Chapter 146 The Imperial Concubine Escapes in a Flash!

So that's how it is? It turns out that's how it is?

how so?

Consort Liu had made thorough preparations, but she never expected that she was still unprepared. She never imagined that Xiao Xingyuan and Meng Yanzhi had developed to this point!

"Rouge, are you stupid?!"

"You've already given yourself away, don't you want a title?"

Consort Liu felt no resentment, only heartache. She couldn't understand why Meng Yanzhi, such a clever and intelligent girl, would act this way.

"Your Majesty, I am truly terrified of life in the palace, and I really do not wish to enter the palace!"

"But I am willing to protect Your Highness, serve Your Highness, and help Your Highness step by step to that highest position!"

Meng Yanzhi kowtowed deeply, speaking with heartfelt sincerity!

"Get up first."

Consort Liu helped the person up and was still in a daze for a long time. The main reason was that Meng Yanzhi's words were too much information. For a moment, Consort Liu didn't even know what to do. In desperation, she could only sigh and say, "Fine, fine. Since you are unwilling, then forget it. I will pretend I never heard of this matter."

"Your Majesty," Meng Yanzhi's voice choked with emotion, "Your Majesty really doesn't blame me?"

Consort Liu looked at her pitiful appearance and smiled faintly: "I trust you. Even if something like this happened between you, I believe you didn't do it on purpose. There must be a reason."

Even though Meng Yanzhi never explained the reason, Consort Liu knew it must be Xiao Xingyuan's fault!

"Your Highness, why are you so kind to me?" Meng Yanzhi's tears fell. "Since returning to the capital, I have only seen my parents' harshness and the disdain of the noble ladies in the capital. Why are you so kind to me, Your Highness?"

In both her past and present lives, Meng Yanzhi received far too little kindness. She couldn't understand why someone like Consort Liu would treat her so well.

Consort Liu knew that Meng Yanzhi was having a hard time at home, so she smiled gently, took out a handkerchief, and gently wiped away her tears. Then she said softly, "Because our Yanzhi was originally a very, very good person."

A really, really good person?

In both her past and present lives, Meng Yanzhi had never been praised like this before, and her tears fell like beads from a broken string.

"Your Majesty." Meng Yanzhi sobbed uncontrollably, then hugged Consort Liu tightly, letting her tears fly freely, wanting only to hold onto this last bit of warmth.

As Xiao Xingyuan entered, he saw Meng Yanzhi holding Consort Liu and weeping uncontrollably, as if she had suffered some great injustice.

He stood there, unsure whether to go in or go out, feeling incredibly awkward.

Finally, Consort Liu noticed Xiao Xingyuan first, and hurriedly stood up and bowed to him, saying, "Your Majesty, I pay my respects!"

"Your Majesty, this humble woman pays her respects." Meng Yanzhi had already wiped away her tears discreetly and knelt on the ground, behaving respectfully.

Xiao Xingyuan asked expressionlessly, "What are you doing?"

"It's nothing. I just missed my family. Seeing Your Highness felt very warm and familiar, which is why I cried."

"It's all my fault, I was impolite."

Meng Yanzhi remained kneeling on the ground without even raising her head, spouting lies and taking all the blame upon herself.

Consort Liu almost burst out laughing when she heard this. She really didn't expect that Meng Yanzhi, who looked so docile and obedient, would lie, and even deceive the emperor.

Xiao Xingyuan knew perfectly well that Meng Yanzhi was lying. To her, the Meng family was like a monstrous flood. How could she possibly miss her family and cry while hugging Consort Liu? She simply didn't want to tell him the truth: the two of them had a little secret!

"Your Majesty, I suddenly remembered that there are still some matters to attend to in the palace, so I will return first."

"Your Majesty, I take my leave."

Although Consort Liu usually enjoyed eating and drinking, she was quite clever when it mattered, and she immediately turned and ran away.

That's so unfair!

Looking at Consort Liu's retreating figure, Meng Yanzhi felt utterly devastated. She truly hadn't expected Consort Liu to abandon her like this at such a time. This was simply too much!

"Why are you crying?"

Xiao Xingyuan walked over, grabbed Meng Yanzhi from the ground, pulled her up, and held her in his arms. Then he made her sit down.

Meng Yanzhi was forced to sit on Xiao Xingyuan's lap, and when she met Xiao Xingyuan's somewhat teasing gaze, she felt a little uncomfortable.

She thought for a moment, then said, "No, it's nothing. I was just sick and in a bad mood. I cried because I saw Your Majesty come to care about me."

Are you unhappy?

Xiao Xingyuan had noticed Meng Yanzhi's unhappiness long ago; even when she was usually smiling, there was always a hint of something on her mind.

But Xiao Xingyuan really didn't understand why Meng Yanzhi was like this.

Upon hearing this, Meng Yanzhi sighed helplessly and then said, "Your Majesty, it's not that I'm unhappy, but that I'm simply not happy at all."

“I was abandoned in a mountain village when I was young, and as I grew up, I was hated even more. My relatives despised me and rejected me. They all disliked me. I really don’t know why I should be happy.” After saying this, Meng Yanzhi got out of Xiao Xingyuan’s arms.

She mustered her courage and looked at Xiao Xingyuan, then her eyebrows furrowed tightly as she spoke, "Your Majesty, I don't want anything, really. I just want to find a place where nobody knows me, to live a good life. I want to get away from those who hurt me, I want to get away from those who know me. I want to create a new world for myself. Do you understand?"

Although Xiao Xingyuan didn't say anything, Meng Yanzhi knew from the increasingly deep look in his eyes that he understood what she meant.

Originally, Meng Yanzhi thought she was about to face a storm, but Xiao Xingyuan said nothing, he just got up and strode outside.

In the time that followed, it was as if there was an unspeakable barrier between the two of them, and neither of them could see the other.

Meng Yanzhi, in particular, stayed huddled in her small room and wouldn't go out no matter how much Wang Huanhai sighed by the window, as if she couldn't see or hear anything.

As Wang Huanhai watched Xiao Xingyuan's face grow darker day by day, he was so frightened that he dared not even breathe. When serving him, he was extremely careful, fearing that the slightest mistake would cost him his head.

It was only a few days, and neither of the two parties involved was in any serious trouble, but Wang Huanhai, caught in the middle, was on the verge of collapse.