Qi Junmu was not really drunk, but he took the opportunity to lean on Shen Nian's arm and slowly walked out of the hall.
Because he was supporting the Emperor, Shen Nian walked side by side with him, while Wen Wan fell half a step behind.
Watching the Emperor and Shen Nian walking ahead, Wen Wan's gaze flickered as a thought crossed her mind.
She felt that the relationship between Shen Nian and the Emperor seemed too intimate. The atmosphere between the two was nothing like that of a man being oppressed or on guard.
At that thought, Wen Wan's brow furrowed slightly. If that were truly the case, then the relationship between the Emperor and Shen Nian would have to be reconsidered.
And with that, the balance of power at court would also need to be redrawn.
At this thought, Wen Wan felt a vague sense of unease.
If things were as she suspected, then had the Emperor and Shen Nian been putting on an act all this time, intending to trap someone? Thinking of the Emperor's behavior today, Wen Wan told herself—at least, no matter what, they were innocent.
After walking for some distance, Wen Wan realized that the Emperor was not actually going for a walk to sober up, but was heading straight to Qianhua Hall. After all, he had only taken a single sip—hardly needing to clear his head.
Wen Wan wanted to ask why the Emperor had returned to Qianhua Hall, but the words died on her lips, and she said nothing.
Arriving at Qianhua Hall, Wen Wan looked around and found it utterly unfamiliar.
It should have been the place she knew best, yet now everything about it felt strange. She did not know when the furnishings had been added, and she did not recognize the servants attending to the hall.
For a moment, Wen Wan felt a flicker of panic.
Qi Junmu sat in the imperial chair and said, "Sit."
Wen Wan took the seat closest to him, while Shen Nian stood to the side with his head lowered. The Emperor glanced at the scene but said nothing. He thought to himself, after tonight, he would never let Shen Nian suffer again.
Seeing that the Emperor showed no sign of leaving, Wen Wan steadied herself and said, "Your Majesty must be tired. Shall I dismiss everyone from the banquet?"
"No need." Qi Junmu said softly. "The opera has only just begun. Let them watch a while longer."
Wen Wan thought the words were strange. Her heart skipped twice before it steadied again.
In this unfamiliar place, she grew restless.
After an unknown length of time, word came from outside that Lin Xiao had brought Lin En to pay their respects.
Qi Junmu lowered his gaze, then said lazily, "Let them in."
Wen Wan frowned, unable to make sense of the Emperor's intentions. The scene unfolding before her was utterly perplexing.
Lin Xiao and Lin En entered and paid their respects to the Emperor, who bade them sit with a warm voice.
Lin Xiao's expression was somewhat strained. He looked at the Emperor as if wanting to speak but hesitating.
Qi Junmu raised his eyes, looked at Lin Xiao, and said, "Has Aunt gone to invite the Empress Dowager?"
It was a very ordinary sentence. In the lamplight, Shen Nian could see that Lin Xiao's face was half pale, half sallow.
Lin Xiao gave a strained smile. "What does Your Majesty mean by that?"
"If Uncle does not understand now, then let it be," Qi Junmu said with a low laugh.
Lin Xiao's lips moved. His hands clenched and unclenched, tightened and loosened.
Watching Lin Xiao in this state, Shen Nian's brow furrowed slightly.
Then Qi Junmu spoke again. He smiled at Lin En, who stood beside Lin Xiao, and said, "Cousin Lin En, since there are no outsiders here tonight, why not take off your mask?"
"Your Majesty." Lin Xiao rose to his feet, his voice filled with grief. "Lin En's face has been ruined. He should not appear before others. To avoid startling Your Majesty, please let him keep the mask on."
Lin En also stood and said, "Your Majesty, my father is right. Even if Your Majesty is curious, please do not look."
"Is his face truly ruined, or does he simply dare not remove it?" Qi Junmu was not moved by Lin Xiao's grief. He said coldly, "Uncle, why continue deceiving yourself at this point?"
"Must Your Majesty insist on making Lin En take off his mask today?" Lin Xiao's eyes were filled with inner conflict.
Qi Junmu smiled faintly and said, "I understand Uncle's concern. You are afraid that once the mask is removed, the world will talk. But it does not matter—I am not afraid."
Lin Xiao wanted to say more, but from outside came Ruan Jiqing's shrill voice, announcing the arrival of the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager soon pushed the door open and entered, walking in together with Yue shi, while the attendants remained outside.
After the doors closed, the Empress Dowager's pace quickened. She approached Qi Junmu, her gaze sweeping over Lin En for a moment, then she said, "What is Your Majesty trying to do?"
"Imperial Mother has always said that Cousin Lin En is my savior. Today, I simply wish to see the true face of that savior. How is it that even Imperial Mother has been disturbed?" Qi Junmu said calmly.
The Empress Dowager's delicate brows furrowed.
Qi Junmu continued, "I already have a suspicion in my heart. Imperial Mother should not try to deceive me. Imperial Mother fears that if the mask is removed, the world will say you have committed the crime of deceiving the sovereign. But I am also the sovereign. Since Imperial Mother has always called Cousin Lin En my savior, then does that not mean that Cousin Lin En and Uncle's entire family have also committed the crime of deceiving the sovereign?"
The Empress Dowager stared straight at Qi Junmu. She wanted to make him stop, but Qi Junmu refused to comply.
He pressed on: "If this matter is not made clear today, no one leaves this palace." His voice at the end was exceptionally cold and ruthless.
Shen Nian seemed to understand something. Shock and disbelief flashed in his eyes.
His gaze traveled back and forth between the Emperor and Lin En, and finally settled on the Emperor beside him.
The Emperor's slightly cool voice reached his ears: "Even if you refuse to speak or remove it, I understand in my heart. Is the face beneath Cousin Lin En's mask the same as mine?"
Inside Qianhua Hall, everyone fell silent.
Only Shen Nian was both shocked and quiet; the others remained motionless.
Qi Junmu curled his lips in a cold sneer. Perhaps the mockery cut too deep, for the Empress Dowager could not help but say, "Since you already understand in your heart, you should not have said it out loud. It does you no good."
"It does me no good?" Qi Junmu repeated the phrase softly, then smiled at the Empress Dowager and said gently: "When has this ever been good for me? In the past, you always used the fact that Cousin Lin En saved my life to press me, making me feel guilty. So even when you showed favoritism, I never questioned it—I only thought I must have done something wrong. But this clearly isn't my fault. Why do you so naturally expect me to bear this burden? Do you think that's fair?"
"I know what you're thinking, Imperial Mother. Twins are ill-omened—since ancient times, there has been the saying that they bring calamity upon their father. The fact that Imperial Father passed away at such a relatively young age only seems to confirm that claim in the eyes of the world." Qi Junmu spoke coldly, even ruthlessly: "But even if there was fault, after Cousin Lin En's true birth was exposed, it was not my fault. The world would only say that you, Imperial Mother, deceived Imperial Father, and that this led to his death. As for me—now, in all of Da Qi, who would dare speak a single word against me? Who would dare pin that crime on my head?"
With the West Frontier Army and North Frontier Army in hand, and both the Imperial Guard and the North Mountain Imperial Guard under the Emperor's command—Prince Ying was guilty, and Prince Rui and Prince Ping's petty ambitions for the throne had already been exposed before the court by the Emperor. Prince Jin stood firmly on the Emperor's side.
So who would dare speak ill of the Emperor regarding Emperor Jing's death? Unless they were tired of living.
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