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墨書 Inktalez
Li Qingfeng's face showed a hint of fear as he raised his head. Although he felt a bit scared, his expression remained calm and composed. He was naturally a person of pride and integrity, unafraid of power and authority.
However, at this moment, he had a feeling that he might ruin the task assigned by the Emperor, as the angry expression of the Empress Dowager made his heart sink.
He could not fathom the Empress Dowager's thoughts. What was her reasoning?
The Chancellor was a malignant tumor; why did the Empress Dowager oppose removing him?
No matter how he tried to understand, he could not grasp the underlying reasons. After hesitating for a moment, he said in a deep voice, "Your Highness, the Night General colluded with external forces and betrayed military secrets. He has been absent from the military camp for three days and nights and should naturally be punished according to military regulations. However, before we could impose any punishment, the Night General was already severely injured."
The Empress Dowager's expression darkened as she coldly asked, "What did you say?"
Li Qingfeng silently rejoiced that when Liu Qiankun wanted to personally execute Night Star, he had intervened.
Otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable; it was very likely that before he could even confront Prime Minister Jiang, he would have been executed by the Empress Dowager! So he spoke truthfully, "At that time, when the Night General returned, he was already seriously injured. We do not know who attacked him. Due to military regulations, we had no choice but to bring him back without daring to do anything to him."
"Who has such ability? How dare they injure the General!"
The Empress Dowager's demeanor suddenly turned cold as her eyes widened, rage swirling in her gaze.
Li Qingfeng lowered his head and pondered. "I do not know. Some minions in the camp reported that the Night General left the military camp at night seemingly to meet a woman."
"A woman?" The Emperor paused for a moment before feeling a sense of glee. If Mo Xier were to find out about this, she might not be so deeply infatuated anymore!
"Tell me more about this," the Emperor suddenly said with curiosity, excitement hidden beneath his calm demeanor.
"It is said that she is a woman from one of the Three Major Tribes. She wore clothing unique to her tribe with exotic flair, adorned with a gem on her forehead and a colorful feather belt around her waist."
"We initially suspect that the woman is a princess from the Three Major Tribes, but we do not know which Leader's daughter she is. If she were a commoner's daughter, she would not be dressed like that. Moreover, the residents of the grasslands are very poor, and gems are extremely rare."
"The Leader's daughter?" The Emperor pondered, unable to grasp the connection. The Empress Dowager coughed and cleared her throat, "Where is the Night General now?"
Li Qingfeng nodded and replied, "He is locked up in prison."
The Empress Dowager nodded and did not speak further. Li Qingfeng felt a slight sense of relief, a rare moment of peace.
However, the Emperor pressed on, "What about Mo Xi'er? Where is Princess Fuyuan?" Li Qingfeng was taken aback, glanced at the Empress Dowager, and cautiously answered, "She is reflecting in the Buddha Hall."
"You may leave." The Emperor wanted to say something more, but the Empress Dowager suddenly spoke.
Her voice was as cold as a thousand-year-old ice. The ministers kneeling on the ground felt an unprecedented sense of unease and impatience. They nodded and glanced at the Emperor before bowing and retreating.
"Empress Dowager, why did you imprison Mo Xi'er?" Once Li Qingfeng had left, the Emperor questioned anxiously.
The Empress Dowager looked at him. His features were already somewhat narrow; at this moment, his phoenix eyes narrowed, and his thin lips tightened. With her aged authority, she forced him to avert his gaze.
The Emperor paused for a moment before hearing his mother speak, "Do you still have the face to ask me? I told you not to lay a hand on Night Star. Did you take my words as mere wind passing by your ears?!"
"It was he who broke military regulations..." The Emperor retorted firmly.
"My good son, having been in the royal court for so many years, do you really think I am a fool? Don't forget that I climbed up little by little from among those concubines fighting against each other. Even half of your position as Emperor is due to my efforts. Are you now trying to lecture me? You might as well use these excuses to fool those ministers," the Empress Dowager said sternly.
The Emperor's voice immediately turned cold as he lowered his head in gloom, "Why can't I kill him? I do not like him!"
With a sharp crack, a fierce wind suddenly struck towards the Emperor's face, followed by a stinging pain.
The Emperor raised his head in shock as he looked at the Empress Dowager, feeling an indescribable bitterness that was unprecedented.
"Why? Do you not understand that the cancer in the court has taken root and is growing larger? Night Star will be a strong ally for you in the future; he can help you solidify your foundation and fight for the Empire.
And what are you doing? You are willing to ruin your bright future for a woman. My son, how can you face the Empress Dowager?" the Empress Dowager said earnestly.
"Empress Dowager, Night Star is a person of Jiang Huai! You say the cancer in the court is serious; isn't that referring to the Chancellor? What’s wrong with me removing the Chancellor's influence?
Moreover, why is it only he who can help me stabilize my foundation? Am I, as the Sovereign of the Nine-Five, incapable without him?!" His voice was filled with anger and a sense of royal dignity that would not be infringed upon.
"Nonsense! Who is Liu Qiankun? How can he be compared to Night Star? Night Star has grown up with you; naturally, there is a deep brotherly bond and loyalty to you.
Now look at Liu Qiankun. He harbors resentment against you for not being valued. How can you guarantee that he won’t turn against you in the future?
Furthermore, while the Chancellor has some connection to the Night Family, his actions may very well be aimed at eliminating Night Star as well," the Empress Dowager's voice was cold, carrying a unique wisdom and brilliance that only women possess.
"What?" The Emperor was taken aback, nearly falling from his dragon throne. He looked at the Empress Dowager in astonishment and said, "Are you saying that the Chancellor wants to eliminate Night Star?"
How could this be possible? They were supposed to be allies, working together; how could they turn against each other unless the Chancellor had lost his mind?
"My son! I do not know why the Chancellor would want to eliminate Night Star, but think about who recommended Liu Qiankun in the first place.
Consider carefully: how could such a cunning old fox like the Chancellor allow his own faction to be robbed of power by another? Would he allow anyone else to share in his gains?" The Empress Dowager sighed deeply.
"But..." The Emperor wanted to argue but found himself at a loss for words.
Every point made by the Empress Dowager was reasonable, and deep down, he began to believe it. However, if he did not eliminate Night Star, how could his beloved woman belong to him?
"As for Princess Fuyuan, I will issue an order soon to arrange her marriage to the Night Family," the Empress Dowager sighed and decided.
"No! I won't allow it! I like her, and I don't want her to marry someone else!" In a moment of desperation, he even forgot to say "I," and only corrected himself later.
Anger suddenly surged from the Empress Dowager's chest, a storm of fury swirling in her heart as she glared at her son. "I won't allow it! I don't want your life to be stained; I don't want future generations to say you were obsessed with women, tarnishing your clear and bright life. I want you to live a clean and honorable life!"
"I am the Son of Heaven; who dares to speak against me? I have done so much for the country and the people. Now, if I can't even have one woman, how can anyone say I have wronged the world? Do the people truly owe me anything?"
He argued, his eyes filled with irrational madness and fervor.
Great Ji's people, hidden away from the world—was this emperor destined never to have the woman he loved?
Faced with her son's questions, the Empress Dowager found herself at a loss for words. Yes, her son had to bear the weight of the world alone; all the responsibilities of the common people rested on his shoulders. Could it be that the world truly owed him anything?
Looking into his eyes filled with madness and witnessing the eruption of intense emotions, she suddenly recalled someone.
That person had shared the same fervor and passion in his youth, an inviolable kingly dignity. He loved Consort Zhen so deeply that even when Consort Zhen passed away, he remained by her bedside without eating or drinking.
He had even overlooked her existence—how tragic and laughable! She was the Empress Dowager! The mother of the current emperor! Yet in her youth, she had failed to capture even the old emperor's heart.
A wave of sorrow surged within the Empress Dowager, a feeling of breathlessness washed over her. She understood that her heart was not well; it could not bear overly intense emotions.
Taking a deep breath and opening her eyes again, she looked coldly at the emperor. She did not wish for such things to happen to him; favoritism towards one consort was a disaster for royalty.
"Emperor, let's discuss this matter later. First, send someone to call Fuyuan to treat Night General."
The emperor was initially reluctant, but upon recalling the Empress Dowager's earlier words, cold sweat broke out all over him, forcing him to compromise. "Zhang Zehai, convey my decree."
At this moment, Mo Xier was in Buddha Hall. Rather than reflecting in solitude, it felt more like imprisonment; those people were firmly guarding the door, not allowing her to step out of Buddha Hall.
In the dim Buddha Hall, she knelt alone before the statue; her personal maid Xinrong had been taken away by those people.
Those who do not allow Night Star to heal must hope for his death.
Trapped here and unable to leave, she thought of a way out. She got up to try to pry open the window, only to find that it had already been nailed shut. No matter how hard she knocked, it wouldn't budge.
She then raised her foot to kick the door, noticing a slight crack where it was ajar, which filled her with joy.
As she lifted her foot to go outside, she discovered that there was a lock on the other side. She couldn't help but curse under her breath, "Damn it!" Mo Xier stepped back, feeling anxious and blurted out, "Night Star, you must hold on! You have to hold on!"
Then she remembered the Azure Dragon, who had always been by Night Star's side. She hadn't seen him earlier and wondered where he had gone. It was unacceptable that he didn't come to protect his master after such a severe injury.
She silently scolded him in her heart and had already sentenced him to death in her mind. With trembling hands pressed together, she looked at the statue of Buddha in front of her and knelt down devoutly. "Please, Buddha, let Night Star pull through and keep him safe."
In modern times, she was an atheist who never believed in demons or deities, but now she strangely hoped that these beings truly existed in the world.
She wished for Buddha to hear her heartfelt plea and protect Night Star.
"If he doesn't make it, then I won't live either." The corners of her eyes grew wet as a tear fell, her voice hoarse yet still holding onto a glimmer of hope.
"Buddha, I came from the modern world. If we really cannot survive this, please let us travel back together! I am willing to search for him among the countless people; I believe that those who love each other will eventually meet again. After all, the Earth is round, isn't it?"
She prayed sorrowfully, continuously reasoning with Buddha in her heart, hoping that Buddha would be moved by their genuine feelings since she had faced so many hardships throughout her life.
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