"I have nothing left," Li Yaoqin said, kneeling on the ground.
"Retire," Xue Zining said indifferently.
As she turned, Li Yaoqin suddenly spoke, "This humble one has one more request."
Xue Zining looked at her and said faintly, "What is it?"
"This humble one wishes to recommend herself to serve His Majesty."
As Li Yaoqin finished speaking, she felt that cold gaze fall upon her, as cold as it could be.
Her fingers gripped the ground tightly. Even though pebbles dug into her fingernails, she felt no pain.
She knew she must be mad to have said such a thing.
She didn't know how long she had waited when a voice, as cold as frost, came, "Miss Li, you are currently free. Once you enter the palace, you will no longer be free."
"This humble one understands. I beg His Majesty to grant it," she said, pressing her forehead against the back of her hand, word by word.
After an unknown amount of time, she finally heard that cold voice, "Since you are willing, I will naturally grant it. Yun Shangyi, Miss Li is handed over to you."
Yun Weishu stepped forward, looked down at Li Yaoqin, and said faintly, "Li Yaoqin, follow me."
Li Yaoqin stood up. In her peripheral vision, she looked towards the figure she had always pursued. He was still so far away, so very far.
She wanted to be closer, and for that, she would rather enter the palace as a slave.
In the Li Minister's mansion, the Minister of Personnel, Li Sinian, slammed the teacup to the ground in a fit of rage. "Li Yaoqin, do you know what you are doing?"
"Father, daughter knows," Li Yaoqin replied.
"Know? What do you know? You refuse to be the esteemed daughter of a Minister's mansion and insist on entering the palace as a slave. You… you are going to anger me to death…"
On the side, Madam Xu wiped away tears and said with heartache, "Yaoqin, it's not that your father is angry with you, but you have made us too sad. Tell me, why would you refuse to be the esteemed daughter of a Minister's mansion and instead want to enter the palace as a slave?"
"Mother, this is a decision daughter has made after much deliberation," Li Yaoqin said without a hint of regret.
"Wicked daughter…" Li Sinian roared.
Madam Xu cried, "Why? Yao'er, tell your mother why you are doing this? Isn't it better to be a pampered daughter of a Minister's mansion at home, living freely? You were doted on since childhood. How will you survive in the palace?"
Just thinking about it made Madam Xu's heart ache as if it were being gouged out.
Hearing Madam Xu's words, Li Sinian's anger flared. He stepped forward and slapped Li Yaoqin, roaring, "If you don't tell me today why you are willingly degrading yourself to enter the palace as a slave, I will beat you to death. I don't want you to disgrace my Minister's mansion."
"Sir, how can you hit Yao'er?" Madam Xu, seeing Li Sinian strike Li Yaoqin, became even more heartbroken. She rushed forward to shield Li Yaoqin, preventing Li Sinian from hitting her again.
Li Sinian was both sad and angry. "Madam, when have I ever laid a finger on her before? But now I realize that it is precisely because you and I spoiled her too much in the past that she has become like this. I regret it."
Hearing this, Madam Xu cried, "What can be done? Do you still want to beat her to death? She is the flesh that fell from my body…"
Li Yaoqin suddenly knelt on the ground and kowtowed. "Daughter is unfilial and has caused father and mother worry. But you do not need to worry about daughter. Daughter has done this after much deliberation."
"Much deliberation? How old are you? Do you know how dangerous the palace is? It's a place that devours people without spitting out bones," Madam Xu rebuked with heartache.
Li Yaoqin shook her head. "Mother, you are mistaken. Daughter has seen the Empress. Under her rule, the palace is not as terrifying as you imagine."
"Yao'er, tell your father the true reason for you entering the palace," Li Sinian suddenly asked.
Li Yaoqin was taken aback. Looking at Li Sinian, he sighed, "Although you are pampered, father knows that you are not someone who would willingly put yourself in danger. For you to enter the palace so recklessly, it must be because you have something to do."
She closed her eyes and said softly, "His Highness Xue is not here…"
Li Sinian sighed heavily. "I should have realized this long ago."
Madam Xu looked at him, confused. "Sir, what should you have realized long ago?"
Li Sinian did not answer Madam Xu but looked at Li Yaoqin and asked word by word, "Are you decided?"
Li Yaoqin nodded. "Yes. The moment daughter saw him, daughter knew that if she could not enter his palace in this life, daughter would never find peace."
"Do you know that there is no room for anyone else between him and the Empress?"
"Daughter knows, but is anything impossible for a determined person? Moreover, the Empress is currently pregnant. His Highness is a normal man, and daughter believes she has a chance," Li Yaoqin said frankly.
Li Sinian looked at the daughter before him, who was no longer the little girl who followed behind him, but a grown woman.
"You have decided. I don't know how to persuade you," Li Sinian said, lowering his eyes mournfully.
Li Yaoqin stepped forward, helped Li Sinian to sit down, and said, "I know father and the other ministers praise His Highness highly. If His Highness were to be emperor, this country would experience an unprecedented era of prosperity. His Highness has the ability, yet he is sentimental. This realm was clearly conquered by him, yet he gifted it to the Empress.
Father, you are not convinced. If so, why not let daughter stir up this muddy water? If it can distract His Highness and the Empress, father and the other ministers can take this opportunity to support His Highness to the throne. This would fulfill father's wish and also allow daughter to find her place. At that time, when daughter becomes His Highness's person, father's future will be limitless."
"But this will undoubtedly be fraught with extreme danger," Li Sinian said.
"Father, daughter is not afraid. This is a gamble. Daughter wants to gamble. If we win, everyone will be happy. If we lose, daughter will have no regrets."
"Good. You have the spirit of a descendant of the Li family," Li Sinian said with delight.
Madam Xu on the side heard this. "Yao'er, this is too dangerous. You must be very careful."
Li Yaoqin said, "Mother, please rest assured. The Empress is not an unreasonable person. She rewards and punishes clearly. As long as daughter does not make mistakes, there will be no trouble."
"But Mother is still worried. You were raised in my hands since childhood, my pearl. When I see you wronged, Mother blames herself. If you enter the palace…"
Madam Xu dared not continue. She truly felt for her daughter.
Li Yaoqin stepped forward, clasped Madam Xu's hand, and said softly, "Mother, you don't need to worry. Daughter will protect herself well and will not let herself be harmed in any way. Please rest assured."
"Don't worry about Yao'er. Since childhood, she has been a determined child. Although the road ahead will be bumpy, if she succeeds, her future will be immeasurably noble," Li Sinian comforted Madam Xu.
Li Yaoqin knelt on the ground. "Father, Mother, daughter cannot fulfill her filial duties by your side. You must take good care of yourselves!"