Chapter 8: Chapter 39

"I respectfully see off the Empress Dowager," the Emperor called out respectfully. As he looked toward Xuanyuan Ye, who was holding Meng Fuying, his brow twitched slightly.

After the Empress Dowager's party departed, the Emperor turned toward the Empress. His expression suddenly darkened, and he said coldly, "Speak. What exactly happened?"

"Your Majesty, I truly did not hit her. She was the one who hit me. Look at the injuries on my body," the Empress pleaded with a face full of grievance and tears. "I only intended to invite her here to sit for a while. I never expected that she would suddenly go mad and then start hitting..."

The Emperor didn't look at the Empress's injuries at all. His eyes narrowed slightly as he spoke again, word by word, in a cold voice, "I am asking you what you did to her."

The Empress's body trembled slightly. A cold light flashed sharply in the Emperor's narrowed eyes. "You truly are quite bold. This time, let us see how the Empress Dowager can possibly forgive you."

Having finished speaking, he didn't spare the Empress another glance and turned to leave coldly.

"Your Majesty, I..." The Empress wanted to say more, but she was blocked by the Emperor's guards.

Xuanyuan Ye carried Meng Fuying back to the He Shou Palace, and the Empress Dowager hurriedly sent someone to summon the imperial physicians.

Meng Fuying was pondering how to explain things to the Empress Dowager. If it were just the Empress Dowager alone, it would be easy to talk, but now Xuanyuan Ye was also here...

And at this moment, she was still being held tightly in his arms. Her body was pressed so close to his chest that she could clearly feel his warmth and faintly sense his heartbeat. Her body couldn't help but grow even more tense.

"How much longer do you plan to pretend? Or do you just want to cling to this Prince and refuse to let go?" Xuanyuan Ye's eyes looked down at the stiff body in his arms as he spoke in a low voice. There seemed to be a hint of teasing in his tone, and one could almost discern a trace of a smile.

At this moment, there were only the two of them in the He Shou Palace, along with the Empress Dowager, so there was no need for any reservations.

Meng Fuying suddenly snapped her eyes open and looked at him with slight astonishment. So, he had known all along that she was pretending? Then what was that meant by his words just now?

In her shock, she quickly jumped down from his body.

Xuanyuan Ye felt his arms suddenly go empty, and it felt as if something in his heart had also emptied slightly, as if there were a hint of reluctance.

"Ying girl, so you were pretending?" The Empress Dowager was completely stunned this time. She looked at Meng Fuying with a face full of disbelief, though a clear joy spread across her face. As long as her Ying girl was alright, it was fine.

"Grandmother, I'm sorry, I just..." Meng Fuying looked at her with a hint of apology. Thinking of her recent anxiety and worry, she felt a sense of guilt.

"It's alright, as long as Ying girl is fine." The Empress Dowager wore a loving smile. As her eyes swept over Xuanyuan Ye, a strange light seemed to flash deep within them. She spoke again, "Then I shall go and tell them; there is no need to summon the imperial physicians."

Before she even finished speaking, she began to walk away.

She didn't even ask Meng Fuying what had happened before just leaving like that.

A thick wave of warmth washed over Meng Fuying's heart once more. The Empress Dowager doted on her so much that even knowing she had done something wrong, she would protect her regardless of everything. How could she not be moved by such affection?

Seeing her slight daze, Xuanyuan Ye's eyes flickered, and he whispered again, "A good performance."

Meng Fuying froze, suddenly remembering something, and couldn't help but gasp in a low voice, "Could it have been you?"

Could the person who helped her outside just now have been Xuanyuan Ye?

But how could it be him? He actually helped her hit the Empress?

Was that even possible?

Shock, unbelievable shock—she simply could not believe that the person would be Xuanyuan Ye.

The corner of Xuanyuan Ye's lip twitched slightly, but he did not answer.

Not answering was not denying; to him, it was effectively an admission.

Meng Fuying's lip twitched violently. Heavens, this was too outrageous. She hit the Empress, and Xuanyuan Ye helped her from the outside. It was truly...

However, it was quite satisfying...

Regardless, he had helped her. Just as Meng Fuying was about to say thank you...

She saw his eyes scan her up and down meticulously, and she couldn't help but ask in confusion, "What are you looking at?"

The corner of Xuanyuan Ye's mouth curled slightly, his brow arched, and his red lips moved as he spoke slowly, word by word, "That look just now was truly..."

He paused, seemingly searching for a suitable adjective.

Meng Fuying froze, suddenly remembering how she looked while "going mad" just now.

It certainly couldn't have looked good. Seeing his hesitant expression, she felt a bit frustrated and said indignantly, "Very ugly, very terrifying, right?"

Xuanyuan Ye was slightly stunned, seemingly not expecting her to suddenly use those two words. His eyes flickered slightly, and while he didn't speak, his brow seemed to arch slightly again.

"Hmph, you've seen it now, aren't you scared? If you're scared, then don't marry me, otherwise I'll make your Prince's mansion a chaotic mess every single day," Meng Fuying threatened, taking the opportunity.

She knew that her appearance while going mad just now was indeed quite terrifying.

If he truly got scared and decided not to marry her, that would be for the best.

After all, a man like him would surely want to marry a gentle, virtuous, and capable woman to manage a household. Her appearance seemed far too unsuitable.

"This Prince has very few people in his mansion." Xuanyuan Ye's sexy lips moved again, and a hint of a light smile seemed to enter his low voice.

Meng Fuying froze again. What did he mean by having very few people in his mansion?

Because there were few people, he wasn't afraid of her making a scene?

Or...

"By the way, although your appearance just now was indeed..." Seeing Meng Fuying's slightly bewildered expression, the corners of his lips curled upward. He paused for a moment, and seeing her look at him again, he continued, "It wasn't enough to frighten this Prince."

Meng Fuying stared at him, slightly dazed. At this moment, he seemed to lack his usual coldness, replaced by an indescribable strangeness.

"Ying girl, look at you, your face is all dirty." While she was dazed, the Empress Dowager, who had walked back in, looked at her with a slight chuckle. Within that smile lay a certain profound meaning.

"Come here, Grandmother will wipe it for you." Before Meng Fuying could react, the handkerchief in the Empress Dowager's hand moved toward her face to wipe it.

Meng Fuying frowned instinctively. How could her face be dirty? The Empress and those palace maids hadn't even touched her just now.

As the handkerchief drew closer, Meng Fuying's eyes suddenly widened. There was a familiar medicinal scent on this handkerchief—it was the scent of the liquid used to remove the disguise on her face.

Could it be the Empress Dowager?