Before long, the early morning court session began.
The civil and military officials slowly ascended the steps of Taiji Palace and then, unlike usual, as they entered the main hall, they all turned to glance at a side hall.
Although no one spoke openly, everyone knew that the Grand Chancellor, who presided over the court, was currently in that closed side hall.
Waiting.
Standing at the door, apart from the attendant eunuch Yu from the Empress Dowager’s side, was none other than the Young Madam Yu Wen, who had previously spoken forcefully in Taiji Palace and even directly compelled Princess Xinyue to commit to resigning!
Seeing her, these officials couldn’t help but feel their scalps tingling.
However, they didn’t say anything, each entered the hall in turn, stood on either side according to their ranks, and waited for a mont of drum music, after which the Inner Eunuch in the hall announced loudly: "Your Majesty has arrived!"
Imdiately, all the officials bowed to the ground, shouting long live the emperor—
"Long live, long live, long live the Emperor!"
The voice erged from the wide-open door, wrapped in a powerful gust of wind, suddenly blowing onto Shang Ruyi’s face, even causing the tightly closed door of the side hall behind her to clatter loudly.
She couldn’t help but feel her heartbeat heavy.
Actually, not only the officials in the main hall, but even she, and even the white, chubby, always smiling face beside her showed a rare, serious expression.
Eunuch Yu also seed to realize that this might be the last praise the ministers had for the Chu Dynasty.
He sighed heavily.
Shang Ruyi thought for a mont, then turned to glance at the gradually calming door, and softly said: "Eunuch Yu, the Empress Dowager—"
She stopped mid-sentence, thought for a mont, and changed her words: "Princess—"
Still, she didn’t finish, again stopping.
She realized that she actually had nothing to ask, the path chosen from the beginning, and even though she didn’t know the specific future, the landscape on this path, eting rocks on mountains, encountering waves at sea, how could she not know?
Why ask more?
Thinking of this, she awkwardly smiled at Eunuch Yu who was looking at her and closed her lips.
Instead, Eunuch Yu quietly looked at her for a while, thought even longer, then raised his head and said to her: "Over half a month, our family has been in Dayan Temple, staying beside the Empress Dowager, only upon returning to the palace did we know the inner palace was closed."
"..."
"And the Eldest Princess in the palace, counting the days, waiting for the second young master."
"..."
"Always waiting until yesterday."
"..."
"Yesterday, if the Empress Dowager hadn’t returned, insisting on seeing the Eldest Princess—it’s likely, would have lost this daughter by now."
"...!"
Shang Ruyi was startled, only at this ti did she vaguely rember; back then, in Taiji Palace, Yu Wenquan ordered the closure of Daxing City, further sealing the inner palace, having soone bring the Little Emperor and Eldest Princess back to the palace to avoid disaster, Chu Ruoyan seed to have asked Yu Wenye, asking if he would co to see her.
If she didn’t rember wrongly, she recalled, at that ti, Chu Ruoyan said to Yu Wenye—it’s alright if you don’t co.
If you don’t co, I won’t wait...
Shang Ruyi suddenly took a sharp breath.
It turned out—
Her words were true.
Perhaps, Yu Wenye also vaguely sensed sothing, and so decided to go to Dayan Temple yesterday to bring the Empress Dowager back, accompanying her back to the palace, if they had returned to the palace yesterday together, maybe so things would not have happened.
But yesterday, Yu Wenye took her along—
Shang Ruyi suddenly felt her chest tightening, as if an invisible hand was squeezing her heart, causing her heartbeat to beco heavy, and even heavier was the faint voice from within Taiji Palace, although she had heard that voice countless tis before, the childish yet willful arrogance, although confronting her each ti, never made her feel annoyed.
Only with such carefulness now, did she feel sowhat uncomfortable.
It was Chu Chengfei.
At this mont, the Little Emperor had slowly walked onto the main hall and sat on the Dragon Chair.
Every past ti, before dawn, he was forced to attend the early court, facing these utterances he couldn’t understand, even quarreling to the point of flushed cheeks, preventing him from returning to the palace imdiately to play with his birds, sparrows, cats, dogs, and unable to enjoy fine food, which made him very impatient, but today, for the first ti, he felt bewildered.
Because over these days, he has gradually realized that his position as Emperor would not last.
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