Xiao Yang didn’t bring the Xiao brothers, nor did she bring any courtiers. She brought only four martial maids and twenty guards, riding out of the city on horseback.
Xiao Yang had a clear destination: Bright Mirror Manor. Rong Yin had given it to her, mentioning it had hot springs. It was a gift meant to curry favor, so she was certain it was the real deal.
Although Xie Liuzheng felt as if her rear had been bounced into eight separate pieces, she gritted her teeth and kept up on her horse the entire way.
After riding at a gallop for nearly four hours, they finally arrived at Bright Mirror Manor.
The men on watch didn’t recognize the Emperor, but Xiao Yang had a Token, so their passage was unimpeded.
When she finally saw the enormous hot spring pool, Xie Liuzheng felt that even the excruciating ride had been worth it.
’A pure, natural hot spring, the scent of minerals thick in the air, and fresh flowers all around... How could anyone still feel tired in a place like this?’
Xie Liuzheng was still negotiating with her aching legs when she saw a figure slowly walk into the water.
It was Your Majesty. She had stripped down to her under-robe and gone straight into the water.
Xie Liuzheng glanced around. Aside from the four martial maids standing watch, the other guards were posted outside. It seemed very safe for the moment.
She quickly stripped off her clothes and got into the water.
The hot spring lake was vast—over two hundred square meters of water—with a pleasant temperature and wisps of steam curling into the air.
Unfortunately, she couldn’t swim to save her life, so she could only soak near the edge, enviously watching Your Majesty glide through the water. Her graceful movements were as beautiful as a mermaid’s.
SPLASH!
Xiao Yang swam several invigorating laps. Once she’d had her fill, she swam over to Xie Liuzheng. She reached up to undo her slightly askew hair crown and slicked back her hair, only to look up and find Xie Liuzheng staring at her with a dazed expression.
"Are you serious?"
With stars in her eyes, Xie Liuzheng said, "Your Majesty, you truly have no idea how charming you are."
’When someone is that beautiful, their very breathing is a form of seduction.’
’Your Majesty’s androgynous face is already unfairly attractive, and now you’re adding this soaking-wet look to the mix. If Your Majesty were a man, I would’ve pounced by now.’
Xie Liuzheng moved closer. "Is Your Majesty angry because of what Fang Ran did? She’s a product of her time—no, wait... every era has foolish people like her. There’s no need for Your Majesty to lower yourself to their level."
"To be made a Commandery Princess and still debase herself over a man... it just proves she isn’t fated to enjoy her good fortune."
Xiao Yang’s frustration had already faded, and she sounded calm as she spoke.
"I know. I’m not angry anymore, it’s just... at the time, the whole situation was so stifling."
"That Luo Zheng was once a fierce general, but he’s been corrupted by power and wealth over the years. He’s done plenty of despicable things."
"When he saw others in the court being purged, he started to behave himself. I’ve already killed too many people, so I’ve spared him for now."
"I didn’t expect that while I was ignoring him, he’d grow jealous of Li Wei. He watched Li Wei rise through the ranks on merit and actually tried to drag him down with such slander."
"A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes."
"Fang Ran is the orphan of a general’s family, and a woman. She insisted on using her identity to frame Li Wei. Add to that the fact that she wasn’t a virgin—if it had been any emperor who wasn’t clear-headed, Li Wei would have been finished."
Proving Li Wei’s innocence brought Xiao Yang no joy, because she had known he was innocent all along.
But the whole affair with Fang Ran disgusted her. As a fellow woman, she even felt ashamed.
’I’m no traditionalist—I’m a rebel myself. I would never judge someone based on outdated notions of female chastity.’
’Fang Ran can not be a virgin. She can have had a child.’
’But to shamelessly latch onto someone and slander them, claiming they did something like that to her... it’s just so disgraceful.’
It wasn’t so much that she was angry, but that she was utterly repulsed.
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!
Use arrow keys (or A / D) to PREV/NEXT chapter