He wasn’t her biological son, so whether he had a prince or not was of no concern to the Empress Dowager.  There were plenty of children in the imperial clan; if there was no heir, they could always adopt one.

In the past, the Empress Dowager had always wanted to send a daughter from the Xie family into the palace to solidify the Xie family’s position, but Shen Tuo was averse to women. He didn’t just reject Xie family daughters, he rejected all women.  His eyes held the throne, power, and the empire, but not love.

Such a cold-hearted person wouldn’t be swayed even if a Xie family woman was placed in the palace to serve him. Over time, the Empress Dowager gave up on sending anyone into the palace.

In recent years, the relationship between the Empress Dowager and her adopted son had become increasingly cold, sometimes unable to even maintain a superficial harmony.  After a few words, the conversation would end.

Halfway through the banquet, the Emperor and Empress Dowager both left, and the remaining guests relaxed. Familiar people began to drink and chat, enjoying the food.  Soon, the banquet hall was filled with noise and chatter.

The Taihe Palace was not the imperial palace; the rules of the inner court didn’t apply on the mountain, allowing for a rare relaxation.

After the banquet, the Empress Dowager summoned Yu Ning and Yu Xiaobao to her tent.  Huo Shi, Lin Shi, Xie Wanyu, Xie Yu Hua, and others followed.

The Empress Dowager, who had lived a life of luxury and power, rarely spoke to her younger relatives, but being older, she wanted to see her younger family members and chat with them.  Seeing the Xie family doing well brought her peace of mind.

As long as she lived, she could protect the Xie family for a day longer.

This was the first time the Empress Dowager met Yu Xiaobao.

This was the only child of the new generation of the Xie family. Although she was only a granddaughter, it was still a source of comfort.

Yu Xiaobao received many gifts. Children express their affection openly, and she loved the gifts from her great-aunt, her smile never leaving her face.

When elders gather, they inevitably discuss their children’s marriages. Huo Shi had two sons and two daughters.  All four children were of marriageable age, but only the eldest son was married. The remaining three were unmarried.

The Empress Dowager and Huo Shi chatted casually, from Huo Shi’s eldest son, Xie Yu Jin, to the youngest, Xie Yu Tang.

Yongning Hou Mansion’s heir, Xie Yu Jin, was currently gaining experience on the border, and it was unknown when he would return to the capital. He had married an imperial princess, and the couple lived apart, one on the border and the other in the princess’s mansion.  Their relationship was not good, and they had no children.

Xie Wanyu was over twenty but had a stubborn temperament, refusing to marry, focusing solely on her career. The youngest, Xie Yu Tang, was fickle, spending his days playing and causing trouble with Xie Yu Ke, and was known as a playboy in the capital.

The only one with marriage prospects was the recently recognized Yu Ning. Huo Shi had the idea of finding a son-in-law for Yu Ning, and after telling the Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager immediately stated that as long as her niece had someone she liked, she would grant the marriage and provide a dowry, giving her niece a proper wedding.

A few days later, a good candidate appeared.

During the autumn hunt, Madam Lu had intentionally befriended Huo Shi, mentioning her son, Lu Chengxiao.

In addition, Lu Chengxiao often appeared before Yu Ning, repeatedly asking Xie Yu Tang about her, so Huo Shi learned of the young master Lu’s intentions.

“Mother thinks Lu Chengxiao is a good person. Although he can’t marry into our family, it’s a bit of a hardship for Ning’er to marry him, but the Lu family is close to ours, on the same street, which is really good.  Besides, the Lu family is small, and their family style is upright. Mother thinks he’s suitable.”

Huo Shi thought the Lu family was good and persuaded Yu Ning to try getting to know him. Yu Ning didn’t dislike Lu Chengxiao and readily agreed.

For the next few days of the autumn hunt, Yu Ning agreed to go for walks in the woods with Lu Chengxiao, along with Xie Yu Hua and Miss Lu, making the arrangement seem natural and unobtrusive.  The days passed pleasantly.

However, an accident occurred on the last day of the hunt.

“A horse bolted? Whose horse bolted?”

“Reporting to General Wu, it was Third Miss of the Yongning Hou Mansion’s horse.”

Horses bolting during hunts were common. Many guards patrolled the woods, ready to intervene if an accident occurred.

If it were someone else, Wu Ying wouldn’t have been so nervous, but upon hearing who it was, his face changed, and he immediately sent more guards to check the situation.

Without delay, Wu Ying rode to catch up with those who were drawing bows and arrows, respectfully saying, “Your Majesty, I have something to report…”

He recounted the incident of Third Miss Xie’s horse bolting.

The Emperor’s arrow flew from his hand, piercing the air.

Shen Tuo’s expression didn’t change. He picked up another arrow, his gaze falling on the prey in the distance.

“Then send someone to check. What’s the use of reporting to me?  Do you want me to personally go and save her?”

Heh, she’s not worthy!

Wasn’t Lu Chengxiao always by her side?  Such a small matter as a frightened horse should be easily handled.

She’s having so much fun, a little scare wouldn’t hurt, just to spice things up a bit.

Wu Ying dared not speak, silently backing away.

He thought that this Third Miss Xie was different to His Majesty, so he reported it, but His Majesty didn’t care at all?

“Wait.”

Wu Ying stopped and turned back, waiting for instructions.

“How is she?”

“I…don’t know.”

Shen Tuo glanced at him, his voice low, “You don’t even know that? What use are you?”

Wu Ying: “???”

“Lead the way.”

“Yes.”

Wu Ying obeyed, leading the way. His expression was solemn and respectful, but he secretly thought.

Serving the Emperor is like walking on eggshells. His Majesty’s mood is like the weather in May, unpredictable.

“Where did that arrow come from? How could it be so accurate, hitting Third Sister’s horse? Third Sister isn’t good at archery or riding, what if something happened?”

Xie Yu Hua saw an arrow strike the rear of the horse Yu Ning was riding, causing the horse to bolt uncontrollably.