The most romantic little emperor

Chapter 555 The Dong Family’s Situation

As the night deepens, the stars quietly dot the sky.

Qin Hao raised a faint smile and said softly, "It's late at night, my dears, please go back to bed and have a good rest."

After saying this, he slowly stood up and walked calmly towards the door. His back was lengthened in the dim candlelight, revealing an unquestionable majesty and unrestrainedness.

"Your Majesty..." A soft and somewhat mournful call sounded softly from behind him, like the sound of a bell swaying in the night breeze, intoxicating. Needless to say, Qin Hao knew that it was Dong Meir's unique and gentle voice.

Qin Hao paused for a moment, but did not turn around. He responded in a cold but graceful tone: "I know what you want to say. Before I completely forgive you, you should stay in Linglong Palace and reflect on your mistakes!"

"Remember, I can give you a chance, but if you don't cherish it, you can't blame me."

After saying this, he stepped out of the door resolutely, leading the people who were with him, and disappeared step by step into the night, leaving only a series of steady and firm footsteps echoing in the empty palace.

Only Dong Meir was left alone and sad.

She stood there in a daze, looking at the figure gradually disappearing into the distance. A complex look flashed across her eyes, showing reluctance, regret, and deep helplessness and loneliness.

Dong Sicheng stared at his daughter's unconcealable loneliness and let out a long sigh, as if he had suddenly aged a few years. At this moment, in his eyes, he suddenly felt that the daughter he once took pride in had become somewhat imperfect.

He sighed quietly and said, "Mei'er, after this incident, have you ever truly realized what you have missed?"

"The position of Queen is like the stars in the sky, which is out of reach. From now on, you must let go of your obsession and stop letting it become a lingering haze in your heart. Otherwise, even as your father, I am afraid that I will no longer be able to protect you."

Dong Meir's face changed slightly when she heard this. A hint of resentment and resentment crept up her eyebrows. She bit her lower lip tightly, and her voice was filled with stubbornness and resentment: "How can Wang Yourong easily take away everything that belongs to me? In terms of talent, appearance, and background, I am not inferior to her. How can I easily swallow this resentment!"

Dong Sicheng looked at Dong Meir's unwilling and angry expression, and he felt unwilling in his heart as well. However, things had come to this point and there was no room for redemption.

He knew his daughter's temperament very well. Her stubbornness and pride were both her strengths and her weak spot that was most vulnerable in the palace. If she continued to act recklessly, it would end in tragedy.

So, he spoke slowly, with a tone of earnestness in his voice: "Mei'er, things in this world cannot be determined solely by talent, appearance, and family background."

"Power, opportunity, and even fate all play an indispensable role in this. You must learn to let go, so that you can find a quiet place of your own in this complicated palace."

Dong Meir stamped her lotus feet lightly, frowning, and said angrily: "If Wang Yourong had really been killed by an assassin that day, how could there have been so many twists and turns?"

Dong Sicheng sighed softly upon hearing this, and a bitter smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. He advised gently: "Mei'er, don't have such thoughts again in the future. Your father has already sensed the murderous intention in His Majesty's heart that cannot be ignored. If you still persist in your delusion, I'm afraid no one can save you in the future."

"However, you might as well think about it from another perspective. If you were in His Majesty's supreme position, facing all kinds of deceptions and plots to murder his concubine, which king would not respond with thunderous anger? And to be able to remain calm and forbearing like him, his mind and scheming are also unique. You should feel lucky."

He paused and continued, "Mei'er, do you know? Ever since the Su family's rebellion failed, I have been unable to sleep or eat. I have a bad feeling in my heart that His Majesty may deal with our Dong family next. Just now, this premonition became stronger and stronger."

"I think that the reason why His Majesty is not in a hurry to take action against my Dong family is that he may make a big move next, such as launching a northern expedition to recover the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun."

"If the Dong family still does not stop, once the court situation stabilizes or His Majesty is free, the wrath of thunder will descend upon our Dong family. If that time comes, our Dong family will follow in the footsteps of the Su family and fall into an irretrievable situation. The family's glory will be wiped out in an instant."

"Now, your majesty holds many handles on my Dong family, like a sharp knife hanging over my neck, making me unable to sleep or eat. Moreover, undercurrents are surging around us. I don't know how many spies are hiding inside and outside my mansion. Perhaps our every move is under your majesty's surveillance. If we are not careful, our entire family will be executed and our heads will be separated."

"Therefore, after careful consideration, I plan to resign from my position as the Prime Minister of the Cabinet to Your Majesty tomorrow, so that he can let go of his vigilance and precautions against the Dong family and buy a glimmer of hope. Whether this move can save the Dong family from danger and regain the emperor's favor depends on Your Majesty's tolerance of my Dong family."

When Dong Meir heard this, her heart trembled violently, as if she had just woken up from a dream. Only then did she realize the situation she was in. If she lost the protection of the towering tree of the Dong family, her future would never be bright.

Just like what happened today, if it weren't for her father and aunt's clever manipulation behind the scenes, she would have been banished to the cold palace, living in loneliness and pity.

When she thought of this, she turned pale and sweated profusely. Her voice was as thin as a thread, with a bit of disbelief and fear: "Father, this... How can this be possible? My Dong family has been loyal for generations and has high positions and power. Why can't Your Majesty think of our old friendship and show some leniency to our Dong family?"

Dong Sicheng saw this and smiled bitterly. He said helplessly, "Since ancient times, the power of the emperor and the rights of the court officials have been contradictory. The smaller the power of the emperor, the greater the power of the court officials. Conversely, the greater the power of the emperor, the smaller the power of the court officials."

"This is also the reason why every emperor wants to strengthen the centralization of power. He does not want the imperial power to fall into the hands of others. He does not want the officials to form a collective interest group and speak with one voice. Once the officials form a collective interest group, the situation will be out of the emperor's control."

"This is something that the emperors of all dynasties would not allow to happen. Looking through the history books, aren't there many cases of powerful officials plotting to seize power and usurp the throne? To be honest, the reason why the Great Xia Dynasty was established was because Emperor Taizu stole the throne of Daliang."

"Just like the Su family, in order to gain more power in the court, they took risks and attempted to usurp the throne. What was it for? Was it just for profit? Not entirely, because the Su family had committed many evil things, and he had realized that His Majesty would not tolerate the Su family. He would die if he resisted, and he would also die if he surrendered, so he fought to the death."

"Right now, the Su family has fallen, and my Dong family has become a sitting duck. Moreover, over the years, those members of the Dong family have done countless bad things behind my father's back. If we dig into their details, they are not necessarily any cleaner than the Su family."

"Therefore, the best strategy for our Dong family is to lie low and preserve our strength."