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墨書 Inktalez
Gu Bei was a minister and could not enter the palace freely. He had to think quickly and use the pretense of having urgent matters to report in order to sneak inside.
However, the palace was heavily guarded. If Gu Bei entered but did not meet with the emperor, he would soon be discovered in that evening's incident reports.
Trespassing into the palace was a serious crime, and even someone as prominent as Gu Bei could not escape this responsibility.
Thus, Gu Bei's excuse for sneaking in was not entirely fabricated; he needed to genuinely find an important matter to substantiate his claim.
The most pressing secret report at the moment concerned the missing prince and princess from the Envoy of the Departed Nation group. They were currently hidden in Ye Xiaohan's residence—Lo Cheng and Luo Jingxian.
The disappearance of the prince and princess was a significant issue. The Envoy Group would eventually have to meet with the emperor, regardless of any delays. It would be better to proactively explain their disappearance rather than causing panic later when it was suddenly announced, which could even lead to tensions between the two nations.
Therefore, a few days prior, the emperor had received a memorial from the Envoy Group regarding Lo Cheng and Luo Jingxian's disappearance and requested assistance in their search.
Gu Bei knew that once the emperor took action, the situation at Ye Xiaohan's residence would not remain hidden for long. It could lead to unforeseen troubles.
It would be better for him to report this matter first; this way, he could clear Ye Xiaohan's suspicion since it would be seen as a proactive report, which could also be considered a great achievement.
Moreover, he could prepare in advance for any unexpected developments, allowing him to respond promptly rather than waiting passively until they were discovered.
After pondering for a while, Gu Bei found this plan feasible and decided to use this news as his legitimate reason for entering.
At that moment, the emperor was reviewing memorials in the Imperial Study. Gu Bei walked straight over and had someone announce him. Before long, he was summoned by the emperor.
"Gu Ai Qing has urgent matters to report; what is it about?" The emperor asked while continuing to review documents, gesturing for someone to bring a chair for Gu Bei.
Gu Bei did not sit down but stood respectfully instead. "Your Majesty, I wish to report on the matter concerning the missing prince and princess of the Exiled Nation."
"Oh?" The emperor paused his brush, looking up at Gu Bei. "Go on."
Gu Bei slightly lowered his head; directly staring at the Emperor was considered extremely disrespectful and could even be seen as a slight against the Emperor.
"Your Majesty, I have found the prince and princess. They are currently under protection, and I have come to seek your guidance on the next steps."
At that time, it would merely be a coincidence if anyone tried to link Ye Xiaohan with the Exiled Nation, as they would have no evidence to support such claims.
The Emperor's gaze flickered for a moment, his tone filled with satisfaction as he said, "You have arrived just in time, my loyal minister. I have been troubled by this matter, and you have come to resolve it for me."
"It is my duty to relieve Your Majesty's worries," Gu Bei replied. Such flattery was almost a fixed phrase; whenever the Emperor spoke, one had to offer compliments.
Even someone like Gu Bei, who usually did not care much for interpersonal relationships, had long since memorized these phrases.
"Excellent! What you say truly pleases me," the Emperor declared, closing the document he had just reviewed and placing it atop a completed stack. "Now that we have located them, let us discuss how to welcome them here."
The Emperor turned to Gu Bei and asked, "What are your thoughts? Feel free to share. The young people these days are fond of strange things; I am getting old and cannot keep up with your vibrant world. The prince and princess sent on this mission are of similar age to you and will be staying with you for a while. You must know more about them than others do."
Gu Bei felt somewhat bewildered. He had infiltrated the palace not for this matter but was eager to find Ye Xiaohan. He hadn’t expected the Emperor to keep him behind to discuss the welcoming arrangements.
Welcoming the prince and princess from Neighboring Country was not a trivial matter; their status alone represented their nation on this mission. If they were treated poorly, it could easily lead to a failure of this diplomatic endeavor.
Such discussions would not conclude quickly. Gu Bei felt a growing anxiety; if too much time passed and he angered the Queen, she might take drastic actions.
However, the Emperor remained enthusiastic in engaging Gu Bei, making it impossible for him to express his desire to go find the Queen without risking being thrown out.
Internally frantic, Gu Bei maintained an outwardly calm demeanor as he navigated through various questions posed by the Emperor. He exerted all his effort to refrain from simply running away.
If he did that, any chance of rescuing someone from the Queen's palace would be completely lost.
The Emperor placed great importance on this diplomatic mission, intending to arrange a grand welcoming ceremony to demonstrate his seriousness.
As time dragged on, Gu Bei felt as if the days were stretching into years.
Meanwhile, Ye Xiaohan, who had safely exited the Queen's palace, finally let out a sigh of relief.
"That was terrifying! I thought the Queen would throw me into the Black Room and have someone poke me with needles!" Once Ye Xiaohan stepped out of the Queen's sight, she began to bounce back to her lively self, even cracking jokes.
Unexpectedly, Murong Jing glanced at her and said, "The Black Room? You mean the torture chamber? That's where they keep courtiers who have committed offenses; outsiders are generally not allowed in. If you want to go, I can make an exception."
"Wait, is that really a thing?" Ye Xiaohan was somewhat surprised; it seemed the palace was indeed perilous. "No, no thanks! I appreciate the Third Prince's kindness, but I really don't want to go!"
Murong Jing wore a triumphant smile upon hearing this. Ye Xiaohan quickly realized, "You're just trying to scare me!"
"When have I ever scared anyone?" Murong Cheng replied with a smirk. "If you're not sure, you could always check for yourself."
Ye Xiaohan raised her hands defensively. "No need! I swear I'm not curious at all!"
What if this unpredictable Third Prince actually took her to the Black Room and locked her up? He was capable of anything.
"Thanks again for saving me today," Ye Xiaohan said somewhat shyly. "Get up! You've saved me several times already, and I haven't properly repaid you."
The palace had everything one could imagine, and Murong Jing lacked for nothing. The gifts Ye Xiaohan could offer would likely be worth less than his everyday items.
In an effort not to owe him anything, Ye Xiaohan tried her best to repay him, but the material disparity between them made it quite difficult.
Murong Jing chuckled. "Repay me? Sure! How about you make that boiled fish dish for me again? And maybe throw in some other dishes to make a full spread."
Ever since Ye Xiaohan introduced the boiled fish, Murong Jing had become obsessed, ordering it every time he came.
"What's the problem with that?" Ye Xiaohan readily agreed, thinking that a meal could repay a life-saving favor—what a bargain.
However, she was still a bit puzzled. "By the way, why did you come today? Did you come specifically to save me? How did you know I was at the Empress's place?"
Could it be that the Third Prince was more cunning than he appeared? While seeming indifferent to court affairs, perhaps he had secretly arranged spies throughout the palace?
Murong Jing glanced sideways and said, "I naturally went to pay my respects to Mother Empress; it was just a coincidence. My presence there is common, but your appearance is what’s unexpected."
"True," Ye Xiaohan pouted. Had she overestimated the Third Prince's intelligence? Given how favored he was by the Queen, it was normal for him to be in the palace often.
Thinking back to the earlier chaos, Ye Xiaohan felt a bit of a headache. "It seems like Shangyang Princess is really angry. Are you sure it's fine not to comfort her?"
If the princess became unhappy and directed her ire at the innocent Ye Xiaohan, wouldn’t that be too complicated?
Murong Jing paused for a moment, his expression shifting slightly. Ye Xiaohan noticed that it was a look of concern from an older brother towards his sister.
Although the earlier scene had been chaotic with Murong Jing and Shangyang Princess arguing, Ye Xiaohan could tell that their sibling relationship was quite good.
If that were the case, wasn’t Murong Jing’s behavior rather unusual? Since they had a good relationship, why did he mock Shangyang Princess so coldly and leave her with no dignity at all?
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