Jian Yang nodded involuntarily.
The emperor gave her a cold look, which frightened her so much that she immediately fell silent.
Tch, they won't even let people tell the truth.
Jian Yang secretly rolled her eyes.
The emperor took in her subtle movements and said gently, "Empress, I need to discuss important matters with Lord Xiahou. Would you mind leaving for a moment?"
"Okay, you guys chat, I'm going out for a walk."
She had been locked up for so long she was practically growing mushrooms, but now that the emperor had arrived, Magistrate Zhou dared not detain her any longer, and she was finally free to move around.
However, even with bodyguards following her, she still couldn't escape.
However, Jian Yang did not want to go back to face the emperor, so after wandering around outside all night, she found a nearby inn to stay in.
Meanwhile, the emperor and Xiahou Riyue had another argument.
"Your Majesty, please forgive my bluntness, but you should not have imprisoned the Empress in the palace based on your own selfish reasons."
The emperor said in a deep voice, "What do you mean by confinement? She is my empress, the mother of the nation, and should stay in the palace."
Xiahou Riyue asked, "Has His Majesty asked the Empress whether she actually wants to sit on this throne?"
The emperor felt a sudden surge of anger and unconsciously raised his voice, saying, "The empress is the most noble woman in the world, and no woman would be unwilling to have her."
Xiahou Riyue sneered, "Then I still suggest that Your Majesty inquire with the Empress about her opinion."
The emperor felt inexplicably guilty.
He suddenly realized that he didn't actually have the courage to ask Jian Yang for confirmation.
After Xiahou Riyue left, the secret guards came to report Jian Yang's whereabouts.
"Your Majesty, the Empress is staying at an inn. Shall we bring her back?"
The emperor pondered for a moment and said, "Fine, just send people to protect her."
He needs time to sort out his thoughts.
The next day, after Jian Yang had breakfast outside, she slowly walked back to the house.
As soon as she entered, she found the emperor standing at the door, looking at her with a sorrowful expression.
Jian Yang: "?"
Why does she have this feeling that she's the bad man who doesn't come home at night, while the emperor is the sweet wife who waits all night for her to come home?
To break the awkward atmosphere, Jian Yang chuckled and stepped forward, saying, "I stayed out too late last night, so I just randomly picked an inn to stay at..."
Her voice trailed off as she spoke, because the emperor's expression had changed from sorrow to grievance.
This is terrible!
It's truly bizarre and incongruous that a dignified emperor would display such an expression; it's so out of character and so strangely incongruous.
I can't figure out how to handle Jian Yang.
She asked cautiously, "Your Majesty, have you had breakfast?"
The emperor shook his head: "I'm waiting for you to come back so we can eat together."
Ah, this...
A wave of guilt washed over Jian Yang.
If I had known this would happen, I shouldn't have eaten wontons on the street.
Just as she was debating whether or not to have another meal with the emperor, he spoke first.
"Xiahou said you don't want to return to the palace. Is that true?"
Jian Yang nodded hurriedly.
The emperor suddenly felt somewhat hurt. "Why?"
Jian Yang scratched his head and said, "I guess it's because I crave freedom. To me, the imperial city is a huge cage. Even if it's a cage made of gold, it's still just a cage. By the way, does Your Majesty know how I've been these past few months?"
The emperor shook his head.
Jian Yang smiled and said, "I set off from the capital and saw beautiful mountains and rivers, bustling city life, the hardships of the people, and vivid people struggling to survive. These scenes can never be seen in the palace."
The emperor gazed intently at her and asked softly, "After you've seen enough of these sights, shall we return to the palace together?"
Jian Yang smiled and said, “Your Majesty, you still don’t understand. I don’t want to be a bystander, but a participant. I want to do more things that I think are meaningful in my limited life.”
The emperor lowered his eyes, concealing the disappointment within.
Just then, Eunuch Zhang ran in, holding a carrier pigeon in his hands.
"Your Majesty, there is urgent intelligence!"
The emperor quickly composed himself, took the carrier pigeon from Eunuch Zhang, and removed the note tied to its leg.
After quickly glancing at the contents of the note, his expression became very serious.
Jian Yang casually asked, "Your Majesty, has something happened in the palace?"
The emperor nodded, looking at her reluctantly, "I must go back now."
Then, with eyes full of expectation, he asked, "Would you like to return with me?"
Jian Yang smiled and said, "I'm not willing."
Her answer was crisp and decisive, leaving the emperor utterly devastated.
But he didn't want to force her.
After all, his heart could no longer withstand the second blow of losing her.
Ultimately, he decided to return to the capital first.
He was the ruler of a country, and in the face of matters of national importance, all personal feelings had to take a back seat.
Jian Yang personally escorted him to the door.
The emperor looked at her beaming smile and felt a deep sense of bitterness.
"Will you come to fetch me after I have pacified the world?" Before mounting his horse, the emperor asked his final question, still unwilling to give up.
At this moment, Jian Yang just wanted him to get lost, so she said perfunctorily, "Alright, alright, Your Majesty, hurry up and leave. If you don't leave now, it will get dark and we'll have to stay up all night."
The emperor mounted his horse dejectedly.
As soon as the emperor left, Jian Yang rushed to Xiahou Riyue's residence.
"Lord Xiahou, I'm about to leave. I've come to say goodbye."
Xiahou Riyue was somewhat surprised: "Why the rush?"
Jian Yang smiled and said, "To avoid any unforeseen complications."
If the emperor changes his mind halfway and insists on taking her back, she will be completely helpless and might as well run away now.
Xiahou Riyue understood her concerns and nodded, saying, "Just fly away, I'll take care of everything else for you."
"Fly?" Jian Yang looked at him with a puzzled expression.
Xiahou Riyue laughed and said, "You are a free bird, and you should fly freely in the vast world. No one can trap you, and you don't need to stop for anyone."
Neither the emperor nor he could.
Jian Yang was suddenly moved. She never expected that Lord Xiahou, whom she used to dislike so much, would actually be her confidant in some way.
She clasped her hands in a fist salute to Xiahou Riyue, performing a traditional Jianghu (江湖, a term referring to the martial arts world) greeting.
"Thank you for your help along the way, Lord Xiahou. We'll meet again sometime. Goodbye!"
After saying that, she mounted her little red horse and galloped out of the city.
"Go and intercept all the secret guards left behind by the Emperor," Xiahou Riyue instructed his attendant.
Having gone through what happened in Nanyang County, Jian Yang finally learned her lesson.
She wore her pigskin mask carefully the whole way, determined not to show her true face.
Two weeks later, she arrived at a beautiful town with a pleasant climate and decided to settle down there.
The town is called Baihua Town, where spring-like weather prevails all year round and the air is filled with the fragrance of flowers.
As a girl, Jian Yang simply couldn't resist the temptation. After spending two days investigating the town, she decided to open a clinic there.
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