Chapter 363 (1/2)

Seeing that Zhang Yuan did not speak, the Emperor quietly snorted then fell silent. Turning back around, he turned his eyes back to the report and muttered: “Then just let her kneel! What if she does come.”

Thus the father daughter pair of Feng Yu Heng and Feng Jin Yuan continue to kneel in the square in front of Heavenly Hall. Zhang Yuan stayed in the Hall with the Emperor, helping look over reports.

The Emperor was only thinking of imperial concubine Yun. Once again, he spent a long time on the same report without even turning a page, and Zhang Yuan could not be bothered to expose him.

However, the Emperor was getting up there in age. Although he was thinking of imperial concubine Yun, he could not avoid the need to sleep. Zhang Yuan watched his eyes slowly begin to droop, as the report in his hand was put down. His elbow was no longer able to support his body. In the end, he slumped over the table and fell asleep.

Helplessly shaking his head, he went and covered the Emperor in a coat but did not dare wake him. He feared that there would be some sort of movement from Winter Moon Palace, and he would be unable to react in time. If the Emperor lost another chance to meet with imperial concubine Yun, Zhang Yuan thought that his old master would succumb to this final hurdle.

However, over this night, not to mention Winter Moon Palace, even the other palaces did not make any moves. Not even the Empress had come to visit.

Heavenly Hall was quiet and warm from the burning charcoal. It was very suitable for sleeping. The Emperor slept until the sun had come out the next day. As he was still sleeping, he felt someone forcefully shaking him. Opening his eyes, he found that it was Zhang Yuan.

“What are you doing?” As he was getting up, he was a little irritated.

Zhang Yuan anxiously said: “Your Majesty, quickly wake up. You can’t continue to sleep.”

The Emperor’s eyes lit up and immediately sat up. Grabbing Zhang Yuan firmly with his hands, he quickly asked: “Could it be that she came? We knew it! She treats that girl extremely well, so she would definitely not be able to endure watching her continue kneeling there.”

Zhang Yuan’s expression dropped, “Your Majesty! It’s not imperial concubine Yun. Imperial concubine did not come.”

“She didn’t come?” The Emperor was stunned, as a visible disappointment appeared on his face, “Then what have you woken Us up for?” Saying this, he slumped back down on the table.

Zhang Yuan grabbed hold of him, “Your Majesty! Imperial concubine Yun did not come, but… his Highness the ninth prince returned!”

“Who?”

“His Highness the ninth prince!”

The Emperor raised his hand and slapped his forehead, “It’s over, the situation is out of control! How did that brat get back here so fast?” After saying this, he raised his foot and kicked toward Zhang Yuan: “Why did you not wake Us up earlier?”

Zhang Yuan was on the verge of tears: “I tried to wake you earlier, but you would not wake up!”

As they spoke, there was already a sound that came from the outside. The two both looked over in unison and saw that Feng Yu Heng, who had been kneeling outside, had stood up. She was pushing Xuan Tian Ming’s wheelchair and walking in. One step at a time, it caused the Emperor’s heart to tremble.

“It’s over.” The Emperor quietly muttered, “Say, will Ming’er be mad at Us?”

Zhang Yuan quietly said: “Most likely… yes.”

“Then how should it be resolved?”

“Give a bit of compensation.”

The Emperor’s head hurt. Give “a bit” of compensation? Based on the things those two did, which of them was even remotely close to “a bit?”

With a bitter face, he looked at both Xuan Tian Ming and Feng Yu Heng. Both of them were now in the middle of the hall. The girl had kneeled for a night, yet she still appeared to be in good spirits, and she did not look very tired.

But Xuan Tian Ming, by comparison, was much worse off. He had rushed back from the military camp and directly entered the palace. A cold aura exuded from his body. Of course, compared to the cold aura, the angry expression was even more shocking.

The Emperor awkwardly spoke, “Uh… Ming’er, you’ve returned!”

“Hmph!” Xuan Tian Ming rolled his eyes in an exaggerated manner, “If I did not come back, would you not have taken my wife out and had her executed?”

The Emperor repeatedly waved his hand: “That can’t be!”

“No?” Xuan Tian Ming became furious, “I don’t even have the heart to bully my wife, yet you had her kneel out there for the entire night? What sort of heart do you have? Huh? What exactly were you thinking? What did you hope would happen?”

This series of questions frayed the Emperor’s nerves, as he loudly shouted: “Impudent! I am your father Emperor, and I am the ruler of the country. Could it be that I no longer have the right to punish a person? Also, she is clear on what she did!”

Xuan Tian Ming was about to explode, but Feng Yu Heng used some force and pressed down on his shoulder, suppressing some of his anger. She then walked around the wheelchair and saluted the Emperor: “Daughter-in-law is guilty! His Highness the third prince was lacking in ability. Thinking more on this matter, how could this have been hidden from father Emperor’s keen eyes. Father Emperor has kept quiet about it for all these years in order to give his Highness the third prince some face, but daughter-in-law was lacking in understanding and actually went to expose it. I hope father Emperor will hand down punishment.”

The Emperor massaged his temples, unable to put his hand down.

Fuck, was this damn girl exactly the same as the ninth child? But this excuse was quite good. How about… using this excuse!

“Hah hmph!” He cleared his throat then sternly said: “A-Heng! If you know your crime, that’s good.”