"What did Tao Rong do to offend you?" Emperor Mingyang asked the Empress as he sat down, then gestured for Deng Quan to bring Tao Rong a chair.

This attitude made the Empress realize even more that Tao Rong was no ordinary person. She was clearly just a commoner, yet she could sit down and be on equal footing with the Emperor and Empress. What was her status? What gave her the right to do so?

That was true, but since it was the emperor's order, she dared not say anything.

"She showed no respect for Your Majesty and spoke disrespectfully to me, which is naturally offensive. Thirty strokes of the cane is too lenient." The Empress and Emperor Mingyang were childhood sweethearts, but their marriage was a political alliance, and Emperor Mingyang had no real feelings for the Empress.

If I had to say, we could only manage to be as respectful as guests.

"Tell me," Emperor Mingyang asked Tao Rong again.

Tao Rong then obediently replied, "Today, Her Majesty the Empress summoned me here. I knelt for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. I was worried about A-Yue's health and wanted to return as soon as possible. So I asked Her Majesty what important matter she had to discuss. Her Majesty then bluntly told me that I had offended her."

What she said was half true and half false, but that's precisely what makes her words so convincing.

"You're talking nonsense! That's not what you just said!" The Empress's eyes widened, completely surprised that Tao Rong would twist the truth.

Tao Rong lowered her eyes, appearing gentle but actually neither humble nor arrogant.

Emperor Mingyang and Tao Rong had spent some time together, and it was clear that she was not the kind of weak and dependent person who would always go along with others. She was very strong-willed, but that did not mean she had no sense of hierarchy.

“Your Majesty, I did not lie.”

She only said that one sentence, and then shut up, seemingly unwilling to explain anything further.

This immediately presents a stark contrast to the ferocious and aggressive queen.

"Empress, then tell me what she said." Emperor Mingyang showed no emotion, seemingly handling the matter as if it were business.

How could the Empress possibly say that? She couldn't very well say that she felt everything Tao Rong said was wrong because she was jealous, could she?

She's not good at palace intrigue, but she's not that bad at thinking.

She took a deep breath, clutching her handkerchief, and said, "Since Your Majesty does not believe me, then there is no point in me saying anything."

Emperor Mingyang knew the Empress's temperament well, and said, "This is Xishan Temple, not the palace. Tao Rong is no stranger, so don't humiliate her."

The Empress's face flushed red and then turned pale with anger, her chest heaving violently, but she dared not utter a word against the Emperor.

"Aren't you worried about your nephew? Let's go."

Emperor Mingyang brought Tao Rong out, and along the way he asked her, "Rong, do you know Princess Chen?"

Tao Rong chuckled and replied, "Of course we know each other. When I accidentally wandered into the hunting grounds earlier, it was Princess Chen who put my mind at ease."

She seemed somewhat nostalgic. Her clear eyes were full of tenderness. "That was the first time I met His Majesty."

Emperor Mingyang also recalled the scene that day. She was like a fairy who had mistakenly entered the mortal world. She was not dressed in fine silks and satins, nor was she adorned with pearls and jade. Yet she was calm and serene, and her temperament was particularly eye-catching.

It's impossible for him to have absolutely no feelings for Tao Rong; he just felt that those feelings weren't enough to make him do anything about it.

Beauty is not something you necessarily have to have.

"Thank you for saving me today, Your Majesty." She lowered her head, reached out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear that had been blown by the wind, and her beautiful, fair neck was exposed to Emperor Mingyang in a delicate manner.

This posture is very appealing to men, and Emperor Mingyang was no exception.

"What would you have done if I hadn't come?"

Tao Rong looked up, her eyes full of trust. "His Majesty won't not come. I believe in His Majesty. He will come and save me."

This trust greatly satisfied Emperor Mingyang's chauvinistic tendencies.

He stopped, reached out and took Tao Rong's hand, and asked her, "Rong, would you like to return to the palace with me?"

These were words spoken in a moment of impulse, and Emperor Mingyang was aware of them, but he didn't think there was anything wrong with them. He was the emperor, and no one would refuse the emperor.

Tao Rong seemed stunned, staring blankly at Emperor Mingyang.

She was born beautiful, with a very distinctive kind of beauty, and her silly, dazed look was actually kind of cute and endearing.

"This...this is not appropriate," Tao Rong said in a flustered manner, stammering.

He knew he had managed to break free from the emperor's grasp.

This is the second woman to refuse Emperor Mingyang; the first was Qin Su, and the second was Tao Rong.

The previous woman had already married his younger brother, and Emperor Mingyang was willing to let her go, but he was still somewhat unwilling in his heart.

This resentment reached its peak when Tao Rong refused.

But his gentlemanly conduct prevented him from getting angry, so he simply asked, "Why is it inappropriate?"

Tao Rong bit her lip, looked at Emperor Mingyang with her watery eyes, and said, "I am just a commoner, how can I accompany Your Majesty? That is naturally inappropriate."

Upon hearing Tao Rong's words, Emperor Mingyang immediately said that there was nothing wrong with it, "As long as I agree, there is nothing wrong with it."

Tao Rong still seemed hesitant. She said, "Your Majesty, could you allow me to consider this?"

Emperor Mingyang was unwilling to force others, and when he heard her say this, even though he felt somewhat displeased and unwilling, he still nodded.

"I will return to the palace the day after tomorrow, and you can give me your answer then."

Tao Rong bowed and withdrew.

It has to be said that she really knows how to manipulate men's hearts; men never cherish things that are too easily obtained.

Tao Rong didn't want temporary favor; she wanted to become the most favored concubine in the palace and a useful pawn for the Prince Chen's wife.

Emperor Mingyang had been waiting for news from Tao Rong for the past two days, and on the evening of the second day, he heard that Tao Rong had taken her nephew down the mountain.

This was completely unexpected for him.

He summoned Deng Quan and asked with a melancholy tone, "Am I getting old?"

Deng Quan knew what Emperor Mingyang was worried about. As an observer, he only felt that this Miss Tao was very skillful. However, Emperor Mingyang was still in high spirits, and he could not risk offending him. He said, "Your Majesty is very young. You are not even thirty years old yet. How can you be old?"

He comforted Emperor Mingyang, "Your Majesty is troubled by Miss Tao's matter, isn't he?"

Emperor Mingyang sighed. Deng Quan was his confidant, and he didn't want to hide anything from him. "You said Qin Su's rejection of me before was understandable. Why did Tao Rong do the same? Am I really that worthless?"

Deng Quan said again, "Why should Your Majesty worry? If you like him, wouldn't it be better to just bring him into the palace?"

Emperor Mingyang glared at him. "Am I that kind of person? I don't want to force her. She is resilient and independent, the most beautiful flower on the mountaintop."

If you force it, the flowers will wither and lose their beauty.

Deng Quan: "..."

"Perhaps Miss Tao simply feels that her status is too low and she is not worthy of His Majesty. There is another possibility: Miss Tao has not seen His Majesty's true feelings. For ordinary people, what they hope for is not to fly on their fingers, but to find a soulmate and stay together until old age."

His Majesty has clearly fallen for her, and this... cannot be compared to the other concubines.

Therefore, he still needs to investigate this person to make sure he doesn't have any ulterior motives.