frightfiction Chapter 1269 Shen Zhinian's Plea (148 million reward points plus additional content)
Chapter 1269 Shen Zhinian's Plea (148 million reward points plus additional content)
The gentle smile he had on his face when he was talking to Princess Wenshu just now had long since disappeared, leaving only fear.
The two looked at each other and saw embarrassment in each other's eyes.
There is no way to hide, so you have to go forward.
They hurriedly tidied up their appearance, walked heavily through the bustling crowd, came in front of Nangong Xuanyu and Shen Zhinian, and bowed their heads deeply.
Princess Wenshu's voice trembled slightly: "Emperor...brother."
Outside the palace, she didn't dare call him "Royal Brother" directly, so she had to use vague terms.
Bai Mufeng even lifted his robe and was about to kneel down to pay his respects, but was stopped by Nangong Xuanyu with a cold look.
Wouldn't his kneeling on the street immediately make people suspicious of their identities?
Nangong Xuanyu's face was as gloomy as water. His eyes swept over the two of them, and the pressure in his eyes almost made them breathless.
He snorted coldly, not bothering to say a word to them. He flicked his sleeves, took Shen Zhinian's hand and turned to leave.
This posture clearly shows anger.
Princess Wenshu and Bai Mufeng froze in their places, feeling as if the noisy voices around them had faded away. Only the cold fury of the Emperor's departure enveloped them.
The two men did not dare to hesitate and could only follow the two figures with pale faces and anxiety.
Li Changde had already been leading the way alertly, separating the crowd without leaving a trace, and leading the emperor and the imperial concubine through several busy streets and alleys, straight to the most luxurious and elegant restaurant in the capital.
The restaurant owner, having clearly received instructions, respectfully led the group to the most spacious and secluded room on the top floor. He then dismissed all outsiders and personally guarded the staircase.
The elegant pavilion is filled with the scent of incense and is elegantly decorated. From the window, one can overlook the bustling scene of most of the street.
Nangong Xuanyu sat down in the main seat at the top with an expressionless face, and Shen Zhinian sat quietly beside him.
Princess Wenshu and Bai Mufeng followed in with their heads lowered. The door closed behind them, blocking out all sounds from the outside world.
The elegant pavilion was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. Only the faint hustle and bustle of the city outside the window made the atmosphere inside seem as stagnant as ice.
Bai Mufeng was the first to lift his robe and kneel on the ground, knocking his forehead heavily on the polished floor with a dull sound. "Your Majesty, calm down! This is all my fault!"
"It was I who dared to invite Princess Wenshu to the temple fair. Everything was caused by me, and the princess was just too embarrassed to refuse out of consideration for her feelings."
"If Your Majesty wishes to punish me, please impose it solely on me, a humble servant, and do not vent your anger on Princess Wenshu!"
He spoke sincerely and took all the responsibility on himself.
Princess Wenshu raised her head abruptly upon hearing this, her face turning pale with anxiety.
Without caring about anything else, she knelt on the ground, her voice filled with tears and anxiety, and quickly shook her head to refute: "No! Royal brother! It's not like that!"
"It's...it's because my sister was bored in the mansion, and she begged Bai Hanlin so hard that he finally agreed to accompany her for a while."
"It was my sister who acted recklessly. It has nothing to do with Bai Hanlin! If your Majesty wants to punish me, then punish me!"
The two of them were vying to take the blame on themselves and protecting each other. In Nangong Xuanyu's eyes, this attitude not only failed to dispel his anger, but instead made him even more gloomy.
He sat at the head of the table and finally spoke, his voice as cold as ice: "Oh!"
"I haven't questioned you yet, but you two are really protecting each other."
The emperor's gaze swept between the two of them: "Privately giving and receiving, disregarding palace rules and etiquette, do you know what crime this is?!"
The four words "privately transferring" are too serious a crime and too unpleasant to hear.
Princess Wenshu's body went limp and she almost collapsed to the ground.
Bai Mufeng's back stiffened, and cold sweat oozed from his forehead. He kept saying, "I dare not!"
"Your Majesty, please understand. I have absolutely no intention of disrespecting the Princess! What happened today was truly... purely accidental. It was absolutely not what Your Majesty said!"
The two were eager to explain, but they became even more flustered because of the subtle taboo revealed in the emperor's words.
Princess Wenshu and Bai Mufeng's eyes met briefly in the air, subconsciously seeking each other's affirmation.
In an instant, both of them looked as if they were scalded. They quickly looked away and stared at the ground, not daring to look at each other again.
The layer of window paper that had never been broken, and perhaps even they themselves were not clearly aware of it, was suddenly peeled back by the emperor's cold words, revealing the hazy but unignorable feelings underneath...
Nangong Xuanyu took in the reactions of Princess Wenshu and Bai Mufeng, and his eyes became increasingly dark and difficult to discern.
Shen Zhinian sat next to the emperor, looking at Princess Wenshu's thin and trembling shoulders, and then at Bai Mufeng's back, which was frightened but still straight.
Vague fragments of memories from her past life quietly flooded her mind.
Shen Zhinian remembered that the cowardly Princess Wenshu was later betrothed to the prince of the Marquis of Yuanning.
Although the Marquis's Mansion is of noble status, it is filthy inside.
The mother-in-law is harsh, the sisters-in-law are hostile, and the prince's gentleness is only superficial; in reality, he likes to linger among women and has a violent temper.
After Princess Wenshu got married, it was like a pearl falling into the mud...
She often gave porridge to beggars in the capital, but she did not have a good end.
As for Bai Mufeng... Shen Zhinian had a deeper impression of him.
He was a man of great talent and writing skills, and he should have had a bright future, but he was robbed and killed by bandits, leaving behind only a few regrets in the world. This is the greatest example of God's jealousy of talent.
Now it seems that the unspoken feelings between the two may be the only faint light in their tragic lives.
Shen Zhinian couldn't help but feel a little sad.
She had just taken the position of Imperial Noble Consort, which seemed to be of great honor, but in fact, every step was filled with fear.
The old ministers of the previous dynasty were all old foxes with complicated connections. They had their own power camps and would never easily approach her.
Shen Zhinian needs fresh blood and young people who know how to be grateful.
Just as the emperor liked to use young ministers to balance the court, she also needed to cultivate her own power.
Bai Mufeng is undoubtedly an excellent candidate.
He was talented, had potential, and came from a clean family. If she could show some favor to him, he might become a valuable asset to her in the court.
Saving Princess Wenshu also demonstrates her benevolence as an imperial concubine.
Thinking of this, Shen Zhinian turned sideways and said to Nangong Xuanyu in a gentle voice with a hint of comfort, "Your Majesty, calm down."
"Princess Wenshu and Hanlin Bai did act inappropriately in today's incident. Young people are playful and have lost their sense of propriety. They deserve a reprimand."
She first defined the matter, not blindly taking sides. Then, she changed the subject slightly, "It's just that... in my opinion, Princess Wenshu is kind and gentle, and usually very polite. Perhaps today, she saw the lively atmosphere among the people and, out of curiosity, asked Hanlin Bai to accompany her."
"Bai Hanlin is the third place winner in the imperial examination, a talent personally selected by His Majesty. I'm sure he was too soft-hearted to refuse."