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Mei Shuang pouted her cherry lips, and in that moment of feigned annoyance, a certain charm of a young girl emerged, causing Nangong Nuo's heart to flutter.
To be honest, ever since this woman had Amnesia, her personality had become much more straightforward. After her transformation, she possessed a different kind of allure. Compared to those who were overly affected, the woman's unintentional sulkiness and her ambiguous feelings stirred something primal within him.
Watching the changes in the man's eyes, even Mei Shuang probably did not expect that by coming here, she had become a master at this.
Politics are always full of twists and turns; plans can never keep up with the rapid changes. No one knows which will come first: the unexpected or tomorrow.
Thinking about the imperial edict he held in his arms, Nangong Nuo could only smile bitterly. "Let's return to the palace..."
Nothing shocked Mei Shuang more than the imperial edict announced by Nangong Nuo. The Empress Dowager not only wanted her to return to the palace but also to become the Empress of the Great Qin Empire alongside Xiao Luo.
This was an even greater shock than seeing Nangong Nuo himself, leaving Mei Shuang wondering if her ears were deceiving her. "What did you say? Go back to be the Empress of the Great Qin Empire?"
"What's wrong? Isn't this exactly what you wanted?" Nangong Nuo looked at the astonished Mei Shuang with a half-smile. "Who was it that cried and begged to be an Empress back then? Now the opportunity has come..."
"Ah no, wait," Mei Shuang glanced at the few lines on the edict and flipped it over repeatedly. There were no anti-counterfeiting marks, and she couldn't tell if it was fake. She suspiciously looked at Nangong Nuo. "Is this really the Empress Dowager's edict?"
Seeing that she was not focused on the main issue but instead examining the edict, Nangong Nuo snatched it back with annoyance. "Is there any doubt about the edict? Now, I ask you: do you want to return to the palace?"
It seemed this matter was indeed true. Mei Shuang sighed inwardly, wondering how her mind flashed to Chu Xiruo, who was practicing in that dilapidated temple in the mountain hollow—a woman as serene as an orchid. She was truly the Empress Candidate in people's hearts; what was she doing getting involved? Moreover, when she prayed for the Empress Dowager at Dazhao Temple, there were plenty of delicate concubines behind Xiao Luo; what business did she have mingling in such affairs?
Seeing that Mei Shuang had zoned out again, Nangong Nuo raised his hand and pinched her delicate face. "What are you thinking about? Did you hear what I said?"
Mei Shuang jolted back to reality and immediately waved her hand. "That's two different matters, two different matters..."
Nangong Nuo frowned. "What two different matters?"
"Before, I wanted to enter the palace completely out of my mind..."
As she spoke, Mei Shuang suddenly had a moment of clarity. What had Nangong Nuo just asked? Whether she wanted to return to the palace, rather than stating that she must obey and go back. This meant there was room for negotiation?
With this thought, she felt a surge of excitement and gathered her courage. "Now that you know, since I've come out, I don't want to go back..."
"You dare defy the order?"
Seeing Nangong Nuo's peach blossom eyes narrow with a threatening intensity, Mei Shuang hurriedly replied, "No, absolutely not!" She might dare to confront the Emperor, but she wouldn't have the guts to oppose the ageless Empress Dowager Mingxi.
"Then you don't want to marry the Emperor?" Nangong Nuo mocked.
"Well, you see, ever since I was in the Cold Palace until now, I've come to understand that one must know their place in life; you can't force what isn't meant to be. Besides, I've gotten used to single life now..."
Nangong Nuo frowned. "Single life?"
After reflecting on Mei Shuang's words, a smirk appeared at the corner of his lips. "You're quite eloquent. So you actually hope to live alone in solitude?"
"......"
"Damn it," she thought, "I meant now, not in the future! This person really knows how to twist words." Mei Shuang nodded repeatedly on the surface. "I think, maybe, possibly, that's about the meaning?"
What a contradictory woman!
Nangong Nuo felt a chill run through him. He had hoped that when this woman heard the Empress Dowager's decree, she would panic and rush into his arms, anxiously asking what to do next. He imagined her swearing that the person she truly wanted to marry was him, Zhao Prince, not Xiao Luo. In his fantasy, she would tearfully declare that she would rather die than marry the Emperor and insist on marrying him instead...
But nothing was going according to his plan. She was indeed startled but remained composed. Especially since she had just hinted that her feelings were for him; now she calmly spoke of getting used to being "single"...
Nangong Nuo was utterly disappointed, nearly ready to explode with anger. He struggled for a long time to control his impulse to lash out, then pulled a piece of paper from his sleeve and handed it to Mei Shuang.
Mei Shuang took it in confusion, and when she looked at it, she almost dropped it. This was the agreement she had made with Nangong Nuo, one that she had written herself.
"I, Mei Shuang, hereby agree to a three-year contract with Zhao Prince. If after three years Zhao Prince still wishes to marry me, I will willingly become his wife. Signed: Mei Shuang, the first day of the second month in the first year of Tianwu."
"What... what does this mean?" Mei Shuang stammered.
"This three-year agreement was written by you, right?" Nangong Nuo said coldly. "It states three years, and now there are just over three months left, and you've already changed your mind..."
"Changed my mind?" Mei Shuang held her breath. "No way! I never intended to marry the Emperor!"
"Then what do you plan to do? You need to think carefully; once you marry the Emperor, or if you decide not to marry me, you will be breaking the contract..." Nangong Nuo said with a forced smile.
"......"
Mei Shuang was at a loss for words. "What should I do? The current situation is beyond my control..."
"There is a way that can ensure both outcomes for you," Nangong Nuo said.
"I'm all ears."
"You return to the palace and find a reason to persuade the Empress Dowager to change her mind..." Nangong Nuo said lightly.
"......"
What a terrible idea, Mei Shuang thought, taking a sharp breath. How cunning.
All the pressure was on her, forcing her to make a choice that wouldn’t offend the Empress Dowager while also honoring the agreement she had made with him. It felt like trying to convince a tiger not to eat meat.
"This idea... is good," Mei Shuang took a deep breath, suppressing the inappropriate words that were on the tip of her tongue, and forced a smile. "How wonderful!"
"Then you can rest easy. You've lost weight recently; we will set off tomorrow," Nangong Nuo said before walking out.
Soon after, a feast of delicious food was brought in, filling the table. Looking at the exquisite dishes that looked incredibly appetizing, Mei Shuang found she had no appetite at all.
Fine, you win!
Ultimately unable to resist the temptation of food, Mei Shuang picked up her chopsticks and began to eat heartily while muttering to herself that returning to the palace was no big deal; she wasn’t afraid of anything!
---
Purple Dawn City. Chancellor Mei's Residence.
In the long summer days with short nights, Mei Ru had been waiting in a concealed spot outside the high walls for nearly two hours and was feeling quite anxious.
As the sun set and dusk deepened, an impatient Mei Ru donned her Night Cloak and climbed over the wall, heading straight for the western courtyard.
In the winding corridors, candlelight gradually flickered to life.
Mei Ru was petite and agile as she moved through the corridor. Looking at the large yet somewhat empty courtyard, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness. The bustling scene from yesterday was still vivid in her mind, but now returning felt like stepping into a desolate space where people had come and gone.
Now, she could no longer walk openly; she had become a shadow in the sunlight, sneaking into places that once belonged to her. As these thoughts crossed her mind, a wave of sorrow washed over her, leaving her throat tight and her eyes slightly misty.
She blinked hard, tilting her head back to prevent the tears from spilling over, and then crouched down as she approached the familiar courtyard.
The figure inside was reflected in the window. Gazing through the glass at that familiar silhouette, Mei Ru felt a warmth in her eyes. Just as she was about to knock and enter, the courtyard door suddenly opened. She quickly hid beneath the window and focused her gaze. A young maid she didn't recognize entered, carrying a tray of tea.
The maid didn’t knock but pushed the door open directly, saying, "Second Lady, the water you wanted has arrived."
Then she heard a familiar voice from inside, weak and listless, "I didn't ask for water..."
"It was Madam Duan who sent it..."
"Madam Duan..." Clearly, the Second Lady's voice was a bit tense. "No, no, I don't want it..."
This made Mei Ru outside feel anxious as well; she strained to listen.
"Oh dear, no wonder Madam Duan said you were difficult to serve. You’re always losing your mind. Even when the soup is delivered, you complain it’s too much. Really..."
Silence fell inside, leaving only the maid's incessant chatter, scolding the Second Lady for being unappreciated in front of the Lord and acting high and mighty just because her daughter was an Empress in the palace. However, rumors had begun to circulate that this Empress was also not favored by the Emperor.
Suddenly, there came a few knocks on the door.
"Who is it?" The maid's nagging voice abruptly stopped as she stood up suspiciously, wondering who would come to this rundown place.
As she stepped forward to open the door, a flash caught her eye—a sharp knife gleamed at her throat.
"Don't make a sound."
The maid was so startled that her eyes went wide and her legs went weak; she nearly collapsed. Coming to her senses and thinking it was a robbery, she panicked and said, "Ah! I'm not from this house! If you want to steal something, please go inside."
Mei Ru removed the black veil and coldly looked at the maid, "Do you know me?"
The maid did recognize Mei Ru, and was immediately frightened to the point of trembling, "Ah, ah, Empress, please forgive me, Empress, spare my life!"
Mei Ru ignored her and reached out to press on her acupoint, rendering the maid mute.
A voice came from inside the room, uncertain and questioning, "Who is it outside?"
Mei Ru hurried over, "Mother, it's me..."
On the bed, the trembling Second Lady sat up and stared at the woman in black for a long time before stuttering, "Ruer?"
Upon seeing her own mother, Mei Ru was taken aback and then felt an overwhelming sadness.
In just a few days, her mother’s once jet-black hair had turned half white, and her previously rosy cheeks had become pale and sunken. She had lost so much weight that she looked unrecognizable.
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