Although Ji Shaocheng felt a pang of sadness and was deeply saddened, he found Ye Lingfeng's actions impeccable. Perhaps he would have found fault with someone else or in a different place, but now he couldn't find anything wrong with them and could only wish them a happy ending.
"Ling'er, you've agreed to marry me, so you can't go back on your word. There are many witnesses here."
Ye Lingfeng's handsome features were filled with a gentle smile, shimmering in the mountain breeze.
"Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations, Miss Ji."
The loud sounds echoed across Black Wind Cliff, carried far by the mountain wind, and at that moment, the air was filled with joy and happiness.
Hai Ling smiled as she looked at everything before her, her heart pounding and her cheeks flushed. She reached out and took Ye Lingfeng's outstretched hand, speaking softly, "Alright, let's figure out how to get up there now, otherwise Bei Lu will be in chaos."
"good."
Ye Lingfeng, with his handsome features and cheerful mood, turned around and glanced at everyone around him before speaking in a calm and wise manner.
"Everyone here, take out your swords and break them into several small pieces. I will stick these into the cliff face so that you have a place to land, and then we can go up. When I jumped off Black Wind Cliff earlier, I had a feeling that this place is not as far from the cliff edge as I thought, so we will definitely be able to get up smoothly."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Ji Shaocheng was astonished. He hadn't expected Ye Lingfeng's skill to be so profound that he could insert a broken sword into a cliff face. How much internal strength must that require? Although his martial arts were good, it was impossible for him to insert a broken sword into a cliff face. Moreover, this was not something an ordinary person could do.
Shi Mei and the others, without a second thought, each took out their swords, broke them into pieces, and presented them to the Emperor.
Ye Lingfeng looked at Hai Ling and smiled gently: "Ling'er, take these, I'll take you up with me."
After he finished speaking, Hailing took the broken swords as instructed and followed him to the most advantageous position on Black Wind Cliff, where everyone was ready.
Ye Lingfeng reached out and put his arm around Hai Ling's waist. Then, he gathered his energy and leaped up the cliff. The wind blew, and looking up, it was all blurry and dark. With one hand tightly holding Hai Ling, Ye Lingfeng used the other to wield his broken sword. With a hum, the broken sword embedded itself in the cliff face. He then stepped over the broken sword and leaped straight up. In fact, with his skill, he didn't need to test his footing at all. However, since he had Hai Ling in his hand, he stepped on the broken sword to ensure that he was absolutely safe.
Behind him, the crowd followed him all the way up the cliff.
At this moment, Black Wind Cliff was filled with people, led by the Empress Dowager, along with ministers from the court, countless palace guards, and soldiers from the capital's garrison, who surrounded the mountaintop, forming a dense, dark mass.
Many ministers knelt, sobbing as they cried, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, you are too devoted! Since ancient times, love has been a source of great suffering."
Amidst the wailing, many were secretly overjoyed. Now that the Emperor was gone, they wondered whether it would be better to support Prince Anyang or Prince Zhaoyang as the new Emperor. On the surface, they were grieving, but in secret, many were plotting their schemes.
The Empress Dowager, who was at the head of the group, was heartbroken and silently wept. The palace maids who were attending to her were heartbroken and swayed as if about to collapse. They felt sorry for her and quickly comforted her.
"Your Majesty, please don't be sad. Perhaps the Emperor is alright. Good people are always protected by Heaven, and Heaven will bless the Emperor."
As soon as the old woman finished speaking, the ministers' voices rang out from the cliff: "Your Majesty, please accept our condolences. His Majesty is a lucky man and will be alright."
Just as everyone was grieving, a gust of wind rose from the cliff, and a magnetic, cold voice rang out: "That's right, I am still the Son of Heaven, so how could anything happen to me?"
Everyone froze, ceasing their grief and staring at the outside of Black Wind Cliff.
Two celestial beings leaped up from the cliff below, clad in bright yellow brocade robes, their sashes fluttering lightly. Their jet-black hair flowed freely, and their handsome features were adorned with joyful smiles. These smiles made them glow, shining like golden crows, scattering countless rays of pure light.
The woman in his arms was even more ethereal and otherworldly, with beautiful eyes and brows, like the most exquisite snow lotus blooming on the cliff.
These two were truly beautiful beyond compare, yet they possessed a domineering aura that was oppressive, and their every move instilled fear in others.
As the two landed, everyone on Black Wind Cliff came to their senses and shouted in unison, "Your Majesty, we greet you! Your Majesty is blessed with boundless fortune and remains the true Son of Heaven."
The voices were clear and loud. Ye Lingfeng's piercing gaze swept over them, and he sneered inwardly. There were probably quite a few people here who thought he was doomed and had already made their plans. Don't think he didn't know. It's just that the court has just stabilized, and he will deal with them step by step.
Ye Lingfeng withdrew his gaze from the officials and placed it on his mother, who was standing at the front. He saw that his mother looked haggard and very old, and there were tears in her eyes as she looked at him.
Only now did Ye Lingfeng realize that he had acted without thinking and had not considered his mother's feelings.
Even if he could do it all over again, he wouldn't regret it, because a person's heart is the most authentic, and he was just doing what he felt was right.
"Mother, I deserve to die."
The Empress Dowager forced back her tears and glared at her son fiercely: "Feng'er, you have gone too far. I am very disappointed with this matter."
"It's the son's fault."
Ye Lingfeng released Hai Ling and stepped forward to help his mother. Hai Ling stood beside him. At this time, the people below the cliff also climbed up the cliff one after another using the broken sword. In fact, only the middle section of the cliff was very smooth with no footholds. The higher they went, the steeper it became, which provided them with footholds. So the group of people climbed up easily.
Ji Shaocheng and the others were startled by the scene on Black Wind Cliff: a dark mass of people filled the mountaintop, with banners waving all over the mountain.
It makes sense when you think about it: the emperor jumped off Black Wind Cliff, so how could these ministers not come?
Ye Lingfeng's cold, deep voice rang out: "All my beloved ministers, rise and return to the palace."
"His Majesty has departed for the palace."
The eunuch Xiao Luzi cried out in a high-pitched voice. The emperor, supporting the empress dowager, and the ministers of the court, followed by the rest, formed a dense, dark mass, like ants carrying food, as they made their way down the mountain back to the palace.
Ye Lingfeng and the Empress Dowager returned to the palace, and Hai Ling and Ji Shaocheng also returned to the Ji residence.
The Ji family was in complete chaos. The old general had gone to war, and the young general and the young lady had encountered an accident.
When Ji Shaocheng and Hailing appeared, everyone in the mansion was overjoyed, especially the First Madam Ye. All the servants in the General's Mansion were rewarded.
The court officials also returned to their respective residences.
The capital city, which had been shrouded in gloom and rain, was now cleared up with the emperor's return.
Within the vast capital city, countless versions of the emperor's leap from Black Wind Cliff circulated. Regardless of the version, the people discussed it enthusiastically and were overjoyed, for the emperor was so deeply devoted and loyal. With such a person ruling the land of Northern Lu, Northern Lu was truly about to rise to prominence.
How could they not be happy? So everyone in the streets and alleys was talking about it, and some even composed a beautiful folk song that was sung everywhere.
In the palace.
In the Empress Dowager's Cining Palace, the Empress Dowager stared intently at Ye Lingfeng, her eyes filled with deep reproach and heartache, before finally speaking after a long while.