Chapter 269: Pleading on His Behalf

Palace of Eternal Joy.

Wan Tang, terrified, knelt on the ground with her frail figure.

Chu Yunzheng stood at the doorway, his deep gaze falling on her, purely surveying.

Snowflakes had already covered the oiled paper umbrella, yet he remained oblivious, silently turning the jade finger ring in his hand.

It was her who deceived him first.

But looking at Wan Tang's pale face, trembling shoulders, the unmistakable scars on her body…

All this again pricked his eyes.

"Emperor," Wan Tang finally spoke, her voice trembling with post‑disaster survival, breaking the suffocating silence: "Thank Lord Su for rescuing me; only then could I see the Emperor."

She lifted her head slightly, already sobbing: "I thought… I would never see the Emperor again."

Chu Yunzheng's eyes flickered with an imperceptible flash.

After a moment of silence, she carefully raised her tear‑filled eyes, looking at him: "Emperor, you must have been very worried about me; I didn't expect you would send Lord Su to look for me."

"It's just… I just didn't expect that I would harm Lord Su," Wan Tang lowered her head in shame.

The Emperor looked at the frail, helpless woman kneeling before him, his heart swelling with an indescribable ache.

He spoke slowly, his voice dry with a feeling he himself had not noticed: "Mother, I will not make things difficult for you."

These words floated down lightly, yet almost crushed Wan Tang.

Wan Tang almost laughed out loud.

She said bitterly, "Yes."

She could not even defend herself, and said in a deep voice, "So, Emperor, you never thought about saving me?"

Chu Yunzheng's complexion changed.

He brushed past Wan Tang and entered the room.

Cold snowflakes fell onto Wan Tang with each step, more bone‑chilling than those in the cave.

Only Chu Yunzheng's words lingered in her ears: "It's good that you're back."

"Su Yanci, where is the person?"

Tears still wet on Wan Tang's lashes, she forced down the surging emotions, her voice hoarse: "In the chaos, Lord Su was hit by several arrows while protecting me."

"In the end, he fell off the cliff together with those people…"

Wan Tang's words struck the Emperor's heart like a heavy hammer, one after another: "He fought his way through a bloody path, letting me ride the horse, keep moving, never looking back…"

Wan Tang felt that her bitterness must be feigned.

But she didn't expect the tears that hadn't fallen would suddenly roll down.

Chu Yunzheng clenched his fist tighter, his words rambling without beginning or end, yet laden with too much complex emotion.

It was regret, heartache, or some kind of disordered helplessness.

He murmured subconsciously, his voice hiding a trace of resentment he himself had not noticed: "Why him?"

Wan Tang heard that, jerked her head up, full of astonishment and confusion: "Then who could it be?"

Chu Yunzheng's gaze fell on Wan Tang's face, his eyes as deep as night. After staring at her for a moment, finally all his emotions turned into a long sigh.

"Enough!"

He averted his gaze, saying no more: "Now that you're back, stay properly in the palace."

"Do not cause any more trouble."

Chu Yunzheng dared not look at Wan Tang again, and turned to leave.

Li Ping'er finally had a chance to come in.

At the sight of Wan Tang, she rushed forward and hugged her tightly, tears streaming: "Sister, you finally returned."

"You scared me to death."

Wan Tang felt a warmth in her heart, but this was not a moment for tenderness.

She gently patted Li Ping'er on the back, her voice weary yet unusually clear: "It's alright, I'm back now."

Beside her, Xiao Luzi, eyes rimmed with red, silently wiped away tears.

Wan Tang quickly regained her composure, looked at Xiao Luzi, and ordered: "Xiao Luzi, today is the Emperor and the Empress's great joyous day."

"Now that I'm back to my palace, I must show my respect."

"Go to my palace's storeroom, retrieve that pair of Mandarin Duck Emeralds, and present them to the Empress as my congratulatory gift."

Xiao Luzi was startled, then bowed: "Nubi, I will handle it right away."

After sending Xiao Luzi away, Wan Tang's gaze became sharp.

To Li Ping'er she said, "Summon Liu Guiren."

A moment later, Liu Guiren hurried over.

Looking at Wan Tang, fear in her eyes, she forced a thin smile, knelt forward: "Your Majesty, you have finally returned; I have truly been worried these days…"

Before the words finished, Wan Tang stood up and struck her hand.

"Clap! Clap! Clap!"

Several loud slaps struck Liu Guiren's face, scattering her hair bun and swelling her cheeks.

She was completely stunned.

"Where is it?" Wan Tang's voice was icy: "Where is the evidence I need?"

Liu Guiren covered her face, still trying to argue: "Your Majesty, time is short, I am still doing my best…"

"Doing your best?" Wan Tang's eyes held only a fierce light, her mind recalling Su Yanci's dying figure.

Thinking of that freedom and wilderness, once within reach yet now unattainable, turned to bubbles, her heart burned with raging fire and murderous intent.

She reached out, grabbed Liu Guiren's throat, and slammed her hard against the wall.

"Either give me the evidence," Wan Tang leaned close, her voice low, "or today you and the flesh in your womb disappear together."

Liu Guiren was terrified, her soul scattered, still struggling: "Your Majesty, I really…"

"You cannot do this; I am an Imperial Concubine, the Imperial Heir is in my womb, and now the Empress has moved into the Central Palace…"

Wan Tang listened to her clever excuses, finding them increasingly amusing—are these important?

Three days later, Xu Yanchuan will be sent to the execution platform, and Wan Tang still cares about this?

Wan Tang pressed again with her hand, nearly crushing her throat bone: "Do you think you're even more powerful than the Empress Dowager?"

The Cining Palace incident has become so big, but Wan Tang doesn't believe it; she hasn't heard any rumors.

Fear instantly overwhelms; Liu Guiren's luck and scheming both die in the womb.

She used the last ounce of strength to shout: "I'll give."

"Found it."

"Don't kill me, I'll bring it out right now."

The next day, rumors in the Imperial Palace spread silently like wings, reaching every corner.

"Did you hear? Last night the Emperor didn't even finish the heqin wine and went straight to Palace of Eternal Joy, leaving the Empress behind!"

"Tsk tsk, the new Empress is only on her first day, and already loses face…"

"Exactly, as long as Virtuous Consort is here, our successor Empress is just a decoration, a huge joke!"

Kunning Palace.

Xiao Yurou listened to the gossip outside, and upon seeing the pair of mandarin‑duck turquoise jade that Wan Tang had sent, she felt an unbearably glaring sarcasm.

"Scoundrel! All of you scoundrels!" she snatched the jade pair and smashed them to the ground.

The fine jade instantly shattered into pieces, fragments scattering everywhere.

Her chest rose and fell violently, her anger unrelenting.

Guanren announced: "Virtuous Consort has arrived."

Xiao Yurou looked up sharply and saw Wan Tang dressed in a plain yet elegant palace outfit, strolling slowly into the hall.

Wan Tang's gaze swept over the spread of jade fragments on the floor, the corner of her mouth curving slightly deeper:

"Empress, what's this? What has made you so angry?"

"On this joyous day, please don't let your anger spoil your health."

Seeing Wan Tang's calm, smiling face, Xiao Yurou's anger flared like oil poured on fire, instantly rising.

She lowered her voice, gritting her teeth: "How are you still alive?!"

Wan Tang heard that, and rather than being angry, her smile deepened a few degrees.

"Perhaps even Heaven cannot tolerate some people's despicable methods, and has deliberately left me alive."

Xiao Yurou, like a cat whose tail was stepped on, immediately retorted sharply: "Heh, it was that madman Su Yanci who saved you, right?"

"How utterly foolish, to risk one's own life for a troublemaker like you."

"But it's fine; he and his clueless father have always been a stumbling block for our Xiao family, and now that they're dead, it's clean."

Hearing her disdainfully mention Su Yanci's sacrifice, Wan Tang's eyes flashed coldly.

"Xiao Yurou," she said slowly, voice low but with a chilling resolve, "you speak well."

She took a slow step forward, closing in on Xiao Yurou.

"Once, I always thought that well water shouldn't disturb river water; each should live peacefully without interfering."

Wan Tang's gaze swept over Xiao Yurou's face, "But today, I stand here to tell you clearly."

Her voice suddenly hardened, bearing an unmistakable declaration of war:

"Do you want to become Empress? To be the most honored woman in the world?"

"From now on, I will make you feel at every moment, clearly, that this will forever remain nothing but your delusional fantasy!"

Xiao Yurou, trembling all over, shouted sharply: "You're on the brink of death, yet you still dare to shout before me?"

"Don't you know there are only three days left before Xu Yenchuan is beheaded at Wumen?!"

She seemed to have seized the biggest leverage, a maliciously triumphant smile spreading across her face as she deliberately emphasized her words:

"Don't tell me you didn't know… he's actually your own brother!"

Xiao Luzi was right beside her; Wan Tang turned her head toward him, her face showing huge shock and bewilderment.

Her body trembled slightly, her voice carrying a barely perceptible quiver:

"Little… Little Luzi, what did she just say?"

"Xu Yenchuan… is my brother?"

"I… I can't believe… I have a brother?!"

Her eyes were filled with disbelief.

It was as if someone who had walked too long in endless darkness suddenly saw a sliver of light; though faint, it was enough to make her tremble with excitement.

Xiao Luzi stood nearby, taking in Wan Tang's expression fully.

He felt as if a jar of five flavors had been overturned in his heart, sour and bitter, his complexion turning even more tangled and painful.

His lips moved a few times, but no word could be spoken; he only bowed his head deeply.

Xiao Yurou sneered coldly at Wan Tang's appearance: "Stop pretending here! You've known his identity all along, haven't you?"

"But do you dare to admit it?"

She took a step closer, voice malicious and triumphant: "If you don't admit it, Xu Yenchuan will die. If you do admit it…"

She elongated her tone, eyes flashing with calculation, "Do you think the Emperor will still shield you, this Mo family remnant, as before?"

"The crime of betraying the ruler, combined with the old Mo family case, is enough to cause you siblings to die ten times over."

Facing Xiao Yurou's relentless pressure, Wan Tang suddenly let out a mocking laugh, the sound filled with a knowing contempt and resolve.

She actually said clearly to Xiao Yurou:

"Thank you."

Those two senseless words left Xiao Yurou stunned.

Wan Tang no longer looked at her, turned and headed out of the hall, her steps resolute.

"Your Highness. Your Highness, where are you going?" Xiao Luzi felt an ominous premonition rise in their heart and hurried forward to block.

Wan Tang's steps faltered slightly, she turned her head, squinted at the blinding sunlight outside the hall, and a bitter curve appeared at the corner of her lips.

The voice was so light it seemed like a sigh:

"To see the Emperor."

"To plead on his… behalf."