The carriage came to a halt, and the coachman lifted the curtain. Song Yue bent down and stepped out of the carriage, gazing at the high walls, where the red decorations and green tiles stretched as far as the eye could see.
She pursed her lips tightly, her expression grave as she followed the others into the palace.
During the morning court session, people came and went.
Many ministers stared at Duke of Jing, their expressions varied.
“Duke, is this the Third Miss Song who returned a few days ago?”
“Indeed.”
“Third Miss, having survived such a calamity, you are sure to have great fortune ahead.”
“Third Miss’s eyes and brows bear a striking resemblance to an old acquaintance.”
More and more people gathered around her, but Song Yue remained neither humble nor arrogant, continuing forward. Suddenly, she felt a sharp gaze fixed upon her.
She met the gaze—it was Prince Zhennan.
And standing beside Prince Zhennan was a spirited young man, Pei Zhao!
Pei Zhao stared at Song Yue with curiosity. He had heard from Song Yao that Song Yue had been born with a mental impairment, unable to take care of herself in even the most basic ways. Her health was extremely weak, she could neither read nor write, and she was a wild, unruly girl, said to be exceptionally ugly.
Upon seeing Song Yue for the first time, Pei Zhao was certain—she was not foolish.
Her eyes, bright as stars, were astonishingly clear.
The calm and composed aura she exuded did not seem like that of someone lacking in upbringing. Instead, her every movement carried a natural grace and nobility.
Their gazes met.
Pei Zhao wanted to greet her, after all, Song Yue was still his fiancée.
But Song Yue merely glanced at him briefly before withdrawing her gaze, her expression unperturbed, completely ignoring him.
Pei Zhao frowned.
He was a prodigy, the legitimate eldest son of Zhennanwangfu, a top scholar in both civil and military affairs. Countless young ladies in Jingdu City dreamed of marrying him.
Yet Song Yue had only given him a passing glance?
“Song Yue, this is Prince Zhennan, and this is Prince of Zhennan’s Son,” Duke of Jing introduced.
Song Yue bowed gracefully to Duke of Jing, performing a proper curtsy. “Greetings to Prince Zhennan and the Prince of Zhennan’s Son.”
Prince Zhennan raised an eyebrow, finding no fault with Song Yue’s demeanor. He secretly marveled that in just a few days, she had mastered etiquette and manners so flawlessly—quite impressive.
Yet, the thought of Song Yue having been violated made it impossible for Prince Zhennan to like her. He nodded slightly in acknowledgment.
The group entered the palace together.
As it was the morning court session, Song Yue was taken to a side hall to wait.
The eunuch delivering the imperial decree brought her exquisite tea and pastries.
“Thank you, Eunuch Li,” Song Yue said politely, curtsying to Eunuch Li.
Eunuch Li, flattered, quickly helped her up. “Third Miss, you honor this old servant too much. Please, have a seat. The Emperor has long wanted to see you since hearing of your return, but he has been far too busy to find the time. Please do not take it to heart. Over the years, the Emperor has not forgotten you. It’s just that, having only recently taken power, his foundation is not yet stable, so he did not wish to disturb you.”
Song Yue believed this.
The Emperor of Beichu worked day and night handling state affairs, plagued by internal and external troubles that left him with little time to spare. He also had to contend with the stubborn old officials outside the court.
He dared not seek her out earlier, fearing it would bring her trouble.
Now that he had summoned her, it meant the Emperor of Beichu had gained the power to protect her.
Before Song Yue could finish a single cup of tea, a young eunuch outside announced that the morning court session had ended. Eunuch Li was surprised and hurriedly escorted Song Yue to the main hall.
Crossing the threshold, a familiar presence washed over her.
Looking at the weary middle-aged man seated on the Dragon Throne, Song Yue felt a pang in her heart.
The Emperor of Beichu was not her father, but he had done everything a father should. In Song Yue’s heart, he was like half a father to her.
“Song Yue pays her respects to the Emperor.”
The man on the Dragon Throne could hardly conceal his excitement upon seeing Song Yue. Stumbling to his feet, he descended the steps and personally helped her up. “Yue’er, let me take a good look at you.”
Song Yue raised her eyes.
A face strikingly similar to that of Princess Jiahua appeared before her.
A flicker of astonishment crossed the solemn face of the Emperor of Beichu. He pinched her slender wrist, his expression darkening with an imposing authority that required no anger. “Song Kaifeng, how have you been caring for Yue’er? I recall Yue’er is already thirteen, yet she looks no bigger than a ten-year-old child.”
The Duke of Jing, addressed by his full name, bowed nervously. “Y-Your Majesty, this child has been frail since birth, which is why she hasn’t grown properly.”
The Emperor of Beichu snorted coldly.
Terrified, the Duke of Jing’s legs gave way, and he knelt on the ground. He shot a meaningful glance at Song Yue, hoping she would plead on his behalf.
Song Yue ignored him completely.
Furious, the Duke of Jing cursed her inwardly.
“Since your return, has the Duke of Jing’s Mansion treated you well?” the Emperor asked.
Song Yue remained silent, her eyes instantly reddening as she pouted with a sense of grievance.
The Duke of Jing wished he could strangle this wretched girl on the spot.
The Emperor’s expression grew even darker, like a gathering storm, causing everyone present to kneel in fear. Only then did Song Yue speak appropriately, “Your Majesty, your subject is doing well in every way.”
The Emperor of Beichu knew half of what had transpired at the Duke of Jing’s Mansion. He glanced at the Jingzhao Yin, who had been waiting respectfully for some time. “Speak. What exactly happened with the Villa fire?”
The Jingzhao Yin shuffled forward on his knees before the Emperor. “Your Majesty, I have thoroughly investigated. The surrounding villagers can all testify that on the day of the Villa fire, there were no unusual occurrences, nor were there any signs of intruders. That Villa contained no valuables; it was used year-round to grow fruits and vegetables for the Duke of Jing’s Mansion. There is no reason it would attract thieves.”
The Emperor’s eyes turned crimson with rage. “So, you’re saying it was because of my words that Yue’er was nearly killed?”
If the Emperor of Beichu had not mentioned Song Yue in court, who would have thought of that estate?
Seeing the Emperor’s anger, Song Yue knelt on the ground. “Your Majesty, the culprit may not have been after wealth.”
At her kneeling, the Emperor suppressed his fury and softened his voice. “Yue’er, from now on, you need not kneel when entering the palace.”
He helped her up once more.
Song Yue said, “In truth, my father has also been deeply worried about my situation. It’s just that the culprit is too cunning, even slandering my chastity. I suspect it may be due to grudges from the previous generation.”
The Duke of Jing’s Mansion and the Prince Zhennan’s estate had formed an alliance, secretly causing trouble for the Emperor of Beichu. After the Emperor personally led a military campaign, their underhanded activities only increased.
In this lifetime, she would make these two turn against each other!
The Emperor followed her lead and asked, “What do you propose?”
Please, Your Majesty, have someone verify my chastity and restore my innocence,
This made Prince Zhennan, standing nearby, frown inwardly, while Pei Zhao was also puzzled.
Could it be that Song Yue had not been violated?
“No, this would be too humiliating for you,” the Emperor shook his head. For a young woman to undergo such verification was deeply insulting.
He did not want Song Yue to suffer such indignity.
Song Yue shook her head. “Your Majesty, gossip is fearsome. The other party intended to use rumors to drive me to my death. I will not let them have their way.”
Under Song Yue’s repeated entreaties, the Emperor had no choice but to relent. He summoned Princess Dazhang to personally witness the proceedings and brought in a matron to verify Song Yue’s chastity.
Inside the side hall…
Song Yue removed her clothing, revealing her frail body. As the scars, both deep and shallow, came into view, Dazhang Gongzhu could not help but be moved, her eyes reddening.
The examination was soon completed.
The matron reported, “To Dazhang Gongzhu, Third Miss remains chaste.”
Dazhang Gongzhu breathed a sigh of relief, personally helped her put on her clothes, and led her out. “Imperial Brother, Third Miss Song is still a virgin.”
Song Yue visibly noticed a hint of disappointment on Duke of Jing’s face.
Disappointment?
So Duke of Jing was also involved in this.
What a scoundrel!
“Imperial Brother, Third Miss is truly pitiful,” Dazhang Gongzhu spoke of her body covered in wounds.
Emperor of Beichu was furious and about to vent his anger when Song Yue stopped him. “Your Majesty, Fu Qin is busy, and many matters are beyond his control. Please do not blame Fu Qin.”
Under Song Yue’s earnest persuasion, Emperor of Beichu had no choice but to relent, though his gaze toward Duke of Jing remained extremely hostile.