Waiting for the flowers to bloom 2
"From the first day you entered the palace, I knew you were not He Xuan." The Emperor's voice softened slightly. "Your mother, Consort Su Wanxian, privately begged me to take care of you. She also said that Mo Yi is loyal and brave, and would never have any rebellious intentions. If the Mo Prince's Mansion is ever wronged, it must be because someone framed him."
He paused, then sighed, "Over the years, I've watched you walk on thin ice in the palace, and watched He Mo run around outside. How could I not be tormented? Those memorials impeaching He Mo were deliberately sent by me, just to see if you were truly as I thought, wholeheartedly devoted to the country."
The Emperor stepped down from the dragon throne and helped He Mo to his feet: "I have exonerated Mo Yi. I have also avenged He Xuan. As for you, A Zhong, although you deceived me, you were not free to do so, and you made significant contributions in suppressing this rebellion. I remember your loyalty and hereby bestow upon you the title of 'Marquis of Loyalty and Bravery,' granting you a thousand acres of fertile land to live out your remaining years in peace."
"Your Majesty!" Ah Zhong was moved to tears and knelt down to express his gratitude.
The Emperor then looked at He Mo: "He Mo, you are both wise and brave, and your loyalty is commendable. I hereby appoint you as the Grand General Who Guards the Nation, in charge of the Imperial Guards of the capital region, to protect this great land of Mo."
"Your Majesty, I thank you for your great kindness!" He Mo knelt down, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
Stepping out of the imperial study, the moonlight remained bright. Looking at Ah Zhong beside him, He Mo felt much of his resentment had dissipated.
"From now on, you are no longer the Crown Prince, nor are you Ah Zhong; you are simply the Marquis of Zhongyong," He Mo said.
Ah Zhong nodded: "Yes, Brother He Mo."
The two walked side by side, with the majestic palace behind them and the vast night before them.
He Mo knew that this conspiracy and pretense that had lasted for fifteen years had finally come to an end. The injustice done to the Mo Prince's family had been redressed, his brother's revenge had been achieved, and he could finally let go of the past and shoulder the heavy responsibility of protecting the country.
But whenever the night is still and quiet, he always thinks of his younger brother who died at the age of three, and of the jade pendant engraved with the character "Xuan". It is a wound in his heart that can never heal, and a warning bell that reminds him why he is fighting.
Yin Li was already waiting in the palace. She didn't ask any questions, but simply brought him a bowl of warm lotus seed soup. The concern in her eyes was enough to warm all his weariness and pain.
The storms and trials within these nine layers of palace walls will eventually pass. And his future with Yinli will slowly unfold in this peaceful and prosperous era.
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