Chapter 5 Grandpa Emperor, the golden light above your head is about to fade!
The carriage moved very steadily, but Mu Yu could still feel the stiffness coming from her father.
She quietly lifted the carriage curtain and saw her father's straight back, like a sharp sword about to be drawn, both sharp and lonely.
Father is unhappy.
This realization left Mu Yu feeling a little down. She took out a piece of osmanthus sugar cake that she had prepared and hidden in her sleeve, and presented it to Mu Fang's mouth like a precious treasure.
"Daddy, have some candy! Prime Minister Turtle said that eating sweets will make your heart feel less bitter."
Mu Fang turned around, looking at his daughter's bright eyes and the sweet cake in her hand, his tense jawline softened slightly. He didn't eat it, but simply reached out his calloused hand and gently stroked her little head.
"Father is not suffering. Little Yu'er will eat by herself."
Mu Yu gave an "Oh," stuffed the sweet cake into her mouth, and chewed it with bulging cheeks. She had decided to use her golden finger to "bless" her father. Her little hand secretly patted Mu Fang's armor, silently chanting, "I'll share some of my good luck with you! Let Grandpa Emperor like Daddy!"
In an instant, she felt the water level in the small pond in her mind drop slightly, and at the same time, a wave of drowsiness washed over her. She quickly shook her head to perk herself up.
The carriage stopped in front of the palace gate.
Mu Fang dismounted and carried Mu Yu out. Before them stood towering palace walls and heavily armed guards, an invisible pressure bearing down on them.
Mu Yu opened her eyes wide with curiosity, and her "Eye of Fortune" automatically activated.
The world before them instantly transformed into a kaleidoscope of colors. The imperial guards at the gate wore pale white robes, but the old eunuch leading the way was shrouded in wisps of gray mist, his steps unsteady. The palace itself was enveloped in a dazzling gold, though this gold seemed somewhat dim, interspersed with wisps of black lines, like fine brocade riddled with holes by worms.
Is this palace sick?
They were led to a side hall to wait. The hall was filled with the finest sandalwood incense, but it couldn't dispel the musty chill.
"General Zhenguo, His Majesty is still holding the morning court session. Please wait here with the young princess." The old eunuch who led the way said this with a forced smile before leaving.
Mu Fang held his daughter and sat down on a pear wood chair, his back straight and his eyes fixed straight ahead.
Mu Yu's little head couldn't stay still, looking around. She saw a young eunuch standing in the corner, dressed in a thick gray robe, with a small wisp of black mist floating above his head.
"Daddy, that little brother is so pitiful," Mu Yu whispered.
Mu Fang followed her gaze and saw only a meek and obedient eunuch, not understanding his daughter's meaning.
Mu Yu bit her finger and secretly made a small face in the direction of the little eunuch, thinking to herself: Bad luck, go away!
This was her first attempt at "transferring misfortune." She felt the pond in her sea of consciousness was getting drier, and she felt even more sleepy. Just then, a sharp shout came from outside the hall.
"You blind fool! How dare you block our way!"
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw a grand eunuch in a python robe kicking the young eunuch to the ground. The pot of precious orchids in the young eunuch's arms shattered into pieces.
"Master Li, spare my life! This servant didn't mean it!" The little eunuch was terrified and kowtowed repeatedly.
The chief eunuch, known as Chief Eunuch Li, had a sinister look on his face and was about to kick him again.
"stop."
A clear, cold voice rang out, and everyone looked over to see that it was Crown Prince Chu Chongyun and Prince Lie Chu Heng who walked in one after the other.
It was Chu Heng who spoke.
Upon seeing the newcomers, Steward Li's arrogance immediately diminished, and he quickly bowed and greeted, "This servant greets Your Highness Prince Lie and Your Highness the Crown Prince."
Chu Chongyun coldly glanced at Mu Fang and his daughter, the resentment in his eyes almost tangible. In Mu Yu's eyes, the gray aura around him was even stronger than yesterday, almost turning pure black, and emitting a sour stench.
What a terrible guy! Mu Yu mentally stamped his name on him.
Chu Heng frowned at the mess on the ground: "Li Fu, acting like a bully here so early in the morning, what kind of behavior is this!"
Steward Li smiled obsequiously, "Your Highness, please calm down. It was this brat who was clumsy and almost offended His Highness the Crown Prince. This servant was just about to teach him a lesson on His Highness's behalf."
Chu Chongyun remained silent, which was taken as tacit agreement.
Mu Yu spoke up in a childish voice: "Grandpa, you're lying. That little boy was clearly trying to make way for you, but you bumped into him because you weren't watching where you were going."
She pointed at Steward Li and shouted, "You're covered in dust too, just like the Crown Prince, neither of you are good people!"
Upon hearing this, the entire hall fell into a deathly silence.
Chief Steward Li's face instantly turned a deep shade of liver. He was a favorite of the emperor and had never been so disrespected before!
Chu Chongyun was trembling with rage. Pointing at Mu Yu, he shouted, "Outrageous! Mu Yu, you have repeatedly spread falsehoods and misled the public. Today, no one can protect you!"
"I'd like to see who dares to touch her." Chu Heng stepped forward, shielding Mu Fang and his daughter behind him, his gaze piercing. "Crown Prince, His Majesty has summoned them. Are you going to stop him too?"
Chu Chongyun was speechless and could only glare at them resentfully.
Just then, a loud announcement came from outside the hall: "His Majesty has arrived!"
Everyone hurriedly knelt down to pay their respects. Mu Yu, pressed down by her father, also knelt on the ground, somewhat bewildered. She secretly raised her head, wanting to see what her grandfather, the Emperor, looked like.
A middle-aged man dressed in a dragon robe, with a pale face, walked in surrounded by a crowd. He looked exhausted, with dark circles under his eyes.
Is this what an emperor is like?
In Mu Yu's eyes, the emperor's head was surrounded by a brilliant gold, representing the emperor's national destiny. However, this gold was extremely unstable, flickering like a candle flame in the wind, with countless fine black lines tightly binding its edges. These black lines were constantly eroding inward, seemingly trying to completely devour the golden light.
The Emperor's "golden light" is about to be extinguished!
"Rise, all of you." The emperor's voice was weak and hoarse. He took the main seat, his gaze slowly sweeping over everyone in the hall, finally settling on Mu Fang.
"Mu Fang".
"Your subject is here," Mu Fang replied in a deep voice.
"Do you know your crime?" The emperor's eyes were calm and unwavering, revealing neither joy nor anger.
Mu Fang knelt on one knee, his voice booming: "Your Majesty, I am guilty of leaving my place of house arrest without permission. But I did it to protect my daughter; I had no choice. Princess Jia Hui tricked my daughter into going to the frozen lake, nearly causing her death. Your Highness, without asking any questions, wants to throw me into the imperial prison. I refuse to accept this!"
"Father!" Chu Chongyun hurriedly knelt down, "Your subject was only acting in accordance with the law! Mu Fang's escape is a serious crime, and his attack on your subject in the street clearly shows his ill intentions!"
The emperor ignored him, only looking at Mu Fang, and then at the small, exquisitely beautiful little girl beside him.
"You are Mu Yu?"
Upon being called upon, Mu Yu immediately puffed out her little chest: "Yes! Greetings, Grandpa Emperor!"
Her clear and loud voice eased the tense atmosphere in the hall. A rare smile appeared on the emperor's face: "You child, you're not afraid of me at all."
"Why should we be afraid?" Mu Yu tilted her head, looking innocent. "Prime Minister Turtle said that emperors are dragons from the sky, here to protect us. Father said you are a good emperor, and a good emperor would not bully children."
The emperor's smile deepened, and he beckoned, "Come here, let me take a look."
Mu Fang stiffened, but still let go of his daughter's hand.
Mu Yu then took short strides and ran over, stopping only when she reached the emperor's throne, looking up at him with her little face.
Up close, she could see the tangled black lines on the emperor's body more clearly, and even smell a faint, foul odor, like rotten mud. She wrinkled her little nose.
"Grandpa Emperor, are you sick?" she blurted out.
The emperor was taken aback, then coughed a few times and sighed, "When people get old, their bodies just don't work anymore."
"No!" Mu Yu shook her head hurriedly, pointing at his dragon robe, "There are so many black bugs on your body, they're biting your golden aura! Your golden aura is almost completely eaten up!"
Children's words, though innocent, were like a thunderclap, exploding in everyone's ears!
The emperor's face drained of color instantly, and his pupils contracted sharply.
Chu Chongyun shouted sternly, "Nonsense! Guards, drag this crazy girl who is spreading heresy away from me!"
"Who dares!" Mu Fang and Chu Heng spoke at the same time.
Just then, an elderly Taoist priest, who had been standing behind the emperor like a shadow and had no presence whatsoever, slowly opened his eyes. He had a refined appearance and an air of otherworldly wisdom, looking like a hermit sage.
But in Mu Yu's eyes, there was not a trace of light on this old man, only a pure, viscous blackness that seemed to devour everything! The blackness was as thick as an abyss, with a strong corrosive feeling, a hundred times more terrifying than the black aura on the Crown Prince and Steward Li combined!
The old man wore a compassionate smile and said in a gentle voice, "Your Majesty, the young princess is still young. Perhaps she saw something unclean and was frightened, which is why she is talking nonsense."
As he spoke, he slowly walked towards Mu Yu, his eyes filled with pity: "Little Princess, may I, this humble Taoist priest, exorcise the evil spirits for you?"
Mu Yu felt a chill run down her spine under his gaze, as if she were being stared at by a cold, venomous snake. She instinctively took a step back, hiding behind the throne, her small hands gripping the emperor's dragon robe tightly.
"No! You're the biggest villain!" she shouted at the Taoist priest with all her might, pointing at him. "Grandpa Emperor, his dark energy is going to suck all your golden light away! Get rid of him quickly!"
The Taoist priest's smile froze on his face.
The emperor's body trembled violently. He stared intently at the Taoist priest before him, then at the terrified Mu Yu. Suddenly, he clutched his chest and spat out a mouthful of dark blood!
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