Chapter 54: Holding the Moon in the Water (2) Prejudice.

The next morning, the frost and dew were heavy. The leave application submitted by the Duke's Mansion had been on the imperial desk without any signs of being turned over.

The emperor was reviewing memorials at his desk when he heard a bird chirping. He looked up, but saw nothing. He put down his brush, sighed deeply, picked up the letter of request for leave, and glanced at it briefly.

It said that Lu Guanque's old illness had relapsed and he needed to rest for a period of time. The handwriting was neat and not messy at all.

The emperor's eyes darkened slightly as he suddenly recalled the secret report from the day before: unusual activity at the Duke's residence had led to the closure of the palace to visitors. Witnesses reported the sounds of fighting on the official road outside the city.

Lu Guanque was his blood cousin and a trusted aide whom he had personally promoted. Judging from Lu Guanque's usual behavior, he must have been seriously injured.

But who in the imperial court would dare to attack him? Could it be the remnants of the border rebels? Or perhaps...

Wait, he suddenly thought of someone.

"Come here, go to the Zheng Mansion to invite General Zheng." The emperor's voice was calm, without much emotion.

Not long after, General Zheng walked into the hall calmly and steadily, and saluted as required: "Your Majesty, I, Zheng Qing, pay my respects to you." His temples were gray, his face was resolute, and his eyes were deep.

"Stand up."

"I heard that Duke Lu's old injury recurred the other day and he needs to rest. I'm deeply concerned." The emperor spoke gently, as if chatting casually. "General Zheng fought alongside him. Do you know if there's anything amiss with his health?"

Zheng Qing behaved politely, bowing his head as he replied, "Your Majesty, the Duke has sustained many injuries on the battlefield, and occasional relapses are common. Your Majesty need not worry too much."

The emperor nodded slightly, glanced around, and said, "It's interesting to say. I heard that someone saw your daughter's carriage on the official road outside the city the other day."

"It's a good thing that young people are lively and like to travel, but the suburbs of Beijing are not peaceful right now. The old general needs to remind her more often."

General Zheng was momentarily puzzled, then looked up and said truthfully, "Your Majesty, I'm afraid you heard wrongly. My daughter Wanruo accidentally caught a cold a few days ago and has been recuperating at home these past few days. She hasn't left the house."

"This child is a little weak, and I have specially ordered people to take good care of her and not let her get caught in the wind."

His expression was natural, without any trace of it.

The emperor narrowed his eyes, guessing about 70% of what was going on. His face was gentle, and he said quietly, "So that's how it is. I must have misheard."

The two chatted for a while about military affairs, and then General Zheng bowed and took his leave.

The emperor stood in front of the window, watching Zheng Qing's disappearing back. The gentleness on his face faded away in an instant, leaving only coldness.

He raised his hand and picked up the leave application again, his eyes deep.

Zheng Wanruo, it was indeed her. For that little thing, she deceived her father, used a crossbow to assassinate her family members, and even indirectly caused Lu Guanque to be seriously injured.

His actions should be punished.

However, he couldn't openly deal with Zheng Wanruo at the moment. Without solid evidence, not only would he be unable to touch her, but it would also chill the hearts of his old ministers.

But I can't let out this breath...

"Shadow." The emperor called out in a low voice outside the palace.

In an instant, a man appeared silently and knelt on one knee.

The emperor said calmly, "Go investigate the source of the crossbow arrows used by Zheng Wanruo outside the city the day before yesterday, and the people involved."

His voice was calm. "As for Zheng Wanruo herself, since she's said she's caught a cold, let her cold get even worse."

"Yes." The person kneeling on the ground responded briefly, and then disappeared in a flash.

After making the arrangements, the emperor did not feel much relieved. He raised his eyes and looked at the dark sky.

The root cause of this incident was Meng Xuanli. If Lu Guanque hadn't saved her, he wouldn't have been so seriously injured.

Although this woman dealt with the matter in a timely manner, her influence on Lu Guanque was too profound, so profound that it made him, the emperor, extremely uneasy.

Lu Guanque is the sharpest sword in his hand. This sword must not have any weaknesses, must not have any ties, and must not disregard his life for a woman.

Last time it was fainting, this time it was being shot by an arrow, what about next time?

Will I die next time?

He could no longer bear to see Lu Guanque step into danger.

The emperor sighed deeply, his eyes gradually became firm and cold. He looked at the candlelight and made a decision in his heart - Meng Xuanli could not be kept any longer.

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These days, Lu Guanque lay quietly on the bed, and all kinds of precious medicinal herbs seeped in bit by bit like the water in the potholes after rain, with a rotten and bitter taste.

His wound did not worsen, but the poison on the arrow seemed to linger in his body for a long time.

Meng Xuanli felt despair many times, but she didn't give up hope. She stayed by his side almost every step of the way, but the tension and worry of the past few days eventually drained her energy.

That afternoon, the sun was shining brightly and the breeze was still. Meng Xuanli felt extremely dizzy, his vision suddenly went dark, and he almost fell to the ground.

Doctor Yu saw her pale face and could not help but advise, "Madam, please go and rest for a while. I'll be on guard here. If there's any movement, I'll send someone to call you immediately."

Her body needed rest. Meng Xuanli hesitated for a moment, then decided to obey. She said in a hoarse voice, "Excuse me, Imperial Doctor Yu."

Meng Xuanli put down her handkerchief, loosened her sleeves, sighed deeply, and walked down the corridor. When she returned to Chengju, she undressed, lay down on the bed, and instantly fell into a deep sleep.

In a dream.

Lu Guanque had a rosy face, bright eyes, slightly pursed lips, and was wearing a black robe. He exuded the breath of a living person.

Behind him was a vast expanse of snow. He arched his brows and smiled at her through the snow. She exhaled her hot breath and rushed towards him in ecstasy.

In an instant, the wind was biting, and his smile froze on his face. His body turned cold and quickly collapsed into the snow. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

But she heard a sentence: "Ali, I'm leaving."

"No!"

Meng Xuanli suddenly woke up from his dream, his heart beating wildly and a thin layer of cold sweat on his forehead.

Outside the window, the sky was dark, it was already evening. This dream was too real, so real that her heart tightened and she could hardly breathe.

Before she could calm down, Fuyao's voice came from outside the door: "Madam, are you awake?"

Meng Xuanli took a deep breath and said in a low voice, "What's wrong?"

"Someone's coming from the palace."

Fuyao pushed the door open and walked in, his face solemn: "His Majesty has summoned you, Madam, to come into the palace immediately. He said he has something to ask you."

His Majesty?

Was this sudden summons because of Lu Guanque's injury? Or did he know something?

Meng Xuanli had only met the emperor twice, and each time, he had a deep, unfathomable expression. The summons at this moment must have been more than a simple outburst of concern.

Meng Xuanli suppressed his hesitation, lifted the quilt, and said calmly, "Change clothes and prepare the car."

Not long after, the carriage drove into the palace gate.

The eunuch who led the way lowered his head and looked humble, and walked silently as he brought Meng Xuanli into a side hall.

The hall was brightly lit, and there was an invisible sense of oppression. The emperor did not sit on the dragon throne, but stood by the window with his hands behind his back, gazing into the twilight.

He was dressed in casual clothes, and his back exuded unquestionable majesty.

Meng Xuanli lowered her eyes and knelt in formality, "Your Majesty, I, your humble servant, pay my respects to you."

The emperor turned slowly, his eyes sharp and revealing a sense of judgment.

He didn't let her stand up immediately, but let her kneel on the brick floor, like a silent punishment.

After a long while, the emperor said calmly, "Stand up."

"Lu Guanque, how are you doing?"

Meng Xuanli kept her eyes downcast. She stood up and said truthfully, "Your Majesty, the Duke is still unconscious."

"Doctor Yu said that his condition is stable for now, but the poison has not yet been cleared. It will take some time for him to wake up."

"It will still take some time..." The emperor repeated these words, and it was impossible to tell whether he was happy or angry.

In a moment, he walked to Meng Xuanli, his eyes like knives, and his voice was low: "My cousin has always been gentle and kind since he was young, and is the most liked by the elders."

He paused, as if remembering something, and continued, "But when I grew up, I remember the first time he lost his composure in front of the emperor, or even begged for help, it was because of you."

Meng Xuanli was burned by his gaze, her heart moved slightly, but she did not respond, just listened quietly.

"At that time, the late emperor was still alive. On his birthday, he refused any reward and knelt outside the palace gate of my father's palace, begging for an imperial decree granting him marriage."

The emperor's gaze fell on her amber eyes and continued, "The late emperor initially disapproved, feeling that despite the verbal agreement from the elders, the Meng family was too small to help him."

"But he insisted on kneeling there, from early morning till late at night, and refused to get up no matter what anyone said. When I tried to pull him away, he said, 'I'll marry you,'"

Meng Xuanli bit the inside of her lip, her fingertips curling slightly. She knew about the arranged marriage, but she had no idea that behind it was his stubbornness and pleading.

Deep in her heart, she couldn't help but feel a slight throbbing.

The emperor looked up and continued, "At that time, I was wondering what kind of woman could make her beg like this."

"Now it seems that it is indeed extraordinary. However..."

His voice suddenly turned cold: "How did you treat him? Since we got married, he left again and again. Every time you turned away, every time you pushed him away, he almost lost his life because of you."

Meng Xuanli looked up at him, wanting to say something, but seeing that his expression was full of prejudice and resentment, her words got stuck in her throat.

How could an outsider easily make judgments about everything that happened between her and Lu Guanque, the hurt and misunderstandings, the disputes and helplessness?

Seeing her silence, the emperor thought she had no answer and said sternly, "If you hadn't insisted on leaving, why would he have sent you off? If he hadn't protected you, how could he have ended up in this situation?"

"Meng Xuanli, ask yourself, what have you brought him besides trouble and disaster?"

He took a deep breath and regained the composure that an emperor should have: "If it weren't for you, I would have chosen a noble lady of equal status for him, so that he and his wife could live in harmony and a smooth life."

"Instead of being like this now, because you don't know what's good for you, you can't even save your life."

When Meng Xuanli heard the words "ungrateful", she felt it was absurd that the emperor blamed all of Lu Guanque's misfortune on her.

She wanted to refute, but ultimately said nothing, because she knew very well that in the face of supreme imperial power and deep-rooted prejudice, personal defense seemed pale and powerless.

Seeing her silence, the emperor turned around, walked behind the desk, and said bluntly, "Meng Xuanli, I asked you to come here today."

"I want to tell you that if you really love him and really want him to live, then leave him."

Meng Xuanli's eyelashes flickered, her eyes were lost, like she was sailing on the sea, lost in her direction. She was ready to retort, "No... I won't leave him."

"Leave?" The emperor glared at her and said without question, "From now on, you must never appear in front of him again."

"Just like I did with the matter in Yanjing, I will announce to the public that you have contracted an illness and died. From now on, there will be no Meng Xuanli in this world. And he may feel pain after losing you, but over time, he will completely give up."

"Only in this way can he let you go completely."

Meng Xuanli froze in place, his body trembling slightly, not because of fear, but because of the pain of being forced to separate.

She understood her own heart and decided to leave everything behind and stay. But now, the emperor's power has determined her death.

Meng Xuanli swallowed and shook his head firmly: "Your Majesty, I don't want to leave, and I can't leave." His voice was hoarse, but every word was clear.

She continued, "I want to wait for him to wake up and spend time with him."

The emperor looked at her stubborn eyes, his anger almost breaking through his rationality. He was about to order this ungrateful woman to be dragged away and executed.

However, when the words came to his lips, he swallowed them back.

The image of Lu Guanque fainting flashed through his mind. Just like the woman in front of him, he had a stubborn and painful expression.

If he killed Meng Xuanli now, and waited for Lu Guanque to wake up... then what he would lose would not only be a cousin, but also a sharp sword, a shoulder he relied on.

Because a woman is not worth it. At least, not now.

The emperor suppressed his surging murderous intent, staring at Meng Xuanli with cold eyes, and squeezed out a few words from between his teeth: "Okay, I won't touch you today."

"If you stay by his side and behave yourself, I can let you go. But if you ever let me know that he's hurt because of you, that he's in pain, then I will personally kill you without mercy."

Meng Xuanli breathed a sigh of relief and knelt slowly according to etiquette: "Your Majesty, I will always remember your teachings and thank you for not killing me." Her voice was restrained.

The emperor looked at her figure, said no more, waved his hand, and signaled her to leave.

Meng Xuanli stood up, lowered his eyes, and left the suffocating palace step by step.

Only after she walked out of the palace gate and around a corridor did she truly relax. But then, a small figure appeared, accompanied by a eunuch, who seemed to have been waiting for a long time.

When Crown Prince Xiao Lin saw her come out, his eyes lit up and he quickly walked over to her, saying anxiously, "Aunt...Aunt, I heard that my uncle is sick. How is he now? Is it serious?"

Seeing Meng Xuanli was a little panicked, Xiao Lin blinked: "My father has allowed me to visit him at his residence."

Meng Xuanli saw his clear yet worried look, and her heart moved slightly. She knew that the Crown Prince and Lu Guanque had always been close, and that Lu Guanque would occasionally teach the Crown Prince about riding and archery when he entered the palace.

But, the emperor allowed the prince to visit right after he finished talking to her?

The meaning behind this should be that she wanted the prince to take the opportunity of visiting her to personally monitor her every move.

Meng Xuanli pursed his lips, feeling a chill in his heart. This person from the royal family was indeed a deep-minded person.

But seeing the Crown Prince's earnest expression, she hesitated. Meng Xuanli knelt slightly and said, "Your Highness, I thank you on behalf of the Duke for your concern."

"However, the Duke has not yet woken up. If Your Highness does not mind, then we respectfully welcome His Highness to come. Okay?"

"I don't mind, I don't mind." The prince waved his hands quickly, "My uncle is so badly injured, I must go see him to feel at ease."

"I'll go in a few days... No, I'll go tomorrow."

Meng Xuanli nodded in agreement.

After parting with the prince, she got on the carriage back home, feeling even heavier than when she entered the palace.

The carriage stopped in front of the mansion gate. Before Meng Xuanli could even stand, Fuyao hurried over to greet her, "Madam, you're back. Imperial Physician Yu said the Duke seemed to be waking up."

Meng Xuanli's mind buzzed, and all the complicated worries were swept away in an instant, leaving only Fu Yao's words echoing in his ears.

She didn't have time to think about it, so she just picked up her skirt and ran towards the main courtyard.

When he arrived at the bedroom, Doctor Yu had just finished taking Lu Guanque's pulse and his face was full of excitement.

When he saw Meng Xuanli, he immediately reported, "Madam, the Duke's pulse is slightly stronger than before."

Meng Xuanli's eyes were clear and focused on Lu Guanque. He walked towards him quickly, his steps a little unsteady.

She stopped by the bed, without crying or shouting, but slowly leaned over, stretched out her hands, and held Lu Guanque's hand with an almost pious trembling.

Whether it was due to her influence or his own warmth, his hands seemed warmer than before.

Her nose felt sore, and she called out softly, "Lu Guanque... look at me."

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The author has something to say: I won't fix bugs for now, I'll wait until it's finished. Please forgive me for any typos, extra words, or missing words.