Chapter 474

"I ask you, why are you in such a hurry to teach me so many things and return power to me? Is it because I am about to assume personal rule, or have you always been planning to leave me?"

The Regent felt a sharp pain in his heart as she looked at his tears, but he couldn't let himself sink any further; that would only hurt her.

He lifted his robes, knelt on one knee, and said, "Your Majesty, it is my fault, I shouldn't have..."

"What shouldn't you do? Be nice to me? Or get close to me? Your Highness, why are you avoiding me like this? What have I done wrong?"

Tears streamed down the girl's face, burning his heart like a scorching fireball, causing him excruciating pain and immense guilt.

He went too far, and he pushed her too hard.

"His Majesty……"

Wen Xin looked at the Regent kneeling before her, her voice slightly hoarse, "Your Highness, in your heart, am I truly just an Empress, and is there only the bond between ruler and subject between us?"

The regent clenched his fists, suppressing the denial that would have escaped his lips.

If it were just a matter of loyalty between ruler and subject, that would be fine!

But... he shouldn't have been so beastly as to have inappropriate thoughts about this child.

Seeing his silence, Wen Xin took it as a tacit agreement and burst into tears.

"Liar, liar, Fu Chuxue, you liar, I hate you, I hate you."

The little empress ran out crying.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty, where are you going?"

The palace servants outside cried out in alarm. The regent remained kneeling in place, the intense pain in his heart almost unbearable, and his eyes turned bloodshot.

After a long while, he suddenly stood up, turned around, and said anxiously, "Your Majesty..."

A palace servant rushed in to report, "Your Highness, Granny Wan and her men failed to catch up with His Majesty, and the Phoenix Guards also lost track of him."

"What?"

The Regent's face was frosty. "What are you all doing? You incompetent fools, go find His Majesty right now!"

He strode out, ordering the Moon Shadow Guards and Imperial Guards to seal off the palace and prevent anyone from entering or leaving.

Afterwards, he personally led a group of people throughout the palace to search for the young empress.

...

Meanwhile, Wen Xin hid behind a rockery, took out a few fruits, and leisurely ate them, her face showing no trace of sadness or distress.

Xiao Jin said speechlessly, "Master, there's chaos outside, and you still have the mood to eat fruit here?"

"Otherwise what?" Wen Xin retorted. "Should I go out and tell them I'm here?"

Wasn't she lonely after running away from home?

She's not as brainless as Silly Butterfly!

Besides, this is in the palace, nothing serious is likely to happen, so Wen Xin remained calm.

Xiao Jin: "..."

Encountering an empress who can run away from home at will, one can only feel sorry for the palace servants and guards who are so anxious they're practically losing their hair.

Oh, I feel even more sorry for that Regent.

He's probably filled with guilt for hurting her, and he's also worried that something might happen to her.

But is this really a good idea?

“Master, the Regent is truly doing this for your own good.”

Wen Xin said calmly, "Don't I know? Do you need to tell me?"

Xiao Jin was speechless. It wasn't like it provoked her, so why was she arguing with it?

"So you knew that, why did you still put people through all this trouble?"

It's understandable that the Regent is afraid to face the young Empress's feelings. Putting aside the large age gap between them, he's currently dressed as a woman, so how is he supposed to respond?

Moreover, according to the general rules of novels, who knows if there are any hidden plot points later on?

For example, the regent might actually have a blood feud with the empress.

Wen Xin: "...Believe it or not, I'll have Hong Hong sew up your jinxed mouth?"

What about deep-seated hatred?

Whose family would have such a deep-seated blood feud, yet protect her like the Regent?

Then his ancestors must be turning in their graves.

Nonsense!

Xiao Jin muttered to herself: "Given how the male supporting character is so eager to dig up wild vegetables from all over the land, even if the master's parents really killed his whole family, he would never hate her."

Wen Xin: "..."

What kind of bizarre and abusive writing style is this?

I absolutely refuse!

Silly butterfly, shut up! Don't jinx it!

Furthermore, the Regent is the son of the former Prince of Zhennan, and the first Prince of Zhennan followed the founding Empress in her campaigns to establish Fengyuan. After that, the Fu family guarded the border for generations and enjoyed the trust of successive empresses.

To this day, nothing has happened in the Zhennan Prince's Mansion that has become too powerful and threatened the emperor's authority, leading to the emperor's decision to eliminate them.

Where did this blood feud come from?

Xiao Jin timidly reminded him, "Master, don't forget, the Regent is a man. If there's nothing fishy going on, why would he dress up as a woman to enter the court?"

Wen Xin retorted, "What if he's just unwilling to be confined to the inner quarters and wants to make a name for himself?"

It could also be some kind of power struggle drama within the inner quarters of the Prince of Zhennan's mansion.

In any case, Her Majesty the Empress would never accept the hidden script of having a grudge against the Regent.

Xiao Jin: "..."

The master is quite adept at bringing shame upon himself!

But does the fact cease to exist just because she doesn't accept it?

It's obvious that the Regent's suppression of his emotions suggests a serious problem is brewing.

Wen Xin covered her ears: I won't listen, I won't listen! I only want to have a sweet romance with His Highness the Regent, and I refuse to follow the tropes of tragic romance novels.

Xiao Jin: "..." The willful and rebellious master doesn't need explanation.

"So, will your departure from home this time make the Regent accept you?"

"No way!"

"..."

So you put on this whole show because you're going through a phase of teenage angst?

Wen Xin snorted, so what if I'm going through a chuunibyou phase?

I was just a child to begin with.

Besides, some attitudes need to be made public.

Otherwise, the regent will only try to avoid her more and more.

I swear on the life of this silly butterfly, the Regent is so eager to make her a qualified emperor and return all power to her, he must also be thinking of running away from home.

Oh, running away from home?

Alright, I'll go first!

We've outmaneuvered him completely, let's see what he does next.

Xiao Jin: "..." Did you think the Regent was as immature as you?

Furthermore, why swear on its life? What did it do to deserve this?

Wen Xin took a big bite of the fruit.

If she doesn't make a big scene and make him anxious, he'll think she's really spineless.

Well, maybe after running away from home this time, she won't have to do homework or review official documents anymore.

I am so clever!

Little Gold looked up at the sky, thinking, "Isn't this the master's most important goal?"

Master, are you really that lazy?

Wen Xin, how dare you!

Anyway, she and the Regent will be husband and wife from now on, so who cares who?

No need to be shy!

Xiao Jin: Hehe!

Did the regent agree?

Wen Xin confidently rested her chin on her hand; he must have a purpose.

Silly butterfly, you're not smart enough, what do you know?

Little Jin, stabbed again: "..."

Alright, you two can go play by yourselves, it's leaving!

...

The sudden increase in security at the palace left all the officials and nobles bewildered.

What is the Regent up to?

Could it be that His Majesty's scheme was discovered by the Regent, and His Highness, in a fit of anger, is about to stage a coup?

Oh no, oh no, the world is about to change in Fengyuan!