He wished he could kill himself right then, but as his imperial brother had not yet returned, he could not abandon his responsibilities.
A deathly silence filled the great hall of the Glass Palace. The man seated on the throne remained impassive, his handsome face unmoving, devoid of any emotion, be it anger or annoyance, only furrowed in thought.
The Prince of Nan'an, who had been kneeling all along, thought his imperial brother was angry. Overwhelmed with shame, his figure flickered, and he lunged towards the bronze pillar in the center of the hall.
Emperor Xian gasped. Gathering his internal energy, he struck out with a palm, sending the Prince of Nan'an flying to the side.
"Liu Zhao, what are you doing?"
"Your subject is ashamed and deserves death," the Prince of Nan'an flipped over and knelt again. A blush spread across his handsome face, the shame in his eyes intensifying, growing brighter.
There was another reason he wished to die: he had mistaken Consort Shu for Qingyao at the time. This was an unforgivable sin, not only disrespecting Consort Shu but also defiling Qingyao in his thoughts, which made him utterly mortified. He would rather die.
"Very well, don't be in such a hurry to die. If you die, how will I explain this to others? Besides, I intended to arrange a marriage for Xi Men Xin Yue when I returned. I didn't expect something like this to happen, which complicates matters a bit."
A fleeting shadow flickered across Emperor Xian's handsome face, followed by a faint smile.
His master had told him he would face a great tribulation in this life. He had never miscalculated anything. Now, he no longer forced things. Moreover, because Qingyao was in his heart, he didn't wish to favor any other woman.
Since that was the case, keeping them in the palace was merely a waste of time.
However, with the Prince of Nan'an and Xi Men Xin Yue having done this, Xi Men Xin Yue would inevitably believe that the Emperor had favored her. If he were to rashly arrange her marriage to the Prince of Nan'an as a secondary consort, she might not be able to accept it and might say things she shouldn't.
Mu Rong Liu Zhao's reputation would be ruined. This would be a royal scandal.
Furthermore, the Emperor's unauthorized entry into the inner palace was also a bad influence.
"Liu Zhao, we'll discuss Xi Men Xin Yue later. In any case, you must be prepared. Since Xi Men Xin Yue has been involved with you, I will definitely arrange her marriage to you."
"Imperial Brother," the Prince of Nan'an didn't know what to say. He had ruined the girl's purity and should marry her. However, the thought of bringing another woman into the Prince of Nan'an's mansion felt like a heavy stone in his heart, causing him immense pain.
"Yes, Imperial Brother..."
"Alright, you may go back first. We'll discuss this later," Mu Rong Liu Zun stood up, descended from his throne, and personally helped the Prince of Nan'an, Mu Rong Liu Zhao, to his feet. His star-like eyes gazed at him, and he spoke in a calm, restrained manner.
"If you still have your imperial brother in your heart, then remain peacefully in the Prince of Nan'an's mansion. Your imperial brother does not blame you, do you understand?"
His voice was as smooth and lustrous as polished jade. The Prince of Nan'an looked at his imperial brother with great surprise.
His imperial brother seemed to have changed a lot since his departure this time. He no longer possessed the fierce, murderous aura of the past, but was much more gentle. What had happened? A flicker of light crossed his eyes, and he felt a warmth in his heart.
Mu Rong Liu Zun knew the character of the Prince of Nan'an. Fearing that he might do something he shouldn't upon returning to his mansion, he had to earnestly caution him.
He did not want Liu Zhao to suffer any accidents. If, as his master had predicted, he faced a great tribulation, his life and death would be uncertain. In that case, Liu Zhao would be the one to support the Kingdom of Xian Yue. The royal family could not be decimated. If they were, Xian Yue would belong to others, and no longer to the Mu Rong family.
"Your subject thanks Imperial Brother. From today onwards, your subject will not leave the Prince of Nan'an's mansion and will remain in seclusion for self-reflection."
Mu Rong Liu Zhao spoke, imposing the punishment on himself. He needed to reflect.
Mu Rong Liu Zun said no more. He knew that if Liu Zhao didn't do something, he might not be at ease. Therefore, he indulged him, as long as he didn't harm himself. He nodded slowly.
"Then remain in seclusion, but do not harm yourself, do you understand?"
"Yes, your subject takes his leave." The Prince of Nan'an exited the great hall. Outside the hall door, Ah Jiu, seeing him leave, quickly darted in. Upon seeing the Emperor on the throne, whose face was as beautiful as shimmering water, he possessed a more profound, cold aura than his former dominance. The dominance was fused with nobility and elegance, directly piercing the heart.
"Your Majesty, Consort Chu Yu Yan has requested an audience with Your Majesty several times, and I have refused them. What do you think?"
Ah Jiu spoke slowly. Mu Rong Liu Zun raised his phoenix eyebrows and spoke clearly, "Does she have anything to say?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty, the Consort said nothing, but she visits once a day. Today, she will likely come again."
As Ah Jiu finished speaking, a graceful eunuch with a handsome face walked in from outside the hall. He bowed respectfully and spoke cautiously, "Reporting to Your Majesty, Consort requests an audience."
"Announce her."
Mu Rong Liu Zun waved his large hand, his qi gathering in his dantian. His voice, clear and mellow like fermented rice wine, echoed in the great hall. The young eunuch received the order and flew out.
Chu Yu Yan, dressed in a plain white gown with her dark hair unbound, wore no jewelry. Her face was serene, her demeanor peaceful. Following the young eunuch, she walked in and bowed gracefully like flowing water to the Emperor on the throne.
"Yu Yan pays her respects to Your Majesty."
"Rise, Chu Yu Yan. Why have you been seeking to see me?"
Mu Rong Liu Zun gazed at the woman before him, appraising her for the first time. She was beautiful, graceful, and dignified. She was indeed a rare and outstanding lady from a prominent family. He had wronged her, making her harbor empty expectations.
If it weren't for Yao'er, perhaps he would have kept her in the palace. But now... regardless of whether Yao'er returned, he only desired her. If Yao'er didn't return, he was destined for calamity and could not drag others down with him.
"Yu Yan knows she is not worthy of Your Majesty. Yu Yan implores Your Majesty to grant her wish. Yu Yan is willing to shave her head and become a nun, never to step into the mortal world again, only asking for Your Majesty's fulfillment."
As her words fell, a profound silence descended upon the great hall. Mu Rong Liu Zun's dark eyes flashed with astonishment. Although it was momentary, it did startle him.
He had been struggling with whom to arrange her marriage for, caught in a dilemma. As she was officially his consort, even though he had never favored her, outsiders would not know the circumstances and might disregard her.
Moreover, she had no influential backing. Arranging a good marriage might only cause her more hardship.
However, he had not expected her to voluntarily become a nun. Yet, he ultimately could not bear to do it.
"Chu Yu Yan, I can arrange a marriage for you."
As the Emperor's words fell, Chu Yu Yan, who was below, suddenly smiled faintly. The smile carried a hint of coldness and desolation, like a wisp of smoke in the twilight.
Was this the man she loved? Was he heartless, or was she too infatuated? Fortunately, it was all over.
She raised her delicate eyes and gazed deeply at the man on the high seat, as if trying to engrave his appearance in her memory.
His handsome features, with narrow, elongated eyebrows and eyes as gentle as the water in a clear pool, possessed a serene light. His nose was high and straight, and his lips curved slightly into a smile that could captivate the soul.