Chapter 50: Swearing is wrong, you know. Didn't your mother teach you that?

Lin Yue arrived at the Empress's palace looking thoroughly dejected.

The Empress was filled with suspicion, but finding it difficult to ask outright, she turned her gaze toward Mama Zhang.

To her surprise, Mama Zhang looked even more miserable than Lin Yue, wearing the expression of someone whose heart and soul had been brutally ripped out.

The Empress hastily instructed her attendants to take Xiao Jinghui away to play, then took Lin Yue's hand and asked, "Sister-in-law, what has happened?"

"You just came from the Eastern Palace. Could it be about the Crown Prince?"

Lin Yue wore a bitter expression. "No, the Crown Prince is doing just fine."

[What's not fine is me! The Emperor rushed over to see the Crown Prince, but the palace servants assumed he was coming for me!]

[Especially that Eunuch Liu, utterly useless and destructive to boot—he's completely ruined my reputation!]

[Wuwuwu, I haven't even managed to hold my own husband's hand yet, so how on earth have I lost my purity?]

The Empress: "..." Oh dear!

That scoundrel Liu Jian, always harboring shady thoughts; I really want to wring his neck right off.

"Since the Crown Prince is fine, is it something concerning you, sister-in-law?"

"Are you missing Jingyun? Don't worry, Jingyun will be back."

"Your elder sister-in-law just received two large gold bracelets inlaid with red rubies yesterday, but unfortunately, my wrists are too thick to wear them. If you don't mind, sister-in-law..."

Lin Yue exclaimed, "I don't mind at all! I don't mind in the slightest! If I can't squeeze them on either, I'll just chop my hands off!"

The Empress couldn't help but laugh. "Hahaha, sister-in-law, you really are too adorable."

With that, she ordered an attendant to fetch the bracelets and slipped them directly onto Lin Yue's wrists.

They were thick, heavy gold bracelets, glittering with inlaid gems—truly dazzling treasures.

Shining just as brightly were Lin Yue's eyes.

She threw her arms around the Empress and cried, "Wuwuwu, Elder Sister-in-law, you're the best! But there is one thing I must tell you!"

The Empress said, "Go ahead, sister-in-law. Was it just palace servants gossiping nonsense?"

Lin Yue gasped in shock. "How did you know? Did Mama Zhang tell you?"

The Empress replied, "I've been keeping you company this whole time, when would I have had the time to see that old woman?"

"I guessed it. Isn't it just because my sister-in-law is young, beautiful, gentle, and understanding? Who wouldn't love someone like that upon seeing her?"

"Besides, your elder sister-in-law is already a grandmother, and the Emperor has the welfare of the realm on his mind. Even if he truly harbored such thoughts, he would never direct them at you."

"Furthermore, the Emperor and Jingyun are full brothers, and their bond is closer than that of ordinary siblings. How could I ever misunderstand?"

"I have been the Emperor's wife for over twenty years and watched Jingyun grow up. Both of us treat Jingyun like our own child. Not to mention it's impossible, but even if it were true, it would only mean my sister-in-law is wonderful and well-liked by everyone."

Lin Yue praised, "Elder Sister-in-law, you are truly amazing! Hearing your words puts my mind completely at ease."

[Thank goodness my name is cleared now. Otherwise, if the Empress went dark-side because of me, the subsequent plotline would definitely collapse.]

[Though even if it didn't collapse, I'd still want to run away. There is no way I'm putting up with this humiliating treatment.]

Outside the door, Mama Zhang, who had been eavesdropping, finally let out a sigh of relief.

At the same time, deep down, she still felt uneasy.

Yet the very next moment, she realized her worry was entirely unfounded.

For the Princess of Ding stated, "Elder Sister-in-law, don't get angry at what I'm about to say."

"Xiao Jingyun is already older than me, and I already find him annoying enough. If it had really been the Elder Brother instead, I would have run away long ago."

"Or else I would have committed infidelity and found someone else. In any case, I wouldn't just sit quietly at home waiting for him."

Mama Zhang: "..." ??!!

"Hahahahahaha... really?" The Empress roared with laughter. No one had ever spoken to her like this before. Although absurd, it sounded so hilarious she couldn't stop!

Especially when she pictured the dark expression on the Emperor's face—she couldn't hold back her laughter even if she tried!

Lin Yue nodded like a pecking chick.

[Right, because the Emperor has countless women, a bunch of children, and even grandchildren.]

[Even if I weren't crazy or foolish, I'd know how to choose.]

[I honestly have no idea what those palace servants are thinking. Is the Emperor really some supreme deity? Does he need the whole world to revolve around him and every single person to fall in love with him?]

[Clearly, a Prince is much better! The Prince is robust, doesn't overthink or wear himself out, and his kidneys must be in top shape.]

[Plus, he leads troops into battle as a genuine war hero—full of positive energy and masculine charm. As the primary wife, I could openly sneak into the Prince's bed in the middle of the night. Just thinking about it is thrilling.]

The Empress: "..." !! What on earth did she just hear???

Her sister-in-law was secretly wild at heart!

Xiao Jingyun, clutching his small mirror: "..." Sneak into his bed in the middle of the night??

Very well!

If she fails to make good on that later, he'd break her legs!

Hmph!

That evening, Lin Yue still did not leave the palace.

However, she did not return to the Pine Moon Hall either, choosing instead to stay with the Empress in the Palace of Earthly Tranquility.

Lin Yue insisted on using magic to defeat magic.

If she stayed in another hall, the palace servants would definitely remain suspicious, but staying in the Empress's palace was a different story altogether.

Hehehe.

Yet, she thoroughly subverted the imagination of the palace attendants.

Eunuch Liu stood in the Fourth Prince's palace, gazing up at the moon, unable to help his thoughts: Even the Empress has been reduced to a pawn of the Emperor. Throughout history, who could ever escape such a fate?

His only mistake was revealing his ambition too early and failing to help the Emperor suppress his inner secret, exposing it prematurely instead!

No wonder the Emperor held him in such low regard!

Huo Renli caught sight of Eunuch Liu's retreating figure and sneered inwardly.

He had also caught wind of the rumors that the Emperor fancied the Princess of Ding. No wonder he had thought it utter nonsense when a mere palace maid supposedly provoked the Emperor into personally presiding over justice!

And then there was Eunuch Liu—word was that the rumor started because of him. To think a dignified head writing eunuch of the Imperial Presence had fallen to keeping night watch at the Fourth Prince's quarters!

Tsk tsk!

How utterly pathetic!

However, perhaps only Zhou大海 understood the suffering of staying by the Emperor's side.

Back in the Hall of Diligent Government, upon hearing the news that the Princess of Ding was lodging in the Empress's palace, the Emperor looked thoroughly depressed.

He asked Zhou Dahai, "Is the tunnel I told you to dig last time finished yet?"

Zhou Dahai nodded. "It's finished."

"Does Your Majesty truly intend to go? What about your lifelong reputation..."

The Emperor was speechless. "Get lost, stop spouting useless nonsense with me. Have men dig another tunnel outside the Empress's palace, leading directly beneath her bedchamber."

With a loud thump, Zhou Dahai dropped to his knees.

"Oh, my good master! Just kill your slave instead, for this slave truly cannot accomplish such a feat!"

The Emperor sneered, "Men, take Zhou Dahai..."

Zhou Dahai scrambled back up in a flash. "Rest assured, Your Majesty, it should be fully excavated by tomorrow!"

The Emperor: "Hmph..." If you've got the guts, don't run away!

Killing you would be as easy as reaching out a hand!

As Zhou Dahai bolted outside, he felt nothing but profound regret and bitterness!

With a muffled sob, he bit his knuckles and went off to consult the shadow guards.

Meanwhile, the Emperor continued to ruminate on how troublesome it was to be a man.

He couldn't stay by his woman's side every single moment. If only Jingyun would return.

Yet as he pondered further, a sudden sense of unease washed over him.

What if Jingyun could also hear Lin Yue's inner voice upon his return? Wouldn't he learn of all this and suspect him?

And if Jingyun couldn't hear it, but he himself could hear Lin Yue's inner voice, how could he ever face Jingyun?

For all he knew, Jingyun might suspect that he and Lin Yue were lovers in a past life, which was why such an opportunity arose in this lifetime!

Good heavens!

What kind of karmic debt had he accumulated to face such a thorny predicament!

"Jingyun, Big Brother has failed you!"

The Emperor declared, making a show of wiping away tears that did not exist.

Far away at the border outpost, Xiao Jingyun was currently communicating with Lin Yue via the small mirror.

Suddenly, he sneezed repeatedly, unable to hold them back no matter what.

Lin Yue asked with a puzzled tone, "What are you doing?"

Xiao Jingyun replied, "I'm not doing anything? Just sneezing!"
Lin Yue: "Can mirrors sneeze?"

Xiao Jingyun: "..."
"Yeah!"

"Speak if you have something to say, otherwise I'm going to sleep?"

Lin Yue: "Do mirrors need to sleep too??"

Xiao Jingyun: "..."
"Mn."

Lin Yue: "Wow, do you guys dream then?"
"Do you dream of other little mirrors?"
"Do you fall in love too?"
"Could it be that you even give birth to baby mirrors?"
"If you do, can you send one to me?"

Xiao Jingyun: "..."
"Damn it!"

Lin Yue: "Little mirror, scolding people is wrong, didn't your mother teach you that?"

Xiao Jingyun: "..." !!!
"Can you take this seriously? I'm passing messages for you right now, not here to chat idly."

Lin Yue: "But I don't have anything that needs passing?"

Xiao Jingyun: "I can hear all your inner thoughts. Weren't you just worrying about Xiao Jingyun?"

Lin Yue: "Who would worry about him? I'm just worrying about whether I can go home."
"Little mirror, you're so cute!"

Xiao Jingyun: "..." He simply couldn't take it anymore!
What a foolish wife he had!