Zhou Mingyi gazed coldly at Shen Kuo.
“Is he dead?”
System: “He’s still breathing, but has multiple fractures and internal injuries.”
Zhou Mingyi: “Will he survive?”
The System fell silent for a moment. “He’s endured worse injuries than this. It shouldn’t be a problem.”
Zhou Mingyi immediately said, “That’s good.”
The System asked again, “Do you need to exchange a Healing Pill to feed him?”
Zhou Mingyi pondered for a moment. “Xie Jinghong should have already received the news that Shen Kuo and I fell off the cliff together, right?”
“You tell me—two loyal and righteous men fall off a cliff. One escaping with only minor injuries could be explained by sheer luck.”
“But how would you explain both escaping with only minor injuries?”
The System silently shut up.
Zhou Mingyi waited at the bottom of the cliff for two hours, shivering all over from the cold, until finally, the reinforcements sent by Emperor Qianwu arrived.
After confirming with the System that none of Princess Chaoyang’s people were present, she finally allowed herself to “faint.”
Emperor Qianwu sat by Zhou Mingyi’s bedside, looking at the peerless beauty he had regained with complex emotions.
Long before deciding to bring her into the palace, he had sent people to investigate her.
Her life experiences from childhood to adulthood, even her personality and temperament.
The details were extremely thorough.
Learning that she had diligently taught herself embroidery from a young age just to support her brother Zhou Mingchong’s studies, he knew that although this woman possessed unparalleled beauty and appeared delicate, her character was actually resilient and deeply loyal.
The facts proved she was indeed a resilient and faithful person.
He affectionately stroked her fair, delicate cheek.
That flawless skin, like the finest mutton-fat jade, now bore a few fine scratches, as if white jade had been tainted.
It wasn’t unsightly, but it evoked a sense of regret.
As if silently accusing him, as her man, of incompetence.
But this matter involved Chaoyang. Emperor Qianwu knew that child was just willful, afraid that with a new woman, he would neglect her and her mother.
That was why she had acted so foolishly in a moment of confusion.
He had already punished her.
He had ordered An Shi Yi to receive punishment, and after that, he no longer assigned him to protect Chaoyang.
Instead, he sent An Shi Jiu.
Compared to An Shi Yi, An Shi Jiu, as an Imperial Shadow Guard, was naturally also outstanding.
But relatively speaking, his martial skills were not as good as An Shi Yi’s.
Still, Emperor Qianwu felt somewhat guilty, unsure how to face Zhou Mingyi.
Just then, the beauty opened her eyes.
She saw him and did not miss the flicker of guilt in his eyes.
She curled the corner of her lips. The show was about to begin.
Zhou Mingyi widened her eyes slightly, seeming both confused and incredulous.
“Is it Your Majesty?”
“I… have I died? To actually see Your Majesty? It must be Ming Yi’s misfortune, unable to enter the palace to accompany Your Majesty…”
“Ming Yi is leaving now. May my lord enjoy eternal health and longevity.”
As she spoke, she even sat up, kneeling on the bed, and respectfully bowed deeply.
Suddenly, she heard a deep voice.
“My Consort Zhen has just entered the palace and is already in such a hurry to perform such a grand ceremony for me. What is the reason?”
Zhou Mingyi abruptly raised her head and looked around, only then realizing she was in a magnificent bedchamber.
“Your Majesty?”
“Is it really Your Majesty?”
Her slender, pale fingers reached up to touch his sharply defined cheek. The distance between them instantly closed, so close they could almost hear each other’s heartbeat.
Her fingers began to tremble slightly.
Zhou Mingyi’s body was originally exceptionally beautiful, and after being meticulously refined by the System, even her crying was breathtakingly lovely.
Truly a sight that stirred pity in anyone who saw her.
Emperor Qianwu’s heart melted at her tears.
For a moment, he even thought that if she asked him to punish Chaoyang, he would be willing to do it for her.
That girl Chaoyang truly had gone too far, acting as if there were no laws or rules!
He was her Emperor, the ruler of the realm.
Did he need her permission to desire any woman?
Chaoyang had overstepped her bounds, reaching into her own father’s inner court—utterly outrageous!
But then it occurred to Emperor Qianwu: Could it have been instigated by Consort Chen?
His Chaoyang was the most innocent and naive; if not for that jealous woman Consort Chen, how could she have done something so vicious?
How audacious!
He tenderly took the beauty’s delicate jade-like hand. “It’s me, look closely at me.”
“It’s all right now, Yi’er.”
Zhou Mingyi’s sorrow welled up from within. “Ming Yi thought she would never see Your Majesty again!”
Her voice was soft and delicate, each word like shattered jade falling onto a jade plate—clear, graceful, and moving, filled with both lament and appeal.
“Ming Yi doesn’t know whom she offended. Those two men said…”
As she spoke, a look of fear gradually appeared on her face. “They said Ming Yi had offended a noble, and that noble wanted to send Ming Yi… to the Qingzhou military camp…”
“Those shameless men tried to take advantage and force Ming Yi.”
“But Ming Yi already belongs to Your Majesty.”
“A woman cannot serve two husbands—Ming Yi would rather die!”
These words pleased Emperor Qianwu.
Men the world over were fickle at heart.
They themselves were inconstant, yet they expected every one of their women to remain faithful and unwavering.
Emperor Qianwu had already learned the details of the incident from the Imperial Shadow Guard.
But hearing these words from the beauty’s mouth moved him deeply.
“Silly girl!”
“Then why were you with General Shen at the bottom of that cliff?”
The delicate beauty froze, her graceful figure beginning to tremble slightly.
“I… I stabbed one of them in the throat with a gold hairpin and seized the chance to jump from the carriage.”
“Just then, I happened to encounter General Shen being pursued…”
She paused, her eyes brimming with tears suddenly reddening.
“Who would have thought… those men in black actually claimed I was General Shen’s…”
“Your Majesty, although General Shen and I are old acquaintances, we haven’t seen each other for many years.”
“To protect Ming Yi’s purity, General Shen intended to kill Ming Yi first and then leap from the cliff to his death, rather than surrender to those Hu people.”
“Ming Yi thought, since death was inevitable anyway, and General Shen defends our homeland and guards our nation—he is Your Majesty’s loyal subject, a pillar of the state.”
“How could Ming Yi let such a loyal and steadfast man stain his hands with my innocent blood?”
“But Ming Yi could not bear to part from Your Majesty! So I left behind a shoe, hoping Your Majesty would find me… and remember me for a lifetime!”
Hearing Ming Yi’s heartfelt confession, Emperor Qianwu was deeply shaken.
But after twenty years on the throne, he was inherently suspicious.
He replied calmly, “Your loyalty and chastity are truly moving, worthy of praise.”
“Yet earlier you said your willingness to enter the palace was not sincere.”
“It seems your words do not match your heart.”
Zhou Mingyi lowered her eyes, thinking to herself: This old fox is still testing me.
She raised her gaze, tears falling like glistening pearls, yet each word was precise and meaningful.
“When my father was alive, he often taught me in the courtyard.”
“‘Weisheng embraced the pillar, his promise heavier than life or death; Tao Ying guarded her chastity, her virtue as steadfast as the cypress boat, shining like the sun and moon.'”
“In ancient times, Meng Guang lifting the tray was not merely to honor her husband, but to hold her heart as steady as a whetstone.”
“Green Pearl falling from the tower was not for the sake of a heroic name, but to guard her resolve as firm as gold.”
“Your daughter deeply remembers the family teachings; though I dare not recklessly compare myself to the ancient sages, my pure heart is already pledged, with white hair as the vow.”
“Even if the world undergoes the changes of seas turning to mulberry fields, this body wishes to be the lone bamboo of the southern mountain—preferring to break rather than bend its integrity!”
“Would the orchid in the secluded valley change its fragrance because of the wind?”
“Now that we have joined hearts, we should emulate the oath as steadfast as metal and stone—rushes pliant as silk, the boulder immovable, only wishing to follow each other in life and death, our loyal spirits enduring forever between heaven and earth!”