When she heard Zhao Pan coming, she hurried out to greet him. But before she could salute, Zhao Pan held her hand and said, "You don't have to be polite, Queen."

Zhao Pan had a smile on his face and even his tone was gentle.

Lu Xian'er was stunned by what she saw.

She had been in the palace for more than a month and had gotten along with Zhao Pan for a while, but this was the first time she saw him being so friendly to her.

Lu Xian'er calmed herself down and asked, "Your Majesty, did you encounter any happy event?"

Clearly he had been treating her indifferently at the palace banquet just now, but now there was such a sudden change, forcing Lu Xian'er to think of other things.

Zhao Pan saw through Lu Xian'er's thoughts and asked directly: "Is it because I am too serious on weekdays, so that the Queen is not used to my behavior today?" Lu Xian'er did not answer, but smiled faintly.

Zhao Pan took the opportunity to hold her hand. Lu Xian'er was not used to his sudden and intimate behavior, and subconsciously shrank back, but Zhao Pan's grip on her hand was as firm as a rock. He pulled her and went straight into the inner hall, saying, "I underestimated you in the past. I thought that you were so young that you would not be able to bear any burden. At the palace banquet today, I saw that you managed everything well, and your words and deeds were also very steady."

Zhao Pan pulled Lu Xian'er to sit on the dragon and phoenix bed together, with a gentle look on his face: "It was not until today that I knew that my cousin was so capable and could fully shoulder the responsibility of being the queen."

Lu Ji left the imperial city and hurried to Xuande Gate. His two carriages were on the side of the street. Lu Yu, Li Lanchun and Qin Xiaoning were waiting eagerly in front of the carriages. When she saw Lu Ji coming out, Qin Xiaoning couldn't help but come forward to greet him. Although the little woman's expression remained unchanged, she couldn't hide the worry in her eyes.

Lu Ji raised his hand to cover her cold little hand: "Why don't you go back to the car."

Qin Xiaoning didn't feel relieved until she met the man. Now, hearing him speak so calmly, she felt more at ease.

"Your sister-in-law is worried about you." Li Lanchun said quickly, "I repeatedly told her to get in the car and wait, but she refused."

"It's late at night and cold."

As he said that, Lu Ji helped Qin Xiaoning into the carriage. When he turned around, he happened to run into Prince Xian and his entourage.

Although it was late at night, because it was under the imperial city, torches were lit every five steps on the Xuande Gate Street. When Prince Xian saw Lu Ji and his group, he couldn't help but stop and his eyes involuntarily stared at the carriage in which Qin Xiaoning was sitting.

"Your Majesty——"

It was not until Lu Ji called out that Prince Xian came back to his senses. He realized his impoliteness, so he clasped his fists towards Lu Ji, but he couldn't help but glance at the carriage beside him. Lu Ji followed his gaze and said, "The people in the carriage are Lu's family members."

Upon hearing this, Prince Xian withdrew his gaze and explained to Lu Ji, "I just saw the prince's family and felt that they looked very familiar, so I was impolite. I hope the prince will not blame me."

It was just a small matter, Lu Ji didn't take it to heart. He exchanged a few words with him and got on his own carriage.

"The person who just spoke to you is the virtuous prince?"

The virtuous prince has always been well-known, and Qin Xiaoning has naturally heard of his reputation, so she couldn't help but ask, "Why did I hear you talking about me under the car?"

Lu Ji said casually: "He saw you just now, in the dark, and mistook you for an old friend."

Qin Xiaoning said "Oh" and recalled the incident in the past when Lu Ji caused Princess Huayang to fall into the water. So she said angrily, "That virtuous prince must hate me very much. I heard that Princess Huayang has been unconscious since she fell into the water in our house. Until now, she has not married yet."

Hearing this, Lu Ji smiled faintly: "Even if his daughter can't get married for her whole life, he can't blame you. I ordered her to fall into the water. Besides, this matter is ultimately due to his daughter's own misconduct, which caused trouble. If you want to blame someone, you should blame the virtuous prince and his wife for not educating their daughter well."

This man has always been domineering, and it was indeed Huayang who had entangled him first. Even if it was because of this that she had difficulty getting married, a man like Lu Ji would not feel any guilt.

Qin Xiaoning said casually: "All the dignitaries are here for the palace banquet today, but why is the princess not here?"

Lu Ji said, "I heard that the Xian Prince's wife is a Qi woman. Since she married into the Great Zhou, she has rarely interacted with noble ladies. In addition, she has always been weak and sickly, so she rarely goes out."

Qin Xiaoning said casually, "I heard that the wife of Prince Xian is a kind and gentle person. How could they raise a daughter as superficial and domineering as Huayang?"