Xiao Che's abrupt question, like a pebble thrown into a lake, stirred up ripples in Lin Wanwan's heart that lingered for a long time.
How much gold is in my treasury?
After returning from the city tower, Lin Wanwan spent the entire afternoon pondering this sentence.
She realized that this was not just a simple question, but more like a profound test.
He was testing her, testing the depth of her understanding of the empire, testing whether she was content to be a mere empress in the harem who only knew romance and pleasure, or... whether she was willing to share with him the untold burdens that belonged to the emperor.
The image of the cracked, hollow piggy bank came back to her mind.
The answer is self-evident.
He wanted to tell her that this seemingly prosperous scene was nothing more than an illusion that could be shattered at any moment.
Having figured this out, Lin Wanwan felt no fear, but rather a strong sense of mission. She knew that Xiao Che was opening a door to her, a door leading to the deepest part of his heart, and also to the truest core of this empire.
And she had to go in.
Night has fallen.
The Kunning Palace was quiet; the palace servants had already been dismissed by Ruolan.
Lin Wanwan didn't sleep; she just sat quietly under the lamp, holding a book, as if waiting for something.
"Squeak—"
The door to the sleeping quarters was gently pushed open.
Lin Wanwan looked up and saw that familiar figure.
Xiao Che was different tonight. He didn't go straight to the desk and sit down as usual, picking up a memorial to review and using that as an excuse to stay in Kunning Palace.
He simply stood quietly at the door, gazing at her with deep eyes.
"All of you, step back," he said, his voice lower than ever before, carrying an unquestionable command.
The eunuchs and palace maids on night watch outside the palace dared not disobey in the slightest, and quietly retreated, gently closing the palace door behind them.
In the vast bedroom, only the two of them remained, along with the flickering candlelight.
Xiao Che walked up to Lin Wanwan, but did not sit down. Instead, he stared at her intently with his deep, night-sky-like eyes.
It was a look Lin Wanwan had never seen before—serious, solemn, and even carrying a hint of… the cautiousness of entrusting something to someone.
“Wanwan,” he began, his voice deep and clear, “I will take you to see a place.”
Lin Wanwan's heart skipped a beat.
He continued, each word carrying the weight of a thousand pounds:
“A place that only the emperor and empress can enter.”
Lin Wanwan's breathing almost stopped at that moment.
A place only the emperor and empress are allowed to enter!
The meaning behind these words far surpasses any reward or favor. It is a unique trust and recognition that transcends all others!
She didn't ask where it was, nor did she hesitate at all. She simply stood up, looked at him, and nodded solemnly: "Okay."
A warm feeling of relief flashed in Xiao Che's eyes.
He didn't say anything more, but instead picked up a hexagonal palace lantern himself. The warm candlelight inside the lantern illuminated his sharply defined profile.
"Come with me."
He took her hand in his; her palm was warm and dry, carrying a reassuring power.
The two of them walked out of Kunning Palace one after the other, disappearing into the deep night.
To Lin Wanwan's surprise, Xiao Che did not lead her to any of the palaces she was familiar with in the imperial palace. Instead, he led her to the heavily guarded Imperial Study.
He dismissed the guards, personally pushed open the heavy vermilion gate, and led her inside.
The imperial study at night was even more solemn and imposing than during the day.
Xiao Che didn't linger, but walked straight to the huge sandalwood nine-dragon wall. He groped around in an extremely hidden spot below the wall for a moment, and with a soft "click," the thousand-pound wall slowly slid open to one side, revealing a dark entrance that could only accommodate one person at a time.
A secret passage!
Lin Wanwan's heart skipped a beat.
Xiao Che, carrying a lantern, went in first and extended his hand to her. Lin Wanwan placed her hand in his palm without hesitation and followed him into this royal secret passage that no outsider had ever walked before.
The passageway was not wide and was paved with bluestone slabs. At intervals on both sides of the wall, there was a large luminous pearl that emitted a faint light, making the passageway not too dark.
What impressed Lin Wanwan the most were the stone walls on both sides of the passage.
There are no ornate decorations on it, but rather murals are carved with the most ancient and vigorous brushstrokes.
The first image depicts the majestic figure of Emperor Taizu, with his iron horse and golden spear, conquering new territories.
The second painting depicts Emperor Taizong's diligent governance and the creation of a prosperous era.
The third picture is of Emperor Renzong...
...
The passageway stretched on and on, seemingly without end. Every step forward felt like walking through the long river of history. On the stone walls on both sides were inscriptions detailing the achievements and lives of the emperors of the Great Liang Dynasty, creating a solemn and dignified atmosphere.
This is the path of inheritance that belongs only to the royal family, the embodiment of the pulse of the empire.
Lin Wanwan was overwhelmed by the profound sense of history, and a feeling of awe rose involuntarily in her heart. She could feel Xiao Che holding her hand even tighter.
She knew that by leading her along this path, he was not only showing her the achievements of the late emperor, but also silently demonstrating to her the heavy, unknown responsibilities and pressures he carried on his shoulders.
After walking for an unknown amount of time, the passage ahead finally came to an end.
What appeared before them was an enormous gate.
The door, forged entirely of black iron, was devoid of any patterns except for a coiled dragon carved in its center. A keyhole appeared to be in the dragon's mouth. The entire door exuded a cold and chilling aura, as if it could shut out everything from the world.
On either side of the gate stood eight imperial guards clad in black armor and wielding long halberds. They stood motionless like statues, their killing intent far more intense than any army Lin Wanwan had ever seen!
Xiao Che stopped in his tracks, released Lin Wanwan's hand, and looked at the huge gate in front of him with an extremely complicated expression.
He carried the lantern and slowly stepped forward. The eight imperial guards seemed to come alive when they saw him, kneeling down on one knee in unison, their movements perfectly synchronized, yet they remained silent.
Xiao Che ignored them, simply standing at the door, his voice becoming lower and hoarse than ever before, as if carrying the echoes of history:
"Behind this door lies the Great Liang Dynasty..."
He paused, seemingly considering his words, and finally, in a weary and heavy tone, uttered the sentence:
"...the most shameful secret."
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