Several days passed.
As evening approached, someone from Chaoyang Palace came to Tingyu Tower to deliver a message, saying that the Emperor had summoned Su Tiyue to come over.
But when Su Tiyue arrived at Chaoyang Palace and entered the main hall, she found it empty and deserted.
Just as she was feeling bewildered and lost, someone walked in from outside the palace.
It's Zhou Lin.
"As expected, we meet again, Consort Shu." He didn't seem surprised to see Su Tiyue at Chaoyang Palace, and his first words were very natural.
That day, Zhou Lin said that they would meet again soon, but Su Tiyue did not expect it to be so soon, especially in this place.
Su Tiyue glanced behind him but didn't see the Emperor. She said calmly, "I was summoned by the Emperor. May I ask, Your Highness...?"
"What a coincidence, me too. Perhaps the Emperor wants to summon more than just the two of us. Why don't we sit down and have a cup of tea together?"
Before she could refuse, Zhou Lin gestured for her to come in: "Your Majesty, please come in."
Zhou Lin led Su Tiyue into the left-hand side room of the main hall, which was separated from the main hall only by a screen with auspicious cloud patterns.
Once the curtains around the screen are drawn, as long as the people inside remain silent and make no noise, they will not be able to detect that there are other people in the hall.
Su Tiyue sat upright beside the low table, glanced at the screen and curtain, and asked, "What does Your Highness mean by this?"
Zhou Lin smiled: "It's nothing, I just wanted to invite Your Highness to watch a play..."
He paused for a moment, then suddenly remembered that they couldn't see anything from their current positions, so he changed his words: "Please, Your Majesty, listen to a play."
"Listen to opera?" Su Tiyue frowned slightly, becoming more and more confused the more she asked.
"Yes, this is also His Majesty's intention. Your Highness, remember not to make a sound later..."
Zhou Lin spoke slowly with his head down, then poured Su Tiyue a cup of tea and gently pushed the teacup towards her.
Su Tiyue stared intently at the tea in front of her, a sense of unease beginning to creep into her heart.
I had a vague feeling that this matter was probably related to Xiao Heye.
Sure enough, after a short while, voices and footsteps could be heard outside the hall.
"Night is approaching. Why has the Emperor summoned us here?"
Su Tiyue turned her head slightly and looked towards the doorway. Although she couldn't see anything, she could hear Xiao Heye's voice very clearly.
Moreover, in this palace, the only person who would dare to refer to himself as "our family" in front of the emperor is probably Xiao Heye.
Zhou Tingyue stepped into the hall first, and after sitting down on the dragon throne in the center of the hall, he lowered his head and straightened the dragon robe at his knees.
With a stern expression and a calm tone, he said, "Minister Xiao, please sit."
"I have something to ask you."
Xiao Heye nodded slightly, sat down on the mahogany chair to the side, and said unhurriedly, "I wonder what Your Majesty wishes to ask?"
Zhou Tingyue asked bluntly, "Is someone trying to get you to murder my infant brother?"
Clearly, Zhou Tingyue knew in his heart that the person was his mother, Empress Shen Mei, but he did not say it directly.
Xiao Heye was taken aback, pondered for a moment, and then smiled calmly, "Your Majesty, it is indeed true. But in the end, that person... was also doing it for Your Majesty's own good, wasn't he?"
Xiao Heye continued, "Your Majesty is now the supreme ruler, but now a younger brother has suddenly appeared out of nowhere. I'm afraid this is not a good thing."
"Moreover, Zhou Ziqi's fate is incompatible with that of Northern Liang..."
Zhou Tingyue shook his head and said, "I'm tired of hearing these words. I summoned you here today to dispel that idea... No matter what, I will protect Zhou Ziqi."
"Xiao Qing, stop now. Zhou Ziqi will not leave the palace, nor will he be demoted to a commoner. You have no chance to make a move."
Xiao Heye: "Your Majesty, in fact, Zhou Ziqi's current situation is almost exactly the same as that of the late Crown Prince. They were both chosen by Heaven to sacrifice themselves for Beiliang. Since all of this is predestined, why do you have to meddle in other people's business?"
"If I see something wrong, I must intervene. As the Emperor, I must address all injustices and unfairness in this world." Zhou Tingyue said this without the slightest hesitation. "Whether it's the late Crown Prince, Zhou Ziqi, or ordinary people... I will not allow my subjects to suffer injustice, humiliation, or be sacrificed without cause. It's just a pity..."
Unfortunately, Zhou Tingyue was still an innocent and young child when the late Crown Prince had his accident.
The late Crown Prince was Zhou Tingyue's elder brother, while Zhou Ziqi... was his younger brother.
He was powerless to give his brother justice before, but now that he has power, he must fight hard to protect his young brother.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Heye's eyes flickered. He lifted his eyelids and took a serious look at Zhou Tingyue, a casual smile playing on his lips.
Xiao Heye stood up, nodded slightly, and said softly, "I understand Your Majesty's meaning, but... I have always been a man of my word. How can I go back on my promises? If Your Majesty truly does not wish for Zhou Ziqi to die in vain, why don't you kill me first?"
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