--
Li Desheng withdrew from Zhengyang Palace and stood on the high platform, looking at the figure still kneeling there. He sighed and ran forward with small steps. "Your Highness, why don't you admit your mistake? The Emperor is still angry. If you criticize him like that, he will have to give you a way out. Otherwise, he won't even give face to the Princess Consort."
Huangfu Mi tightened his grip, ignoring Li Desheng, and instead glanced back at Meng Wan, who was shivering from the cold. He immediately frowned and said, "Go back first. Don't stay here and freeze with me. Father has truly been bewitched. There's no use in you staying here."
It was indeed a bit cold at this time of year, and to make matters worse, a light drizzle started to fall. Meng Wan's face was slightly pale, and her body was icy cold, but looking at the equally exhausted Huangfu Mi, she tightened her grip on her fingers: "I'm not going anywhere, I'll stay here with you."
"Listen to me." Her firm gaze left him speechless, but her body was clearly struggling to keep up. He could even hear her teeth chattering from so close.
He frowned, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"No!" She still insisted and refused to budge: "I'll be worried if I go back alone, so I might as well stay here with you. Don't worry, I'm fine."
Seeing this, Li Desheng's face wrinkled even more. He looked at the two people kneeling there, sighed, and went back.
"emperor--"
In the side hall, Li Desheng called out to the inside, but there was no response for a long time. He peeked through the crack in the door and saw that the emperor and Consort De were long gone. However, in the inner hall, behind the light blue curtain, two overlapping figures could be vaguely seen, and the man's heavy breathing and the woman's moans echoed each other. Even he blushed a little.
The Emperor and Consort De... Recalling the sounds of their passionate lovemaking that had been constantly heard during this period, he couldn't help but frown.
The Emperor wasn't like this before. How could he be so indulgent now? It's really not how he should be doing.
He sighed, but dared not say more, and bowed as he withdrew.
Huangfu Mi received the emperor's order at midnight and left the palace with Meng Wan. In fact, given his personality, he would have stubbornly persisted in his anger no matter what, but out of concern that Wan'er would suffer along with him, he finally compromised.
He was sullen on the way back, and even when Meng Wan helped him apply the medicine, he remained silent, feeling extremely depressed.
He adored his father, the emperor, and looked up to him with pride. But who could have imagined that his father would do something so foolish, having an affair with a woman, resulting in him being beaten and forced to kneel as punishment?
These things, which would never have happened before, were now chilling to his heart, thanks to his father.
He sighed, held Meng Wan in his arms, and remained silent all night.
The next morning, before the two had even gotten out of bed, someone announced that the Fifth Prince had arrived.
Huangfu Mi knew that his fifth brother must have heard about what happened yesterday, so he immediately got up, dressed, and went out to greet him.
Huangfu Yu was already waiting outside. When he saw Huangfu Mi come out, he immediately went to greet him. Seeing that Huangfu Mi's expression was not good, he couldn't help but frown.
"Seventh Brother, I just got back and heard that Father punished you. Are you alright? Where are you hurt?"
Huangfu Mi shook his head and gestured for Huangfu Yu to sit down. He then grabbed a soft cushion to lean against and sat down next to Huangfu Yu before saying, "It's nothing, just a superficial injury, nothing serious."
Indeed, physical injuries are not a big deal, but the depression in one's heart is far more unbearable than the physical wounds.
His face was stiff and extremely somber. Seeing this, Huangfu Yu knew he was upset and patted his shoulder, saying, "Although you went too far this time, it was really because Father was in the wrong first. I haven't been in the palace these past two days and I don't know what's going on with that Consort De. I heard that Father didn't even attend the morning court because of her. Didn't you argue with him about that too?"
It would have been better if he hadn't mentioned it, because Huangfu Mi became depressed as soon as it was brought up.
"Father is bewitched. He's completely infatuated with that woman. I wanted to tell him that she was the Empress, but I didn't even have a chance. Instead, he scolded me. It's really..."
"What? Consort De is the Empress's person?" Huangfu Yu was already surprised, but now he was even more astonished, staring at Huangfu Mi with wide eyes.
Huangfu Mi nodded: "Wan'er saw it with her own eyes. Consort De and the Empress met in private and said that the Empress was behind Consort Shu's child, and Consort Hui was just being used."
"Is that so?" Huangfu Yu frowned. "We must tell Father Emperor immediately, otherwise he might be misled and something bad might happen! The Empress's placement of Consort De by Father Emperor's side is definitely not just to please him."
"Hmm." Huangfu Mi nodded. "That's what I thought too, which is why I wanted to remind Father. But he's like a completely different person now, and he won't listen to me at all. I really can't do anything. Fifth Brother, why don't you try to persuade him?"
"I can try to persuade him, but Father doesn't even listen to you, so why would he listen to me?"
This made sense, and Huangfu Mi frowned even more. At this moment, Meng Wan came in from outside and overheard their conversation. She said, "I think it's best not to try to persuade her at this time. At the very least, we should find out the situation first. Why does the Emperor favor Consort De so much? Is it just because she looks like my mother?"
This is the question that has been troubling her: "Consort Shu and Consort Mu are very similar, but Father has never been so infatuated with her. Even when Consort Mu was alive, Father never neglected state affairs because of his love for her. But now he is so confused. There must be something unusual. So I think we should find out what's going on first, and then make a plan."
At this point, only she could remain calm. Huangfu Mi was already confused with anger, while Huangfu Yu was not clear about the whole story. So Meng Wan came up with a plan.
Upon hearing this, the two brothers exchanged a glance and then said, "Wan'er's idea is not wrong, but how can we find out the truth? Father Emperor will not even see us. Even if we want to tell him the truth, he will not listen. I'm afraid there is no way."
Meng Wan curled her lips slightly, looking at the two of them with deeply furrowed brows, and chuckled, "You two are really too anxious. You can't get close, but someone is guarding Zhengyang Palace all the time. Ask him to go and ask around; at least you can get some clues, right?"
Is someone guarding Zhengyang Palace at all times?
The two brothers exchanged a glance, then their eyes lit up: "Li Desheng?"
Huangfu Mi and Huangfu Yu immediately went into the palace. Li Desheng was guarding outside the inner court of Zhengyang. When he saw the two, he immediately came forward and bowed, saying, "Greetings to the two gentlemen. It is inconvenient for us to come at this time. His Majesty is inside and has ordered that no one be seen."
His smile was somewhat forced, clearly revealing his displeasure. Huangfu Mi and Huangfu Yu exchanged a glance, then Huangfu Mi smiled slightly and said, "Eunuch Li, we are not here to see the Emperor, but to see you. Would it be convenient for us to speak privately now?"
Li Desheng was clearly taken aback. He looked at the two gentlemen, pondered for a moment, then nodded and took the lead, leading the two to the long corridor of the side hall.
"Your Excellencies, it's not that I don't want to advise you, but as you can see, His Majesty is completely infatuated with Consort De right now. Forget about giving advice, it's even difficult for me to get a proper meeting with him. I only go in because I'm ordered to by the inner court. I'm afraid I can't be of any help to you."
Li Desheng was also deeply troubled. He had served the Emperor for so many years. Although he was not a servant, the Emperor had treated him very well and would even chat with him occasionally. But now, let alone talking, it was difficult to even meet. The Emperor was almost always locked up in Zhengyang Palace with Consort De, which was truly worrying.
Huangfu Mi nodded and patted Li Desheng's shoulder. "Eunuch Li, we don't want you to persuade Father Emperor. We just want you to think about what has happened recently and why Father Emperor's temperament has suddenly changed so drastically."
Li Desheng raised his face: "What happened?"
"yes."
"That was when Consort De entered the palace. After she entered the palace, the Emperor doted on her, especially after the Double Ten Festival. It was from that time that the Emperor's temperament changed somewhat..."
Huangfu Mi and Huangfu Yu exchanged a glance: "Double Ten Festival? What happened that night?"
what happened?