Chapter 143: Emperor’s Decree (2)
Even if someone reveals it, so what? Anyways, it will be discovered sooner or later in this world.
Even if Li Wei really did betray her, even if he and his father colluded with Long Gui Fei, then so what? She wasn’t angry. And right now, can she really confirm at this time that it’s truly a betrayal?
When she thought of that time when they shared a drink as a group, and she remembered hearing him describe the future with confidence and ambition in his eyes. Gong Yi Mo felt sour in her heart. She refused to believe that he was that kind of person who would betray.
Gong Yi Mo took the lead in resisting the imperial edict. Although there were complaints from the entire team, none of them went against her decision.
Gong Che still had not awakened and has been under the physician’s care.
As Gong Yi Mo watched the clouds float in the sky, she suddenly had a crazy idea.
Two days later, she didn’t make a decision. She simply listened to the message. The eunuch visited once again and delivered the emperor’s second decree.
Gong Yi Mo hid behind the screen as she listened to him read out the imperial edict in a shrill voice. After Liu Shilang heard it, he knelt on the ground and almost fainted. The palace eunuch gritted his teeth and looked around as if in search of someone. In the end, he snorted coldly and walked away in a sour temper.
Finished! The emperor even suspected that the prince had a rebellious heart!
Gong Yi Mo came out and unveiled the auspicious treasure. The sacred cauldron was carved with the words, “He who repairs the canal rules under all Heavens!” in striking red. In addition, if Gong Che didn’t leave for the capital right away, the emperor would question whether the crown prince’s intention was truly to ‘rule under all Heavens’!
Gong Yi Mo gritted her teeth. She still had not received news from the two men she sent out to the capital, and wasn’t sure if they were able to meet the emperor. When the emperor first called for Gong Che, the crown prince was injured near death along the way. Since he wasn’t able to go to the capital in time, the emperor must have taken this as a sign of rebellion against his decree. In addition, when hearing the rumors regarding the bronze cauldron, Emperor Gong Sheng must have been furious! So once again, he sent a second decree for them to return to the capital immediately.
Gong Yi Mo held the imperial edict in her hands without saying a word.
“Princess…what should be done?”
Gong Yi Mo looked at the crowd of people whose faces were all pale. They had already received the decree twice. In this era, resisting a decree was a major crime. Since these people followed the Prince here, it can be said that their lives were tied to the prince. But the thought of their wives, children and relatives left back in the capital made them want to head back immediately as the decree stated, so they hesitated to follow Gong Yi Mo’s lead.
Gong Yi Mo looked them in the eye and imprinted this memory in her heart. Sure enough, Liu Shilang looked at the crowd and said,
“Now that His Majesty has made two consecutive decrees in a hurry, we can no longer resist his seal. We’d better start heading back now. As for the prince…” He couldn’t think of a way to deal with the princes’ situation. After all, he was still hanging on for his life. Who knows what will happen if he sets out for the journey?
But he can’t manage it all. If the emperor is angered, millions could die and their family members in the capital will suffer.
Gong Yi Mo stared at the more than a dozen people present. Xu Taiyi, Liu Shilang, Xu Taiji, Li Zhangshi, Gong Gong, and many more…these people can be called her friends, her partners whom she has worked alongside for more than a year! But at this time appeared anxious and frowning, not daring to look her in the eye.
Gong Yi Mo suddenly knelt on one knee.
Everyone was taken by surprise!
“Princess! Why are you–?!”
Liu Shilang stepped forward to help her up but Gong Yi Mo refused. Her back was straight and she looked at them steadfastly.
“I’m not a princess anymore. Now I kneel here and ask for only one thing.”
Liu Shilang and the others stared at her speechlessly. They all thought that Gong Yi Mo wanted them to continue resisting the imperial edict. They wanted to at least continue the journey once the prince awakens and survives the disaster, but the imperial edict was pressuring them to quickly travel back, and they could not go against it.
But Gong Yi Mo didn’t want to go to the palace right away. “I promise to return to the capital…just, not now…”
Sure enough, Liu Shilang frowned deeply, not knowing how to refuse her.
Gong Yi Mo gritted her teeth; she knelt down and kowtowed heavily with a bang towards everyone!