Chapter 255 The Empress's Guilty Conscience
"If your Majesty has nothing else to do, I will take my leave first!"
Zhao Ting wanted to leave, and Di Ran didn't stop him.
"Ah."
Watching Zhao Ting's leaving back, Di Ran had an unclear look in his eyes, and then turned around and walked into the hall.
In the imperial study room.
"Your Majesty~"
Di Ran had a slender figure and he raised his hand slightly to bow.
Ji Yao, who was sitting at the table, had a hypocritical smile on her face and raised her hand to support him.
"King Beichen, there is no need to be so polite. Come, please take a seat."
Di Ran's eyes were indifferent: "Thank you, Your Majesty."
She lifted her skirt slightly and sat upright on the armchair.
Ji Yao waved her sleeves and said, "All of you go down."
The palace maid bowed: "Yes!"
When she and Di Ran were the only ones left in the hall, Ji Yao turned to Di Ran with a slightly restrained smile.
"I heard that the prince took in the orphan of the Feng family?"
Di Ran paused holding the teacup, took a sip and said.
"That's what happened."
Seeing Di Ran admit it so generously, Ji Yao, who thought Di Ran would shirk the responsibility and hide it, was slightly surprised.
He quickly restrained his expression and frowned as if he was displeased.
"Your Majesty, do you know that King Feng Lie of Dingbei is a traitor to the country and a criminal of our Eastern Zhou?"
Emperor Ran said calmly: "Your Majesty, what do you mean by this?"
Ji Yao did not beat around the bush and said in a deep voice, "Your Highness has taken in the daughter of a criminal, which has caused a lot of criticism in the court. I wonder if Your Highness has anything to say?"
Di Ran narrowed his eyes slightly, raised his eyebrows and looked directly at Ji Yao: "Your Majesty, what do you mean by this? Could it be that... you suspect that I have some ill intentions?" Ji Yao's face changed slightly: "How could it be?"
As if afraid that Di Ran would misunderstand, Ji Yao quickly expressed that she trusted Di Ran and would never believe the rumors.
"Your Majesty is loyal to his country, and heaven and earth can bear witness to that. How could I doubt your Majesty?"
Di Ran sneered in his heart but looked calm on the surface.
He glanced at Ji Yao and said slowly: "Your Majesty, as the king of a country, you should be a role model for the people of the world. You should have your own judgment in everything. Don't listen to the slander of others and lose the ability to judge right from wrong."
"This will greatly disappoint the court officials."
Ji Yao's expression turned slightly ugly, her face darkened, and a fierce sense of oppression emanated from her whole body.
"Is Prince Beichen lecturing me?"
Di Ran's eyes were calm, and he said calmly, "How dare I? I was just speaking the truth. Your Majesty has misunderstood."
Ji Yao looked embarrassed, and clenched her hands into fists under her wide sleeves: "Your Majesty, please don't change the subject. Why did you take in the orphan of the Feng family?"
Di Ran raised his eyebrows in surprise and asked, "Your Majesty doesn't know?"
Ji Yao frowned: What does she know?
Only Di Ran's lazy voice came: "Although the King of Dingbei committed a heinous crime, Your Majesty has spared his young daughter, which is a great favor from the Emperor."
"But Your Majesty, do you know that those servants in the mansion became greedy because of their master's death and occupied the entire mansion and did whatever they wanted? They also abused the child."
"Your Majesty, do you know this?"
Di Ran looked at her with a sad gaze, which made Ji Yao feel a little uneasy.
To be honest, of course she knew about the Feng family.
She had let the child go in order to show her kindness, but she had not yet gotten rid of the root of the problem. She felt uneasy, fearing that another Feng Lie would appear to threaten her.
She was not unaware of the abuse of the Feng family's orphan, but that was why she turned a blind eye to it.
If she killed the man, she would be relieved of her worries.
But she didn't expect that the child would actually meet King Beichen and be taken in by her.
This made it difficult for her to calm down.
Secretly wondering what this Di Ran’s purpose is?
What if she finds out something and holds her responsible? What should I do then?
(End of this chapter)
