Chapter 190 Attention
The palace roads of the Forbidden City were dyed a strange blood-red by the setting sun.
Xiao Minglan walked towards the Yangxin Palace step by step, stepping on the broken gold on the ground.
The madness on his face had long since disappeared, replaced by a coldness deeper than the abyss.
His clenched fingers had already loosened.
But the anger that almost destroyed the world did not dissipate, but was pressed deeper into his bones and blood.
very good.
Really, very good.
The door of the Hall of Mental Cultivation slowly opened.
Two figures, one in front and one behind, walked out from inside.
The woman in the lead was wearing an expensive palace dress, but her face was covered with a thin veil, so her appearance could not be seen clearly.
Behind her followed a girl who was about sixteen or seventeen years old. Her features were 70% similar to Xiao Minglan's, but she was less fierce and more delicate.
It was his mother, Yun Wan, and his twin sister.
Just now, the high and mighty man finally gave his sister, who had never been acknowledged, a name.
Pearl.
Xiao Mingzhu.
The lost pearl has finally been found.
There were still traces of tears in the corners of Yun Wan's eyes, and she didn't know whether she was happy or sad.
When she saw Xiao Minglan, she paused, and her eyes, still beautiful even through the veil, were filled with complex emotions.
"Go ahead."
She said softly.
"Your father...is waiting to see you."
Xiao Minglan passed her by with an expressionless face and stepped into the palace that symbolized supreme power.
Inside the hall, the aroma of incense curled up.
The emperor, dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe, did not sit on the dragon throne, but stood in front of the window with his hands behind his back, his back showing an indescribable desolation.
Xiao Minglan walked into the hall, lifted his robe and knelt down, his movements impeccable.
"Greetings, Your Majesty."
The voice was as cold as ice.
The emperor turned around slowly and sighed.
"Get up."
His gaze fell on Xiao Minglan, with a hint of guilt, a hint of scrutiny, and a hint of... barely perceptible tenderness.
"Still calling you Your Majesty?"
The emperor's voice was a little hoarse.
"We should change the name."
Xiao Minglan lowered his eyes, and his eyelashes cast a shadow under his eyes.
Those two words seemed to weigh a thousand pounds, pressing firmly on the tip of his tongue.
It took him sixteen years to get to where he is today.
He thought he would be ecstatic.
But at this moment, there is only a numb desolation in my heart.
“…”
After a while.
He forced out a difficult syllable from his throat.
“…Father.”
The emperor's eyes softened instantly.
The guilt is even deeper.
Although he did not personally raise this son who was living outside, he had always been secretly paying attention to him.
He is very good.
He is even much better than those pampered princes in the palace.
Therefore, the sense of guilt in his heart became heavier.
"The Ministry of Rites is already selecting a good date."
The emperor stepped forward, his tone more gentle than ever before.
"I will first adopt you as my adopted son and give you the title of prince. Your sister... will also be named Princess Mingzhu."
"Everything is up to Father's arrangements."
Xiao Minglan's answer was still respectful, but there was no trace of joy in it.
This obedience made the emperor love her even more.
He patted Xiao Minglan on the shoulder and made the most generous promise of his life.
"Besides status, what else do you want?"
"Whether it's power or wealth, as long as you ask, I... my father will give it to you."
Xiao Minglan finally raised his head.
A spark finally ignited in his bottomless dark eyes.
"real?"
He asked, a hint of temptation in his voice.
"Anything?"
The emperor looked at the light in his eyes and his heart suddenly skipped a beat.
He seemed to have guessed something.
The emperor's face darkened slightly.
He interrupted Xiao Minglan before he could speak.
The majesty of the emperor instantly overwhelmed the tenderness between father and son.
"Except Shen He."
The air suddenly solidified.
The spark of fire that had just ignited in Xiao Minglan's eyes was completely extinguished by the basin of cold water, leaving only a dead ashes.
The emperor looked at him, and spoke every word with determination.
"She is already your sixth brother's fiancée."
"Except her."
"Anything."
The moment the words fell, there was a deathly silence in the Yangxin Palace.
The spark that had just ignited in Xiao Minglan's eyes was completely extinguished.
Not extinguished.
It was crushed alive, leaving no trace of warmth, only a cold, dead ash.
All the expressions on his face seemed to be frozen, showing neither joy nor anger.
a long time.
It lasted so long that the emperor thought he would explode regardless of the consequences.
Xiao Minglan suddenly laughed.
The smile was very shallow, like the coldest sunshine in winter, without any warmth at all.
"Father is joking."
His voice was so calm that not a single ripple could be heard, as if the person who had asked the provocative question just now was not him at all.
"My son, I have nothing to ask for."
The emperor's brows knitted slightly.
However, Xiao Minglan had already bowed his head again, his attitude extremely respectful.
"Being able to recognize one's ancestors and return to one's roots is already a blessing from heaven."
"I dare not have any other thoughts."
"Everything is up to the emperor, father."
This series of words was said flawlessly, showing the true intentions and preserving the dignity of the emperor, his subjects, and his father and son.
But the more this happened, the more uneasy the emperor felt.
This son is too thoughtful and too patient.
Just like a wolf lurking in the dark, even if its claws and fangs are plucked out, its eyes still gleam with coldness.
The emperor pondered in silence.
He looked at his overly obedient son in front of him, his mind racing.
The identities of Minglan and Mingzhu must be announced to the world as soon as possible to silence the gossips.
And the marriage between the girl from the Shen family and Jing Chi...cannot be delayed any longer.
These two things were like thunderclaps in the court, and they had to be settled as quickly as possible to suppress all criticisms.
Thinking of this, the complex emotions in the emperor's eyes gradually dissipated, and his imperial majesty and decisiveness were restored.
"good."
He nodded, his tone unclear.
"I understand."
"You go back first."
"I'll take my leave."
Xiao Minglan kowtowed again, then stood up and left without any reluctance.
The tall figure, in the dim temple, was stretched out thin and long, revealing an indescribable loneliness.
He slowly raised his head and looked at the sun hanging in the sky.
The corners of his lips silently curled up in an icy arc.
No rush.
***
Three days later.
An imperial edict came out from the palace, like a bolt of thunder out of the blue, instantly exploding the entire Shangjing City.
The emperor issued an edict, specially recognizing Xiao Minglan as his adopted son and giving him the title of "Yi Wang"; his sister Xiao Mingzhu was given the title of "Mingzhu Princess".
The enthronement ceremony is scheduled to take place half a month later.
All the civil and military officials in the court, as well as the royal family and nobles, were in an uproar.
"Prince Yi? This title..."
"Yi" means to assist. What does your Majesty mean?"
"The most important thing is, he was crowned king before the wedding! This is the first time since the founding of the dynasty!"
"Forget about an adopted son, even a biological prince has never had such an honor!"
"His Royal Highness Prince Yi is so favored by the Emperor that he is simply... very popular!"
For a moment, everyone's attention was focused on this "King Yi" who suddenly appeared.
Countless visiting cards flew like snowflakes to the Prince Yi's Palace bestowed by the emperor.
Everyone could clearly feel how much the emperor valued this newly adopted son.
The sky in Shangjing City seemed to be changing.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
