He trusted the words of the eminent monk more than he doubted them, but as she had said, he wasn't entirely relying on the monk's words to get her help. It was because the Seven Kingdoms needed a breakthrough, a chess piece that could justify their actions.
"Zhu believes in the Empress's intelligence and resourcefulness, but making Zhu pay a price is not an easy matter."
Mu Qingyao suddenly laughed, a chilling breeze cutting through the pavilion. On her small, heart-shaped face, there was a resolute, fierce expression. "I will make you realize, as long as you don't regret it."
With that, she turned and walked towards the edge of the pavilion. With one foot in the pavilion and the other outside, before she had fully exited, countless dazzling torches suddenly lit up the surroundings, illuminating Biyun Pavilion as brightly as day. The scene inside and outside the pavilion was laid bare for all to see.
Mu Qingyao calmly stepped down the stone stairs, her demeanor wild and unrestrained. She quietly scanned the people around her, only to find that they were guards. She wondered who had ordered them.
Meixin's face turned ashen with fright. She reached out and tugged at the Empress's arm, asking nervously, "Your Highness, what should we do?"
"What's there to fear? We haven't done anything we shouldn't have."
As Mu Qingyao's cold words fell, the guards who had surrounded them suddenly parted. From behind them emerged a figure, tall and stern, dressed in an embroidered robe – Prince Nan'an, Murong Liuzhao.
His eyebrows were furrowed in anger, his face ashen and cold. His imposing, handsome face was clouded with a vast expanse of dark clouds. He gazed menacingly at Mu Qingyao on the pavilion steps and roared.
"Empress, how dare you! As a concubine in the harem, you are meeting a man in secret here. What crime is this?"
Mu Qingyao's expression turned icy, her pupils filled with a bloodthirsty chill. She slowly descended the stone steps and walked up to Prince Nan'an, Murong Liuzhao, and spoke word by word.
"Prince Nan'an, you are truly stupid. If this empress wanted to meet someone in secret, why would I choose this deep palace? Do you think my brain is as dull as yours?"
"What? You are so arrogant and audacious! Guards, seize the Empress!"
"Who dares?" With a sharp retort, the guards indeed hesitated, freezing in place.
One was a reigning prince, and the other was the Empress. Neither dared to act rashly. Offending either side would spell doom for them as guards, leading to a stalemate.
Meixin was already trembling with fear, but to protect her mistress, she calmly stepped forward and spoke with composure, "Prince Nan'an, the Empress is not meeting anyone in secret."
But before she could finish speaking, Prince Nan'an, already enraged by the guards' disobedience, coldly berated Meixin, "You wretched girl, step aside."
Meixin wanted to say more, but Mu Qingyao, standing beside her, calmly commanded, "Meixin, come here."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Just then, footsteps could be heard from afar, and a eunuch's voice carried through the night air, "The Emperor arrives, the Empress Dowager arrives."
Upon hearing that the Emperor was coming, Prince Nan'an, Murong Liuzhao, glared at Mu Qingyao with a dark glint in his eyes. The corners of his lips curled into a mocking smile.
This woman deserved it. How dare she meet with the Crown Prince of Qingluo Kingdom in the palace? If someone hadn't sent him a message, he wouldn't have known about this. Now, he had caught her red-handed, finally avenging the slap he had received.
Let her know that even as Empress, it was useless. No one could save her tonight.
However, who had informed the Empress Dowager? She had also gotten wind of it. He had only intended to punish this woman, but if the Empress Dowager caught her red-handed, she would likely be banished from the palace, if not killed.
In front of Biyun Pavilion, upon hearing of the Emperor and Empress Dowager's arrival, everyone knelt down to welcome them.
"Your subordinate greets Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager."
The guards dispersed. Emperor Xian, clad in his dragon robe, walked in with steady steps. His handsome features were now shadowed with a thin layer of anger, and his dark eyes blazed with fury.
Prince Nan'an, Murong Liuzhao, observing his imperial brother's expression, glanced at Mu Qingyao and snorted inwardly. His imperial brother was here; let's see how arrogant she could be. She would likely be speechless soon.
Unexpectedly, Murong Liuzun walked directly to Mu Qingyao's side and asked with concern, "Qingyao, are you alright?"
This statement created an incredibly strange atmosphere. Prince Nan'an, Murong Liuzhao's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. He gaped, speechless for a long time, almost fainting.
Who could tell him what was happening? Why wasn't his imperial brother punishing this woman, but rather acting as if she had suffered some harm?
This was infuriating! Didn't his imperial brother know? This woman was meeting the Crown Prince of Qingluo Kingdom in secret at Biyun Pavilion, undoubtedly plotting to harm the Xuanyue Kingdom. How could such a woman be kept? She should be severely punished.
"Your Majesty?"
"Silence," Murong Liuzun suddenly turned to glare at Prince Nan'an, Murong Liuzhao. His eyebrows flickered slightly, a cold glint flashing in his eyes, his voice deep and somber.
His imperial brother was foolish. If the Empress wanted to meet someone in secret, how could she arrange it in the palace? His imperial brother couldn't even distinguish between friend and foe. Right now, they were united, so how could he do something so foolish? This was clearly a scheme by the enemy.
Murong Liuzhao was stunned at first. He stared intently at his imperial brother, seeing the disappointment in his eyes. His heart tightened, and he realized he had been too hasty.
There was clearly something amiss with this matter. Why would someone send him a message when he was about to leave the palace? And he had rushed over to apprehend the person without a second thought, indicating that the sender knew of his past grievances with Mu Qingyao, thus easily tricking him.
Prince Nan'an's face shifted between green and red, his breathing heavy. Who was lurking in the shadows, orchestrating this? If he found out, he would never forgive them!
"Imperial Brother?"
"Take them away," Murong Liuzun's golden crown gleamed, illuminating his dark and unreadable eyes. Although his tone was calm, it easily conveyed his cold ruthlessness.
Prince Nan'an dared not say another word. He stepped back and received the order: "This subject obeys."
The Empress Dowager, who had been standing silently beside the Emperor, suddenly spoke.
"Wait a moment, my son. The Empress is meeting someone in secret in the middle of the night, and the person is still in Biyun Pavilion. Why not question the person in the pavilion? Did the Empress commit adultery and meet in secret?"
The Empress Dowager's face was somewhat contorted, adding a touch of ferocity in the darkness. Her eyes turned towards the pavilion, and Changsun Zhu, who had been standing silently in the pavilion, slowly walked out.
He shook his silk fan, exuding an air of refined elegance. His embroidered white robe made his entire face appear as radiant and smooth as jade. He smiled at the crowd outside the pavilion, showing no guilt for the trouble he had caused.
"Zhu greets Emperor Xian, the Empress Dowager."
"Crown Prince Changsun, as an envoy of Qingluo Kingdom, you came to the palace in the dead of night to meet the Empress privately. Does Qingluo Kingdom specialize in such vulgar matters?"