After leaving the Sky Prison, the Emperor gazed at the rising sun on the horizon, lost in thought: "It’s morning now..."
Divine Doctor Huang had ntioned that tonight would be a perilous night, but now that it’s morning, does this an...
His heart ached intensely, and he dared not dwell on it further.
Seeing Zhang Qing waiting outside, the Emperor instinctively asked, "Has she awakened?"
Zhang Qing opened his mouth, but ultimately shook his head, suppressing his sorrow. She still had not awakened when he arrived...
The Emperor stood without moving for a long ti, then stepped into the cold gleam of the winter sun, his entire being enveloped in cold solitude, filled with desolation.
Zhang Qing followed, accompanied by the Young Eunuch from the Star Palace.
Hu Miaomiao stood still, bowed his head in farewell, and, once the imperial yellow figure disappeared from sight, he turned to leave, preparing to find that Guo family minion as per the order, and then sent out to locate the corpse of the ten-year-old girl.
He thought, that girl must be related to Master Lian; perhaps this was Master Lian’s emotional knot.
His Majesty wasn’t hesitant to personally co here; he wanted to understand the unknown events from seven years ago, hoping to find a way to untangle Master Lian’s emotional knot.
He listened to the scoundrel’s words from start to finish, and from fragnts of their speech, he learned how perilous the situation was that Master Lian faced; just the mortal crises they endured were at least three tis. For a ten-year-old child, it was incredibly hard, a single mistake then, and there would be no Master Lian today...
In today’s world, surviving even for a ten-year-old child is difficult, let alone seven years ago in those troubled tis.
And Master Lian, not only faced the despair of losing family, but also the pressure of surviving on the road, avoiding kidnappers and wrongdoers, along with assassins specifically targeting her, and the most terrifying of all were insidious and vicious people like Guo Shun watching her.
Any one of these could cast a lifeti’s shadow over a child.
Knowing all this, how could His Majesty feel at ease?
Hu Miaomiao shook the fat on his face, squinted his small eyes, and with a wave of his hand, several shadows imdiately followed him.
This ti, while completing his mission, he would not allow any minion to escape unscathed!
Not that it won’t be reported, the ti is not yet ripe; if that beggar madam Old Turtle hadn’t died, he would make them regret their actions thoroughly!
Thinking this way, Hu Miaomiao quickened his pace, disappearing from sight in a flash.
The Emperor was near the entrance of Canglan Court, looking up at the Main Hall of Canglan Court in the distance, halting his steps.
He had walked this path many tis, yet he felt that ever since she fell asleep, the path seed longer and longer.
It’s ti for her family’s grievances to be redressed; whatever she wanted to do, he would do it for her, those who bullied her, he would not spare any, once everything was settled, he would gradually tell her, so she could have peace.
Is there still ti?
Suppressing his emotions, the Emperor instructed: "Go make arrangents for my in-laws to go to Shuntian Prefecture tomorrow to beat the drum and cry injustice; justice should be served for them..."
Zhang Qing accepted the order: "Yes, Your servant obeys."
His expression was deeply sorrowful, as the Emperor was distressed, so was he.
He thought of sothing, sothing that shouldn’t be said now, but he had to say it.
Zhang Qing gritted his teeth and spoke with determination: "Your Majesty, Minister Fan, Minister Xie, and others have been waiting outside the Star Palace to see you; they didn’t leave all night yesterday and are still waiting now. Your servant was worried they might have an urgent matter, so I took the liberty of bringing them into the hall..."
The Emperor’s entire deanor suddenly turned cold, he raised his hand to interrupt, his gaze as sharp as a frozen blade: "I know what they seek; it’s ti for a decision today to prevent unrest. Tell them, my determination to clear the court does not change, those heinous criminals like Xue Ping and Zhao Zhong must be executed along with their entire clans, annihilate three generations, and as for the others, implicate their whole families, draft an edict, choose a day for their execution!"
Zhang Qing trembled, looking up in shock: "Your Majesty..."
The Emperor cast a cold glance at him, continuing forward without stopping.
Zhang Qing was frightened, bowed his head, and hurriedly agreed without further words.
After the imperial yellow figure departed, he anxiously rubbed his hands, his heart burning with worry.
He knew of the forr court’s tumult, and Nanny Qi had also spoken with him about it. Minister Fan and Minister Xie were particularly concerned about this matter.
The number of people facing execution was truly many; their main concern was that His Majesty’s reputation might suffer, and he could be labeled a tyrant, hoping the Emperor would change his mind, even if slowly, not executing so many at once.
Moreover, so individuals did not commit offenses severe enough to warrant exterminating entire families, and Minister Fan and others hoped His Majesty would spare the relatives of those individuals.
No one expected this urging to result in His Majesty issuing such a decree.
Zhang Qing was shocked but dared not persuade, nor was he able to; even Nanny Qi could not dissuade. In today’s world, only one person could talk him down—that is Master Lian...
Only...
Alas...
He stomped his foot hard, filled with continuous sorrow, unsure what best to do, ultimately having no choice but to proceed with the tasks.
Facing two decrees, he opted to handle the first one first, and if there was no change afterward, he would have no further solution...
Zhang Qing knew his thod was opportunistic, not the proper way to proceed; but if it led to him being punished or even executed, he would accept it without regrets.
He sighed wearily, lifted his head to the sky, and prayed in his heart: Oh, Heavens, open your eyes and see, how a wonderful person like Master Lian found herself in such a predicant, quickly let her awaken. Even for the sake of the world’s people, quickly let her wake up...
Inside Canglan Court, the Emperor proceeded toward the Main Hall, reaching the entrance of the East Side Hall before stepping inside.
The people in the hall saw him and all paid their respects promptly. Nanny Qi looked at him hopefully, wishing he had found the root of the problem and she could be awakened.
Su Ran’s eyes were red and swollen; hearing so commotion, she stood and looked over.
The Emperor’s heart ached; he did not know of a way to make her awaken, that girl’s corpse, he only suspected it was related to her, maybe it was the "Little Hua i" from her mouth.
He paused montarily, only suggesting that after a night of exhaustion, they should rest, as he would remain here. He dismissed everyone, instructing Nanny Qi and Su Ran to leave and rest.
Even he felt pain described as heart-wrenching from learning about these matters, how could he let them know, how could they possibly bear it?
Nanny Qi left somberly, supported by others, and Su Ran looked at the person on the bed one last ti before leaving.
Soon, only he remained in the hall, with her.
She was within reach, yet he felt a flicker of fear, recalling various tis in the past, rembering her innocent words then, thinking it was a jest, unaware each word bore blood tears and danger.
She had once casually said, "People have two legs and can walk; when going to unfamiliar places, it’s safer to use a pseudonym."
He thought, that’s how it was, probably learned to hide as a necessary skill during escape... for survival, to avoid danger, she disguised herself as a Beggar...
He also recalled her saying she was good at swimming, "... I am really good at swimming, once I swam alone in a big river, it was really dangerous..."
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