Hearing his words, Helian Qi suddenly felt as if the clouds had cleared. Then he said to Ru Yi, "You may step back. Go and summon Eunuch Li."
Upon hearing this, Ru Yi trotted out of the side hall. Soon, Eunuch Li walked in. He first bowed slightly and said, "Your servant pays respects to the Emperor."
Helian Qi said to him, "You may lead Prime Minister Nangong to Concubine Chu's palace."
Eunuch Li bowed again and replied, "Yes, sir." Then he said to Prime Minister Nangong beside him, "My lord, please follow this humble one."
The two left the side hall one after another.
After they completely disappeared from Helian Qi's sight, Helian Qi immediately dropped his previously cynical smile. His eyes regained their usual coldness.
A masked black - clothed man jumped down from the roof and stood behind him.
"Follow him closely," Helian Qi said coldly, a meaningful smile curving his lips.
The black - clothed man behind him replied in a low voice, "Yes, sir," and in an instant disappeared from the side hall, presumably to carry out Helian Qi's order.
On the other side, Nangong Liuyun, who had already left the side hall, was being led by Eunuch Li in front of him to Concubine Chu's palace.
"This humble one truly congratulates my lord," said the furtive - looking Eunuch Li. After saying that, he turned back and stared at Nangong Liuyun behind him without blinking.
Nangong Liuyun knew at once that he was referring to the last time he had sent him a message. He couldn't help feeling a bit disgusted with this eunuch. He hated eunuchs the most. No matter how high their status or how great their power, they were still eunuchs.
But he only had such thoughts of disgust in his heart. On the surface, he still wore a grateful expression. A fake smile hung on his ugly face as he said, "I still have to thank the eunuch for informing me in advance, so that I could be the first to seize the opportunity."
After saying that, he let out two hearty laughs to cover up his false words.
Eunuch Li also laughed twice. His laughter was extremely shrill and ear - piercing.
After hearing his laughter, Nangong Liuyun stopped talking and began to focus on walking. After all, it was enough to exchange a few words of flattery. There was no need to be hypocritical with a eunuch any longer.
Eunuch Li said a few more words. Seeing that the man behind him seemed uninterested and only responded with "um", he felt it was boring and stopped talking.
In less than half an incense - burning time, they arrived at Concubine Chu's palace. Eunuch Li announced their arrival. Soon, a maid came out and said she would lead them in.
Eunuch Li said to the man in front of him, "My lord, please go in and have a chat. This humble one will wait for you outside the palace."
Nangong Liuyun nodded upon hearing his words and followed the little maid into Concubine Chu's palace.
The little maid first led him to the reception hall in the palace to wait. Soon, a woman with a smiling face walked out of a room beside.
She still had a thick layer of powder on her face, which looked eerily white. But her lips were painted extremely brightly, making her look extremely enchanting.
Actually, Concubine Chu was only twenty years old. Her appearance was quite pleasant, but she always dressed up like this, which made her look much more mature.
She was originally walking slowly in small steps. When she saw the man in the reception hall, she immediately quickened her pace and said, "Father - in - law has come to see this concubine. This concubine thought father - in - law had grown tired of me."
As she spoke, she walked up to Nangong Liuyun, with tears in her eyes, as if she had really suffered some great injustice.
"Chu'er, don't talk nonsense. How could father - in - law grow tired of you? Father - in - law wishes he could dote on you more!"
Nangong Liuyun said, with a loving tone as if he really regarded the woman in front of him as his own daughter.
But in fact, he was full of thoughts about that letter and who she had planted beside him. He had been completely unaware for so many years.
Thinking of this, his expression froze for a moment. He remembered that he had recognized her as his adopted daughter only because he had no daughter of his own but needed a woman in the harem to whisper in the Emperor's ear for him. So he had found Concubine Chu, who was not favored in her own family.
He had originally planned to discard her as a useless pawn after Concubine Shun entered the palace. But unexpectedly, over the years, she had not only planted her own people beside him but also grasped his weakness.
It seemed that women really couldn't be underestimated, especially a ruthless woman like Concubine Chu. She had been very successful in the harem over the years. She was by no means a simple character.
"But father - in - law has not been very close to this daughter recently. Is it because after Concubine Shun entered the palace, father - in - law thinks this daughter is useless?" Concubine Chu directly exposed the man's thoughts.
She thought that after all, she was the one who held his weakness, and it was also a fact that he had neglected her because of Concubine Shun's entry into the palace. So why should she still save his face?
As she expected, Nangong Liuyun's expression stiffened for a moment after hearing her words, but then he forced out a dry laugh as if to relieve his embarrassment. Then he continued, "Daughter, don't talk nonsense. How could father - in - law think you are useless? Father - in - law wishes he could dote on you more!"
Concubine Chu just snorted after hearing this. Then she said coldly to the man in front of her, "Father - in - law is afraid of what's written in this concubine's letter!"
Her tone was sharp. She mercilessly tore off all the pretenses. Nangong Liuyun was immediately a bit embarrassed and didn't know what to say.
But Concubine Chu softened her sharp tone and continued, "This concubine won't expose you. But as a condition, there can only be one woman from the Nangong family in this palace."
The meaning in her words was clear enough. She wanted the man in front of her to make a choice. He could only choose one between Concubine Shun and herself.
After hearing this, Nangong Liuyun's narrow eyes sparkled, but it was hard to tell what he was thinking.
After all, Concubine Shun was truly from the Nangong family. Although she was from a collateral branch, she still had the blood of the Nangong family.
But now his weakness was in the hands of the woman in front of him. So there was no real choice at all. This was clearly a pre - determined question.
Nangong Liuyun's drooping eyes flickered a few times. Then he raised his head. A fake smile still hung on his ugly face.
"Of course, the only noble lady from our Nangong family in the palace is Concubine Chu."