Fukang'an grasped the Emperor's hand, his eyes, red with an unblemished purity, looking directly at the Emperor. "Your subject, Fukang'an, is willing to dedicate my life to supporting Your Majesty and serving as your right-hand man!"
All he sought was peace and prosperity for the country, and for his martial arts skills to be put to good use. He had no interest in the struggle for the crown prince position.
Everything inside the hall was arranged as it had been during the Empress Dowager's lifetime, even the scissors she used to prune flowers were placed on a high-legged table next to a long-necked jade porcelain vase behind the white curtain.
Inside the hall, white silk banners danced without wind, as if the Empress Dowager's spirit still lingered in the hall. The ethereal dance stirred the Emperor's longing for the Empress Dowager.
The diamond-shaped partition, plated with gold powder, shimmered with tiny golden fragments in the dim candlelight. This reflected a shimmering light on Fukang'an's face, and the Emperor saw his sincerity in his eyes.
Perhaps because he had been sitting for so long, he needed Fukang'an's support to stand. What difference is there between ruler and subject, father and son? The ruler is the guide for the subject, the father is the guide for the son, then the ruler is also the guide for the son.
The Emperor's expression softened somewhat, and he looked at Fukang'an with earnestness, "Kang'er, stay in the capital and keep me company!"
He called him "Kang'er," and Fukang'an was somewhat stunned, having not heard such affectionate words in a long time. He knew why he was being asked to stay in the capital, but he couldn't refuse; he was both the emperor and his father.
A faint, unsettling smile played on the Emperor's lips as he patted Fukang'an's hand. Fukang'an, after a moment's thought, caught up with the Emperor's unsteady steps and helped him along.
Yan Ning followed closely to one side, the Emperor and Fukang'an's clasped hands clearly visible in her eyes. The sight of father and son supporting each other brought tears to her eyes. These tears blurred the dim candlelight, revealing a deep and unsettling depth in her eyes.
The Emperor glanced at Yan Ning, who seemed about to burst into tears, and said, "I didn't summon you, yet you came looking for Kang'er on your own! If I hadn't kept Kang'er in the capital, you would probably have been eagerly chased away to Jilin one day!"
Although these words were meant to be accusatory, Yan Ning couldn't detect any anger in them. Feeling embarrassed, she was about to lower her head when her eyes widened, and tears welled up and splashed across her clean-cut face.
The Emperor has not summoned her, so who is sending Little Jiangzi to do this?
The crime of falsely conveying an imperial edict is punishable by death. Yan Ning thought of Yong Yan and He Shen standing outside the palace. Did they really dare to risk such a crime just to strip Fukang'an of his military power?
The two shrewd individuals were willing to risk their lives; their actions couldn't be as simple as she thought. She wondered whether she should tell the Emperor that she had been summoned to the Empress Dowager's chambers by his decree.
As she pondered, Fukang'an had already helped the Emperor away, their figures blurring in the distance from the candlelight. In a daze, she recalled a seemingly muttered remark from the old lady when she and the old lady went to the palace to pay their respects to the Empress Dowager.
"Yan Ning, do you all only believe that Kang'er is his bloodline? As time goes by, even I can no longer tell whether the huge lie we set up back then was true or false?"
She had never met General Fuheng, but in her mind, the Emperor had already become Fukang'an's father. The two were so alike, even sharing the same commanding presence. Therefore, after so long, the old lady's words from that day had long since vanished from her mind like a whispered dream.
Yan Ning quickened her pace and caught up with the two. The guards standing outside the door, perhaps having heard the sounds from inside the palace, opened the two carved vermilion doors as the Emperor approached the vermilion openwork palace gate.
When the two heavy vermilion doors opened, it was not as Yan Ning had imagined, with spring light instantly filling the hall. In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the spring light was obscured by a drizzling rain.
Smoke shrouded the palace's yellow glazed tile roof with its single-eave hip roof, making it appear like a celestial palace in the distance. The emperor couldn't help but recall the time when he studied here years ago, when he was still Prince Hongli.
Now he reigns supreme, but the person who once studied with him is no longer here.
Hearing the sound of the palace gates opening, Yongyan, drenched in the rain, hurried up the jade steps and met the Emperor as he exited. Fukang'an helped the Emperor, and Yongyan hesitated whether to kneel. Even though it was the Emperor he was kneeling to, Fukang'an would also receive such a grand gesture. Moreover, judging from Fukang'an's expression, he showed no intention of bowing to him. While he hesitated, Heshen, who had been standing beside the palace gate with Wu Shulai, had already knelt on the ground and was paying his respects to the Emperor as usual.
Helpless, Yongyan glanced coldly at Fukang'an standing beside the Emperor, then knelt before Heshen. "Your subject begs forgiveness from Father Emperor!"
The Emperor had known for some time that Yongyan was standing outside the palace, but he neither requested an audience nor offered any advice, simply standing there to keep the Emperor company in his grief. For three days and nights, he stood in the palace courtyard, and from his bloodshot eyes, the Emperor sensed his filial piety. Now, seeing him plead guilty, the Emperor felt even more strongly that he, as the Emperor, had been too harsh.
"Rise! I understand your filial piety, and I forgive you!"
Yongyan did not rise, but bowed his head and continued to plead guilty: "Your subject knows that he is foolish and cannot relieve Father's worries, so your subject went to invite Lady Fucha to come on Father's orders!"
The Emperor's eyes narrowed instantly, and his hand fell heavily from Fukang'an's. Enraged, he bent over, looking at Yongyan in disbelief, "You dare to forge an imperial edict!"
Upon seeing this, Wu Shulai immediately knelt down. "This servant was unaware that Lady Fucha had come upon receiving an imperial decree. This servant believed that Lady Fucha had come at the behest of General Fucha!"
Yan Ning was somewhat taken aback. He glanced at Wu Shulai. His back was hunched, and large beads of sweat covered half of his forehead beneath his hat. His words had covered up Yongyan's false imperial edict and shifted all the blame onto Fukang'an. But when had he also been bribed by Yongyan?
Wu Shulai was the emperor's personal eunuch, and had served the emperor for decades. He knew about Fukang'an's background, so he must also know about Yongyan being made crown prince.
This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
