Chapter 183: You lied to me all my life!
The courtyard fell under a tense hush, the moonlight barely managing to soften the chill that settled in the air. After a beat of silence, a voice, sharp yet refined, cut through the stillness..
"So this is what you’ve been up to."
Both the Prime Minister and Zhao Ling Xu turned sharply.
The Empress stood just beyond the shadows, stepping into the light with a grace that was regal to the bone. Though she wore only a simple silk robe, the elegance with which she held herself made her presence dazzling. Her gaze was sharp and disapproving, her steps slow but firm, her anger barely concealed behind a mask of composure.
Despite her age, there was a youthful defiance in the tilt of her chin, in the burn of her eyes. She looked like a woman not to be trifled with, and even the Prime Minister’s ever-present smile flickered under her stare.
"My lady," the Prime Minister greeted, dipping his head, though not bowing entirely. There was a softness in his voice now, one that had not been there a moment ago.
Zhao Ling Xu noticed it immediately. That shift. That faltering. That softness. And something in him twisted.
The Empress did not return the greeting. Her eyes narrowed as she swept her gaze over both men, then landed squarely on the Prime Minister.
"You attacked her," she said plainly. "You attacked Hua Jing."
The Prime Minister shrugged, attempting nonchalance, but the tightness in his jaw betrayed him. "They would have found out eventually," he said. "Zhao Yan is not a fool. Perhaps he already knew."
The Empress stepped closer, silk whispering against the stone as she moved. Her voice was quiet now, but every word was laced with steel.