My father, Li Shimin, requests Your Majesty to become the Retired Emperor.

Xu Hui thought of Li Chenggan's escape and his pursuit by the imperial court.

Su Wan also left Chang'an.

She felt even more isolated and helpless in the harem.

To be honest, Xu Hui felt a little uneasy.

I am all alone in this palace, and from now on, I will have no one to confide in.

Although Empress Zhangsun treated her quite well.

However, for various reasons, the relationship between Empress Zhangsun and Li Shimin is no longer so harmonious.

My belly is also being quite uncooperative; so far, there's been no sign of it bulging.

After Xu Hui entered the palace, she experienced so many things that completely overturned her understanding.

When she was little, she imagined the emperor's harem to be a wonderful place, like a paradise on earth. The women in the harem were like fairies, carefree, with no worries about food or clothing, and happy every day.

However, Xu Hui is gradually feeling an invisible pressure surrounding her, as if the harem is a battlefield without gunpowder.

Those concubines schemed and plotted against each other for the benefit of their respective groups, resorting to all sorts of tricks.

Now that Li Chengan and Su Wan are gone, what if something unexpected happens?

If the other concubines unite against me, who else can help me?

Moreover, the possibility of this happening is very high, because Xu Hui knows that the concubines are not very satisfied with her.

Of course, Li Tai also tried to curry favor with him.

However, Xu Hui knew that Li Tai was only interested in seizing the position of crown prince.

Li Tai even said that if he became the crown prince and had a son, he would kill the son and pass the throne to Li Zhi. He could say such outrageous things. What else is there that such a person wouldn't do?

Just as Xu Hui was lost in thought,

Suddenly, she felt two arms embrace her from behind.

At the same time, a familiar voice reached her ears: "My beloved concubine, who are you thinking about? You seem so lost in thought."

Xu Hui heard the sound.

She turned her head to look and saw that the person standing in front of her was Li Shimin.

In the past, she would have definitely thrown herself into Li Shimin's arms and acted coquettishly.

However, for some reason, upon seeing Li Shimin, she felt a surge of apprehension and even a touch of fear.

Because if someone can be so heartless as to harm their own son and turn on you in an instant, who else wouldn't they be able to do the same to?

Xu Hui took two steps back, looking somewhat embarrassed: "Your Majesty, when...when did you arrive?"

Li Shimin, observing Xu Hui's demeanor, noticed that she was not as enthusiastic as before, and a hint of displeasure crossed his mind.

"Oh, I've been here for a while now. I saw you were lost in thought, so I didn't want to disturb you."

Upon hearing this, Xu Hui blushed and appeared somewhat flustered: "Your Majesty, what could possibly be on my mind?"

Li Shimin, observing Xu Hui by the lamplight, discovered that she was truly breathtakingly beautiful.

Xu Hui is different from Consort Yan and Consort Yang.

She possessed an innate, pure, and refined quality, like a lotus rising from the mud, untouched by its surroundings. Objectively speaking, there were simply too many beautiful women in the imperial harem.

When Li Shimin selected his concubines, he not only considered their appearance, but also their knowledge and wisdom.

Whenever Li Shimin visited the palaces of other concubines, they would pester him for this and that.

Xu Hui was the only one who never asked Li Shimin for anything.