Chapter 77 077 Enough with the pretense...

Emperor Kang of Ming looked on intently, realizing that even the once resourceful and decisive hero had grown old.

Looking back, he was just an ordinary son among his father's many sons. He was easygoing and not good at planning. It was precisely because of this that he survived the infighting among his brothers. He became close friends with Huang Pu's son, Huang Zheng. He was taciturn, while Huang Zheng was quick-witted and talkative.

He was meticulous and never made mistakes in following the rules, while Huang Zheng acted boldly and subverted conventions.

He was heavy-hearted, and his face was bright yellow.

He wanted to be like Huang Zheng, but he couldn't. Huang Zheng was sincere and, seeing his boredom, would often pull him into his mansion. On this turbulent land, only the sound of reciting could be heard from Huang's small courtyard. The scholars were all spirited and looked at the person in front of them with great enthusiasm.

He sat to one side and listened for only a short while before a restless thought began to stir in his mind.

Unthinkable thoughts, due to their ever-increasing probability, kept colliding with the outer protective layer and began to run rampant.

Huang Zheng remained as carefree as ever. Unable to find anyone, he sat to the side and listened to Huang Pu's lectures, occasionally receiving a few words of guidance, thus becoming a half-teacher. He once proposed to formally become Huang Pu's disciple with a tuition fee, but Huang Pu declined, saying, "There's no need to be bound by formalities; having the intention is enough."

Countless times afterward, he was glad that he hadn't given himself that title, so he wouldn't be constrained by the master-disciple relationship. But after being glad, he wondered if he was so wise that he could have foreseen the current situation and disdained to be his disciple.

He smiled and then denied it, saying that if he were good at judging the situation, he should have retreated while he was ahead and not risked Huang Zheng's life.

Emperor Mingkang's heart calmed down again, and he slowly said, "I'm sorry to have wronged you, teacher, these past few days."

"Your Majesty, what are you saying? Things cannot be clear without investigation, and the truth cannot be understood without scrutiny. My colleagues have been working hard to protect my innocence, while I have only been keeping to myself. How can I be aggrieved?"

Emperor Mingkang laughed heartily, "Teacher, you're still as generous as ever."

The laughter subsided, and Emperor Mingkang, like a student seeking knowledge, expressed his doubts: "This matter involves the Second Prince and thousands of students. If the law is not upheld impartially, the credibility of the imperial examination will be completely lost. How will we select the pillars of the nation? This is a real headache for me."

"This old minister dares not speak presumptuously."

"Even teachers dare not speak the truth?"

Huang Pu paused for a moment, the dim light adding a layer of heaviness to his voice, and slowly said, "As the ruler of the country, His Majesty's thoughts are so profound and weighty that they are beyond the comprehension of others. His influence is far-reaching, benefiting both the people and the Great Jin Dynasty, but not His Majesty personally."

"What this old minister wants is to restore my innocence and severely punish those with impure intentions."

"Your Majesty and I have different ideas, and I really don't know what to say."

Emperor Mingkang was speechless for a moment, or perhaps it was an unspoken understanding. He leaned back in his armchair, looked at the pale-faced old minister, and unusually did not probe, but simply said, "This student knows that the teacher understands what the student is thinking."

People all over the world were demanding from him, pleading with him. He felt as if he were standing on atop thousands of skeletons, with evil spirits climbing down from above. His emotions were churning. He wished he could burn them all down, yet he also longed for the evil spirits to bow down and submit. The world did not understand, but he did.

"So what should the students do?"

"If this old minister is unsure of what to do, he will go back to the source and trace it back to its root. As for what Your Majesty will do, this old minister really does not know." Huang Pu stood up and bowed. He watched the light and shadow flash by on the ground, and his eyes deepened. Now that things had come to this, the regret in his heart almost made him lose his composure. He was unwilling to say another word.

This pretense and pretense has gone far enough.

Before leaving, Emperor Mingkang saw Huang Pu coughing again and, feeling sorry for him, ordered, "Fetch a royal physician for Lord Huang."

After leaving the Dali Temple and traversing the long official road, the wind made the hem of their clothes rustle. "Go and summon the Second Prince."

The young eunuch, carrying a lantern, responded and left. The world was already shrouded in twilight, and the lantern's light was like a fleeting glimmer in the dark night, as if it would vanish in an instant. Song Shuo looked at the imperial physician approaching from afar and sighed, "How could things be accomplished so easily?"

Chen Fu was puzzled. "Sir, is there something wrong with this?"

"Everything is going smoothly, so what's wrong?"

Before Chen Fu could react, he heard someone ahead mockingly say, "Things that come too easily are just handouts from others! It's truly unexpected that a few ordinary people could be so meticulous. Is it due to their masterful planning, or is it simply the will of Heaven?"

The imperial physician had arrived. Chen Fu went down to greet him, exchanged a few pleasantries, and then led him to the Dali Temple.

Song Shuo smiled and suddenly felt that things were getting interesting. It had been a long time since he had met his match like this. A commander of the Imperial Guards, a disgraced son of the previous dynasty, and a neglected prince had managed to bring up past events and arrange them into such a situation.

It seems the Crown Prince's enemies have changed long ago.

"Mother!" The Second Prince rushed over after leaving the council hall. His face was calm, but upon closer inspection, he was overjoyed. It turned out that his father trusted him. He had only said a few words to lift his confinement.

The second prince ordered the door to be closed, dimming the light and obscuring Consort Liu's pale face.

“Mother, the time has come. The situation will only get worse. Father was able to let it go so easily this time because he still has suspicions about the eldest prince. Although I was framed by him this time, at most it was a draw.”

The second prince was speaking smugly, planning what to do next. The first prince had failed in his first attack, and he would surely follow up with more. The empress was ruthless, and he and his mother needed to discuss how to deal with it.

Seeing that his mother still hadn't responded after all that talking, the Second Prince realized something was wrong. "Mother!"

"Ah...oh." Consort Liu shuddered. "Are you alright?"

He was listless and lacked his previous exuberance.

"I didn't do this. As long as Father Emperor doesn't want to make the eldest prince the crown prince and eliminate me, how could I be bad!"

Consort Liu was so frightened that she pretended to cover his mouth.

The second prince frowned, then continued, "Mother, don't worry, I know what's good for me. The few words we found from the Duan family are too far-fetched and ambiguous. Besides, we still have Meng Qingshan as our trump card."

Upon hearing Meng Qingshan's name, Consort Liu felt a shiver run down her spine and down her neck, her body trembling uncontrollably, wishing she could cover her ears.

"I've already pinned the blame on Huang Pu!"

Clang! Consort Liu gripped the armrest tightly to avoid falling to the ground. She looked up shakily and saw the Second Prince looking refreshed. He closed his eyes tightly, took a breath, and said directly, "Qingli is the granddaughter of the Huang family!"

The second prince opened his mouth, the words repeatedly striking his heart. Suddenly, as if struck by lightning, he froze on the spot and roared, "Qingli... how could she become Huang Pu's granddaughter?!"

Silence fell for a long while.

Granny Luo emerged from the shadows and explained in detail before retreating to the doorway.

For a moment, there was silence, only the disappointment of unfulfilled plans.

The Second Prince and Consort Liu, knowing Qing Li's secrets, used a combination of threats and favors to coerce Meng Qingshan into working for them. However, unexpected complications arose, and now the pawn in their hands had become a weapon of threat. The anger and regret of being fooled completely destroyed the Second Prince's face.

The usually composed and dignified Second Prince, his face filled with hatred and a hint of fear, yet restrained by circumstances, endured it all, but still suddenly kicked over the table.

A series of crackling sounds erupted, but no one moved.

The second prince's mind raced as he meticulously recalled every word spoken in the council hall. A cold sweat broke out; he had a hunch he'd fallen into a trap. But who had orchestrated it? The eldest prince? The empress? Or...?

The second prince's vision was blurred, and he couldn't see which path he had taken, but he knew very clearly in his heart that his father's decision not to pursue him was not because he believed in him, but because he thought that the emperor was nothing special and had already been eliminated!

A ruthless thought quietly rose in his mind, but he suppressed it. It wasn't the right time yet; he needed to navigate this situation smoothly.

He had secretly threatened Meng Qingshan. The Second Prince regretted being so hasty at the time. It seems there is still a chance to turn things around. The key is Qing Li.

Having made up his mind, the second prince said eagerly, "Mother, if we handle this matter properly, it might be like a tiger gaining wings."

Consort Liu's eyes were lifeless as she blankly asked, "How do I do it?"

"Now that Qingli's identity has been revealed, everyone is watching and waiting. We can help her return to the Huang family. We have never had any conflicts before, and with this help, given her importance in Huang Pu's heart, this problem is nothing to worry about."

Without a second thought, Consort Liu exclaimed, "No way!"

Why!

"..."

"Furthermore, why did she end up living in exile back then? I..."

"I said no, and that means no!"

The Second Prince scrutinized Consort Liu closely, his narrow eyes filled with dissatisfaction, cold and devoid of any warmth. This matter should have been arranged by his mother; he didn't need to bring it up at all. Just think of the Empress, such a ruthless woman, scheming at every turn for the sake of the useless First Prince.

It turns out, it wasn't that he was bad, it was just that even his mother wasn't on his side.

"If Mother says it's no good, then it's no good. I'll think of another way. Mother, please get some rest." The Second Prince turned around, opened the palace gate, and strode away.

The night wind whipped against her face, and Consort Liu's face was streaked with tears. "Granny, you may leave."

The palace felt vast and empty. Consort Liu had lived a carefree and radiant life all these years, her pride never wavering. She never dared to look back, nor was she allowed any thoughts to surface. Yet, she always felt lightheaded. Now, however, her heart felt incredibly heavy, devoid of even the most basic dignity. Why did she feel a sense of grounding finally come to her?

In a daze, Consort Liu's heartstrings tightened and loosened repeatedly, her consciousness gradually fading as she drifted into a stupor.

She walked across the boundless wilderness, her silent cries filled with despair. But each time she was about to give up, laughter would give her strength. She wanted to see who dared to laugh at her!

She walked forward, her steps uneven, and saw the handsome man and beautiful woman standing face to face in front of her. She straightened his brocade robe, and he smoothed her disheveled hair and the crooked hairpin. Even the air seemed to be filled with a sweet honey-like fragrance.

There was no frivolous nonchalance on that person's face, only a deep sense of cherishing and solemnity!

Her face was ashen, and she was about to step forward to ask him clearly whether he liked her and what about her!

She chased after them closely, but the two seemed not to hear her, walking hand in hand towards the front. She was furious and strode forward, but every time she grabbed his sleeve, the two would teleport a short distance away. She didn't believe it, but failed every time. The two's laughing voices were like demonic sounds that made her face contort with rage. Before she knew it, she was holding a knife, and in her panic, she slashed heavily at the two of them.

Suddenly a gust of wind swept by, and she raised her sleeve to block it. When she lowered it, Qingli stood in front of her, staring at her mockingly, "How could my father like a shameless and venomous woman like you!"

"My father and mother are a match made in heaven."

"It was you! You were so cruel and heartless, you killed my father and my mother!"

"I've come to claim your life!"

Consort Liu looked at the hateful face in front of her, which was exactly the same as the person she had never let go of in her heart. Did he hate me just as much?

Losing control for a moment, Consort Liu felt a sharp pain on her tongue and the taste of blood filled her mouth. She suddenly came to her senses, her heart filled with turmoil and panic. She was drenched in sweat and sank back into the soft cushions. She was so lucky. That face, that look in her eyes, it was him!