Chapter 115 A Moment of Thought
You said before that you wouldn't stop the marriage, but you just want to take advantage of someone's misfortune!
Song Lingyi's red lips moved as she whispered, "This case isn't difficult to investigate. I believe the Pacification Bureau will soon get to the bottom of it and clear my cousin's name."
Xiao Mingyi raised his eyelids, glanced at her, and said in a neutral tone, "You trust the young master so much, what if he really buys and sells forbidden incense?"
"Impossible, he said no, he wouldn't lie to me."
Seeing how much she trusted Lu Qian, Xiao Mingyi's phoenix eyes flashed with a dark color, but his expression remained unchanged, as calm as ever. "Grandfather Emperor issued a decree prohibiting the circulation of Xianxiang in Dayuan, but cases of Xianxiang trafficking have emerged one after another in recent years. This case can be big or small, it all depends on my decision."
In a moment of thought?
Song Lingyi frowned, suddenly realizing that her previous thoughts were too naive.
The man in front of her was no longer the bandit leader who had been in dire straits in the past. He sat high in the temple, wearing a brocade robe with python patterns that symbolized the majesty of the royal family. He was the most powerful man in the world. If she wanted to see him, she only had to raise her finger and he would enter the palace quietly.
If you want to use the case of the gigolo to threaten her into compromise, does it matter what the truth is?
If the emperor breaks the law, he will be punished just like the common people. So what if he is a young master in the Duke's Mansion? Once he is convicted, he has to accept the punishment.
Thinking back to her grandmother's worries, her uncle's humble request for help, and her aunt lying on the sickbed, she felt a surge of grief, anger, disappointment, and other emotions, a lump in her throat.
If the pretty boy is sentenced for this, I can’t imagine how big a blow it will be to the Lu family.
But would it be fair to Pei Zhao if she compromised with marriage? He clearly did nothing wrong.
Although she had expected this, when the moment finally came, she felt a deep sense of powerlessness, and the forced calmness on her face completely collapsed.
The man at the top sat quietly, casually observing every subtle change in the girl's expression, as if admiring the dying struggle of a prey caught in a trap.
After a long silence, Song Lingyi clenched her fingers and forced herself to meet that fierce gaze.
"So, Your Highness abducted me into the palace in order to use your power to force me to beg for mercy like a stray dog. Please spare my cousin?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the face half hidden in the shadows suddenly changed its expression, and a cold look appeared in the eyes.
Before I could speak, I heard her continue with anger:
"What's the price?"
"Do you want me to break off my engagement with the Pei family and enter the palace as a concubine? Treat me like a pet, relying on you to survive. When you're happy, tease me like before, and when you're bored, discard me like a worn-out shoe."
As soon as he finished speaking, the remaining smile on the man's lips completely disappeared, replaced by a cold expression that brooked no argument. "Nonsense, when did I treat you as a pet?!"
Song Lingyi looked at him indifferently and couldn't help but sneer: "Yes, I was wrong. You are the high and mighty Crown Prince who controls the world. How could you take a woman like me seriously?"
"You're not treating me like a pet. You just don't know how to respect others. That's why you disregard my thoughts and wishes. As long as you can achieve your goals, you can do whatever you want!"
There was dead silence in the hall.
Before, Song Lingyi knew how ugly Xiao Mingyi's expression was and would not even look up at him, but this time, she was so angry that she raised her head and stared at him straight, without any fear.
The man's dark eyes grew darker.
He admitted that he had the idea of using this incident to force her to break off the engagement, but he didn't understand where she came to such a conclusion.
He believed that he did not look down on her. If he really did, he would not have taken the trouble to find her in the first place, or even allowed her to become the Crown Princess.
But was she wrong? It seems not.
He did force her to do something, and even if he didn't have that intention, it couldn't change the fact that it made her sad.
There was a silent confrontation in the hall. The eunuchs waiting outside the hall heard the quarrel inside and were all shocked. They thought to themselves that this Miss Song was so bold that she dared to speak to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince in such a way!
The emperor retired to the temporary palace, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince held all the power. He was the uncrowned king of the abyss. Hasn't he heard that when the emperor is angry, blood will flow like a river?
The young eunuch who had escorted Song Lingyi to the Eastern Palace whispered, "Master, this Miss Song is incredibly bold. Do you think the Crown Prince will punish her?"
Feng Tong reached out and patted his hat, scolding him lightly: "Don't ask questions that you shouldn't ask!"
In fact, he was also very nervous. All the civil and military officials in the court obeyed His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, and all the noble ladies in Kyoto hoped to win His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's favor. But this Miss Song was so ungrateful.
Faced with a marriage that others could not even hope for, she not only refused it, but also dared to point at the Crown Prince's nose, implying that he was acting overbearingly.
The silence in the hall was eerily quiet, as if time had been stretched infinitely, passing slowly and painfully.
The atmosphere was silent for a moment, and then a low sigh was heard from the person above. His deep eyes were always fixed on her cold face.
Xiao Mingyi knew that using Lu Qian's case to pressure her would only backfire. There were more ways to get her to break off the engagement. Rather than pressing her too hard and annoying her, it would be better to use a gentle approach and wait for the right opportunity.
Under Song Lingyi's trembling eyes, he said slowly, "If I really treated you as a dispensable pet, I wouldn't have to ask you to break off the engagement. I could have just kidnapped you into the palace, imprisoned you, and doted on you every day. Why would I bother to go through the trouble of granting you the position of Crown Princess?"
Hearing what he said, Song Lingyi's eyes showed a hint of fear, and her face turned a faint red with embarrassment.
Later I realized that the words I said to anger him were just for the sake of momentary pleasure and were too childish.
She is now in the East Palace. If he really wants to imprison her, no one will know her whereabouts, and even the case of the pretty boy will be at a dead end.
Xiao Mingyi caught a glimpse of her fear, his eyes dimming slightly: "But I won't do that. I came to you today just to see you."
"……"ah?
Look at her? That's it?
"What's so good about me?" Song Lingyi muttered, and suddenly she felt the heat in those black eyes, as if a ball of fire was about to devour her. The naked desire made her heart tighten and her cheeks hot.
"It has been nearly two months since I last saw you. I thought that when something happened to the young master, you would come to the palace to plead for mercy, but I didn't expect that I would have to send someone to invite you personally." Xiao Mingyi said.
The tone of weakness and doting made Song Lingyi feel at a loss for what to do.
If he were more assertive, she could still have remained stubborn, but this feeling of being stuck in the middle was truly strange. It made her feel like she had cheated on him and was irresponsible.
"I did think about asking for mercy, but I didn't want to be threatened and didn't want to break off the engagement," she said.
Seeing her attitude soften, Xiao Mingyi's eyes grew darker, a faint smile playing on his lips: "I will not threaten you. The pacification office has thoroughly investigated the young master's case. We will summon him to the capital tomorrow and let him go home."
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