Yi Shangyun pondered for a moment and said, "For my sake... that was the condition for their alliance. In this way, everything makes sense."
Upon hearing this, Cheng Liang suddenly understood and said indignantly, "I never expected that this Young Master Yi would be so despicable! It must be him who revealed our whereabouts to Mei Zhixuan."
Then, after a moment's thought, she sighed and said, "My prince has always been that kind of person. He always shoulders all the bad things himself. He clearly has everyone's best interests at heart, but he never says it. He always gives people the impression of being cold and heartless. This time, he is determined to protect everyone else, even if it means you hate him for the rest of your life."
At this moment, Yi Shangyun seemed to finally understand why, despite everything that had happened, he hadn't offered her a single word of explanation. The man she admired had indeed not disappointed her.
However, she still felt a trace of sadness in her heart: "Since Your Highness has made careful plans for everyone, has he considered Yun'er as well? If so, what will become of Yun'er?"
Thinking back to the past, the vows they made, how he promised to take her home, for a lifetime, for one love, for two people—those beautiful memories are still fresh, as if they happened just yesterday. But now, he has sent her into this gilded cage, and he himself is trapped in this mess. How can she go home with him?
Standing there stunned for what seemed like an eternity, Yi Shangyun suddenly spoke with unwavering conviction: "Don't worry, your master will be alright."
Cheng Liang looked up in surprise at her unusually calm and serious face and said in disbelief, "Nothing will happen? How is that possible? Didn't you see the explosives that were claimed to be used by us to bomb the city that night? So many explosives were seized, and those witnesses who were obviously instructed and bribed all said that they were acting on His Highness's orders. There are witnesses and physical evidence, and the evidence is irrefutable. How could His Highness still be alive?"
Yi Shangyun seemed to be deep in thought, as if she hadn't listened to Cheng Liang at all, but she seemed to have already made up her mind. Finally, she looked straight at Cheng Liang and said with a firm expression, "If I let him live, he can live."
After saying that, he turned and left without looking back. When he reached the door, he suddenly stopped and said, "General Cheng, thank you for telling me all this. Your master is very fortunate to have you by his side!"
Cheng Liang stared at the retreating figure, utterly bewildered, and muttered to himself, "Your Highness, I wonder if I did the right thing or the wrong thing today?"
After leaving the prison, Yi Shangyun went directly to the Qingxin Palace of the King of Dongning.
Upon seeing Yi Shangyun enter, the King of Dongning stepped out from his desk and exclaimed with delight, "My son, you've come! Your father was just about to send someone to find you. It seems we truly are of one mind!"
Yi Shangyun's steps seemed somewhat heavy as he slowly entered, curtsying to the Emperor: "Your subject greets Your Majesty!"
The King of Dongning hurriedly stepped forward, smiling, to help her up. He pulled her to sit down to one side and asked with concern, "My daughter, are you settling in well in your own palace? If there's anything you're not comfortable with, your father will have someone take care of it immediately."
Yi Shangyun smiled and said, "Your Majesty, I am doing very well, so please do not worry!"
The King of Dongning looked at her deeply, recalling the past, and said, "From the first moment I saw you, I had a feeling that the Empress had returned. I never imagined that you were truly my and the Empress's child. That's wonderful. Your mother can rest in peace now!"
Recalling the past, he was heartbroken at losing his beloved. As the ruler of a country, he was unable to protect the woman he deeply loved, and he couldn't help but silently wipe away his tears.
Seeing this, Yi Shangyun quickly took out a handkerchief, stood up and stepped forward to wipe away his tears, comforting him, "Father, don't be sad. From now on, I will be with you."
At this moment, the King of Dongning noticed the seven-colored gold and jade bracelet on Yi Shangyun's wrist, and immediately stared at her with wide eyes, exclaiming in utter astonishment, "This, this bracelet is..."
Yi Shangyun looked at the bracelet on her wrist and explained, "I have always worn this bracelet. My parents in Xiqin once said that it was a gift from one of their benefactors. I suppose that benefactor was my late mother."
On the very night that Yi Shangyun was secretly taken away from the Dongning Palace by Xuanyuan Han and disappeared, the King of Dongning, worried about her safety, went to Yi Shangyun's room without thinking.
However, she overheard several young maids discussing the phoenix mark on Yi Shangyun's body.
The King of Dongning was greatly surprised upon hearing this. He then drew the phoenix mark he had seen on the Empress Dowager from his memory and compared it with the marks seen by the maids. Only then did he confirm that Yi Shangyun was indeed born to the Empress Dowager.
Because the Empress Dowager once said that this was a unique mark on the women of their family. All women born of their bloodline had this phoenix mark, which they were born with and were unique in the world.
At this moment, he was surprised to find that the Empress Dowager's personal belongings were still on Yi Shangyun's body. The King of Dongning was both surprised and puzzled, and asked, "Why have I never seen my son wear this bracelet before?"
Without thinking, Yi Shangyun blurted out, "That's because..."
He had just opened his mouth when he wondered if it was appropriate to say these words at this moment, or if they would make him suspect that Xuan Yuanhan had ulterior motives.
Since that was the truth, I simply answered honestly: "Actually, I accidentally lost this bracelet before. It wasn't until a few days ago when I met the King of Qin that he returned it to me."
As expected, upon hearing Xuan Yuanhan's name, the King of Dongning's expression darkened. He changed the subject, took a sip of hot tea, and asked, "By the way, when you were in Xiqin, did that couple treat you well?"
Yi Shangyun knew that he still couldn't forgive Xuan Yuanhan, so she returned to her seat, pursed her lips, and replied, "Father and Mother, they treat me like their own son, which is very kind!"
Suddenly, a "smack!" was heard.
The King of Dongning slammed his teacup on the table in front of him and roared, "What good? But I've heard that my daughter is a notorious, ugly, good-for-nothing in Xiqin, and that she was dumped by that pretentious young master from Xiqin Academy? Is this what you mean by 'everyone treats you well'?"
The King of Dongning stared at Yi Shangyun's face and spoke slowly and deliberately.
Yi Shangyun was stunned, looking completely bewildered, and seemed unable to react for a long time.
After regaining her composure, she explained, "Father, please don't be angry. The truth is not what you imagine. In fact, the root cause of this all stems from Mother..."
Upon hearing this, the King of Dongning seemed even more enraged, and stood up abruptly, saying, "Absurd! What does this have to do with my Empress? She has already... My son, do not try to exonerate those two lowly commoners. Your father will surely seek justice for you!"
Upon hearing this, Yi Shangyun became anxious and stood up to support him, saying, "No, Father, all of this really started because of Mother. Father, please let your son tell you the whole story."
Helpless, the King of Dongning finally suppressed his anger and sat down again. Yi Shangyun then recounted in detail the news that Yi Shangjun had brought him a few days ago...
Upon hearing Yi Shangyun's words, the King of Dongning was stunned, and his expression gradually turned gloomy and dejected as he said, "It seems that your mother is determined not to let you return to your father's side! Is she so unhappy being my empress that she can't even wait to give birth to you safely before thinking of running away from me?"
Although Yi Shangyun was also heartbroken, she still tried her best to comfort the grieving King of Dongning, saying, "Although people say that royal families have always been rife with troubles, I believe that Mother is not what Father thinks. She did not want to escape. Although I do not yet understand why Mother was so determined to leave the palace, I know that Mother loved Father deeply throughout her life."
Looking into Yi Shangyun's eyes, the King of Dongning suddenly had a strange feeling, as if the person standing in front of him was that incredibly sincere and kind woman from back then.
But after finally regaining her senses, she could only silently ask, "Is what you're saying true?"
Yi Shangyun nodded silently: "It must be."
Hearing Yi Shangyun's words, the King of Dongning seemed to finally find some relief from the lingering resentment that had been buried deep in his heart for many years. He seemed extremely reluctant to part with her, but he still spoke up and said, "By the way, my son, there is something I would like to ask you about."
Upon hearing this, Yi Shangyun paused for a moment, as if it were expected, but he still looked up at the face of the King of Dongning with some surprise and asked, "Is what Father Emperor wants to ask about my marriage alliance with the Crown Prince of Nan'an?"
The King of Dongning's expression faded as he said, "Since you, my son, already know, then your father need not explain further. Originally, I had finally found you, this lost gem of the world, and intended to keep you by my side forever. But now, in the struggle between the four kingdoms of the Lingkong Continent, Beilie has perished and now belongs to Xiqin. Xiqin is the biggest winner. On the night of the Lantern Festival, the King of Xiqin again led his men to attack Dongning, revealing his wolfish ambitions. This King of Xiqin..."
The King of Dongning stopped talking, clearly unwilling to bring him up, yet unable to avoid it. How could he not know Yi Shangyun's feelings? During the countless days and nights she had been by his side, she had called out to him in her dreams.
Having been through similar experiences, he understood this sentiment all too well, yet he couldn't help but continue to persuade her: "This King of Qin is truly not a good match for you! This time, I will certainly not let him off easily. The only way forward is to form an alliance with the Kingdom of Nan'an to contend with him. Moreover, I have heard that the Crown Prince of Nan'an is an old acquaintance of yours in Western Qin, and that he once risked everything to obtain a miraculous herb from the Cold Wasteland Mountain to cure your cold ailment. It is clear that he is sincere towards you as well, so why not..."
Before he could finish speaking, Yi Shangyun had already clenched her fists tightly and suddenly shouted to stop him...
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