inspire-indiana Chapter 122 Going to the Phoenix Palace
Chapter 122 Going to the Phoenix Palace
Liu Gonggong bowed slightly, his hands respectfully placed in front of him, a smile on his face, and said cautiously, "Your Highness, this old servant just saw Lord Fan leave the palace. Judging from his hurried manner, he must be going to the Dali Temple to handle some busy official business."
Upon hearing Eunuch Liu's words, He Mingning abruptly raised her head, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes, as if she had just snapped out of her reverie. After a moment's thought, she suddenly realized, "Oh! I forgot, Lord Fan is the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review." With that, she gently bit her lip, pondering to herself.
After a brief pause, He Mingning suddenly seemed to remember something important and hurriedly asked, "Eunuch, I wonder if Father has punished him?" At this moment, He Mingning looked nervous and stared intently at Eunuch Liu, as if trying to catch some clues from his expression and words.
Eunuch Liu's face was still full of smiles as he replied in a relaxed tone, "No, Your Highness. As you know, His Majesty is always fair in rewarding and punishing. If Lord Fan had truly made a mistake, His Majesty would naturally not have let him off easily. But this time, Lord Fan has not been punished at all."
However, He Mingning was clearly not satisfied with this answer. She knew all too well that her elder brother, He Mingwen, was not one to easily let go of an opportunity. Especially those who might threaten his ascension to the throne, he would show no mercy. Therefore, she simply did not believe that He Mingwen would so easily let go of this golden opportunity. Just as she was about to ask further questions, Eunuch Liu preemptively spoke first.
Liu hesitated for a moment before speaking again, "However..." Before he could finish, He Mingning interrupted impatiently, "However what? Tell me quickly, is there anything else that has happened?" He Mingning was extremely anxious and wanted to know everything immediately.
Seeing this, Eunuch Liu smiled and explained, "Princess, don't worry. Lord Fan is safe and sound. The Emperor not only didn't punish him, but also bestowed upon him a generous reward."
He Mingning's eyes widened, and she asked incredulously, "Really?" Eunuch Liu nodded emphatically, replying with certainty, "Absolutely true, Princess, you can rest assured." He Mingning said with some doubt, "Then thank you, Eunuch Liu. I won't keep you any longer; I'll take my leave." Eunuch Liu smiled and said, "Respectfully seeing off the Eldest Princess." He Mingning and Lan'er turned and left. Eunuch Liu watched He Mingning's receding figure and murmured softly, "It seems the Eldest Princess has truly fallen for Lord Fan." With that, he smiled and shook his head, then slowly walked towards the Phoenix Palace.
Lan'er smiled and said softly to He Mingning, "Your Highness, you should be able to rest assured now!" However, He Mingning frowned and replied worriedly, "I can't feel at ease until I see him in person!" Seeing this, Lan'er quickly asked, "In that case, what do you intend to do, Your Highness?" He Mingning lowered her head slightly, thought for a moment, and then replied, "How about this, let's go together to where Mother is." Upon hearing this, Lan'er looked puzzled and continued to ask, "Your Highness, what is the purpose of going to Her Majesty's place?" He Mingning explained seriously and earnestly, "I want to leave the palace to go to the Dali Temple. We need to tell Mother. Let's go, let's hurry and find Mother." Before Lan'er could reply, He Mingning grabbed her hand and ran off like lightning.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Eunuch Liu arrived at the Phoenix Palace like a late-returning migratory bird. The Emperor, who had been waiting for a long time, felt a surge of suspicion upon seeing him return and immediately asked, "Why did it take you so long to return? Have you handled the matters I entrusted to you?" Eunuch Liu dared not delay in the slightest, quickly bowing and replying, "Your Majesty, everything has been handled properly according to your orders. However, on my way back, I happened to encounter the Eldest Princess. She stopped this old servant and asked a few questions, which caused the slight delay. Please forgive me, Your Majesty." Upon hearing that the visitor was his eldest daughter, the Emperor was surprised and hurriedly asked, "You really saw Ning'er? What exactly did she ask you?" Before Eunuch Liu could answer the Emperor's question, the Empress chuckled softly and said, "In my humble opinion, she must have come to inquire about Junyu's situation in court this morning!"
Eunuch Liu hurriedly nodded with a smile, agreeing, "Your Majesty is absolutely right. The princess did indeed ask this old servant whether His Majesty had punished Lord Fan." Upon hearing this, the Emperor frowned slightly, then pressed on, "So, how did you reply to the princess?" Eunuch Liu, his face beaming, respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, this old servant would naturally not dare to utter a single falsehood. I truthfully told the princess that His Majesty not only did not punish Lord Fan, but also rewarded him handsomely!"
Hearing this, the Emperor's lips curled up slightly, revealing a satisfied smile. He then jokingly said, "Haha, you old codger, you're quite good at responding! Alright, that's enough for you, you may leave now." Eunuch Liu, as if granted a pardon, replied with a smile, "Yes, yes, thank you Your Majesty, this old servant will take his leave now." With that, he bowed and slowly withdrew from the room.
After Eunuch Liu's figure had completely disappeared, the Empress turned to look at the Emperor, who was sitting beside her leisurely drinking tea. She smiled slightly and said softly, "Ning'er should be here soon. Do you intend to sit here so peacefully as you are now?"
Upon hearing this, the Emperor remained calm and casually replied, "Why has Ning'er suddenly come? What brings her here?" The Empress smiled slightly and then answered, "Is that even a question? She naturally wants to leave the palace." Hearing this, the Emperor, like a startled bird taking flight, abruptly straightened up, his face filled with anxiety, and hurriedly asked, "Leave the palace? Why would she want to leave the palace for no reason? What does she want to do there?"
Seeing this, the Empress couldn't help but roll her eyes at the Emperor, saying with a hint of reproach, "Oh dear, you're just asking the obvious! What else could it be? Of course, I want to check if Junyu is truly safe and sound." The Emperor smirked, dismissively saying, "Hmph, do you think I'd tear him apart alive?" However, just as he finished speaking, footsteps sounded outside the hall, and a palace maid rushed in, knelt, and reported, "Your Majesty, the First Princess has arrived."
Upon hearing this, the Empress turned to look at the Emperor, a hint of a smile flashing in her eyes, and said softly, "Oh, you're still sitting here doing nothing?" The Emperor's face fell, and he reluctantly rose from his seat, slowly walking towards the inner chambers. Only after the Emperor's figure disappeared from the inner chambers did the Empress let out a soft sigh of relief. She then sat quietly in her chair, her eyes slightly closed, seemingly calming her emotions and patiently awaiting He Mingning's arrival.
As He Mingning stepped into the palace, she moved with the grace and elegance of a willow branch swaying gently in a breeze. She performed a perfect curtsy and then softly offered her greetings. The Empress, seated on her phoenix throne, smiled a captivating smile, as enchanting as a peach blossom in full bloom in spring. Her voice was gentle as water as she softly said, “Ning’er, why are you here to pay your respects to me again today? Didn’t you just come yesterday?”
Upon hearing the Empress's question, He Mingning's face immediately blossomed into a beautiful and charming smile, like a tender flower bud just beginning to bloom. She replied softly, "Mother, I wish to go out of the palace for a while, so I came to ask for your permission first."
Seeing this, the Empress's eyes flashed with a sly glint, like a mischievous child about to play a trick on someone. She deliberately teased, "Ning'er isn't usually this bold. She's always been as timid as a little mouse, not even daring to step out of the palace gates alone. Today, she actually dares to suggest going out of the palace to play. Could it be that someone is accompanying you?"
When asked by the Empress, He Mingning's eyes began to dart away, like a frightened fawn. He stammered and stuttered as he spoke: "No... no one is with me. I just heard that my younger sister is still at the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion and hasn't returned yet. I thought it would be a good opportunity to go and play with her!"
The Empress naturally understood that He Mingning's departure from the palace was not simply to visit his younger sister, but she did not expose him. Instead, she pretended not to know anything, and said with a smile and kindness, "In that case, you may go if you wish. But would you like me to send some people to escort you? That would ensure your safety."
He Mingning had no real desire to go to the Duke's mansion, so naturally he couldn't allow anyone to see him off. He quickly waved his hand and declined, saying, "Oh, Mother, I can go by myself. There's no need to trouble anyone." The Empress nodded slightly, and after a moment's thought, replied, "Very well, since that's the case, then you must be extra careful. When you go out, take several guards with you to ensure your safety. In the future, if you want to go out to play again, you don't need to come and tell me in person. Just send someone to deliver a message. But remember, never be careless and make sure you stay safe and sound, understand?"
Upon hearing this, He Mingning was overjoyed. A radiant smile bloomed on his face, and he chirped like a delighted little bird, replying, "Very well, thank you, Mother. I'll take my leave now." With that, he respectfully bowed to the Empress and turned to leave. His steps were light and graceful, like a butterfly fluttering in the air, and he vanished from sight in the blink of an eye.
Just as He Mingning's figure completely disappeared, something unexpected happened—the Emperor, like a ghost that appears and disappears without a trace, silently and stealthily emerged from the inner room. Seeing this, the Empress's lips curled into a barely perceptible smile, and she said softly, "Well, Your Majesty, now you believe me, right?" The Emperor nodded slightly, his expression becoming somewhat grave, and slowly said, "I truly did not expect this! This little girl has only met that brat once, yet she's like a moth drawn to a raging fire, completely disregarding her own safety, recklessly and desperately taking him to heart. Doesn't she worry about being deceived by that boy? She's so eager to go find him." Having said this, the Emperor gently shook his head, seemingly quite helpless about the matter.
Upon hearing this, the Empress was taken aback at first, then couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle softly, saying gently, "Your Majesty, I don't think this is all bad. Think about it, our Ning'er has always been too quiet, usually appearing serious and cautious. It's a rare treat to have her do something a little out of line, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Perhaps this experience will make her more cheerful and lively. So, please don't frighten her anymore. If you really scare her back, wouldn't that be a loss?"
Hearing the Empress's words, the Emperor pondered for a moment, then nodded slightly in agreement, saying, "Hmm, Xue'er is quite right, I understand. Very well, since that's the case, then I will no longer interfere in this matter." Despite his words, his pouty expression remained unchanged, making him look exactly like a child who had been annoyed, which was quite amusing. The Empress, seeing this scene, couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle, her beautiful eyes revealing a hint of tenderness and affection. She said gently, "Alright, don't be angry anymore. This son-in-law was chosen by you personally, and now our daughter is completely happy with him, isn't that wonderful? Would you really want to see our daughter marry someone she doesn't like and suffer every day?"
Upon hearing this, the Emperor's brows remained furrowed, but his tone softened slightly as he muttered, "That may be true, but I never expected that my precious little flower, whom I have so carefully nurtured, would fall into someone else's arms so quickly. Whenever I think of this, I am truly furious."
Upon hearing this, the Empress giggled again, gently smoothing the wrinkles between the Emperor's brows, and said softly, "Your Majesty, you'll have to get used to it gradually, after all, we still have two princesses to rely on!"
Upon hearing this, the Emperor nodded thoughtfully, then sighed and said helplessly, "Enough, enough, I won't think about these troubling things anymore. The more I think about them, the more suffocated I feel."
Seeing this, the Empress asked with a smile, "A-Jing, is there anything you particularly want to eat right now? I would like to cook something for you myself today, how about it?"
Upon hearing this, the Emperor gazed intently at his smiling, gentle wife, like a starving wolf spotting its prey. Unable to contain his desire, he leaned close to the Empress's ear and whispered, "What I desire most is you... Tonight, you will not escape my grasp." With that, he unabashedly planted a deep kiss on the Empress's cheek, as ripe and luscious as a ripe apple.
In an instant, the Empress's pretty face flushed crimson, like the dazzling sunset on the horizon. She shyly nudged the Emperor and scolded him playfully, "Oh dear, how can you be so improper?" However, her affectionate gaze and slightly upturned lips could not conceal the joy and sweetness in her heart.
As soon as He Mingning emerged from the Phoenix Palace, he sped off towards the palace gate like an arrow released from a bow.