Chapter 11: Wow, Your Majesty! Do You Truly Love the Empress So Deeply?

Standing with his hands behind his back, his gaze suddenly turned sharp!

He had always known that his younger brother, though outwardly obedient, was in truth constantly scheming in secret.

He had long wanted to send this brother off to his fiefdom, but their mother had repeatedly threatened to starve herself, forcing him to reluctantly allow the prince to remain in the capital.

Now it seemed… this brother ought to be confined after all!

This time, even if Mother pleaded, it would be useless!

He had always believed it better to kill a thousand by mistake than to let one guilty person slip away!

“Your Majesty, since you so deeply miss the Empress, why not go in and see Her Highness for yourself?”

The two trusted guards standing behind Feng Changye saw him staring silently at the high palace walls, resembling a “stone waiting for its husband.” Their hearts ached, and they urged him with concern.

“You miss the Empress. Standing here will not ease the pain of longing!”

Hearing their words, Feng Changye, who had been pondering how to deal with Prince Jin, abruptly came back to himself.

He looked at them, suspecting he had misheard. “What?”

The guards, even more distressed, pressed on. “Your Majesty, why hesitate here? You have already rescinded your decree to depose the Empress. Surely she will not blame you. Be at ease and boldly go in to see her. Do not remain here, longing across the wall while the cold wind bites…”

“Silence!”

Feng Changye found their words utterly absurd. “How could I possibly long for that woman? I—”

Yet just as he said this, he caught sight of the expression on their faces—“Your Majesty, do not deny it; we can all see your true feelings for the Empress!”

His words halted abruptly!

He suddenly realized—hadn’t he come running to Changle Palace right after that woman left? In others’ eyes, did this not reveal his deep, unbreakable attachment to her?

He opened his mouth, wanting to declare that he, the dignified Son of Heaven, could never fall for that idiotic woman from a later era!

But how could he possibly explain his ridiculous behavior of chasing after her so eagerly?

His face darkened!

Did this mean that, from now on, he must pretend before all the palace servants that he deeply loved this woman, just so he could stand outside her palace door and secretly listen to her thoughts without suspicion?

If so, being Emperor was truly too stifling!

“Return to Taiji Hall!”

He ground his teeth and flung his sleeve, striding away.

But just as he turned, he heard Zhu Wuhuan speak in her heart to the system—

She wanted to remove the phoenix robes, don plain clothes, and return to the General’s Estate, to see if Prince Jin would come searching for her, following the course of history.

His steps faltered. Hm?

Not bad! Quite amusing!

If this woman wanted to test Prince Jin, how could he—who most wanted Prince Jin dead—miss out on such a fine show?

Even if he could not seize evidence of Prince Jin’s crimes, he could still stir up a scandal of “the Empress in secret with Prince Jin,” leaving Prince Jin utterly ruined!

“Your Majesty, look! Even your feet cannot bear to leave! Follow your heart and go see the Empress!”

The two guards, seeing him take just one step before halting, became all the more convinced: “The Emperor loves the Empress deeply but denies it for the sake of face.”

Thus, they once again risked their lives to speak up.

“…” The little good mood Feng Changye had just gained was completely ruined again by these two guards!

He turned back, glaring coldly at them!

If they were not his closest confidants, he truly wanted to poison their mouths silent with a bowl of dumb medicine!

“If you cannot speak properly, then shut your mouths!”

He strode off, face grim!

Behind him, the two guards exchanged meaningful glances—

Ah, the Emperor still refuses to admit it!

But who was it who grew restless the instant the Empress left? Who chased after her like a clingy shadow?

Tsk. Who would have thought—the cold, unfeeling Emperor also had a time when he could not let go of someone.

Yet, in the past, they had never seen much affection between the Emperor and the Empress…

Could it be that when the Emperor ordered her death this time, at the very moment of losing her, he suddenly felt the dull ache in his heart and belatedly realized he had already fallen deeply in love?

The two guards believed they had seen the truth.

They turned to look again at the magnificent Changle Palace.

Its mistress, they thought, would surely soar from this day forward, becoming second only to one in the world!

… Inside Changle Palace.

Zhu Wuhuan and the system had no idea that just beyond the wall in the corridor stood the very tyrant they wished to destroy.

They finished discussing her trip to the General’s Estate, and the palace maid who had gone to make tea had returned.

“Your Ladyship.”

Zhu Wuhuan possessed all the Empress Zhu’s memories, so she naturally recognized the maid before her.

Her name was Suqiu. She had grown up with the Empress as her personal attendant, and their bond was deep.

When the Empress entered the palace, by custom she was allowed to bring a nanny and a maid to serve. Thus she brought Suqiu and two older women in their forties.

Now, Suqiu had been released, but the two women remained imprisoned by the Court of Severe Punishments.

Zhu Wuhuan placed the teacup on the low table, reached out to take Suqiu’s hand, and asked with concern, “Let me see—did you suffer torture at the Court of Severe Punishments?”

Suqiu shook her head and smiled brightly. “Your Ladyship need not worry. I am well. Though His Majesty spoke of deposing you, as long as you were not driven out of the palace, the eunuchs of the Court dared not touch me.”

Zhu Wuhuan sighed in relief and smiled. “That is good.”

Suqiu then respectfully lifted the teacup and offered it. “Your Ladyship, you said you were thirsty. Please drink some tea to moisten your throat.”

Zhu Wuhuan accepted and drank.

As she drank, Suqiu stood properly at the side. Yet her bright eyes kept glancing at the imperial decree resting on the low table.

Zhu Wuhuan noticed and gave a small laugh.

Suqiu immediately grew embarrassed, bowed slightly, and then asked with hopeful anticipation, “Your Ladyship, this decree…”

Zhu Wuhuan said, “His Majesty has pardoned the Zhu family from execution. I am to leave the palace with the imperial guards to announce the decree.”

Suqiu’s eyes brimmed with hot tears of joy!

Her parents and elder brother were also servants of the Zhu household and were among those sentenced to die.

Now, with the Zhu family pardoned, her parents and brother would live as well!

Overcome with joy, she fell to her knees and kowtowed before Zhu Wuhuan!

“Your Ladyship! You have suffered so much!”

“Enough. Do not kneel. Rise and help me change clothes. I must don plain garments to leave the palace.”

Wiping her tears, Suqiu rose and supported Zhu Wuhuan into the back chamber to change.

She selected a goose-yellow gown that the Empress had often worn when returning to her family’s estate and dressed Zhu Wuhuan in it, then redid her hair.

The elaborate palace coiffure was replaced with the simple spiral bun commonly worn by noble young ladies outside. Zhu Wuhuan gazed at herself in the bronze mirror, thinking that this simple look suited her much more, just as she had been in the twenty-first century.

That heavy makeup and ornate dress… did not really suit her.

After everything was in order, Zhu Wuhuan had Suqiu place the imperial decree into a cloth bag. Then, wearing a cold expression like a deposed Empress leaving the palace, she stepped out of Changle Palace.

Two hundred imperial guards were already assembled in neat formation outside.

When they saw her, armored men dropped to their knees in unison!

“Your servants greet the Empress! May the Empress live for a thousand, thousand, ten thousand years!”

Zhu Wuhuan looked upon the scene and thought, Wonderful!

If she killed the tyrant and became Empress Regnant, and all knelt to cry, “Long live the Emperor, for ten thousand, ten thousand, ten thousand years!”—wouldn’t that feel even better?

“…” Not far away, Feng Changye, likewise clad in plain robes, snapped his fan shut with a swish, pressed its handle against his forehead, and glared at Zhu Wuhuan with icy menace!

Woman!

I commend you for having such audacity!