MCSCPM -Chapter 114 Revealing the Truth

“Mei’er, these days won’t last for long,” the man in black said in a low voice.

Only after the guard had gone far away did Nangong Mei slowly step back into the bamboo grove.

In the span of just one cup of tea, the man before her had become her foster father. Her mother’s death, and the sudden appearance of this man in black, were both things she found difficult to accept.

“Foster Father, last time you only told me half of the story. Mei’er is very curious—what comes next?” Nangong Mei asked calmly. On the surface she appeared composed, but inside she was desperate to know the truth hidden behind it all.

“Mei’er, your mother’s death involved secrets of the imperial palace. Though she was merely a scapegoat, you must understand that these matters are inseparable from the current Empress,” the man in black said expressionlessly, veins slowly bulging on his forehead.

“In reply to Foster Father, Mei’er wishes to know—what secret was so grave that they would kill without mercy?” Anger burned in Nangong Mei’s eyes.

“This matter begins with the Empress,” the man in black said, closing his eyes as his thoughts drifted back many years.

Back then, Nangong Mei had not yet been born.

“At that time, the former Empress was still alive, and Nangong Xiao was not yet the Crown Prince,” the man in black said lightly, as if the matter had nothing to do with him.

Nangong Mei said nothing, listening attentively.

That was more than a decade ago. Nangong Xiao had just been born, and his mother—then the reigning Empress—was deeply favored by the Emperor.

But within the harem, such favor, coupled with giving birth to a prince, was bound to arouse jealousy among countless concubines. He Minmin was naturally among them.

At that time, He Minmin was only a concubine, with little power of her own. She too wished to bear a prince and ascend to the position of Empress. But Nangong Xiao’s mother stood squarely in her way.

Watching all of the Emperor’s affection concentrate on Nangong Xiao’s mother alone, she could not accept it.

“Foster Father, you mean…?” Hearing this, Nangong Mei vaguely sensed something. She had once heard her own mother mention the matter of the former Empress, but it was always brushed off in just a few words.

From the sound of it, the former Empress’s downfall must have been closely tied to He Minmin.

“Mei’er, you are exceptionally intelligent—you simply dislike getting entangled in palace intrigues,” the man in black said, gently patting her head, his eyes full of affection.

The man before her became increasingly unfathomable to Nangong Mei. He knew events from over ten years ago and understood both her mother and her temperament so well. Could it truly be as simple as him being her mother’s childhood sweetheart?

“Foster Father, what happened to the Empress afterward?” Nangong Mei asked eagerly. She wanted to know how that ruthless woman had framed others.

If that were the case, then perhaps the Empress’s own poisoning had also been staged by herself. At this thought, Nangong Mei clenched her fist tightly, her nails digging into her flesh without her noticing.

“He Minmin had her own influence in the palace. Nangong Xiao’s mother was too conspicuous. I don’t know exactly what He Minmin did, but it was rumored that the Empress had an illicit affair, which the Emperor discovered,” the man in black paused, recalling events from long ago.

Nangong Mei let out a cold laugh. Only she could have pulled off something like that.

“Mei’er, what’s wrong?” the man in black asked, noticing the faint smile on her face.

“Nothing, Foster Father. I was just thinking of my mother,” Nangong Mei explained. Perhaps her mother had met her end in the same way—at He Minmin’s hands.

“The affair spread quickly within the palace. However, the Emperor ordered the matter to be covered up, as it would disgrace him. At that time, any palace maids who privately discussed it were discovered and executed.”

“Did the Emperor not investigate the matter?” Nangong Mei asked in disbelief. Her father was, after all, the Emperor of Xize—surely he would not be so unreasonable.

“There was an investigation,” the man in black replied. “But the man who allegedly consorted with the Empress committed suicide in prison out of fear of his crimes.”

“The Emperor, still mindful of marital affection, directly deposed the Empress. Nangong Xiao was still young and suffered alongside his mother,” the man in black said. A trace of pity flashed in his eyes, quickly disappearing.

“The affair was discovered in the Empress’s own palace. At the scene were originally only the Emperor—but He Minmin was also present.”

“Mei’er, you must understand that these matters are never as simple as they appear. He Minmin is not a simple woman. It was she who framed and killed the former Empress.”

Hearing this, Nangong Mei immediately thought of her own mother. If, as her foster father said, He Minmin had been capable of forcing the Emperor to depose an Empress, then killing her mother would have been effortless.

“In this palace, those with enviable status may not even know when they will die,” Nangong Mei thought, a chill rising in her heart.

“After being deposed, the former Empress was sent directly to the Cold Palace, where she eventually died in depression. Crown Prince Nangong Xiao lost his mother at a young age. Emperor Nangong Lin felt he owed Nangong Xiao, yet the fact that his beloved Empress—despite receiving boundless favor—had still consorted with another became a thorn in his heart, one he could never pull out.”

“If it was a thorn, then what did he do to make up for it?” Nangong Mei asked bitterly. After her own mother died, had her father ever come to see her? Not once. Even when she herself was poisoned, he showed no concern. All she received was bullying from those in the harem.

Compensation? Regret? In Nangong Mei’s eyes, they were nothing but lies.

Since her mother’s death, everyone in the palace had been wolves in sheep’s clothing to her.

“Nangong Xiao was intelligent from a young age, well-versed in literature, and exceptionally talented, earning Emperor Nangong Lin’s favor. Thus, even after He Minmin became Empress and bore the Second Prince, Nangong Lin still named Nangong Xiao Crown Prince. This decision remains a thorn in He Minmin’s heart to this day. The Emperor’s choice was likely a form of compensation to the former Empress,” the man in black said, sorrow crossing his face. He shared Nangong Mei’s sentiments all too well.

Consort Sun’s death—no matter how she explained it, Nangong Lin never believed her. It was just like years ago, when the Empress was discovered consorting with another in her chambers, desperately explaining herself before the Emperor, only to be deposed and sent to the Cold Palace.

A cool breeze swept through the bamboo grove, carrying an air of desolation.

“Foster Father, after my mother died, what compensation did Father ever give? I don’t need compensation—but he didn’t even look at me or my mother once after her death. Is that the difference?” Tears streamed down Nangong Mei’s face. The dam in her heart had long since burst, though she struggled not to sob aloud.

“You have truly suffered,” the man in black said in consolation.

“If the Emperor had not felt guilt toward Nangong Xiao—who was frail from childhood, and burdened by his mother’s fate—his so-called talent would have been nothing more than a pretext. From ancient times to now, once an Emperor makes a decision, it cannot be changed,” the man in black said calmly. The bamboo grove was eerily silent. Had anyone overheard their conversation, it would have been enough to have them executed a thousand times over.

“Mei’er, the past is past and cannot be undone. What has not yet happened still leaves room for change,” the man in black tried to comfort her. Such suffering would be unbearable for any woman—let alone the Second Princess of Xize.

At this moment, Nangong Mei’s guard toward the man in black had almost completely fallen. When a woman is at her most heartbroken and vulnerable, she is most easily taken advantage of.

“Foster Father, you must explain everything to me clearly. Now, you are the only one I can trust,” Nangong Mei said helplessly. Her eyes brimmed with tears, her crying as delicate as pear blossoms in the rain—enough to stir pity in any man’s heart.

“This is only part of the story. There is much more I have not yet told you. If this continues, I cannot tell you what comes next.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Nangong Mei quickly wiped away her tears. She had to become strong now. No matter what lay ahead, she had to face it with strength.

“Foster Father, Mei’er only feels it is unfair—to myself and to my mother,” Nangong Mei said, her eyes still glistening, her voice slightly choked.

“If you cannot bear it, how will you face what comes next?”

The man in black’s words echoed in her ears. Nangong Mei told herself: you are no longer the Nangong Mei you once were.

A sharp glint flashed through her eyes, disappearing in an instant. In the darkness, no one noticed—least of all the man standing before her.

“Mei’er, you must understand the heavy responsibility you bear. Foster Father feels the same as you. If your mother was framed to death like this and we do nothing, would you truly be willing to live on in this world alone?” The man in black gazed straight at the fragile woman before him, speaking with pain in his heart.

Nangong Mei said nothing more. She simply looked at him, all the loneliness and helplessness in her heart laid bare at that moment.

“Foster Father… what happened after that?” Nangong Mei shut her eyes tightly, afraid to imagine what came next.