"Good,"
The Emperor nodded, and Xiao Wanzi immediately stepped forward to help the Emperor change. With nimble hands, he and another young eunuch quickly dressed the Emperor.
Impatient, the Emperor turned and hurried out without even washing, Xiao Wanzi quickly leading people to follow. Once the sleeping quarters were quiet, Hong Xiu entered and waited by the large bed, anticipating the Empress's awakening.
As Feng Xie exited the sleeping quarters, he saw Prince Yan, Feng Lie, guarding the entrance. Feng Lie's face was filled with resentment, his expression stern, and a chilling aura emanated from him. Feng Xie asked curiously, "What's wrong? Why the long, mournful face?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty, something has happened."
The more Feng Lie thought about it, the more indignant he felt. Liu'er was a goddess in his heart, yet she was being compared to a demoness by common folk. How could he not be filled with resentment? If he hadn't restrained himself fiercely this morning, he would have rushed out to fight those ignorant commoners.
The two walked towards the study. Along the corridor, Feng Xie, recalling Feng Lie's words, suspected Feng Luo had committed another heinous act. He immediately stopped and looked back, "Has he acted again? What is it this time?"
Feng Lie's eyes darkened. He feared his imperial brother would be even more violent if he knew, wishing to kill those ignorant commoners. Feng Lie pondered, not daring to hide it from the Emperor, and spoke in a low voice, "Yes, he has acted again. This time it involves the Empress. Your Majesty, please look."
Feng Lie had already copied the song and handed it to the Emperor. Upon hearing the word "Empress," Feng Xie's face turned quite grim.
After taking the paper and reading it again, his expression instantly turned icy, his eyes deep and dark, his thin lips tightly pressed together. He clenched his large fist, veins bulging, and turned his tall frame, walking heavily towards the study.
Though he remained silent, his heavy breathing revealed the suppressed and frenzied anger within him.
The two entered the study. Feng Xie sat on the imperial couch and looked at Feng Lie, his expression having calmed considerably. Ling Han's words echoed.
"It seems he is the one who spread this."
"Yes, he is now using various means to attack Your Majesty. It is clear he wants to destroy the Tian Feng Dynasty. He doesn't necessarily want to seize the throne."
This was Feng Lie's conclusion after a night of contemplation. Many believed Feng Luo wanted to seize the throne, but his conclusion was that he didn't care about the throne; he simply wanted to destroy the Tian Feng Dynasty.
As for who would be emperor, he didn't care at all. Or perhaps he did, but only after destroying it first. Why did he want to destroy it?
Because it was built by the former Emperor, and the former Emperor was the person Feng Luo hated the most. Therefore, he wanted to destroy everything that person had painstakingly built.
"I will not let him destroy our father's dynasty at will," Feng Xie narrowed his beautiful phoenix eyes, a dangerous glint flashing, and a cold smile curved his lips.
"What do we do now? The entire capital is in a panic. Everyone says the Empress is a fake, a demoness lurking in the palace, bringing chaos to the court. The current Empress was clearly buried in the imperial mausoleum; how could she have returned to life?"
Feng Lie was unsure how to handle the current situation. If Liu'er found out, what would she think? She might even take Mu Xing and leave the palace. With her personality, that was entirely possible.
Upon seeing his imperial brother's expression, Feng Xie knew what was going through his mind. He glared sternly at his brother.
"Liu'er will not leave the palace. It is because I have not been thorough enough. Why are the people misled by those people's seditious words? It is because I have not been candid enough. At the time, the Empress was declared dead and buried in the imperial mausoleum, and now she has returned alive. Many people believe she is a false Empress. If they understood that the Empress is real, would they still say such things?"
Feng Xie reached for his wolf brush, his mind focused. After a moment of contemplation, he picked up his brush and began to write a lengthy decree.
Feng Lie did not know what he was writing. After he finished, he seemed to relax, his face glowing, a smile on his lips. He put down his brush and motioned for Feng Lie to come closer.
"Immediately post this edict in all parts of the capital."
Feng Lie looked closely and saw three powerful, flamboyant characters written on the parchment: "Sin Edict."
Then he read the lengthy text below. It stated that the Emperor had once humiliated the Empress due to her disfigurement, and the proud Empress had taken the Crown Prince and left the palace.
Later, to account to the people of the world, it was announced that the Empress had been buried in the imperial mausoleum. Since the Empress's departure, the Emperor had felt deep remorse. After five years of searching, the Empress and the Crown Prince had returned to the court today and assisted the Emperor in eliminating traitors, bringing justice to the people. The Emperor now decreed that the Tian Feng Dynasty would publicly apologize to the Empress for his past actions.
Feng Lie raised his eyebrows as he read, his heart filling with immense pride and ambition. Such an Emperor was finally worthy of Liu'er, and it made men who loved her willing to bless her.
"Your Majesty, this sin edict might disgrace Your Majesty's imperial majesty. Your Majesty should reconsider," Feng Lie said. Although he was moved, he also feared the world would mock the Emperor, that an emperor would publicly apologize to a woman, and this woman was the most authoritative emperor in the world.
"With their presence, I am complete. These are things I can do for them. As long as I can do something for them, I will do it with all my might."
Feng Xie elegantly stood up and waved his hand, ordering Xiao Wanzi, "Immediately post this sin edict. Ensure that the people of the capital gain an understanding of the current Empress. The Empress is a noble being who embodies the virtues of a queen."
"Yes, Your Majesty, this servant will attend to it immediately." Wanzi was both moved and respectful. He carefully took the decree, stamped with the imperial seal, and went out, ordering dozens of copies to be made and posted on all streets in the capital.
The capital became lively within a day and a night. The initial murmurs throughout the streets turned into widespread admiration.
To everyone's surprise, the Emperor's actions not only did not backfire but instead gained the people's adoration.
Suddenly, everyone in the streets knew that the current Empress was the former Empress. The Empress was not only benevolent and righteous but had also implemented many welfare measures for the people. The land reform currently prevalent throughout the country had already yielded results.
Moreover, the Emperor's courage to publicly apologize to the Empress in front of the people of the Tian Feng Dynasty showed that he was still a man of deep affection. Who else in the world, then, was worthy of being emperor?
Liu Ting and Prince Yan reported the news to the Emperor. Sparks danced in his dark eyes. He hadn't intended to enhance his own fame; he simply didn't want the Empress to suffer.
Unexpectedly, this move earned him the deep respect of the people. For an emperor to take such action was truly a rare man in this world.
"Your Majesty, who would have thought this action would bring benefits to Tian Feng? Everyone is very happy. The Empress's title as a demoness has been removed, and it has also earned Your Majesty a good reputation. It seems the people's eyes are truly discerning. The current Empress can now be considered a model of queenly virtue. Besides dealing with the traitors, she has also implemented land reform. In the hearts of the people, she has likely become a goddess."
Prince Yan spoke with joy, his slender phoenix eyes shining with brilliance, a smile on his lips. If he had harbored any reservations before, now he felt only sincere blessings.
He hoped Liu'er would prosper, and that she and the Emperor would lead Tian Feng into an era of great prosperity.
"Your Majesty, shall we have the Ministry of Justice begin organizing the Lou and Zhang family cases immediately?" Liu Ting respectfully asked the Emperor, whose presence was elegant and refined. The Emperor's body tensed, as if a Shura had reincarnated, and he issued a fierce command: "Prince Yan, Feng Lie, and Prime Minister Liu Ting, immediately proceed to the Ministry of Justice to re-examine this case."
"Yes, your subjects obey your decree."
The two handsome and spirited men bowed respectfully, received the order, and withdrew from the study. Looking up, the sky outside was a vast expanse of azure, and the air was fresh.
It felt so good to be rid of the corrupting influence. Now they were no longer afraid of Feng Luo. He operated in the shadows, but no matter how fierce his tactics, they would counter them and find openings. They were confident they would soon capture this detestable figure.