Feeling the genuine warmth of King Zhou's embrace, Queen Jiang was briefly lost in thought, leaning dazedly against his chest.
She exchanged a glance with East Earl, and both were filled with doubts.
The ruler before them was completely unlike the muddleheaded, suspicious King Zhou in the palace, who believed slanderous words.
The string of events just now had come far too swiftly:
The assassination framing, the Imperial Guards' arrest, the Immortal's appearance, the doubles taking the blame, the secret escort out of the city... and now the king had appeared in person to meet them.
What scheme lay behind all this? What exactly had happened to make the situation so bizarre and unfathomable?
Queen Jiang recovered from her brief daze. Seeing the unprecedented guilt and sincerity in King Zhou's eyes, she could no longer suppress the questions in her heart and softly asked:
"Your Majesty, what... exactly has happened?"
King Zhou gently released her. Looking at the alarm and exhaustion in her eyes, he spoke in a low, solemn voice:
"Zitong, it is a long story. The capricious ruler in the palace who trusts slander is not my true self."
Seeing the astonishment on their faces, King Zhou sighed softly and slowly explained everything—the heavenly secrets of the Great Tribulation of Investiture of the Gods, Empress Nuwa's secret arrangements, and Immortal Golden Phoenix's origins.
Queen Jiang and Jiang Huanchu grew more shocked the longer they listened, only now finally understanding.
The Immortal who had saved them was actually an immortal envoy under Empress Nuwa;
The absurd slanders, schemes, and accusations within the palace had all been conspiracies born of the tribulation;
And the king had not become a foolish ruler who cast aside his loyal subjects. He had been secretly laying plans all along, enduring humiliation and bearing heavy