First seizure of power
Inside the palace's bedrooms, the scent of ambergris was so thick that it almost stagnated.
Lying on the dragon couch, the emperor's face was still pale, but his breathing was much steadier. His left leg was fixed with a thick bandage, and the injury still looked shocking.
Ning Lingyi, dressed in a soft, moon-white dress, her dark hair loosely tied up, sat quietly by the couch. She moved an embroidered cushion close to the bed and sat there, gently holding her father's uninjured hand with both hands, a gentle and affectionate gesture.
But she knew in her heart that beneath this gentleness, there was no longer complete dependence. Her father's order was like a bucket of cold water poured over her head, making her see clearly the weight of favor in the face of power and the kingdom.
Now, she stayed here, not only to fulfill her filial duty, but also for her mother and herself, to protect the most critical support in front of her.
After everyone left, only the father and daughter were left in the hall.
The emperor slowly opened his eyes and looked at his daughter beside the bed. With fatigue after his injury, he said, "Silly girl, you've been with me for so long, you must be bored. Why don't you go out and relax?"
Ning Lingyi shook her head and gently placed her face against the back of her father's hand. "I don't want to go anywhere. I just want to stay with you, Father. You've really scared me."
The emperor gently stroked the top of her head with his uninjured hand. "Are you scared? I never thought that chasing a bear would end up like this."
"Father isn't old!" Ning Lingyi immediately raised her head and retorted, her eyes slightly red. "It's just that the place is too dangerous. Father, you need to get better soon."
This worry is true, her father is her most important protection at the moment.
She really can't leave her father.
"Alright, alright," the emperor said, smiling, stopping her. "I've heard you pray for me every day. My pearl has truly grown up."
Ning Lingyi lowered her eyes due to the praise and rubbed her father's palm, like a spoiled child, but her heart felt bitter. It turned out that the blood relationship had also turned into exploitation.
"Yier," he began slowly, "I still remember when you were little, chasing butterflies in the Imperial Garden. You fell and cried uncontrollably. I carried you on my shoulders and ran around the garden, and only then did you burst into laughter."
She listened obediently. The warmer the cherished past was, the more embarrassing the reality seemed.
With a smile in his eyes, he said, "At that time, I thought that my pearl should live a carefree life like this. In two years, I will marry you to Pan Hao, the silly boy from the general's family. That child may be a little reckless, but he has a pure heart. With me here, I can always protect your peace and happiness for the rest of your life."
Pan Hao...the young man who always grinned at her. The stable and smooth future that his father had described was ultimately cut off by his own hands.
She suppressed the lump in her throat and let the tears well up in her eyes: "As long as my father is here, I am naturally safe and happy."
This sentence is 70% performance and 30% the sense of loss that we can never go back.
The emperor's voice dropped. "I broke my promise. I'm sorry for the Beishuo marriage, Yi'er. Tuoba Hong is a man of deep thoughts. Handing you over to him has worried me day and night."
"I am not wronged, father, please don't say that!" Ning Lingyi said hurriedly, her tone pretending to be sensible.
He patted her hand and said, "Your brother, the Crown Prince, is a kind and good child. He will definitely protect you well in the future."
"Father..." Ning Lingyi's voice was choked with dependence.
Prince? Could he care for her far away in Beishuo? He would probably just use her to appease Beishuo. She had long understood that the only thing she could rely on was the power she held in her own hands.
She raised her wet eyelashes and cautiously asked, "But Father, I am still afraid. If I had a few capable people around to help me, I would feel more at ease."
She carefully observed her father's expression, and seeing his gentle gaze, she continued, "The newly crowned third place scholar, Shen Qingyan, whom I saw from afar at the Qionglin Banquet, was known for his refined conversation. If I had such a talent by my side as my advisor, I might feel less anxious in Beishuo."
The emperor felt even more heartbroken when he saw his daughter's tearful and timid appearance. Her naive scheme only made him want to make amends even more.
"Silly child," the emperor sighed softly, "you are my jewel. You can employ anyone you want, as long as it is within the law of propriety. If Shen Tanhua is willing to serve you, I think it is also acceptable."
This is tacit consent. Done!
Ning Lingyi felt relieved. She finally took the first step.
The emperor paused, his eyes becoming unusually serious. "This marriage is a shackle, but it may also be your support. You must open your eyes and see him clearly, see Beishu clearly. To protect yourself, and for your father and the Southern Dynasty, you must observe and think more."
He squeezed his daughter's hand with a slight force. "As long as there's time, there will always be a turning point. Do you understand?"
A turning point? There seemed to be a glimmer of hope hidden in my father's words.
Whatever it was, it gave her a direction.
"I understand!" Ning Lingyi's tears fell, this time with a touch of genuine gratitude. "I will be fine, waiting for a turnaround, and will never let Father down!"
The emperor smiled with satisfaction: "Well, this is my pearl." Fatigue came over him again, and his eyelids closed heavily. "Go, go and rest..."
"Your son is just outside." Ning Lingyi responded softly, tucked in the corners of the quilt for her father, and quietly retreated to the outer hall.
She didn't leave, but simply leaned on the soft couch by the window. Her father's favor was, after all, the last barrier between them, mother and daughter. Now, this favor had been transformed into her first authority.
Shen Qingyan is just the beginning.
She needs more talent, more power that belongs to her.
At this moment, a figure suddenly broke into my mind - Tuoba Hong.
He was an envoy from Beishuo, had saved the emperor's father, and was also her nominal husband.
Understanding him is the top priority.
Ning Lingyi stood up, straightened her clothes, quietly walked out of the bedroom, and headed towards the brightly lit banquet hall.
The banquet was indeed boisterous. The Crown Prince sat at the head of the table, poised and composed, displaying the demeanor of a crown prince. Her gaze roamed the crowd, quickly locking onto the dark figure.
Tuoba Hong did not participate in the greetings around him, but only held a golden cup.
The lights danced, illuminating his deep and carved outline. He just sat there, in the center of the bustling city, but like a solitary peak, exuding an aloofness that was incompatible with this Southern Dynasty feast.
Ning Lingyi frowned slightly.
This man is by no means a simple reckless man.
Her resistance to Tuoba Hong had not diminished, but at this moment, looking at the silhouette that seemed to be silently examining the hunting ground, an extremely complex emotion quietly grew.
The night wind blew by, bringing with it the chill of late autumn. Ning Lingyi took a deep look at the lonely figure, then turned quietly and disappeared into the dark night.
Tuoba Hong, what exactly are your desires, your weaknesses and soft spots?
I will see clearly.
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