Xie Lingyu had regained some of her senses by this time. She knew she couldn't die. If she really replaced Xie Lingqin in Maoming, then all the suffering she had endured today would have been in vain.
However, if she doesn't use Xie Lingqin's name, then the Prince Xian really won't want her anymore.
“His Majesty will surely be lenient, considering your youth,” Consort Lan added, reaching for the quilt as she spoke.
"Mother..." Yuwen Xian stepped forward anxiously, "Otherwise, we should dismiss everyone first..."
"Nonsense! You've done something wrong, and you think you can just talk about it? Kneel down right now!" Before Yuwen Xian could finish speaking, Consort Lan immediately shouted sternly.
Yuwen Xian immediately knelt down.
Seeing her son kneeling on the ground, Consort Lan naturally felt pain in her heart. Such a shameful thing, she naturally wanted to dismiss everyone even more than he did, to make a big deal out of it and let it go.
However, after his outburst of anger, the emperor remained silent for a long time. She couldn't figure out what he was thinking, so she could only handle the matter in the most impartial way and not show any leniency.
"Xie Lingqin, if you keep hiding it, I won't be polite." Consort Lan was angry; as she spoke, she reached out to pull at the quilt...
Yuwen Xian's heart was in his throat. He wanted to signal to Consort Lan, but when he looked up, he saw the Emperor staring at him with extreme disappointment and anger...
"Your Majesty, outside the Hualuo Palace, Miss Xie from the General's Mansion requests an audience."
Just then, a guard rushed in from outside the hall to report.
Upon hearing this, the emperor, whose face was filled with deep anger, had a glint of light in his dark, turbulent eyes. He looked at him, clearly surprised, and asked, "What did you say?"
Caught off guard by the Emperor's gaze, the guard dared not look around and immediately knelt down. "Your Majesty, I must say that outside the palace, the eldest daughter of the General's Mansion requests an audience."
"Bring them in." Almost as soon as the guard finished speaking, the emperor gave the order in a deep voice.
"yes."
The guards immediately withdrew.
At this moment, Consort Lan's hand froze in mid-air.
The guard just said that Xie Lingqin, the eldest daughter of the General's Mansion, is requesting an audience. Xie Lingqin is outside, not here. Then who is this person in the quilt...?
Consort Lan suddenly looked at Prince Xian.
The wise king's face was already blank, and a kind of despair was spreading endlessly in his eyes and heart.
He was thinking of a quick victory, and then finding Xie Lingqin as soon as possible, so that he could cover his tracks and make things seem more natural.
However, things didn't go as planned.
Therefore, facing his mother's expression, the wise prince could not give any response.
Consort Lan's beautiful face was solemn, and she felt her fingertips trembling. The situation was out of control, and she was powerless to do anything about it.
Just then, the guard led Xie Lingqin in.
The woman was dressed in a plain-colored dress, with delicate eyebrows and bright eyes, a beautiful and serene appearance, and a calm demeanor.
If it wasn't Xie Lingqin, then who was it?
As soon as Xie Lingqin entered, she didn't look anywhere but her gaze fell on the Emperor. She immediately knelt down and said in a slightly urgent voice, "Your Majesty, I can't find my second sister. I'm not familiar with the palace. I wanted to ask Prince Yi for help, but he's nowhere to be found. He just went to the Imperial Study and said that you were here. So I've dared to ask Your Majesty for a favor. Please send a few people to help me find my second sister."
Xie Lingqin spoke sincerely, and everyone was moved by her worried expression.
The Emperor's sharp, deep gaze fell upon her bit by bit. "Do you know where this place is?"
Xie Lingqin asked in confusion, "This place... just now the eunuch said it was Hualuo Palace, Your Majesty, is it that I, this humble woman, am unaware of the rules?"
Xie Lingqin looked puzzled, spoke softly, and then looked at the scene in the room before being startled.
He looked clearly shocked by what he saw.
After all, this was the first time she had ever seen Yuwen Xian dressed like this, with an unpleasant expression and a deathly pale face.
"Please forgive me, Your Majesty." Xie Lingqin glanced at him once and then quickly bowed her head to beg for forgiveness.
The Emperor looked at her, his eyes filled with deep meaning. After a moment, he stepped forward and asked, "Do you know what just happened here?"
"Huh?" Xie Lingqin was clearly puzzled. Meeting the Emperor's obviously suspicious and scrutinizing gaze, she cleverly asked, "Could it be related to me?"
"Hehehe..." The Emperor finally withdrew his gaze from Xie Lingqin and slowly turned his head to look at Consort Lan on the side of the bed. "Consort Lan, Xie Lingqin is here. So who is on the bed?" His voice was so sarcastic.
"This... Your Majesty..." Consort Lan had been with the Emperor for decades. Although the Emperor was calmer than ever before and his previous overwhelming anger was gone, she knew that this was the moment when the Emperor was truly angry.
It reminded her of the scene from years ago when the Emperor spoke with Zongzheng Shao, Xie Lingqin's mother...
"Thump—" The noble and self-assured Consort Lan finally knelt down heavily at this moment.
"What are you doing, Consort Lan?"
Unfortunately, because Xie Lingqin was kneeling just three steps away from the Emperor, at first glance, it looked as if Consort Lan was kneeling in the direction Xie Lingqin was kneeling.
Xie Lingqin immediately became terrified.
Upon hearing this, Consort Lan's eyes flashed with a sharp, piercing light, as if she wanted to kill Xie Lingqin. However, her expression remained unchanged as she looked at the Emperor and said, "Your Majesty, I was wrong."
Where did you go wrong?
"Your Majesty..."
"Your Majesty, please grant my daughter justice."
Finally, Xie Lingyu, who had been trapped under the covers, poked his head out and knelt before the Emperor while still clutching the covers.
This sound came out, this appearance was revealed.
Immediately, all was still, and even the wind seemed to contain blades.
Inside and outside the palace, the palace maids, guards, and eunuchs all changed their expressions, feeling a sense of oppression, as if their flesh was being torn apart.
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