Chang Lili suddenly opened her eyes. There was a flickering light in front of her. Her heart skipped a beat, but she realized it was just the light from the torches on the wall. She then breathed a sigh of relief.
It was just a dream! She thought to herself.
The fear and despair she had just felt still lingered in her heart, as if they could devour her at any moment.
She had had similar dreams before, but this time, they were clearer than ever before.
Everything seemed to have actually happened, and the fear and despair seemed to have traveled through time, leaving one feeling somewhat dazed.
Could this dream be real? Chang Lili wondered anxiously.
Feeling the faint pain from the whip marks on her body, she relaxed again, thinking that it was just a dream and told herself not to think too much about it.
She was glad it was just a dream; compared to the dream, she felt that being trapped in the dungeon was a better situation.
Rumors spread throughout the palace that the events that occurred in Huilan Palace that day, despite the news being kept under wraps, somehow leaked out.
The whole story was told without missing a single detail, and it spread like wildfire, becoming unstoppable.
The news that the Empress and Xiao Lingshou had plotted to harm Consort Lan's unborn child also reached everyone's ears.
It's impossible to silence public opinion, and even if you know how the news leaked out, you're helpless.
In the Huilan Palace, the Emperor sat by the bedside, looking at the pale-faced Consort Lan, offering words of comfort and staying by her side.
Consort Lan, however, looked aggrieved and said unwillingly, "Your Majesty, I thought about this for a long time last night and couldn't sleep well. This matter must have been deliberately done by someone with ulterior motives. Chang Lili must have been instructed by someone. You must do justice for me!"
It goes without saying how the news leaked out; everyone knows Sima Zhao's intentions.
Perhaps because she had lost her child, Consort Lan was filled with extreme hatred, which is why she acted so blatantly and without any sense of propriety.
The Emperor naturally wouldn't pursue the matter, but he also didn't punish Xiao Lingshou as Consort Lan had wished.
After all, Xiao Lingshou is the only prince of Yun Kingdom. If something happens to him, the emperor will have no sons, and this vast country will likely have no one to entrust with its future.
The Emperor did not respond to Consort Lan's complaints and embellishments, but only offered a few perfunctory words of comfort.
After the Emperor left, Consort Lan was so angry that she knocked over all the medicine that the maid had brought to the ground, but after a while, she started to cry.
She was heartbroken at the loss of her child, but it was also due to her own carelessness and negligence. She took her anger out on the palace maids and the imperial physicians.
As expected, the Emperor did not punish Xiao Lingshou. Although the Emperor disliked him, he also had to see the situation clearly. Without a prince, the country would be in turmoil.
The following day, however, another piece of news spread through the palace.
Ke Shou, with a solemn and anxious expression, hurried off to find Meng Yuxiu.
Seeing this, Meng Yuxiu also became anxious. He had already sent people to the dungeon to inquire about Chang Lili's situation. Looking at Ke Shou's expression, he knew that nothing good was coming.
"His Majesty..." Ke Shou stopped mid-sentence, as if he had something difficult to say.
“Speak,” Meng Yuxiu said quickly.
Ke Shou lowered his eyes and said, "His Majesty has decreed that Miss Chang beheaded."
Meng Yuxiu felt a jolt in his heart and a chill run down his spine, while the sound of breaking dishes came from outside the door.
"Who's outside?" Meng Yuxiu asked alertly.
He was so distracted that he didn't even notice someone outside.
Ke Shou lifted his foot to open the door, and as soon as he poked his head out, he ran out in a panic, calling out "General!"
Meng Yuxiu rushed out to check and saw his mother lying unconscious on the ground, her face ashen, along with broken porcelain shards and scattered pastries.
He frowned, picked up his mother-in-law, and instructed Ke Shou, "Go quickly and fetch a doctor."
Meng Yuxiu knew the Emperor's intention in doing this; it was simply to protect Xiao Lingshou, the only prince.
However, in doing so, Chang Lili became the victim.
After sending his mother-in-law back to the Yueyuanzi and instructing her to take good care of her, Meng Yuxiu got up and rode his horse toward the palace.
However, once he arrived at the palace, the emperor, who used to eagerly welcome him in upon hearing of his arrival, now tried every means to stop him.
"General Meng, His Majesty is unwell and is resting. You should go back first," said Eunuch Guangde, blocking the gate of Qianqing Palace with a solicitous expression.
Meng Yuxiu frowned and said, "If that's the case, please inform Your Majesty so that I may go in and visit His Majesty."
Eunuch Guangde smiled apologetically, "It's just bad luck. His Majesty has just fallen asleep. Recent events have been quite distressing for him, and he has finally managed to get some rest."
“Then I will wait here until His Majesty has finished sleeping, and then I will ask the eunuch to inform him.” Meng Yuxiu’s face instantly turned cold and hard, and his voice was also icy.
For some reason, Eunuch Guangde became somewhat anxious and continued to persuade him, "General Meng, please go back. I don't know when the Emperor will wake up. If you wait like this, the Emperor will definitely punish this old minister if he finds out."
Meng Yuxiu, however, had lost his patience and stared at Eunuch Guangde, asking in a cold voice, "What exactly is the Emperor doing?"
“Then…then naturally they are resting…” Eunuch Guangde spoke confidently, but when he met Meng Yuxiu’s gaze, his voice weakened.
Meng Yuxiu said nothing more, bypassed Eunuch Guangde, and walked towards the gate of Qianqing Palace.
Guangde Gonggong became anxious and rushed forward to pull him away, trying to stop him. He also urged the other eunuchs to step forward and stop Meng Yuxiu as well.
Even when they joined forces, they were no match for Meng Yuxiu.
"General Meng, you really can't go in!" Eunuch Guangde's voice was trembling with tears, and he had no choice but to follow.
Upon entering the hall, Meng Yuxiu saw the Emperor sitting upright, letting a palace maid massage his shoulders. In front of him, Hu Ping stood there, looking somewhat bewildered when he saw Meng Yuxiu enter.
Grandpa Guangde knelt on the ground in fear.
The Emperor remained completely calm and even laughed, saying, "Yuxiu, I know why you've come, which is why I don't want to see you."
After he finished speaking, he waved for someone to offer Meng Yuxiu a seat, but Meng Yuxiu said rather rudely, "No need."
He stood there, his face cold and stern, his dark eyes as unfathomable as a deep pool.
"Since Your Majesty knows why I have come, please rescind your order. This matter is still unresolved and should not be handled so hastily," Meng Yuxiu said righteously.
The Emperor seemed to find it amusing, and shook his head slightly, saying, "Yuxiu, go back. You are still the Great General of our Yun Kingdom. I still trust you, and I hope you will not get involved in this mess again."
Meng Yuxiu frowned and insisted, "Your Majesty, Chang Lili is innocent. If you convict her like this, we may lose a top-notch blacksmith."
The Emperor seemed amused: "Now that things are like this, what's the point of talking about a blacksmith? If I had seen through her wickedness earlier, I would never have promoted her like this!"
“But Lili is innocent, and the First Prince is innocent too. Your Majesty can prove their innocence not by killing anyone,” Meng Yuxiu said coldly.
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