The empress closed her eyes, tears welled up in her eyes, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall, "Your Majesty knows that I am guilty of a thousand words, but please remember the prince's innocence and don't involve him."
Upon hearing this, Emperor Xuanwu felt a complex mix of emotions.
He certainly knew that in the palace, there were schemes and tricks, who could be completely clean? But Miner's death was a permanent pain in his heart, and he had to make a statement.
"Concerning the prince's matter, I have my own judgment. However, you must pay the price for what you have done."
After saying this, Emperor Xuanwu turned around and swept his sleeve away.
As soon as he stepped out of the Fengyi Palace, the head eunuch Fu'an rushed forward, his face couldn't conceal his joy, "Your Majesty, Yueying has secretly brought the sixth prince back to the palace and is currently waiting in the subsidiary hall of the Palace Library."
"Is that true?"
Hearing this, Emperor Xuanwu's face instantly lost its gloomy and cold expression, transforming instead into one of excitement and surprise.
Without waiting for Fu'an to respond, he turned his foot and rushed off to the Palace Library.
Fu'an was slightly stunned and then quickly followed.
Inside the Imperial Study, the candlelight flickered, casting a silhouette of the elegant and handsome Emperor Xuanwu, whose face was also serene and reserved.
Dressed in plain clothes, he had both the calm demeanor of a high priest and a hint of a complex emotion that did not belong to this sacred place, hidden in his brow.
Emperor Xuanwu entered the side hall, his eyes instantly locked on Emperor Xuanjing.
Last time I saw him, I felt he looked somewhat similar to myself.
But at that time, I did not dwell on it, never imagining that he was my long-lost son.
And it was his child with Miner.
"Son, you have suffered out there these years."
Emperor Xuanwu walked over excitedly, his voice trembling, with a guilty yet joyful expression, unable to control himself, as if he feared that all of this was just a dream, about to shatter at any moment.
Emperor Xuanjing looked up, his gaze intersecting with that of Emperor Xuanwu, and his expression was complicated and indeterminate.
He slowly stood up, hands together in prayer, bowing in respect, "The monk greets the Emperor."
This sentence "The monk," was like a bucket of cold water poured on the emperor's heart, making it tighten.
But he soon adjusted his emotions, his expression gentle as he said, "Son, the emperor knows you are a monk, but you are also my flesh and blood, the child of the emperor and Miner. Can you call me Dad?”
Hearing this, Xuanjing's eyes flickered with a moment of hesitation. After a moment of silence, he finally spoke, "Son Xuanjing greets his father the emperor."
Although the voice was light, it was still clearly audible throughout the side hall.
Emperor Xuanwu's eyes were slightly red, his hands trembling with excitement. He suddenly grabbed Xuanjing's hand, as if he wanted to turn the twenty years of yearning and shortcomings into warmth at this moment.
"Good, good, good, my son has finally returned. If Miner knew this, she would be very happy."
He pulled Xuanjing to sit down and asked him carefully about his life at Wan Fo Si.
"Son, how are you at Wan Fo Si? How does your master treat you?"
His expression was filled with concern and he was also extremely curious about Xuanjing's past life.
Xuanjing smiled faintly, his eyes gentle, "I returned to my father the emperor, Your Imperial Highness. In Wan Fo Si, everything was good. My teacher treated me very well and taught me carefully. I benefited a lot and am very grateful."
Emperor Xuanwu listened, his heart slightly at ease, yet a wave of bitterness surged up.
"Wan Fo Si has raised you with kindness, and I will certainly not forget. I will issue an edict to change Wan Fo Si into a Protection of the Nation Temple, as an imperial temple, and order people to recast the golden images of the Buddha and repair the temple buildings, as a token of my gratitude."
"Thank you, Your Imperial Highness."
Xuanjing rose to his feet and bowed in gratitude, but inside, he was overwhelmed with a mixture of emotions.
The word "Father Emperor" meant he would be stepping back into the whirlpool of power, and he didn't know if he could handle it?
"Wan Fo Si has raised you with kindness, and these are things that should be done."
Emperor Xuanwu gestured for him to sit down and then slowly continued, "You are my son, and I will give you everything a prince should have. I will order people to arrange a palace for you and let you rest well first. Tomorrow, I will issue an edict in the court to restore your identity as the sixth prince and hold a royal sacrifice to inform all of our ancestors that my son has finally returned home."
Xuanjing's heart was filled with a complex mix of emotions. Bowing his head, he placed his hands together, "Son Xuanjing will comply with the imperial decree."
The two fathers talked until late at night.
Xuanjing left the Imperial Study and was led to Jingyang Palace by the eunuchs.
It was a palace deep within the palace complex, both magnificent and serene.
The palace gate slowly opened, and the moonlight was like a silken ribbon, falling on the ground paved with blue stones, reflecting the palace women and eunuchs who were kneeling in reverence on either side.
Their voices were uniform and synchronized: "We have paid our respects to the Sixth Prince."
As Xuanjing stepped into this unfamiliar territory, every step seemed extremely heavy.
He was dressed in simple monk's robes, which seemed out of place with the opulence of the palace. But his deep-set eyes held a composure and indifference that went beyond his age.
He gently raised his hand, gesturing for everyone to rise, "Please all stand up."
The voice, which was both cold and warm, carried an undeniable majesty.
It seemed as if it was ingrained in his nature.
Stepping into the inner chamber, a faint sandalwood scent mingled with floral fragrance, creating a sense of tranquility.
Xuanjing looked around, the delicate carved window frames and the gem-encrusted screens all revealed the nobility and luxury of the royal family.
However, in his eyes, they were as fleeting as clouds, and his heart had already wandered to Lianhua County.
I wonder if Yaoyao and the two children are doing well, and what they are currently up to.
"Your Highness, this is the palace prepared for you. If there is anything you need, please feel free to command."
The leading eunuch introduced it respectfully, his words filled with extreme caution.
Although the Sixth Prince had not grown up in the palace, he was the legitimate son of the Empress Yuan, who was also the woman most loved by Emperor Xuanwu.
Even though it had been over twenty years, the emperor still remembered her dearly. They naturally did not dare to neglect her.
Xuanjing nodded slightly and stepped into the palace.
Late at night, the Imperial Palace Shengwu Gate.
The horse's hooves clacked urgently and forcefully, breaking the silence of the night.
Du Lü ye rode on horseback, covered in dust, his eyes full of anxiety and irritation.
Suddenly, he pulled the rein tightly, and the horse's front hooves flew up, then landed firmly.
He dismounted, casually threw the reins to the eunuch who followed closely behind, and walked into the palace with big strides.
He didn't go back to the Eastern Palace and couldn't spare the time to dress up. He went straight to Fengyi Palace.
Inside Fengyi Palace, the flickering candlelight cast a silhouette of the empress.
She sat alone in front of the copper mirror, her back appearing lonely and melancholic.
Du Lü ye pushed the door open and saw the scene. His heart tightened involuntarily.
"Mother, what's going on? Why has the emperor confined you?"
Du Lü ye's voice contained a hint of questioning and confusion.
The empress turned slowly, her face haggard and her eyes tearful: "Night, you're back. This is a long story..."
"Then Mother can take your time to explain."
He lifted his robe, sat down on the stool, and looked at the empress, listening quietly.
The empress sighed lightly and slowly narrated the story, "My plot to kill Guin's Concubine, Min. I don't care how much she was favored by the emperor. I have grown accustomed to it, and I also know that the emperor does not like me. What scared me was that she might threaten your status once she gave birth to a prince."
Her gaze met Du Lü ye's. "How favored Guin's Concubine was, I imagine you've heard some of it. If she hadn't died, today's Crown Prince might not be you. Mother knows this was wrong, but Mother doesn't regret it."
"Mother..." Du Lü ye heard these words and was shocked, but more complex emotions overwhelmed him.
For others, the empress might be heartless and cruel. However, for him, it was the thick parental love.
Du Lü ye fell silent for a moment before speaking slowly, "Mother, now that this matter is known to the emperor, it may be impossible to resolve well. Being deposed as empress is certain, and perhaps the emperor will grant you a white silk cloth, poison, or a knife to end your own life."
Seeing the empress's face pale and her body swaying, he saw a flicker of unwillingness in his eyes but continued anyway, "As the crown prince, but I'm afraid I can't change the emperor's decision. However, the crown prince can promise his mother that he will not let her really die."
These are things that were expected. No one in the palace or court was unaware of how deeply the emperor loved Guin's Concubine.
Similarly, if someone dares to harm Yaoyao, it would be light for him to be given poison, white silk, or even torn apart and ground into pieces.
He couldn't change the emperor's decision, but he could secretly transfer his mother out of the palace before the execution.
He couldn't change the emperor's decision, but he could find a death row prisoner with a similar appearance, disguise them, and have them replace his mother to face death instead.
"Night child..."
The empress was shocked by his words.
She didn't know what her son would do, but she believed in her son's abilities and knew that she wouldn't really die, so she felt at ease.
As for the empress's position, there's nothing to be nostalgic about. The palace is even more worthless to her.
As long as she can watch her son ascend to the throne smoothly and live a happy and respected life, she will be content.
