The King of the Eastern Continent didn't respond.
But it felt as if a weight of a thousand catties had been tied to his feet.
That matter...
How could she know about it?
No one should have known.
"You still refuse to repent. I'm very disappointed in you," the King said without answering Dongfang Yinuo's question. Then he strode away quickly.
Dongfang Yinuo watched the King's back, a chill creeping over her heart.
I should have had a younger brother. But back then, weren't you afraid that if mother gave birth to a son, the Dongfang Clan would have a new hope? So you secretly killed him, didn't you?
Before this...
When she first found out about the relevant matters, Dongfang Yinuo had only suspected.
But seeing the King's reaction just now, she was completely disheartened. It was very likely that he had really committed such a cruel act of killing his own son.
"Princess."
"Nanny, let's go back to the palace."
The nanny supported Dongfang Yinuo's arm, bearing most of her weight.
There's no affection in the royal family.
This was the first time the King of the Eastern Continent had treated the princess so harshly.
The nanny looked at the severely swollen half of the princess's face, her heart filled with grief. She had served the queen and the princess since the princess was a child. People always said the princess lived in luxury and had never suffered any grievances.
But all the glory and wealth in her early years had now turned into retribution. The suffering she endured now was several times heavier than what she had enjoyed before, all repaid to the princess.
Looking at the princess in front of her now...
She walked unsteadily.
Her face was extremely swollen.
But she didn't shed a single tear. It was this old servant who couldn't help but feel grief welling up and shed tears.
"Nanny, don't cry."
"Princess, let's go back to the queen's palace. I'll find the general. They'll seek justice for you."
Dongfang Yinuo shook her head.
"Nanny, we can't go."
Going back to the queen's palace would only make the queen worry more.
Uncle was already facing both internal and external troubles. She was already an adult and couldn't trouble him with this matter. All she could do was hide in a dark corner and lick her wounds alone.
"Nanny, don't cry. I'm fine," Dongfang Yinuo forced a smile.
"The king will surely regret it. He'll definitely come to the princess tonight to explain."
Explain?
Maybe it wouldn't happen.
Madam Jinse was really ruthless.
She even used her own unborn child to frame her.
Her father had truly fallen in love with this woman.
Hearing that their child couldn't be saved, he had lost his temper in a fit of anger and completely ignored the imminent conflict between the Dongfang Clan and the royal family.
Father, father...
If you knew...
The child in her womb wasn't killed by me. She did it on purpose. It was your beloved woman who personally killed your child. Would you regret hurting mother and me so recklessly for her?
Heartache was inevitable.
But what Dongfang Yinuo was most worried about at this moment wasn't this problem.
She was afraid...
Afraid that she wouldn't live to see the senior arrive in the Eastern Continent. Her life might end in the palace.
Would the King of the Eastern Continent just throw caution to the wind?
Would he imprison her in the palace?
Just thinking of the resentful and venomous look in Madam Jinse's eyes before she fainted, Dongfang Yinuo couldn't help but shiver.
No.
Father couldn't possibly take such a risky move for that woman.
Her rationality told her that the King of the Eastern Continent wouldn't do such a thing.
But her heart was filled with panic.
She returned to her palace.
Then she packed some clothes.
Using her spiritual power, she wrote a secret letter and sent it to the senior. If the senior could come, maybe she still had a glimmer of hope.
But this glimmer of hope was too slim.
She didn't know where the senior was now.
It was impossible for the senior to reach the palace of the Eastern Continent in such a short time.
Maybe...
Before the secret letter reached the senior's hands, she would already be executed.
After writing the secret letter, Dongfang Yinuo dismissed everyone.
She quickly got up.
Packed some important items. Then she opened the palace door, planning to leave this place of trouble for a while.
The King of the Eastern Continent, blinded by hatred, might do something even more excessive under that woman's instigation.
Dongfang Yinuo had guessed right.
As soon as she opened the door, a large group of imperial guards rushed into the courtyard outside the princess's palace.
They lined up in formation.
Blocking the palace door.
Dongfang Yinuo couldn't help but sneer.
They were really fast.
It seemed that in this palace, he was just the King of the Eastern Continent, not her father.
From the entrance of the main hall...
It was the King of the Eastern Continent who had severely punished Dongfang Yinuo in the morning.
The guards immediately made way for him.
Seeing this, Dongfang Yinuo knew she couldn't escape. She had been too indulgent when she was young and hadn't practiced hard enough. So now, facing these powerful enemies, there was no way she could escape from their hands.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"Father already knows. Why bother asking?"
"Dongfang Yinuo, I'm your father. Why don't you stand on my side? What do you want to do? Run out of the palace and cry in front of Dongfang Yan, asking him to avenge you?"
Avenge?
Dongfang Yinuo touched her swollen face and said, "Father, do you still remember that you're my father? Haven't I stood on your side enough times? In the past, how many important officials of the Dongfang Clan did you use me to get rid of?"
"I regarded you as my father, but have you ever regarded me as your daughter?"
The King of the Eastern Continent's face darkened.
"It seems you know everything."
"I only hate that I still didn't see you clearly. I hate that I still had a glimmer of hope for you sometimes. In fact, when I told you my suspicions in the imperial garden this morning, you had already decided not to let me live, right?"
Dongfang Yinuo hated her own stupidity.
Hated that she had lost her composure at such a crucial moment.
The King of the Eastern Continent was already a very suspicious man. After she said those things, there was no way he would let her leave the palace.
"Don't blame me. It's all the Dongfang Clan's own doing."
"King of the Eastern Continent, you're truly the king of the Eastern Continent. One day, you'll lose the throne in the same way you got it."
"Shut up. I don't need you to remind me."
The King of the Eastern Continent stepped forward.
His hand tightly grasped Dongfang Yinuo's chin.
Pain shot through her, but there was a look of nonchalance on her face.
Returning to the Eastern Continent was like walking on thin ice. She had already anticipated the worst outcome, which was just to die in this deep palace.
Her father's hypocrisy had made the little bit of warmth left in her life seem illusory.
"If it weren't for the Dongfang Clan controlling the power in the world, why would I have had to curry favor with your family back then?"
"In the entire Eastern Continent, only I am capable of sitting on the throne of the King of the Eastern Continent."
"The Eastern Continent has always been a man's world, where men are respected. I'm also a man, but in this palace, your mother makes all the important decisions. I'm like a dog, obediently following orders. I have my pride. I've wanted to uproot your Dongfang Clan for years."
At this moment, the veins on Dongfang Yinuo's face were bulging.
The next second, she was about to suffocate.
Just then, the King of the Eastern Continent let go of his hand.
Dongfang Yinuo fell to the ground again.
"But... cough cough cough... but this was all your choice. Mother treated you with true feelings."