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Three days later, Emperor Huaming summoned Gu Youan. Gu Youan looked up at him. This once majestic and heroic emperor had eyes full of exhaustion. The Fifth Princess was unconscious, and a desolate atmosphere permeated the palace.
"Greetings, Your Majesty!"
Emperor Huaming looked up at her, raised his hand, and said, "Princess Hezheng has come from afar, and such a thing has happened. I have failed to govern my subordinates properly."
"What is Princess Hezheng's opinion on the murder of Xiao Wu?"
Gu Youan lowered her head, pondering the meaning behind Emperor Huaming's words. This was the Sheng Kingdom, and no matter what happened, she, a princess sent for a political marriage, had no need to discuss matters of the Sheng Kingdom's harem.
She lowered her voice and said meekly, "Your Majesty, I do not know."
Emperor Huaming looked at her calmly, his eyes composed. Gu Youan knelt on the ground with her head down, trembling. Clearly, Emperor Huaming had someone he suspected, but he needed Gu Youan to identify them. This was typical of the mindset of someone in a position of power.
This person was likely someone close to Emperor Huaming, who was unwilling to admit that someone he trusted had poisoned his child. Even if the child was just an unfavored princess, the imperial authority could not be challenged, especially since Gu You'an was merely a princess sent for a political marriage.
The Fifth Princess was, after all, Emperor Huaming's daughter. Now she lay unconscious in bed. If Gu Youan hadn't been a princess sent for a political marriage, she would probably be a pile of bones by now.
If Gu Youan poisons the princess, this matter will no longer be a matter of the inner palace, but a matter of state.
Gu Youan raised his head and looked at Emperor Huaming, saying, "Who does Your Majesty think this person is?"
She received more than ten years of formal education, and the idea of equality for all has been ingrained in her.
Emperor Huaming was taken aback. He looked into Gu Youan's eyes and thought, "No wonder Sheng Jingche protected her. She is extraordinary."
"If you can find out who the real culprit is, I will not hold you accountable."
Gu Youan smiled and said, "Your Majesty, I am a princess of Dayong. The matter of the Fifth Princess's poisoning is a matter of the harem of Sheng Kingdom, and it is inconvenient for me to interfere."
She is from Dayong, and this is the palace of Sheng Kingdom. When did it become her place to interfere?
Emperor Huaming descended the steps one by one, and the air pressure around them seemed to drop. Gu Youan took a step back and said, "Your Majesty, I am but a humble woman."
Emperor Hua Ming helped her up with his arm, his smile warm, and said, "I trust Jing Che's judgment."
Gu Youan felt a chill rise from the soles of her feet. This was not a simple case of the princess poisoning someone; it involved far more than that. She knelt on the ground and bowed gracefully, saying gently, "I need Young Marquis Sheng's assistance."
Emperor Huaming didn't care whether his daughter could wake up or not. Sheng Jingche knew who the murderer was but chose to hide it, which must be part of a bigger conspiracy.
During the days she was confined in the harem, Sheng Jingche did not visit her even once. She wanted to see him.
Emperor Huaming looked at her calmly and said, "Princess Hezheng, Young Marquis Sheng has been kneeling in front of Fengyi Palace for your sake. Go and see him."
Gu Youan stared at Emperor Hua Ming in astonishment. She thought that Sheng Jingche was unwilling to see her because he felt guilty, but it turned out that he couldn't see her. The words Sheng Jingche whispered in her ear before she fainted that day were still vivid in her mind.
She hurriedly bowed to Emperor Huaming and turned to leave. Emperor Huaming watched Gu Youan's departing figure with deep eyes. How did a person from Dayong and a person from Sheng Kingdom get together?
Outside Fengyi Palace, Xiao Junqi held an umbrella while Sheng Jingche knelt on the ground. Gu Youan looked up at the sky; there was no scorching sun. Xiao Junqi held an umbrella for Sheng Jingche in full view of everyone. The people of Fengyi Palace and the Empress knew about it, but they did not stop him. A dignified prince was holding an umbrella for the Empress's nephew.
The scene was comical. Gu Youan watched the two figures indifferently. Sheng Jingche noticed a gaze on him from behind. He turned around and looked into Gu Youan's eyes, his expression dark and unfathomable.
Gu Youan was stunned. She reached out and touched her face, but there was nothing there. Suddenly, she realized what that lost memory was. Sheng Jingche said that only if she regained her memory could she save herself. But could seven short years really transform her?
The light in Sheng Jingche's eyes brightened and dimmed. Gu Youan walked towards him. Xiao Junqi turned back to look at her, his eyes seeming hostile. Gu Youan was stunned. Why would someone she had only met a few times be so hostile towards her?
Could these two be lovers? Xiao Junqi suspects that Sheng Jingche has fallen in love with someone else and is resentful of her, so she poisons and kills the little princess. Sheng Jingche knows that Xiao Junqi is the murderer but chooses to hide it. Emperor Huaming knows that Xiao Junqi is the culprit and is unwilling to face the fact that his own son wanted to kill his daughter, so he brings Gu Youan into the picture to prevent this from happening.
The Fifth Princess's mother was a minor noblewoman, but the Fifth Princess was clever and quick-witted, and deeply loved by Empress Mingzhao. If the truth were to be revealed, Emperor Huaming would not only lose his daughter, but also his son.
She gave Sheng Jingche a deep look, and Sheng Jingche lowered his head guiltily. Gu Youan understood seven or eight parts of what was going on.
She strolled up to him, took the umbrella from his hand, and said, "Young Master Sheng, kneeling here, you have no idea how much you love me."
She looked at Xiao Junqi and said, "Your Highness is of noble birth and precious status. The sun is scorching today, so there's no need for you to trouble yourself here."
Gu Youan looked at him coldly, then stretched out her hand to Sheng Jingche and said, "Get up, I'm already out."
Xiao Junqi glared angrily at the two of them and stormed off.
Gu Youan smiled as she watched his retreating figure and said calmly, "The Fifth Princess's poisoning is related to him."
She suddenly felt her arm tighten, and Sheng Jingche hurriedly pulled her away from Fengyi Palace. There were spies everywhere in the palace, and the Fifth Princess was unconscious. The most distressed person was Empress Mingzhao.
Upon reaching a secluded palace, Xiao Junqi released her hand, and she slapped him across the face. Sheng Jingche touched his face and lowered his eyes.
Gu Youan, panting heavily, looked at him and said, "Are you crazy! That's the Fifth Princess, and you actually killed her."
Xiao Junqi reached out and grabbed her arm, saying, "There are other hidden circumstances surrounding the Fifth Princess's matter; it's not solely his responsibility."
Gu Youan pushed the lock off his door: "Since you have feelings for him, why did you bring me here and subject me to this undeserved disaster?"
Sheng Jingche looked at her silently: "Why don't you take your medicine?"
Gu Youan looked up at him, and they gazed at each other in the cramped space. She asked, "Why should I take medicine?"
She rolled her eyes at him, then calmed down and asked, "What exactly happened?"
Sheng Jingche lowered his eyes; the current situation was not what he wanted.
"The poison that the Fifth Princess was poisoned with is the same as the poison that her birth mother was poisoned with. It couldn't have been done by the Ninth Prince."
Gu Youan snorted coldly and said, "His Majesty ordered me to find the real culprit."
It's not unheard of for a princess sent to marry a foreign ruler to raise a flag, leading to war between two countries. Now, she's alone in Sheng Kingdom, unaware of the situation in Dayong. All the conflicts now point to her. If the real culprit is Xiao Junqi, this matter will be difficult to handle; if the real culprit is someone else, it will be even more difficult.
Gu Youan looked into Sheng Jingche's eyes and said, "You're going to give up on me for him, right?"
Tears streamed down her face. She couldn't fathom Sheng Jingche's feelings for her, but at this moment, tears were her best weapon. No matter what Sheng Jingche was thinking, he was her only support in Sheng Kingdom.
She gently tugged at Sheng Jingche's clothes and asked, "You'll help me, right?"
Sheng Jingche looked at her with teary eyes, pulled her into his arms, and said, "I promised him I would protect you, and I will."
A pair of eyes, as sharp as snakes', were watching them from the shadows. Gu Youan smiled as she looked in that direction. If the person hiding in the shadows didn't want to come out, then she would make them go mad. She didn't want to bear the blame for murdering the princess alone.
Everyone wanted to protect the murderer, but no one cared about her. So she decided to ruin the whole thing and send everyone who wanted to use her to their doom.
Gu Youan stared into the distance, her eyes filled with an indescribable determination.
What does the infighting in the Sheng Kingdom's harem have to do with her? Why should she be held responsible for the infighting in the Sheng Kingdom's harem? Xiao Junqi plotted against her, yet she is forced to pay the price with her life. If the two countries go to war because of Gu Youan, she will have no way to survive.
She leaned on Sheng Jingche's shoulder and whispered, "I'm someone you brought here, you must protect me."
The news had already reached Dayong, but Dayong remained completely silent, clearly leaving her to fend for herself. Her memories had not returned, and she could not die here.
When Gu Youan approached him, he could feel the changes in his body; it was Jiannan's shadow, full of years of physical intimacy.
Gu Youan and Jian Nan had a tacit understanding; he knew Xiao Junqi was right beside him. Xiao Junqi harbored resentment over the matter between Jian Nan and Gu Youan and wanted to use it to force Gu Youan away. Now that things had turned out this way, he was caught in a dilemma.
The poison inflicted on the Fifth Princess is similar to that in Consort Wang, making this a mystery within the harem. But why was she poisoned at this time? How many people were involved? Sheng Jingche categorically stated that it had nothing to do with Xiao Junqi, and that Gu Youan could resolve the crisis once she regained her memories. Could it be that Consort Wang and Gu Youan were old acquaintances? What secrets are hidden in this harem that would cause a princess to die in a power struggle? Gu Youan cannot understand, nor can she comprehend, how many secrets are hidden beneath this calm surface, and how many even greater secrets lie hidden within these secrets.
Emperor Huaming seemed to have given her a choice, but he was actually waiting for news from Dayong. She was not a real princess, but just the youngest daughter of the Gu family in Dayong. Dayong would not protect her, so she had to plan for herself. Since this matter involved many people, she would force Xiao Junqi to appear and force him to admit his relationship with her.
Gu Youan's expression darkened. Since everyone wanted her to join the game, then the others should also fight it out on the chessboard.
She was not a lamb to be slaughtered, but a wolf, a wolf that could bite everyone. Since no one cared about her life or death, no one cared about her life, he would make everyone pay the price.
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