AWB Chapter 440
Chapter 440
Outside the Duan Gate.
Murong Jin strode with the vigorous steps of a dragon and tiger, heading straight for the Palace of Earthly Tranquility.
Following behind him, Chang Hua called out, "Your Highness, Your Highness! Things might not be as you think. The Emperor and Empress are deeply in love; he didn't necessarily summon the Second Miss into the palace for that!"
Murong Jin paused his steps, his face clouded with dark gloom. "What do you know? It is precisely because they are deeply in love and he cannot take in outsiders that it's so convenient to take his own sister-in-law. It doesn't break the Empress's heart, and it can continue the royal bloodline. I truly underestimated him!"
"Ah?" Chang Hua looked completely bewildered.
He received a smack on the head, only to hear his master grit his teeth and say, "Are you a pigbrain? The Empress cannot bear children. Is he supposed to leave the Yan family's empire without an heir? I originally thought Third Yan would take Princess Huasu as his concubine. I never expected him to set his sights on A-Yin!"
As his words fell, he clenched his jaw.
He could let the matters regarding his mother and brother go, because his imperial brother had gone too far and his mother had been too aggressive.
Moreover, the changing of dynasties was understandable; after all, the Murong family's empire had also been snatched from the Yun family's hands.
But A-Yin was different. She was his bottom line, his very life!
Outside the Palace of Earthly Tranquility.
The moment Meng Yang saw him charging over like a fierce tiger, alarm bells rang in his head. "His Highness the Prince of Qin? What are you doing here?"
Murong Jin cupped his hands in a cold salute. "Commander Meng, please announce me. I request an audience with His Majesty!"
"You want to see the Emperor?" Meng Yang leveled his longsword. "No! His Majesty is unwell. Imperial Physician Zhang said he needs to rest quietly for a month, and within this month, he will see no outsiders!"
Murong Jin seemed to have guessed he would say this and sneered, "Then I request an audience with Her Majesty the Empress!"
As he spoke, he turned to go in, but Meng Yang shouted, "That won't do either! Her Majesty the Empress is inside cultivating and praying for the Emperor. It will take forty-nine days to complete her merits, so you cannot disturb her either!"
Murong Jin's eyes darkened. "This won't do, and that won't do. Commander Meng, you are deliberately making things difficult!"
Meng Yang's meager brain couldn't come up with any other excuses, so he could only stick to the pre-arranged script. "In short, neither the Emperor nor the Empress can be disturbed right now. If the Prince of Qin has any urgent matters, go find the Chief Minister and have him report to the Emperor on your behalf!"
Out of the corner of his eye, Murong Jin caught sight of two ministers walking out from inside, shaking their heads dejectedly. He suddenly raised his voice, "Meng Yang, you make endless excuses to prevent me from seeing the Emperor. Could it be that you, in your capacity as the Commander of the Imperial Guards, have staged a coup and taken His Majesty and Her Majesty hostage?!"
As soon as these words came out, the two ministers who had just been turned away immediately perked up.
Inside the hall, Xie Zhizhou heard this and thought to himself that things were looking bad.
This Murong Jin truly lived up to his reputation as a prince who had led troops in battle. When it came to scheming, Meng Yang was no match for him!
Sure enough, the simple-minded Commander Meng widened his eyes and said, "What nonsense are you spouting? Who staged a coup?"
Murong Jin said leisurely, "Since you haven't, then I merely seek a single audience with the Emperor. What is so difficult about that? Even if the Emperor is unwell, seeing Her Majesty would be fine, unless you have a guilty conscience!"
Meng Yang's face flushed red with anger.
Inside the hall, Chu Ruoyin, who had been frozen since the moment she heard his voice, finally snapped back to reality.
She trembled with excitement, even her voice quivering. "Is... is it him?"
Xie Zhizhou had also heard of the matters concerning this former second cousin, and he sighed softly at this moment. "It is."
Chu Ruoyin's mind exploded with a loud bang, and the joy of regaining what was lost almost overwhelmed everything!
Her feet involuntarily moved toward the door. Xie Zhizhou shouted, "Second Miss Chu! What are you doing?"
Chu Ruoyin blanked for a moment, only then remembering her mission, but she couldn't help saying, "Commander Xie, please let Ruoyin go see him. The Prince of Qin is a reasonable man; he definitely won't..."
"Won't what? Won't leak the secret?" Xie Zhizhou's sharp gaze chilled her. "Second Miss Chu, have you forgotten that he is a prince of the former dynasty! The Emperor seized the Murong family's empire. Do you really think he can hold no grudges? If he takes this opportunity to collude with others and fight his way into the palace, who can stop him?"
Chu Ruoyin was stunned by the question. She instinctively wanted to say he wouldn't, but she couldn't find any words to defend him.
Yes, that was his mother and brother, that was their family's empire...
What right did she have to think he would abandon his country and family for her?
Xie Zhizhou realized his tone was too harsh, so he softened his voice. "Second Miss Chu, the Emperor and Empress leaving the palace is a top secret. Especially now that the envoys from the Western Frontier have arrived, there cannot be the slightest mistake. I hope you will prioritize the greater good over personal romantic feelings!"
Chu Ruoyin's eyes dimmed bit by bit. "I understand, but he..."
A glint flashed in Xie Zhizhou's eyes. "Don't worry, someone can stop him!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Cao Yang's voice came from outside. "Your Highness the Prince of Qin, you have just recovered. Why aren't you resting more instead of running over here?"
Murong Jin hadn't expected to run into the Chief Minister and frowned. "Lord Cao, I trust you have been well since we last met."
Cao Yang gave a faint hum and glanced at Meng Yang. "I heard from Commander Meng that the Prince of Qin has matters to request an audience with the Emperor? It just so happens that I am going to see His Majesty. Whatever Your Highness has to say, you might as well tell me, and I will relay it on your behalf."
After saying that, the people behind him brought over a large pile of memorials, as if they were really going to be sent inside for someone to review.
Murong Jin's face sank, knowing well that Cao Yang was not like the simple-minded Meng, and could not be dismissed so easily.
But he couldn't wait another moment; he had to see A-Yin and take her away!
So he cupped his hands. "Then please ask on my behalf, Chief Minister Cao. Didn't the Emperor say he wouldn't take any concubines? Then why did he summon the Empress's second sister into the palace to spend day and night together?"
Those last few words were practically squeezed out through gritted teeth.
Cao Yang froze for a moment, then nodded. "Alright, I will ask for the Prince of Qin."
With that, he took the memorials and entered the hall. Meng Yang also thought the matter ended there and sheathed his sword.
Unexpectedly, the moment the palace doors opened, a figure rushed forward with the speed of lightning.
"Stop him! Close the doors!"
Meng Yang roared, but it was already too late.
Murong Jin shoved Cao Yang aside and pressed a palm against the half-open door. Just as he was about to exert force to push the entire door open, a face he had longed for day and night appeared before his eyes...
"A... A-Yin?"
His hand instantly froze in mid-air, and his whole body seemed to be rooted to the spot, completely unable to move.
Chu Ruoyin looked at the face that had appeared in her dreams countless times. A myriad of emotions welled up in her heart, and for a moment, her eyes grew moist.
She hurriedly lowered her head to wipe them and said softly, "Your Highness, let's go outside to talk. Don't disturb the Emperor and the Empress."
The Prince of Qin nodded like a block of wood. "Okay, okay... I'll listen to you."
He followed Chu Ruoyin outside, and Cao Yang, Meng Yang, and the others all breathed a sigh of relief.
Catching sight of the two disappointed ministers nearby, Cao Yang snorted coldly. "Minister Dou, Lord Song, do you two also want to force your way into the palace?"
Dou Sicheng and Lord Song shuddered and hurriedly bowed. "No, no, we're leaving right now, leaving right now!"
The two slinked away in disgrace. Cao Yang and the others exchanged a glance and silently departed as well.
They believed that this Second Miss Chu knew her limits and knew what should and shouldn't be said.
In front of the gates of the Palace of Earthly Tranquility, the two who had been separated for so long simply stood facing each other in silence.
After what seemed like an eternity, the woman's soft voice finally broke the silence, "Your Highness, have your wounds... completely healed?"