However, as soon as she entered, she knew that the person inside was awake.
Perfect. Since he's awake, she'll take a good look at how this man, who once said he wouldn't take any concubines, still intends to hurt her.
In the palace, a man opened his eyes and lay on the large bed. His dark pupils were shrouded in a thick mist, making it difficult to see clearly. He stared at Hai Ling, who walked in from outside the door, without moving. After a long while, a soft sigh was heard from him.
Why are you here?
His voice was filled with pain and regret. Hai Ling stared unblinkingly at the person on the bed. Half of his face was covered, making it impossible to see his expression clearly. The light in his deep, dark pupils was gone. Looking at him like this, Hai Ling's heart suddenly stopped hurting. Perhaps what he had done before had caused her pain and suffering. Seeing him injured, she almost fainted. But now, looking into his eyes, she felt no pain. Everything was so strange and unbelievable that she couldn't understand why. So she kept staring at the person on the bed.
It took them a long time to respond.
"Has the Emperor lost his memory and forgotten what he said when he married me? That he would never take another concubine. I've come to see how heartless you are to break your vow."
"I am the Emperor."
He spoke as if the emperor was born to marry multiple women, and then said nothing more.
"I understand. After seeing you, I know that you are the Emperor."
After Hailin finished speaking, she nodded and then stepped out.
The person on the large bed had a flicker in their eyes, wondering what the woman meant by coming here in the middle of the night, saying just a few words, and then leaving.
However, Hai Ling had already turned and left Lan Yuan Palace. In the night wind, she wondered why she felt no pain or sadness when she looked into that person's eyes. Could it be that she no longer liked him because of his broken promise? But this liking wasn't something that could be taken back so easily.
Or was it? Hai Ling suddenly stopped, her face full of shock. Or was it that she couldn't sense Ye Lingfeng's presence from him, so she didn't feel heartache or sadness?
If that's the case, then isn't the person in Lanyuan Palace Ye Lingfeng? As the man she once deeply loved, even though he was disfigured and lost his memory, she should still remember him vividly. But before, when she looked into his eyes, it was like looking at a stranger, so her heart didn't ache or feel any pain.
Hailin trembled slightly at the thought.
If the people in the palace are not the emperor, then who is the real emperor?
The thought of that possibility made her body tremble uncontrollably; in the darkness of the night, she looked frail and forlorn.
No, if the one in the palace is a fake, the real Ye will be fine. But where is he?
Hai Ling was in a state of confusion as she made her way back to Liuyue Palace. Everyone in the palace was still fast asleep and did not notice that Hai Ling had left Liuyue Palace and gone to Lanyuan Palace.
The next day, Hailing was in much better spirits and was no longer as listless as before. Feng Qian and Nalan Mingzhu were surprised that she had changed overnight, but they were still very happy to see that she was no longer so sad.
Hailing, who got up early, took Fengqian and Nalan Mingzhu to Cixi Palace to pay their respects to the Empress Dowager.
She wanted to see if the Empress Dowager had realized that the emperor in Lanyuan Palace might be an imposter.
Inside Cixi Palace, the Empress Dowager had not yet gotten up. The Emperor had suffered such a serious injury, and as his mother, the Empress Dowager was naturally very saddened, which was why her health had been poor recently.
I only slept for a short while this morning.
Granny Ying came out to greet Hailing and then chatted with her.
Hai Ling looked at Granny Ying and thought that Granny Ying had also watched Ye grow up since she was a child. She wondered if Granny Ying had noticed anything. If the Empress Dowager found out something, Granny Ying would naturally know as well. With this thought, she looked at Granny Ying with a gentle expression.
"His Majesty is seriously injured, and His Majesty must be very sad. Ying-ma-nanny, you should try to comfort His Majesty and not let her be too sad. His Majesty is already like this, so we should try to be more open-minded. As long as he is alright, that's all that matters."
Upon hearing Hai Ling's words, Granny Ying raised her eyebrows in surprise and carefully examined the Empress.
The Emperor has taken Shu Wanxing as Consort Rou. Logically, the Empress should be furious. How come she seems completely unaffected now? Although Ying Mama was puzzled, she agreed with Hailing's words and nodded: "Yes, Your Majesty, I have also advised the Empress Dowager in the same way, but Your Majesty is preoccupied and cannot let go of her worries. She has not been able to sleep well these past few days and is very weak. How can this continue?"
The old woman looked worried, which seemed genuine. So, the Empress Dowager hadn't discovered anything?
Hai Ling didn't say anything. Firstly, she couldn't be sure if the people in Lanyuan Palace were the fake emperor. Secondly, where was the real Ye Lingfeng? She was afraid she had made a mistake; such things were not to be taken lightly.
"You should try to persuade your mother more."
Hai Ling gave her instructions, and Ying Mama responded. Then she greeted Hai Ling and asked her to wait a moment while she went in to see if the Empress Dowager had woken up.
Hailing nodded, and only after Aunt Ying left did she pick up her tea to drink.
Feng Qian looked at Hai Ling strangely, as if Hai Ling was hiding something from them.
"Ling'er, are you hiding something from us?"
Just as Hai Ling opened her mouth to speak, footsteps sounded outside the main hall, and a group of people walked in. The woman at the head of the group, who was radiant, was none other than Shu Wanxing. She led several palace maids to Cixi Palace to pay their respects to the Empress Dowager. When she saw Hai Ling sitting upright on one side of the main hall, although she was not happy, she dared not break the rules and slowly walked over to pay her respects.
"This humble servant greets Your Majesty the Empress and pays her respects."
Feng Qian and Nalan Mingzhu immediately turned sour upon seeing Shu Wanxing. Hai Ling, however, was not angry. She raised her hand to signal Shu Wanxing to get up. Thinking of the woman's current smugness and the person from Lanyuan Palace, she was at a loss for words.
"Get up and sit down somewhere else."
Hai Ling spoke gently, and Shu Wanxing was flattered. She quickly thanked her and went to sit down.
To be honest, she wouldn't dare to confront the Empress. She was already quite content with her current status. If the Emperor hadn't been disfigured and lost his memory, he would never have allowed her to enter the palace.
On one side of the main hall, not only Shu Wanxing was surprised, but Feng Qian and Nalan Mingzhu were also puzzled. Because of Hai Ling's expression at this moment, the two of them were sure that Hai Ling was hiding something from them. It was not appropriate to ask now, but they would definitely ask her later to find out what Hai Ling was hiding from them.
There was not a sound in the main hall of Cixi Palace.
Soon, the voices of Granny Ying and the Empress Dowager could be heard in the inner hall.
"Your Majesty, has the Empress come to pay her respects?"
"Her?" The Empress Dowager's voice was hesitant. She paused for a moment but didn't ask. She probably wanted to ask how the Empress was doing and whether she had lost her temper, but she didn't ask. She felt that she was asking a redundant question. The Emperor broke his promise. He had promised the Empress at the time of their wedding that he would not take any concubines. Now, in such a short time, he had taken Shu Wanxing as a concubine. How could the Empress not be angry?
However, Granny Ying spoke up in time: "Her Majesty the Empress did not lose her temper and seemed to be doing well."
"Oh," the Empress Dowager was puzzled. Ji Hailing had actually admitted it, which was not like her at all. Since she dared to say that she would never take another concubine, it showed that she was very determined. But today, when the Emperor took a concubine, she did not make a sound at all, which was really puzzling.