Phoenix Astonishes the Heavens 054 Wind and Flower Proud Bones

  Under everyone's nervous gaze, Yu Wuyou calmly spoke up.

  "Return to the Emperor Father, no worries."

  Qing Di raised an eyebrow: "Do you know?"

  "Yes, don't worry, the empress asked for Wu You's opinion and Wu You agreed."

  Everyone in the grand hall looked at Emperor Qing with tension!

  If they had previously spoken out to speculate about the sacred will and follow the trend, then at this moment, at least half of the people were sincerely hoping for the release of Princess Worry-Free. Thinking that such a fairy-like princess was confined in the Cold Palace, everyone felt it was too cruel.

  The emperor looked at Wu You with a calm and composed expression, his emotions were somewhat profound and unpredictable, even Shi Zhi couldn't discern his joy or anger at this moment.

  He slowly asked, "Does Wuyou want to leave the palace?"

  This question is even more sharp and sensitive than the previous one, once it's thrown out, it will stir up everyone's emotions again, but they can't do anything about it, they can only stare at Princess Worry-free with bated breath, secretly worrying about her in their hearts.

  Yu Wu's calm and quiet eyes looked up at Emperor Qing, a faint smile blooming on his lips: "Does Father Emperor not want to pardon Yu Wu?"

  As soon as she finished speaking, many people were stunned!

  The emperor gazed at her, lost in thought for a long time before withdrawing his gaze: "You followed the Empress Dowager to learn the zither and managed to delight her. You even used the golden pardon plaque bestowed by the late Emperor to beg me for mercy. Very well, let everyone hear your zither skills."

  Although they were all puzzled by the emperor's inexplicable change of subject, they all had high hopes for the emperor's request. The beauty of Princess Worry-Free was already stunning!

  A beauty playing the zither is already unbearable just thinking about it, who would have thought to experience it and broaden one's horizons!

  Only Shizhi's face slightly froze for a moment, and he looked at Princess Wuyou with some concern. Master's request is probably...

  The eunuchs quickly brought the zither down from the great hall, as it was an order given by the Emperor himself.

  Time passed minute by minute, second by second. Yuan Wuyou didn't move, still kneeling there quietly. Some impatient young masters and misses started exchanging curious glances with each other.

  Many people in the hall also became anxious.

  Gu Ling and Liao Qingyun exchanged a glance, with a faint sparkle in their eyes.

  Qing Emperor remained silent, his eyes fixed deeply on her, neither pleased nor displeased.

  Yu Worry quietly watched Qing Emperor, the clear waves of beautiful eyes seemed to have a fleeting glimpse of melancholy, but her peerless face bloomed with an extremely faint smile. She slowly stood up, and as she did, the enchanting red brocade, snow-white fox fur, and raven-black hair were like a painting come alive.

  Gu Ling and Liao Qingyun both had sweaty palms due to nervousness.

  Qing Di stood up with her, his deep black eyes becoming even darker.

  Carefree and nonchalant, she raised her eyes to scan the entire scene, her gaze calm and serene, yet with an air of awe-inspiring elegance and poise that made people involuntarily step back.

  She spoke softly: "Who among you in this grand hall has the qualifications to have Wuyou play the zither for them? Please step forward!"

  The whole audience was stunned at first, and after a moment of silence, everyone began to ponder deeply, and then felt a chill in their hearts.

  In the grand hall... The Emperor sat upright at the top of the grand hall, and all the officials in the grand hall were his subjects. Even the highest-ranking ones were only the princes and princesses, while the rest were officials' relatives and their children. Even if some of the ladies had been granted titles, who was Princess Worryfree?

  By birth and by bloodline, she is a princess born of the empress, her nobility unmatched by anyone except for the emperor himself on the Dragon Throne!

  If she had really played the piano just now, the consequences would have been severe!

  Your Majesty... is testing her? Also testing these courtiers?

  Many people's faces turned pale as a ghost, with a kind of suffocating feeling that they couldn't breathe!

  The third prince, Yuan Zhongsheng, flashed a faint light in his eyes, and he quietly sized up the second princess, who was as legendary as she existed.

  The fourth prince Yuan Ding was also deeply impressed and admired from the heart after suddenly realizing.

  The fifth prince, Yuan Jie, changed color and lowered his eyes.

  The third princess's eyes flickered slightly, but even after five years, her noble status as the legitimate daughter of the empress could not be changed despite her guilty conscience.

  After a glimpse of unusual color flashed across Emperor Qing's eyes, he secretly let out a sigh of relief.

  Gu Ling and Liao Qingyun's tightly strung hearts slowly relaxed, and they couldn't help but take another look at the carefree princess standing in front of everyone in the grand hall. Was she truly intelligent and awe-inspiring, or was it just her noble birth that gave her such elegance and poise?

  The Emperor glanced at Shi Zhi, who bowed and walked down from the hall, taking over the memorial and pardon gold plaque held high by Lan Laolao.

  The old lady Lan happily shouted: "I, a slave, thank Your Majesty on behalf of the princess, long live, long live, forever and ever!"

  Wei Zhongxin looked at Yuan Wuyou, who was standing in the grand hall with a complex expression, and let out a soft sigh in his heart. This special existence, whom he couldn't afford to offend or neglect, had finally become an exception, just as he had guessed, and walked out of the Cold Palace.

  Perhaps five years ago when he first saw Princess Worry-Free, he had this intuition in his heart.

  The Emperor accepted the book and gold plaque, his eyes slightly closed: "The Empress Dowager has decreed that Princess Worry-Free shall be adopted by Prince Huai as his heir, and be enfeoffed as the Lady of Worry-Free County. She will leave the palace today and take up residence in Prince Huai's estate."

  At first glance, this sentence doesn't seem strange at all, but after careful consideration, it becomes thought-provoking.

  Inheriting the title of Prince Huai, being appointed as the Princess of Wuyou County, and moving into the Prince Huai's mansion were all normal procedures. However, it seems that the Emperor either forgot or did it on purpose, he didn't revoke her princess title!

  Just like five years ago, the Emperor had her demoted to a cold palace without explicitly stripping Princess Worry-Free of her title, this ambiguous attitude left them both guessing.

  Logically speaking, names and titles should not conflict with each other. However, from the moment of her birth, she was a unique existence, and her name was her title!

  Yu Worry kowtowed again: "Yu Worry thanks Your Majesty for your kindness, long live, long live, forever and ever!"

  Gu Ling also re-aligned and knelt down to thank: "Your Majesty is wise, long live the Emperor, ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand ten thousand years!"

  Everyone knelt down and shouted: "The Emperor is wise and brilliant, long live our Emperor for ten thousand years!"

  Qingdi glanced at Shi Ji faintly: "Shi Ji, you go to Huaiwang Fu to proclaim the edict personally."

  Shi Zhi respectfully said: "Your humble servant obeys your orders."

  ……

  It was Shizhi who came in person to announce the edict. His arrival, or rather the sacred edict he brought with him, broke the silence of the Huai Wang Fu.

  The king came to the great hall in person under the support of Little Li Zi to receive the imperial edict.

  Listening to the sacred decree, he was shocked for a long time and didn't come back to his senses. It wasn't until Little Li stepped forward and softly called out "Wang Ye" that he reacted and hurriedly covered his mouth with a silk handkerchief. However, judging from his pale hands which were slightly blue due to the force used, it seemed like he was trying hard to suppress his emotions.

  But bursts of violent coughing still came from within the silk handkerchief.

  It wasn't until a long while later that the severe coughing gradually subsided, and King Huai's face showed obvious hesitation before stiffly accepting the imperial edict.

  "Long live our Emperor, may he reign for ten thousand years, ten thousand years, and ten thousand more!"

  "Your Highness, take care of your noble body, and soon the young lady will be moved!"

  King Huai forced a smile and said to Little Li who was supporting him: "Represent me in bidding farewell to Prime Minister Shi."

  Xiao Lizi saw off Shi Gonggong and then directed the eunuchs to get busy, hanging lanterns and decorating with festive red lanterns.

  In the master bedroom, King Hua lay half-reclined on the soft couch, his eyes weakly closed, occasionally coughing lightly, but with a hint of a smile on his lips. Fifteen years had passed, and finally, this quiet and deserted palace had a bit of life added to it.

  At this time, the grand feast in the palace was still going on.

  Gu Ling sat back in his seat, Liao Qingyun quietly scanned the surroundings with a subtle curve of her mouth, and the tense atmosphere in the grand hall was alleviated by the beauty of Princess Worry-Free, or rather, Lady Worry-Free.

  The eyes of those young masters are completely out of their own control, changing with her every move, infatuated, dazed, amazed... all the same!

  Liao Qingyun glanced at Gu Ling, seeing him frowning and staring at a certain place, following his line of sight, unexpectedly falling on the carefree princess, with similar confusion in her heart. Is it really just a coincidence that Madame Gu is doing this?

  But if it's not exactly, then what is it? They really can't think of any other purpose in this.

  Emperor Xian sat on the throne with his eyes half-closed, seemingly oblivious to the atmosphere in the grand hall.

  Facing a table full of delicious dishes and fine wines, the people present did not have the heart to taste them. Their eyes involuntarily kept glancing at a certain place, looking at Wu You, who was sitting alongside the Third Princess... The county princess, with some regret and sighs in their hearts.

  But thinking again, I feel that being able to sit here is at least better than being confined in a cold palace.

  Sitting carefree on one side, sitting alongside her was Third Princess Yuan Xizhen.

  Yuan Xizhen quietly sized up Yuan Wuyou, who was sitting next to her, and felt that the closer she looked, the more captivating her beauty was, and her emotions were very complicated!

  She was only a few months younger than Yuan Wuyou, but as princesses, one was a cloud and the other was mud, one in heaven and the other on earth.

  From a young age, they all had to look up to her. Five years ago, the person they looked up to finally disappeared from their line of sight. Except for occasionally thinking about it and feeling a little sorry in her heart, she thought that she would never see her again for the rest of her life!

  Five years later, she reappeared in the public eye, even if she seemed to be no longer a princess but only a county lady. However, whether standing in the hall or sitting at the banquet table, she was stunningly beautiful and captivating.

  Although she was sitting right next to her, she still had a humble feeling that made her look up to her.

  "Second sister, you look really good, I'm determined to be born."

  The fourth prince, Yuan Ding, gave a straightforward compliment that made Yuan Wuyou smile slightly: "Fourth younger brother is also very good-looking." The children of this era are all precocious by nature, let alone being raised in the center of power? In an environment where you have to be on guard against each other, perhaps even before they start learning to speak, they have already begun to learn the ways of survival.

  Third Prince Yuan Zhongsheng held up a cup of tea and said, "Zhongsheng uses tea instead of wine to toast the two princesses." Although she was adopted by King Xie, her birth could not be changed. Although she is now titled Princess Wuyou, her title as Princess Wuyou has not been abolished. Is this not a special case for the legitimate daughter of the Empress? So in the heart of the Emperor, there are always some differences?

  "The three princes are being polite." Yuan Wuyou said lightly, yet still raised his cup and drained it in one gulp. The ones seated were all half-grown youths, but no one would take them for children!

  It's not just the three princesses, but also the third and fourth princes who looked at Yuan Wuyou with a changed gaze. Five years ago, they were all still young, but they had already come of age, let alone Yuan Wuyou possessed what they yearned for but could not attain, how could they forget?

  Five years later, today, seeing the person who once existed in their minds and bones again, she still exudes an unattainable elegance and pride, but is no longer proud and unapproachable!

  Perhaps in five years' time, it's not just them who have grown up, but also her!

  "Your Majesty, earlier in the grand hall, no one was qualified to listen to Princess Yuanyou play the zither. But now I'm a bit curious, is there still no one in this hall who has the qualifications to listen to Princess Worry-free play a tune?"

  The atmosphere in the grand hall, which had finally calmed down, slowly cooled down again with Mei Fei's words, and everyone's eyes flickered once more.

  The fifth prince bit his lip and lowered his eyes. The death of the eldest brother made Consort Mei's heart bitter, he knew, but wasn't Mother Consort doing this to make Father Emperor lose face?

  Qing Di raised his head and glanced at Mei Fei indifferently, then looked at Yuan Wuyou with a faint gaze, his face expressionless as he said: "Wuyou, what do you think?"

  Yu Worry sat there motionless, just smiling at Consort Mei: "Of course."

  Gu Ling and Liao Qingyun exchanged a glance, both of them gazing calmly at the person sitting in the seat with a faint smile, wondering how she would resolve this situation.

  "Since it's here, then please have Consort Yu play a tune!" Mei Fei said calmly.

  Yu Worryless still smiled: "Then please ask Consort Mei to have all the irrelevant people leave, this young lady will only play for those who are qualified."

  Mei Fei's face turned cold: "Wu You Junzhu, you have a big nerve. Do you still think you are the Princess of Wu You? What makes you so confident?" Why was Yuan Wu You confined back then and not given poisonous wine with Liu Shi, but five years later today, she can be pardoned, while her child... has no chance anymore?

  Mei Fei's ruthless sarcasm made the atmosphere in the grand hall freeze!

  Watching Princess Worry-free lower her eyes, seemingly hesitant and silent in distress, many people present unconsciously furrowed their brows.

  Although Mei Fei's grief over the loss of her child is understandable, even sympathetic, Mei Fei's actions have also evoked sympathy for the carefree princess who was imprisoned in the Cold Palace for five years and had just been pardoned.

  Even if she is dissatisfied with the emperor in her heart, must she take it out on the innocent Princess Worry-Free? What good would it do to harm her?

  Qing Di's eyebrows were thin and his lips were slightly pursed, with a hint of displeasure in his eyes, but he didn't say a word.

  Yu Wu slowly stood up, under the gaze of everyone, and walked calmly to where the musicians were in the hall. She stopped in front of one of the guqins, but turned around to stare directly at Consort Mei. Her eyes were clear and cold, her voice not loud, gentle and soft: "Your Highness asks what Yu Wu relies on? What Yu Wu relies on is from the day she was born, whether it's nobility or lowliness, prosperity or decline. Even if I'm reduced to nothing like mud, even if I die here right now, it won't change one fact."

  Her calm gaze swept over the crowd, finally landing on Emperor Qing's face. Her voice remained gentle and soft: "I, Yuan Wuyou, was born in the Central Palace, I am the most legitimate and purest descendant of the Great Yuan Empire. Unless my father is not the current emperor, as long as he is in power for a day, my birth cannot be changed. Does it make a difference to me whether I am a princess or a county lady?"

  Several princes and princesses stared at her in a daze.

  Everyone stared at her in a daze.

  The whole scene was silent, with only that calm and gentle voice softly stating a fact that everyone had intentionally or unintentionally ignored.

  "For these five years, Wu You has been thinking about a question that she cannot figure out. Father Emperor, are you willing to enlighten Wu You?"

  The emperor's eyes deepened once again, and he said slowly: "What is worrying you, You Wu?"

  Yu Wenyu's soft laughter was gentle, her voice ethereal, yet it made one's heart skip a beat.

  "The crime of the Liu family has already implicated the Empress Dowager, why must I, with the surname Yuan, also bear the guilt of the Liu family?"

  Why do I bear the surname Yuan, yet also bear the guilt of the Liu family? Why do I bear the surname Yuan, yet also bear the guilt of the Liu family? Why... This sentence is like a stone that has been thrown into a quiet lake, causing ripples to spread out continuously, echoing in people's ears and buzzing in their minds.

  A deathly silence, everyone felt that if such stimulation and terror were to come a few more times, they would probably be frightened into illness even if they weren't sick.

  Liao Qingyun stared at her in a daze, she used her crystal clear and innocent face to slap Mei Fei and... the Emperor, winning back her pride for herself and her mother, such audacity, such fearlessness, she made him admire!

  Gu Ling lowered his head, what a carefree Yuan Wuyou!

  Mei Fei's face turned a sheet of white, devoid of any blood color, staring at Yuan Wuyou in shock and stupor.

  The emperor's face was gloomy and coldly staring at her, just when everyone was sweating, unexpectedly, the emperor did not order to kill her, but slowly smiled.

  "Don't worry, Father is delighted to have a daughter like you!"

  The emperor's smile, the emperor's words stunned everyone present.

  "I declare to all of you, that without worrying about the succession of King Hui, she has been appointed as the Princess of Wuyou County, and is still the Princess of Wuyou! This is a fact that no one can erase! I too, cannot."

  The crowd, shocked beyond measure, finally came to their senses and knelt down with a thud: "Long live the princess, long live the princess, forever and ever!"

  Facing the crowd kneeling on the ground, Yuan Wuyou calmly met Emperor Qing's calm gaze from afar.

  The former is self-evident, while the latter is profound and unfathomable.

  Or else ——

  The former is profound and unpredictable, while the latter is a matter of course!

  Digression

  The second watch is around 8-9 pm