The Empress Dowager's joyous expression slowly turned to disbelief, her eyes flickering with hatred. Finally, the earlier delight vanished, and she waved her hand, "Retire to the side."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Eunuch Li stepped aside. At this moment, the Emperor's tall figure had already rounded the glazed screen and walked in. His face was adorned with a gentle smile, and he slowly spoke, "Your son greets his mother."
"Mmm, my son is here. Sit. I was just thinking about it, the Emperor should be coming. We mother and son truly have a telepathic connection."
The Empress Dowager's face was full of smiles, and she spoke kindly, beckoning the Emperor to sit. If a stranger saw this scene, they would surely be moved by the filial piety and maternal love displayed. However, only they knew in their hearts that this was merely a facade. It was not yet time to reveal their true colors.
The Emperor's voice, as gentle as water, echoed, "Mother has been thinking of me. Today, my duties delayed me, so I arrived late."
"What is the Emperor busy with?"
The Empress Dowager asked casually. Murong Liu Zun's deep, bottomless black eyes instantly released alluring sparks, and he slowly spoke, "Have the Left Prime Minister and the Minister of Justice go and search Moon Awakening Temple. I heard that rebels are hiding in that temple."
"What?" The Empress Dowager suddenly started, her face pale, her lips trembling slightly. She abruptly stood up, swayed for a moment, and then collapsed onto the soft couch.
Murong Liu Zun's gaze shifted unpredictably as he stared probingly at the distressed Empress Dowager and slowly inquired, "Mother, what is wrong?"
"Ah," the Empress Dowager shrieked. Recalling herself, she realized she had lost her usual composure and quickly adjusted her breathing.
Following that, she forced a weak smile. After a long while, she spoke, "I simply didn't expect such a thing to happen in a place of Buddhist cultivation. I was too alarmed. This is a time of great peace and prosperity, and yet there are rebels. It is indeed detestable."
"Indeed. If I catch these treacherous rebels with ulterior motives, I will punish them severely without mercy."
The Emperor's face was cold, his entire demeanor exuding a chilling aura of impending doom. His powerful voice resonated in the sleeping chambers, filled with the arrogance of someone looking down on the world.
The Empress Dowager felt as if her insides were burning and her heart was splitting apart. She couldn't utter a word, her body trembling uncontrollably. She fiercely dug her fingernails into her flesh beneath her long sleeves, desperately suppressing the urge to scream. Slowly, she spoke.
"My son, I am feeling a bit tired today. Your Majesty may leave."
"Yes, I shall take my leave. Mother, please rest well."
The Emperor stood up and spoke with elegance, bidding farewell as he walked out. The beautiful eyes flashed with a cold, sharp glint. He wanted to make her uneasy, to startle her. However, was her reaction a bit excessive?
Murong Liu Zun pondered with confusion. If Moon Awakening Temple truly harbored assassins, then the King of Beijin could not escape responsibility. Yet, the King of Beijin was currently unharmed, and the Empress Dowager was so distraught. Was there some other hidden agenda?
"Your Majesty?"
Ah Jiu saw the Emperor standing still outside the gates of Guangyang Palace, showing no intention of leaving. He quickly and respectfully called out. Emperor Xian came back to his senses and led a group of eunuchs away from Guangyang Palace.
Inside the sleeping chambers, the Empress Dowager seemed to have aged several years. Tears streamed down her face, her body trembling like leaves in the wind. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, she collapsed onto the soft couch and remained motionless for a long time.
Eunuch Li stood to the side, his heart filled with trepidation, his expression flickering uncertainly. What had happened to the Empress Dowager? She had been so happy earlier, and now she was so grief-stricken.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, please take care of yourself."
Eunuch Li spoke cautiously. The Empress Dowager suddenly sat up, her eyes fierce and ugly as she glared at Eunuch Li. Eunuch Li was startled and retreated two steps. "Your Majesty, what is wrong?"
"Go, immediately summon Mo'er into the palace. I must see him at once. Hurry."
"Your Majesty? His Highness instructed not to be summoned into the palace," Eunuch Li reminded the Empress Dowager. The Prince had already instructed them that anyone who went to the King of Beijin's mansion without cause would lose their lives.
The Empress Dowager, already furious, became as if possessed when she heard Eunuch Li's words. She leaped from the soft couch, grabbed Eunuch Li, and shrieked:
"Did you not hear my words clearly? Immediately, summon Mo'er into the palace. I can no longer control myself. Is it not permissible for a mother to wish to see her son?"
Her voice was heart-wrenching, as if on the verge of collapse.
Eunuch Li truly feared that the Empress Dowager would go mad. He quickly accepted the order, "Your Majesty, please do not be anxious. I will send someone to invite His Highness immediately. Your Majesty, please sit down first."
Hearing Eunuch Li's words, the Empress Dowager calmed down somewhat and stopped her commotion.
Eunuch Li quickly helped her sit back on the soft couch and then went out to instruct a young eunuch to secretly invite the Prince, asking him to enter the palace immediately. The Empress Dowager seemed to have suffered some blow.
Upon receiving the news, Prince Beijin, Murong Liu Mo, frowned his handsome brows. The Emperor's actions were too swift, dispatching people to arrest everyone in Moon Awakening Temple in such a short time.
The study was filled with a somber atmosphere. Steward Ning looked at the Prince with concern.
"Those people have been apprehended, will there be any trouble?"
"What trouble could there be? Apart from that Monk Lekong, no one else knows about the existence of the assassins. My concern now is not Monk Lekong. He would never reveal anything about me, because the lives of over a hundred people from the Su family are in his hands. If he dares to utter a single word, the entire Su family will be buried with him."
Prince Beijin cast aside his usual gentle and refined demeanor, his eyes shooting out a terrifying light, exceptionally fierce.
"What I am worried about now is my mother. She has always cared for that old monk. Now that the old monk has been arrested, I fear she will not stand idly by. If she causes a commotion, it will inevitably alert the Emperor, and that would be troublesome."
Steward Ning's brows furrowed tighter and tighter, feeling sorry for the Empress Dowager.
Although he was now the Prince's subordinate, his true allegiance was still with the Empress Dowager.
His life had been saved by the Empress Dowager years ago. Not only had she saved his life, but she had also saved the lives of more than ten people from his Ning family. Now, the Ning family lived comfortably, all thanks to her. Therefore, he would serve her his entire life.
It was precisely because he had followed her for many years that he knew her true feelings. The person she truly loved was not the late Emperor, but that old monk, Su Zhan, the man with whom she had grown up.
When Su Zhan entered the monastic life in anger because of her entering the palace, they reconnected more than ten years ago and had maintained contact ever since.
Later, the Empress Dowager sought Su Zhan's help. At that time, he was just an unknown monk. Because he founded Moon Awakening Temple, he became Master Lekong.
"Your Highness, what should we do now? The Empress Dowager is still waiting. If Your Highness does not enter the palace, I fear the Empress Dowager will not be able to bear it?"
Prince Beijin's gaze swept coldly over Steward Ning. Finally, he said nothing and spoke indifferently, "I know what to do. You instruct that person to return first."
"Yes, Your Highness," Steward Ning walked out.