Chapter 469: The Eccentricity Under Dan Liang Royal City (29)

Chapter 469: Defiance Beneath Dan Liang's Royal City (Part 29)

Within the palace, the arrival of a single message from outside sent shock through the halls.

Meanwhile, outside the palace, on the streets—

The fire in the courtyard had long been extinguished by the heavy rain, leaving only charred, collapsed beams and frames in its wake. The streets were littered with severed limbs and bloodied corpses, all cleared away by the Capital Prefecture Office.

Minister Xun, who had initially seemed to hold every advantage, now found himself reduced to following obediently beside the carriage of the Elder Prince who had suddenly appeared, accompanying him to meet their emperor. His earlier self-assured tone when dealing with Su Rao was nowhere to be seen.

Even Pei Liang and the few remaining imperial guards could do nothing but remain silent.

The reason? The Elder Prince was none other than Lord Yun, father of the Yun Empress, maternal grandfather of the Crown Prince, father-in-law of their emperor, and an envoy from Yun Lang to Dan Liang.

No matter the angle, Minister Xun had no choice but to show deference to Lord Yun. The deadly trap they had set for Su Rao had to be abandoned the moment Lord Yun appeared.

A single carriage, surrounded by these men, made its way toward the palace.

Inside the carriage sat three people.

Uncle Yun, the servant who had accompanied Lord Yun, had stepped outside, leaving the space to Su Rao and Han Mochen.

Now, facing each other in heavy silence—

Su Rao remained quiet, merely holding Han Mochen’s hand. Since Lord Yun did not speak, neither did she, leaving the carriage in thick stillness.

Their rain-soaked clothes, dried by their qi, clung to them. The rainwater on their faces had been wiped away with a handkerchief.

A quiet sigh.

Only then did Lord Yun’s gaze shift from sternness back to the Yun family’s trademark warmth, breaking the thick silence in the carriage as if the air had finally begun to flow again.

"Spring rains carry a chill. Have some hot tea to warm yourselves."

Two cups of tea were pushed toward Su Rao and Han Mochen.

After that, he said nothing more. He did not ask a single question about Han Mochen, who sat beside Su Rao.

Though they were grandfather and grandson, at this moment, within the same carriage, they felt like strangers.

Yun Ji was nowhere to be seen, nor had he ever told Su Rao whether Lord Yun had seen him in this state before—how Han Mochen and Lord Yun interacted, whether Lord Yun knew of the events of the past.

Su Rao knew none of this. She had never asked Yun Ji, and since he had never spoken of it, she had never inquired.

Now, in this unexpected reunion, she would not presume to speak for either of them.

And outside the carriage, eavesdroppers lurked nearby.

So no matter how tense the atmosphere inside the carriage was, no matter how Lord Yun treated her and Han Mochen, Su Rao kept her words guarded. She would not ask why Lord Yun had come.

Had he come because he knew Yun Ji was here? Because of Rong Feng’s wedding? Or—had he discovered that the new emperor of Yun Lang was an imposter, that Yun Mujing had come to Dan Liang?

If Lord Yun knew that the ruler of a nation had left a stand-in emperor for court duties while he himself meddled in another country, he would surely come in person to retrieve Yun Mujing.

Perhaps there was another reason—because of her. Because she had brought Yun Ji to Dan Liang.

This grandson, Lord Yun held dear.

Yun Ji aided Yun Mujing's ascension to the throne through a life-threatening situation, and the old Cloud King could arrange everything for Yun Ji, ensuring Yun Mujing ascended the throne without any hindrance.

Yun Ji gave up his title as Prince Yun Ji to stabilize the court of Yun Lang, so his presence wouldn’t stir unrest. The old Cloud King then helped him leave, freeing him from the shackles of royalty from then on.

Thus, Yun Ji could live freely, choosing the life he desired and the people he wished to keep by his side.

Yet in the end, the one he chose—the princess of the former dynasty—brought him to Dan Liang.

Did the old Cloud King fear her hatred still burned? That after her failed schemes in the war between Zhu Xian and Yun Lang, she had now turned her ambitions toward Dan Liang, intending to use him as a weapon to sow chaos in Dan Liang?

These thoughts raced through her mind in a flash.

She picked up a teacup and handed it to Han Mochen, who had been unusually quiet since the old Cloud King appeared. Su Rao kept her other hand tightly clasped around Han Mochen’s, wordlessly reassuring him that no matter what happened, she was there, standing by his side.

Her demeanor made it clear that if his visit was motivated by her last speculated reason, she could plainly declare that she and Yun Ji were now one.

If it was unrelated to her as the princess of the former dynasty but concerned other matters—whether involving Yun Mujing, Yun Ji, or Han Mochen—Su Rao would not pry further, as these were matters Yun Ji should address himself.

As for why she and Yun Ji had come to Dan Liang, she would not elaborate. Regardless of how much the old Cloud King knew, these were matters for Yun Ji to discuss with him, for Yun Ji to decide whether to reveal everything.

Silence once again filled the carriage until it halted before the gates of Rong Palace. Only when a gentle voice sounded outside did the quiet dissipate.

The Emperor of Dan Liang, having received word, had personally come to the palace gates to welcome his father-in-law. With a respectful bow, he dropped all imperial airs, embodying the role of the dutiful son-in-law flawlessly.

Before the old Cloud King could speak, he brought up the incident in the streets himself—claiming he had only just received the news and remained unaware of the details or the underlying reasons.

As he spoke, his tender phoenix eyes, so reminiscent of Yun Ji and Rong Feng, flickered toward Su Rao and Han Mochen, a flicker of darkness crossing them briefly.

Yet he remained the courteous Emperor of Dan Liang, his imperial aura subdued, making him seem even more like Rong Feng—a humble and harmonious gentleman.

Clad in a moon-white dragon robe, simple yet elegant, his tall, well-built frame radiated grace. Despite being in middle age, his demeanor undiminished, exuding charm and poise.

At a glance, one could hardly detect any trace of darkness in him—this man, who was truly a villain.

Compared to Emperor Yu’s inscrutable depth and unfathomable imperial mind, this man leaned more toward profound disguise—even his imperial scheming was concealed. There was no sense of unpredictability about him; instead, he exuded an innate, disarming charm.

This magnetism seemed an inherent trait—like the serene and untouchable aura of Yun Ji, whose mere glance evoked reverence; like the warm-hearted Rong Feng, whose company felt like basking in sunlight; and now, this Emperor of Dan Liang, whose presence naturally inspired goodwill and approachability.