Proud Feather

Chapter 124 Admit your mistake
The carriage stopped in front of the tavern by the small bridge. Xiao Yu asked, "Is the princess going back to the Duke's mansion? I'll have them give you a ride."

Chu Ling said, "I won't go back, but I need to borrow your carriage for now."

Xiao Yu asked in surprise, "Where did the princess go?"

Chu Ling turned her head and smiled slightly at him: "Of course, I'm going home."

Go home? Her home is in the palace... but the imperial city is already closed! Knocking on the palace gates at night is a serious crime, even a princess cannot commit it.

Xiao Yu wanted to offer some advice, but then felt that Chu Ling wasn't a fool. Could he have some other intention?
Chu Ling had already told him to get out of there: "You can leave now. I'll return the car to you tomorrow."

"..." Xiao Yu could only take the servant's hand and be helped out of the carriage.

As soon as Gongsun Hong jumped off the carriage, the guards who had been standing by the tavern surrounded her. Some drove the carriage, while others guarded her. The ordinary carriage was instantly transformed into the princess's imperial entourage, and they escorted her towards the capital.

The four of them stood watching for a while, and Wu Zhiyong couldn't help but ask first: "Young master, what exactly does the princess want to do?"

Xiao Yu didn't answer, but Gongsun Hong said, "Of course, we're going to solve tonight's problems."

Wu Zhiyong asked in confusion, "What's the problem tonight?"

Gongsun Hong rolled her eyes at him: "The princess saw the perpetrator, do you think the other party saw the princess?"

Wu Zhiyong suddenly realized: "Oh..."

The other party certainly saw it, which means that the emperor knew the princess was at the scene of the crime.

That night, though father and daughter didn't meet, they tore down the paper barrier between them. When the emperor realized his image in the princess's heart had crumbled, would he still be willing to be a loving father?
This is the biggest crisis tonight.

"Young master, what do you think the princess will do?" Gongsun Hong asked.

Xiao Yu glanced at him slowly and said, "Won't we know tomorrow? Alright, go and rest!"
-
At dawn, the emperor slowly awoke.

With a slight movement, he was greeted by well-trained palace servants who came in to help him wash and change.

The emperor went to bed very late last night, and Xue Wang returned around midnight. He had only slept for a little over two hours and was feeling quite tired.

When he saw Sun Shouquan outside the door, he became even more displeased: "What's the matter so early in the morning?"

Sun Shou, being a full-fledged eunuch, rarely had close personal service anymore. For him to be waiting outside so early, something must have happened.

Sun Shouquan was well aware of the emperor's mood, but he couldn't remain silent about it. So he smiled ingratiatingly and leaned closer, whispering, "Your Majesty, the princess returned last night."

The emperor frowned: "Last night? How did she get into the palace?"

“They didn’t go in; they’re just waiting at the gate!” Sun Shouquan said. “They came in a very simple carriage with only five or six guards and stopped outside the palace gate. They arrived at four in the morning and have been waiting ever since.”

"..." The emperor's initial anger subsided slightly. "Did she say or do anything?"

"No, we just entered the palace gate and are now heading this way."

The emperor fell silent, momentarily feeling somewhat uneasy.

After all, she was his daughter whom he had loved for over a decade. She had spoken so coldly to Xue Wang last night, so when it came to making a choice, he couldn't help but feel reluctant.

Just then, a report came from outside: "Your Majesty, the princess requests an audience."

The emperor exhaled, gesturing for the palace servants to fasten their belts: "Summon them!"...

When Chu Ling entered, the emperor was sitting in his usual spot, drinking soup. Tears quickly welled up in her eyes, but she managed to restrain herself and bowed deeply, saying, "Your subject greets Your Majesty."

The emperor had been watching closely, and only now did he raise his eyes to look at his daughter, whom he hadn't seen for over half a month.

She was wearing casual clothes, which she must have changed into last night before going out. There was some dust on the hem of her skirt, but it was generally neat and tidy, and it was clear that she had taken care of it.

The emperor breathed a sigh of relief; she hadn't deliberately used a self-inflicted injury scheme, and after all, she still respected him as her father.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming back?" he said casually. "I could have sent someone to pick you up."

Chu Ling replied, "Your subject only decided to come back at the last minute and didn't have time."

"Temporary?" The emperor narrowed his eyes. "Why?"

Chu Ling then raised her head, revealing a slightly haggard but clearly well-groomed face. Looking at her father, who had doted on her for over a decade, she bit her lip and softly asked, "Father, may they leave first?"

The emperor remained silent for a moment, then ordered, "You may all leave."

"Yes," the palace servants and eunuchs responded and filed out.

Soon only the father and daughter remained in the hall. The emperor said, "Say what you want to say!"

Chu Ling hesitated for a moment, then slowly took out the token and handed it over: "Father, you sent that person last night, didn't you?"

"So you did say it!" The emperor felt a mix of emotions, but calmly admitted, "That's right."

"Why?" Chu Ling looked at him. "Wasn't it your order to exile Minister Lin? Why then did you send someone to kill him?"

"..." The emperor thought he was prepared, but when the moment came, he couldn't say a word.

She wasn't his first child, nor was she his most cherished child, but she was the only child to whom he gave his fatherly love without reservation.

The Crown Prince, as the eldest son of the legitimate wife, bears a heavy responsibility. The second son is mediocre, and his mother comes from a humble background. Only this daughter is unrelated to the throne and has no vested interests, allowing him to simply enjoy the joy of being a father.

After so many years, he had developed an attachment to even a cat or dog. How could he bear to part with it all at once?

"A Ling..."

The emotionally charged call made Chu Ling blink, and tears that had been welling up for a long time flowed down her cheeks.

So she grabbed the emperor's hand and cried, "Father! You're not reconciled either, are you? He clearly killed my elder brother, yet he only got an exile! Why? I hate him so much! So I'm going to kill him! I don't want him to, and I can't let him leave the capital alive!"

The emperor paused, swallowing back the words he was about to say.

Chu Ling couldn't stop her tears. She held his hand and cried bitterly, "But I didn't dare to kill him. When the time came, I didn't dare to do it. I could only let him go... When I found out he was dead, I felt so relieved! I'm sorry, Father. I thought you were indifferent to my elder brother's death and I resented you for failing as a father. It turns out that your heart is the same as mine. It's just that the burden on your shoulders is too heavy and you have too many things to consider. You can't be as willful as I am."

At this point, she tilted her head back, her eyes sparkling as she looked at the emperor: "I wanted to see you last night, but I didn't dare... I thought about it for a long time outside the palace gates. I was too naive before. The country, the people, the throne... you have so many things to consider, how can you act so casually? My elder brother's reputation must be protected, and the court must be kept stable. Besides, you said you would investigate privately, you didn't ignore it. I was ignorant, I'm sorry, Father."

As she spoke, tears streamed down her face again, her eyes clear and bright, just like when she was a child.

The emperor's hardened heart was gradually softened by the gentle touch.

This daughter was not raised in vain after all.