Chapter 315: Chapter 312 Bizarre

Qing Wu quickly arrived at Qingning Palace.

Upon seeing her, Pei Muyang hurriedly stepped forward to offer a salute, “Greetings to the Empress, please stay your steps, Empress.”

Knowing he had something to say, Qing Wu halted, and without speaking, simply looked at him.

Pei Muyang felt odd under her gaze.

Since the Emperor had fallen comatose, the Empress seemed to be provoked, becoming much more silent and reserved.

She appeared unintentionally indifferent.

And that made her feel very foreign.

With the same face, it seemed like a different person.

“What does Mr. Pei want to say?”

Feeling somewhat guilty under Pei Muyang’s prolonged gaze, Qing Wu shifted his attention by asking a question.

Pei Muyang’s attention indeed shifted.

He shook his head, dismissing those strange thoughts, and smiled. “Congratulations, Empress, the Emperor has awakened. However, his body hasn’t completely recovered yet. I hope the Empress will consider his health and maintain some distance from him.”

Truly, a loyal dog indeed!

Qing Wu remained silent, looking up at the hall and saw many familiar, ministerial figures, thinking to herself: No, I should say quite a few loyal dogs!

During He Ying’s comatose state, these dogs guarded outside the palace, keeping her tightly watched.

Fortunately, He Ying had awoken.

Otherwise, their drool could drown her.

“I understand.”

Qing Wu spoke and then stepped inside.

Inside, there was complete silence.

The ministers were all kneeling as if they had committed some mistake.

In He Ying’s view, they had indeed made a mistake–they had actually wanted him to depose the Empress.

He had married Sang Yan not so long ago; how could he possibly depose her?

“You all worry about my health, I understand all. My encounter with danger has nothing to do with the Empress. This matter shall not be discussed further, you may leave.”

As he waved them off, he looked up and saw Sang Yan walking in, and immediately smiled, “Ah Yan, come here.”

“That cannot be!”

Jiang Chongyu, leading a group of civil servants, kneeled in a line blocking the way.

And his attitude was firm, “Before the Emperor’s health has fully recovered, the Empress must not come within ten steps of the Emperor.”

“How dare you!”

He Ying shouted in anger, inadvertently straining his chest wound, causing his face to contort in pain.

He clutched at his wound, his face turning pale. He took a moment before saying, “I did not die from this great disaster; there must be fortune yet to come. My encounter with danger was due to human actions and had nothing to do with the Empress. If you all… If you all say one more word, do not blame me… do not blame me for being merciless.”

Having just regained consciousness, his body was weak, and his face was wan. Threats were made weakly and softly, lacking any lethality.

Of course, even if there was lethality, Jiang Chongyu would not fear.

He was a forthright minister unafraid of death, striking his head on the ground twice, and said with a severe tone, “I am wholeheartedly devoted to Da He. If the Emperor insists on this, then I am prepared to splash my blood right here.”

“You, you!”

He Ying, overcome by anger until he saw darkness before his eyes, fell back onto the bed.

“Good! Good! Very well!”

He gritted his teeth, said harshly, “Someone! Someone! Take him away–”

“May the Emperor calm his anger. May the Emperor calm his anger.”

All the ministers present began knocking their heads on the floor.

Feng Yicheng was among them, stating solemnly, “May the Emperor control his anger. The Empress is now before us; please, Emperor, prioritize your health and nurture your spirit. Remember, only when you are well can you vindicate the Empress and clear her of these unfounded accusations.”

“That makes sense.”

Pei Muyang timely spoke up, then bowed before “Sang Yan,” reminding, “Empress, won’t you say something?”

He frowned as he looked at “Sang Yan,” that strange feeling of unfamiliarity growing stronger: how did the Empress seem even duller than usual? In the past, whenever the Emperor and ministers argued, she was always the first to mediate!

Qing Wu understood Sang Yan’s maternal instincts and, seeing Pei Muyang had already reminded her, also spoke out, “Emperor, please listen to the ministers.”

She still hadn’t mastered imitating Sang Yan perfectly.

Had Sang Yan really been there and seen He Ying like this, she would’ve said at once, “Stop causing trouble.”

That kind of helpless intimacy was something she could never learn.

He Ying momentarily hadn’t noticed this minor issue and just felt that “Sang Yan” seemed colder and more aloof. Could it be that she blamed him for not protecting her? No! That couldn’t be! Sang Yan was so gentle and considerate, she wouldn’t blame him. So why was she acting so distant?

He looked at her closely and beckoned gently, “Ah Yan, come closer.”

Qing Wu glanced at the distance between them, still over ten steps apart, and moved forward two steps.

Those two steps felt like they trod upon Pei Muyang’s heart.

He frowned and followed, hand outstretched as if he meant to restrain her if she took another step.

Apart from him, the ministers were also watching her, mouths agape, ready to stop her at any moment.

Qing Wu almost laughed.

Such loyalty from these dogs was laughable!

“Empress, please halt.”

Seeing her take two steps forward and continue, Pei Muyang spoke up to stop her.

Qing Wu heard and paused, not moving forward anymore.

“A little closer.”

He Ying was dissatisfied with the distance between them, feeling it was too far.

Qing Wu didn’t listen and just stood there, looking at him, “Let’s just leave it at this. How are you feeling now? Does the wound hurt? Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere?”

She feigned concern but was secretly relieved: it was good not needing to get too close. Otherwise, she might have given herself away. Taking it slow like this was also good.

“I’m fine. You don’t have to worry. I feel well.”

He Ying responded gently with a smile, his thoughts lingering more on “Sang Yan,” “You must have suffered. Your complexion doesn’t look good. Has anyone been mistreating you?”

He felt she was very tense, as if she was under some pressure.

Considering his assassination and coma, and that it occurred right after his marriage, as if validating her husband-killing fate, it must have made her situation difficult, which also gave reason to his thoughts.

“No, I’ve just been too worried about you.”

She lied.

Her complexion was poor because she was anxious, firstly about how to kill him, and secondly about how to escape, all in all, under a lot of mental stress.

She indeed had trouble sleeping at night.

She had suffered from insomnia for several nights.

And had two nightmares.

In those nightmares, He Ying exposed her true identity.

One moment, the man was affectionately declaring his love, and the next, he was ruthlessly clutching her throat, demanding to know where Sang Yan was.

When she wouldn’t tell, he stabbed her with a knife.

Not only did he stab her heart, but he also slashed her face.

“How dare you? Huh? You think you deserve to wear her face? Disgusting!”

He spat at her with disgust, leaving trails of blood on her face.

She cried out in pain, begging him to stop.

He said, “It should hurt. You dared to impersonate her; you should have expected this end. She is unique; no one in the world should have a face just like hers.”

Then, her face was irreversibly damaged.

Afterwards, she was awakened by fright.

Even upon waking, the sensation of the knife slicing her face seemed to linger.

It was horrifying.

“Fool, you don’t have to worry. With you here, how could I bear to leave?”

Ignoring the officials present, he expressed his affection unreservedly.

Listening to his tender words of love and seeing his fervent gaze, Qing Wu felt cold inside: it was all fake. The gentler he was to her now, the crueler he would be once he uncovered the truth.