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墨書 Inktalez
It seemed that his father truly cared for him. Just looking at the old man's expression felt like a slap to his own face, but it was the old man's heart that was hurting.
At the same time, he understood that this emperor was indeed formidable! At a critical moment, he summoned his father to clarify matters in front of them both. It was a way of confronting the issue directly, revealing whether there were any unclear ties with the Eastern Kingdom.
Nangong Nuo had not anticipated that Xiao Luo would call Chancellor Mei. In that moment, she was too flustered to think straight. She saw Mei Shuang dazedly lying on the ground, as if she were in a stupor, with clear marks from fingers on her cheeks. Anger surged within her as she pointed at Chancellor Mei and accused, "Left Chancellor, the emperor has yet to reach a conclusion; why have you dealt so harshly with Miss Mei Shuang?"
Only then did Chancellor Mei's attention shift to Zhao Prince. To be honest, he did not hold a favorable opinion of this young prince.
This time, Mei Shuang had been fortunate enough to leave the palace with the Empress Dowager's permission, and he naturally dared not say a word against it. However, upon hearing that she was leaving with Nangong Nuo, he felt a jolt of unease. Although Mei Shuang had been wronged in this matter, there was still a connection to Zhao Prince. The emperor's decree had already declared Mei Shuang deposed; such an emotional turmoil was truly hard to bear.
Of course, if it weren't for Zhao Prince, Mei Shuang would likely have borne the stigma of disgrace for life in the Cold Palace until her death, but he felt uncomfortable nonetheless.
Zhao Prince was nearing thirty and was of the same age as the current Sovereign, yet he had never taken a consort. The reasons behind this could not be compared to those of the current Sovereign. The current Sovereign was devoted in love, while Zhao Prince was quite the opposite—he was known for his flirtatious nature and had many concubines; everyone in the capital knew this. Thus, even though he had heard rumors about Zhao Prince's affections for his daughter, he chose to remain oblivious. Moreover, at that time, his beloved daughter had always aspired to enter the palace as a consort.
However, Zhao Prince was exceedingly clever and always seemed to create opportunities to get close to Mei Shuang whenever the Empress Dowager summoned her. Over time, his daughter surprisingly developed little aversion towards Zhao Prince. This was certainly not a good omen. Therefore, when he heard about Mei Shuang's troubles, his first reaction was that Zhao Prince's affections had harmed her.
As for whether there truly existed something between Mei Shuang and Zhao Prince, he had never had the chance to ask her directly until now when he saw her again due to this incident involving Nangong Nuo while she was with him.
Speaking of which, this romantic Zhao Prince seemed like a harbinger of misfortune.
Thinking of this made his expression darken and his tone become somewhat stiff. "I am reprimanding my unfilial daughter; why should it disturb Zhao Prince?"
Upon hearing this, Nangong Nuo sensed an impending argument!
He let out a cold laugh. "Left Chancellor has not yet heard the entire story; how can you claim Miss Mei Shuang is unfilial?"
The Left Chancellor remained silent, shifting his gaze back to the still dazed Mei Shuang on the ground, his eyes filled with deep sorrow.
The gaze that was both loving and painful moved Mei Shuang deeply; this father truly cared for her.
In an instant, she struggled to push herself up from the ground and knelt properly again, her tone calm. "Father, it is the daughter who is unfilial. But the daughter only speaks the truth. Since entering the palace, I have faced countless dangers. To have survived until today is indeed a miracle. I have been fortunate to receive the Empress Dowager's care, and since leaving the palace, I have felt immense guilt. I had hoped to live well outside, but I have repeatedly been schemed against by wicked people. Now that I have returned to the palace, it is only to clear my name. I never expected that His Majesty would not believe me; I am truly wronged..."
Her heartfelt words moved even Chancellor Mei, who was astonished. He knew his daughter's character too well and never expected her to express such deeply touching sentiments. It seemed that after experiencing life and death, she had undergone a complete transformation.
In that moment, Chancellor Mei felt tears welling up, but he could not lose composure in front of the Emperor. He stole a glance at His Majesty, who remained expressionless.
Chancellor Mei's heart raced with anxiety; his daughter was his beloved child. Since she said so, he believed she had nothing to do with the Eastern Kingdom. However, what mattered most was whether the Emperor would believe it.
The Emperor had summoned him clearly out of suspicion, so he had to make a statement; otherwise, being accused of treason would be far more serious than mere disloyalty.
At that moment, familial affection had to be set aside. Chancellor Mei scolded, "Shuang'er, at this point, speak honestly. Otherwise, your father cannot spare you!"
Mei Shuang was speechless; it seemed this slap was meant as a warning!
She had no choice but to recount the entire process of her abduction again, of course omitting certain key points that Xiao Luo would be interested in but which she could not reveal.
"I don't know how they targeted me or why they wouldn't say anything when I asked them; other than that, that's about it..." Mei Shuang said with a bitter smile.
At that moment, everyone wore different expressions; most felt as if they were listening to an incomprehensible tale—except for Nangong Nuo.
"Shuang'er, did you say there will be internal strife in the Eastern Kingdom soon?" Chancellor Mei asked in astonishment.
"Ah, I don't know either; it's just that..." Mei Shuang lowered her head as if reminiscing. "Ever since I woke up in Heavenly Prison, I've often dreamed of some strange visions. At that time, to make those Eastern Kingdom people who were like locusts chasing me leave quickly, I told them about it. I don't know if that's why... but they believed me... perhaps it was just a coincidence..."
Chancellor Mei was taken aback; could there really be such extraordinary occurrences?
At that moment, Nangong Nuo carefully examined Mei Shuang, even taking a couple of steps forward to pull her closer. After scrutinizing the area behind Mei Shuang's ears, he was convinced there was no issue. He let out a sigh of relief; indeed, this was the genuine Mei Shuang.
"What do you think should be done?" Xiao Luo spoke up, his expression unreadable in the shifting light.
Chancellor Mei came to his senses and glanced at his daughter, his expression complex. Although he found everything Mei Shuang had said to be confusing, there was Nangong Nuo as a witness. Moreover, Mei Shuang's words at least cleared her of any connection to the Eastern Kingdom, making the charges of treason unfounded. Feeling both relieved and helpless, he could only say, "Everything is up to His Majesty's decision..."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Luo turned his gaze toward Mei Shuang and coldly asked, "What else does the guilty woman have to say?"
Mei Shuang thought to herself that after all this circling around, this was the crux of the matter.
In truth, according to the Emperor's authority, he could easily keep her in the palace with just a word. Why go through such convoluted means to make her say it herself?
She recited like a script, "Before His Majesty uncovers the truth, I am willing to remain in the palace. If I utter a single falsehood, I accept punishment."
Nangong Nuo's eyes widened in shock.
Xiao Luo nodded slightly upon hearing this and glanced at Mei Shuang. "I believe what the guilty woman says requires verification. Out of respect for the Left Chancellor, I will temporarily allow her to stay in the palace until we clarify matters and provide her with an explanation..."
For Chancellor Mei, having Mei Shuang stay in the palace and avoiding being with Zhao Prince was the best outcome. At least in the palace, he would have opportunities to interact with his daughter rather than being outside with the notoriously flirtatious and unpredictable Zhao Prince.
Nangong Nuo clearly did not anticipate that Xiao Luo's words would strip Mei Shuang of her freedom. He also did not expect that Mei Shuang would willingly choose to stay in the palace. Furious, he returned to his residence within the palace, feeling utterly frustrated.
It all seemed like a waste of effort.
He inwardly blamed Mei Shuang for her cowardice at such a critical moment and felt deep confusion about her actions. At this point, why would she choose to remain in the palace if not for Xiao Luo?
Mei Shuang sat in a humble dwelling in a secluded corner of the palace, lost in thought as she listened to the howling wind outside.
She couldn't help but wonder what this emperor was really up to by forcing her to stay in the palace. Was it for Chu Xiruo? It wasn't as if she had hidden her away; how could she possibly know? Even if she did, she wouldn't say anything.
Accusations of treason would not require such elaborate measures to keep her in the palace, would they?
Recalling Nangong Nuo's disappointed expression when he left, she could only silently plead that he not misunderstand; this matter had nothing to do with romantic feelings.
However, it seemed that Nangong Nuo thought otherwise.
Last night, her escape had failed, and upon returning, she had nearly been "dealt with" by Nangong Nuo. Then came the attack from assassins. This series of earth-shattering events had left her and Nangong Nuo with no time for a proper conversation. In truth, even if they had the chance to talk, it would have been futile; she had already reached an agreement with the Current Emperor.
She just didn't know if Nangong Nuo had received the signal she had tried to convey with her eyes: "There are unspoken troubles; come quickly to save me."
The days were not easy to endure, especially in this season when there were no flowers to admire and no scenery to enjoy. She could only stand in the empty courtyard, gazing at the vast sky and watching the clouds drift by.
As noon approached, there was a knock at the door. Mei Shuang initially thought it was someone bringing her meal, but to her surprise, it was a young eunuch accompanied by a kind-looking middle-aged woman.
She looked at them in confusion.
The middle-aged woman was Aunt Yu, who served beside the Empress Dowager. She glanced at Mei Shuang's shabby clothing and noticed that the girl looked at her with unfamiliarity. Aunt Yu couldn't help but be taken aback. " Miss Mei Shuang, do you not recognize this servant?"
It seemed yet another familiar face had appeared.
Mei Shuang's heart suddenly raced with alarm. This palace, as Nangong Nuo had said, was not as safe as it seemed. Not to mention others, even the current Queen Meiru posed a significant threat if one of her people were to encounter her. After all, Lady Luck could not always be on her side. She remained indifferent and said, "Excuse me, my name is Lin Yuxiang. May I ask who you are?"
"Lin Yuxiang?" Aunt Yu was taken aback. What was going on? Logically speaking, even if she had amnesia, she shouldn't have changed her name.
Without saying much, she covered her mouth and cleared her throat, stating seriously, "The Empress Dowager has summoned you to her presence."
"The Empress Dowager?" Mei Shuang felt a chill run through her limbs. It seemed that Nangong Nuo's guess was indeed correct; the Empress Dowager truly wanted to see her.
Trembling with fear, she wondered if this impersonation of Mei Shuang would still be acceptable in front of the Empress Dowager. If the Empress Dowager discovered that she was not the original Mei Shuang, it would be tantamount to seeking her own death.
Empress Dowager Mingxi had just taken medicine and was lazily reclining on the Phoenix Couch when she heard Aunt Yu return and instructed her to come in.
Aunt Yu entered first to report and then called for Mei Shuang to come in.
Upon entering, Mei Shuang was immediately overwhelmed by the luxury and solemnity of the Empress Dowager's chamber, leaving her too afraid to breathe. Anxiously, she knelt down.
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