The carriage stopped, the driver lifted the curtain, and Song Yue bent down to get off. Looking at the high wall, the red walls and green tiles stretched as far as the eye could see.
She pursed her lips and followed him into the palace with a solemn expression.
During the morning court session, people came and went.
Many ministers stared at the Duke of Jingguo, their expressions varying.
"Lord Duke, is this Miss Song, who returned a few days ago?"
"Exactly."
"The Third Sister has survived a great calamity; she is sure to have good fortune in the future."
"The Third Miss's features are very similar to those of an old friend."
More and more people surrounded her, but Song Yue remained composed and continued walking forward. Suddenly, she felt a sharp gaze fixed on her.
She met his gaze; it was the Prince of Zhennan.
Standing beside the Prince of Zhennan was a spirited young man, Pei Zhao!
Pei Zhao stared at Song Yue with curiosity. He had heard Song Yao mention that Song Yue was born mentally challenged, needed help with eating, drinking, and toileting, was extremely weak, could not read or write, was a wild girl, and was incredibly ugly.
Upon first meeting Song Yue, Pei Zhao was certain that the other woman was not stupid.
Those eyes, as bright as stars, were astonishing.
The calm demeanor emanating from him made him seem less ill-mannered and more naturally elegant.
Their eyes met.
Pei Zhao wanted to say hello, after all, Song Yue was still his fiancée.
Song Yue merely glanced at him briefly before withdrawing her expression, her eyes remaining calm and unperturbed, completely ignoring him.
Pei Zhao frowned.
He was a chosen one of heaven, the eldest son of the Prince of Zhennan, and a top scholar in both literature and martial arts. Countless girls in the capital dreamed of marrying him.
But Song Yue only glanced at him?
"Sister Yue, this is the Prince of Zhennan, and this is the Prince of Zhennan's heir," Jingguo introduced.
Song Yue bowed gracefully to the Duke of Jingguo and gave a standard salute: "Greetings, Prince Zhennan, Your Highness."
The Prince of Zhennan raised an eyebrow, unable to find any fault with Song Yue. He secretly sighed that it was quite impressive that she could follow the rules and etiquette without making any mistakes in just a few days.
But the thought of Song Yue being violated made the Prince of Zhennan unable to like her at all, so he nodded as a way of saying hello.
The group entered the palace together.
Since it was the morning court session, Song Yue was arranged to wait in a side hall.
The eunuch who delivered the imperial decree brought her exquisite tea and snacks.
"Thank you for your trouble, Eunuch Li." Song Yue curtsied respectfully to Eunuch Li.
The eunuch, flattered, helped Song Yue up: "Third Miss, you flatter this old servant. Please sit down. The Emperor has been wanting to see you ever since he heard you were back, but he has been too busy to find the time. Please don't take it to heart. The Emperor has not forgotten you over the years, but he has just come to power and his foundation is not yet stable, so he has not disturbed you."
Song Yue believed this.
The Emperor of Northern Chu was busy with official duties day and night. Beset by internal and external troubles, he was already overwhelmed and had to deal with those stubborn old men outside.
She didn't dare contact him because she was worried it would cause her trouble.
The fact that the Northern Chu Emperor is now looking for her means that he has the right to protect her.
Before Song Yue could even finish her tea, the eunuch outside announced that the morning court session was over. The eunuch was surprised and quickly led Song Yue to the main hall.
As I stepped across the threshold, a familiar atmosphere greeted me.
Looking at the haggard-looking middle-aged man on the dragon throne, Song Yue felt a lump in her throat.
Although the Emperor of Northern Chu was not her father, he did what a father should do for her. In Song Yue's heart, he was like a father to her.
"Song Yue greets His Majesty."
The man on the dragon throne was overcome with emotion upon seeing Song Yue. He stumbled to his feet, descended the steps, and personally helped Song Yue up, saying, "Yue'er, let me take a good look at you."
Song Yue looked up.
A face that looked remarkably like Princess Jia Hua suddenly appeared before them.
A look of surprise crossed the solemn face of the Northern Chu Emperor. He squeezed her thin wrist, his expression darkening, his voice carrying an air of authority: "Song Kaifeng, how have you been taking care of Yue'er? I remember Yue'er is thirteen years old, but she looks like a ten-year-old child."
When the Duke of Jing was addressed by his full name, he bowed and said nervously, "Your Majesty, this child has been weak since childhood, which is why he couldn't grow up."
The Emperor of Northern Chu gave a cold snort.
The Duke of Jingguo was so frightened that his legs went weak and he knelt on the ground. He winked at Song Yue, hoping that she would put in a good word for him.
Song Yue ignored it.
The Duke of Jingguo was so angry that he cursed inwardly.
"Now that you're back, how is the Duke of Jingguo's mansion treating you?" the Emperor of Northern Chu asked.
Song Yue didn't say anything, her eyes instantly reddened, and she pouted aggrievedly.
The Duke of Jingguo wanted nothing more than to strangle this wretched child.
The Northern Chu Emperor's face grew increasingly gloomy, a sign that a storm was brewing, causing everyone present to kneel down. Only then did Song Yue speak up, "Your Majesty, I am perfectly fine."
The Northern Chu Emperor knew half of what had happened at the Duke of Jingguo's mansion. He glanced at the Prefect of Jingzhao, who had been waiting for a long time, and asked, "Tell me, what exactly happened when the fire broke out at the villa?"
The Prefect of Jingzhao knelt and moved to the Emperor of Northern Chu: "Your Majesty, I have thoroughly investigated the matter. The surrounding people can all testify that there was nothing unusual on the day the villa caught fire, nor were there any thieves. There were no valuables in that villa. It was used to grow some fruits and vegetables to supply the Duke of Jingguo's mansion. There is no reason for it to attract thieves."
The Northern Chu Emperor's eyes turned bloodshot as he roared in fury, "So, it was because of one of my words that Yue'er was brought to her death?"
If it weren't for the Northern Chu Emperor mentioning Song Yue in court...
Who would have thought of that Zhuangzi?
Seeing the Northern Chu Emperor's anger, Song Yue knelt on the ground: "Your Majesty, this thief may not be after money."
Seeing her kneel down, the Emperor of Northern Chu suppressed his anger and softened his voice: "Yue'er, you don't need to kneel when you enter the palace in the future."
This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
