freenovelworld Chapter 402 I met Tang Bo
Chapter 402 I met Tang Bo
Princess Anning's imperial carriage entered the palace gates directly, her crimson skirts sweeping across the white marble steps, startling several birds that had been resting there. "Your Majesty, you look quite well today."
The princess entered without waiting for an announcement, and none of the eunuchs dared to stop her.
This is the norm, which shows how much they are favored.
She sat down on the rosewood armchair below the emperor and casually placed the round fan on the table.
The emperor looked up from the pile of memorials, a genuine smile appearing in his eyes: "It's rare that you, my dear girl, have time to come and see me."
He gestured to the palace servants to bring him chilled plum juice. "It's been hot lately, so I specially bestowed some brocade silk upon you a while ago. Is that enough?"
"A while ago, Qizhou sent some more silk as tribute. If you are still missing anything, you can go and pick some yourself."
"My sister isn't here for that today."
The eldest princess suddenly interrupted, her phoenix eyes looking directly at the emperor's face, "I heard that Your Majesty has captured Tang Bo. I wonder if I may see him?"
With a "smack," the vermilion brush fell onto the memorial, splattering a few spots of scarlet blood.
The emperor's face darkened: "Who's gossiping about you? There's no such thing."
The eldest princess sneered, slamming her glass of plum juice heavily onto the table in dissatisfaction: "In this palace, there are only a handful of people who can get information from my brother's side."
She glanced meaningfully towards the direction of the inner palace, "Her people all speak so eloquently, yet my brother is playing riddles with me?"
"It's true that your spouse is more considerate than your own sister. You're willing to let her know, but you're keeping it from me."
The emperor's eyes widened slightly. Did these words refer to—Lady Zhaohua?
Now that Consort Liang is gone, only Consort Zhaohua and Consort Zhao have some power in the palace. Besides, Anning and Consort Zhaohua have always been at odds.
How did Lady Zhaohua find out?
He unconsciously rubbed the ring between his fingers, but ultimately didn't ask any further questions.
The Emperor picked up his teacup to conceal his expression: "Tang Bo died in the fire many years ago; don't believe the rumors."
The cicadas outside the window suddenly became noisy, and the cold air inside the ice chest condensed into water droplets, which slowly slid down the gilded patterns.
"You think you can fool me?"
Princess Anning immediately stood up and took a few steps closer to the emperor. Her crimson skirt swept across the gold bricks on the ground, and her phoenix eyes burned with scorching anger.
She slammed her hand on the dragon table, making the teacups on it jump, and glared at the emperor with displeasure: "Your Majesty, you should still remember that when my sister-in-law passed away, I said that Tang Bo was definitely not that kind of villain!"
"But you swore that I misjudged you and failed to recognize your true character."
"Now that he's in your hands, I must ask him face to face what really happened back then."
“Brother, if you don’t let me see him, I will remember this even in the afterlife.”
"Nonsense!" The emperor smashed his teacup, shards of porcelain splashing onto the hem of his bright yellow robe. "Why would you curse yourself for no reason?"
The hall was eerily silent; even the bronze bells under the eaves were silent.
After a long silence, the emperor wearily rubbed his temples and said, "Fine... I'll tell you, Tang Bo is indeed innocent."
"You don't need to see him again."
The Emperor sighed: "It was all my oversight."
"What?!"
The eldest princess staggered back half a step, her jade earring dangling wildly by her cheek. She suddenly covered her mouth, a trembling voice leaking through her fingers: "Could it be that Consort Liang is imprisoned...?"
The emperor gazed darkly out the window: "She plotted against the late empress, every single one of it..."
The veins on the back of his hand bulged beneath the dragon robe. "It involves palace secrets, which cannot be announced to the world."
"What a vicious woman!"
The eldest princess suddenly sneered, her gilded nail guards scraping against the table with a harsh sound. "Although I disliked her affectation, and how she used to pretend to be virtuous and generous, never showing any temper, she didn't expect her to hide such a vicious heart!"
"Indeed, you can know a person's face but not their heart."
The emperor slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, his fingertips lightly tapping on the dragon-patterned armrest: "Now that we know the truth, let this matter end here."
His gaze was sharp as a blade. "Pretend you've never heard of Tang Bo's matter."
Princess Anning raised her lips slightly, and instead of retreating, she took another half step forward.
She had always been free-spirited, and even the Emperor couldn't make her back down. Her gilded nail guards snapped shut on the edge of the imperial desk. "Brother Emperor," she said, "I still want to see him in person."
The emperor's temples throbbed.
If anyone else had dared to be so presumptuous, they would have been dragged out by the guards long ago.
He slammed his fist on the table and stood up abruptly: "An Ning! Some muddy waters are not for you to wade into!"
His voice carried the imposing authority unique to the emperor.
"Your Majesty is joking."
The eldest princess casually lowered her head and fiddled with the jade bracelet. "Your Majesty, I am but a leisurely princess who eats vegetarian food and chants Buddhist scriptures. What trouble could I possibly cause?"
She suddenly looked up, a sharp glint in her eyes, "But Tang Bo saved my life back then, and this karmic debt remains unresolved..."
She deliberately dragged out the tone, and with her fingertips drew a Buddhist seal representing reincarnation on the table.
The emperor narrowed his eyes, the muscles beneath his dragon robe tensing: "How do you intend to end this?"
"Simple."
The princess suddenly broke into a bright smile, as if the tense standoff had been an illusion. "Let me see him and ask if he has any unfulfilled wishes."
She held up three fingers, "I swear that after this matter is settled, I will forget this person completely."
The emperor remained silent for a long time.
He suddenly noticed the Buddhist prayer beads on his sister's wrist—over the years, his mother had spent most of her time practicing vegetarianism and chanting Buddhist scriptures, which had instilled some Buddhist qualities in Anning.
"Fine, you've seen it, but don't mention it again."
This sentence carries a strong warning.
The eldest princess bowed deeply, her shrewdness hidden in her lowered eyes.
"Rest assured, Your Majesty, Anning knows what's important."
-
Tang Bo was imprisoned in a secret room specially set up by the emperor.
Of course, Princess Anning did not set foot there; the Emperor had Tang Bo brought out.
When Tang Bo was brought in, he was not wearing any shackles. He was shockingly thin, and his simple clothes hung loosely on his body, but he still remained calm.
"Your humble servant greets Your Highness the Princess."
He slowly knelt down, his withered fingers interlacing in front of him, performing a standard imperial physician's salute.
Princess Anning quickly stepped forward to support him, her wide sleeves brushing against Tang Bo's wrist. With a subtle flick of her gilded armor, the wax pellet slid into his palm.
"Physician Tang..."
The eldest princess took a half step back, her voice trembling with just the right amount of emotion, "It's been so many years since we last met, I never imagined our reunion would be like this."
"My brother has already told me everything, you..."
She suddenly stopped, her gaze sweeping over the guards in the shadows of the corner.
Tang Bo twitched his fingers slightly, and the wax pellet disappeared into his sleeve.
When he raised his head, his expression was as calm as an ancient well: "Your Majesty is wise. My wish has been fulfilled, and I have no regrets even in death."
His voice was hoarse but firm, as if he truly had no worries.
Incense wafted through the hall, and the hawk-like gaze of the man in the corner remained fixed on the two of them.
The eldest princess suddenly raised her voice: "Is there any unfulfilled wish? I... will do my best."
She unconsciously stroked the Buddhist prayer beads on her wrist with her fingertips.
Tang Bo's eyes flickered slightly as he suddenly looked out the window at the drifting clouds, which came and went freely and lightly.
"If Your Highness would have mercy..."
His voice was as soft as a sigh, "Please deliver my remains to Physician Su of the Qihuangzhai."
His withered fingers clenched tightly in his sleeve. "He knew...where to bury me."
The princess's pupils constricted sharply. What a coincidence!
"Very well, I will certainly take care of this for you."
"Thank you, Your Highness."
Tang Bo suddenly revealed a relieved smile, "These years of barely surviving..."
He gazed into the void, as if seeing a distant figure, "Finally... I can see my wife and children."