Volume One, Chapter 15: Not a Single Word Can Be Trusted

Page 1/3

“Your Majesty... what is this?”
The emperor was nearly breathless from crying, and an older eunuch beside him quietly wiped his tears with a handkerchief.
He stepped forward to pat the emperor’s back, helping him steady his breathing while offering gentle counsel:
“Your Majesty, please take care of your health! Now that the princess has been recognized, it should ease the suffering of these past years.”
“Xingdu, you are my true daughter. Your mother, Consort Mei, was my most beloved.”
Hadn’t Consort Mei passed away long ago?
In her lifetime, Consort Mei was the most favored in the palace.
Though born a commoner, she had once nearly persuaded the newly enthroned emperor, whose foundation was still fragile, to defy the ministers and raise her to empress.
It was later heard that she died in childbirth shortly before the coronation ceremony—could she have been the one who perished in that delivery?
But that didn’t add up. With such favor from the emperor, why would she send her own daughter out of the palace to be raised by others?
“You must not abandon your mother,” the emperor said.
Xingdu narrowed her eyes, thinking perhaps the emperor blamed her for her mother’s death, which was why he had sent her away.
Inwardly, Xingdu was speechless. If they loved each other so much, who did she offend?
The emperor grasped Xingdu’s hand tightly again.
“I should never have sent you to be raised by the Shen family.
Xingdu, can you forgive your father?”
His question was sincere, resembling a desperate father pleading for his daughter’s forgiveness.
Suddenly, Xingdu recalled her master’s warning long ago to be wary of the emperor.
Not a single word from the emperor could be trusted.
At the time, she had been puzzled—how was she to be cautious of an emperor who was a stranger to her?
Years had passed, and she had long forgotten the warning, never expecting such a staggering secret to await her.
Her master had vanished years ago without a trace. Who exactly was her master?
Did he already know the secret of her identity?
Suppressing the overwhelming shock inside, Xingdu suddenly remembered something—last night, Du Ruolan had burst into Yan Nanfei’s room and suddenly looked up toward the window. Now dawn had broken, nearly noon.
“It’s too late—probably no time left...”
Xingdu murmured this absentmindedly.
Hearing her, the emperor was first stunned, then sobbed even more bitterly.
“Xingdu, are you blaming your father?”
Xingdu furrowed her brow, fingers tightening involuntarily, wrinkling the silk quilt beneath her grasp.
The old eunuch hurried to advise: “Your Majesty, please do not get agitated—agitation harms your spirit!
Princess Xingdu, His Majesty has truly longed for you day and night all these years.
He often gazes at your childhood portrait alone, sitting silently until midnight.
If it weren’t for—”
The emperor waved his hand and gave a subtle signal.
The eunuch quickly changed his words.
“His Majesty has his reasons, Princess Xingdu. Please do not cause discord with His Majesty.”
Xingdu nodded awkwardly.
Her father had often commissioned painters to capture her likeness when she was young, but later the portraits had vanished without a trace.

Page 2/3

She believed the eunuch’s words.
After the emperor had cried himself out, he released Xingdu and grasped both her hands again.
“Child, Yan Nanfei says he wants to marry you—do you truly wish this?
Though I allowed you to be raised at the Shen residence, I have never stopped watching your every move all these years.
I have never heard of any interaction between you and Yan Nanfei. How is it that suddenly you both are in love and he insists on marrying you?
Has he threatened you?
If so, tell your father—he will not let him off!”
The emperor spoke fiercely, stroking his beard and glaring as if ready to arrest Yan Nanfei on the spot.
Then he fixed his gaze on Xingdu.
Xingdu, long hardened in the business world and skilled in reading people, remained clear-headed, especially with her master’s warning in mind.
Half a month ago, when she was gravely ill and unattended at the Shen residence, he did not acknowledge her.
When rumors spread wildly about her fainting in the woods, he did not come forward to quell them.
Yet, when Yan Nanfei declared he wanted to marry her, the emperor suddenly kept her in the palace to acknowledge her.
Recalling that the emperor had once intended to marry the Fourth Princess to Yan Nanfei, but he had refused, Xingdu immediately understood: the emperor’s recognition must be linked to Yan Nanfei.
The most reasonable explanation was that the emperor wanted to use her to bind Yan Nanfei.
Xingdu forced a few tears, clinging to the emperor’s arm and acting coquettish.
“Father, I have only briefly met General Yan and once helped his beloved pet.
Later, when someone slandered me, General Yan sympathized with my plight and, out of righteousness, agreed to marry me. He never threatened me.
Please don’t be angry and risk your health. That would be my fault.”
The emperor’s brows furrowed and relaxed repeatedly as he listened to her half-truths.
After a moment’s hesitation, he sighed with relief and gently patted her back.
“Xingdu, tonight I will hold a recognition banquet in the palace to officially confer your title as princess.
I want everyone to know you are my daughter, the most honored princess of the Great Zhao.
From now on, there will be no more ‘daughter of the Shen family’!
I dare anyone to say a word against you!”
Xingdu nestled obediently in the emperor’s arms, appearing like a delicate daughter needing her father’s protection.
Yet inwardly, she scoffed—who would want to be your princess?
She had once thought being a princess of a nation was a boon.
The emperor already had three princesses: the eldest married off to a neighboring country long ago, the second wed to the Minister of Revenue to secure political alliances, and the fourth—the Fortunate Princess—whom the emperor had planned to marry to Yan Nanfei.
Now it seemed his intentions had shifted to her instead.
She had seen through the true colors of Grand Tutor Shen and would never fall for the emperor’s schemes again.
Feigning fear, she wiped her tears, sobbing softly in his arms:
“Father, I grew up at the Shen residence, spoiled and careless, poorly taught in poetry, etiquette, and rites.
Having never been by your side to serve you, never enjoyed your affection, I do not even know the most basic royal protocols.
I fear I cannot bear the responsibilities of a royal princess and would only disappoint you.
I am an unfilial daughter who wishes only to stay at the Shen residence as a leisurely daughter of the Grand Tutor, marry the one I love, and live an ordinary life.”
Her words were earnest, showing no desire for the noble status of princess.
This only made the emperor feel guiltier, and he repeatedly patted her arm.
“My Xingdu, I was wrong all these years. I have wronged you.”
His voice choked with emotion several times.
“Father...”
Xingdu feigned a sob, her voice breaking amid her tears.
But inwardly she thought, if he truly cared, he wouldn’t have sent her away from the palace to begin with.
If he truly cared, how could he have let her reputation be ruined for half a month without intervention?
If repairing her reputation required effort from Grand Tutor Shen, it would be a mere trifle for the emperor.
The so-called royal princess was nothing but a political tool for the emperor to win favor.
Having been deeply hurt at the Shen residence, she would never give her heart away so easily again.
“If you truly care for me, Father, you can acknowledge me as your adopted daughter and grant me the title of Commandery Princess or County Princess.
I only wish to often come to the palace to accompany you, making up for the lost time between father and daughter.”
Xingdu’s voice was full of grievance as she clung to the emperor’s neck, softly sobbing.
The emperor, appearing deeply sorrowful, repeatedly promised:
“Rest assured, Xingdu.
Tonight was originally prepared as your investiture ceremony.
Since you do not wish to be a princess, I will recognize you as my adopted daughter instead.
You may come to the palace to see me whenever you wish!”
“Thank you, Father... Xingdu now has someone to rely on and will never be bullied again.”
The emperor’s expression shifted suddenly:
“Xingdu, have you had a hard time at the Shen residence?
Has anyone bullied you?”
Xingdu sneered inwardly—wasn’t that with your tacit approval?
Shen Xingzhang was always cautious. Without absolute proof that she had lost the emperor’s protection, he would never mistreat her.
Given Xingdu’s understanding of Grand Tutor Shen, he must have repeatedly tested the waters and, once certain she was no longer valuable, agreed to have her married off as a concubine to the Lu family and even allowed Miss Jiang to marry her off to some distant relative for profit.
But what had the emperor done? What had led Grand Tutor Shen to such a conclusion?
By now, Xingdu could guess some of it.
Her master was right—the emperor’s words could not be trusted even a single letter.
“Father, I grew up in the Grand Tutor’s household, cherished and cared for.
Grand Tutor Shen has always been kind to me and never neglected me.
It’s just that in these past two weeks, he has seemed like a different person...
I am grateful for the Shen family’s care and hope you won’t trouble them.”
Xingdu deliberately spoke these cutting words, watching the emperor’s expression carefully.
Hearing how much she had suffered yet still defended the Shen family, the emperor felt stifled.
The phrase “cherished at his knees” weighed heavily on his heart.

Page 3/3