Chapter 237 Undercurrents, the Emperor's Heart is Clear
Inside the warm room of Shufangzhai, the air seemed frozen. The shattered white porcelain bowl on the ground, the splashed rock sugar and snow pear juice, spread a sticky dark yellow on Ziwei's moon-white skirt, like a sudden splash of filth, tainting that elegance. Ziwei's body trembled slightly, her face as pale as paper. She tightly grasped the half of the jade pendant that Xiaoyanzi had stuffed into her, her knuckles turning white with force, and the cold jade seemed to suck away the last bit of her warmth. She raised her head, and those eyes that were always filled with tenderness and kindness were now shrouded in a huge panic and disbelief. Tears rolled down silently, hitting the jade pendant and Xiaoyanzi's heart.
"Ziwei!" Xiaoyanzi's heart ached. She half-knelt beside Ziwei, her hands tightly wrapped around her cold hands, trying to transfer her strength. Her eyes burned with rage, like two dancing flames, shooting straight at the panicked Mingyue. Her voice trembled slightly with extreme anger, but it was also filled with unquestionable determination: "Who is it? Who dares to slander my sister like this? Concubine Gao? That toothless tiger in Jingren Palace? She's talking nonsense!"
Jinsuo also rushed to Ziwei's other side, protecting her with her body, and said to Mingyue anxiously and angrily: "Mingyue! Where did you hear such nonsense? The princess's life experience was recognized by the emperor with his own words, and there is a token to prove it! If you dare to talk nonsense again, I..." She was so angry that she couldn't say anything harsh, and her eyes were red.
Mingyue was so frightened that she fell to her knees with a plop, tears and snot streaming down her face. "Princess, spare me! I dare not say anything nonsense! It was Xiaodeng... Xiaodeng went to the Imperial Household Department to get the newly arrived red silk, and heard a few eunuchs who were cleaning the place hiding in a corner gossiping. They said it was all very detailed, and they said... they said it was news from Jingren Palace. Although Nanny Li was driven away, she left behind some 'ironclad evidence'... When I heard that it was related to Princess, I was scared to death. That's why... that's why..."
"Ironclad evidence?" Yongqi's voice rang out in a deep voice. His tall figure stood at the entrance to the warm room, blocking out the light from outside, his face gloomy enough to drip water. He had heard everything clearly from outside, and now as he stepped inside, each step carried a heavy sense of oppression. He first glanced at the mess on the ground and Ziwei's distraught expression, his brow furrowing even more tightly. Then, his gaze, sharp as a knife, swept over to the kneeling Mingyue: "Do you recognize those little eunuchs and the little stools?"
"I recognize... I recognize one of them," Mingyue replied timidly, "It's Wang Shun'er, who is always on duty at the west corner gate of the Imperial Garden."
Erkang came in right after Yongqi, his usually gentle face now covered with a layer of frost. Without even looking at the others, he walked straight to Ziwei, and without hesitation took off his thick stone-blue cloak embroidered with cloud patterns, and gently but firmly wrapped it around Ziwei's trembling shoulders, half encircling her in his arms, isolating her from the invisible chill and malice. His voice was low and powerful, with a soothing power, and rang in her ears: "Ziwei, look at me. The token is real, the emperor's words are real, and my heart for you is real. Rumors are nothing but dirty water in the gutter, which cannot be seen in the light and cannot hurt you at all. As long as I, Fu Erkang, am here, I will never let anyone bully you!"
Ziwei raised her tearful eyes and looked into Erkang's eyes which were filled with heartache and determination, like a drowning person grabbing the only piece of driftwood. Her cold fingers subconsciously clenched the collar of his shirt, as if absorbing the warmth and courage he was conveying.
Xiaoyanzi stood up abruptly, her red cape arcing from her violent movements. Her chest heaved violently, her eyes blazing with rage, nearly burning through her rationality: "No! I can't stand it! That noble concubine, even under house arrest, is still restless and dares to throw dirty water on Ziwei! I'm going to Jingren Palace now. I want to ask her, which eye did she see me colluding with the Fang family to commit fraud? Who is she to dare question the daughter of the Emperor?" As she spoke, she was about to rush out, the tassel of the peach wood sword at her waist deformed by her grip, and the red silk thread cut into her palm.
"Little Swallow!" Yongqi's eyes and hands were quick, and he grabbed her wrist with a firm grip, leaving no room for escape. His other hand pressed against the hilt of the sword at his waist, his fingertips turning slightly white from the pressure, revealing the rage surging within him. However, his tone remained remarkably calm: "Calm down! If you rush to Jingren Palace now, you'll only alert the enemy and give them grounds to accuse us of bullying. What else can you do? Since she dared to spread rumors, she must have come prepared, and she might even be waiting for you to lose your composure!"
"Then what should we do? Should we just let her slander Ziwei? Let those dirty words spread in the palace?" Xiaoyanzi turned around suddenly and glared at Yongqi, her eyes red, half of her anger and half of her grievance for Ziwei. "There are still three months left! We will be married in three months! Are we going to let Ziwei marry into the Fu family with such rumors? How can she hold her head up in the palace in the future?" Her voice was choked with a hint of imperceptible panic - she knew too well the horror of rumors that could kill people invisibly.
Yongqi stared at Xiaoyanzi's bloodshot eyes, her anxious and heartbroken expression over Ziwei, and felt a lump in his throat. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to be more rational. "Precisely because we still have three months left, we must remain calm. The Emperor is wise and powerful, and he has many spies in the palace. This must have reached his ears. What we need to do now is protect Ziwei, stabilize Shufangzhai, gather evidence, and await the Emperor's final decision! Acting rashly will only bring pain to our loved ones and joy to our enemies!"
He turned to Erkang, their eyes meeting with a tacit understanding that needed no further words: "Erkang, Ziwei, I'm leaving this to you. Everyone in Shufangzhai must keep their mouths shut and calm the princess down. Mingyue," he looked at the palace maid who was still kneeling and trembling on the ground, his voice carrying an unquestionable command, "If even a word of what happened today gets out of Shufangzhai, no matter who it is, they will be severely punished! Little Stool!"
"I'm here!" Xiaodengzi had been waiting outside the door. When he heard the call, he immediately trotted in with a look of panic on his face.
"Go, quietly invite Wang Shun'er to me. Remember, do it quietly and don't disturb anyone." Yongqi's voice was low, but it was chilling.
"Yes! I understand!" The little stool was startled and quickly bowed and retreated.
Xiaoyanzi watched Yongqi meticulously arrange things. Though her anger lingered, she understood his point. She stamped her feet fiercely, turned back to Ziwei, and hugged her tightly. Her voice, tinged with tears, was incredibly firm. "Don't be afraid, sister! I'm here! The Emperor is here! Yongqi and Erkang are here! No one will dare to hurt you! I'll catch those gossipers one by one and make them pay!"
Ziwei leaned against Erkang's chest, feeling the scorching warmth of Xiaoyanzi and Yongqi's calm, steady presence. Her heart, frozen by the rumors, finally felt a glimmer of warmth. She closed her eyes, tears silently streaming down her face, but her hands, clutching the jade pendant and Erkang's collar, were no longer as cold and stiff.
A moment of silence fell within the warm room, the only sounds echoing from Ziwei's suppressed sobs and the occasional crackling of the silvery charcoal in the basin. Outside, the sky seemed even darker. A chill wind whirled tiny snowflakes against the window frames, creating a rustling sound like countless prying whispers. The festive red silk still hung high within the Shufangzhai, reflecting the solemn expressions on everyone's faces. The warmth of the pre-wedding ceremony was ripped open by the sudden onset of gloom.
In this oppressive silence, Eunuch Su's unique and slightly shrill voice suddenly came from outside the warm room, with a barely perceptible urgency that penetrated the stagnant air:
"The Emperor has arrived—!"
This sound was like thunder exploding in the sky above Shufangzhai.
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