Just then, a chaotic sound of footsteps came from outside the palace. Immediately afterwards, the voice of an announcer rang out: "Prime Minister Dongfang is here to pay his respects!"
The next moment, Prime Minister Dongfang entered the Qianqing Palace and came into view of several people. When he saw the blood - covered woman on the ground, a flicker of emotion crossed his face. Then he bowed to the man in front of him and said, "Your humble subject pays respects to Your Majesty!"
Dongfang Yi didn't expect her father to come. So she asked, "Father, is there something urgent that brings you here?"
It was still not dawn outside, and the affairs in the palace were handled very secretly. How did her father know about this and manage to come here so quickly?
Thinking of this, a look of suspicion crossed her face. Then she turned to look at the man beside her.
Helian Qi naturally noticed her doubts. He then said, "I summoned Prime Minister Dongfang. Although Concubine Chu is my concubine, she is also a daughter of the Dongfang family. Now it's up to Prime Minister Dongfang to decide how to punish her."
He said so. Partly because he really didn't want to see that woman anymore, and partly because he knew that she was Dongfang Yi's younger sister after all. Dongfang Yi would surely feel a bit reluctant to see her punished severely. Despite her many evils, the blood - related bond still existed. So he had sent someone to summon the prime minister when he was outside the palace.
Hearing this, Prime Minister Dongfang heaved a heavy sigh. Then he walked up to the woman sitting on the ground. He took out a handkerchief from his bosom and wanted to wipe the blood off her face, but saw the woman retreat warily a few steps and wave his arm away.
Since her tongue had been cut off, she couldn't speak but could only make whimpering sounds, with a shrill note in her voice.
Prime Minister Dongfang threw the handkerchief to her and stood up. He heaved another heavy sigh. Then he knelt down in front of the man and said, "Your humble subject requests Your Majesty to spare Concubine Chu's life!"
As soon as he said this, everyone was shocked. Even Concubine Chu, with blood all over her face, showed a strange expression for a moment.
"Father?" Dongfang Yi couldn't help but call out. It wasn't that she was questioning his words, but that she saw two lines of tears sliding down the face of this man who was already over fifty.
Helian Qi frowned when he saw this. Then he asked, "Do you know that the crimes she has committed are enough for her to be executed ten times?"
"Your humble subject knows. But after all, she is my daughter. Her making such a big mistake is also partly my fault. If Your Majesty wants to punish someone, please punish your humble subject along with her!"
Prime Minister Dongfang continued, his words firm. It seemed that he was determined to save that woman's life at all costs.
Concubine Chu beside them had been listening quietly. She neither cried nor made a fuss, and her face remained dull, as if she had never expected that someone would plead for her. But the next second, she burst into wild laughter. She struggled to stand up and rushed towards the man, almost knocking Prime Minister Dongfang down.
"Concubine Chu!" Dongfang Yi scolded angrily, displeased with her behavior.
Prime Minister Dongfang waved his hand, indicating that he was fine. Instead, he stared intently at the crazy woman and said, "Stop being so willful, Chu'er! This is all your father can do for you!"
There was great helplessness in his hoarse voice, as if it was filled with pain.
Suddenly, as if thinking of something, Dongfang Yi asked, "Father, why did Concubine Chu say that Mother killed her mother? What exactly happened?"
When Concubine Chu said these things just now, she had decided to find a time to ask her father properly. Now it just so happened that the opportunity had come.
Hearing this, Prime Minister Dongfang's face showed a hurt expression, as if this question had touched the softest part of his heart. Then he sighed and began to say, "How could it be your mother? Your mother is so kind - hearted. How could she do such a thing? It all started twenty years ago..."
His words took them back to twenty years ago. At that time, he had just married his current wife, Lady Dongfang. The two got along harmoniously and were a perfect match. But she couldn't give birth for a long time. So the family arranged for him to take a concubine, who was later A' shi of the Dong family.
But what they didn't know was that this woman was a spy sent by the Nangong family, aiming to disrupt the entire Dongfang family.
So a year later, Dongfang Yi and Dongfang Chu were born one after another. Both girls were very beautiful. And because Lady Dongfang was kind - natured, she treated A' shi very well.
The family had a very happy and harmonious time. Maybe this was the memory of Dongfang Yi's childhood.
But later, the Nangong family began to confront the Dongfang family head - on. As their agent, A' shi naturally couldn't be left out. So she planned an assassination.
But this assassination was known in advance by Prime Minister Dongfang. In the end, only A' shi died in the assassination.
Rumors always spread quickly in the deep courtyard. The servants and maids all said that Lady Dongfang couldn't bear A' shi's favor and thus devised a plan to kill her.
So in the heart of the young Concubine Chu, everyone around her was her enemy. Until later, Nangong Liuyun threw her an olive branch. Just like A' shi before, she became their pawn...
His words stopped here, followed by a heavy sigh.
Dongfang Yi obviously didn't expect the story to be like this. It turned out that everything started with a misunderstanding.
On the other side, Concubine Chu, who had listened to all this silently, felt as if her heart was being torn bit by bit. Then an uncontrollable sharp pain came over her.
It was impossible. She clearly heard from everyone that Lady Dongfang had killed her mother. Now how could it be related to the Nangong family? Did it mean that she had been regarding the enemy as her father all along?
Thinking of this, she rushed over and made a series of inarticulate cries at Prime Minister Dongfang. Since she had no tongue, she couldn't say anything and could only vent her emotions blindly. Her tears blurred the blood on her face.
Prime Minister Dongfang looked at his daughter in front of him and felt a bit of pity in his heart. Maybe it was out of sympathy for A' shi. Even though Concubine Chu had done so many evil deeds, he still couldn't bear to see her die. So he pleaded with the emperor to spare her life.
"Spare her life," Dongfang Yi said in a deep voice.
It wasn't because she was moved by the story, but because looking at her father's appearance, she really couldn't bear it. Moreover, she knew that now that Concubine Chu knew all the truth, she would surely not cause any more trouble. And without a tongue, she couldn't do many things anymore.