113 Ning Fu's Remorse

Ning Fu hadn't thought that the usually easy-going monarch would become so severe but then thinking about it, he realised that he was the one who had dared to pull at the cat's whiskers so now he couldn't complain if the cat had unsheathed its claws and was barring its teeth at him.

So, he silently listened to the monarch as the other person reprimanded him and then asked him to leave.

However, he still couldn't forget the loneliness he had seen in the monarch's eyes a few hours ago and it also reminded him of the solemn tone the monarch had used when he had told about his beloved to the Empress Dowager.

Hence it shouldn't have come as a surprise to either of them when he said, "Your Majesty, this lowly one will reflect on his actions and will gladly accept any punishment you mete out but this lowly one has one thing to say. Will Your Majesty give leave to this lowly official to say it?"

Su Li sighed in anger and exasperation when she heard those words.

The usually reticent Ning Fu was akin to a dog with a bone that wouldn't stop chewing and sucking on it until and unless he finally reached the bone marrow.

Still, she was tired and had to attend the morning court assembly in a few short hours so she didn't want to stay awake any longer and she knew from prior experience that this person wouldn't stop until he had said his peace, so she waved her hand instead of a verbal response.

"Your Majesty, this lowly one doesn't exactly know the kind of problems you have faced in all these years and wouldn't dare to comment upon it. But this one thinks that you are wrong in your thinking that you are untrustworthy."

Su Li whirled around to face Ning Fu at his words and raised an eyebrow,

"This one feels that if what Your Majesty thinks had been true, the late emperor wouldn't have handed over these vast lands and its citizens to Your Majesty."

When the monarch didn't stop or rebuke him for his words, Ning fu bolstered his courage and continued.

"Your Majesty, don't underestimate the esteem and trust the people of this dynasty place upon you. We all trust you from the bottom of our hearts - not only because you are our undisputable liege but also because of your selfless actions since you have been at the helm of this vast empire."

Finished with his words, Ning Fu bowed to the monarch and waited with bated breath for the monarch's words.

Just as Ning Fu raised his eyes to look at the monarch through his eyelashes, he saw the sneer on his face and the moving glint in his eyes.

"Beloved official, Zhen didn't know that you had also learned to brown-nose others in the past year that you have been stationed at the Imperial Capital."

With a dismissive glance at his face, she continued, "You are saying that people - noblemen and commoners alike trust Zhen but isn't there a fallacy in your words, hmm?"

"Your Majesty?"

"Ha! It seems like beloved official doesn't have a good memory because you forgot that you were the first one to question Zhen's integrity right in this Palace to my face."

At those words, Ning Fu staggered backwards as if the words had the power to physically harm him.

He had expected to be reprimanded and scolded for crossing his boundaries and had even wondered if the monarch would lash out at him.

But never in all his dreams had he even deigned to imagine that the affable emperor would say such words to hit him below the belt and knock the wind out of him.

He hadn't expected such callous words.

All the more, he heard the faint voice of his consciousness rearing its head and moving him.

'Ning Fu ah Ning Fu! Who asked you to poke your nose where it didn't belong and now you are crying because you put your hand in a hornet's nest and now when you are getting your just deserts, you are crying because it hurts. Why didn't you think of the consequences before you baked that half-arsed plan of yours.'

He only heard a faint buzzing in his ears and felt as if his soul had flown away.

He felt remorseful and cursed him for his impromptu actions repeatedly but it seemed that repenting or explaining the reasoning behind his actions wouldn't do him any good because the harm had already been done.

He didn't dare look up and glimpse the abject mockery in his liege's eyes and simply bowed his head.

After all, he had already asked for forgiveness for his earlier faux-pas and rehashing everything now would be redundant.

All the more, it looked like even though the monarch had forgiven him, he hadn't forgotten about the incident and would keep it in his heart for a long time to come.

He knelt and kowtowed to the monarch, "Please quell your anger, Your Majesty. Don't harm your body on account of this lowly one. This official had taken leave of his senses and has misspoken. Please be magnanimous enough to forgive your servant." Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting.

Su Li continued to stare at Ning Fu unblinkingly and she swallowed the rising lump in her throat.

Even though she wanted to lash out and hurt this person the way his words had hurt her, she didn't have the heart to be so cruel to someone who had shed blood on the battlefield.

"Beloved Official, you should go back."

Finished with her words, she left without a backward glance not noticing the remorse and self-blame on the other person's face.