At this moment, the Empress saw the Fifth Princess and hurriedly stepped forward to stop her: "Lian'er, your elder sister has been framed. Talk to your father."
Mo Lian looked at the Empress with a troubled expression and whispered, "Mother, what happened?"
The Empress took a deep breath, trying to calm her panic. She then told Mo Lian the whole story.
Mo Lian listened, her brows furrowed, a hint of doubt and confusion flashing in her eyes.
"Lian'er, you are your father's most beloved daughter. He will definitely listen to you." The Empress held Mo Lian's hand tightly, her eyes full of expectation.
Mo Lian remained silent for a moment, then raised her head to look at Emperor Yue and said softly, "Father, my elder sister has always been very caring towards me, and I believe she would not do such a thing. However, I also understand that there must be a reason why you saw it with your own eyes. I implore you to investigate the truth and clear my elder sister's name."
Emperor Yue looked at Mo Lian, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes. He nodded and said, "Lian'er, you are right. I will send people to find out the truth. Empress, you should go back and rest."
Upon hearing this, the Empress, though still resentful, knew that she could not say anything more at this moment.
The chief tutor remained kneeling there, not daring to utter a sound.
"Lian'er, what do you think? Now your elder sister, alas, she and your future husband have had such a thing happen, what do you think we should do?" Emperor Yue was somewhat troubled.
After all, she was his daughter, and he couldn't bear to punish her severely, but such a disgrace to the royal family...
Seemingly sensing the Emperor's dilemma, Mo Lian said earnestly, "Although I am somewhat saddened, I am even more aware that the face and reputation of the royal family are of utmost importance."
She paused slightly, then continued, "It seems that my engagement with Young Master Zhang can no longer continue. Since such a thing has happened between my elder sister and Young Master Zhang, I am willing to take the initiative to dissolve the engagement and grant them their wish."
When Emperor Yue heard that Mo Lian was so sensible, he couldn't help but feel gratified.
He sighed and said, "Lian'er, I am truly gratified that you think this way. However, I cannot forgive your elder sister for what she has done."
She didn't know what to say, but simply said, "I will follow Father's arrangements in everything."
"Alright, you may leave now. Take good care of those three heroes." Emperor Yue waved his hand, leaving only Zhang Shoufu behind.
Stepping out of the side hall, Mo Lian felt completely refreshed.
Having broken off his engagement with the scumbag, Zhang Qian, relying on his own engagement, not only gained access to the best resources but also became the top scholar in the imperial examination.
Unexpectedly, he had already been having an affair with the emperor's sister. This time, they were embarrassed in public, and he probably won't be able to find a place in the emperor's eyes anymore.
Moreover, it could embarrass the eldest princess, causing her to fall flat on her face.
Since they are both in love, she will grant them their wish!
Back in the main hall, Mo Lian walked toward Li Xi.
Qin Xiaolin had long since returned to the main hall, where he was now sitting and drinking wine.
"Xiao Xi, thank you so much," the Fifth Princess said sincerely.
The three understood each other and nodded in acknowledgment.
A few days later, Mo Lian arrived at the inn.
Since the engagement took place, the emperor has felt deeply indebted to her.
Therefore, during this period, the emperor tried his best to fulfill every request and wish of Mo Lian, hoping to make up for the loss in her heart.
"How is it?" Li Xi approached the Fifth Princess Mo Lian with curiosity, wanting to find out more.
Mo Lian calmly replied, "My father has already annulled my engagement with Young Master Zhang and instead betrothed my elder sister to him. The wedding is scheduled for one month from now."
Li Xi sneered after hearing this and said, "This can be considered as fulfilling their wishes. It's just that this marriage was obtained in such a dishonorable way that it is truly despicable."
Mo Lian nodded and continued, "It seems they've gotten what they wanted, but in reality, they've lost the Emperor's favor. Although Zhang Qian became the top scholar, after this incident, Father will probably never give him a position again. He'll likely never have a chance to rise in the future. As for my elder sister, Father is extremely disappointed in her. Not only was her dowry reduced by half, but he also forbade any member of the royal family from attending her wedding. She truly brought this upon herself."
"So you're just going to let it go like this, having someone plot against you?" Li Xi asked somewhat unwillingly. She didn't understand why Mo Lian didn't choose to hand over the evidence of the princess's plot against her to Emperor Yue.
Mo Lian remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking, "If this matter were revealed, it would only put Father Emperor in a difficult position. After all, the Princess and I are both his daughters, and regardless of whether we have done anything wrong, he cannot bear to punish us severely. Moreover, I believe Father Emperor already knows the truth, but he..."
She sighed deeply and continued, “I understand the emperor’s helplessness and predicament. This time, I chose to magnanimously let the matter pass and voluntarily relinquish ‘love.’ In my father’s eyes, I became a loyal subject who would never betray him, even compromising myself for his dignity. Only in this way can I do what I want without fear.”
After hearing this, Li Xi nodded silently.
She understood that Mo Lian's choice was not without reason, but rather stemmed from consideration for the overall situation of the royal family.
Although she was still unwilling, she could only respect Mo Lian's decision.
Mo Lian bowed to Qin Xiaolin in thanks: "I must thank Master Feng this time. If you hadn't sent people to help me find out the truth, I'm afraid I would still be in the dark."
Qin Xiaolin waved his hand and said calmly, "Princess, you don't need to be so polite."
At this moment, the Fifth Princess, Mo Lian, affectionately took Hong Gu's arm, her face beaming with a warm smile, and said, "You must be Xiao Xi's maternal grandmother, Madam. I finally have the chance to have a proper conversation with you."
Her voice was gentle and respectful, clearly showing great respect for Cherie Chung.
Seeing that they had started chatting, Qin Xiaolin tactfully left and carefully closed the door for them.
Seeing that there were no men left in the room, the three of them breathed a sigh of relief and began to speak freely.
Li Xi recounted everything that happened to Mo Lian in detail after she encountered the Eldest Princess and Zhang Qian and went into hiding.
The scenes were so steamy and suggestive that the Fifth Princess blushed deeply with embarrassment.
"Here, take this small jar." Li Xi said, handing the item in her hand to Mo Lian.
"This contains a secret-recipe sleeping potion. It's colorless and odorless. If used properly, no one will even realize they've been drugged with this aphrodisiac. This is a brand-new product that Lan'er just recently developed!"
Then, she added with a proud look, "And what's more, this jar contains several kinds of sleeping pills with different effects." She seemed to be full of confidence in the treasure in her hands.
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