Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
In the night, the man in the Dark Cloak from earlier slowly approached, reaching out to support her, but she shrugged him off with a cold voice that pierced to the bone, "How did you promise me back then?"
The man fell silent for a moment and sighed lightly, "You really did take action. However, killing is a grave sin; you should stop."
The woman's eyes were filled with disbelief. She took a deep breath and turned her back to prevent herself from lashing out in anger and hurting their years of feelings.
When she spoke again, her tone carried a hint of sarcasm and a touch of sorrow, "In the end, you have softened your heart... Do you think I wanted to come out? Ha, if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes tonight, I would never have known how much charm she possesses to make you change your mind so quickly."
"Perhaps, if it weren't for her, would you have been willing to come out?" The Mysterious Cloaked Man's voice was tinged with self-mockery and indifference. Through the black Hat's veil, his tone sounded hollow, causing a sudden unease in the woman's heart.
She averted her gaze, unwilling to look into the eyes behind the veil, and changed the subject angrily, "Last time I missed my chance, which allowed her to live until now. It's one thing for her to be outside the palace; once she returns, there's no telling what kind of turmoil might arise. Moreover, she seems to have become much smarter than before... Little do you know, all this time, you haven't succeeded..."
"But..." The Mysterious Cloaked Man hesitated slightly. "She doesn't seem to be as you described—"
"What?!" The woman suddenly turned around, unable to hide her shock. In a swift motion, she waved her hand, sending the Hat flying off the Mysterious Cloaked Man's head.
Under the faint moonlight, the scar on the man's forehead was clearly visible.
She gazed at the man before her: broad forehead, high nose, thick eyebrows slanting into his temples, starry eyes bright and clear, thin lips pressed together. Even if he were to renounce the world, his elegance could not be concealed.
For a moment, there was a hint of infatuation in her eyes as she raised her hand to touch the scar on his head but suddenly halted mid-air; the eagerness in her gaze vanished.
She withdrew her hand and regained her composure. Her voice was calm like water. "You know better than I what kind of person she is. Why have you softened your heart?"
Yun Kong's furrowed brows held a deep gaze as he looked at the face that once captivated him. An indescribable emotion rose within him as he sighed softly and fell silent.
Seeing this, the woman's chest rose and fell sharply, revealing her inner turmoil. Suddenly, she smiled knowingly. "Have you already missed an opportunity once?"
Yun Kong pressed his lips tightly together and walked away to pick up the Hat from the ground. He said lightly, "Although I made a wish for you, I have now entered the Buddhist path; this time, consider it my failure towards you... Furthermore..."
He raised his eyes to look around. The dark night was like his current state of mind, devoid of any glimmer of hope.
When he turned back, he gazed at the proud figure, "You have already fulfilled your wish. Killing her is pointless... The dawn is approaching, let's go back..."
Watching that agile silhouette disappear into the night, she stood there in a daze, rooted to the spot. After a moment, she gritted her teeth, stomped her foot, and quickly turned to leave...
---
When dawn broke, Xiao Luo had finished the morning court session and headed to the Hall of Governance.
As he walked, he recalled the events of the night before and thought about seeing that little face twisted in frustration soon. A small sense of excitement bubbled up inside him; this woman was rather interesting.
On the way, he happened to encounter Release, a maid from the Queen's Palace, rushing towards him. Upon seeing Xiao Luo, Release hurriedly knelt to pay her respects.
"What are you in such a hurry for?" Li Gonggong knew that Xiao Luo was most annoyed by the unstable behavior of people in the palace and immediately questioned her.
"Your Majesty, the Empress is unwell in the middle of the night. This servant went to summon the imperial physician..." Release replied quickly upon noticing Xiao Luo's displeased expression.
"Unwell?" Xiao Luo frowned. He was more irritated by those concubines who frequently claimed to be ill just to summon him for a visit than by those who acted improperly. Especially Consort Chen, who had claimed to be "unwell" nearly ten times in a month. However, this was the first time he had heard that the Empress was "unwell."
Thinking that it had been half a month since he last saw the Empress, he changed his mind and decided to pay her a visit.
Release hesitated behind him, secretly lamenting how this could be happening. The Empress had specifically instructed not to disturb His Majesty; how had they suddenly run into each other?
Moreover, it was strange that while they usually hoped for His Majesty's presence but never got it, today he seemed unusually proactive.
Feeling anxious, Release followed Xiao Luo back to the palace.
Upon hearing that His Majesty had arrived after a long absence, Queen Meiru was taken aback. While she internally blamed maid Release for her incompetence, she quickly got out of bed to greet Xiao Luo.
Xiao Luo glanced at the kneeling Mei Ru. After not seeing her for several days, he noticed her pale complexion. The loose red silk robe with golden threads only accentuated the dullness in her eyes. It seemed she was truly unwell; otherwise, how could her complexion be so poor?
A flicker of compassion stirred within Xiao Luo as he stepped forward, placing his left hand on Mei Ru's right arm. He spoke gently, "The ground is cold, Empress, please rise."
Such rare tenderness caused those around in the Queen's Palace to feel a surge of excitement for the Empress. The Emperor was usually indifferent towards her, but it was clear that their bond as husband and wife still ran deep.
However, when Xiao Luo helped her up, Mei Ru couldn't help but furrow her brows slightly and let out a soft hiss as she raised the corners of her lips. In an instant, she regained her composure and, using Xiao Luo's support, stood up with a shy smile. "Thank you, Your Majesty. I will prepare tea for you right away."
Watching Mei Ru's slender figure move to the outer chamber, Xiao Luo's gaze deepened.
Her arm bore evident signs of bandaging, and judging by her reaction, it was clear that it was a fresh injury...
---
In the Hall of Governance.
After Nangong Nuo paid his respects and was granted a seat, Mei Shuang obediently knelt before Xiao Luo.
Due to Mei Shuang's unauthorized release of a prisoner from the Eastern Kingdom, Xiao Luolong was furious. After an interrogation, he intended to send Mei Shuang to the Ministry of War for severe torture to determine if she had any treasonous intentions.
Mei Shuang was instantly terrified, her spirit nearly broken as she cast a pleading glance towards Nangong Nuo.
Nangong Nuo furrowed his brows slightly. He understood Xiao Luo's temperament well enough to know why he felt this way. After all, after Mei Shuang's abduction, a series of coincidental events unfolded: first, there was the collective disappearance of people from the Eastern Kingdom; then Mei Shuang released a key figure—Kuranami Miyako. The assassin he captured alongside Kuranami Miyako had remained unconscious. Given all these signs, it would be hard to believe that Mei Shuang had no connection with the Eastern Kingdom.
He pondered for a moment before speaking up. "Wait. Your Majesty, in my opinion, there seems to be something amiss here... If Mei Shuang were truly guilty of collusion with the enemy, she could have vanished when the assassin abducted her; why would she return to seek trouble? Moreover, the Eastern Kingdom assassins are indeed looking for Mei Shuang; although I also think this sounds far-fetched... it does not concern Mei Shuang..."
Xiao Luo replied coldly, "Zhao Prince, if there is something suspicious, then we must interrogate her rigorously; otherwise, how can we uncover the truth?"
Nangong Nuo knew that although Xiao Luo was usually taciturn, when faced with critical issues, his eloquence was unmatched. He fell silent at that moment.
"Come on! Take the sinner out!" Xiao Luo ordered coldly.
"Wait!"
With an unknown source of courage, Mei Shuang shouted loudly.
Her voice was so loud that it startled the approaching guards. They stood frozen in place, glancing at the emperor's expression, unsure whether to take action.
"Under severe punishment, there must be injustice!" Mei Shuang seemed to have made up her mind. "To indiscriminately impose punishment based solely on personal speculation, is that the behavior of a wise ruler?"
At this moment, not only were Li Gonggong and the other guards beside the emperor dumbfounded, but Nangong Nuo also widened her eyes in astonishment, staring at Mei Shuang. How dare she openly accuse Xiao Luo of being a tyrant?
Xiao Luo, however, was not too surprised. He merely furrowed his thick brows slightly, his gaze fixed on Mei Shuang's righteous face, his eyes deep.
"Your Majesty, there are many ways to prove a person's innocence. Why does Your Majesty insist on using severe punishment? Usually, if not due to a violent temperament of the one giving the orders, it must be due to personal enmity! Which one are you, Your Majesty?"
Everyone was shocked!
Mei Shuang's passionate speech completely stunned those present.
So audacious!
Nangong Nuo regained her composure and looked at Mei Shuang with a hint of amusement in her eyes. As for Xiao Luo, he had already noticed the interest in Nangong Nuo's gaze. His expression remained unchanged, and he did not answer Mei Shuang's question.
Just then, an angry yet notably humble voice came from outside the hall. "Impudent!"
Mei Shuang jumped in surprise and turned around to see an elderly man dressed in official robes of high rank entering with an imposing demeanor.
Upon seeing Xiao Luo, he hurried forward, respectfully kneeling down and bowing his head while calling out "Long live Your Majesty." After receiving Xiao Luo's permission, he stood up and positioned himself beside Mei Shuang.
"Your Majesty, allow me to teach this unfilial daughter a lesson."
Before the words had fully left his mouth, Mei Shuang felt a flash before her eyes, followed by a crisp sound echoing throughout the hall. In an instant, she stumbled and fell at Xiao Luo's feet.
The slap was heavy enough that Mei Shuang felt stars dancing in her vision, a buzzing in her ears, and a metallic taste in her throat. Unable to hold back, she spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.
Seeing his daughter, who had never lifted a finger in her life, knocked senseless by his own hand, Chancellor Mei's muscles twitched violently, and his heart ached deeply.
But there was nothing he could do.
He had been waiting outside the hall and had heard every word Mei Shuang spoke clearly. He was utterly shocked. When did this child learn to be so sharp-tongued, so disrespectful, and dare to admonish the Emperor?
At the same time, he understood why the Emperor had previously wanted to depose her. It seemed she had not only done something she shouldn't have but also said things that crossed the line, provoking the Emperor's wrath!
Mei Shuang lay on the ground, slowly regaining her senses and finding her voice. She turned around and focused her gaze on the old man who looked both hateful and sorrowful. It dawned on her that this imposing figure was actually her own father!
Comment 0 Comment Count