Mingde coldly surveyed all the servants in Fengning Palace, then said, "You may all wait outside. The Emperor, Empress, and several princes have important matters to discuss. Zisang, you may come in and serve us!"
"Your servant obeys!" None of the palace maids knew what Emperor Mingde was trying to do, but since she said so, no one dared to ask her why, and they all just bowed their heads in response.
Emperor Mingde was not as enthusiastic as before. His expression was indifferent and his eyes were cold. After glancing at the Empress, he walked directly inside.
Ye Zirong then gave the Emperor and Empress a half-smile, unable to hide her joy. Ye Zirong, however, was somewhat restrained, but her demeanor still revealed disdain and disrespect. She only gave a perfunctory bow and then followed Emperor Mingde forward.
The emperor and empress were inevitably a little puzzled, so they looked at Ye Xiaowei at the end, and Ye Xiaowei bowed.
"Your subject greets Your Majesty!"
The Emperor and Empress quickly reached out to help her up: "Wei'er, this is..."
Ye Xiaowei reached out and grasped Ye Fan's cold hand, giving him a reassuring smile, as if to say, with her there, there was nothing to worry about.
"It's nothing, Father, it's just a small misunderstanding, please don't worry about it!"
Ye Fan's face was full of worry and doubt, but when he met Ye Xiaowei's bright eyes and confident smile, he felt as if a sun had risen in his heart.
Nodding, he followed Emperor Mingde and the others into the house, along with Ye Xiaowei.
Upon entering the room, one is immediately struck by the somber atmosphere; the oppressive low pressure makes one feel exceptionally suffocated.
☆、043 The Ruthless Emperor
Emperor Mingde didn't even glance at Empress Ye Fan, but said in a deep voice:
"search!"
She didn't explain her purpose to the Emperor and Empress, nor did she ask him to sit down first. Instead, she spoke with an iron fist, and the first word she uttered was "search!"
Mei Lan and Mei Xiang, the two lackeys, received their orders and began searching the house.
Ye Fan's heart, which had just been at ease, was raised again. His face was full of doubt and surprise, and his already unpleasant complexion became even paler. He looked up at Emperor Mingde sitting in the chair, but Emperor Mingde's face was calm as water, and his eyes were deep, yet he was stingy in not giving him even a reassuring look.
At that moment, he felt as if he had committed a terrible mistake; his body felt as if it had fallen into an ice cellar, chilled to the bone…
Ye Xiaowei frowned, but reached out and tightly grasped Empress Ye Fan's cold hand, signaling him to calm down and not to worry.
She clearly saw Ye Ziyu's arrogant and undisguised smile, and she also saw Ye Zirong, whose expression remained unchanged, but whose eyes could not hide the smug light.
The two women wanted to see her and her father panic, be terrified, and not know what to do. The more they wanted this, the less she would let them see it.
On the contrary, she still had to smile at the two of them under these circumstances, making them feel uncertain and uneasy!
She gave Ye Ziyu and Ye Zirong an ambiguous smile, a smile that was both gentle and radiant, yet it made their faces gradually turn pale.
In their eyes, Ye Xiaowei at this moment was undoubtedly a monster who knew no fear or panic, yet was unfathomable.
That seemingly harmless smile was actually like the gaping maw of a monster. Although it gave the impression of a beautifully blooming flower, waiting for those who were captivated by it to slowly approach, the flower would suddenly unleash its fury and unexpectedly swallow them whole.
This feeling is truly terrifying and instills a deep sense of dread.
With just one smile, he completely intimidated the two smug girls who thought they had victory in their grasp, turning them into fearful individuals with drastically different expressions.
Empress Ye Fan was not a cowardly person; otherwise, the position of Crown Prince would have changed hands long ago.
After calming down, he regained his composure, released Ye Xiaowei's hand, smiled gently at her, and indicated that he was alright. Ye Xiaowei understood and also let go of his hand.
The Emperor and Empress covered their lips, coughed softly, and then said:
"Your Majesty, I wonder what offense I have committed that requires Your Majesty to personally come here? What does Your Majesty intend to find here?"
Emperor Mingde was about to speak when he heard Princess Ye Ziyu give a cold snort:
"Emperor and Empress, if it weren't for your narrow-mindedness and hatred of evil, and your use of witchcraft to frame my father, we wouldn't be here today. Now that the Empress is here, you should stop causing trouble!"
Ye Fan was slightly taken aback, but he wasn't annoyed by Ye Ziyu's words. He then smiled and said:
"Princess, where did you hear about this so-called witchcraft? Do you have any evidence?"
Ye Ziyu hadn't expected that at this moment, in front of her mother, the Empress, this Empress would be so calm and composed, smiling so serenely, as if she wasn't afraid at all.
Are these two, father and daughter, truly unafraid of death? Or are they confident they can win this battle?
Impossible. They've prepared for this battle for so long and thought it through so thoroughly. They definitely won't win. They're just pretending to be calm and nothing's happened. In reality, they're already terrified.
That must be it!
"Found it!"
Mei Lan and Mei Xiang walked excitedly to Ming De, holding the two items high as if afraid no one would see them.
All eyes were drawn to the two girls' hands. Mei Lan and Mei Xiang suddenly realized that what they held was worth a fortune, so they raised their hands higher and lowered their heads even further.
The Emperor and Empress had complex expressions, a mixture of surprise, doubt, and disbelief. They slowly raised their heads and looked at Emperor Mingde, who sat there motionless.
Emperor Mingde's eyes grew increasingly cold and sharp, his face dark and gloomy, like an ice sculpture that had never melted in a thousand years.
Ye Zirong couldn't hide her excitement. She raised the corners of her mouth triumphantly and stared at Ye Fan and his daughter with an expression of watching a good show.
Overwhelmed with anger, Ye Ziyu suddenly stepped forward and knelt down on the ground.
"Your Majesty, the evidence is now irrefutable. We have found evidence in the Emperor and Empress's palace that he framed Father and practiced witchcraft. Your Majesty, I implore you to seek justice for Father!"
Ye Ziyu spoke eloquently and with great emotion, almost as if she were about to shed tears to show her sincere heart. However, although she appeared to be like this, she was secretly overjoyed because everything was going very smoothly according to plan, so the tears naturally did not fall.
In order not to let Emperor Mingde see anything amiss, he deliberately made his expression very solemn and his voice almost choked up.
"Your Majesty, although I do not believe it, things have come to this point. I hope Your Majesty can prioritize the overall situation and handle this matter impartially, so as not to let this corrupt practice grow and cause chaos in the palace!"
Ye Zirong also stepped forward, knelt on the ground, and earnestly pleaded with Emperor Mingde.
In this way, Princesses Ye Ziyu and Ye Zirong became righteous people who punished evil and promoted good, while Ye Xiaowei and Ye Fan, father and daughter, became villains who stirred up trouble in the harem and secretly used evil witchcraft.
Emperor Mingde sat there silently, but her ugly expression naturally revealed her inner thoughts.
The atmosphere suddenly became very heavy and oppressive, making it hard to breathe, as if one were suffocating.
Ye Fan still stared at the cold-faced Emperor Mingde with her clear eyes, hoping to hear the answer he wanted from her lips.
Unfortunately, reality is always cruel, and even emperors are not people who can do whatever they want.
Emperor Mingde narrowed his eyes slightly, concealing the helplessness in them. When he opened them again, his eyes were cold and sharp, like blades and ice arrows, each one piercing to the bone.
"Empress, what do you have to say to me!" Her tone was icy and interrogative, devoid of any tenderness. From her eyes and her tone, one could tell her determination.
Ye Fan felt as if the string in his heart snapped at that moment, and a stream of crimson blood gushed out from his chest with fierce force. His already pale and thin face became even more terrifyingly ashen.
His body swayed slightly, like a small tree in the cold wind, unable to withstand the sweeping gale, and he took a step back as if he were about to fall.
Ye Xiaowei quickly reached out to help him, but when she saw Ye Fan turn around and give her that pale smile, her heart felt as if it had been pierced by a thousand arrows…
☆、044 The Emperor's Heart, a Needle at the Bottom of the Sea
That smile, though it was called a smile, was more unsightly than a cry, and it caused her even more heartache.
She opened her mouth as if to speak, but Ye Fan simply shook his head at her, feigning composure, indicating that she didn't need to worry.
He straightened up, his expression calm, the surprise and astonishment he had shown moments before vanished.
He looked calmly at Emperor Mingde and said, word by word:
"Your Majesty, I did not do that!"
He gazed silently at Emperor Mingde, who returned his gaze with a complex expression. Their eyes met, and a torrent of emotions surged within them.
One is an emperor who rules the world, and the other is an empress who governs the six palaces. Both of them are outstanding individuals, and their every move is under the watchful eyes of thousands. If they make the slightest mistake, they will be doomed!
But at this moment, after their eyes met, they seemed to see each other's thoughts, and complex emotions surged through their eyes.
Of course, those present could not fathom the thoughts in their hearts.
But given the current situation, the affection between Emperor Mingde and Empress is common knowledge. To prevent trouble and to avoid their meticulous preparations from going to waste, Ye Zirong couldn't help but speak up, breaking the silence.
"Your Majesty! The evidence is now irrefutable. I urge Your Majesty not to let personal feelings cloud your judgment and allow evil to go unpunished. Even if you are the Empress of a nation, you cannot let this go easily!"
Sure enough, at this critical moment, Ye Zirong stopped playing the role of a kind woman and became extremely treacherous and cunning, wishing that the emperor and empress would be executed by Emperor Mingde at this moment!
Seeing this, even though Ye Ziyu couldn't cry at the moment, she still managed to squeeze out a few tears, and with her talent for acting, she said in a tearful voice:
"My third sister is right, Mother Empress. My father's life hangs in the balance, he is bedridden and on the verge of death. I beg you, Mother Empress, to do justice for my father! Do not let those ruthless and vicious people go unpunished! Your son... sob..."
After saying this, the eldest princess burst into tears, as if she had suffered a great injustice, crying so miserably and pitifully.
Seeing this scene, Emperor Mingde felt even more annoyed. His eyes were complicated and his face showed difficulty. He was torn between Ye Fan and Ye Fan. Although he wanted to tell Ye Fan, "I believe you," he could not say such a thing in the face of the evidence.
Moreover, besides being his wife, she is also the ruler of the Fengyu Kingdom. As a monarch, her every word and action represents the entire country. How could she be so hasty because of personal feelings?
She hardened her heart, gritted her teeth, and said in a deep voice:
"Your Majesty, if you tell the truth, I might consider our past relationship and show you leniency!"
Ye Fan's pale and helpless eyes broke Emperor Mingde's heart. He really wanted to give up being emperor and live a carefree life with Ye Fan, becoming a happy couple like immortals.
However, no, she couldn't. How could she joke about the foundation built up by Feng Yu's ancestors over hundreds of years!
A bitter smile crept across Ye Fan's lips. Though her eyes were still full of affection, and her words still carried emotion, her words about leniency told him that she didn't believe him and therefore wanted him to suffer this injustice...
Decades of affection amounted to nothing more than this. They were childhood sweethearts and thought they knew each other quite well. They believed they could guess each other's thoughts with just a glance or a gesture. However, in the end, he was too naive and thought too simply.
She was a high and mighty emperor, whose heart was as deep as the bottom of the sea. How could such a profound heart be easily seen by ordinary mortals?
That's enough. Whether he did it or not, he knows better than anyone else. All of this seems to be solid evidence, but it is full of loopholes. In fact, if he wanted to refute it, he could definitely overturn those so-called evidences. But at this moment, his heart is dead, so he doesn't want to argue anymore. Let it be!
If his death can bring Ye Xiaowei peace, what is there to fear in death?
He curled his lips into a pale, weak smile, which only made him more pitiful. Meeting Emperor Mingde's complex gaze, he said:
“If Your Majesty has already determined that everything was done by your humble servant, then anything else your humble servant says will be superfluous. Your humble servant has nothing to say and will leave the matter to Your Majesty’s disposal!”
Emperor Mingde was clearly not expected Ye Fan to say such a thing. His eyes flickered slightly, and his expression was somewhat taken aback.