Chapter seventeen:
"This unfilial daughter greets your royal highness."
Ru Gu Meng made a full bow to the emperor not daring to get up without permission. If Feng Qi could see how perfect Ru Gu Meng was acting right now he would surely cough up blood in anger.
The emperor rubbed his mustache and his eyes revealed that he was satisfied with how she was acting. He was extremely surprised that his normally bratty daughter was acting like an adult today. At least the girl had self awareness and understood the importance of the issue.
"Ru Gu Meng because of your actions you are accused of attacking Prince Feng multiple times, dragging him out of the dungeon against his will, and attempting to kill him. I don't care about the boy at all, however many of his people are extremely rilled up about this ordeal. Also, you killed a maid who helped raise you for ten years out of no where! Before only people in the palace knew how ruthless you are, but now it is harming your reputation outside as well. What do you have to say for yourself?"
Ru Gu Meng already expected the majority of the accusations thrown at her. After all, no one would believe that someone like her could just turn around over a new leaf and become a saint. Opening her mouth to state her premeditated argument she froze and then looked up questionably at the emperor.
"I am willing to explain every accusation thrown at me except for one... I didn't kill my maid..." Meng didn't understand how they came up with the idea she killed her maid when she didn't even try to harm that woman. If anything the woman was thinking about harming her before she died!
The emperor sighed in annoyance when the girl decided to lie about something so small. The maid was just a commoner and didn't matter much. If she just did it in a more subtle way no one would even condone her for it.
Commoners were just life stock to royals, but for a ten year old to kill one in her own room was quite questionable. Now everyone was calling her insane and demanding that the emperor locked her up to protect the people!
"The royal physicians theirselves confirmed that the maid was crushed from your aura. There is no reason to lie about this matter."
The emperor's eyes grew cold as he thought about how she lied with such a straight face.
Meng's eyes grew wide with realization when she found out she killed the maid. She felt conflicted inside as this was the first person she has ever killed. Should she cry? In some novels the main character passed out after their first kill or threw up.... how should she react to this.
Meng didn't know why, but when she heard that she killed the maid she felt nothing. No remorse... no sickness... no self hatred... just nothing. Maybe because she was never been around a lot of people, she never found out how cold she was. It seemed that she was truly fit to be a villain someone as messed up as her shouldn't even think about being a good person.
Seeing that Meng was in a daze the emperor cleared his throat to bring her back to reality.
"Your daughter apologizes for losing focus! About the maid, I didn't mean to kill her, however, because I wasn't aware of my surroundings after being asleep for so long my aura accidentally crushed her. I will make sure to reimburse her family and give them my sincere condolences."
She glanced up at the emperor quickly and relaxed a bit when she saw his eyes weren't as cold as before.
Ru Gu Meng's father in the book was known for his coldness and greed. While, Ru Gu Meng harmed Feng Qi physically, Emperor Ru destroyed Feng Qi's reputation before exiling him in the end. This horrible reputation was one of the keys that led to his eventual death by the male MC.
Therefore, looking at one of the snakes that hurt her dearest straight forwardly, left a bad taste in her mouth. Too make it worse, Emperor Ru most likely killed Ru Gu Meng to save his reputation, when she disappeared suddenly at the age of twelve. 'As long as I don't get on his bad side I should be fine, right?
Meng pushed back the thoughts of dislike, returning her eyes to blank circles of brown they normally always were. After all, her parents in her previous life seemed to be the same kind of people as Emperor Ru, which is why she knew how to deal with such people.
As long as they are benefiting off of you more than they are helping you, they won't harm you. The key is to make sure you are important.
"About Prince Feng the reason I have been showing him so much 'attention' and even 'saved' him from the dungeon is because I thought of a plan to reduce father emperor's worries."
Meng calmly twisted her words to paint her actions in a more brighter light. As she expected right when the emperor heard that she had something helpful the cold aura in the room lowered exponentially. Without a doubt, he most likely didn't expect to get much of of a ten year old, however it was good enough as long as she gave him a direction to get out of the political issues.
"Stand up and talk, you have this emperor's attention. If you are wasting my time I am sure you understand that the consequences will be dire."
"Yes father!" Meng forced herself to stand up after being on her knees for so long. She felt extremely stiff, but knew better than to show it.
"If I understand correctly the reason why the issue with Prince Feng is causing so much tension is because the people of Falling Leaf Kingdom aren't yet comfortable about being taken over by our kingdom. Therefore, the only thing that is appeasing them is the fact that you gave their old prince a rank one position in the Sun Kingdom. However, those people still don't feel safe do they? because they understand that the position can be removed just as quickly as it was given."
When Meng stated all of the issues with the Falling Leaf Kingdom the emperor's eyes grew wide. This type of knowledge isn't something a ten year old should grasp so easily! He stared warily at his daughter... was someone feeding her this information?
Chapter Eighteen:
Staring into the emperor's eyes, Meng could figure out the thoughts going through his head.
She was too excited about her idea and forgot to act like the brat she was currently living in. Even though this society was a lot more open than the world she previously lived in they still had the habit of killing things they can't explain.
When the emperor started to look at her warily she really wanted to smack herself. If he decided to declare her a spy wouldn't that be the end of everything. They would certainly burn her to the stake without a second thought.
Meng didn't fear death at all in her past life because she didn't have anything to lose. Her writing career was dying and without Feng Qi being alive she didn't look forward to reading 'Defying Moonlight' anymore. At that point in her life she had absolutely no reason to continue living.
However, now... things were different she finally had someone she cared for and a purpose in her life to fulfill. When she thought about dying now her heart would feel sick and her mind would start to hurt. To die after being put in a land of endless opportunities was far too wasteful. She would definitely not waste this life and give it her all!
Meng threw away her disturbing thoughts and a shine sparkled in her eye. Her name was now Ru Gu Meng and she was ten years old. She pushed this thought into her head and forced it to materialize. With her low EQ, she was thankful she was in the body of a ten year old. 'Just play dumb and I should be fine.'
Meng twisted her fingers nervously as she shyly glanced at the emperor.
"I really didn't mean to spy on father when he was speaking to his friends, but since father looked so worried I couldn't help myself." Her eyes got teary and her face blushed with shame.
Staring at such a adorable display the emperor dismissed his previous thoughts about Meng being a spy. Spies were manipulative and nothing like his straight forward Meng Meng.
"Don't worry I don't blame you. I am extremely happy that you are already thinking about how to help your kingdom." The emperor gave his approval to her act and missed the wicked gleam in her eyes.
She let out a small sniffle, but quickly held it back trying to put on a brave front. Another crack showed in the emperor's heart when he saw his daughter trying to act grown. If his daughter was unfilial than their wasn't a filial child in this world!
Seeing the emperor buying her act Meng decided to land the final blow into the emperor's heart and earn her and Feng Qi security.
"The idea that this daughter came up with after thinking for a long time is marriage. I heard from mommy that marriage can united and fix anything, therefore why don't we use it to make the Falling Leaf Kingdom happy."
Meng included the empress in her words to make it seem like it was the empress who put her up to it. Regardless of how she acted now, her words before were far too cultured for her age. The emperor should now reach the conclusion that it was all the empress's words through her mouth.
After all, for the first ten years of her life she never acted like this, therefore someone else giving her the words would only be the most logical conclusion.
The girl than determinedly looked into the emperor's eyes. "I am willing the marry Feng Qi as long as it brings peace to the kingdom and makes father happy!" After Meng's bold declaration the entire room fell silent.
"Hahahaha! You truly are a good daughter!" The emperor stood up and patted her head in acknowledgment.
Why didn't he think of marriage before! Not only would it bring the people closer together, but since everyone knows that he loves Princess Meng the most than it will show how well he treats the prince. It also, completely and utterly gets rid of the stain on Meng's reputation, because how could a girl willing to marry Feng Qi harm him!
"Fine we will do what 'you' say Meng Meng. I'll tell the Prince when he comes in, than issue a royal decree tomorrow morning!"
Meng's eyes shined in delight under the emperor's praise.
'Eh... I already acted like a child for you, but do I really have to go through this snake touching my hair....' If it was anyone else than Meng surely would of attacked them by now, however this was the emperor...she would just have to repay him for this grievance later on.
"Go and call in Prince Feng for I can tell him the great news." The emperor thankfully dismissed her and she quickly walked out of the study.
After waiting for Meng for an hour the prince had started pacing in front of the door. If the little demon really did go in there and push the blame on him how will he deal with it? The emperor will never believe him if he denies anything and they might use false news to turn his people against him.
This is one of the main reasons why Feng Qi always got revenge in the dark. With so many people watching him waiting for a mistake how could he ever retaliate in public. But, now the incident with Ru Gu Meng finally made him slip up.
If the emperor wanted to condemn him for it there was nothing he could do. The palace and the majority of its stronger cultivators were apart of the Sun kingdom. They would say whatever they were told of the emperor asked for it.
Hearing the door of the study opening, Feng Qi looked up quickly to see Meng closing the door behind her. He tried to look for any signs of how to meeting went, but he couldn't pick up anything from her body language. Finally after closing the door she skipped up to him with a big grin.
"As promised I handled everything! Not only are you not going to be punished, but the emperor has decided to treat you better. Since he asked for you to come in after me I'm sure he will talk to you about it. If you have any issues in the future you can go to him." 'Because you are about to be his son-in-law...' .
Feng Qi frozen face finally loosened up when he heard her words. He gave her a slight smile of appreciation.
"As this will probably be the last time we speak I want you to know I forgive you for want you did in the past. Now we owe each other nothing."
With that Feng Qi walked past her and into the study without looking back. A dark smile grew on Meng's face after he left. 'Last time we ever speak eh? We'll see about that.' Meng then quickly walked away from the study not wanting to be there when Feng Qi came out.
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