"I thought... Ah Huan would miss that old man from the Qingyun Sect terribly."
Song Yu's words carried a tinge of jealousy. The man who had been despondent all day still looked somewhat unshaven, yet his chest was filled to bursting.
His Ah Huan, the brightest light in his life, had returned.
"I do miss my Master very much,"
Song Shihuan tilted her head, "but I can't do without my Royal Father anymore."
Song Yu felt as if he had just tasted the sweetest candy in the world, so cloyingly sweet it made his whole being feel like floating.
"Royal Father, I will go see Master tomorrow morning."
Plop—
Half of his beautiful fantasy shattered, replaced by a palpable sense of crisis.
His Ah Huan's heart was with him, but those disciples from the Qingyun Sect didn't look like honest folk at all. What if they sweet-talked Ah Huan into leaving?
Thinking of this, Song Yu grew somewhat anxious. "Ah Huan, regarding King Heng's side, can we close the net soon? News from the Shen Manor says Shen Qingping has already found a clue and will return to the capital shortly."
Upon hearing this, Song Shihuan nodded, then smiled even more happily. "Royal Father, there's no hurry. Master said they want to vent some anger for me first."
Song Yu smiled bitterly.
He was in a hurry.
Truly.
If he didn't hurry, he was afraid he'd lose standing in his daughter's eyes.
Early the next morning, Emperor Yuanyou attended the morning court session wearing a look of "frailty," because he too feared that if he remained ill any longer, his granddaughter might just waste away from worry.
Once Emperor Yuanyou took his seat on the dragon throne, the court officials who had been arguing fiercely quieted down considerably.
"Those with matters to report may speak; if none, court is dismissed."
As Wu Qi's voice rang out, not a single civil or military official in the full court dared to bring up the matter of the Eastern Palace.
It was at this moment that someone moved.
Cheng Guang shot a fierce glare in a certain direction. "Your Majesty, during this recent period of your ailing health, the Eastern Palace has been thoroughly vilified by certain ministers."
"Forcing the Crown Prince of a nation to adopt the son of a prince is utterly preposterous, and it has even implicated the Princess with slander. I believe these individuals should be charged with disrespect towards the heir apparent."
"Your Majesty, I second the motion." Shen Mingwen also stepped forward. "My residence, along with those of several other ministers, has been surrounded. This shows these people have gone mad."
Only then did the courtiers whose names were mentioned begin to feel fear.
Given the Emperor's obvious favoritism towards the Eastern Palace...
In an instant, King Heng received many pleading looks.
Just as King Heng was about to step forward to defend these people, he saw Emperor Yuanyou wave his hand. "The Crown Prince is in the prime of his life. The matter of adoption is somewhat absurd."
King Heng's face instantly turned ashen.
"We are weary. Court is dismissed for now."
As he left, Emperor Yuanyou paused in his steps. "We may be old, but We will never allow anyone to casually slander Our son and granddaughter."
His tiger-like eyes swept the surroundings, and the entire hall fell so silent one could hear a pin drop.
It was only long after Emperor Yuanyou had left that King Heng moved his somewhat stiffened body. The Emperor's words just now...
They seemed to carry a great deal of killing intent.
Now, even the few remaining unruly court officials became compliant.
Had they not heard the Emperor's golden words, stating he did not support the adoption?
The winds at court changed swiftly. Those courtiers who had cursed the Eastern Palace most vehemently now began to huddle in their mansions, hoping to ride out this storm.
But they hadn't expected that this time, they had kicked an iron plate.
A few days later, a group of vibrant young men supporting an old man arrived outside the palace gates. The guards, seeing the familiar figures, instinctively wanted to run to the Eastern Palace.
But they saw the young men stop, and the leader, Qingling, produced a jade token from his waist.
"The Sect Leader of the Qingyun Sect is here. Please quickly inform your Emperor."
Qingyun Sect?
Sect Leader?
One of the guards took off running again, though this time his destination was not the Eastern Palace, but the Zichen Hall.
He hadn't run far before he was suddenly grabbed by the collar by Shen Xiao, who appeared out of nowhere.
"Without even asking the reason, you run to the Zichen Hall to deliver your death warrant?"
Shen Xiao frowned. Where did this youngster come from, treating a report to the Emperor like passing a secret message?
"Shen Xiao, Commander of the Great Qi Imperial Guards, pays his respects to Sect Leader Qing Shan."
Shen Xiao clasped his fist towards the old man. There was no martial artist under heaven who did not revere Qing Shan, the Sect Leader of Qingyun Sect, and Shen Xiao was no exception.
"Might I ask why Sect Leader Qing Shan wishes to see our Emperor?"
"To settle accounts."
The old man's voice carried a natural, oppressive force that made it difficult for Shen Xiao to even stand straight:
"My youngest disciple has been bullied by your Great Qi. I have come in person to demand justice for her!"
"A bunch of grown men bullying my little junior sister, a young girl. Your Great Qi courtiers are utterly shameless. In my opinion, if they rubbed their faces against tree bark, it's probably the bark that would get hurt."
The youngest of the youths opened his mouth, and the words that came out left Shen Xiao, for once, somewhat speechless.
And for the first time, the Qingyun Sect members felt that the youngest brother could actually produce something decent from his mouth.
"Might I ask... who is the youngest disciple the Sect Leader speaks of?"
"You call her Princess."
Instantly, a flash of intense shock passed through Shen Xiao's eyes.
The guard Shen Xiao had stopped began to feel his legs go weak. The Princess was actually... a disciple of the Qingyun Sect!
Then the 'settling accounts' the Qingyun Sect spoke of...
Surely meant settling accounts with those ministers?
Heavens above!
...
One hour later.
The old man looked at the energetic Emperor Yuanyou before him and gave a slight, wry smile. "I heard the Great Qi Emperor was gravely ill. It seems rumors are just rumors after all."
"Feigning illness yourself while allowing your granddaughter to be slandered doesn't seem like the act of a proper gentleman."
Emperor Yuanyou's smile stiffened.
This Qing Shan actually called him an improper old man!
"Sect Leader Qing Shan, you are not aware. This time, my illness was part of the strategy, a pretense to move the situation forward."
Emperor Yuanyou offered a dry explanation, wishing he could grab Qing Shan and pour out his affection for Ah Huan.
His heart for Ah Huan could be witnessed by heaven and earth.
Sect Leader Qing Shan smiled a thin, unamused smile. "It seems you also intend to deal with King Heng."
"Naturally."
"And what about those useless followers who went with the flow? How do you plan to handle them?"
"Ah Huan told me, let the Qingyun Sect teach them a lesson first." Emperor Yuanyou immediately replied.
Wu Qi, watching from the side, secretly marveled at this almost fantastical scene. It was rare to see the Emperor so... obedient?
The old man seemed satisfied, his expression softening considerably. "In that case, my thanks in advance."
"I wish to meet the officials of Great Qi, so my disciples here can properly observe the dignified bearing of your court ministers."
Upon hearing this, Emperor Yuanyou actually felt his old face flush with embarrassment.
Dignified bearing...
These courtiers who had utterly disgraced his old face—he would definitely settle accounts with them later!
