Chapter 144: The Tyrant King

"Let me go!"

Dragged along the entire way, Hua Rong finally lost her patience and wrenched herself free from his grip.

Caught off guard by her sudden move, Jun Yeli turned back, his brows slightly furrowed. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Do you have any idea what they will think if you just drag me away like this? You are the monarch of a nation—can you not consider the implications for the greater good?"

Though Hua Rong was usually playful and mischievous, she knew when to draw the line. With all the evidence currently pointing toward her, Jun Yeli’s blatant favoritism, displayed right in front of the foreign envoys, was an ominous sign.

Lowering her head, she felt a pang of distress. "I know you trust me, but you must consider the bigger picture. I... I am surely not worth this much trouble."

She didn't know where she found the courage to say such things, and her heart felt heavy with conflicting emotions.

Before she could finish, Jun Yeli stepped forward in a flash, lifting her chin with one hand. A sudden, intense aura swept over her as he leaned in, his lips meeting hers.

"Mmph!"

When she finally managed to push him away, she gasped, "What are you doing!" Hua Rong wiped her lips, the lingering sensation of his presence still haunting her. Her face, already flushed, grew burning hot, and she felt a mix of annoyance and bewilderment. "I am trying to talk to you about serious matters!"

"What serious matters? As long as I, the Emperor, believe you are innocent, then you are innocent. Because I am the Son of Heaven!"

Though the words sounded arrogant and unreasonable, the utter sincerity with which he spoke them made Hua Rong’s heart tremble uncontrollably.

"Your Majesty... you really don't have to do this for me. I’m not worth it..."

"If you say such absurd things again, don't blame me for doing it again." Jun Yeli’s tone was so crisp and decisive that it left her blushing. She couldn't help but roll her eyes. "This is such a grave situation; aren't you being a bit too unprofessional?"

"Enough. You don't need to worry; I will find a way to investigate this thoroughly. But we must clarify one thing: why was that token in their possession?"

The two found a quiet spot to sit and discuss the matter over tea.

Hua Rong recounted the events clearly, though she knew nothing of the person who had saved her. "I was so terrified that I fainted, but I recall that on his clothing... there seemed to be an embroidered lotus pattern..."

In a daze, Hua Rong racked her brains to recall the details.

When she mentioned the lotus pattern, Jun Yeli handed her a brush and paper. "Draw what you saw."

"This... I don't know how to paint." Hua Rong felt embarrassed. Since losing her memory, she was ignorant of many things; even some written characters felt like strangers to her, let alone painting.

However, Jun Yeli grasped her wrist, his low voice echoing gently in her ear. "You can. Trust yourself."

Driven by an inexplicable surge of courage, Hua Rong relied on the image in her mind, slowly moving the brush across the paper until she had sketched a decent likeness. It was a blooming lotus, hauntingly beautiful.

"This is the pattern."

"Why does this design look so familiar?" Jun Yeli felt a shiver of unease as he looked at it. If he remembered correctly, the clues from the totem found when Hua Rong was kidnapped to the Mystic Forest were nearly identical to this.

"It seems this palace is full of hidden dangers. But why target you so persistently?"

Given Hua Rong’s simple nature, she might offend a few women in the harem at most, but she rarely had the opportunity to provoke anyone else. Why would they want her dead time and time again?

Unless, these people had grabbed hold of his own weakness and were trying to control him through Hua Rong!

Watching Jun Yeli’s silence, Hua Rong sensed something was wrong and tentatively asked, "Your Majesty, what is wrong?"

"Nothing. I will send more guards to protect you so that no one can stir up trouble."

After escorting Hua Rong back to her chambers, Jun Yeli ordered his men to begin investigating the pattern.

Meanwhile, the foreign embassy was far from satisfied.

"This Emperor has gone too far! We came from afar as guests, and yet his woman commits murder, and he ignores justice to show favoritism. Does he really think we are so easily bullied?"

The group gathered, filled with righteous indignation. One of them slammed the table so hard it nearly collapsed. Yet, they were under someone else's roof and had to bow their heads; despite their burning rage, they dared not act rashly.

Moreover, the Fengling Dynasty was currently at the height of its power. If they provoked a war, it was uncertain who would suffer the most.

The atmosphere in the room was stifling, yet they were helpless. Just as they sat in gloomy contemplation, the tightly closed door was suddenly pushed open. They looked up, wary.

To their surprise, it was Jun Yechen!

"Oh? Isn't this the Second Prince? To what do we owe the pleasure of such an unexpected visit?" one of them asked with a snide tone, though his arrogance had dampened—after all, they had just been badmouthing the royal family.

Jun Yechen ignored them, walking straight past them to sit at the table. Surrounded by the group, he looked strikingly out of place, yet impossibly calm.

"Gentlemen, do not be agitated. I am here to help you."

"What do you mean?"

Jun Yechen picked up a clean cup, poured himself some tea, and then filled the others. He gestured for them to sit. "Please, take a seat. Let us talk slowly. Standing like this is not very becoming."

The men exchanged glances, unable to fathom his intentions, but they sat down nonetheless. Unable to tolerate his composure, one urged, "Speak your mind. We don't exactly welcome your kind right now!"

"I told you, no need for agitation. Your people died on our territory, and we should be held responsible. The Emperor is blinded by his lust, and his judgment is clouded. But he is the Son of Heaven; even if we want to speak out, we have no real power..."

His words were heavy with implication, leaving the others bewildered. "What exactly are you trying to say?"

Jun Yechen raised an eyebrow, set his cup on the table, and dipped his finger into the tea to trace characters on the wood.

The men leaned in, only to be struck with shock. There, written in water, were two clear characters: *Tyrant.*