Chapter 125: Chapter 121: Entering the Palace to Meet the Emperor

After Shen Jingxian gave her orders, the Hidden Guard soon learned the truth about “Song Yun” from Bai Lun.

Secretly, Song Yun was capturing commoners with some talent, particularly those who were poor, had no support, and had a small penchant for poetry.

Bai Lun said his parents were deceased, and apart from writing a bit of poetry, he had no other skills. To survive, he resorted to selling poetry, never expecting to be targeted by Song Yun, who directly captured him and locked him up, forcing him to write poetry every day.

The day Shen Jingxian’s Hidden Guard arrived, Song Yun was just about to silence him for good. Fortunately, the Hidden Guard acted quickly, or he would have been a goner.

Shen Jingxian: …

Suddenly, she felt a bit sympathetic for this transmigrator, but only for two seconds.

Shen Jingxian put away the documents and instructed them to copy them twice—one for her father, the Emperor, and one for Shen Ming.

Alas, she’s such a good person, helping Shen Ming see the true face of the schemer quickly.

Shen Jingxian went to knock on Song Yan’s door again, and this time, it opened rather quickly.

“Greetings, Your Highness.”

Only then did Shen Jingxian realize that, after a short time apart, Song Yan’s leg had quietly healed?!

How long has it been, and she’s already walking?

Is this what’s called the protagonist’s halo?

That’s incredible!

Song Yan seemed a bit embarrassed by Shen Jingxian’s gaze, “Is Your Highness angry with me for not seeing anyone these days… It’s just that I didn’t want Your Highness to see me in such a state…”

Shen Jingxian felt that this topic was a bit off, so she quickly interrupted, “I’m not angry. I came today to show you something, Sister Song Yan.”

After Song Yan took it and began to look through it, Shen Jingxian explained, “Although we all know the abductions were orchestrated by Song Yun, the middleman who was in contact with Song Yun can’t be found. The evidence of Song Yun’s link with Guihun Pavilion is in the hands of that middleman. Without the middleman, there’s no evidence to prove Song Yun is the culprit.”

“However, once this matter is made public, Song Yun is finished as well. Sister Song Yan, if you’d like, I’ll leave Song Yun’s fate in your hands.”

Song Yan seemed a bit stunned, and after a long while, she appeared to grasp the princess’s meaning, her eyes filled with deep, intense emotion that was hard to decipher.

“Thank you, Your Highness… I have no way to repay your grace, Your Highness.”

Shen Jingxian cheerfully stepped forward to support Song Yan, who was about to bow, “What are you saying, Song Yan? We are friends, and you’ve helped me a lot as well.”

Shen Jingxian was now certain that the plot had definitely changed, though it was unclear whether the change was for better or worse, it was certainly a good start.

In other words, Song Yan’s kindness toward her was real too.

She just knew that when it came to understanding emotions, she couldn’t be wrong.

Shen Jingxian stepped forward and hugged Song Yan, sincerely saying, “Sister Song Yan, I’m the one who should be thanking you, for still being willing to trust me even after everything that’s happened.”

The familiar softness and warmth from their embrace dispelled the slight unease in her heart caused by Song Yun.

She felt that both in her past life and now, her heart had a missing piece. In her previous life, she always thought that piece was Shen Ming, whom she desperately tried to get close to, only to end up hurt. In this life, she was fortunate to have met the Princess.

Song Yan slowly returned the embrace, at this moment forgetting the hierarchical differences instilled in her from a young age. The dopamine in her body made her feel incredibly happy.

Meanwhile, Bai Lun was summoned by the Emperor into the palace.

Dark Ten followed closely by Bai Lun’s side, extremely nervous.

He couldn’t help but be anxious, knowing this brother’s disposition all too well. If he entered the palace and said something like, “A scholar kneels before heaven, earth, and parents, but not the Emperor,” the Emperor could scatter his ashes on the spot.

If the Princess inquired, it would be seen as a failure on his part.

So before entering the palace, he specifically instructed this somewhat erratic young man to make sure he performed grand obeisance in the presence of the Emperor, not to look directly at His Majesty without permission, not to raise his head, and certainly not to look around.

He should answer whatever the Emperor says, refer to himself as “this commoner,” and not spontaneously respond to anything else.

Most importantly, he must not speak ill of the Princess, or praise her.

Lately, the Emperor was somewhat… peculiar. If a man of eligible age praised the Princess, he would suspect ulterior motives and exile that person from the Capital to serve elsewhere.

If an older minister with eligible descendants praised the Princess, the Emperor would feel subtly implicated and scold the minister.

This had made the court tense in recent times.

Originally, if some national affairs report angered the Emperor, one could deflect with compliments about the Princess to lighten His Majesty’s mood.

A happy Emperor was easier to deal with in every matter, after all.

But recently, this infallible method to placate the Emperor had ceased to work, leaving the ministers in agony!!

The Hidden Guards had long noted the ministers’ struggles, and within the Hidden Guards was a special information network, ensuring they could communicate the latest news rapidly, regardless of location.

Initially, when Dark Ten relayed these instructions to Bai Lun, he found it troublesome, even pulling out some theory of equality, spouting grand ideas that were actually rebellious nonsense. To restrain him, Dark Ten finally used his trump card, “Behaving disrespectfully before the Emperor will result in immediate execution.”

Bai Lun immediately complied, earnestly promising not to act recklessly.

However, Dark Ten felt this person was unreliable and likely to cause trouble with his peculiar mind.

When Bai Lun was summoned to the palace, Dark Ten had already informed the other Hidden Guards to alert the Princess, though the Emperor’s summons came so unexpectedly that she certainly couldn’t arrive before Bai Lun entered the palace.

Watching Bai Lun enter the Imperial Study Room, Dark Ten silently bid him farewell in his heart.

He only hoped that by the time the Princess arrived, this brother would still have a breath left in him.

Bai Lun entered the Imperial Study Room, full of curiosity, yet Dark Ten’s admonitions were well remembered; he ultimately resisted his inquisitiveness and did not look around.

Bai Lun had always thought that as a modern person, not raised under the yoke of royal power like the ancients, he held no fear of it and wouldn’t be easily intimidated by the so-called Emperor.

After all, he wasn’t even afraid of the Princess.

But upon meeting the Emperor, he realized he was gravely mistaken—the commanding aura of the ruler indeed surpassed ordinary people.

Though he did not lift his head, he felt certain the Emperor was looking at him—the sheer intimidation of that gaze nearly tangible, pressing him with an overwhelming sense of oppression.

Just as Bai Lun was nearing his limit, this shivering pressure abruptly vanished. He heard a commanding voice from up high, “Raise your head.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep