Chapter 25 The Prince of Yan?
Yuan Hua tried her best to shake the images out of her mind, forcibly putting on a stern face to maintain the dignity and majesty of an empress dowager.
But Lin Xiang beside her didn't have such good self-control.
Lin Xiang gripped the jade tablet tightly in his hand, his knuckles turning white, his shoulders trembling as if he were suffering from some acute illness.
I dared not look up, for fear that I might not be able to hold back and burst out laughing in this solemn and dignified Cining Palace.
That wouldn't just be considered a breach of etiquette in front of the emperor, but a loss of reason in front of the emperor!
His Lin family had been a scholarly family for generations, and he himself was the top scholar in the imperial examination. He became prime minister at a young age. He had never been in such a humiliating moment before!
All I can say is that His Majesty's new voice has arrived at the perfect time!
Yuan Hua cleared his throat and steered the conversation back on track.
"Although Liu Cheng is old-fashioned, he enjoys a very high reputation among scholars. Tomorrow morning court will likely be a tough battle."
She looked at Lin Xiang, her eyes questioning.
Lin Xiang took a deep breath and finally managed to suppress the thought of that idiot from his mind before replying respectfully.
"The Empress Dowager is right. Liu Cheng's students and friends are spread throughout the court and the country, including many who hold high positions. If he raises his arms and calls for help tomorrow, there will probably be quite a few people who respond."
He paused, his eyes hardening.
"Rest assured, Your Majesty, I, along with all the ministers in the court who support Your Majesty, will defend you to the death and will never yield an inch!"
His voice was firm and resounding.
Previously, he was one of the die-hards who believed that women could not be emperors.
But after hearing the young emperor's innermost thoughts, he suddenly realized the truth.
This is what destiny has ordained.
Those immortal seeds—these are the true divine artifacts that can enrich the country and strengthen the people, ensuring the prosperity of the Great Yu Dynasty for thousands of generations!
Yuan Hua nodded with satisfaction.
"With Lin Xiang's words, I am relieved."
She looked down at the little one, who was already half asleep, her eyes filled with tenderness.
"No matter what, I will protect her."
Just then, the system's voice rang in Yu Zhaoning's mind again.
[Host, we've already completed quite a few tasks today, stop gossiping. Go to sleep, sleep a little longer. I'm using the energy I've secretly saved to slowly repair your body. The repair will be most effective when you're asleep.]
Hearing these words, Yu Zhaoning felt a warm current flow through her heart.
She nodded obediently, slowly closed her eyes, and soon drifted into a sweet dream.
…
Meanwhile, on the border of the Yan Kingdom, thousands of miles away.
The cold wind was like a knife, stinging people's faces.
Beneath the towering city wall, two ragged figures, resembling beggars, huddled together, shivering.
"Halt! Who goes there!"
The guards on the city wall shouted sternly, and a dozen arrows were instantly aimed at them.
Yu Jingchuan was so frightened that he almost collapsed to the ground.
Cui Yue quickly helped him up, tilted her head back, and shouted with all her might.
"We come from the Great Yu! We request an audience with His Majesty the Yan Emperor!"
Upon hearing this, the guards on the city gate burst into laughter.
The leading gatekeeper spat down in disdain.
"From the State of Yu? I bet you're spies sent by the State of Yu!"
"With your lowly character, you two little beggars dare to dream of seeing His Majesty? What unrealistic dreams are you having!"
In a moment of panic, Cui Yue hurriedly tried to explain herself loudly.
"No! We are not spies! The man next to me is the biological son of Your Majesty the Yan Emperor, a prince of the Great Yan!"
These words elicited even louder laughter from the city wall.
"Hahahaha! The prince? Him?"
The guard pointed at Yu Jingchuan, who was terrified and pale, and laughed so hard he almost fell over.
"Little girl, I think you're starving! The princes of our Great Yan are all handsome and elegant, how could they possibly be such cowards!"
His smile vanished instantly, replaced by a ruthless expression.
"Guards! I think they're spies. Fire arrows and kill them both!"
"yes!"
The archers responded in unison, their cold arrowheads gleaming in the moonlight.
Yu Jingchuan was so frightened that he screamed and backed away repeatedly.
"Don't kill me! I don't want to die!"
"Shut up!"
Cui Yue gave a low shout, a resolute glint in her eyes.
At the crucial moment, she suddenly ripped open Yu Jingchuan's tattered outer garment, revealing the close-fitting lining underneath.
The neckline of the inner lining was embroidered with a lifelike iris in gold thread!
"Look carefully, everyone!"
Cui Yue's voice trembled: "These irises were embroidered by His Majesty the Yan Emperor himself; they are a keepsake he left for his closest relatives! Anyone who dares to shoot a prince will face the extermination of their entire family!"
The guards on the city wall paused, looking at each other in bewilderment.
A sharp-eyed guard leaned close to the head guard's ear and whispered.
"General, that does indeed appear to be the iris symbol of our Yan Kingdom!"
"General, let's not do it ourselves. His Majesty often fathers children outside the marriage, and people come to claim them every few days. Maybe he really is the one!"
The guard's eyes flickered, a glint of greed flashing across them.
He waved his hand, signaling the archers to step back.
"Since he is His Majesty's own son, we naturally cannot neglect him."
He shouted down to the city walls.
"All of you, disperse! Let this general personally escort them into the palace to meet His Majesty!"
Hearing this, Yu Jingchuan finally breathed a sigh of relief and collapsed to the ground.
But Cui Yue, standing to the side, felt an even stronger sense of unease.
Something's off about this general.
But given the current situation, they had no choice but to help Yu Jing up and walk step by step toward the slowly opening city gate.
…
As night fades and the first rays of dawn appear, the darkness recedes.
Inside the Cining Palace, Yu Zhaoning awoke to a gentle call.
She rubbed her eyes and vaguely saw her grandmother's gentle smiling face.
"Little Zhaoning, did you sleep well?"
Yuan Hua asked softly, reaching out to tidy her slightly messy hair.
Yu Zhaoning nodded softly and gave a small yawn.
Looking at her adorable appearance, Yuan Hua felt a wave of tenderness wash over him.
After hesitating for a moment, he finally spoke.
"Little Zhaoning, your grandmother knows that you have your own secrets. There are some secrets that you may not be able to tell your grandmother."
Her voice was as soft as a feather.
"It's alright. As long as our Zhaoning can continue to be happy and healthy, Grandmother will be content."
"Your grandmother believes in you. In the future, you will surely become a legendary empress."
Although Yu Zhaoning was still a little confused, she still understood what her grandmother said.
Her big eyes lit up instantly, and she opened them wide to look at her grandmother, her tone firm.
"Grandmother, from now on, Zhaoning will protect you!"
Upon hearing this, Yuan Hua's eyes welled up with tears, and he smiled with relief.
"Alright, Grandmother, please wait."