Chapter 278 Arguing
The calm is ultimately temporary.
A sudden storm descended upon her in a way she had never anticipated.
That afternoon, Shui Xian was in a side hall of Lihe Palace reviewing a secret report compiled by Ting Lu about the recent situations of several impoverished students.
Suddenly, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the hall, accompanied by the low pleas of palace servants.
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty the Empress!"
Yinzhu barged in without being announced.
Her face was deathly pale, and she looked completely unlike her usual calm self.
Upon entering the hall, Yinzhu knelt before Shuixian, her voice trembling uncontrollably.
"Your Majesty! Something terrible has happened!"
"Zhou Yan... Zhou Yan has been arrested by the people of the Jingzhao Prefecture! They say he is suspected of associating with court officials, spying on the palace, and leaking information! He has been thrown into the imperial prison to await trial!"
"What?"
The thin secret report in Narcissus's hand floated to the ground.
She suddenly stood up and felt a chill instantly rise from the soles of her feet to the top of her head.
Zhou Yan arrested? Was he spying on the palace?
These charges against an innkeeper seem absurd, yet they are quite serious!
In particular, if the allegation of "spying into the palace" is confirmed, it will implicate more than just Zhou Yan!
The secret report she had received the day before about the harassment of the Dengdi Inn by the yamen runners flashed through her mind like lightning.
It turns out that it was not a coincidence, but a test!
Who? Who would use this method against Zhou Yan at this time? Against her?
Narcissus didn't know why, but in that instant, a name came to mind...
Emperor Zhaoheng!
Only he has this ability!
But why is Emperor Zhaoheng targeting Zhou Yan, her confidante?!
What welled up in Narcissus's heart was not fear, but overwhelming anger!
Who is Zhou Yan?
It was the most important hidden move she made at the very beginning of her rebirth!
It is the key hub for her to connect with the outside world, obtain information, support the poor, and even promote girls' education in the future, benefiting more women!
Dengdi Inn was not just a business for making money, but also the core of her network of relationships.
She provided a sense of security to Yinzhu, Shuixiu, and many others who depended on her!
It is also the cornerstone for her to realize some of her ambitions!
If Zhou Yan falls, Dengdi Inn will suffer a severe blow. Her hard-earned influence outside the palace will suffer an immeasurable setback. Yinzhu will lose her husband, and those poor scholars who have just seen hope will lose an important gathering place and opportunity...
How could she possibly tolerate this?!
Emperor Zhaoheng, driven by selfish suspicion, actually wants to destroy everything she has painstakingly built?!
"Prepare the sedan chair!"
Narcissus's voice was icy, carrying an undeniable resolve, devoid of any of her usual gentleness and composure, "Go to the Qianqing Palace!"
She didn't even have time to change into her formal palace attire, and was only wearing that moon-white everyday dress.
Narcissus moved with the speed of the wind, her face as calm and icy as ice. The fierce aura emanating from her body made all the palace servants she encountered along the way tremble with fear and give way.
In front of the Qianqing Palace, Feng Shunxiang saw the Empress approaching in such a hurry and was immediately startled. He quickly stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, the Emperor..."
"Thank you for your hard work, but... move aside!"
Narcissus didn't even glance at him and went straight for the palace.
"Your Majesty! Please allow this old servant to announce your arrival..."
Feng Shunxiang tried to stop him.
"I have urgent business to discuss with His Majesty and cannot wait a moment longer!"
Shui Xian's voice wasn't loud, but it carried the inherent authority of an empress, effectively silencing Feng Shunxiang from saying anything more.
She ignored them, pushed open the half-closed palace door, and went inside.
Emperor Zhaoheng was standing with his back to the palace gate, in front of the window, seemingly looking at the scenery outside, or perhaps just lost in thought.
Hearing hurried footsteps behind him, he slowly turned around.
When he saw Narcissus's face, which was clearly filled with anger, and her eyes, which were no longer calm but burning with anxiety.
He felt a slight tightness in his chest at first, but then he was overwhelmed by a deeper, more profound emotion.
Before she could even bow, Narcissus spoke, her voice trembling slightly with urgency.
"Your Majesty! I have heard that the Prefect of the Capital has arrested Zhou Yan, the manager of the Dengdi Inn, on charges of associating with court officials and spying on the palace? This is utterly absurd!"
She strode forward, her gaze fixed intently on Emperor Zhaoheng, trying to find any trace of concern on his face.
"Your Majesty is wise! Zhou Yan is a loyal and reliable man, and I can vouch for him with my life!"
"He runs the Dengdi Inn and has always been law-abiding, charitable, and generous. He has even used the inn to help impoverished students, which is harmless to the court and beneficial to the people! He has no ulterior motives! There must be a misunderstanding in this matter, or someone is maliciously framing him! I urge Your Majesty to immediately issue an edict to release Zhou Yan and thoroughly investigate the person who made the false accusation!"
She spoke earnestly, recounting Zhou Yan's merits and hard work one by one.
The undisguised worry in Narcissus's eyes, and her concern for Zhou Yan's safety, burned away Emperor Zhaoheng's rationality like the most intense flame.
Emperor Zhaoheng listened quietly, his expression revealing neither joy nor anger.
Only those deep eyes grew darker and darker.
He saw her urgency, her loss of composure, and how clearly she expressed her "concern" for the man named Zhou Yan.
Yes, she cares.
I care about it very much!
For these reasons, she could disregard palace rules and trespass into the Qianqing Palace.
She could be so eager to defend a "non-male" in front of him.
He could express such intense emotional fluctuations that he had never seen in her eyes before!
The desperate curses uttered by Liu Simin and Consort Wan before their deaths echoed in my ears like demonic chants once more.
It collided violently with the unease, suspicion, and secret longing to be loved purely that had been building up in his heart for many days!
"Empress!"
He abruptly interrupted Narcissus, his suppressed rage suddenly echoing throughout the silent hall!
Narcissus was startled by his sudden shout, and her words came to an abrupt halt.
Emperor Zhaoheng approached her step by step. His eyes, which were always filled with tenderness or majesty, were now filled with a cold and ruthless scrutiny, as if he wanted to see right through her.
"For a man from another country."
His voice was icy cold, carrying a chilling edge!
"How dare you trespass so rudely? In your heart, which is more important, this empire, my princes and princesses, or your innkeeper, your Dengdi Inn?!"
He stared intently at her, not missing a single subtle change in her face. His voice was slightly distorted by extreme emotion, a concern that Emperor Zhaoheng himself did not want to notice!
"Or is it that in your heart, Narcissus, my feelings for you, as the emperor, are not as strong as those for that innkeeper?!"
This question, like the sharpest knife, cut straight through the last layer of tender pretense between the two.
The cruelest suspicions are laid bare before each other.
Narcissus was completely stunned by the undisguised suspicion and accusation in his eyes.
Looking at the familiar yet unfamiliar man before her, seeing the anger fueled by jealousy rising in his eyes, and listening to his questioning that was completely off-topic, the anger that had ignited in her heart because of Zhou Yan's arrest seemed to be doused with a bucket of ice water, instantly cooling down and leaving only boundless disappointment.
She understood. She understood completely.
This is not a misunderstanding; it is a carefully designed test.
He used the way he destroyed her most important support to test her illusory "true feelings"!
She raised her head very slowly, meeting his intense, piercing gaze.
The anger from before had faded from her face, replaced by an extreme calm.
But beneath that calm, a complex mix of emotions was surging...
There is disappointment at his lack of trust and helplessness at his ruthless methods.
“Your Majesty,” her voice regained its composure, yet carried a chilling edge, “what I care about has never been any particular person.”
She paused, her gaze cool and clear as she looked into his eyes, each word distinct and clear.
"What I care about is reason, justice, and that innocent people should not suffer unjust grievances."
"What I care about is what you once praised me for, and what I want to do with my meager strength for the women of this world, for the poor families of this world, and for the common people."
She neither admitted nor denied his accusations.
This was both her true feelings and the only explanation she could give at this moment to protect Zhou Yan and the Dengdi Inn.
Having said that, she no longer looked at his face, which had become even more ashen in an instant, nor did she wait for his response. Instead, she gave a deep and respectful bow.
"Your Majesty, I take my leave."
Then, she turned around, her back ramrod straight, and walked out of the Qianqing Palace step by step with remarkable stability.
Emperor Zhaoheng stood frozen in place, watching her resolute departure. The raging fire in his chest, a mixture of anger, jealousy, and despair, almost burned him to ashes!
She didn't even offer a word of explanation or comfort!
"Bang!"
He finally lost control and slammed his fist hard on the rosewood desk next to him, making a dull and terrifying noise!
The memorials, writing brush, and inkstone on the desk were jumping violently.
A jade paperweight rolled to the ground and shattered into pieces.
Feng Shunxiang was terrified as he listened outside, but dared not go inside.
In the empty hall, only the emperor's heavy, suppressed breathing and the silent, pervasive coldness that could devour all warmth remained...
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