Chapter 77 Entering the Palace: "Will we be beheaded?"...
After returning to the Duke of Wei's mansion, Cui Ying was extremely busy.
She first went to see her grandmother, then paid her respects to her aunts from each branch of the family, and then returned to Yingchunxuan to take a refreshing bath. In the evening, the whole family ate together, listening to her vividly recount her experiences in southern Jiangxi.
After finishing her meal, she knelt obediently in the ancestral hall and silently endured her father's scolding for a long time. After the scolding, she had a late-night snack, ate and drank her fill, and went to bed. When she woke up, it was already the next morning.
Sunlight shines through the window latticework; a timely snowfall heralds a bountiful year.
Cui Ying woke up to a series of enticing aromas.
Before she even opened her eyes, her sense of smell became acute, and she accurately identified the rich aroma of the noodles and the delicious scent of the meat filling.
She groggily opened her eyes and was shocked to find a warm oil paper package right in front of her nose, the fragrance emanating from it.
The morning light was warm and gentle. Xiao Qiyu sat on the edge of the couch, wearing a dark blue brocade robe with cloud patterns and a round collar, with a black shawl embroidered with dark gold bamboo leaves on top. His dark hair was tied up with a ribbon. He was dressed as a noble young master, but he still couldn't suppress the cold and sharp aura that had just been tempered between his brows.
He held the oil paper package steadily in his hand, and when he noticed that Cui Ying had woken up, he stared at her quietly.
Before Cui Yingshen could even return to his senses, he had already grabbed the oil paper package without any hesitation, and in a few quick movements, he tore it open, revealing the snow-white, soft, thin-skinned, and generously filled steaming xiaolongbao (soup dumplings).
She picked up a steamed bun and put it in her mouth. The delicious meat juice instantly filled her mouth, and the aroma made her squint her eyes. She sighed with satisfaction, her words muffled, "That's right, this is the taste. This is what I've been craving the most during my months in southern Jiangxi."
After finishing a steamed bun, Cui Ying belatedly looked up, puffed out her cheeks, and blinked, asking, "Why are you here?"
Xiao Qiyu glanced at the smear of oil on her lips, his gaze softening almost imperceptibly for a moment. He spoke, his tone still calm: "I've come to apologize to your family and, incidentally, to bring you into the palace."
"Enter the palace?"
Cui Ying chewed the bun with relish, her fair and rosy cheeks bulging and bobbing up and down with each chew. Her almond-shaped eyes, just awakened, were full of confusion as she stared blankly at Xiao Qiyu, as if asking why she had to enter the palace.
Xiao Qiyu watched Cui Ying's round, trembling cheeks; every time she chewed, his eyes would follow.
Finally, he stretched out two fingers and gently pinched her soft cheek, his phoenix eyes narrowing slightly as he spoke earnestly: "Cui Ying, you don't naively think that just because we've caused such a commotion and managed to return safely, and even gained some merit, we can erase all our previous crimes of deceiving the emperor, trespassing into the military camp, and impersonating imperial officials, and then live a carefree life, do you?"
Cui Ying froze, forgetting even to chew, as if she had finally realized the seriousness of the problem.
Her face fell, her brows furrowed, and she unconsciously lowered her voice, asking with utmost seriousness, "Then, is it possible that the two of us will be beheaded?"
Xiao Qiyu stared at her expressionlessly, deliberately remaining silent for a moment until she felt a chill run down her spine, before slowly uttering two words: "Perhaps."
Upon hearing this, Cui Ying's eyes widened instantly. She then took a deep breath, grabbed two more steamed buns, and stuffed them into her mouth with both hands.
Xiao Qiyu immediately tensed up and frowned at her, saying, "Don't eat so fast. If you choke, it's not me who will feel bad." As he spoke, he got up and poured the tea.
Cui Ying, her face contorted with grief and indignation, exclaimed, "I have to hurry and eat a few more bites of my favorite food, otherwise I'll die and never get to eat anything again!"
It's awful! There's no good food in that poor, remote place in southern Jiangxi. She mostly eats boiled mutton. Even the best mutton gets greasy after a while. Over the past few months, she feels like she can make a sheep's bleat when she burps, and her sweat smells like mutton.
She's finally back, but she hasn't even had a chance to eat all the foods she loves, and now she's about to be beheaded?
I'm not reconciled! I'm really not reconciled!
...
As morning approached, it started snowing again.
Snow fell on the imperial city, and everywhere you looked was a solemn white. The eaves and brackets were covered with snow and jade. Occasionally, a guard wearing a scarlet cloak would pass through the palace road, leaving a few footprints on the snow, which would then be quietly covered by the new snow.
Inside the Golden Palace, the sound of a pin dropping could be heard.
The silence was eerily quiet; even the eunuchs standing nearby held their breath, wishing they could shrink into a shadow.
Cui Ying and Xiao Qiyu knelt on the gleaming gold bricks of the imperial kiln, their eyes closed and their minds at peace. The couple, who were usually more slackers than each other, were now so obedient that they were practically in a state of deep meditation.
On the carved white marble steps, Emperor Jingming sat upright on the dragon throne. His bright yellow dragon robe made his face appear even more somber. His refined appearance did not diminish his imperial majesty, and even the scent of ambergris seemed particularly cold and austere.
He did not look at the two people kneeling in the hall, but only lowered his eyes to look at the victory report sent from southern Jiangxi on the imperial desk, his expression unreadable.
After a long silence, Emperor Jingming let out a chilling laugh, raising his eyes to slowly look at the two people beneath His Majesty's throne:
"You two have some nerve."
His voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally low and cold, like thunder suppressed in dark clouds.
"One dared to disguise himself, travel thousands of miles, and trespass into the military camp; the other dared to disguise herself as a man, condone and protect him, and even trespass into the military camp with him."
"Do you think that my willingness to see you means I have forgiven you? Do you think that I will look at this victory and turn a blind eye to your previous outrageous behavior, or even reward you for your merits?"
Emperor Jingming slammed his hand on the imperial desk, causing the imperial brush on the brush holder to tremble violently: "Dream on!"
His chest heaved slightly, clearly furious. His gaze was sharp as a blade as he swept over the two men: "Let me tell you! Merit is merit, and demerit is demerit. I remember your merit in suppressing the bandits, but you will not escape your previous crimes. I will not only not reward you, but I will also punish you severely!"
Xiao Qiyu kowtowed deeply, his forehead pressed against the cold, hard gold bricks, his voice calm and clear, and he said sincerely, "Your Majesty, please calm your anger. It is all my fault. I disguised myself and infiltrated the military camp, disrupting military discipline and violating the law. It was also my failure to restrain my family members, which allowed Cui Ying to act so recklessly. I will bear all the blame. I beg Your Majesty to punish me severely."
Cui Ying knelt to the side, nodding like a chicken pecking at rice, and whispered, "That's right, that's right, Your Majesty is wise, I know my sins, I really know my sins."
Emperor Jingming's gaze immediately locked onto her, suppressing his anger as he said, "Oh? So you, Cui Ying, have a moment of remorse? Then I'd like to hear it. Tell me, where did you go wrong?"
Cui Ying steeled himself and mentally counted on his fingers: "I shouldn't have gone to southern Jiangxi on my own, nor should I have stolen the censor Qian Peng's badge and impersonated an official of the imperial court—"
"What?"
Emperor Jingming was visibly taken aback: "You also impersonated an official of the imperial court?"
Cui Ying gasped and immediately shut her mouth, wishing she could bite off her own tongue.
"Very well..." Emperor Jingming pointed at her, his fingers trembling slightly with anger. He was furious. "A woman disguised as a man breaking into a military camp is punishable by death! Stealing the imperial censor's token is an even greater crime! Cui Ying, do you really think I won't kill you? If I want to, I can cut off your head anytime with a legitimate reason!"
A chilling killing intent, accompanied by the emperor's wrath, permeated the air. The burning earth dragon suddenly turned icy cold, and the temperature in the palace plummeted.
Cui Ying's face turned pale, and she even held her breath.
Xiao Qiyu kowtowed again, his voice becoming more urgent: "Your Majesty! It all started because of me. I was in a difficult situation in southern Jiangxi and wrote a letter to complain. Cui Ying was worried about my safety, which is why she resorted to this desperate measure. I should bear all the blame. Please, Your Majesty, be clear and do not implicate her!"
Emperor Jingming laughed in anger, his gaze sweeping back and forth between the two, his rage intensifying: "What a loving couple, so inseparable! Since you two are so inseparable, then I will grant your wish and behead you both!"
The immense anger caused the veins in Emperor Jingming's temples to throb. He abruptly raised his hand to his forehead, his brows furrowed tightly, his face extremely pale, clearly indicating that his old ailment had flared up from anger.
Cui Ying opened her mouth as if to say something more, but Xiao Qiyu suddenly grabbed her hand, signaling her not to say another word.
Just then, light, hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the hall.
The chief eunuch, Ma Dequan, bowed and hurried in, approaching the imperial desk and bending down to say, "Your Majesty, someone from the Rouyi Palace just came with an urgent report that Consort Lan suddenly felt tightness in her chest and dizziness after her afternoon nap. The imperial physician has been summoned and said that the pregnancy seems somewhat unstable. Consort Lan is currently very upset and is weeping. She desperately wants to see Your Majesty..."
Upon hearing this, Emperor Jingming's previously furious expression changed slightly, and even his severe headache was put aside at this moment.
He turned his gaze back to the two below, his tone still cold, but lacking the murderous intent: "You two, get back home immediately and reflect on your mistakes behind closed doors. Without my decree, neither of you is allowed to step out of the mansion. If you dare to cause trouble again, you will be punished for all your crimes, and I will not tolerate it any longer!"
After saying this, without waiting for the two to express their gratitude, Emperor Jingming rose and stepped down from the steps, walking towards the outside of the palace. He then instructed Ma Dequan, "Prepare the carriage for Rouyi Palace. I will go and take a look myself."
Ma De quickly bowed and replied "Yes," then jogged off to make the arrangements.
The emperor's procession was grand and imposing, with palace attendants accompanying him.
In the blink of an eye, only Cui Ying and Xiao Qiyu remained in the hall.
Cui Ying could hardly believe it. Just moments ago, she thought she was going to lose her life, but it all ended just like that?
Thinking this, Cui Ying subconsciously stood up, but perhaps because she had been kneeling for too long, her knees were numb and painful, and she couldn't help but stagger.
Xiao Qiyu acted swiftly, steadily supporting her while softly saying, "Don't be afraid, it's all over now."
Seeing this, Ma Dequan stepped forward, repeatedly saying "Oh dear," and helped Cui Ying up, saying, "If you want to get up, you should at least let me know. Kneeling for so long is really hard on your knees."
Cui Ying smiled and said, "I didn't expect myself to be so delicate. Thank you for helping me, Eunuch Ma."
After helping Cui Ying up, Ma Dequan went to help Xiao Qiyu, his face full of smiles: "Miss Cui, what are you saying? You don't mind that I am a eunuch, and you don't mind that I am unlucky. That shows how magnanimous you are."
Cui Ying casually replied, "In ancient times, there was Nuwa who mended the sky and Yu the Great who controlled the floods. The world was never perfect, so what does it matter if a person is disabled? Your Excellency serves the Emperor and is a wise and virtuous person. Anyone can be fortunate enough to receive your assistance. Today is a blessing for both of us."
Ma Dequan was overjoyed by these few words. He originally didn't want to say anything more, but he couldn't help but say, "You two can go back and rest. I have served His Majesty for more than ten years. I know that when His Majesty is really angry and has the intention to kill, he will not get angry."
He lowered his voice: "It's nothing more than a show for outsiders. It's true that Young Master Xiao has made a great contribution, but ultimately he has no legitimate reason for it. He broke the rules from the very beginning. If His Majesty rewards him for his merits right away, there will be a lot of people to talk about and a lot of trouble to resolve later. Besides, you two are both only children of your parents. If something really happens to you after this bold act, how will the court explain it to the Duke of Wei's mansion and the Marquis of Dingyuan's mansion? Alas, His Majesty is extremely worried and furious."
Cui Ying shook her head and said, "Don't worry, Father-in-law, I don't blame my uncle at all. I know I made a mistake, and it's understandable that he was angry."
Ma Dequan nodded, looking at Cui Ying with satisfaction: "It's getting late, and it's not advisable for you two to stay any longer. You should hurry home and rest for a while before the New Year."
Cui Ying smiled and instinctively grabbed Xiao Qiyu's arm.
Xiao Qiyu stiffened slightly for a moment, then relaxed and let her pull him along.
Stepping out of the palace, a wave of icy air hits you.
Cui Ying shivered, took a deep breath of the icy air of deep winter, and only then did she feel truly alive again.
As Cui Ying parted ways with Ma Dequan, she couldn't help but ask curiously, "By the way, Eunuch, who is that Lady Lan you mentioned earlier? She sounds unfamiliar to me; I don't remember having such a noble lady in the palace."
Ma Dequan said, "It's a long story. Lady Lan is a new concubine that His Majesty took in three months ago. She is of low birth and was initially only granted the title of Lady Cai. However, she is favored by His Majesty and is very much loved by him. Especially after it was discovered that she was pregnant with the imperial heir, His Majesty valued her even more and directly granted her the title of Lady Cai. He even let her choose her own title."
Ma Dequan laughed as he spoke, "It's been years since I've seen His Majesty so concerned about any master. He really treats them like royalty, afraid they'll fall if he holds them in his hands or melt if he keeps them in his mouth."
Cui Ying nodded, secretly relieved. He thought to himself that if it weren't for Consort Lan's untimely and inappropriate behavior, he probably wouldn't have gotten through this ordeal today.
If she has the chance to meet him in the future, she will definitely thank him properly.
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Author's Note: I'm here! I'm here! You've all been waiting so long! [Hands clasped in prayer]
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