RNP Chapter 124 A Long-Awaited Question
Chapter 124 A Long-Awaited Question
Chapter 124 A Long-Awaited Question
Dai Youheng straightened his robes and slowly stepped into the hall. The light inside was slightly softer than in the corridor, and behind the huge desk, the two most powerful siblings in the empire were watching him.
His gaze immediately fell on Xu Jiujiu.
Today, she was not dressed in a gorgeous palace gown, but in a simple light gold casual dress. Her dark hair was loosely tied up with a jade hairpin. She lacked the bright and dazzling appearance she usually deliberately created, but she exuded a more composed and dignified aura as she handled government affairs, a unique presence of someone who wields real power.
Following protocol, he stepped forward a few paces, bowed, and said in a clear voice, "Dai Youheng greets Your Majesty and Your Highness the Princess."
He did not perform the full kneeling ceremony, which is the proper etiquette for an audience with the king.
But his persona of being "deeply devoted and unconventional" had already taken root in people's hearts. Xu Jiawei's gaze lingered on him for a moment, but he did not get angry. Instead, a cryptic smile played on his lips, as if he were looking at an immature but interesting junior.
"Nephew Youheng, there's no need for such formalities." Xu Jiawei's gentle voice broke the brief silence. "You've finally arrived. My sister seemed a little distracted while reviewing memorials just now; she's probably been waiting for you for quite some time." His words were clearly teasing.
Xu Jiujiu lowered her eyelids at the opportune moment, her long, thick eyelashes casting a small shadow beneath her eyes, and a faint blush rose on her cheeks, like white jade dyed with rosy clouds. She did not utter a word in rebuttal, but her fingertips curled slightly.
This display of emotion was perfectly timed and enough to stir the heart.
However, Dai Youheng observed coldly from the sidelines, secretly assessing how much of this shyness was calculated, how much was a habitual performance, and how much, perhaps, was a genuine, inexplicable ripple.
He speculated that at most, three-tenths of sincerity would be the limit.
Dai Youheng also showed appropriate nervousness and excitement, his voice trembling slightly with joy, "I also miss Her Highness the Princess day and night, and wish I could fly into the palace immediately."
His words were earnest, but his heart remained completely unmoved. Because his sincerity was even less, almost nonexistent.
Seeing this, Xu Jiawei let out a hearty laugh, breaking the delicate atmosphere. "Haha, good! Young people should be so genuine! Alright, I still have some state affairs to discuss with a few ministers, so I won't get in your way. You young people can speak yourselves."
The emperor rose, gazed at the palace for a long, meaningful moment, and then departed, surrounded by his eunuchs. The heavy palace doors slowly closed, separating the inside from the outside into two worlds.
For a moment, only Dai Youheng and Xu Jiujiu remained in the hall, along with Manyi, who stood in the shadows in a corner, seemingly nonexistent. The scent of ink and sandalwood in the air seemed even stronger.
She didn't speak immediately for a long time. She slowly walked out from behind the desk, her skirt swaying lightly, her steps silent yet carrying a natural royal rhythm, and walked step by step towards Dai Youheng.
She stopped just three steps away from him, a distance that was neither too intimate nor impolite, yet enough to create an invisible sense of pressure.
She raised her head, her gaze no longer gentle and subdued as before, but sharp as a knife, as if trying to peel away his disguise layer by layer, piercing straight to his core. Her gaze scrutinized his brows, his eyes, and every subtle change in his facial expression.
"Your Highness—" Dai Youheng broke the silence first, a slightly puzzled smile appearing on his face, "Why are you looking at me like that? Is there something wrong with me?"
She didn't answer his question for a long time. She just looked at him quietly, long enough for anyone with a guilty conscience to give themselves away.
Then, she suddenly let out a very soft, cold snort, her voice icy, carrying a hint of anger at being deceived, and a mockery of knowing the truth.
"I just wanted to take a closer look." She spoke slowly and deliberately, her voice low but clear, echoing in the silent palace. "You liar, how long are you going to keep lying to me?"
Dai Youheng's smile froze instantly, transforming into perfectly timed astonishment and disbelief. Her pupils contracted slightly. "Your Highness, what makes you say such a thing? My heart towards you is as clear as the sun and moon! When have I ever lied to you?"
His reaction was impeccable, filled with shock and injustice at being wrongly accused.
"Still playing dumb?" Xu Jiu took a step closer, closing the distance between them to two steps. A faint fragrance and a chilling aura emanated from her. Her voice was even lower, yet sharper, like an ice pick piercing straight to the heart.
"Grandma Manyi returned yesterday and told me everything." She stared into his eyes, not allowing him to look away. "I had no idea that you had quietly broken through to the Soul King realm, standing on the same level as me!"
Her words were like thunderclaps, exploding throughout the hall.
"But just over two months ago, right beneath those palace walls!" Her tone suddenly intensified, carrying an aggressive questioning tone, "You were so badly beaten by my three palm strikes! You even coughed up blood and collapsed! Tell me, what kind of immortal herbs and elixirs could not only allow someone's cultivation to leap several levels, but also allow someone who couldn't even withstand three of my palm strikes to rise to a level where they could contend with a Soul Emperor in just two months?"
Her gaze was intense, as if she wanted to set him on fire. "Those three slaps, you did it on purpose, didn't you?"
"With your current hidden strength, how could you possibly have failed to withstand that back then? You were acting from the very beginning! Why? Tell me, why did you meticulously plan to hide your strength from me, even going so far as to endure three blows?"
Her chest rose and fell slightly, revealing her inner turmoil. She wouldn't care so much if others deceived her, but anyone could deceive her except Dai Youheng.
In her mind, Dai Youheng was her most loyal sycophant; anyone could betray her, but he couldn't.
"Don't try to fool me with those excuses you used to give Shrek Academy!" She interrupted any explanation he might give, her words quick and clear. "You were in Star Luo back then, right in front of me! Taking three blows from me at most proves you have some talent, but it wouldn't attract much attention from Shrek Academy! You had absolutely no need to hide your strength!"
She stared intently at him, her beautiful eyes now filled with scrutiny, doubt, and a hint of barely concealed disappointment.
"Dai Youheng, I want to hear the truth!"
The air inside the hall seemed to freeze. The light from the soul-guiding lamps cast long shadows of the two figures onto the smooth, mirror-like floor, making them appear like two silent, confronting statues.
Man Yi, nestled in the corner, seemed to have blended into the shadows, with only her faint presence indicating that she was always there.
Faced with the princess's sharp questioning, Dai Youheng's pretense seemed to be torn apart.
He remained silent for a moment, the shock and grievance on his face slowly fading, replaced by a complex and indescribable expression.