"Your Majesty, please follow me," Hong Xiu said with a shallow smile, leading the Emperor to the main hall of the courtyard. After seating him and receiving his request to inform the楼主 (Lou Zhu), she walked through the long corridor and ran into Cui Er.
She had already heard about Cui Er and Duan Mu, and was surprised that they were together and would be getting married in three years. Hong Xiu smiled and greeted Cui Er, then walked past her. Cui Er quickly stopped her.
"Where are you going?"
Hong Xiu glanced around, then leaned over and whispered into Cui Er's ear, "The Emperor is here, in the main hall. I'm going to inform the 楼主."
Cui Er nodded and watched Hong Xiu's retreating back. She quickly called out, "Hong Xiu, come here. Don't report this to the young lady yet. She'll be angry. Let me report it to her later."
"Alright," Hong Xiu nodded. "The Emperor is in the main hall, you go attend to him."
Hong Xiu withdrew. Truthfully, that Emperor exuded a domineering aura, and was cold and aloof. When he looked at people, it was as if ice blades were piercing their skin, making one feel uncomfortable.
Cui Er nodded and turned back towards the main hall.
In the main hall, the Emperor sat in the principal guest seat, diligently appraising the calligraphy and paintings on the wall. Cui Er walked in and gracefully curtsied to the Emperor. "Your servant greets Your Majesty."
Upon seeing Cui Er, Feng Xie felt a surge of inspiration. Cui Er was, after all, Liu Er's childhood maid. She must know her young lady very well.
Moreover, his son should have been raised by her as well. Therefore, she would definitely understand her son's weaknesses.
This young maid could help him. Thinking this, Feng Xie's handsome features lit up, and he waved his hand. "Rise."
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Cui Er said, standing to the side. She wondered if the Emperor truly loved her young lady.
Having come to Xiaoyao Island this time, she could see the Emperor's sincerity towards her young lady. She had also heard that he had not held imperial concubine selections for five years because of her.
Cui Er was happy for her young lady. Although he had made mistakes before, everyone makes mistakes in life, just like she and Duan Mu.
At first, they had argued incessantly, but who would have known they would end up loving each other? Thus, fate is unpredictable. As long as the Emperor truly loved her young lady, that was enough.
"Cui Er, do you know the significance of my visit to Xiaoyao Island this time?"
Feng Xie's lips curved into a wicked smile, his smile conveying an air of inevitability. His eyes were unfathomably dark, and his entire face was cold and bewitching.
"Yes, your servant knows. Your Majesty wishes to bring the young lady and Mu Xing back to the capital."
Cui Er nodded in affirmation. How could she not know? Since the Emperor knew her young lady was alive, he would never allow her and Crown Prince Mu Xing to stay on Xiaoyao Island.
However, her young lady was not someone easily swayed. She remembered the harm the Emperor had caused her. Though she didn't say it, the deepest wounds are those kept within. If they were expressed, they would be forgotten faster.
"Therefore, I need your help."
The dominance of an Emperor was fully displayed. Although he needed help, he spoke as if it were a given, with supreme arrogance. This was a natural majesty, an aura that looked down upon the world.
"Yes, your servant dares to ask, if Your Majesty agrees to my terms, then I will help Your Majesty this once."
Cui Er raised her head fearlessly. For her young lady's happiness, what was there she wouldn't dare to say? Her gaze boldly met Feng Xie's. Ri Ying and Yue Ying, standing by, sternly reprimanded, "Audacious maid, what right do you have to set conditions before His Majesty?"
Feng Xie, however, raised his hand to stop Ri Ying and nodded gravely and solemnly.
He knew that Cui Er and Liu Er were like sisters. Since she had agreed to help him, he was already grateful. Although he was an Emperor, he was also a human who understood the meaning of repaying kindness.
"Very well, speak. If I can agree, I will definitely agree."
"Good,"
Cui Er nodded, her ink-black eyes flashing once, and then her head lowered.
"Your servant hopes Your Majesty will always believe in the young lady, do not doubt her. Since you like her, you must believe her unconditionally. Because she is actually the most easily hurt. These past five years have not been easy for her.
Only I, her personal maid, know this. Therefore, your servant implores Your Majesty not to hurt the young lady again. If Your Majesty cannot do this, then please leave Xiaoyao Island and let the young lady be happier."
"Good, I promise you. I would rather lose my life than not believe in her and cherish her."
Feng Xie, as an Emperor, made a promise to a young maid. Cui Er was moved by his sincere attitude and decided to help him.
It was rare for an Emperor to reach such a level, especially one of supreme authority. The young lady and Mu Xing should return to the capital. The young lady had missed her family greatly over the years.
Her father and mother in the capital, and the eldest young master. Although she never mentioned it, Cui Er had seen it from her subtle melancholy.
Moreover, Mu Xing could not stay on Xiaoyao Island forever. In the future, he could only become a man of the martial world. But entering the palace would be different. She would be subjected to many rules and rituals and would become a gentle and refined ruler.
"Good, then from now on, Your Majesty will listen to me. The young lady's soft spot is Mu Xing, and Mu Xing's soft spot is his mother. But there is also me. He will believe whatever I say without question."
Cui Er had only just realized this logic. Because Mu Xing was raised by her, no matter how much he teased her normally, he actually cherished her and believed her words implicitly.
Feng Xie, while pleased, felt a bitter taste in his heart. Even a young maid was someone his son valued.
And he himself had become someone his son detested. He had to change the current situation.
Mu Xing played in the study for a while. Seeing that his mother was busy organizing accounts, she had no time to attend to him. He could only bid his mother farewell and leave the study.
As he walked out, he saw that those swindlers had left. He felt a little happier, and secretly vowed that if he ever met them again, he would definitely let Xiao Jin bite them, to let them know the consequences of offending him.
But was that man really his Imperial Father? Was he his son?
Mu Xing was very confused about this question. It seemed he still needed to ask Aunt Cui. Aunt Cui had always been her mother's maid; she must know a lot about past events.
Mu Xing made up his mind and turned to the room next door to find Aunt Cui. Of course, he didn't know that Aunt Cui was waiting for him to fall into her trap.
"Aunt Cui, Mu Xing wants to ask you a question?"
"Good, speak." Cui Er tried her best to suppress her voice so that this little fellow wouldn't see through her. She continued folding clothes without looking up. Mu Xing stood behind her, unable to see the expression on Cui Er's face, and loudly questioned her from behind.
"Aunt Cui, a man said I am the Crown Prince, and that he is my Imperial Father. Am I really his son? What is a Crown Prince?"
Cui Er turned around and sat down. Her eyes flickered. Little Mu Xing thought she didn't want to tell him and quickly grabbed her arm and shook it. "Aunt Cui, tell me? I want to know, what is a Crown Prince?"
Cui Er tried her best to suppress the excitement in her heart, sighed, and said with immense gravity, "A Crown Prince is a precious person. The Emperor is the most authoritative person in the world. The Crown Prince is his son, the future Emperor."