Upon hearing the palace attendant's announcement outside, Xiao Jincheng quickly exchanged a glance with the attendant.
The palace attendant excitedly exclaimed, "Your Majesty, the Emperor has come to see you!"
Xiao Jincheng was overjoyed. His heart, which had been ashen, was instantly filled with hope again. He immediately stood up to greet the person.
As soon as he entered the outer room, he saw Duanmu Junyu step into the main hall.
Xiao Jincheng stared blankly at Duanmu Junyu's face, which appeared in his dreams almost every night, and his eyes instantly welled up with tears.
He finally... finally saw her! He hadn't seen her since she came back!
"This servant greets Your Majesty!" The palace attendants in the hall all bowed to Duanmu Junyu.
Xiao Jincheng finally came to her senses, two lines of tears sliding down her cheeks. She also bowed to Duanmu Junyu and said, "Your Majesty, I pay my respects."
The word "Your Majesty" made Duanmu Junyu frown, and she glanced at Xiao Jincheng.
This was the first time she had seen him since returning to Xiliang!
If you count the time, they haven't seen him for twenty years. He's gotten old!
Of course, she was the same...
"All of you, step back." Duanmu Junyu waved away the palace servants in the hall.
"Yes." The palace servants immediately bowed and withdrew.
After everyone had left, Duanmu Junyu walked up to Xiao Jincheng. Seeing his tearful appearance, she frowned again and said, "Get up."
Upon hearing her voice, Xiao Jincheng's tears fell even more fiercely, but he did not get up. Instead, he knelt directly in front of her and said, "Your Majesty... I am guilty."
Duanmu Junyu raised an eyebrow slightly, staring at him and said, "Are you guilty? What crime have you committed?"
The question made Xiao Jincheng blush with embarrassment, and he lowered his head, not daring to speak.
Duanmu Junyu, however, had no patience to wait for him. She sat down in the main seat of Jinhua Palace and said, "If you summoned me here just to see you kneel, then your performance was very successful!"
Duanmu Junyu's two sentences were like two slaps to his face, making him so ashamed that he wished he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into!
Xiao Jincheng dared not remain silent, nor did he dare to look up at her. He lowered his eyes and silently wept as he struggled to speak, "Your Majesty, I am guilty. During your...disappearance, I followed...followed..."
It was too embarrassing to say such a thing, especially in front of her, but he had no choice but to say it!
Xiao Jincheng finally gritted her teeth and said, "I had consummated my marriage with Prince Hui... and even... gave birth to Qingxin. I am guilty, I have betrayed Your Majesty!"
It took Xiao Jincheng all the courage he had to utter those few words.
He really didn't know how he could say such a thing in front of her.
But now the facts are right in front of His Majesty. Even if he doesn't want to admit it, His Majesty must know everything, so he has no choice but to speak.
Duanmu Junyu looked at Xiao Jincheng, who was lying on the ground in shame, and said coldly, "Since you have consummated your marriage with Prince Hui, then I will bestow you upon Prince Hui. From now on, you will follow Prince Hui!"
"Your Majesty!" Xiao Jincheng raised her eyes in disbelief, looking at Duanmu Junyu in a panic as she pleaded, "Your Majesty, I didn't mean to betray you. I thought Your Majesty had died in an accident. At that time, Prince Hui temporarily became Empress in your stead. Prince Hui said he wanted to leave you an heir, so I... I..."
Before Xiao Jincheng could finish a sentence, tears streamed down his face, and he cried so hard he could barely breathe!
Duanmu Junyu frowned as she looked at Xiao Jincheng, disgusted by his words about leaving an heir for her.
Is Duanmu Qingxin her bloodline? Is he considered her descendant? He even has the nerve to say he's carrying on her lineage!
Seeing Xiao Jincheng crying so heartbrokenly, Duanmu Junyu frowned and said, "Things have come to this, and I don't want to blame you! You are already Prince Hui's woman, and I don't want to keep you here. After a while, I will announce your death, and you can go to Prince Hui's mansion. I will give you a dowry. I think you and Prince Hui have a daughter, so Prince Hui will not mistreat you."
"Your Majesty, I do not wish to go to the Prince Hui's residence." Hearing that she was going to send him there, Xiao Jincheng shook his head anxiously and pleaded with Duanmu Junyu again, "Your Majesty, I know that I am no longer a virgin and am not worthy to serve you. But my love for you has never changed. I ask for nothing more than to stay by Your Majesty's side. Even if I am just a servant, I am willing. Please, Your Majesty, do not send me away!"
Duanmu Junyu stared coldly at Xiao Jincheng.
Why was he unwilling to go to Prince Hui's residence? He knew that Duanmu Qingxin was not her child, and she would never let Duanmu Qingxin take her place. What did he want to gain by staying in the palace?
Duanmu Junyu didn't want to guess Xiao Jincheng's thoughts, so she suddenly stood up and said, "I will give you ten days. At that time, whether you are willing to go to the Prince Hui's mansion or not, I will divorce you."
"Your Majesty!" Xiao Jincheng panicked instantly. He wanted to say something more, but Duanmu Junyu ignored him and went straight out.
"Your Majesty..." Xiao Jincheng cried and called out, but Duanmu Junyu didn't even turn her head.
After Duanmu Junyu left Jinhua Palace, Xiao Jincheng cried his heart out, feeling utterly devastated!
After returning to Fengming Palace, Duanmu Junyu lost all interest in reviewing memorials and went straight to the side hall to sleep.
Lying in bed, she recalled every moment she shared with Xiao Jincheng.
She did not know Xiao Jincheng before they married. At that time, she was young when she ascended the throne. To prevent her relatives from seizing power, her father chose Xiao Jincheng for her. Although his family background was not illustrious, he was handsome.
When they got married, she was only ten years old, and he was only thirteen.
At that time, what did she know about love? At such a young age, she had to learn to handle state affairs, attend classes with the Grand Tutor, and learn martial arts and archery. She simply couldn't spare any attention for him.
However, he was always very well-behaved, staying quietly in the harem and almost never bothering her.
Perhaps it was because he was too obedient, and she was not perceptive enough, that they never consummated their marriage.
If her father were still alive, he might have urged them to consummate their marriage long ago, but he passed away two years before she ascended the throne.
With no one to care for her, she lost all interest in that area, so much so that even at eighteen, she still treated him with the utmost respect.
If she hadn't disappeared, she probably would have consummated her marriage with him sooner or later, and they would have had their own child.
But there are no "what ifs" in this world. She disappeared for twenty years, found a husband outside, and he had a child with Duanmu Shenghua.
Since they've gone astray, they'll never have a chance to get back together!
Duanmu Junyu thought of Su Renzhong again. She never imagined that she would become Su Renzhong's wife after not consummating her marriage with Xiao Jincheng.
Why?
They were clearly enemy forces, so how did she end up with Su Renzhong?
Thinking of Su Renzhong's handsome face and strong physique, and then comparing him to Xiao Jincheng, although Xiao Jincheng was also handsome, he seemed to lack something compared to Su Renzhong.
Duanmu Junyu was so eager to know how she and Su Renzhong ended up together that she slowly drifted off to sleep.
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