Chapter 256: Audience in the Palace

Chapter 256: Audience in the Palace

"Your Majesty, your humble servant pays his respects." After entering, He Qingxiao bowed respectfully.

Emperor Xingyuan glanced at the young man kneeling on one knee, his tone indifferent: "Qingxiao, is there something you need to report?"

He was relatively satisfied with He Qingxiao's trip to Dingbei, but the lingering inability to find the child had caused dissatisfaction to grow in Emperor Xingyuan's heart. If it weren't for being occupied with handling two major cases and the subsequent executions, he would have applied pressure long ago.

"Your Majesty, today, some of my subordinates discovered someone suspected to be Xin You at the execution site."

Emperor Xingyuan shot to his feet. "Where is he?"

"He is in the Northern Pacification Office."

"Are you certain it's that child?" Emperor Xingyuan's heart raced, unable to fully trust this sudden stroke of luck.

Facing the emperor's urgency, He Qingxiao remained calm. "After questioning him, he admitted to being Xin You. Moreover—"

"Moreover what?" Emperor Xingyuan pressed.

He Qingxiao lowered his eyes and continued, "He admitted to being Songling."

The fact that Xin You was Songling didn't raise any doubts for Emperor Xingyuan; on the contrary, it made perfect sense to him.

If Songling wasn't Xin You, how could one explain the clues in the stories he wrote that revealed Xinxin's hidden residence, or how he knew Xinxin's words about living in Huaguo Mountain? Only if Songling was indeed Xin You, his son with Xinxin, would everything finally make sense.

After searching for so long and enduring such anxiety, Emperor Xingyuan still couldn’t shake off his unease. "How much does he resemble the portrait? Have the villagers who met that child confirmed his identity? No torture was used, right?"

Facing the emperor's barrage of questions, He Qingxiao answered methodically, "He bears a strong resemblance to the Xin You in the portrait. I was eager to report his identity to Your Majesty and haven't had the villagers confirm it yet."

"They haven't confirmed?" Emperor Xingyuan's brows furrowed deeply, becoming anxious and uncertain. "Portraits aren't always accurate. We must have people who have seen the child confirm his identity."

"Your Majesty is right. I didn't consider it thoroughly. I'll go back and bring the villagers here for confirmation."

"Wait!" After a moment's hesitation, Emperor Xingyuan made a decision. "I will go with you."

Emperor Xingyuan changed into plainclothes, with Grand Eunuch Sun Yan accompanying him, and they quietly left the palace for the Northern Pacification Office.

"Where is he?" Upon entering the Northern Pacification Office, Emperor Xingyuan asked in a low voice.

"Your Majesty, please follow me." He Qingxiao led Emperor Xingyuan into a room, which was separated by a wall from where Xin You was being held.

The room looked ordinary but had been specially designed with hidden peepholes for discreet observation of the next room.

He Qingxiao lowered his voice. "Your Majesty, he is in the next room."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Xingyuan took a deep breath and peered through the hole, his eyes narrowing involuntarily.

It was that child!

Since discovering the child’s existence, Emperor Xingyuan had kept the portrait close, often studying it in private until the image was etched into his memory.

Despite his excitement and urgency, Emperor Xingyuan, who had faced many crises before, quickly regained his composure as he waited for the villagers to confirm the identity.

The four villagers from Wanyang, who were under the surveillance of the Jinlin Guard, didn't have to wait long before a woman entered the room next door.

Emperor Xingyuan still had an impression of this village woman.

The moment the woman saw Xin You sitting calmly in the room, all her worries vanished, and she exclaimed in delight, "Young Master, it’s really you!"

Xin You glanced at the woman and recognized her: "What brings you to the capital, Auntie?"

The woman hurriedly looked around, seeing that the Jinlin Guard who had brought her did not enter the room. She pulled Xin You aside and asked in a low voice: "Sir, have you offended someone?"

"I haven't offended anyone, Auntie. Don't worry."

The woman hesitated for a moment, her voice even lower: "A few months back, some officers told me to come to the capital. Since I arrived, I've been stuck in some unknown place, and I can't even step outside."

Even though the four villagers didn't know much, they guessed that the young master who had helped them probably got mixed up in something big.

Emperor Xingyuan, straining to hear but failing, shot an impatient look at He Qingxiao.

He only wanted to confirm the young man in the next room was the one, not get caught up in their chat.

One by one, the four villagers came and went, all reacting similarly when they saw Xin You.

Finally feeling reassured, Emperor Xingyuan told He Qingxiao, "Bring him to the palace for an audience later."

Back at the palace, Emperor Xingyuan asked Sun Yan, "Is he here yet?"

Sun Yan: ""

At the Northern Pacification Office, He Qingxiao stepped into Xin You's room and said, "Mr. Xin, His Majesty has summoned you to the palace."

Xin You gave a slight nod.

"By the way, His Majesty just visited here undercover," He Qingxiao added.

Xin You felt a stir in her heart.

This seemingly simple sentence held many clues, the most crucial being it helped her more accurately gauge that person's attitude.

The fact that he personally came to the Northern Pacification Office upon hearing about the discovery of the person suspected to be Xin You indicated that he regarded her with some importance.

This was undoubtedly advantageous for Xin You.

After all, she chose to appear in the identity of Xin You in order to win the emperor's favor and thereby confront the mastermind behind her mother's murder.

"Thank you, Lord He," Xin You murmured her gratitude.

Having timely and accurate information leads to better decisions.

One rode in a carriage, the other on horseback, and when they reached the area where vehicles could no longer go, a eunuch was already waiting there.

"Lord He, please follow this servant," the eunuch said, leading the way.

The eunuch led the way through a series of palace gates, and Xin You stepped forward until she stood before that person.

The last time she entered the palace, it was as Miss Kou that she had an audience with the emperor; this time was entirely different.

"Your Majesty, the Changle Marquis has arrived," Sun Yan reminded, his voice neither high nor low, his lips twitching slightly.

It was often said that the emperor's intentions were hard to read; indeed, the emperor was a master of disguise.

Emperor Xingyuan’s calm demeanor was indeed a facade; in truth, the moment he saw Xin You face-to-face, he felt an overwhelming urge to rush forward and scrutinize her closely.

"Your humble servant greets Your Majesty."

He Qingxiao knelt down to pay his respects, which made the young man standing there even more conspicuous.

Emperor Xingyuan stared intently at the young man, seeing his defiance in his tightly pressed lips, straight back, and deep gaze.

The sharpness of a young man's spirit.

This realization didn't anger Emperor Xingyuan; instead, it left him somewhat reflective.

Of course, as the supreme ruler of Great Xia, Emperor Xingyuan's thoughts could shift at any moment. Seeing the young man, who was likely his and the Empress's son, showing defiance, he found it somewhat amusing. If anyone else acted this way, it would be asking for death.

Xin You understood the principle of knowing when to stop. After appropriately showing some dissatisfaction, she knelt down.

"Commoner Xin You, paying respects to Your Majesty."

Xin You——

Emperor Xingyuan silently repeated her name in his heart, gazing at the young man who bore no resemblance to him, feeling his eyes inexplicably well up.