Chapter 5: True Affection or False Affection
Li Yun finally found a rare moment to catch her breath, thoroughly contemplating various thoughts. She was eager to see how the Crown Prince would respond
Li Yun's accusations were loud, and this time they were filled with genuine anger. She mourned for the deceased woman! Not only was her heartfelt devotion in vain, but the person she once believed to be a good man turned out to be so cold-blooded, indifferent to death, which was simply detestable. Moreover, she was furious that the owner of this body was truly blind to have chosen such a man. Even if he is the Crown Prince, what does it matter? A heartless man is not worth loving! Furthermore, his status is not something to be envied; who knows when he might lose it!
"Yes, I, the son, will diligently remember the teachings of my mother!" The Crown Prince respectfully bowed his head in response
As the queen's words fell, the surroundings fell into a profound silence. Dozens of gazes were fixed upon Li Yun, and in that moment, there were faces displaying a variety of expressions: some reveling in her misfortune, some eagerly watching the spectacle, some coldly mocking, and others indifferent. Yet, not a single person spoke up to assist her
Upon hearing this, the queen's expression softened slightly, and she nodded, also easing her tone. "I have always thought you were not the kind of person who lacks self-awareness. It turns out there was an imperial order. In that case, it is understandable. It is better to avoid such places; the tricks of those seductive women have not sullied you in vain."
The queen, initially puzzled, felt a sense of relief upon hearing the tone of Li Yun's last words. It seemed that the moon was still the same as before, without any changes. Perhaps it was because she realized she had caused a great disaster and had been bullied severely, which rendered her silent for a time. This behavior now seemed normal. She straightened her face and spoke sternly: "Do you still think you have a reason? You caused a great disaster and instead of finding a way to remedy it, you are causing trouble in the palace. It seems that I have been too indulgent with you in the past, which has led to your unruly nature."
"Yuer, she has committed a grave mistake and yet shows no sign of repentance. Do not speak on her behalf any longer. Today, I must punish this audacious, obstinate, and unruly girl. Otherwise, how can I, as a member of the Yun royal family, fulfill my role as her aunt, lead the harem, and serve as a model for the world? How can I account for this to the civil and military officials and the people of the realm?" The Empress admonished the Fourth Prince.
The Fourth Prince harbored various thoughts in his mind, observing with a posture of watching a performance.
However, looking at this prince, one cannot really tell that he is a person easily swayed by female charms. The struggles under imperial power are like bloodless blades; it is either you die or I live. It is also uncertain if he has been maliciously slandered by the Fourth Prince, as there are certainly many who desire his position. Nevertheless, there are also many who harbor dirty thoughts beneath their glamorous exteriors. Perhaps he is not one of them. Such matters are difficult to ascertain. Nevertheless, there are also many who harbor dirty thoughts beneath their glamorous exteriors. Perhaps he is not one of them. Such matters are difficult to ascertain
Li Yun did not expect the Crown Prince to escape so easily. Faced with the Queen's accusations, she did not know what to say. If she confessed, it would not be her fault since she had just arrived; if she denied it, her body was indeed accused by many, and it seemed like a foregone conclusion. For a moment, she felt forced into a state of frustration and could only remain silent
Mother, please do not be angry. Indeed, yesterday I went to Wangchun Tower, but I was also following the Emperor's orders to investigate certain matters, and I did not delay for long. By the time Sister Yue arrived, I had already been gone for quite some time. I have grown up by your side since childhood, guided by your teachings; how could I be someone who disregards virtue? If you do not believe me, you may simply ask the Emperor. The Crown Prince, under the Queen's furious glare, remained calm and cast a faint glance at the Fourth Prince.
Li Yun feigned anger as she glared at Princess Qingwan and the two women who echoed her sentiments. She then glanced at the Crown Prince, noticing his indifference and unreadable expression as he allowed her to be taken away. Her face once again filled with grievance and resentment, which quickly transformed into a raging fury. She shouted at the Crown Prince, "It was all because of you that I burned down Wangchun Tower. Can you bear to watch me being sent to the criminal department's prison without offering any help? You truly have a heart of a wolf and the lungs of a dog!"
The Empress is right! In my opinion, it has long been time for Sister Yue to receive her due punishment. How can this continue?" Princess Qingwan echoed the Empress's words, saying: "This matter has escalated to such a degree; if Mother does not punish her, how can we provide an explanation to the wronged souls of Wangchun Tower who died unjustly?
Li Yun lowered her head and said softly, "I heard it!" Her voice was filled with an indescribable grievance, and tears began to fall with a patter as she responded. Choking back her sobs, she said, "Aunt clearly said she would stand up for me when I was being bullied, so why has she turned around and started to reprimand me? I have long wanted to burn that filthy place down."
He even hoped that she would be more intense, cursing a few more times. After all, since he was to be taken to the Ministry of Justice's prison, it would be difficult to come out alive. Even if he could come out, he would likely be half-dead, as there were too many people in the capital who wanted her dead. After all, she currently occupied the most esteemed position for women.
The Fourth Prince immediately fell silent, casting a complex glance at Li Yun before finally averting his gaze and saying no more
This statement sounds quite grandiloquent! For a moment, Li Yun could not discern the truth from the falsehood, nor could she determine whether the Empress was acting to protect the Yun Wangfu for the sake of providing an explanation to the civil and military officials and the people of the world, or if she was using this as a means to distance herself from the matter, knowing that her aunt would not be implicated. She felt a headache coming on, and for the time being, she was unclear about the situation and hesitant to take action
The Crown Prince seemed taken aback by Li Yun pointing at him, and with such an intense expression and words, he momentarily froze.
He wants to see whether his good royal brother, the Crown Prince, will protect Yun Qianyue. Does he still want the banner of the Yun Wangfu? If he does, he naturally cannot allow Yun Qianyue to go to the criminal department's prison to seek death. If he does not want to protect Yun Qianyue and does not intend to claim the banner of the Yun Wangfu, it would mean he directly offends the Yun Wangfu. How could the old master Yun react if he knows the Crown Prince stood by and did nothing to save her? ... That would be even more interesting ... If he does not want to protect Yun Qianyue and does not intend to claim the banner of the Yun Wangfu, it would mean he directly offends the Yun Wangfu. How could the old master Yun react if he knows the Crown Prince stood by and did nothing to save her? ... That would be even more interesting ...
Two guards quickly seized Li Yun, one on her left and the other on her right, lifting her and preparing to carry her outside.
"Your Majesty, this is indeed the truth!" The woman in the pink attire and the woman in the green attire both smiled subtly in agreement.
Come here! Take this scoundrel, who has caused great trouble yet remains unrepentant, to the Ministry of Justice's prison. Await the Emperor's decree for punishment!" The Empress seemed furious, her expression reflecting both anger and disappointment, as she shouted.
Moon! Did you hear what this palace said? The Empress no longer addresses Li Yun as aunt. The term 'this palace' signifies a lofty status, serious and imposing. No wonder she holds the position of Empress.
Li Yun thought that it seemed the Empress Aunt was not truly fond of her; otherwise, she would not have resorted to such drastic measures to capture her. Even if she had sent someone to apprehend her, it would not have been directly to the Criminal Department's prison. One must understand the consequences of entering such a place, which are difficult to predict. She could only resent her lack of memories from this body, relying solely on conjecture to judge people's hearts, which was indeed frustrating.
Moments later, several guards rushed towards the pavilion, each armed with a sword, their expressions cold as they reached for Li Yun
Li Yun's tears flowed down desperately as if they cost nothing, and she said not a word, standing there stubbornly. Wasn't the Empress fond of her? Wasn't she spoiled to the point of being lawless? She wanted to see whether it was genuine affection or mere pretense.
Upon hearing this, the Fourth Prince tightly pressed his thin lips together, and his hand in the sleeve clenched a little tighter, with veins faintly bulging, clearly taken aback by the fact that the Crown Prince had gone to Wangchun Tower on imperial orders. He fell silent and did not speak another word.
On this day, the Holy Dynasty has a legacy left by its founding emperor since the establishment of the dynasty, stating: "The empresses of all generations must come from the Yun Wangfu." Therefore, there is a saying in the Yun Wangfu that values daughters. Now, Yun Qianyue is the only legitimate daughter of the Yun Wangfu, making her the natural first choice for the empress. However, she does not live up to expectations in maintaining this identity, and others are naturally eager to find ways to make her relinquish it. Even more so, there are those who wish to bring down the Yun Wangfu, hoping that it will withdraw from the political stage of the Holy Dynasty from now on. Yet, the Yun Wangfu is a prestigious family with a history of a hundred years, deeply rooted and not easily shaken. Therefore, it seems that a good show is about to unfold
Li Yun thought that the character of the owner of this body was truly poor! It seems there is not even a close friend!
As soon as the Queen finished speaking, Li Yun clearly felt the air in the pavilion become noticeably lighter. It seemed that many wished for her demise. Several young women displayed expressions of delight, as it was likely that if she were to be found guilty, they would have one less rival competing for the Crown Prince, which naturally brought them joy
The Empress then released the Crown Prince and turned to Li Yun, her tone shifting to a more severe yet calm demeanor, "Yue'er, you have been too reckless. Although that place is filthy, you cannot justify setting it on fire, nor can you prevent the people inside from coming out. After all, those are still living lives!"
The Fourth Prince has remained silent this time in helping Li Yun, and he no longer pays her any attention. It is evident that he has not been affected by the Crown Prince and has begun to prioritize his own safety.
The Fourth Prince was not surprised at all; upon hearing this, a hint of cold laughter appeared in his eyes. He had long noticed that Yun Qianyue was different today compared to her usual self. It seemed that she had indeed learned a lesson from yesterday's events, and today, her heart had grown cold towards the man she had been thinking about, which was why she displayed such intense resentment. This was not an exaggeration.
Li Yun noticed that the Empress was no longer staring at her, and the focus finally shifted to the Crown Prince, which made her feel a slight sense of relief. She was used to being in a high position, always criticizing her subordinates, and now she was not quite accustomed to being criticized in such a direct manner. Regardless of the Fourth Prince's intentions in helping her, she would remember this favor. The name "Wangchun Tower" suggests that it is not a respectable place; it is likely an ancient brothel. For a nation's esteemed Crown Prince to visit a brothel is not merely a matter of having a tainted identity; if taken seriously, it reflects poorly on his character and morals. The name "Wangchun Tower" suggests that it is not a respectable place; it is likely an ancient brothel. For a nation's esteemed Crown Prince to visit a brothel is not merely a matter of having a tainted identity; if taken seriously, it reflects poorly on his character and morals.
Li Yun furrowed her brows, contemplating whether or not to resist. If she were to resist, what would the consequences be? If she chose not to resist, she would be taken into the Ministry of Justice's prison, uncertain if there would be any chance of getting out. For a moment, she was filled with indecision.
The last sentence was spoken with immense rage, as if even burning it would not suffice to vent the anger.
The queen seemed taken aback, as she had never expected her niece, who always presented herself as a docile little white rabbit in front of the crown prince, to fiercely scold him today, leaving her momentarily stunned
"Mother, you cannot just take Sister Yue like this, she..." The Fourth Prince was taken aback when he saw Li Yun being pulled away
Li Yun thought of this layer and understood it quite well. She also realized why the Fourth Prince insisted on dragging her here today; it turned out he aimed to undermine the Crown Prince, wanting to place the blame of immorality on him. She sighed inwardly, noting that this is how it is in ancient times, all troubles stem from that most esteemed chair. It seems that this Fourth Prince is indeed not someone who is content to live his life as a leisurely prince.