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Speaking of the earth-shattering events at Miaochun Tower that day, Lin Tian'er specifically mentioned how the man swapped by Madam was such a handsome figure and how calm he remained under her relentless bombardment.
However, after describing it for quite a while, Mei Shuang still had no impression, so she dropped the subject.
"Tsk tsk, no wonder Madam had the audacity to switch you out; it turns out she has the Emperor backing her! Only the Emperor could do that; otherwise, anyone else might not be as good as that man," Lin Tian'er lamented. "Fortunately, that man isn't a beast and claims to know you; otherwise, my reputation would have been at stake."
Just thinking about it made Lin Tian'er feel a chill. Curiously, she asked, "Lin Shoutong, what is your real name?"
"My real name is Mei Shuang," Mei Shuang replied lazily. "My stage name is Lin Yuxiang."
??
After Xiao Luo safely returned Mei Shuang to the palace, Empress Dowager Mingxi felt relieved. Especially upon hearing the news of Mei Shuang's first night, her heart settled even more. It seemed that Nangong Nuo, despite his carefree demeanor, had not taken advantage of the situation.
Well, one worry was put to rest. She never expected her seemingly unwilling son would actually pursue her; who would believe he didn't like this girl?
Sigh, it was just that she couldn't see clearly what was in her own heart. After all, she understood her own child well enough; this child appeared cold on the outside but surely wasn't as indifferent inside.
Empress Dowager Mingxi leisurely sipped her floral tea while asking Aunt Yu, "What has the Emperor been busy with these days? Why hasn't he come to pay his respects?"
Aunt Yu fanned Empress Dowager Mingxi while replying, "I heard there are foreign envoys visiting; the Emperor is busy with that."
Empress Dowager Mingxi nodded. "No wonder... Oh, how is Shuang'er doing?"
Aunt Yu smiled slightly. "Since returning, the Emperor has arranged for her to stay in the back garden. She has several attendants and a girl from outside the palace to chat with her; she's living quite peacefully."
"The back garden?" Empress Dowager Mingxi's expression showed some surprise and displeasure. "They are already like a married couple; why hide her away like this? Although the scenery in the back garden is beautiful beyond compare, it's ultimately not a place for concubines to roam. If he places Shuang'er there and doesn't go to see her, what does that mean?"
Aunt Yu advised gently, "Empress Dowager, since its establishment, how many have had the fortune to wander in that back garden? The Emperor arranged for Miss Mei Shuang to be there upon his return; isn't that precisely because Miss Mei Shuang is extraordinary?"
"Sigh," Empress Dowager Mingxi said while fiddling with her prayer beads. "I must be getting old and blind; even you can flatter me now. It's a pity for Shuang'er; carrying such a bad reputation and suffering at the hands of the Emperor... Now it seems she has finally turned her fortunes around... Amitabha."
Although Aunt Yu understood the past well enough, she chose not to point it out and tactfully changed the subject. "They say Miss Mei Shuang has changed greatly; yet through all these changes, her filial piety towards you remains unchanged. That counts as a blessing for you..."
This remark truly struck a chord with Empress Dowager Mingxi. Remembering Mei Shuang's previous obedience and later her remarkable capabilities made Empress Dowager Mingxi feel comforted. Having such a delightful daughter-in-law by her side was indeed worth all the affection she had shown her.
"Once Luo Er is done with this, I will discuss with him about formally giving Shuang'er a title and making her the consort," Empress Dowager Mingxi declared firmly.
Far away in Qizhou, Xiang Cao sneezed loudly, rubbing her nose as she muttered, "Who is thinking of me or cursing me?"
Xiang Cao had intended to tease Yun Kong with her words, but he seemed oblivious, sitting there in a daze.
Seeing this, Xiang Cao sighed. Ever since Miss Mei Shuang was kidnapped and she learned the truth about the curse of the Eastern Kingdom, Yun Kong had been troubled, staring blankly at the sky every day.
What could be done? The fate of the Eastern Kingdom was sealed; the process could only be described as horrific. This was no mere curse; it was a murderous spell that killed without hesitation. The cruelty of it was unprecedented, a strategy that annihilated entire clans without lifting a sword, leaving one shuddering at its brutality.
Even knowing that everything stemmed from Queen Himiko, that mysterious and malevolent sorceress, made no difference. As much as he wished to tear her apart, what could be changed now?
Even the Jiu Rang Family of the Eastern Kingdom was already taking action; what good would it do for Yun Kong to continue worrying?
Ultimately, it seemed he could not let go of Miss Ru—the beautiful yet venomous woman.
Just thinking about it was infuriating; claiming to want to be the master of the Eastern Kingdom was nothing but greed.
"Young Master, are you still thinking about Miss Ru?" Xiang Cao couldn't help but ask with a hint of melancholy.
Yun Kong snapped back to reality and glanced at Xiang Cao. He didn't blame her for asking such an audacious question but sighed lightly, "I wonder how she is doing now? Falling into the hands of the Empress of the Great Qin Empire, she may not have good days ahead..."
Xiang Cao frowned at this. It seemed Yun Kong was still infatuated despite being deceived and hurt by Miss Ru. "Young Master, what she did is entirely her own fault. Her schemes and ambitions have brought her ruin. Besides, she has done shameful things that even she is embarrassed to admit. She has deceived you for so long... If it weren't for the Emperor of the Great Qin Empire seeing through her tricks and exposing her, who knows how long she would have kept hiding..."
As she spoke passionately, Xiang Cao continued, "No wonder Miss Ru tried everything to get you to eliminate Miss Mei Shuang. If you hadn't been compassionate and hadn't harmed Miss Mei Shuang, we might have really fallen victim to Miss Ru's schemes..."
At this point, the light in Xiang Cao's eyes dimmed. "But it's all too late now..."
Xiang Cao vented her frustrations, which only stirred Yun Kong's memories of the past.
He recalled Mei Ru's admission about her scandalous affair with that fake Left Chancellor Li Tang. A wave of suffocating pain gripped his chest as he struggled to breathe. Rising to his feet and brushing himself off, he forced a casual tone. "Let's go."
Vanilla was taken aback. "Young Master, where are we going?"
Yun Kong replied calmly, "You should return to the Eastern Kingdom; perhaps you can help the people of the Jiu Rang Family... As for me, I will go back to Dazhao Temple."
Vanilla blinked her eyes, and suddenly an inexplicable fear seized her body. She choked back her words, "Young Master, are you leaving us?"
Yun Kong looked up at the distant azure sky and sighed softly after a long pause. "Perhaps Miss Ru is right; I have betrayed her... I have also committed sins, and Buddha must be punishing me for that. In this life, I will spend my remaining days at Dazhao Temple..."
Vanilla began to cry and rushed forward to tightly embrace Yun Kong, sobbing, "Young Master, you just mentioned our people from the Jiu Rang Family. Have you considered that you are also the orphan of our ancestor? You are the most valued descendant; how can you abandon us? Moreover, the Jiu Rang Family is already on the brink of extinction. Are you really going to watch our kin disappear like this?"
Yun Kong's gaze flickered. "How do you know I am the orphan of our ancestor?"
Vanilla sniffled as she replied, "Actually, I overheard your conversation with Miss Mei Shuang that day. Besides, you clearly knew I was from the Eastern Kingdom yet still kept me by your side..."
Yun Kong shook his head, realizing that Vanilla was not telling the whole truth and decided not to press further. Now that everything was clear, discussing it seemed pointless.
However, he could not ignore Vanilla's words. From his understanding of her, she was still a child and could not articulate such profound reasoning on her own; it was evident that someone had prompted her to say this.
Yun Kong turned to face Vanilla properly and gazed at her youthful face. "Vanilla, we have been master and servant for some time now. Let me ask you one thing: has Kuranami Miyako come to the Central Plains?"
Vanilla hesitated noticeably, staring at her toes. After weighing her options for a while, she finally looked up timidly and said, "Young Master, Sister Miyako doesn't dare to see you..."
"Why not?"
"Sister Miyako knows about your feelings for Miss Ru. Although later events proved that Miss Ru deserved to die, Sister Miyako still feels she broke her promise first; she did not keep her word. She said she had no choice but to give her secret pact with Miss Ru to the emperor of the Great Qin Empire..." Vanilla turned her big eyes toward Yun Kong, observing his expression.
Upon hearing this, Yun Kong's gaze momentarily froze as well. After a long sigh, he said, "Very well..."
As soon as Vanilla heard this, her heart brightened. It seemed that Sister Kuranami Miyako's strategy was indeed effective. If Young Master Yun Kong truly intended to retreat into monastic life from now on, then the Jiu Rang Family would be beyond saving.
It should be noted that Young Master Yun Kong was the only man from the Jiu Rang Family who had never consumed Wuyi Mourning; naturally, he would not be harmed by it. Thus, his future responsibilities were indeed heavy.
Despite her young age, Vanilla fully understood Yun Kong's conflicting emotions.
Do not be fooled by the fact that the Young Master handed over Miss Ru to the Emperor of the Great Qin Empire after the incident, as if he were upholding justice against his own kin; in reality, he still cared deeply for Miss Ru's safety.
By saying this now, he was undoubtedly acknowledging that Mei Ru had brought her misfortune upon herself.
Currently, the clever Kuranami Miyako used the guise of herbs to convey such words, merely to inform Yun Kong that she had already extended an olive branch to him, the illegitimate son of the Eastern Kingdom King, in the name of the Jiu Rang Family's acting leader.
Kuranami Miyako had a good plan; as long as Yun Kong agreed, she would immediately pass on the Jiu Rang Family's great seal to him, allowing him to take charge of the Eastern Kingdom and continue its legacy.
However, what she did not expect was that Yun Kong had no such intention at all.
When Kuranami Miyako appeared before Yun Kong, he resolutely declined her offer.
"Why?" Kuranami Miyako was very confused, feeling not only disappointment but also anger. "Since you carry the blood of the Jiu Rang Family, why are you unwilling to return to us? I know that from the very beginning, when you believed that Mei Ru was allying with the Eastern Kingdom and you tacitly approved and assisted her, it was precisely because you wanted to help the Eastern Kingdom. Why are you refusing now? Have you lost faith in our Jiu Rang Family's vitality?"
Yun Kong remained silent.
"Furthermore, although we are aware of the curse, I do not believe there is no way to resolve it. Since Miss Mei Shuang knows the source of the curse, she must know how to deal with it. Yun Kong, let us seek an audience with the Emperor of the Great Qin Empire to meet with Miss Mei Shuang..."
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