《Emperor, I Am Brutal》


 C1

    On a rainy night, malevolent lightning streaked across the sky, illuminating the imperial palace and making people anxious.


    The court ladies hurried along the long corridor towards the queen''s chamber.


    Today was a big day!


    The king had been married to Empress Hu for a month, and was finally going to perform the ceremony of a husband and wife.


    One happy, one worried.


    When the empress heard the news that day, she was rewarded with six palaces. Imperial Concubine Xue, who had been favored by the emperor for two years, was angered to the point of smashing the blood coral offered by the smaller countries to bits.


    Qin Shuo, dressed in a long green dragon robe, pushed aside the curtains and walked towards the bed.


    The beautiful person on the bed had her eyes tightly shut. Although she didn''t put on makeup, her complexion was like a spring flower, and her skin was like cream. Each of her eyelashes slightly trembled, causing others to feel tender affection towards her. She was extremely beautiful, worthy of being called the most beautiful woman in the Southern Yue.


    The woman''s aura was long and stable, causing the young king of the Eastern Courtyard to be stunned.


    He actually slept?


    A trace of dissatisfaction flashed in his eyes, and Qin Shuo stretched out his hand to wake Hu Xiao up. No one in the harem had dared to be so bold as her.


    Halfway through, Qin Shuo suddenly stopped.


    A complex expression appeared in Mo Hei''s eyes, and after a while, it turned into a sigh.


    Forget it, he didn''t need this woman to wake up.


    The gift of a husband and wife was nothing more than the establishment of a stronger alliance between the two countries. He needed a laughing child.


    Raising the covers, to Qin Shuo, the women in the harem were merely tools for him to stabilize his social welfare. There was no need for formalities or emotions in this matter.


    The woman had wanted to cut him some slack, but as soon as she untied her undergarment from which she had been laughing, the sleeping woman abruptly opened her eyes.


    It was a pair of beautiful, watery eyes. Her eyelashes were vivid, but they were filled with anger.


    Never in his wildest dreams would Hu Xiaoxiao have thought that he would be riding on a man right after he finished his competition!


    This man was still unbuttoning her clothes!


    "You dare to take advantage of me? Didn''t your teacher teach you how to write the word ''die''?"


    Qin Shuo was scolded, and before he could come back to his senses, he was flipped over by the woman beneath him.


    "You ¡­"


    Before he could finish his sentence, a punch that was both urgent and ruthless came flying towards his face.


    The sharp pain in his eye sockets ignited the anger in Qin Shuo''s heart.


    Seeing that this crazy woman wanted to give him a second punch, Qin Shuo rolled on the ground in a sorry state, barely dodging Hu Xiao''s hard fist: "Are you crazy?" How dare you hit me! "


    "Scoundrel, what can''t you beat? Today, not only will I beat you up, I''ll even send you to the police station! " All these years, Hu Xiao had a big reputation in the Thai boxing world, but he really didn''t meet any bad people in his life. How could he let someone who was so easy to catch slip away so easily?


    He threw himself at Qin Shuo, grabbed his collar, and threw him onto the table. The faint candlelight illuminated the man''s face. Although it was colored, the golden ratio of his facial features was extraordinarily handsome. The inherent nobility and majesty caused Hu Xiaoxiao to be stunned for a moment.


    She stepped on the stool next to Qin Shuo, holding his chin and looking at his handsome face, her tone filled with regret. "Tsk, tsk, you look like a dog, how could you not be human? With that face of yours, who would be able to properly pursue a little girl? "It''s simply a beast to be on the verge of committing a crime like this!"


    Qin Shuo was so angry that his whole body was trembling. He had never experienced such humiliation before!


    "Ridiculous, presumptuous!" The young king''s angry roar reverberated through the entire chamber, scaring the palace maids at the door as they hurriedly pushed it open and entered.


    Boom!" Under the illumination of the lightning.


    Everyone stared at their empress with their mouths agape. They pressed the emperor''s body down with a grand sabre and opened his undergarments slightly, revealing Tilly''s pink-white undergarment that was embroidered along with her.


    "Someone, the empress has lost her mind, capture her! Without her permission, she is not allowed to take even half a step out of the palace! "

 C2

    That night, all sorts of rumors spread throughout the palace.


    It was said that the empress was too hungry and thirsty, scaring the emperor into becoming a laughingstock.


    It was said that the empress had suddenly gone mad, that she had not only failed to recognize the emperor, but had also attacked and injured him.


    It was also said that the empress suddenly made a strange move in order to attract the emperor''s attention, but she never thought that she''d use too much strength ¡­


    All in all, the empress had angered His Majesty!


    He had lost his great favor!


    I lost your head, I lost my mind!]


    Hu Xiaoxiao powerlessly lied in the pavilion in the courtyard. Other people would have a happy life while she would want to die!


    It wasn''t because he beat up the emperor on the first day he crossed over, but because the life of the ancients was too boring.


    She had transmigrated for three days and escaped from her cellphone, computer, and other communication devices. Other than feeling flustered and depressed, she did not feel the slightest bit of joy at being a queen or a beauty.


    "Empress, why don''t you lower your head and admit your wrongs to His Majesty? His Majesty has always been the most magnanimous of them all. He definitely won''t bother with you this time." Zhilan had married a maidservant from the Southmoon Kingdom with Hu Xiao. She knew that her master had made a mistake, but did not take it to heart. He thought that she was too embarrassed to make peace, so he offered to give his master a way out.


    "Acknowledge your wrongs? Old... What mistake did I make? " Hu Xiaoxiao rolled his eyes. She had somehow transmigrated here for no reason, so the one who suffered was her, alright?


    It was fine to make her admit her mistakes! Unless he admitted his wrongs and allowed her to teleport back!


    Zhilan was full of good intentions, and was choked by her master to the point of staring. However, the original owner was a domineering and arrogant person. She was already used to not giving face to anyone.


    Just then, a palace maid came over to ask, "Esteemed Empress, Imperial Concubine Xue has come to pay her respects. Do you want to see her?"


    "No!" Hu Xiao was in a very bad mood. Not to mention imperial concubines, even the empress dowager didn''t want to see him.


    "Chenqie came to visit out of good intentions, but big sister was so heartless. It truly hurts little sister''s heart." Suddenly, a flirtatious doll sounded.


    Hearing this, Hu Xiaoxiao quivered. He rubbed the goosebumps on his arms while looking at the newcomers.


    Wasn''t this woman afraid that all her belongings would be on her head?


    Blinking her eyes with all her might, Imperial Concubine Xue''s jeweled body under the sunlight didn''t let Hu Xiaoxiao see what she looked like for the first time.


    Watching this mobile vault coming towards me, laughing without a word, unmoving me.


    Laughing and staring at his jewelry and clothing, Xue Meng''er enjoyed it very much. Orchid Flower Finger lifted his hand to caress his hair and pinched his throat as he said, "I should have come to pay my respects long ago. But your majesty has been in my palace these past few days, I really can''t leave. In that case, the emperor is busy today, so there''s no need for chenqie to attend to him from the side. When chenqie had the time, she quickly came to visit big sister and even specifically wore the Feng Fei Eight Treasures and the Gold Silk Hua Yuchang that were bestowed by the Emperor yesterday, to share the rewards with big sister. "


    Damn you, Dad, this thing is not an idiot, right? You want to show off by coming here?


    Hu Xiaoxiao stared expressionlessly at Xue Meng''er. When he saw her speechless expression, he was infuriated to the point that he couldn''t speak. The latter had been suppressed by the Empress ever since she had entered the palace. Now that she had the chance to exude herself, she couldn''t help but feel pleased with herself.


    "Elder sister, it''s not that chenqie is scolding you. The emperor''s jade body is precious, no matter how happy you are, if you want to play some tricks, you have to stop. Look at the emperor''s eyes, they haven''t been swollen for days. When chenqie heard about this, she was so frightened that she couldn''t sleep well for the entire night! " It was true that she hadn''t slept well, but it wasn''t because she was scared, but because she was overjoyed!


    Since you are the princess of the Southern Yue, who cares about your status?


    To dare to beat the king of the Eastern Courtyard, that was simply cutting off his own retreat!


    Without the favor of the king, you will have to suffer for your future days in the palace!


    When she thought about how she had been laughed at and humiliated for the past year, Xue Meng''er''s cheeks turned red with excitement. She must take advantage of this situation to kill this stupid woman!


    Squinting her eyes, she looked at Xue Meng''er who was playing in front of her with a smile. Her hands were extremely itchy.


    He suddenly turned his head towards Zhilan and asked, "What background does this bitch have?"

 C3

    Slut, slut?


    Everyone present was shocked by the words. What was going on with the empress? He actually dared to call the imperial concubine that way. Could it really be as His Majesty had said? Did he lose his mind?


    Xue Meng''er could not believe her ears. She was so angry that her eyes were wide open. "What a joke. You actually dare to scold me?"


    The bystanders did not know that the laughter was unusual. Zhilan was a confidant of that. She had already realized that her master was like a new shell. Not only did his nature change, she could not even remember her surroundings. If she hadn''t personally checked Hu Xiao''s birthmark as the princess of the Southern Yue, she would have thought that her master had been taken out of the bag!


    With a light cough, Zhilan quietly reminded her, "Empress, this person in front of you is the Eastern Courtyard Minister, Imperial Concubine Xue. This servant mentioned it to you the day before yesterday. Have you forgotten?"


    How dare a mere imperial concubine, a noble concubine with a thousand taels of gold, act so arrogantly in front of her?


    Even a fool would know that she was the empress and princess, how many streets away from this woman!


    It could be beaten up!


    Hu Xiao sinisterly laughed, his eyes that were filled with spirit energy flickered with an unsettled eagerness: "So what if I''m scolding you, you''re my concubine, and I''m the empress! I am your wife and you are your concubine. "Don''t even mention cursing, I''m going to hit you. How dare you retaliate?"


    She had a short temper and always spoke with her fists. Xue Meng''er in her own annoyance to come up, is no different from a free human sandbag.


    It would be a waste if he didn''t beat him up!


    "You ¡­ You are simply unreasonable! " Xue Meng''er was shocked. She was a scholar and was proficient in music, chess, calligraphy and painting. She was a famous talented girl in the Eastern Court Country. When had she ever seen such a crude girl who fought and killed like Hu Xiaoxiao?


    Even the smirk from before was just arrogant and domineering. When did his hostility become so strong?


    "You came uninvited and disturbed my peace and quiet, and even accused me of being unreasonable?" Hu Xiaoxiao was extremely happy, and his sharp eyes swept over the body of the snowy youth. If she were to punch such a frail woman, she would probably cry for months, right?


    A chill crept up on Xue Meng''er''s heart, and when she felt the evil aura emanating from Hu Xiao''s body, she subconsciously took half a step backwards. Out of the corner of his eyes, he suddenly saw a touch of the familiar Qing Xuan.


    The woman''s face, which had previously been filled with fear and disdain, suddenly changed. She sadly came forward and grabbed onto Hu Xiaoxiao''s hand, "Elder sister has been punished by the king, so I''m not blaming you for taking revenge on my sister." He only hoped that his sister wouldn''t be angered to the point of breaking down and making His Majesty worried. Elder sister ¡­ "Ahhh!"


    Before the woman could react, she raised her hand and flew away like a butterfly.


    Her gorgeous dress was lifted into a beautiful arc in the air, and her master''s free fall caused her to be pressed heavily onto the ground.


    With a smile that was not a smile, he stared at the woman playing by his feet.


    Pengci?


    As soon as Xue Meng''er fell to the ground, a slightly familiar man''s voice sounded from behind her. It was filled with anger. "Impudent!"


    So it was like that!


    In any case, Hu Xiaoxiao is a modern woman who has been nurtured by a palace melodrama, and Xueyu will not live past the third episode of the Qing Palace drama. The woman''s expression changed, and she laughed, guessing at what would happen next.


    Rubbing his ears, Hu Xiaoxiao lazily looked at the aggressive group of people walking towards him. He had no intention of getting up to salute Qin Shuo.


    His gaze was filled with admiration as it sized up the man in the azure profound dragon robe, who had an extraordinary appearance. Although his right eye was still bruised, he did not lose any of his elegance.


    Hu Xiao sighed at Qin Shuo''s beauty as he complained, "This emperor''s culture is too low. We''ve met twice, said twice that he was too presumptuous and didn''t have any new words to say."


    "Hu Xiao, the reason why you and I are grounded is to let you reflect on yourself. He didn''t expect that not only were you not repentant, you were even treating your concubine in the palace harshly in private! Was this the upbringing of a princess from the Southern Yue? "I am truly disappointed and ashamed!" Qin Shuo''s face was gloomy as he opened his mouth to scold.


    Xue Meng''er, on the other hand, knew how to find a way out. She hurriedly crawled over with a sorrowful look on her face: "Your Majesty, please don''t blame this elder sister. It was chenqie''s fault! It''s because chenqie shouldn''t have come over to pay her respects to big sister and obstructed big sister''s sight ¡­ "Sob, sob ¡­"


    Seeing Xue Meng crying, Qin Shuo frowned and helped her up. Just as he was about to open his mouth to console her, he heard Hu Xiao sneering, "You are indeed wrong."

 C4

    Hearing this, Qin Shuo thought Hu Xiao was unruly, and said sternly: "Shut up, the imperial concubine weeps and accuses you of being despotic, I just think you are spoiled, and have a little temper. I never thought that you would still be so presumptuous here today. You simply don''t put me in your eyes! If I am to punish you, you will be grounded for half a year! "


    In that instant, a blue vein popped out from his forehead as he laughed sinisterly, "Are you sure you want to punish me?"


    The gorgeous beauty''s eyes were still bright and her red lips were pitiful, but her body was filled with a dense killing intent that wasn''t much weaker than the general that had been fighting for many years.


    Qin Shuo''s pupils shrank, the blow hitting him so hard that his eye sockets ached. He laughed boldly and strangely, but he did not show any signs of backing down, saying in a low voice: "Once you open your mouth, you will not be able to keep up." Someone send the empress back to her chamber for three days! "


    The anger of the Son of Heaven made everyone panic. They didn''t understand why Empress Hu suddenly became so audacious and dared to be so disrespectful to the Emperor.


    This was the king of the Eastern Courtyard, the king who said ''if you''re alive, you''ll live; if you''re dead, you''ll die''!


    "Esteemed Empress, please move to the inner hall."


    In the entire audience, only Xue Meng''er could not conceal the joy in her almond eyes.


    Serves you right. I''ll let you curse me for being despicable, and enjoy the time of being grounded!


    The change in her expression was clearly seen by Hu Xiaoxiao.


    Are you proud?


    Hu Xiaoxiao finally stood up from the pavilion, and walked step by step towards Qin Shuo and Xue Moyan, as if wanting to overtake them.


    However, at the moment he neared Xue Meng''er, a mischievous smile suddenly appeared on his face. Ye Zichen grabbed the green tea bitch by her collar and kicked her out of the pond.


    At that moment, Xue Meng''er didn''t even have time to cry out before she fell into the pond with a plop.


    "Empress!"


    "Imperial Concubine Xue!" The whole palace was in chaos.


    Qin Shuo felt that his twenty years of cultivation and demeanor were about to be ruined by a giggle. He grabbed Hu Xiao''s wrist and bellowed: "Hu Xiao, are you crazy?" "How dare you commit violence in the palace, do you know that the Son of Heaven has committed the same crime as the commoners?"


    Hu Xiaoxiao was fearless as he narrowed his long and seductive phoenix eyes.


    Backhandedly grabbing Qin Shuo by the collar, he bullied him, "Your Majesty, I, Laughter, do not commit an unwarranted crime. You say that I have been cruel to my concubine and that I have been confined to prison for half a year. I should have made a real mistake so you wouldn''t fall for it, shouldn''t you? "


    Her endings were long and languid, making people''s hearts go soft.


    Her smile from before was magnificent, but it had a hint of vulgarity to it. Qin Shuo rarely set foot in the harem, and he had not seen her marry many times. Now, Hu Xiao had renewed the knowledge in Qin Shuo''s mind time and time again.


    With his bright and beautiful facial features, he should have been in a good mood, but the rebellious look in his eyes, along with the devilish charm, made Qin Shuo''s heart skip a beat. His fury seemed to have a different feeling to it.


    However, Qin Shuo could clearly feel that this was his desire to conquer the world.


    There was clearly a huge difference between his and Hu Xiao''s height. Looking down at this woman from above, he actually felt that he was under threat.


    "Someone, escort the empress back to her chamber!"


    Pulling away Qin Shuo''s collar, Hu Xiaoxiao finally hit the fake green tea bitch, feeling very happy.


    "I''ll leave by myself." His wide phoenix robe fluttered as he turned his head.


    Hu Xiaoxiao finally compromised with the reality of her transmigration. Since she had already come here, she wanted to see what was so valuable about this ancient era!


    The palace maids fished out Xue Mi''er in a flurry. Once the woman was saved, they held onto Qin Shuo and cried to the point of not letting go. "Your Majesty, the Empress wants to harm Chenqie. Chenqie is afraid ¡­ Woo woo ¡­ * "Your Majesty ¡­"


    Qin Shuo''s cold eyes sized up Xue Meng''er''s pale face. Her figure had long since lost the dazzling golden light, and her makeup was so thick that it was hard to see her features. Compared to his smirk just now, Qin Shuo could not help but feel irritated.

 C5

    "Send Imperial Concubine Xue back to the palace and ask for the imperial physician. "My beloved concubine, the prime minister and several ministers are still waiting for me to discuss the political situation. I''ll come see you again tonight." After a pause, Qin Shuo added, "In the future, without my permission, I am not allowed to visit."


    Imperial Concubine Xue''s crying movements were stiff. She thought the emperor was blaming her for coming to the Imperial Palace without permission.


    Unbeknownst to him, Qin Shuo was thinking: The empress even dared to hit Gu, how could a few empress concubines be a match for her?


    Sad, he hurried back to the study room, where a few courtiers were already waiting.


    Meanwhile, Hu Xiao was in his own palace, crossing his legs. He was drawing and writing his daily work and rest schedule while listening to Zhilan''s praise and flattery.


    "Empress, you were so impressive just now!" Zhilan clapped her hands and said excitedly, "I can''t stand Dongting Kingdom''s women. They always act like the weaklings in charge of the wind, and they even have a lot of rules. Especially Imperial Concubine Xue. She would always come before the emperor and speak ill of you. This time, let''s show her some colors so that the women in the East Court''s imperial harem know that we, the south Yue, aren''t a vegetarian! "


    Ye Zichen raised his eyebrows and smiled.


    She now understood that this land was divided into the Eastern Court, Southern Yue, Northern Qiang, and Western Frontier.


    East Court and South Vietnam have been allies since ancient times, for the good of both countries, Hu Xiao was conferred the title of East Court Queen. In the future, her child would become the king of the Eastern Court Country.


    Nonsense, okay?


    Hu Xiaoxiao rolled his eyes. She accepted the teleportation, but that didn''t mean she accepted the identity of the empress and her wife!


    So what if Qin Shuo was the emperor?


    To Hu Xiao, he was just a stranger!


    Why hadn''t she transmigrated into an ordinary South Vietnamese woman?


    What was the use of having such a noble identity if one wanted to dress up as the princess of the Southern Yue who had become the empress of the Eastern Court?


    Hu Xiao had heard it from Zhilan. The Eastern Courtyard adored literature, while the Southern Yue was a martial artist. In the Southmoon Kingdom, women were no worse than men. There were even some female generals that could beat a man until he lost his helmet and armor!


    The East Court was not as open as the South Vietnamese. Women had an underground status in the East Court and needed to rely on men to survive.


    He angrily poked the brush into the paper and drew a huge period.


    Hu Xiao said to Zhilan, "Put this training form on the wall. Send someone to prepare these and send them to the Imperial Palace."


    "What is this?" Zhilan looked at it curiously, but could not make out the drawing on it.


    "A carpenter or a craftsman." Hu Xiaoxiao was not used to brushes, and was afraid that Zhilan would not understand her calligraphy, so he explained to her what these diagrams were and how to make them.


    Zhilan had a strange expression on her face as she heard this. With difficulty, she asked, "Empress, do you really want these?"


    "Nonsense!" Waving his hands, Hu Xiaoxiao smiled perfunctorily as he chased Zhilan away. "Go quickly."


    "Yes."


    At the same time, the young Monarch who had been threatened by Hu Xiaoxiao had once again become distracted in the meeting.


    "Your Majesty?" Zhao Qiyan called out to Qin Shuo twice, then looked at Prime Minister Yin gloomily. "I''m not that bored with what I''m talking about, am I?" Could His Majesty be distracted by his words?


    Yin Fufeng rubbed his nose, smiled and said, "Your Majesty has been busy these days, perhaps you are too tired and a little weak."


    Qin Shuo came back to his senses and heard that Yin Fufeng was trying to explain himself.


    He rubbed his glabella and accidentally touched his eye sockets. He could not help but suck in a breath of cold air due to the pain.


    The officials looked at each other and clasped their hands. "Please take care of your dragon body, Your Majesty."


    "No problem." Qin Shuo raised his hand, indicating for everyone to sit. They were all Qin Shuo''s trusted aides, and he did not try to cover it up. After a moment of hesitation, he opened his mouth, "Gu Ruoyun does have a matter to worry about."


    "Your subject is willing to share his worries on behalf of the Lord." To be able to sit in a high position, which one of the people present wasn''t smart?


    One after another, they expressed their loyalty.


    Pulling back his eyebrows, Qin Shuo recounted the Queen''s unusual behavior during this period of time. He simply concealed the fact that the injury in his eyes was caused by her, saying that she was the one who had the gall to laugh.


    What a joke! To let an official know that he, a genius, had been beaten up by his own wife, how shameless would he be?

 C6

    "This is too ridiculous!" The angry man was a senior minister and valued etiquette greatly. He spoke out in indignation, "Your Majesty, the Empress has an impolite appearance. You should discipline her properly so that she can shake the rules."


    "This lowly general actually feels that the Empress''s true nature is not as it seems." Zhao Qiyan stroked his beard as he personally went to the Southern Yue to escort the bride. Although they hadn''t seen the empress''s appearance as the number one beauty in the world, the ladies of the southern Yue were all quite spicy. Each of them was as passionate as a flame, giving them a different kind of amorous feeling.


    "Humph, boorish taste!" Minister Wen raised his eyebrows and criticized Zhao Qiyan mercilessly.


    The latter immediately gave up and started arguing with the Minister of Arts.


    Qin Shuo had a big headache from the two of them quarreling. Since he was young, he had always been full of this sort of flattery, so he wasn''t tired of it. Out of the corner of his eyes, he caught a glimpse of Yin Fufeng enjoying the show. He then slowly said, "Prime Minister Yin, what ideas do you have?"


    Having been called out, Yin Fufeng rubbed his nose and replied respectfully, "Your Majesty, perhaps the empress was restrained too tightly by the rules of the palace, which led to her overreacting. After all, the Eastern Courtyard was different from the valiant people of the Southern Yue. Men, women, old and young rode on arrows, and the Empress was the apple of the eye of the king of the Southern Yue. Furthermore, our country is in an even more strict mood, so His Majesty should give the Empress some time to calm down. "


    Little fox!


    Hearing this, Qin Shuo frowned, speechless as he looked at the smiling Prime Minister.


    This was equivalent to not saying anything at all.


    Did he want the reason for the change? What he wanted was a way to deal with it! This brat knew he had a plan and was afraid the empress would know and hold a grudge, so he played with the ball and kicked the problem back.


    Feeling displeased, Qin Shuo was about to grab Yin Fufeng and tell him the reason when he saw his close servant walk in from outside with a strange face and a stack of papers in his hand.


    "What is this?" The nearest official offered it with both hands, and Qin Shuo took it with a look of suspicion.


    "Your Majesty, this is what the empress wants."


    The words'' Empress'' attracted everyone''s attention.


    Zhao Qiyan stretched his neck and looked curiously at the stack of papers in Qin Shuo''s hand. Seeing that the king''s expression was growing more and more unsightly, he could not help but ask, "Your Majesty, just what does the Empress want?"


    With a gloomy face, Qin Shuo threw the paper in his hand at the minister''s face. The paper scattered in all directions, scaring the eunuch to the point of kneeling down: "Your Majesty, please calm your anger."


    The king of the Eastern Courtyard left like the wind, leaving behind a few officials confused.


    The few of them surrounded him and picked up the paper to examine it.


    Minister Wen said angrily: "The upbringing of the Southmoon Kingdom is just too bad. Not only are they rude and domineering, they even want some useless things that waste the treasury. They don''t have the demeanor of a motherly mother."


    Yin Fufeng glanced at him and turned around. He saw Zhao Qiyan, whose hair was standing on end, staring at those pages with a serious expression on his face. His heart moved as he smiled: "General Zhao, do you know the use of these things when you are so engrossed in them?"


    Zhao Qiyan stroked his beard, his big eyes shining brightly. "Prime Minister, our king is going to be very worried in the future!" Since Zhao Qiyan was a military man, how could he not recognize the uses of these things when he was a scholar?


    "What do you mean?" Yin Fufeng hurriedly asked when he heard the meaning behind Zhao Qiyan''s words.


    "This big sandbag should be for training, but why is it hanging on the tree? Pile, I also recognize, this can be used for leg training. Tsk tsk ¡­ What kind of thing was this Bamboo Stick Fruit? The food? " Zhao Qiyan muttered to himself, rubbing his chin, "If an ordinary person continues to practice, they''ll be able to kill an ox with a single punch."


    Yin Fufeng and Wen Shangshu looked at each other in surprise, thinking to themselves, "Didn''t they say that the Empress is the most beautiful woman in the Southern Yue?" In his impression, all beauties chirped like a bird and walked in the wind. Was it because the Southern State Wind was different from the East Court, that the stronger the woman, the more beautiful she was?

 C7

    When Qin Shuo arrived at the Imperial Palace, Hu Xiao was planning to use the land with Zhilan. She wanted to turn her backyard into a practice field.


    Grabbing Hu Xiaoxiao''s hand, Qin Shuo angrily pulled her into the room.


    "Empress!"


    "All of you, stand down!" She angrily rebuked the court lady who was following behind her.


    Zhilan was still worried for her princess and followed her anxiously. "Your Majesty, please spare the Empress!"


    After walking a few steps, he was stopped by Qin Shuo''s servant.


    "Miss Zhilan, we can''t ask so much about master''s matters." As he spoke, he closed the door.


    Qin Shuo tossed Hu Xiao to the side of the bed. He lazily straightened his wrinkled clothes, not even bothering to lift his eyelids. "Your Majesty, is there something you need?"


    "Aren''t you doing this to attract Gu Gu''s attention? for me to come see you alone? "


    "Heh." The emperor''s imagination was simply too abundant. He lowered his head and chuckled.


    Qin Shuo looked down at Hu Xiaoxiao. Although she looked humble and pleasing to the eye, her tone of voice was devoid of any respect.


    "Do you know your mission to the East Court?" Qin Shuo pinched his laughing chin, forcing her to look at him.


    Hu Xiao could see the fury in the other party''s eyes.


    She shrugged her shoulders and said with an innocent expression, "Your Majesty has confined chenqie, so how can''t chenqie do something of her own accord to amuse herself? You should know that chenqie can''t stay idle. If I''m too idle, I might run over to Imperial Concubine Xue''s palace and beat her up. "


    "If you don''t have time to rest, learn the rules for me. This is the East Court, not a place I can let you mess around in!"


    "Since you can''t tolerate me, then send me back to the Southern Mountain''s City, your majesty!" "I have many sisters, but I''m not the only one who can be your empress ¡­"


    Before Hu Xiaoxi could finish, Qin Shuo threw him onto the bed.


    The man''s handsome and refined face suddenly enlarged to such an extent that Hu Xiao couldn''t help but hold his breath as he stared in astonishment at the man who was pressing down on him.


    "Where do you think the East Court is? If you want to be the queen of the Gu family, then come. If you don''t want to be a queen, then leave? Where are you going to leave me? "


    Suppressing his anger, Qin Shuo squeezed it out of his teeth.


    He did not know that his position as the Eastern Court Kingdom''s Queen was such a farce.


    The corner of his lips curled up in a cold sneer, and Qin Shuo said fiercely: "Since you don''t want to be an honest queen, then be a puppet! I don''t need you to please me, but you have to give me a child! "


    Qin Shuo''s heart was heavy. Of all the women in the East District, who would want to see him? They would rather be butterflies than flowers. Yet, this woman was arrogant and haughty. She had no other intentions in her eyes.


    Did he really think he couldn''t do anything to her?


    The King of South Yue suddenly protected her, but he couldn''t care less about marrying the princess!


    "You want to rape me?" Hu Xiao stared at the man who spoke so viciously in disbelief. This was the first time since she started learning Tai Fist that he boasted about wanting to rape her.


    Boy, I respect you for being a man!


    Qin Shuo saw the change in Hu Xiao''s expression as fear, and coldly snorted: "If you know how to be afraid, then go ahead and teach Gu An some things." "Don''t play all day, I don''t have the time to waste on you."


    Hu Xiao was truly angered to the point of laughing. If this man were to take the modern era as his opponent, his personality would definitely become that of a man with cancer, no?


    Who wants to be the woman waiting for you?


    "Yeah, I''m scared." The red lips of Hu Xiaoxiao curled up into a smile of ridicule. She looked disdainful as she slightly turned her head away. With an undisguised disdain in her eyes, she said, "I''m afraid that you won''t be able to do it!"


    Even a man would care if a woman said no, let alone a Son of Heaven.


    A vein appeared on his forehead, and Qin Shuo ground his teeth: "I''ll let you see now, I can''t do it alone!" Holding Hu Xiaoxiao''s wrist with one hand, Qin Shuo roughly tore off the belt on Hu Xiaoxiao''s waist.

 C8

    "You want to touch me?"


    Hu Xiaoxiao''s phoenix-like eyes were slightly cold, and his entire person exuded a dangerous and enchanting aura.


    Qin Shuo''s vision blurred, and the feeling of weightlessness hit him. In the blink of an eye, his and Hu Xiao''s position changed. The woman, who was pressed down by him just a moment ago, was now sitting on top of him.


    He arrogantly raised his head with an arrogant expression. He looked down at Ye Xiao and smiled, "Your Majesty, you are not good enough."


    He hated her so much that he just wanted to seal her mouth.


    "Hahaha!" Angry roars rang through the skies as the young emperor was defeated by his own queen once again.


    The official followed behind the angry emperor, his face ashen. Qin Shuo ordered, "Call Zhao Qiyan over!"


    He didn''t believe that he, the king of the Eastern Courtyard, wouldn''t be able to cure a harem girl!


    Hu Xiao lazily leaned on the door of the palace, he had no other choice.


    Pity Zhao Qiyan was carried back as soon as he left the palace gate.


    "Huh? Your Majesty wants to learn martial arts? " Zhao Qiyan scratched his ears, suspecting that he had hearing problems.


    Qin Shuo sat behind the desk with a gloomy face. He had changed his clothes, but with the face he had lost to Hu Xiao, he couldn''t put them back on.


    "I''ve thought about it. I can''t fight against the Land of the Rivers and Mountains by my shoulder without a strong physique. From today onwards, you will be my teacher. Three months, no! Within one month, I have to become an expert on my own! "


    "Your Majesty, are you trying to make things difficult for this subject?" Zhao Qiyan would rather he had misheard and said with a bitter face, "Where did you get a big fat guy in one bite?" You can casually ask the guards by your side which one of them has not practiced for ten to eight years? "


    "I don''t care, I must finish this quickly. If you can''t do it, I will chop off your head!" Qin Shuo felt that he had been humiliated by Hu Xiao, but he could not announce it.


    Don''t you know how to fight? Wait till you can do it alone, I''ll make you bow your head before me!


    Zhao Qiyan was on the verge of tears. Even if you''re the king, you still can''t be unreasonable!


    He sighed and said, "Your Majesty, even if you had the intention and this humble subject had the ability, you still wouldn''t have the time. You forget, in another half a month, you will be visiting the south to offer sacrifices to the heavens. From beginning to end, we''ll have to delay them for another month. "


    Seeing how pitiful Zhao Qiyan was, the official quickly added, "General Zhao, it''s not that His Majesty wants to be a peerless expert, he just wants to be stronger than the empress."


    "It''s a big deal!" When his close servant said this, it was like slapping Qin Shuo in the face.


    "Your servant spoke too much. Your majesty will atone for his sins!" The servant quickly knelt down and begged for mercy.


    He said angrily, "Get out!"


    Zhao Weiyan cast a grateful glance at the official and quickly said, "Your Majesty, why would it be difficult to subdue the empress? As long as you make a set of tools made by the Empress and use them according to the Empress''s method, over time, you will naturally be able to achieve the effect of strengthening the body and strengthening the body. When the time comes, this humble subject will teach you a few more moves that are more than enough to deal with women. "


    He wasn''t stupid. He knew that the king must have taken a blow when he went to find the empress, which was why he was so furious. He didn''t know whether Prime Minister Yin had gone far or not, but he couldn''t afford to keep such a big gossip to himself.


    Hearing this, Qin Shuo''s face brightened a little. "Hurry and do it."


    "Your Majesty, please do not be anxious. This humble subject has one more request to make." Zhao Qiyan cupped his hands. Although his face was covered by a full beard, it was obvious that he was serious.


    "Speak."


    "What the empress wants is of great use. This humble subject believes that these tools can be thrown into the soldiers'' regular training. "I just have some tools that I don''t know of yet and would like to ask the empress for help." Zhao Qiyan was either a general or she was always focused on training and fighting.


    "You''re not allowed to go!" Qin Shuo frowned. He had just laughed so much, and now if he asked that woman, would he have any more face?


    Zhao Qiyan rubbed his nose. Why did he have to yell so loudly when he didn''t want to?

 C9

    Qin Shuo''s anger did not last just a moment.


    Perhaps the fact that his own male pride had been stepped on made it difficult for him to bear it in mind, so he issued the order for the Imperial Palace to cut off food.


    The next morning, Hu Xiaoxiao narrowed his eyes as he stared at the meager dishes on the table.


    Yesterday morning, she had eaten a table full of complicated breakfast.


    That man was trying to intimidate her!


    "Empress, His Majesty sent word that since Empress does not like the East Court, you cannot enjoy its delicacies." "He even said, even said ¡­" Zhilan stammered, worriedly looking at Hu Xiao, afraid that her princess would fall into a bad mood and flip the table.


    "What else did he say?"


    "His Majesty said, when did the Empress admit her wrongs and when did she recover the food and clothing of the Imperial Palace?"


    "Tch!" Hu Xiaoxiao threw away his chopsticks and stared expressionlessly at Zhilan.


    He felt the pressure as he watched. He unconsciously took half a step back. "Empress, what are you looking at this servant for?"


    "Zhilan, let''s go out and find something to eat."


    "Ah?" But His Majesty forbids us from leaving the palace. "


    "Then we won''t go through the door." Hu Xiaoxiao''s smile was like a flower''s blooming flower. He saw that Zhilan was confused by his brilliant smile and threw out a thunderclap. "Let''s walk along the wall."


    "Good, let''s go ¡­" "What?!"


    At the same time, Qin Shuo left the morning assembly, leaving Prime Minister Yin Feng alone.


    Zhao Qiyan was right yesterday. It was time to put on the agenda for the Southern Patrol.


    The king worships the heavens and prays for peace in the country. To the East Branch, this was a huge matter. On this trip to the south, Qin Shuo planned to give all his authority to Yin Fufeng.


    "After the Imperial Examinations, a few new officials were added to the court. After observation by this humble subject, a few lords on the southern side could actually take on a lot of responsibilities." Yin Fufeng knew how to assign people. Without three heads and six arms, he couldn''t handle all the tasks by himself.


    "You can arrange it yourself. I''ll only look at the results." Qin Shuo waved his hand. He had not slept well last night because of the drought in the north, and this morning his head was pounding again.


    Seeing the haggard look on Qin Shuo''s face, Yin Fufeng remembered the news he had heard from Zhao Weiyan yesterday. He pursed his lips and forced a smile, "Your Majesty, in terms of seniority, I have to call you cousin." As a member of the family, this humble subject cannot help but advise you, don''t take offense to a woman. "


    "What do you know?" Qin Shuo stared at Yin Fufeng gloomily, actually saying such sarcastic words, "I remember that you haven''t gotten married yet, why don''t you ¡­"


    "Your Majesty!" A cry of surprise interrupted Qin Shuo''s evil intentions.


    How could Yin Fufeng not know what his cousin was thinking?


    He didn''t dare to raise his eyebrows again and quickly changed the topic, "As long as Wei Chen is in such a hurry, what happened?"


    "It, it''s the empress!" As Wei Chen spoke, he lowered his head, not daring to look at the king''s face. He had never met a woman who could be more tormenting than the empress!


    "What about her?" Now, when Qin Shuo heard the laughter, his head hurt.


    "Empress, she ran to Imperial Concubine Xue''s palace!"


    "Impudent, didn''t I order her not to take even half a step out of the palace? This woman simply does not put Gu Jue''s prestige in her eyes! " Qin Shuo slammed the table in anger.


    Yin Fufeng frowned as well. ''Against the God of Heaven, this is a serious crime!'' Even if the empress was the princess of the Southern Yue, she could not defy the imperial edict.


    Wei Chengchen''s face was scrunched up like a bitter melon, "Your Majesty, esteemed mistress ¡­ She did not leave the palace gates. She ¡­ She went over the wall! "


    "What?"


    The two men in the field were stunned. Yin Fufeng was the first to recover from his shock.


    She''s actually playing word games with His Majesty. This empress is very interesting!


    "Why would she go to Imperial Concubine Xue''s palace?" Qin Shuo thought this was ridiculous, but he also felt that within reason, it was very much like what Hu Xiaoxiao would do.


    "The empress, she ¡­ she ¡­" Wei Chen''s expression turned strange. He mumbled, "She''s going to Imperial Concubine Xue''s palace to get food for herself."

 C10

    The two remained silent. After a while, the uncontrollable laughter of Yin Fangfeng resounded in the whole room.


    "Hahaha ¡­" Cousin, royal cousin is really too interesting! "Haha ¡­" Yin Fufeng''s mother and Qin Shuo''s mother were blood sisters. When he was young, he had been living in the palace and had many connections. He had known since a long time ago that the empress had been deprived of her food.


    He didn''t expect that this cousin of his, who he had never met, would be someone who had broken the rules. For a moment, the curiosity in his heart increased by two points.


    It looks like she''s a well-built woman who can eat a lot. Otherwise, how could she do such a shameful thing like going to the other concubines'' palaces to get food?


    Thinking to this point, Yin Fufeng couldn''t help but cast a sympathetic look at Qin Shuo. It''s a pity to have such a queen.


    Qin Shuo shot a warning glance at Yin Fu Feng, who smiled coyly and stopped. Rubbing his blooming head, he felt really humiliated by Hu Xiaoxiao. "Fine, come with me to take a look. It just so happens that I have seen your imperial cousin."


    The group of people majestically headed towards Imperial Concubine Xue''s palace.


    The person who had aroused the curiosity, Hu Xiaoxiao, was currently sitting calmly on Imperial Concubine Xue''s seat, eating the food Zhilan had given him, while saying to Imperial Concubine Xue who was kneeling on the ground, "I''ll help little sister try out the imperial kitchens'' recent craftsmanship, does little sister not mind?"


    "No, I don''t mind." Behind her was the wooden board that Hu Xiaoru had brought with him. This crazy woman had kicked through the one-foot thick wooden board right in front of her face. Did she dare to mind?


    "This royal kitchen is really amazing. My sister has just fallen into the water and her body is not fully recovered yet. How can she make so much meat?" Zhilan, quickly send someone to the Imperial Palace and pass my lunch to Imperial Concubine Xue. The patient should have a lighter meal. " Hu Xiao glanced at the precious delicacies on the table, and was not the least bit embarrassed by his shameless actions, "Your Majesty dislikes people who waste the most, so let me eat these for my sister."


    She was the only one who used words to provoke others, and this was the first time she was dissected.


    However, the shadow of that flying leg was still etched in her heart. No matter how wronged and furious she was, she could only endure it for now.


    When had the people of the palace ever seen such a scene? Eyes to nose, nose to heart, one person''s head drooping to the ground, not daring to act like their lord.


    He ate happily, but Xue Meng''er could not bear to wait.


    Anxious gazes frequently shot towards the door. Her legs had gone numb from kneeling. Why hasn''t the emperor come yet?


    After a long wait, instead of Qin Shuo, it was Zhilan who brought back the plain food first.


    Hu Xiao acted like he just saw Xue Meng''er still kneeling and acted surprised: "Why aren''t you getting up little sister? The ground was so cold. He had just fallen into the water yesterday, so he didn''t want to get sick again. Zhilan, go and accompany Imperial Concubine Xue for her meal. "


    "Chenqie will do it herself!" Xue Meng''er hurriedly stopped him. She didn''t dare to use such a laughing person. This was the first time Xue Meng had seen a woman like Hu Xiao who would directly take action! The other party''s identity was even more important than his, and he couldn''t say anything about it.


    He looked at the three vegetarian dishes in front of him and then looked at the table full of delicious dishes in front of him. "Esteemed empress, you''ve eaten so much, don''t ¡­"


    "I''m not afraid of growing fat." Realizing that Xue Mi''er was going to snatch the food from her own mouth, he blocked her next request with a laugh.


    Hmph, Qin Shuo wants to starve me to death.

 C11

    When Qin Shuo and Yin Fufeng rushed to Imperial Consort Xue''s palace, Xue Meng''er hurriedly stood up as if she had seen her savior.


    "Your Majesty!"


    "Cough!" A light cough sounded from behind her, causing Xue Meng''er''s entire body to stiffen. She hadn''t forgotten that Hu Xiaoxiao had kicked her into the lake in front of Qin Shuo yesterday.


    But His Majesty didn''t do anything. He even laughed foolishly and appeared in her palace, showing off his might.


    Suddenly, Imperial Concubine Xue''s expression became miserable. She looked at Qin Shuo with bitterness. "His Majesty Jin An."


    Hu Xiaoxiao had pretty much finished his meal by now, so he was slowly rinsing his mouth.


    Seeing that Qin Shuo''s face was growing more and more unsightly, Hu Xiaoxiao strolled over to Imperial Concubine Xue''s side, pretending to be lucky: "Your Majesty."


    The woman had an elegant and unrestrained posture. Her gorgeous red dress was covered with complicated golden patterns. It should have been a very common color, but she was still as fresh as the morning sun.


    All of a sudden, Yin Fufeng''s eyes were confused, and at that moment, the big and round image of a rough girl in his mind was blown away like a volcanic eruption.


    A breathtaking look overflowed from his eyes.


    This is His Majesty''s queen?


    It was indeed worthy of her title as the most beautiful woman in the Southern Yue. At this moment, Yin Fufeng thought to himself: "Whether it is a scholar or a heroic warrior, all men in this world have the same love and desire for beauty."


    Qin Shuo felt a headache as he looked at Hu Xiao. He really didn''t know how to handle this empress!


    In the past few days, she had been making mistakes. She had simply picked one up and chopped off its head. However, Princess Nanyue and the Eastern Court Queen''s status was like a gold medal that was placed on her head.


    As long as Qin Shuo didn''t make a mistake that would endanger the country, he had no reason to remove or kill her.


    However, was he going to allow this audacious woman to ravage his harem?


    Glancing at Imperial Concubine Xue''s wronged face, Qin Shuo did not feel any heartache for her, he just felt that this woman had become more stupid than before. Even though he knew he couldn''t win, he still went forward to be beaten up. Even if he was kicked into the water, who could be blamed?


    "Your Majesty came to see Imperial Concubine Xue, right? I won''t disturb the two of you then. " What reason could he have to stay here and cause trouble?


    The man with the frightening expression walked away.


    Your Majesty, wuu ¡­" "Esteemed Empress ¡­" As soon as he left, Xue Meng''er couldn''t hold it in anymore and rushed over while wailing.


    Yin Fufeng was also awakened by Hu Xiaoxiao''s sudden attack. He rubbed his nose, and noticed a fresh fragrance lingered around the tip of his nose, which was left behind when the woman walked past.


    Qin Shuo frowned, looking at Xue Meng who was crying, feeling annoyed. As a woman of the harem, if she wasn''t too weak, if she was too tough, wouldn''t she have let him relax?


    After a few words of consolation, Qin Shuo led Yin Fufeng out of the palace and said, "Now do you understand the worries of Gu? "The empress doesn''t think much of me, I''m too mischievous and arrogant, it''s hard to control me."


    "Then, your majesty, don''t bother with it." Yin Fufeng thought for a moment and came up with an idea, "This humble subject can see that the Empress is a fierce woman. She was used to being in the south, and the more bound her majesty was, the more it would arouse her resistance. Why don''t we just leave it for now and let it get her used to the East Branch and slowly put it into her bag? "


    "This won''t do, if she isn''t controlled at all, then the harem will definitely cause a ruckus!" Qin Shuo had every reason to believe that the woman could change her harem to Hu if he didn''t laugh.


    "Then make three promises to the Empress!"

 C12

    Before Hu Xiao and Zhilan could return to the Imperial Palace, they were called back by an unfamiliar voice.


    "Esteemed Empress, please wait."


    She turned around and saw a handsome man in a black official uniform walking slowly towards them.


    Hu Xiao had an impression of him. Just now, this person was standing behind Qin Shuo, and Qin Shuo had sent this person to interrogate him?


    He raised his eyebrows and laughed without fear.


    "Empress, His Majesty invites you to move to the study."


    As soon as Yin Fufeng finished his sentence, Hu Xiaoxiao refused, "Tell Qin Shuo that I am not free."


    It was the first time that Yin Fufeng had encountered such a situation, and he was stunned for two seconds before he responded, "Esteemed Empress, His Majesty is here to make peace!"


    His words successfully stopped the laughter in his footsteps.


    Peace?


    "What do you mean?" Hu Xiao did not turn back, but his tone did not hide his interest in reconciliation.


    "This, on the other hand, requires the Empress to personally come to the study room for a chat." Yin Fufeng had been showing off, which made Yin Fufeng smirk and cast a glance at him.


    The man behind him looked even weaker than Qin Shuo, with curved eyebrows and curvy eyes. He looked like a sly old fox, annoying anyone who saw him.


    "Got it." Hu Xiao glanced at him, not even giving him any face, and turned to walk towards the Imperial Palace: "I''m full, I don''t want to go too far, you let Qin Shuo come find me."


    Yin Fufeng stared at the departing back with his mouth wide opened in shock. He didn''t even turn his head around. After staring blankly for quite a while, Yin Fufeng suddenly let out a muffled laugh. After he had finished laughing, he went to the study room to pass on Hu Xiaoxiao''s message to Qin Shuo under the odd expression of the palace maids.


    As expected, the young emperor''s face darkened once again.


    This bold and daring empress, relying on her special status, had become more and more dismissive!


    Qin Shuo was so angry that he swept the report on the table to the ground. Calming his emotions, he walked towards Yu Zheng Palace with a gloomy face.


    Yin Fufeng helplessly looked at the imperial reports, his eyes slightly twinkling. He seemed to be deep in thought. "It''s been a long time since I''ve seen my cousin in such a bad mood. The last time was when my aunt passed away ¡­"


    Qin Shuo did not notice his abnormality and dismissed the guards at the door. These idiots were like decorations. They swaggered from under their noses into Imperial Concubine Xue''s palace to display their might, guarding the door like pillars.


    "His Majesty came a bit late." Just as he entered the palace gates, the eerie sound of laughter rang out.


    Qin Shuo stopped in his tracks and looked over to see Hu Xiaoxiao leaning on the pavilion in the yard, holding a plate of unknown fruits in his arms.


    Was he waiting for him?


    Perhaps because he had been too disobedient by Hu Xiaoxiao and had been waiting for this woman, Qin Shuo unexpectedly felt overwhelmed.


    Lowering his eyes, Qin Shuo sat across Hu Xiaoxiao. Before he could open his mouth, he saw Hu Xiaoxiao raise three thin and long fingers, the tips of which were bright red, causing his skin to shine like jade.


    "I only have three requirements. First, freedom, but I''m not a canary in a cage. I can''t always be locked in the palace, so if I want to leave the palace, you can''t stop me!"


    Qin Shuo was a little surprised, and he was right about Yin Fu Feng. Was this woman not used to the rules of the palace and felt uncomfortable?


    After thinking for a moment, Qin Shuo nodded. "Sure, but I have a condition." You can leave the palace, but you cannot act rashly. You are not allowed to lose face for the imperial family, and you are making it difficult for an outsider to step onto the stage. "


    "Alright!" Hu Xiaoxiao withdrew a finger and continued, "Secondly, I am not interested in the struggle for power in the imperial harem. It is your business whether you are willing to favor the imperial concubine or not. Get your woman to stay away from me, or else if you piss me off, I can''t guarantee that your concubine won''t lose an arm or a leg! "


    Even without your words, Gu Ruoyun will still tell the imperial concubine to stay away from you!


    Qin Shuo did not forget that this woman kicked Imperial Concubine Xue into the lake in front of him.


    "No, you are not allowed to take the initiative to cause trouble for them, and you are not allowed to cause such a mess in the Gu''s harem!" Seeing Hu Xiaoxiao nod, Qin Shuo asked, "What is the last requirement?"

 C13

    Qin Shuo happily agreed to the first two agreements. The actions of the previous Empress had made him very curious about the final agreement.


    "I still haven''t thought about the last one, but I want the emperor to agree that as long as I suddenly remember the last one, he''ll have to agree to me."


    Hu Xiaoxiao smiled at Qin Shuo. It wasn''t that she hadn''t thought of this last agreement, but it had to be mentioned at a crucial time. She would treat it as a debt that Qin Shuo owed her.


    "In that case, I''ll agree. Empress, you must remember this well."


    Seeing this smiling woman in front of him, if he ignored her bold actions, then he would not lose his title as the number one beauty in the entire Southern State. It wouldn''t be bad if he just put her in his harem as a vase.


    "If there is nothing else, Your Majesty, I presume you must be very busy. I will not keep you any longer, Your Majesty."


    Qin Shuo was a little taken aback. Was this queen sending off guests? This was the first time he had been seen off by a concubine in the harem! This person was actually his queen. Good, very good!


    After looking at Hu Xiaoxiao, Qin Shuo left. How preposterous!


    Hu Xiaoxiao didn''t care what Qin Shuo felt about leaving, for him, the air was good even in a place without Qin Shuo. It would be great if he could leave this deep palace.


    "Empress, there is no reason for the harem to chase His Majesty away. If the Empress does this, will His Majesty make things difficult for the Empress?" After all, we are currently in East Peak Country, should we restrain ourselves a little? "


    When Qin Shuo left, Zhilan felt uneasy.


    In this country where the imperial power was paramount, where men ruled over women, there was always a taboo.


    "It doesn''t matter. As long as Dongting Kingdom wants to befriend me, South Vietnam, then they won''t dare to touch me. As long as it''s not too excessive, Qin Shuo will ignore them." As he spoke, he received the peeled grapes from Zhilan.


    "This fruit is pretty good. Go find a seed and bring it back to the Southern Yue to plant in my palace."


    "Okay."


    Seeing that there was no one around, Hu Xiao collapsed into the Imperial Consort''s chair.


    Hu Xiaoxiao had only just arrived and was only curious about the palace. However, he no longer had any thoughts of staying here. As the saying goes, there are plenty of places with many women. Hu Xiaoxiao did not have the time to fight with this group of harem women.


    On the way, Qin Shuo''s face was gloomy, but Yin Fufeng had a whole new level of respect for his cousin.


    The women of East Court were always weak, but there had never been a girl who dared to act so arrogantly in front of the Son of Heaven. This imperial cousin of his was truly a strange woman. Even he, Yin Fufeng, couldn''t help but praise her.


    "Cousin, don''t be angry and injure the dragon''s body. My imperial cousin''s temperament is also true. I presume that in the future, after staying in the harem for a few days, your temper will be restrained."


    Yin Fufeng couldn''t wait for his imperial cousin to not hold back, and exercise for the women of the harem. They all became weak and weak, falling down at the slightest breeze, blowing on the bed of the king all day long.


    "What is the use of having the dragon body be safe! "This empress really has guts. Forget it, I hope that in the future, the empress will restrain her temper and not embarrass Dongting Guo again."


    Qin Shuo was furious, but he had to hold it back. Looking at the smiling Yin Fufeng, the evil aura in his heart grew stronger.


    "Go go, go busy yourself."


    He couldn''t bear to see Yin Fufeng''s happy face, so he sent him away.


    He had thought that the days would be peaceful for a few days, but it just so happened that Qin Shuo had forgotten to let his servant notify the guards and allow the Empress to leave the palace freely.


    "I''m about to leave the palace but you dare to stop me? Your majesty should have said it himself. Who do you think you are! "

 C14

    Hu Xiaoxiao, who was in high spirits, had originally planned to take a stroll outside the palace. He thought that he would return with a great fortune, but he never expected that he would be stopped before he could leave the palace.


    "What empress? Who knows which family''s master will send you out to purchase some? Just say it directly. You actually dare to pretend to be the empress. The empress isn''t as rude as you two." When did this servant come to the palace? "


    It was the guard that had stopped Hu Xiao and was laughing mockingly at him.


    "How dare you put the empress in your eyes!" You are just a mere bodyguard, are you tired of living? "


    Zhilan still felt infuriated. She had intended to argue with him, but who knew that she would be pushed to the ground by that little guard? Now, she had ignited Hu Xiaoxiao''s anger.


    Step by step, the previously mocking expression on the guard''s face gradually changed into one of fear. The aura around Hu Xiaoxiao was just too strong, how could the little guard who was guarding the entrance of the palace day in and day out resist him?


    Just as he was at a loss about what to do, he saw Hu Xiao, who was slowly walking over before, suddenly flying up. While he was still in a daze, he was hit by Hu Xiao.


    What a joke, if the guards could react in time, wouldn''t it be a waste for her to train her Taichi Fist since she was young? He had fought so many experts before, no?


    He really shouldn''t have argued if he could have done it. If he had known that these guards were weak, he wouldn''t have wasted his time. If he had beaten them earlier, he would have never had any words to say.


    Just as Hu Xiao was about to leave, another person spoke up and impatiently turned his head. He thought that the person would be the blind guy again, but who knew that it would actually be the weak scholar whose entire body was in dire need of a ''Rise Young Noble''.


    "Esteemed Empress really is easy to educate. I''ve heard my cousin say that she''s unbearably vulgar and her punches and kicks are even more crude. Now that I''ve seen her, she really lives up to her reputation. This subject naturally admires her."


    By now, it was long past the time of the Li Palace. There were some matters that delayed her in the palace, but as soon as she left the palace, she met her cousin Imperial Concubine Xue speaking of the empress. What a coincidence.


    As a cousin of Imperial Concubine Xue, he definitely had to get his anger back from the empress.


    "And who is this person?" How dare you speak in front of me with the weak aura of a chicken? "


    Hu Xiao looked at Zhilan, hoping that she would give him a reply.


    "Empress, this is the Minister of Arts, Imperial Concubine Xue''s cousin."


    Zhilan had a face. Didn''t she just mention it a few days ago? How did he forget? Could it be that the Empress''s forgetfulness was getting worse?


    Hu Xiaoxiao did not care about what Zhilan was thinking, he only felt unhappiness in his heart. Was this family retarded? One or two of them came to look for trouble with her, did they really not belong to the same family?


    Originally, he had no intention of responding, but now, this fellow was unrepentant and continued to slander him.


    "What is it? Is the Empress knowing that she is in the wrong and does not dare to speak back to this subject? Or was this the Southern Yue''s way of etiquette? "


    He had a stable position in the imperial court, and his cousin had a certain amount of honor and favour in the harem. Therefore, he had always had a high status in the imperial court, so when officials saw him, they would treat him with utmost respect.


    He had always heard from his cousin that Hu Xiao was unreasonable and unreasonable, so he didn''t think much of it. In the end, it was his cousin who exaggerated his words a little.


    "Minister Wen actually asked about my etiquette? Do you know that I am the Queen of the East Court? Don''t you think I should pay my respects first? However, since the Japanese palace is in a hurry to leave the palace today, we should avoid these etiquette rules. Next time we meet, we should make up for it, right? "

 C15

    They were all brainless, and Hu Xiaoxiao did not want to get involved with them too much. She only wanted to quickly go out and experience the prosperity of this ancient era. This was the only thing she could do.


    But who knew that she would be stopped again? She wanted to strike again, but she heard Wen Fu Chen''s words. "Empress, do you know that the Eastern Courtyard''s Li Palace needs an oracle or medallion from His Majesty? It probably won''t have any either, right? If that''s the case, then it''s better for Empress to return to the palace early.


    There was a threatening tone in his words, but Hu Xiaoxiao rolled his eyes in embarrassment. This ancient people just liked to say things in different ways, and it was extremely annoying.


    "I remember that the guards of the Eastern Courtyard listen directly to the emperor, right? How can a letter from the Minister of Arts make the guards so easy to block my way? Minister Wen was only a weak scholar, so he should study hard. This kind of weak appearance made him need to recuperate well. Otherwise, wouldn''t it be no different from a weak chicken? "


    Scholars were weak to begin with, and Eastern Court scholars were weak to begin with; martial arts practitioners were even rarer. But now, hearing these words from the laughing mouth, Fu Cheng felt that his weakness was a mistake, but what did a weak fellow mean?


    Although he did not know what was the meaning of this, hearing Hu Xiaoxiao''s tone, it seemed like something bad was going to happen. Wen Fu Chen could not hold back his anger any longer and was about to speak, but he was interrupted.


    "The Emperor has arrived."


    It turned out that when Hu Xiao was entangled with the guards, the guards had already gone to report to Qin Shuo, but when Qin Shuo heard Hu Xiao, he felt a headache. He wanted to pretend that he didn''t know what was going on, but then he realized that Hu Xiaoxiao''s temper was definitely going to turn the world upside down.


    Sure enough, from afar, he could see Hu Xiao and the Minister of Arts arguing, but in reality, the Minister of Arts was blushing. He was laughing in a leisurely manner, and his head had swelled up even more.


    Fu Cheng was very surprised at the emperor''s arrival. He had thought that the emperor wouldn''t care about such a trifling matter. Even though he wanted to turn around, he had already knelt down and paid his respects.


    Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Hu Xiaoxiao bow unwillingly, and before the king could reply, she had already stood up. Hmph, she really was a vulgar woman that was difficult to step into.


    "Empress, what do you mean by that?"


    Sure enough, there was not a single day where one could live in leisure. Wasn''t it just that they had made peace? How did he come up with such a big joke today?


    "Your Majesty, I was planning to leave the palace. Did you not see that? It''s a pity that these guards were blind. Not only did they stop me from leaving, they even questioned whether I was the empress. His Majesty said that should we teach these guards a lesson? "


    Look, not only was he unrepentant, he was even full of confidence!


    It was at this moment that Qin Shuo remembered that the government was so busy yesterday that he forgot to let people know he was wrong.


    "I have been careless from now on. Since the empress is in a hurry to leave the palace, let''s go. The nearest official of the Wei family ordered the empress to enter the palace freely from now on. No one is allowed to stop her."


    Seeing Hu Xiao looking at him with a smile, he had originally thought that the first agreement would be suspended for a few days. But who knew that this person would actually be in such a hurry to leave the palace and would have no choice but to pass down the order?


    "Then chenqie will thank Your Majesty."


    With this, the commotion from outside the palace passed. Hu Xiaoxiao was in a good mood, but it was unknown how the other people were feeling.


    Imperial study.


    "Your Majesty, today your subject came out of the palace and met the Empress. I''ve heard that the Southern Yue women are comparable to the men, so I thought that the princess of the Southern Yue would be inferior to the rumored princesses." Your Majesty, today your subject came out of the palace and met the Empress, and I''ve heard that the Southern Yue woman is comparable to a man.


    How could Fu Chen let the humiliation he had suffered at the entrance of the palace go so easily! To be humiliated by a little girl, even if she was from the Southern Mountain''s Royal Family, so what if she was from the East Courtyard! As long as His Majesty didn''t like it, wouldn''t the officials still obediently return to the south of the Yue Province?


    The scholar had always prided himself on his high moral character. Now that Hu Xiaoxiao had called him a weak chicken in front of him, how could he swallow his anger so easily?

 C16

    Seeing no response from Qin Shuo after a long time, Fu Chen continued, "Your Majesty, if the Empress is so wicked, why don''t you pass it on to the Southern Yue and have it take you back to learn the etiquette of the royal family?"


    Yin Fufeng had been holding back his laughter all this time, but he knew that he was not in a good mood after hearing what Fu Chen had said.


    It seemed like today, the court official Fu Chen was truly infuriated by Empress Hu.


    "Your Majesty, you absolutely cannot. Not to mention the fact that there has never been such a precedent, if my East Branch sends the Empress back to the South Yue, the South Yue will definitely be humiliated. When we send troops to the East Branch in the future, both internally and externally, the consequences will be unthinkable."


    "As the Minister of Arts, she holds the position of Minister, you really shouldn''t argue with a girl about this. The Southern Yue was always open-minded, so it isn''t unusual for the Empress to be open in the Southern Yue. Her personality is also a lot more boring than normal."


    He really couldn''t stand the pedantic Wen Fu Chen. The two of them had been at odds in the imperial court in the first place, but they had never been so against each other in private. Now, it seemed that Fu Chen was truly a man of ill will.


    "Your Majesty, the empress of the eastern courtyard has always been a virtuous and virtuous person, but the empress now is extremely coarse. She even fought. This kind of person can''t be called the empress of the eastern courtyard!"


    "Your Majesty, the Empress is just used to being free. Being confined in this harem all day, she is naturally a bit impatient. However, this Queen is, after all, the princess of the Southern Yue. Your Majesty, please reconsider."


    Wen Fu Chen and Yin Fufeng were having an argument. Both of them had their own reasons. Qin Shuo could not help but think of the Queen, that little fox, and the joy she had when she was venting her anger.


    "Alright, there''s no need for the two of you to say anymore. Although the empress has a rough personality, she can''t do away with the crime of sending you back to the southern Yue. I have to punish you both. You may leave now."


    Right, the two of them were quarrelling below, but the king had already thought of a plan in his mind. They looked each other in the eye and then both knelt down in respect.


    For the past few days, many of the imperial concubines had been talking about the empress due to her laughter. Now, even the officials of the previous dynasty were arguing over her words. The empress was really capable!


    It looks like I''ll have to subdue the empress''s temper a bit, but he can''t do anything to her! He had to do it in a roundabout way, and he felt extremely helpless in his heart.


    Within the Snowy Palace.


    "Empress, the empress has left the palace, and people from the Wen Mansion have entered the palace. Shall we meet, Empress?"


    In the past few days, Imperial Concubine Xue had been holding back her anger because of the laughter in her heart. Now that people from the Wen Mansion had entered the palace, this was indeed a good opportunity.


    "See, how could we not see each other? Quickly invite them in, Bi Lan, make some tea."


    "Imperial Concubine Xue is lucky." The person who had come was none other than Wen Mansion''s Fu Chen, who had sent the wife.


    The two of them had not seen each other for a long time. Tears welled up in their eyes. It had been a long time since he had last seen her, but the relationship between them wasn''t very close.


    After the two of them had lunch, Lady Wen explained why they had come to the palace.


    It turned out that Wen Fu Chen had long since locked himself up in his study after returning to the Wen Mansion with a dark expression. Seeing that the situation was not good, Madam Wen quickly sent some news over after a short inquiry.


    Previously, when Imperial Concubine Xue was in a good mood, Qin Shuo had allowed her family members to freely visit after passing the news. Now, it was much more convenient.


    "Cousin, why are you in such a hurry to find me today? Did something happen at home?"


    During the meal, she seemed to want to say something but hesitated. This aroused Imperial Concubine Xue''s curiosity as she was usually very calm and collected. It was rare for her to disregard etiquette like this.


    "It''s also my fault for being too impatient. Today, your cousin was depressed when he returned home early and even locked himself in his study. I was very worried, but my husband didn''t tell me, so I went to the palace to look for my imperial concubine."


    What happened this morning? Imperial Concubine Xue should have long known that something big had happened in the palace. Moreover, it could make her cousin anxious, so why was there no news at all?


    Imperial Concubine Xue looked at Bi Lan doubtfully. Didn''t Bi Lan just leave the palace with a smile? Could it be that the two of them met and had a dispute?


    If not, Bi Lan would have been able to solve their doubts very quickly.

 C17

    "To reply esteemed wangfei, Esteemed Empress was stopped by the guards when she left the palace this morning. It just so happened that the Minister of Arts and Esteemed Empress had a dispute with him when he passed by, and then His Majesty sent the Empress out after him. But he brought the Minister of Justice and Yin Da along to the imperial study, so the maidservant couldn''t find out what happened afterwards."


    The Imperial Study''s defense was of utmost importance, and the chances of obtaining information from it were extremely rare. Xue Meng''er thought for a moment before letting the servant girl go.


    She felt uncomfortable when she saw Hu Xiaoxiao, not to mention her weak cousin who had been reading so many poetry books.


    Cousin, now it seems that the Emperor and Cousin must have discussed some matters. Cousin must have been busy with some matters.


    Since she knew the cause and effect, Xue Meng''er wasn''t very worried. It was just that she had entered Oxhorn Horn. If her cousin wasn''t depressed when he was kicked by that b * tch, she would be the one feeling depressed.


    "Imperial Consort? What''s wrong with the empress? "


    Seeing how Xue Meng''er spoke so casually, although Madam Wen was unhappy in her heart, she also felt that she had made too much of a fuss.


    "I can''t say it, but even if the Southern Yue is opening its doors, as a princess of the imperial family, its education should still be better than that of ordinary Southern Yue citizens, right?"


    Xue Meng''er hadn''t finished speaking, but as a smart person, she naturally understood what he meant.


    Forget it, let''s not talk about these troublesome matters anymore. Cousin has not been to the palace with me for a long time. There isn''t even a person to talk to.


    "Alright, alright."


    "I came here to have a good chat with Imperial Concubine. Moreover, His Majesty is the one who loves us the most in the harem, Imperial Concubine Xue. Why is it so boring?" "Since that''s the case, then my cousin will always come and accompany you from time to time."


    They chatted merrily in the hall.


    "¡­ ¡­"


    The Mansion.


    As soon as Madam Wen entered the house, she hastily went to see Fu Chen.


    Seeing Madame Wen''s appearance, the scholar was not too surprised. "Steward Li said you entered the palace today?"


    It was probably due to his appearance that made his wife worried.


    "Husband, I did indeed enter the palace today. Husband''s state of mind isn''t quite right after returning to the palace today. I felt uneasy in my heart, so I went to see Imperial Concubine Xue."


    She looked as if she was afraid that she had done something wrong, and the ''kind'' Fu Chen did not say anything.


    "No worries, does Imperial Concubine Xue have anything to say to you?" You only returned home at this hour? "


    "Imperial Concubine Xue said that she always felt that there was something wrong with Empress Hu. She didn''t look like a princess from the Southern Yue Royal Family."


    This matter was of great importance. Lady Wen wrote these words on a piece of paper and handed it to Fu Cheng.


    When Fu Chen saw the words written on the paper, he was greatly shocked in his heart. So that was the case!


    "It doesn''t matter. Imperial Concubine Xue is currently deep within the palace. Since the Wen Manor is Imperial Concubine Xue''s family, you should go out more."


    Move up a bit more.


    When Madame Wen saw Wen Fu Chen looking at the book once more, she silently withdrew.


    "Your Majesty, Imperial Consort Xue has arrived."


    Wei Chen saw Imperial Concubine Xue from afar and hurried to inform her.


    Qin Shuo was feeling annoyed. He had intended to not see her, but before he could say anything, Imperial Concubine Xue came in. He frowned. Since when did Imperial Concubine Xue have the right to come in and out without a notice?


    "Your Majesty, Jin An."


    "Get up. You''ve recovered a lot today? You actually have the leisure to come to find me? "


    After all, she was his favorite concubine, and Qin Shuo also didn''t hate Imperial Concubine Xue. Looking at her face, he couldn''t help but think of Hu Xiao''s domineering look.


    In the end, Qin Shuo''s attitude towards Xue Xun was less entangled and distant, but Imperial Concubine Xue didn''t seem to know it, leaning on Qin Shuo as usual.

 C18

    "Your Majesty, I feel much better today. I''ve heard that the empress has been rather aggressive in recent days. I was afraid that His Majesty would be angered by my sister''s matter, so I ordered the kitchen to make a bowl of ginseng soup for him. His Majesty is drinking it while it''s still hot."


    As Xue Mi''er said this, she crawled up from Qin Shuo''s body and scooped up a small spoonful of ginseng soup and brought it to Qin Shuo''s mouth.


    Seeing the look of anticipation on Xue Meng''er''s face, Qin Shuo had no choice but to drink it. But after drinking a few mouthfuls, he quickly stopped Xue Mi''er and wanted to make another move.


    "Su''er, you can drink the ginseng soup later. You came all the way here to find me and not just give me the ginseng soup, right? Could it be that you''re lonely? "


    He was already tired of drinking the soup, but he could do nothing about it.


    "Your Majesty is bad ¡­ Didn''t chenqie say that she was here to comfort His Majesty because he was unable to sleep and eat in peace because of his elder sister''s matter?


    Xue Meng''s haughty yet adorable appearance was something that Qin Shuo liked very much in the past, but today, for some reason, he didn''t even know what it was. He had probably been angered to the point of confusion by Hu Xiao.


    However, she didn''t care about the laughter coming from the dark side of the palace. Right now, she was in a state where she was more excited to see everything.


    Modern foods had long since lost their original taste under the processing of various ingredients. At this time, the food was basically handmade, so there was no need to mention the taste.


    Hu Xiao enjoyed eating a string of candied fruits on his left hand and a string of cotton candy on his right.


    He had always been very fond of sweets, and now he couldn''t let it go.


    Away from the scheming and scheming of the women within the palace walls, aimlessly strolling around the market, roaming about, occasionally doing a female hero to save someone in trouble, this was one of the lucky things in life.


    Hu Xiaoxiao felt that his skills were not bad, and judging from the movements of the guards and the emperor, they would not dare to say anything else. At the very least, they were able to escape successfully.


    Just as he was about to escape from the palace, he heard cheers from the front. Laughing loudly, he squeezed into the crowd.


    "Give way, give way, give way, thank you."


    While mumbling, he moved forward. No matter where he was, he would have a certain advantage over others no matter how good his appearance was. This was especially true for the fat men. Suddenly, an extremely good-looking woman squeezed herself to the side.


    Hu Xiao didn''t have the slightest bit of interest in his treatment. His eyes only glowed with excitement as he watched the lively scene in front of him.


    The two people in the circle were performing the Breaking Stones on their chests that had always been so popular with the audience.


    In the past, Hu Xiaoxiao had been curious about the props used for performing, but the end result made Hu Xiaoxiao disappointed. The stone was processed, and although the audience could see it clearly, most of it was fake.


    Looking at the rock in front of him, he laughed even more excitedly. This was a real rock!


    As the sledgehammer was raised, everyone held their breath. Dong. Following the sound of a muffled sound, the stone shattered and everyone started to cheer.


    "Zhilan, give us more rewards. Let''s go."


    With that, he left.


    Hu Xiaoxiao, who had turned to leave, did not see the doubt in Zhilan''s eyes.


    Although Hu Xiao was usually quite arrogant, he was no longer the same person as he was today. Furthermore, his actions were very different from before.


    His heart was filled with anxiety, but Hu Xiao had not recently allowed Zhilan to bathe and change clothes. That day had passed, and Hu Xiao had personally taken care of everything.


    Seeing Hu Xiao walk into the restaurant, Zhilan interrupted her thoughts and hurriedly followed him.


    "Oh?" Where did that girl come from? This little guy looks pretty good? Why not follow me? This grandpa will let you eat and drink spicy food? "


    Just as Zhilan stepped into the restaurant, she heard such frivolous words. Indeed, they were from the same sky.


    Zhilan had originally wanted to watch the show, but who knew that the person being flirted with was her Empress? She was greatly alarmed as she hastily stepped forward.


    Who knew that that person would become more and more arrogant when he saw Ye Zichen ignore him, while his words became more and more frivolous?


    "Where did this audacious madman come from, do you know who our Young Miss is?" and you''re not even paying attention to your pathetic life! "

 C19

    Seeing that Hu Xiao had no intention to speak, Zhilan hastily opened her mouth to stop the arrogant man from speaking.


    "Hurry up and serve me the dishes!" What are you blanking out for? "


    Hu Xiao ignored the noisy and frivolous people surrounding him. After a long time, he impatiently urged the waiter to serve the dishes.


    "Yes, yes, yes, customer. I''ll be there right away."


    One after another, waiters began serving the dishes.


    That arrogant disciple was furious when he saw that Hu Xiao was not paying attention to him.


    "Little beauty! I''m talking to you! Miss what? The beauty that I like is my woman! "


    He didn''t care much about the person who rushed out to speak in front of him. He thought that the person who laughed for so long would ignore him as a deaf beauty, but who would have thought that the voice would be so pleasant to hear?


    "Reckless villain!" You! "You!"


    Zhilan was furious at the appearance of the unstoppable population. However, no one among the onlookers was willing to lend a helping hand. She felt wronged in her heart.


    They had only just arrived at the Eastern Courtyard, but they had already been ostracized by the various concubines in the imperial palace. Who knew that they would meet such thugs outside the palace?


    "Zhilan, there''s no need to anger yourself to death with such a thing. It''s not worth it. I came here today to eat wine, not to play around with such a despicable person."


    Hu Xiaoxiao saw that Zhilan''s heart was filled with anxiety, and hurriedly said.


    She was in a very good mood today. Furthermore, she had just moved her body in the morning, so she really did not want to make a move. She ignored the person and silently left.


    "Little beauty, I''m not a vile person. I can guarantee that I''ll be staying in the Eastern Courtyard. As long as I have a woman with me, there won''t be anyone who doesn''t eat and drink. At that time, I''ll have endless blessings."


    That person didn''t get annoyed when he saw the guy laughing and belittling him. Instead, he continued to brag about how good it was to follow him.


    The surrounding people were also stunned by Hu Xiao''s beauty, but seeing Li Si come forward to make fun of him, they felt like watching a good show.


    Li Si was the head of the gang, and there were people supporting him from the yamen. Li Si did all the evil in this area, and there were also a lot of people who tried to rob a woman from a good family, so no one dared to say anything.


    Now that they saw Li Si, they all silently prayed that Li Si would run into a hard nail.


    When Li Si saw that Hu Xiao and Zhilan didn''t pay him any attention after a long time, he was so angry that he directly tried to take Hu Xiao away.


    Just as Li Si was about to make his move, Zhilan looked over, picked up the wine jug beside her and threw it out. Seeing the person walking over to Li Si, she changed the direction of the wine jug in her hand and flew towards that person.


    Zhao Qiyan looked at the wine jug that was flying toward him and was stunned for a moment. Then, he stepped aside.


    He frowned at Zhilan, unsure of what was going on.


    He was here to help, why didn''t the wine jugs fly onto Li Si, instead running onto him!


    Zhao Qiyan didn''t know that Zhilan regarded him as an accomplice of Li Si''s. She thought that the two of them were working together to bully him!


    Zhilan saw that the wine jug had been dodged, and was about to throw the chopsticks in her hand over when she was stopped by a laugh.


    Zhilan might not know Zhao Qiyan''s identity due to her anger, but Hu Xiao knew it very well. It seemed like there really was no need for Zhao Qiyan to do anything today.


    Hu Xiao nodded at Zhao Weiyan to show his respect.


    After that, before Zhilan''s jaw dropped, Zhao Qiyan sent Li Si flying with a kick.


    With the help of Zhao Qiyan, Li Si slammed into the wall like a meatball.


    "You ¡­ You... Who are you! How dare you attack me! Go, tie him up for Yours Truly! "


    Normally, he was used to taking advantage of others'' power. But now, it was his first time encountering someone on the wrong side of the wall, so how could Li Si not be angry!


    However, those servants usually swarmed over a long time ago. Now, they were all like mice looking at a cat. They were looking at each other, while they were looking at each other.


    "Are you deaf? "I told you to do it for me!"


    When the servant saw that Li Si was angry, he hesitated and went forward.

 C20

    Soon, everyone was fighting. Zhao Qiyan circled around to the left and finished everyone off with his right foot. Then, he turned around and looked at the two people.


    After all, with Li Si at the front, Zhilan felt that this was yet another malicious attempt. However, someone with quite good skills was also targeting her young miss, hastily blocking her.


    Zhao Qiyan looked at Zhilan''s actions in confusion. Shouldn''t the two of them say their thanks now? Why was she looking at him with such anger?


    He felt slightly dissatisfied. This person really didn''t know how to appreciate favors! Not only did he not express his gratitude, he even blocked the way.


    "Zhilan, come back. This person isn''t a bad person."


    If he didn''t say anything, Hu Xiaoxiao would have suspected that Zhilan and Zhao Qiyan were going to fight.


    "Hmm? How do you know I''m not a bad person? "Could it be that you recognize me?"


    Zhao Qiyan was stunned when he heard Hu Xiao''s voice. He suddenly felt that the two people who looked at him looked a little familiar.


    However, if he had seen a beauty like Hu Xiao, he would definitely be able to remember her. He felt extremely vexed.


    "Hmm? General Zhao is renowned in the world, how could this humble girl not know? "


    Hu Xiaoxiao''s heart grew more and more beautiful as he saw Zhao Qiyan''s vexed expression. He didn''t seem to be the great general that the rumors said he was filled with killing intent. On the contrary, he seemed to be rather adorable.


    While the two of them were talking, Li Si saw that Zhao Qi Yan''s kung fu was really powerful, so he quietly slipped away.


    Hu Xiao naturally saw that Li Si had already left, but he didn''t pay much attention to him. As long as she was still the Queen of the Eastern Courtyard, he wouldn''t worry about her at all.


    "Hehe, this lady is too kind. She is indeed this general. "Have you ever seen a girl anywhere?"


    The more he thought about it, the more familiar it seemed. Zhao Qiyan racked his brains, but couldn''t think of when he had seen it. He gave up and asked directly. In any case, as a martial artist, he was the one who was least proficient in using his brain. He especially did not like those twists and turns, so he might as well just ask him.


    Hu Xiao was a straightforward person; his personality was similar to Zhao Qiyan''s.


    "General Zhao, if you can''t remember, then don''t think about it. But we met by chance, thank you for saving my daughter once. I will return it to you in the future. Why don''t you sit down and have a meal together?"


    As a military general, it was understandable for him not to know her and laugh. After all, military generals often led soldiers to war outside the country. In the end, they were different from civil officials.


    "What lady says is correct. However, it is also a matter of meeting by chance and not knowing each other. Since you have invited me, this general will do as you say."


    Zhao Feiyan was originally here to have a meal. Moreover, he had just made a move and his stomach was already rumbling with hunger. Now that he had heard Hu Xiaoxiao''s invitation, he did not hold back and sat down.


    Zhao Weiyan usually stayed in this restaurant, so when the waiter saw Zhao Qiyan take a seat, he quickly went to the side table.


    "Waiter, as I am doing today, please give me a list of the broken items and send it to my house for silver."


    It seemed that he had broken a few chairs during his beating of Li Si. Zhao Qiyan felt a little embarrassed.


    "There''s no need to go through all that trouble. Zhilan, today''s matter started because of me. General Zhao, you go and destroy the item ¡­" "Oh no, the waiter has finally cleared it."


    The slip of the tongue had not attracted anyone''s attention. Hu Xiao could not help but heave a sigh of relief in his heart.


    "No! No! How can I let a woman pay the bill!"


    "It doesn''t matter, just treat it as an apology. General Zhao has been leading troops to protect the people of East Court all these years, so just treat it as me doing a little bit of work for the general."


    Although Zhao Feiyan was a bit rude, he was a person with an extremely mischievous and mischievous personality.


    "In that case, I will thank you."


    Without knowing it, Zhao Qiyan had already changed his name and became closer to Hu Xiao.


    When Zhilan returned, she saw that Zhao Qiyan was still confused and could not bear to watch.


    "What ''Miss''? My lady is the empress of the East Court!" "You are a general of the imperial court, yet you don''t know the Empress!"

 C21

    For some reason, Zhilan couldn''t stand Zhao Qiyan''s silly appearance. Seeing Zhao Qiyan still calling out to his daughter while laughing, she felt even more stifled in her heart.


    Having just heard Hu Xiaoxiao call out General Zhao''s name, Zhilan knew that this was the Eastern Courtyard martial general''s first place, Zhao Qiyan. Although she hadn''t recognized him just now, seeing Zhao Qiyan''s appearance, Zhilan couldn''t help but inwardly pout.


    Zhao Qiyan was stunned by Zhilan''s explanation. He slowly turned his head to look at Hu Xiao, only to see him nodding his head.


    Nodding! That was acquiescence! My God!


    It was as if he had been struck by a bolt of lightning.


    At this moment, Zhao Qiyan was extremely glad that he had taught that young man a lesson. Ah, no, this was the empress''s man! If the empress saw him there and didn''t help, her fate could be imagined.


    Now Zhao Qiyan finally knew where that familiarity came from. He had seen her in person the day the Queen and the Emperor were married!


    However, at this time, Zhao Qiyan was confused. Why was the smile he saw so differently from the one His Majesty spoke of?


    Aren''t you extremely vulgar? Wasn''t he very good at fighting? How could he be looked down upon by someone who was pretending to be powerful?


    While Zhao Qiyan was still in a daze, a group of yamen runners suddenly burst into the restaurant.


    Hu Xiaoxiao was well aware that Li Si had secretly run away to get reinforcements?


    "Insolent bastard! How dare he hurt someone in broad daylight! Men, bring him away!"


    This was the first time someone had dared to arrest him at the hands of the Son of Heaven. Moreover, there was an empress by his side who wanted to reveal her identity, but then he saw Hu Xiao shake his head. It seemed that the empress had other intentions, so Zhao Qiyan shut his mouth obediently.


    With a look of surprise, he followed the bailiff.


    After everyone saw that everyone had left, they heaved a sigh of relief. However, after greedily coming out to have a meal and listening to a storyline, they actually encountered such a huge situation.


    "Ai, I think that Li Si is doomed this time around."


    At a table in the corner, a young man wearing azure clothes said.


    The moment the green-robed man spoke, the surrounding people hurriedly used their eyes to ask him why.


    The man who fought with Li Si just now is the Eastern Courtyard''s first martial general, General Zhao. General Zhao rarely moves, so there are very few people who know General Zhao. They only know him by name, but don''t you think that Zhao Si has messed with an iron plate?


    Before the man in green had finished his sentence, the surrounding people began to suck in air! General Zhao! Who they were, who they were, and who none of them knew.


    It seemed like Li Si was dead for sure, but no one felt it was a pity. After all, Li Si had done so many evil things.


    The people in the restaurant were still talking about Zhao Qiyan''s legendary army while Hu Xiao and Zhao Qiyan were pushed to the yamen by the yamen runners.


    The head of the yamen runners did not have a large official position under the command of the Prefect. The head of the yamen runners did not hold a large official position under the command of the Prefecture Overseer.


    The criminal, Li Si, was the relative of the leader of the bailiffs, so the bailiff naturally saw the traces on Li Si''s body. The criminal, Li Si, was the relative of the leader of the bailiffs, so the bailiffs naturally saw the traces on Li Si''s body.


    "Little beauty, do you see this grandpa''s strength? Do you want me to beg for mercy and say a few good words for this grandpa? Maybe this grandpa will let go of this beauty now. "


    When Li Si saw the bailiff bringing the three of them over, he hastily said to Hu Xiao. Who knew that Hu Xiao would smile brightly at him before striding into the mansion.


    At this moment, the Prefecture Overseer returned.


    "Lord, I brought three people from the Drunken Immortal Tavern today. The three of them attacked us in broad daylight."


    The Prefecture Overseer nodded his head. As he was about to enter the door, he saw the three people mentioned by the bailiff and felt panic in his heart.


    "General Zhao? This humble official pays his respect to General Zhao. "


    The Prefecture Overseer''s words immediately silenced the Prefecture Overseer.


    Hu Xiao helplessly looked at Zhao Qiyan.


    This was the first time he had entered a government office, and he had a face full of excitement. He thought that he would be able to experience the attitude of a judge at the Three Halls Trials, but to his surprise, Zhao Weiyan was seen through.


    Zhao Qiyan looked at Hu Xiao with a strange expression. He did not know when he had gotten into trouble, but he did not know why.


    "Stand up, that yamen runner of yours was right. This general injured people at the Drunken Immortal Tavern, what are your plans?"


    The bailiff was so scared that he fell to his knees. When he heard Zhao Qiyan''s words, he lowered his head even more.


    "General Zhao, you are too magnanimous. I was blind and disturbed you. I did not do it on purpose. Please spare my life, General Zhao."


    The bailiff knelt beside Zhao Qiyan''s feet, kowtowing to him and shouting, "I''m innocent!"


    "General, look at this?"


    After all, he was from his own residence. The Prefecture Overseer didn''t know what to do. He looked at Zhao Qiyan hesitantly. It shouldn''t be so easy to catch the wrong person, but he didn''t know what else Zhao Qiyan was doing.


    "Humph!" This person? "Bring that person over there to this general!"


    Zhao Qiyan was not a general for nothing. He crossed over the Prefecture Overseer and arrived at the top of the hall.


    Of course, Zhao Qiyan''s reaction was due to the smile on his face.


    "Someone, sit by the side and listen!"


    The servants did not dare to disobey and hurriedly moved a chair over for Hu Xiaoxiao to sit on.


    The Prefecture Overseer stood uneasily at the side. When he saw Li Si, he seemed to have realized something.


    "Lord Yin, it''s bad. General Zhao has been brought to the yamen."


    At this time, Yin Fufeng was taking off his court clothes, put on his coat and rushed to the yamen after hearing the housekeeper''s report.


    His good friend usually spoke ill of others and only knew how to march and fight. He did not know what he had done to be arrested and sent to the yamen. He was not worried at all.


    "My lord, I know I was wrong. I do not know that this is General Zhao, but I have eyes but am unable to recognize Mt. Tai. I will not dare to do so next time, please forgive me."


    Li Si, who had been forced into the hall to look at the people, was surprised for a moment. When he heard the Military Advisor''s words, he was so scared that he immediately fell to the ground.


    Normally, he would stand and wait on his cousin while he waited on the streets, but now that he had actually kicked an iron plate, he didn''t know what to do.


    "Next time? This general has heard quite a lot about you, Li Si? "


    Zhao Qiyan hated people like Li Si the most. Now that this person had met him and was trying to do a good job in front of the empress, Zhao Qiyan would never let Li Si go.


    "General, general, I have been wronged."


    The bailiff next to Li Si was alarmed upon hearing Zhao Qiyan''s words.


    "General, I am innocent. I was deceived by this scoundrel. Please be merciful, General."


    If he did not draw a clear line between him and Li Si, the bailiff knew that he would be implicated by the bailiff.


    "Oh?"


    Zhao Qiyan clearly remembered the look on the bailiff''s face.


    "Deceiving? Then the background Li Si mentioned should be you, right? For a mere bailiff to dare to let Li Si do so many things while taking advantage of the situation, I believe that this Prefecture Overseer will be able to take care of this matter properly. "


    Hu Xiaoxiao saw that the show was over, stood up and said.

 C22

    At this moment, everyone in the hall felt that Zhao Qiyan was the only one who could listen in, yet he was the only one who could speak such nonsense. He truly did not know the limits of the heavens.


    Hu Xiao''s words had offended the Prefecture Overseer, causing his expression to change.


    "General, family members should not be allowed to attend the hearing of a case. Is this not against the rules?"


    The yamen runner had offended Zhao Qiyan, but he hadn''t. Yet this girl, who didn''t know her place, dared to point out the need for him to stop at the yamen!


    "Oh? Family? "I didn''t know that the empress is now General Zhao''s relative?"


    Just when Zhao Qiyan didn''t know how to respond, Yin Fufeng finally arrived.


    He had been extremely worried, but who would have thought that after coming in, he would see him sitting on top of the high hall, trying the criminal. There was even an acquaintance sitting outside the high hall, drinking tea and eating snacks!


    Hearing what Yin Fufeng said, the other Prefecture Overseer''s face turned completely pale.


    He did not know that the people he had brought with him today were people that he could not afford to offend.


    The two people in the hall were even more so.


    The bailiff looked at Li Si in disappointment. He wished he could cut Li Si into pieces.


    Of all the people to provoke, he had to provoke these two Evil Gods!


    "Master Yin?" "Why are you here?" Seeing that Yin Fufeng had already exposed his identity, Hu Xiaoxiao was not annoyed. He knew that he would find out sooner or later. It didn''t matter since Zhao Qiyan could no longer play any part in this matter.


    Sure enough, Zhao Qiyan let out a sigh of relief when he saw that Yin Fufeng had exposed his identity as a ''smirking'' guy. He had truly accumulated enough courage to slap and make a fool of himself in front of a real big fox.


    "Didn''t I hear that Esteemed Empress and General Zhao were taken into the yamen? I came to see what was going on."


    Yin Fufeng looked at this grateful friend of his for no reason, he didn''t know what this friend was getting at.


    "That''s enough, there''s no need to quibble about it. The yamen runners and Li Si colluded with each other to harm innocent people and forcibly rob women from their homes. Now that the evidence is clear, the head of the yamen will be beheaded tomorrow at noon."


    Zhao Qiyan couldn''t sit still any longer. It was too burdensome to see that Yin Fufeng had already finished his sentence.


    "General Zhao, I''m very satisfied with this verdict. These scumbags shouldn''t be alive." Hu Xiao looked at Zhao Qiyan, who was getting more relaxed with Yin Fufeng around. He now had a rough understanding of the relationship between Zhao Qiyan and Feng Zhiling.


    Zhao Qiyan was not that stupid after all.


    A person who could sit firmly in the position of general was naturally not stupid. It was indeed very similar to what the modern world said about the sincerity of the ancients.


    "Let''s go. The meal was interrupted just now. I''m very hungry right now!"


    Hu Xiaoxiao rolled his eyes in an impolite manner. He felt extremely depressed as he looked at these two men chatting in the other''s residence.


    In those novels, when two prominent figures of the imperial court talked about important matters of the country, wouldn''t they be looking for a dark and secretive place to work? He was afraid that others would know of his plan.


    With these two naked people talking to each other as if no one else was around, Hu Xiao didn''t want to hear any more of it.


    Although he was a queen of the East District, below one person, above tens of thousands of people, Hu Xiaoxiao was not interested in the affairs of the East District at all.


    "This official wasn''t considerate enough to disturb the empress''s meal. Please forgive me."


    Yin Fufeng had originally thought that the two of them had been captured in a restaurant. Naturally, he had eaten his fill. After all, with the speed at which his good friend Zhao Qiyan was eating, he couldn''t even compare.


    "Since you want me to forgive you, then hurry up and find a good spot so I can visit?"


    Hu Xiao was very clear about what Yin Fu was talking about. He didn''t seem to be moving at all. Did he think he was just talking casually?


    "Haha, since the Empress has spoken, is there any reason for this official not to be satisfied? "Let''s go. This official will bring the Empress to the restaurant that this official often visits. There, I have a seat prepared for this official all year round, so it''s just right for me."


    Yin Fufeng couldn''t deny that guy''s smile. After the last few days of meeting, Yin Fufeng had also developed a smile on his face. He didn''t say anything even if he wanted to, and he was extremely magnanimous.


    "Hmm? "There''s actually a legendary VIP in ancient times?"


    What Yin Fufeng said made Hu Yangxuan smile, and then he whispered to himself.


    "What did the Empress just say?"


    The two words came together from Hu Xiao''s ears.


    Hu Xiao looked at Zhilan and Zhao Qiyan with a strange expression on his face. Indeed, it was these two men who had said those words with great tacit understanding.


    Logically speaking, this was the first time Zhao Qiyan and Zhilan had met. It must have been a coincidence. But after returning to the palace, Hu Xiao didn''t think this way.


    Furthermore, she had never failed even once when she tried to tie him up with Hu Xiaoxiao and Hong Niang.


    A pair of large eyes darted between Zhilan and Zhao Qiyan. It seemed like these two had some sort of story behind them.


    As soon as the two of them finished their sentence, Hu Xiaoxiao looked at the arrogant Zhao Qiyan with disdain. Who knew? Perhaps in the future, these two might be able to create some sparks.


    Yin Fufeng didn''t pay much attention to the appearances of Zhao Qiyan and Zhilan.


    Just now, both of them had heard everything clearly. Coincidentally, he, Yin Fufeng, had heard everything clearly.


    What was ancient? What is VIP? Wasn''t he, Hu Xiaoxiao, someone from a different era? Although the East Court and the South Yue were different nations, they had been together for hundreds of years. Furthermore, the East Court also wanted to learn from the people of the South Yue. But why didn''t Hu Xiao understand the meaning behind his words?


    He looked at Hu Xiao with a puzzled expression. When he saw Hu Xiao beaming at Zhilan and Zhao Qiyan like a cat, he couldn''t help but wonder what he had done wrong.


    Just as he wanted to ask, he arrived at the restaurant.


    "Esteemed Empress, please."


    Yin Fufeng stepped back and let Hu Xiao leave first.


    "No need to be so courteous to me."


    Hu Xiaoxiao retracted the mocking expression he had on his face and returned to the haughty Queen in the blink of an eye. His eyes were filled with disdain.


    "Just serve the dishes as you always do."


    Yin Fufeng said as he saw the waiter coming over.


    It was not that he didn''t want to ask what Hu Xiaoxiao wanted to eat, but since Hu Xiaoxiao had instructed Yin Fufeng to make sure everything was under his control after entering the restaurant, Yin Fufeng couldn''t wait any longer.


    Hu Xiao was also secretly relieved. He still had some lingering fear in his heart after seeing what Yin Fu Feng just said. He dared to say that Yin Fu Feng had heard him clearly. That expression showed that Yin Fu Feng was very suspicious of him!


    Fortunately, Yin Fufeng didn''t know anything about this place. She was always laughing, and even if the situation was bad, it could be said that she was being guided by a superior person in her sleep, which was why she had changed her attitude. Ancient humanities attached great importance to this kind of feudal superstition.


    At that time, they would have no choice but to believe him. However, dealing with a fox was truly tiring.


    Just as he was thinking and laughing, he saw the waiters serving the dishes one by one. He was stunned.


    Why, are the dishes in this ancient restaurant basically the same? Don''t you have any special dishes?


    However, this time, Hu Xiaoxiao was secretly cursing in his heart, but the interview wasn''t obvious.


    As the saying goes, eat without saying anything. Seeing the two of them quietly eating, Hu Xiao was hungry and resentful. Naturally, he spoke a lot less and a bit more seriously than before.


    However, from downstairs came a hubbub of noise. Laughing impatiently, he turned around and looked out the window.


    The people making a ruckus outside the window were a man and a woman, and the man was looking at the cultured and refined people, but the actions of his hands were completely devoid of any trace of gentleness!

 C23

    The girl had long since been forced into a corner by the cultured man, so she couldn''t hear their conversation.


    Yin Fufeng saw Hu Xiaoxiao''s concentration and started to explain.


    "Those two people were sold to the gentle man due to the woman''s family being unable to support her and the numerous younger brothers in her family."


    Hu Xiaoxiao heard that a farmer was carefully observing the surroundings, and indeed, he saw that the farmer was currently conversing with the cultured man.


    The girl saw that she was still young and couldn''t bear to watch any longer.


    Since he couldn''t be bothered to take the stairs, Hu Xiaoxiao leaped up and landed steadily on the second floor. One step at a time, he started walking towards the crowd.


    It didn''t matter if Hu Xiao was a man, but if it was something, then it was because Hu Xiao was a woman, and also the Queen of East Peak!


    He had heard that Hu Xiaoxiao was a man of action, but he had never seen him do it before. But now, Hu Xiaoxiao had jumped up so quickly that Yin Fu Feng was surprised.


    This pair of ordinary men would never be able to walk down from the second floor unscathed, yet Hu Xiao did it as a woman. Yin Fufeng suddenly remembered that day when he heard that Imperial Concubine Xue had been kicked into the pond by Hu Xiaoxiao.


    In contrast to Yin Fufeng''s shocked expression, Zhao Qiyan directly applauded.


    He had never seen a girl so brave and ferocious, and from the looks of it, she had an extraordinary skill. In this way, she could be considered a heroic hero!


    Zhilan was extremely dissatisfied to see Zhao Qiyan clapping and cheering.


    "What''s that?" Only General Zhao could worship him like that? Our Empress has the ability, General Zhao doesn''t know! Humph, it is indeed a martial arts man with shallow experience! "


    From the looks of it, Hu Xiao was going to be the hero and save the beauty. Oh, no, the beauty went to save the beauty, her little follower had to follow closely behind, as the Empress would call out to her anytime and anywhere.


    Zhao Qiyan was stunned by Zhilan''s words. She had a cute look on her face.


    Yin Fufeng smiled when he saw his good friend''s look.


    His good friend had also suffered today. In the past, Zhao Feiyan was the only one angered by others. It seemed like not only was the empress interested in him, even the people beside her were also very interested.


    He wasn''t worried that Hu Xiaoxiao would be taken advantage of, so he sat calmly by the window, admiring the empress''s elegance.


    As he walked into the crowd, he heard that the gentle man''s words did not match the cultured man''s description.


    The vulgar words in his mouth had reached the point where he could move his feet from time to time!


    "Stop! How can the Emperor be so lawless?"


    Seeing that the surrounding people were extremely cold and detached, all of them pointing their fingers, yet no one came forward to plead for the girl, the anger in Hu Xiao''s heart was almost unconcealable.


    The moment Hu Xiao spoke, he turned around and pointed at Hu Xiaoxiao.


    "Oh? A beautiful woman has arrived? Beauty, are you trying to make me remember you?" Why are you so anxious for this grandpa to meet you? "


    The gentle man wanted to see who was so bold as to actually dare to spoil his good fortune. However, when he turned his head and saw Hu Xiao''s appearance, his tone of voice softened slightly.


    That gentle man felt that it wasn''t bad, but he didn''t know that Hu Xiaoxiao was getting more and more disgusted with him.


    He had just left the palace today and had been taken advantage of by two people in a row. The lines were basically the same, Qin Shuo''s way of governing the country didn''t seem to be very effective, otherwise how could the Son of Heaven have so many disgusting things under his feet?


    "Beauty? Why aren''t you talking? "


    That cultured man joked again as if he was afraid that Ye Zichen would laugh for a long time.


    "Let that girl go!"


    Hu Xiaoxiao did not wish to waste any more words with this person. With so many people around, it would be disgraceful to be a woman!


    "Oh? I spent money to buy this. Wouldn''t it be very embarrassing if the beauty just let me go?" "Why don''t I think of a trick for a beauty?"


    Seeing that Hu Xiao was alone, that gentle man''s malicious intent became even more obvious.


    "Oh? What move? "Tell me, and see if I am willing or not."


    "This move is actually very good. It can kill two birds with one stone. Even if I spent the money to buy it, I naturally have no reason to return it. Besides, maybe this girl''s family does not agree?" Instead, it would be better if the beauties entered my mansion together with this lady. I will naturally treat the two beauties well, and the beauties will be able to take care of the beauties at all times. Beauty, tell me, is this plan of mine good or bad? "


    The moment the gentle man finished his words, laughter rang out from the surroundings. Those servants that seemed to be gentle men gradually surrounded them after receiving the gentle man''s order.


    Seeing this, everyone hurriedly retreated, and in an instant, the space around Hu Xiao became empty.


    "Not good! Zhao Qiyan, hurry up and go get the empress! If anything happens to the empress in front of your eyes, it''ll be a crime neither you nor I will be able to handle!"


    Although Yin Fufeng said so, he didn''t move his body at all. He just said this to his good friend intentionally.


    "Tch, you''re holding back in front of me. After all, we''ve been friends since we were young. How could this general not know the little Jiu Jiu in your heart? "Besides, if you continue watching, I can guarantee that this group of people will be dealt a terrible punishment by the empress."


    Yin Fufeng stopped talking and watched the show quietly.


    Sure enough, Hu Xiaoxiao saw that the servants surrounding him were not afraid of the stage at all, and was instead eager to give it a try.


    The people around him had a different opinion.


    "It seems like this young miss has been taught by a hero of some family. She has the ability to not fear the heavens or the earth, but she doesn''t know the principle of being outnumbered. She must have suffered a great loss today!"


    A storyteller in the crowd said with a smile.


    He was used to it. Weren''t the children of Jianghu trying to play the hero and begging for mercy in the end?


    Just as they were about to leave, they saw two people being kicked. The crowd immediately cheered.


    "See, this general only said these little things before. None of them are a match for the empress."


    Zhao Qiyan smiled happily at the wonderful expression on Yin Fufeng''s face. It was rare for this young friend of his to have the ability to change his mind.


    Looking at the group of people on the ground, he couldn''t help but feel unhappy.


    He had thought that he would be able to show off his skills, but who knew that these people would be so weak!


    When the woman''s family saw that Hu Xiaoxiao had easily knocked down the cultured man''s servants, they all rushed out.


    "You really don''t know what''s good for you. This is our family''s matter. Since when has it been your turn as an outsider?"


    Yes, you are going to destroy our family. God damn it, you are going to cut off our family''s path to survival! Come, come, come with me to report this matter.


    Hu Xiaoxiao looked at the two men in front of him and laughed in his heart. So, this was the woman''s family? They all knew that the tiger poison was a glutton, yet these people still dared to forcefully buy and sell under the influence of Grand Sky''s words. How could Hu Xiao not be angry?


    Seeing that Hu Xiaoxiao had been held up, the cultured man instructed his subordinates to go in and take down Hu Xiaoxiao! He wanted to make Hu Xiao pay the price for what he had just done!

 C24

    Hu Xiaoxiao didn''t care about the people rushing towards him, he just felt that the person in front of him who was still crying was too annoying.


    He turned around and avoided the two servants who were fighting with each other.


    At this moment, Hu Xiao felt very unhappy. His actions became more and more careless as he started to cry out.


    He approached the gentle man step by step, laughing so hard that he wanted to kick him to death.


    The man no longer had the arrogance from before as he meekly said, "Miss, no, grandaunt, no, the female hero should spare her life. I ¡­ I don''t want this woman anymore, take her away!"


    When the gentle man saw Hu Xiaoxiao''s face just now, he was naturally extremely afraid. He was afraid that if Hu Xiaoxiao was unhappy, his own life would be in danger here.


    He was just a small merchant. Normally, he had the money to do whatever he wanted, but now that he had met with such a situation, how could he not be afraid?


    At this moment, the cries of the two people who were just crying became louder and louder.


    The two of them knew that if they let this cultured man off with a smile, that man would turn around and ask them for the money to sell him. Didn''t the two of them waste their efforts in the end?


    "Okay, stop howling. I have plenty of money, so I''ll just buy your girl."


    He really couldn''t stand to see such vicious parents, and that woman was really pitiful. Unless he bought it himself, he wouldn''t be able to do anything about it.


    He touched his waist, as if he had never brought any silver this time. It was all Zhilan who was paying, so Hu Xiaoxiao unceremoniously searched for Zhilan''s position in the crowd.


    She had wanted to hide it better, but who knew that Hu Xiaoxiao would see her? Thus, Zhilan had no choice but to bite the bullet and go forward.


    "Here, this is for this girl''s silver taels. Take it!"


    Ye Zichen pinched his purse in pain, but luckily, he just laughed, and got rid of a bit of money!


    "Follow me."


    Hu Xiaoxiao looked at the filthy and submissive woman before him, frowned, and left.


    This girl was too cowardly, she should have a good lesson after buying it.


    After Hu Xiao left, the couple took the silver taels and hastily packed up their belongings. With more silver taels than the man, the couple could not hide their joy.


    When he returned to the restaurant again, Hu Xiaoxiao no longer had the heart to eat. Looking at the girl who was wolfing down the food, Hu Xiaoxiao''s heart was moved.


    This woman seemed to be hungry for several days. Were the commoners really unable to eat? Starving people everywhere?


    Just as he was lost in his thoughts, he heard a voice that brought him back to reality.


    "Many thanks to Miss for buying this lowly slave today. This lowly slave will definitely serve you well in the future and not make you regret it."


    After which, he kowtowed heavily. Hearing that sound, even Hu Xiao felt pained.


    "Was the couple just now your parents? Why did they want to sell you out? "


    Seeing that the girl seemed to have eaten her fill, and seeing that the loud kowtow just now must have eaten her fill, he asked her what he was thinking.


    On the other hand, the girl between his brows was somewhat similar to the other two, but Hu Xiao still wanted to confirm it.


    The girl lowered her head and replied after a long time, "Yes, it''s my biological mother and father."


    The woman had long resigned herself to her fate. However, upon seeing Hu Xiaoxiao''s extraordinary skills, a glimmer of hope appeared in her heart.


    "Why would I sell you?"


    "Because my family was poor, my brother was planning to take this year''s Imperial Examinations, but unfortunately, my family didn''t have any more silver to allow my brother to take the exams, so they decided to sell me in exchange for two silver taels to help him take the Imperial Examinations."


    The narration of the girl was very dull. It was the lack of sadness and joy after accepting her fate. She didn''t dare to imagine that if she didn''t meet him today, then wouldn''t this girl live a lifetime of pain and suffering under that person''s slave?


    "Are there a lot of people selling women to beg for glory these days? Tiger poison was not something he could eat. His children were born in October and were sold as he wished, not caring about his mother''s friendship at all! What''s the name of your brother? "


    Hu Xiao didn''t want to keep his anger under control anymore. He had already known about his character from Yin Fu Feng and Zhao Qi Yan, so he wanted to curse out loud.


    The woman seemed to be frightened by Hu Xiaoxiao''s smiling expression, and she did not say a word.


    Yin Fufeng glanced at the girl and said, "Most of the people in the east yard value men and women. Most of the women are sold to the officials'' family at a low price, and the merchant''s house is used to serving as a maid."


    This phenomenon was common in the East District, especially among the poorer citizens. After the birth of a baby girl, most of the commoners had chosen to abandon the baby girl and give birth to a baby, choosing to give birth to a baby instead.


    Others wanted to raise this woman as well and sell her off at the right time, so that she could continue her family''s life.


    After hearing what Yin Fufeng had said, he paused for a second, and then laughed out loud. He really valued his son more than his daughter.


    "Get up."


    Seeing those who were still kneeling on the ground, he laughed and said.


    "It''s getting late, the empress should go back to the palace. What do we do about this woman?"


    Seeing that it was getting late, if he didn''t return to the palace soon, the palace gates would be closed. Zhao Feiyan couldn''t help but remind Qin Wentian.


    The woman, who was originally standing to the side with a submissive expression, became even more flustered when she heard Zhao Feiyan calling for the Queen. Once again, she knelt down on the ground.


    "What are you doing? I told you to get up! "


    This ancient person could kneel down anytime he wanted, but he really needed to change it.


    "What should I do? Naturally, I will bring him back to the palace. It is enough for me to have one person in my palace hall."


    It was more than enough. It was more than enough. Zhao Qiyan smiled helplessly.


    He stood up and returned to the palace.


    Inside the palace.


    "Your Majesty, the shadow guard protecting the empress has returned."


    Wei Chen said, seeing that Qin Shuo was in a good mood.


    Wei Chen saw the difference in Qin Shuo''s laughter in the past few days, so he informed the shadow guard immediately upon his return.


    "Oh? Back? Tell him to come see Gu Yuan immediately. "


    Imperial Concubine Xue saw that Qin Shuo immediately summoned the shadow guard when she heard the news of the laughing. She felt a little uncomfortable, but didn''t show it on her face.


    "Your Majesty."


    "Get up, what did the empress do outside the palace today?"


    Qin Shuo knew that he was laughing, so he sent the shadow guard to protect him. In fact, it was just monitoring him, afraid that he would stop him from doing anything that would harm the imperial family''s reputation.


    The shadow guard immediately narrated in detail what happened outside the palace today.


    The more Qin Shuo heard, the more alarmed he became. He had only left the palace for a single day, and his experience was like someone else''s for a month. He must have made things difficult for her.


    When he heard that Hu Xiao had been caught at the yamen, Qin Shuo could no longer hold back.


    "Well? Hu... Has the empress been injured? "

 C25

    "No, not even General Zhao. The Prefecture Overseer recognized General Zhao the moment the Empress and General Zhao entered the yamen."


    The shadow guard also had a whole new level of respect for the empress. Originally, the shadow guard was very dissatisfied with being transferred to the empress''s side to protect her in secret, but after a day, the shadow guard held the empress in high esteem.


    "General Zhao?"


    "After helping out in the restaurant, the empress and General Zhao got to know each other."


    Qin Shuo let the shadow guard go.


    Imperial Concubine Xue saw that Qin Shuo was not paying attention, and knew that he had messed up Qin Shuo''s heartstrings, so she was jealous of him. Although Imperial Concubine Xue had been a little envious of him after hearing that he was out on a day trip, she was only jealous of him in the blink of an eye.


    Jealousy was clearly outside the palace, but it was always taken care of by His Majesty. It was always taken care of by His Majesty.


    If he found out that Imperial Concubine Xue hated him for so long, he would definitely regret it.


    "General Wei, please inform the younger relatives of the Supreme Court, take over the case of the Prefect, investigate thoroughly the yamen, and arrest the merchant who made a move on the empress." General Wei, please inform the younger relatives of the Supreme Court, take over the case of the Prefect, investigate thoroughly, and arrest the merchant who made a move on the empress.


    Qin Shuo gave it some thought before giving the order.


    The empress may have been unreasonable, but she represented the dignity of the East Court and could not be tainted in the slightest. If those troublesome citizens dared to offend her, she naturally had to treat them well on behalf of the empress.


    "Your Majesty, the empress has returned to the palace."


    The court came to report.


    "Imperial Concubine Xue, I still have some matters to take care of. You can return to the palace first."


    Qin Shuo looked at Imperial Concubine Xue and said.


    "Okay."


    Naturally, Imperial Concubine Xue knew who she wanted to meet. Although she was jealous, she didn''t dare to openly defy the Holy Will.


    "Empress Xuan has come to see Gu."


    Hu Xiaoxiao was stopped on her way back to her own bedroom. Looking at the eunuch in front of her, she knew that this was Qin Shuo''s personal eunuch.


    "Is Eunuch Wei busy?"


    As long as it wasn''t directed at him, he would never be stingy with his good temper.


    "Reporting to the empress, His Majesty knew that you had returned to the palace, so he sent me to bring the empress to see His Majesty."


    Eunuch Wei had a good impression of Hu Xiao. Although Hu Xiaoru was the empress, he rarely put on airs. Although Hu Xiao did not have many opportunities to announce the decree, just a few times was enough for the people around the imperial power to see it clearly.


    Hu Xiao was very clear on the purpose of this visit. Honestly speaking, Hu Xiao didn''t want to see Qin Shuo, but who told him to put on airs.


    "The reason why I was able to leave the palace without being bestowed upon me by Your Majesty is to properly express my gratitude. Eunuch Wei, let''s go. "


    This was the trouble of the ancient world. He missed modern phones very much. If there was a phone right now, he could just call to say hello. He still had to travel far away to another place. It was truly tormenting.


    In the past, Hu Xiaoxiao was very respectful to the old palace and thought that the wisdom of the ancient people was very outstanding. Without all kinds of modern machines, he was able to build this huge palace bit by bit with just his own hands.


    Although this palace is not the Beijing Forbidden City that is known to modern people, but it does look as good as the Forbidden City in the eyes of a laughingstock.


    However, this time, Hu Xiaoxiao really wanted to scold the person who designed this place. Why would he want to design this great palace? Wasn''t it tiring to walk around inside? She rarely allowed the eunuchs to carry the palanquin, so she had to walk by herself.


    Amidst the curses and laughter, they quickly arrived.


    "Esteemed Empress, His Majesty has been waiting inside for a long time. This lowly one has stopped."


    Hu Xiao nodded, turned around and walked in.


    When Qin Shuo came in, he was pretending to be dealing with official matters. He really didn''t want his queen to see him doing nothing. For some reason, Qin Shuo felt like doing nothing would always be laughed at by him.


    However, Qin Shuo was overthinking things. At the moment, Hu Xiao had no intention of bickering with Qin Shuo. After playing around for a day, he had even entered and left the mansion. He only wanted to return to Qin Shuo early and go back to rest.


    "Your servant greets Your Majesty. Your Majesty, Jin An."


    Although he was unwilling, but he still had a lot of manners, so Qin Shuo couldn''t find any faults.


    "Stand up. Is the empress happy to go out for a day?"


    Although Qin Shuo had long heard of Hu Xiao''s actions outside the palace from the shadow guard, he still wanted to know Hu Xiao''s thoughts.


    "Many thanks to Your Majesty for giving me a concubine to leave the palace. The outside world is much freer. How about all sorts of restrictions within the palace? It''s just that the people of the world outside the palace are all complicated ¡­"


    The people''s hearts were complicated, but Hu Xiaoxiao spoke tactfully, and Qin Shuo smiled.


    "I have been careless. I heard that today, two of my court officials were strolling with the empress?"


    "Yes, His Majesty sent someone to follow Chenqie?"


    Hu Xiaoxiao was slightly dissatisfied. Someone was following him. Hu Xiao already knew from the time he left the palace that this person was from Qin Shuo? If he knew about his actions and words, why would he bother calling him over?


    "Why does the empress have to be so harsh? I''m just the empress''s safety, but the empress doesn''t have much time to come to the East Court, so I don''t know that the imperial harem cannot be too intimate with the officials of the imperial court. The empress has crossed the line today."


    Qin Shuo was dissatisfied with this. Although he knew what kind of people Yin Fu Feng and Zhao Qi Yan were, the empress was his wife after all. Being too close to other men made him feel uncomfortable, not to mention the master of the East Court.


    "Does Your Majesty think that chenqie is intentionally getting close to the two sirs?"


    Hu Xiao was dissatisfied, Qin Shuo was too kind and did not have a good impression of Qin Shuo. He wanted to leave the palace as soon as possible, not to mention that Qin Shuo was treating him like this.


    Since it was someone from the Qin Shuo faction, why didn''t he make a move when he was being harassed?


    The shadow guard had intended to be completely loyal to Hu Xiaoxiao, but who knew that Hu Xiaoxiao would already be extremely dissatisfied with him after their first encounter.


    "Regardless of whether I am or not, the Empress is in fact with the two court officials today."


    At this point, Hu Xiao no longer wanted to continue the conversation with Qin Shuo, and his tone had lost all of its initial faint gratitude.


    "A few days ago, His Majesty thought so, so let''s forget about it. I don''t want to explain anything."


    The way he laughed made Qin Shuo unhappy.


    "What does the empress mean by this?"


    "There''s no meaning. I still have some matters to settle. Chenqie will take her leave first. That''s right, chenqie will be arranging a palace maid to stay in my palace."


    With that, Hu Xiaoxiao didn''t wait for Qin Shuo''s reply and turned to leave.


    He just knew that he was at odds with Qin Shuo, so he didn''t say anything and just started quarrelling. This way, it would be better if they were less common in the future, but it was time for the trip to the Li Palace to begin.


    No one had ever left so impolitely in front of Qin Shuo before. The fire in Qin Shuo''s heart immediately soared. He, the Queen, was great.


    At this point, Qin Shuo had long forgotten that many of his first times had been given to Hu Xiaoxiao. For example, the first time he had been beaten by a consort, the first time he had let go of his position to make peace ¡­


    If it were in the past, Qin Shuo would have been furious with Hu Xiao''s rudeness. He would have ripped him into pieces, but Hu Xiao himself was immobile, and it was hard to say how angry he was.

 C26

    Qin Shuo didn''t care about the laughter in his heart. By now, Hu Xiao had already led everyone back to his own palace.


    Hu Xiaoxiao swaggered away, but it was all for the sake of the court ladies and eunuchs who worked beside Qin Shuo.


    Along the way back, Hu Xiaoxiao kept the woman''s head bowed. She never lifted it. Zhilan sighed inwardly. In the end, she had grown up with a patriarchal family.


    In the end, he was still a bit cowardly.


    "Zhilan, this woman doesn''t look very comfortable in my palace right now. How about this, you send her to the Residence of Yin Fu to train for a few days."


    The girl''s performance on the way here was naturally noted by everyone. Since he still couldn''t tell her his plans, he might as well let her leave so he could make some plans.


    "Esteemed Empress, it might not be good to send them to Lord Yin''s residence. Besides, Lord Yin and His Majesty ¡­"


    Zhilan felt that her Empress''s decision was extremely inappropriate.


    "Then what do you think?"


    Hu Xiao had to admit that at times, Zhilan was more considerate than him.


    "The Empress might as well send it to Lord Zhao''s residence first, and have General Zhao deliver it tomorrow?"


    Zhao Qiyan? Hu Xiao couldn''t help but glance at Zhilan. Hu Xiao had witnessed everything that happened between Zhilan and Zhao Qiyan and had some thoughts in his mind.


    Zhilan naturally caught a glimpse of Hu Xiao''s expression and could not help but hate herself for being impetuous. This was also the first time she had met Zhao Qiyan, so she was naturally inferior to the empress. She was just thinking if she had said something wrong.


    "In that case, send them over to General Zhao''s residence."


    Zhao Qiyan was also a good choice, but he didn''t know whether to laugh or cry.


    Seeing Hu Xiao following her thoughts, Zhilan could not help but feel happy in her heart. She never thought that Hu Xiao would be so easy to talk to.


    At this time, Zhilan felt that Hu Xiao''s change was also a good thing. At the very least, Hu Xiaoxiao was better able to survive in this palace that ate people without spitting out their bones.


    After a silent night, Hu Xiaoxiao, who had been tired the whole day, fell asleep early.


    Qin Shuo had never known that his queen would receive so much attention.


    Looking at the vassal, Qin Shuo felt a headache as he looked at the imperial report''s imperial report. He had to personally hand in the report for such a small matter, even though he had just made a trip to the yamen yesterday.


    "Greetings, Queen Xuan."


    In the end, Qin Shuo felt that he should not give the scholar official any face, as this was after all his own letter of advice.


    At this moment, Hu Xiao woke up early and frowned upon hearing that. How could there be so many things? He was just about to refuse due to the discomfort.


    "Esteemed Empress, you must go. The Minister of Arts is here today as well."


    Wei Chen said as he saw through Hu Xiao''s thoughts.


    "Hmm? "Then let''s go."


    Minister of Arts? That weakling? Hu Xiaoxiao''s interest was piqued. If that weak chicken was here, then what was Qin Shuo doing? Could it be that the weak chicken had given him a small hat?


    One had to say, he was laughing at the truth.


    In the early days of the palace, there had been palace maids bustling about, both inside and out, but they rarely heard any loud noises. Thus, he couldn''t help but admire them a little.


    "Chenqie pays her respects to Your Majesty."


    Glancing at Fu Chen, who had a fight with Qin Shuo yesterday, Hu Xiao did not buy Qin Shuo''s account, and did not even get a response from Qin Shuo. Hu Xiao had already found a seat for himself.


    Seeing the way he was laughing, the scholar could not help but look down on him more and more. He was indeed a woman who could not get on the stage. Her actions and actions were not as graceful as those of a country''s.


    "Empress, this is the paper for the Minister of Education. Take a look at it."


    Although Qin Shuo was not happy with the way he was laughing, he did not say anything. Instead, he handed Fu Cheng''s paper to Hu Xiao.


    Hu Xiaoxiao looked at the words written on the paper. Each word was a reprimand for having been arrested and brought to the yamen yesterday. It was too boring. Hu Xiaoxiao placed the report on the table beside him.


    "I didn''t expect that Minister Wen would be so concerned about my private life. Isn''t this too much, Your Majesty?"


    Qin Shuo also felt that the trip to the Minister of Arts was a bit inappropriate, but Hu Xiaoxiao''s words gave Qin Shuo guidance.


    Seeing Qin Shuo''s changing expression, Fu Cheng finally responded. Hu Xiao''s actions yesterday had already been reported in detail, and now he felt like he was going to fall back on his words.


    "Your Majesty, after the empress came to the Eastern Courtyard, her every word and action represented the face of the Eastern Courtyard." Your Majesty, after the empress came to the Eastern Courtyard, her every word and action represented the face of the Eastern Courtyard.


    After he heard that Hu Xiao had entered the yamen, Fu Chen prepared this paper. He thought to himself that it would be great if he could suppress Hu Xiao; if not, he could also fill in the blanks.


    However, the Scholar Fu Chen did not expect Hu Xiao to actually throw the question at him.


    The atmosphere suddenly became tense, and Qin Shuo looked at the two people in front of him without saying a word. It was such a headache for him.


    Qin Shuo had never thought that the harem would ever have anything to do with court affairs!


    "Your Majesty, General Zhao and Lord Yin requests an audience."


    At this moment, Wei Chen came forward to report.


    Qin Shuo glanced at Hu Xiaoxiao, "Xuan."


    The two of them were well-informed. Just as they were invited into the study, they arrived.


    The two entered and knelt before Qin Shuo.


    "It''s great that both of you came at the right time. It''s against the Empress''s virtue to have been caught in the yamen yesterday, but both of you were there yesterday. Could you reconstruct the scene then?"


    Not in a hurry to let them up, Qin Shuo said.


    "Your Majesty, there was a reason why the empress was captured and taken advantage of by a prodigal son while the empress was having her meal. This general couldn''t stand watching any longer and went up to teach that shameless villain a lesson, but who knew that that person was colluding with the government? Thus, this general plotted to go to the yamen, wanting to see who was so impudent at the feet of the Son of Heaven."


    Zhao Wuyan narrated the entire story without any trace of emotion. The Scholar Chen only knew one thing but didn''t know the other. At this moment, he was slightly flustered in his heart.


    So that was the reason why the empress was unharmed.


    "Your Majesty, all of this is this lowly general''s fault. This subordinate is willing to shoulder all of the blame."


    At this moment, Qin Shuo''s mood was extremely complicated. He didn''t know when his General Zhao had become so close to the empress, or when he had been willing to shoulder all the responsibility. He had really underestimated Hu Xiaoxiao.


    "I don''t need General Zhao to show me such kindness. What I did yesterday was not wrong, so why should General Zhao bear the consequences?"


    Seeing Zhao Qiyan''s reaction, Hu Xiaoxiao felt slightly dissatisfied.


    "What a joke. The empress is really something, how could anyone dare to take liberties with the empress?"


    Fu Chen had personally witnessed the punches and kicks he had shown yesterday. There was actually someone who dared to pull a tooth out of a tiger''s head.


    "Minister Wen means that I am lying along with General Zhao?"


    "This humble subject dares not."


    Minister Fu did not believe that Hu Xia would be taken advantage of.


    "I thank Minister Wen for his praise. That''s true, I am indeed very skilled, but this is much better than Shang Shu''s weak body. Weak chicken!"


    After pausing for a moment, he continued to laugh.


    "However, there are times when I don''t want to take action."


    Minister Wen''s frightened appearance yesterday made him feel extremely happy.


    Naturally, the tutor had understood the meaning behind Hu Xiaoxi''s words. He could not help but feel infuriated, almost fainting as he gasped for air.


    Upon seeing this, the surrounding servants hurriedly rushed forward to support Fu Cheng.


    "You ¡­ "You ¡­"


    "How can you be so shameless, Your Majesty. The empress''s words are so vulgar. How can you be the empress of the East Branch, one above all else?"


    Minister Wen said in a flustered tone, ignoring Zhao Qiyan and Yin Fufeng, who were standing nearby.


    "Your Majesty ¡­"


    "Your Majesty ¡­"


    Sure enough, after hearing Fu Chen''s words, Zhao Qiyan and Yin Fufeng became anxious.

 C27

    Qin Shuo cut off their conversation.


    "This matter shall come to an end. Empress Gu will send people to guide her. Minister Wen should focus more on the commoners. I''m a bit tired, all of you can leave now."


    He didn''t want to see more people arguing in front of him, so he quickly told them to back off.


    Seeing this, Hu Xiaoxiao got up and left.


    The three people who had left the study room did not separate.


    "I thank you two sirs for your assistance. I shall remember your kindness. If you need anything in the future, feel free to speak." Hu Xiao said.


    The two of them were shocked and didn''t know that laughing would have such a side.


    "But it was a simple task, the empress doesn''t need to worry about it."


    "Yes." Hu Xiaoxiao agreed, but he would remember it in his heart. In this deep palace, it was a big deal to have someone to protect. He was merely an empress from the south of the Yue Province, a mere day of friendship, but the two of them were already enough.


    The three chatted and laughed for a while.


    "Enough, I have no business here. The two sirs are busy with matters, so I will not disturb you any longer."


    Hu Xiao said as he saw Zhao Qiyan and Yin Fufeng following him.


    Although the two of them came to save him, and although Hu Xiao was grateful for this, in his heart he still did not mind what Qin Shuo had said yesterday.


    The ancient emperor suspected that this was a common ailment, so it was better to avoid it. At the same time, it was for the sake of both of their futures.


    Seeing this, the two people bade their farewells.


    The two of them understood Hu Xiao''s temperament, so it wasn''t difficult for a small matter like this to trouble Hu Xiao. They weren''t too worried, but seeing Hu Xiao say this, they left.


    At this point, Fu Cheng, who had yet to leave his house, felt indignant. The anger in his heart surged, and he fainted.


    Seeing this, Qin Shuo asked the palace maid to send Wen Fu off to rest.


    Yin Fufeng was about to leave the palace, but he remembered that he had something else to discuss with Qin Shuo, so he went back.


    Zhao Feiyan smiled as he talked about the matter of Yin Fu Feng''s mother. He turned around and left for the military camp. He hadn''t visited the military camp for a few days, so he decided to train his men when the time was right.


    At this time, Hu Xiaoxiao, who had returned to the palace, unexpectedly met Xue Meng''er. Just as he was about to take a detour away, Xue Meng''er directly walked over. It was too late for him to take a detour.


    "It''s the empress''s fortune."


    Xue Meng''er was not as arrogant as before and had no choice but to bow.


    "Seems like the lake isn''t that icy yet."


    Seeing that Xue Meng''er was about to say something else, he smiled and said slowly. Not only did Xue Meng''er loathe him, she also loathed Xue Mu. She really wanted to see him and not be annoyed by him.


    Xue Meng''er''s face paled when she heard this. She hurriedly found an excuse and quickly left.


    It was as if the nightmare of being kicked down the pond had been awakened. Xue Meng''er was extremely conflicted. There was a queen that could attack at any time. She had to be more careful in the future, otherwise, if she got angry that day, she would be kicked down the lake.


    Seeing that Xue Meng''er had left, Hu Xiaoxiao was overjoyed. However, these two siblings really did come from different families. Each of them came to cause trouble for him, so he left in a dejected manner.


    Within Yongning Palace.


    "Is this the woman we saved yesterday?"


    Seeing the unfamiliar woman busily working in the courtyard, her figure felt a little familiar, so he couldn''t help but look towards Zhilan behind him and ask.


    So Zhao Qiyan had sent someone over to find out that he was in the study?


    "Empress, it is yesterday''s woman."


    Seeing Hu Xiaoxiao looking at that person, Zhilan called the girl over.


    "Greetings to the empress, many thanks to the empress for saving us yesterday."


    At this moment, the woman''s appearance had long since lost the sorry state she was in yesterday. After being showered and dressed up, she did have some looks on her face.


    "A name?"


    Hu Xiao didn''t reply, but asked directly. Saving this person was a piece of cake, so Hu Xiao didn''t really want this person to return the favor.


    "Reporting to the Empress, since this servant was sold to the Empress by my parents, my previous name is no longer important."


    The woman also understood. Anyone who was sold by their parents would have resentment in their heart. Naturally, this matter was not about the past.


    Hu Xiao didn''t pay much attention to the woman''s thoughts as he silently pondered.


    "Since Zhilan paid for you, you should be the same as Zhilan, Zhiru ¡­" Zhi Zhi ¡­ Tang? Zhexiu? "What do you think?"


    Hu Xiaoxiao could not explain why this'' Tang ''suddenly appeared in his mind, but he also felt that the name Zhexiu was not bad.


    "Many thanks to the empress for the name. Zhexiu is willing to follow after the empress."


    Zhixiang did not have many thoughts about her new name, it was just a code name.


    "That''s good then. You may leave. Zhilan, go and make the arrangements. I''ll be by myself later."


    Hu Xiaoxiao smiled and let Zhexiu go.


    At this moment, in the study room.


    "Your Majesty, this is roughly the case."


    After Yin Fufeng finished his business, he explained what happened yesterday.


    Remembering how he had laughed at him yesterday, Qin Shuo felt a little guilty. He was really suspicious. The three of them just happened to meet yesterday, and it was not as he thought. He could not help but let out a sigh of relief.


    "Your Majesty, Minister Wen has awoken."


    Just as she was about to say something, the court lady reported.


    "Yes, let the Minister of Arts come in."


    Qin Shuo and Yin Fufeng gave each other a glance, and Yin Fufeng started to talk about other things naturally, not mentioning what he had just said.


    "Your Majesty, the empress was truly wicked. This subject humbly requests that Your Majesty allow the palace''s mama to teach the empress the imperial etiquette."


    "As a country, not only is he not allowed to leave the palace, he is also so lawless and publicly insults the officials of the imperial court. Your Majesty, if you do not stop him now, he will be a disaster to you in the future."


    Without saying anything else after entering the door, Minister Wen immediately knelt down and said this.


    He, Tang Tang, was just a scholar, yet he was being laughed at and humiliated by a mere fool!


    Fu Chen, who had lowered his head, did not notice the disgust in Qin Shuo''s and Yin Fufeng''s eyes.


    It was too much for Fu Chen to hold back his laughter.


    "No worries, the empress just married into our East District, so her style of action is naturally more southern than south, and the empress is after all from the royal family of the south, so I just feel a little restrained right now, I think she''ll be better after a while."


    Thinking about his agreement with Hu Xiao the day before yesterday, Qin Shuo said.


    Once a gentleman came out, it would be hard to keep up with him, let alone the Son of Heaven. Qin Shuo could only reply perfunctorily.


    "Your Majesty!"


    The Minister absolutely did not expect Qin Shuo to be so perfunctory. Could it be that Hu Xiao had secretly given Qin Shuo a bewitching soup? Qin Shuo interrupted him.


    "Minister Wen, your body isn''t feeling well today. You should go back and rest early."


    Not wanting to listen, Qin Shuo dismissed them early.


    Hearing this, Yin Fufeng made an excuse and left together with Ji Hao.


    Although both he and Yin Fufeng were courtiers, neither of them liked the other, let alone the fact that they were talking to each other in private.


    However, Yin Fufeng didn''t want to let him leave like this today.


    "So many years have passed, but the Minister of Arts is still as stubborn as ever."


    Yin Fufeng had long disliked the old ways of Fu Chen, and now, he didn''t even bother to say a word.


    "Master Yin is too kind. We''re the same." "Master Yin has changed a lot over the years."


    Seeing this, Fu Cheng also spoke.


    "As a court official, one must learn to be flexible. You can''t always be this old-fashioned. What do you think, Master Wen?"


    "I still have things to do in the government and will be leaving first."


    Yin Fufeng finished what he wanted to say and left first. As for what he had been thinking after hearing his words, he didn''t care too much about it.

 C28

    Yin Fufeng was in a good mood all the way, which continued all the way until they reached the main hall.


    "Why are you running? Get the hell in here! "


    Yin Fufeng, who had already turned around halfway, froze. He had no choice but to turn back after hearing Ye Xiao''s words.


    "Mother ¡­"


    The person sitting in the main hall was none other than Yin Fufeng''s mother. That aggressive look of hers gave Yin Fufeng a bad feeling.


    "Mother what mother, sit down!"


    Old Mistress Yin was sitting high up in the hall with a serious look on her face.


    Yin Fufeng had a bad feeling about this. The madame usually had such a serious face, thinking that he hadn''t made any serious mistakes in the recent days and was worthy of her presence. It seemed like this would be the end of his life.


    Yin Fufeng''s face changed again and again.


    "Mother, what wind brought you here?"


    Old Mistress Yin had been staying at the Lihua Temple since Master Yin passed away. She rarely came out, and now that he saw her, he was very happy.


    "Stop blabbering. If it wasn''t for the fact that I''m worried about you, why would I have come all the way here?"


    Looking at the big brother Yin Fufeng in front of her, Old Mistress Yin really hated him for failing to meet his expectations.


    "Mother, your son has already grown up. How can he not be worried? Your son is unfilial. He has been busy during the dynasty, so your son should go visit your mother."


    Yin Fufeng felt a bit guilty for coming all the way here. After all, filial piety was the first thing on his mind, but now, he had offended his mother and had to worry about him even though he was far away in the temple.


    "If you knew about this, I wouldn''t have come all the way here. You know you''re an adult, don''t you have a choice in your heart?"


    Old Mistress Yin cast a glance at Yin Fufeng. The hatred in her eyes for his failure to meet his expectations shocked Yin Fufeng greatly.


    "Mom, this matter can''t be rushed."


    Yin Fufeng had a concubine in his house, but he had never been close to her. Old Mistress Yin was very anxious because of this. She was afraid that Yin Fufeng would be tired out.


    "There should always be someone in charge of the house, so you can be at ease outside."


    "Mom, don''t worry. Right now, Butler Li is enough."


    Old Mistress Yin saw that Yin Fufeng was so stubborn and stubborn. She felt dissatisfied, but she also stopped trying to force him.


    Old Mistress Yin knew exactly what kind of character Yin Fufeng had. Since her son was unwilling, it was useless for her to continue tormenting him. Besides, this wasn''t the only thing that happened to her.


    "Forget it, it''s all our fault for spoiling you so much."


    Yin Fufeng was relieved when he saw that Old Mistress Yin was no longer insistent on getting married. They talked for a while and then went back to their own business.


    News of Hu Xiao''s recent actions had spread like wildfire throughout the palace. It had been a long time since the concubines had seen the empress, so they were all very curious about the empress.


    There were many rules and regulations everywhere in this palace. Hu Xiao''s actions were too shocking, and this group of harem women unknowingly had a bit of admiration for Hu Xiao.


    Ever since Hu Xiaoxiao changed his personality, his concubine concubine hadn''t visited Yongning Palace for a long time to pay her respects. Recently, due to Hu Xiaoxiao''s many actions, her concubine was filled with anticipation towards this mysterious Empress.


    "Big sister Zhilan, your concubine came to pay her respects and is waiting in the main hall."


    Having never seen her concubine greet Hu Xiaoxiao, Zhexiu didn''t know what to do, so he could only ask Zhilan anxiously.


    "What are you panicking for? The Empress has not woken up yet. Go wake her up, I''ll go take a look. "


    Zhilan looked at ZhiTang''s panic-stricken appearance and decided that she still needed to be taught a little bit. Being by the empress''s side and panicking when something happened didn''t seem like it.


    When ZhiTang heard Zhilan''s words, she hastily ran over to wake Hu Xiaoxiao up.


    At this moment, Hu Xiaoxiao was still deep in sleep.


    When Zhixiang reached the bed, she sat up from the bed with a wry smile. She had thought that Hu Xiaoxiao had woken up, but Hu Xiaoxiao''s next action caused her to be stunned.


    Although Zhixiang already knew that Hu Xiaoxiao''s kung fu skills were excellent when he was laughing, that was, after all, hitting someone else. Yet, Hu Xiaoxiao''s fist was about to land on her face. It would be weird if she wasn''t scared to death.


    Sure enough, after Zhixiang''s strange cry, Hu Xiaoxiao finally opened his eyes.


    For a moment, he could not tell if he was in a dream, the dream scene, the dream stage, or the familiar cheers.


    When Zhixiang came in, Hu Xiaoxiao dreamt that he was still living in the modern world, standing on the familiar stage. After the two of them bumped into each other, they were already evenly matched, and the two were unable to keep up with each other, but in the third round, Hu Xiaoxiao seemed to be on the verge of victory.


    The most taboo thing in the arena was sneak attacks. Hu Xiao disliked petty people like this the most, so he didn''t hold back in his subsequent actions. In the end, Hu Xiao abruptly stopped, because killing someone in the arena was an ugly sight to behold.


    At this moment, Zhixiang should be thankful that Hu Xiaoxiao still had a sliver of mercy towards the arena battle. Otherwise, the current Zhixiang would probably have been disfigured.


    "What is it?"


    Ye Zichen sorted out his thoughts, then looked at Zhixiang with a smile as if it was an expression of his own.


    Zhilan should know her own rules. There was the furious Hu Xiao who got up early in the morning, and normally, great events wouldn''t come looking for her. Seeing Zhexiu right now, she felt slightly dissatisfied in her heart.


    "Your Highness, please forgive me. This servant did not do it on purpose. It was the various palace maids that came to pay their respects to the Empress."


    Zhexiu had never thought that Hu Xiaoxiao would behave like this in his sleep. He was already scared out of his wits, and seeing Hu Xiaoxiao wake up, he quickly kneeled down.


    "Yes, I understand."


    After saying that, Hu Xiaoxiao did not move, but sat on the bed in a daze.


    When he returned to the East Court from the modern era, his heart was filled with a sense of loss. When he heard that the concubines were still waiting to pay their respects in the front hall, he smiled with a hundred of unwillingness in his heart.


    At this moment, in the main hall.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, the empress has not changed her clothes yet. May I trouble the empress to take a break?"


    Zhilan walked into the main hall and said. His attitude was neither servile nor overbearing. After all, he was from the Southern Mountain''s Royal Family. Moreover, after receiving Hu Xiao''s tutelage, Zhilan had an even more imposing air about her than before.


    "The empress has so much to do every day. As concubines, we should naturally wait."


    Seeing that the one speaking was a person that Qin Shuo had doted on recently, Zhilan''s eyes flashed with a trace of unrelenting determination.


    "Honorable Master Hui is too serious, the Empress does indeed have a great time every day. It would be better if Honorable Master Hui had nothing to do during the day. Seeing how carefully he is dressed up, His Majesty will definitely like it."


    As soon as Zhilan''s words came out, the imperial concubines stared at the rich man without a trace.


    The harem was filled with countless women, and the only thing they hoped for was for His Majesty to be pampered forever. This way, they would be able to have peace of mind for the rest of their lives, but the ones they favored would have to bear more.


    Seeing how Zhilan''s words were enough to cause all her concubines to see their discontent, the rich and powerful person was inwardly shocked and did not dare to speak up again.


    Seeing that the imperial concubines had stopped speaking, Zhilan was satisfied. With a smile that was like the empress''s, how could she tolerate a group of imperial concubines trying to make things difficult for themselves?

 C29

    The people in the main hall didn''t laugh for a long time and began to discuss amongst themselves.


    He had waited for a long time for his concubines to grow impatient. Just as he was about to leave one by one, a mischievous smile appeared on his face.


    However, unlike what Zhilan had said, Hu Xiao walked out in his sleeping clothes. His face was still covered in makeup, and he was dressed in plain clothes. However, Hu Xiao''s appearance still overshadowed the room''s carefully dressed Imperial Concubine.


    The imperial concubine''s expression turned ugly. She had thought that if she had to laugh for too long, she would definitely have seen Hu Xiaoxiao''s meticulous appearance. However, wasn''t this bullying?


    "Empress."


    When Zhilan saw her empress dowager come out dressed in plain clothes, she was taken aback for a moment before hurrying over to welcome her.


    Zhixiang followed behind with a worried look. Seeing her expression, Zhilan understood and let her go with a wave of her hand.


    "Chenqie will participate in the empress, and the empress will be lucky."


    When the imperial concubines saw Hu Xiaoxiao sitting silently at the head of the table, they hurried to pay their respects.


    "Zhilan, why haven''t we seen Imperial Consort Xue?"


    "Imperial Concubine Xue''s body was unwell this morning, so she sent someone to report this."


    Hu Xiao nodded upon hearing this.


    Imperial Concubine Xue''s heart was filled with a wild laughter. She knew that Xue Meng''er also hated her.


    "Rise. From now on, you don''t have to come to the Eternal Peace Palace to pay your respects. This temple of mine is too small for you."


    Hu Xiaoxiao was not fond of the tedious process of greeting the crowd. In the morning, he didn''t need to sleep for a while, so why did he have to come and try so hard and even try to put on an act? He was truly exhausted.


    The imperial concubine was even more afraid to rise to her feet. She had no idea when she''d angered the empress.


    "Please calm your anger, esteemed empress."


    Everyone was shocked.


    "Calm down, calm down. Get up and leave. Do whatever you need to do. What are you doing wasting time here?"


    Seeing that the imperial concubines were still kneeling down, Hu Xiaoxiao felt even more dissatisfied in his heart.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, His Majesty should pay his respects to the empress. If nothing happens in the future, the imperial concubines need not come to the Eternal Peace Palace to pay their respects."


    It was only then that everyone rose to their feet. So it was why Imperial Concubine Xue hadn''t come to pay her respects before, but they had never done so before. They couldn''t help guessing once again what position the empress held in the king''s heart.


    "Since you know, then hurry up and leave." Since you know, then hurry up and leave.


    Seeing how the imperial concubine wasn''t leaving yet and was whispering amongst herself in the dark, Hu Xiaoxiao felt a little impatient.


    "Esteemed Empress, allow chenqie to speak a bit more. In the past, I''ve always paid respects every day. Since the empress has cancelled, what about after?"


    While everyone was hesitating, that noble man said nervously.


    The purpose of their daily greetings was to consolidate the Empress''s position, and now that they had cancelled it, did that mean that their position was not as solid as before?


    "If I have something on my mind, I will look for you guys. Why do you guys need to talk so much? I am not feeling well today. Since you all are free to stay in this place, why don''t you spend more time and effort to serve His Majesty?


    These women''s thoughts were too complicated, and Hu Xiaoxiao did not want to have any interactions with them. He did not like to have them beat around the bush, so it was better to send them off early, so that he would not have to make a move.


    The women in the harem were all soft and weak, and Qin Shuo was afraid that his harem beauties would be tossed around by Hu Xiaoxiao, causing him to feel a pang in his heart.


    "Many thanks to the empress''s beautiful intentions, then chenqie will take her leave first."


    Seeing this, that benefactor hurriedly left.


    No matter how big the empress was, she wouldn''t be able to beat His Majesty. It''d be better if the esteemed empress left out the daily greetings, so that she could have more of a mind to serve His Majesty.


    The other consorts all left one by one, returning to their own palaces. Only, they didn''t look too good on their faces.


    Seeing that all the consorts had left the main hall one by one, and thinking of the expressions on their faces when they left, he smiled and slumped back in his chair.


    "Empress, pay attention to your words and deeds."


    Zhilan saw that her Empress didn''t have the slightest awareness of being a lady, and felt extremely helpless in her heart.


    During the bath, Zhilan had already seized the opportunity to verify Hu Xiao''s identity. He was indeed Hu Xiao himself, and the birthmark was very hidden, only someone close to Hu Xiao could know, so even a schemer wouldn''t be so meticulous.


    With regards to Hu Xiao''s slightly changed character, in Zhilan''s eyes, it was actually a good thing.


    "It doesn''t matter. Since everyone has left, those servants in my palace don''t dare to casually talk about it. I can do whatever I want."


    At this moment, Hu Xiao was extremely happy. Having solved a huge problem in the future, it would be hard for him to be lazy every day.


    "Elder sister, why do you think the Empress did this? Wouldn''t this weaken my authority in the harem? "


    Right now, the Imperial Concubine who had left in twos and threes was on her way back to the palace.


    "Little sister, don''t speak nonsense. The empress naturally has her own reasons for doing so. Just tell us what to do as the empress commands."


    "Sister, aren''t you curious? His Majesty against the empress? "


    The man continued.


    "How would this palace know what His Majesty and the empress are like?" I still have some matters to attend to, so I''ll be leaving first. "


    Without waiting for that person''s reaction, he quickly left.


    In this deep palace, the worst thing to do was curiosity. That person''s curiosity was too great, and he could speak without holding back. In the end, he was still a stupid seedling.


    Not to mention the empress, in her opinion, His Majesty favored the empress greatly. For the past few days, His Majesty had allowed the matters concerning the empress to be discussed freely without any punishment. It was enough for the emperor to make the empress act in such an exaggerated manner without stopping her.


    Regardless of what the consorts thought, Hu Xiaoxiao was so angry that he wanted to ''get even'' with Qin Shuo.


    So that day, the drawing Hu Xiaoxiao drew was taken away by Qin Shuo, so that was how it was. Hu Xiaoxiao was wondering why the Palace Mistress had not complied with his request, and why she had been intercepted.


    Remembering his previous agreement with Qin Shuo, how could he not be angry when he asked her for her permission to laugh?


    "Zhilan, help me wash up. I have to go to His Majesty to reason! You didn''t ask for my permission to move my things, so you should at least give me an explanation! "


    What Hu Xiaoxiao had done was too shocking in the East District. Although he had thought that those people would more or less have doubts of their own, he had not expected Qin Shuo to know about it. The strange thing was that Hu Xiaoxiao was nervous.


    The two of them hurriedly washed Hu Xiaoxiao''s hair.


    Hu Xiaoxiao saw that Zhilan had brought in the heavy service for him and felt impatient. The Empress''s service was too cumbersome, so Hu Xiaoxiao kept his distance from her, interrupting her movements. Hu Xiaoxiao picked out a set of white clothing that could be considered simple and clean in her eyes.

 C30

    Hu Xiaoxiao handed the clothes in his hand to Zhilan, who rolled her eyes silently in her heart.


    They already knew that Hu Xiaoxiao would like this piece of clothing, but they were currently in the Eastern Courtyard. As the empress of the Eastern Courtyard, naturally, they needed to pay extra attention to Hu Xiaoxiao''s attire, but from the looks of it, Hu Xiaoxiao did not care at all.


    "No worries, I''ll give you this. I''m not used to wearing other things, so I''ll just give you some hair. Those headdress items are too heavy, so there''s no need to wear them anymore."


    After saying that, she no longer said anything. Looking at Hu Xiao''s expression, Zhilan had finally understood Hu Xiao''s personality these few days. Hu Xiao clearly did not dare to refute her at this moment.


    In the end, His Majesty wouldn''t do anything to them, so they just let him do whatever he wanted.


    Zhilan had no choice but to change it with a smile.


    At this time, the imperial harem would probably stir up another round of gossip. It was likely that most people would find it interesting to watch a show with a smile on their faces.


    The heavy burden of serving also represented the position of the imperial harem. When the maids saw the way Hu Xiao was laughing, they guessed that he had lost his favour again.


    Along the way, they did indeed see the palace maids and eunuchs who had been laughing at him. Their expressions were all one after another, and they were all extremely good-looking. Hu Xiao turned a blind eye to this.


    Soon, they arrived at the Imperial Palace.


    The imperial palace was empty, so Qin Shuo should have left the court long ago. He should have been in the study room, but why was there no one there?


    After asking the servants behind him to wait outside the hall, Hu Xiaoxiao walked in with Zhilan.


    After circling around, he still hadn''t seen anyone. Just as he was about to leave, he heard a loud cry from the back!


    That was naturally Qin Shuo''s voice. Seeing this, Hu Xiaoxiao halted his steps and walked to the back.


    She wanted to see what the hell Qin Shuo was doing, he actually didn''t see anyone attending to him in the sleeping quarters. This was too out of line with Qin Shuo''s usual style.


    When he saw what Qin Shuo was doing, Hu Xiao knew why Qin Shuo wanted to disperse everyone. It was to avoid learning martial arts.


    Qin Shuo was long past the age for martial arts, and to come back and learn again required a certain amount of courage. The older he was, the more difficult it was.


    Hu Xiaoxiao smiled as he thought it through. Qin Shuo must have been frightened by his martial arts, and it was time for him to improve.


    But seeing Qin Shuo like that, Hu Xiao couldn''t help but burst out laughing.


    At this moment, the two people in the training field heard the noise and turned their heads. Seeing that the person was laughing, Qin Shuo''s face changed and he glared at Wei Chen who was at a loss.


    "Your Majesty is truly in a good mood. You have guts. You''ve actually started learning martial arts. Your consort is truly impressed."


    With great difficulty, Hu Xiaoxiao managed to hold back his laughter as he spoke slowly.


    In the end, he knew why Qin Shuo was like this, and Hu Xiao was not too overbearing. After all, as a monarch, it was rare for him to be able to understand his own shortcomings and improve himself, which was not too much of a blow to his enthusiasm.


    The laughter made Qin Shuo feel even more embarrassed. In this deep palace, Qin Shuo had never felt so ashamed before.


    "Who gave you permission to come in? Are all the servants outside dead? "Wei Fu, what are you doing? If the empress comes in, let me know."


    At this point, Qin Shuo had long forgotten that he had dismissed all the palace maids, so no one came to inform him! He even let Hu Xiao see the embarrassing scene, causing him to lose face for no reason.


    If it wasn''t to let the palace maids know that he was practicing martial arts with Zhao Qiyan and that he had asked them to go out, this wouldn''t have led to such an awkward situation.


    Qin Shuo did not know that he no longer had any face in front of Hu Xiao!


    Qin Shuo''s loud reprimand made Hu Xiaoxiao feel dissatisfied. He had inadvertently seen Qin Shuo''s'' little secret '', so there was no need for him to be so fierce.


    After hearing Qin Shuo''s words, Hu Xiao remembered his purpose in coming here.


    Taking advantage of Qin Shuo''s surprise, he stepped forward and grabbed his collar.


    This sudden action caused everyone to be startled, but they immediately laughed slyly and said: "Why have I come here? Did His Majesty think I wanted to come? If it wasn''t for the fact that His Majesty has detained those playthings of Chenqie''s, how would Chenqie find them? "


    Only then did Qin Shuo realize that he had really taken down Hu Xiao''s item. Zhao Qiyan was very interested in the things Hu Xiao asked him to make, and so he decided to take them for the convenience of Zhao Qiyan''s research.


    "Why do you have to speak so harshly? This huge palace is all lonely, including your empress. It''s only a few things, could it be that I can''t move against you?"


    He challenged Qin Shuo''s authority as the son of heaven again and again, and now dared to talk while holding his collar.


    Qin Shuo quickly pulled his collar out of the laughing hand.


    Hearing this, Hu Xiao took a step back and looked at Qin Shuo.


    Sparks flew between the two of them. Noticing that something was wrong, Zhao Qiyan quietly left the training field and stood with Zhilan and the others.


    "Has Your Majesty forgotten what His Majesty promised chenqie a few days ago?" What chenqie wants is freedom. Didn''t His Majesty agree to it? Did His Majesty intend to go back on his words now? Once a gentleman appears, no one will be able to keep up with him. "


    Although Qin Shuo''s tone was tough, Hu Xiao did not show any signs of weakness. In Hu Xiaoxiao''s eyes, Qin Shuo was just a paper tiger, and was not much of a threat, and would not do anything to him, becoming more and more unscrupulous.


    "Empress, what Gu You said is naturally true, but the empress should also know her identity."


    The tit for tat exchange between the two of them had completely destroyed the previously seemingly calm atmosphere.


    "Big Sister Zhilan?" Will anything happen to the empress? "


    Zhixiang looked at Hu Xiaoxiao and Qin Shuo, feeling very uneasy.


    In Zhitang''s view, as a wife, she would naturally follow her husband''s wishes. Since Hu Xiao was Qin Shuo''s wife, he should have the appearance of a wife. He absolutely should not drag his husband by the collar, not to mention that the person was the Eastern Courtyard''s emperor.


    "No problem. Just watch."


    Today''s matter was based on a joke, and Qin Shuo would not make a move in front of so many people. Even if he did make a move, Qin Shuo would not be Hu Xiao''s opponent, but Zhilan was not worried at all.


    Hearing this, Zhexiu could only conceal the unease within his heart.


    "Miss Zhilan, thank you for your hard work."


    Zhao Qiyan quietly moved to Zhilan''s side and said.


    "General Zhao."


    Zhilan rolled her eyes at Zhao Qiyan''s reaction.


    Zhao Qiyan did not look like a general at all. Instead, he looked simple and honest, which made people want to bully him.


    The atmosphere in the training field was strange, but Zhao Qiyan could only foolishly smile at Zhilan, making people feel powerless.


    "Those are just meaningless things for chenqie. Please return them to me. Of course, chenqie remembers her status. However, if Your Majesty insists on doing as you please, chenqie won''t guarantee that she''ll do anything."


    Qin Shuo had even stripped her of her giggle. As the saying goes, a monk can kill but not be insulted. Although she was not a monk, offending a woman was still a very troublesome matter.

 C31

    The atmosphere between the two became increasingly tense.


    "Elder Sister Zhilan, is the Empress really fine with His Majesty?"


    Seeing that the two people in the training field were about to fight, Zhexiu felt even more uneasy in her heart.


    Hearing Zhexiu''s words, Zhilan said, "If I say there''s nothing, then there''s nothing. His Majesty and the Empress won''t fight."


    Although the two of them did look like they were about to fight, she still believed that it was proper for Ye Ci to laugh.


    The last time was just an accident between Qin Shuo and Hu Xiao. She remembered that when Qin Shuo went into the bedroom, Hu Xiao had fallen asleep. Thinking about it, it was understandable that Qin Shuo had been beaten up in his sleep.


    Seeing how Zhilan had promised her over and over again, Zhexiu could only stare helplessly at the scene, but did not dare to say another word.


    Just as the two were having a hard time arguing, Yin Fufeng came to Qin Shuo.


    Yin Fufeng also knew that Qin Shuo had been learning martial arts from Zhao Weiyan for the past few days, but all he did was to show off his skills in front of Zhao Weiyan.


    Now he saw Hu Xiao and Qin Shuo fighting in the training field. Yin Fufeng stroked his forehead. This was a good show to watch, it was done so that Hu Xiaoxiao would not know about this. Now that he was caught by Hu Xiaoxiao, it would be strange if Qin Shuo did not get angry.


    Yin Fufeng glanced at his friend and saw that his friend was also looking at him with a helpless look on his face. Indeed, this old man only knew about martial arts battles, how could he have the ability to persuade others?


    "Your Majesty and the empress, who do you think is the better person to train?"


    The two of them didn''t move an inch. That was the only excuse that Yin Fufeng could come up with.


    Training mental strength? Hu Xiaoxiao suddenly heard these words. It was only after a while did he realize that the other party was referring to him. With a smirk, he turned around and left.


    Such a waste of time with Qin Shuo wasn''t worth it.


    Hearing this, Qin Shuo also looked at Yin Fu Feng. He could say such a lousy excuse, but fortunately, they didn''t have to give in to each other anymore.


    Qin Shuo suddenly felt that training in martial arts was not difficult, at least it was much better than having a confrontation with Hu Xiaoxiao.


    Yin Fufeng saw that the two of them separated and ignored him, but he felt helpless in his heart. How could Qin Shuo be so childish when he met Hu Xiaoxiao?


    At this time, Zhao Qiyan saw Hu Xiao and Qin Shuo separate, so he took three steps forward and stood in front of Hu Xiao.


    He hadn''t had a chance before, and this morning, Hu Xiao came for those blueprints. Only then did Zhao Qiyan remember what he wanted to ask.


    Seeing Zhao Qiyan rushing over, Zhilan quickly stood in front of Hu Xiao, afraid that he would laugh at her.


    Hu Xiaoxiao was curious to see Zhao Qiyan''s reaction. What was wrong with this general? Wasn''t Qin Shuo over there? Why didn''t he find Qin Shuo and run over to him?


    "Zhilan, there''s no harm. You can withdraw."


    Seeing Zhilan standing in front of him, Hu Xiaoxiao smiled.


    "Esteemed Empress, may this subject ask, did the things Esteemed Empress ordered the palace maids to make just a few days ago come from the empress''s hands?"


    After all, in this literary country of the East Court, if a woman did not make ordinary embroidery, she would definitely be able to read a lot of poetry books. Very few people were familiar with military manuals, and yet, Zhao Qiyan took out such a stack of blueprints.


    Could it be that this blueprint wasn''t created by Hu Xiaoxiao, but rather by a capable man sitting next to Hu Xiaoxiao, making a big joke out of it?


    Hu Xiao naturally could hear Zhao Qiyan''s voice, but he was very surprised that Zhao Weiyan would ask such a question.


    "What does General Zhao mean by this?" The things that I took out from my hands naturally came from my own palace. Could it be that General Zhao thinks that the person behind me is someone else? "


    After the joke, Qin Shuo and Yin Fufeng also looked at Hu Xiao, curious about who had drawn this picture.


    If it was really Hu Xiaoxiao''s men, then this person would definitely be of use to the East Branch. Such a talent was simply too much of a waste for him to be by Hu Xiaoxiao and the Queen''s side.


    "Esteemed Empress, this subject didn''t mean that. This subject was just curious, so esteemed wangfei''s meaning was that these diagrams were drawn by the esteemed empress. This subject boldly asked, how did the empress manage to draw out these things?" Logically speaking, although most of the South Vietnamese women practice martial arts, this ¡­ "


    "General, do you mean that Southern Yue girls don''t have this ability?"


    Hu Xiao impatiently interrupted Zhao Qiyan. With Zhao Qiyan''s current status, Hu Xiao was very suspicious of how Zhao Qiyan did it. With this level of speech, it was unknown how many people he had offended even in the Eastern Courtyard, a place where the civil officials held a higher status than the civil officials.


    Zhao Qiyan had indeed offended a lot of people, but most of them did not dare to do much due to Zhao Qiyan''s skills.


    "Esteemed Empress has misunderstood. General Zhao only wants to express his amazement at Esteemed Empress'' paintings, and not his respect for her."


    Yin Fufeng saw that his good friend was flushed with laughter, so he hurriedly tried to save the situation. Otherwise, with Zhao Qiyan''s personality, he would have to swear all sorts of oaths to prove himself.


    Hu Xiao naturally knew Zhao Qiyan''s temper and was just teasing him out of boredom. He was only punishing Qin Shuo a little for teaching him martial arts.


    "In that case, I''m overthinking it. May I ask why General Zhao is so interested in my map?"


    He was laughing so hard that he didn''t know he was just painting out of boredom. Zhao Qiyan was actually so happy about something that he had asked his servants to make.


    Could it be that this was also the reason why Qin Shuo took his things?


    "To reply esteemed empress, the empress''s paintings are extremely useful for the army training in the Eastern Courtyard. This subject dares to ask esteemed empress to set up these things in the army so that we can train in the army?"


    Zhao Feiyan finally said what he wanted to say, then nervously looked at Hu Xiaoxiao.


    The army? What she did was to improve her martial arts and physical fitness. She did not expect those things to be of such great use to the army.


    "Is it really for the army? It''s alright if it''s like this, as long as General Zhao doesn''t mind. "


    "The empress really does want to serve the people. Since that''s the case, don''t get too angry with His Majesty. His Majesty has taken down the empress''s blueprints just to study their feasibility in the army."


    Zhao Qiyan rubbed his head as he explained the reason behind Qin Shuo''s proposal, but he didn''t know that he had bought all of it.


    Hearing this, Hu Xiaoxiao ignored Qin Shuo and just looked at Zhao Qiyan.


    "Is what you said true? "If that''s the case, it would be a great thing. It would also be a blessing for me to be able to do anything to help the army."


    Hu Xiaoxiao did not care about the location of the blueprint, but because Qin Shuo had promised to give him the freedom he wanted, he was unhappy with the fact that he had something on his back.

 C32

    Seeing that Hu Xiao didn''t seem to mind at all, Zhao Wuyan inwardly relented. He then took out the blueprint and looked at Hu Xiaoxiao.


    Hu Xiaoxiao glanced at the crooked calligraphy pen beside the drawing on the paper and his face turned red. However, this was also her fault. After all, writing calligraphy was a great test for someone who was used to using a pen to write in modern times.


    Qin Shuo''s heart was filled with anger as he looked at Hu Xiao and Zhao Qiyan''s smiling faces.


    His queen was on equal terms with him, but against the rest of the people she was smiling like a flower, how could Qin Shuo not be angry.


    Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Hu Xiao''s face blushing, and ripples appeared in his heart. He was used to seeing Hu Xiao acting so domineering, but now Hu Xiao had such a stunning woman.


    Looking at Qin Shuo''s face, Yin Fu Feng was obviously attracted by Hu Xiao''s smile. He smiled inwardly. Sure enough, Hu Xiao had a certain charm. It was within reason that his cousin was attracted by him.


    It seemed that the harem would be less chaotic in the future. However, Yin Fufeng was quite curious about how his cousin would chase after this woman who was already his queen. He seemed to be disdainful towards his cousin, which made him suffer.


    Not to mention what Yin Fufeng and Qin Shuo were thinking, when they heard Zhao Qiyan ask about the blueprints that Hu Xiaoxiao could not understand, the two of them unconsciously moved closer to each other.


    "Isn''t this a target for archers?" Standing this target in one place, choose different positions in front of the target, and shoot with arrows. Different positions have different levels, so it can greatly improve the archery level of the soldiers. Also, this is a sandbag, tied to the waist or legs, carry the weight and train ¡­ "


    The more Hu Xiao spoke, the more engrossed he became. The rest of them were still wanting to continue listening to him. If these weapons were used in the army, it would definitely greatly increase their combat abilities.


    "Empress, allow this subject to pay my respects and thank you for your generosity. With these, the soldiers will properly train themselves. In the future, we will definitely make a large amount of land for our country."


    Zhao Qiyan''s ambition pleased Qin Shuo. He was about to thank Hu Xiao, but his next sentence made Qin Shuo fly into a rage.


    "General Zhao, there''s no need for you to do this. If you really want to thank me, you might as well bring me to the barracks to take a look. I can also better guide the soldiers'' training."


    The moment the joke came out, Zhao Qiyan was immediately speechless, and stopped talking to Qin Shuo.


    It was too noisy, and now he even planned to go to the barracks. This was not appropriate, although Zhao Qiyan really wanted Hu Xiao to go with him, but Qin Shuo would never agree, and as expected.


    "No!" As the mother of a nation, the empress couldn''t go to a place that was filled with men! Are you trying to make the whole world laugh at us taking the empress for ourselves? "


    "Your Majesty, as the ruler of a nation, why are you so old-fashioned? I am doing this for the good of the East Court! "


    Hu Xiao was angered by Qin Shuo and thought that Fu Chen was old-fashioned enough. As the monarch of the East Court, Qin Shuo was naturally more open-minded, but Hu Xiao never expected Qin Shuo to be exactly like Wen Fu Chen!


    "How dare you call me an old-fashioned man? He was just an old man who showed himself to the empress. This kind of girl who didn''t know her place should be locked up! The empress is not allowed to go without her permission! "


    Qin Shuo was truly infuriated by Hu Xiao. There were only men in the barracks. Hu Xiao and his wife were either there to cause trouble or to do something else. Although Hu Xiao had a bit of power, he was still a woman! And she was the Queen of the East Court!


    If the people of the world knew about this, wouldn''t it make the whole world laugh?


    "Hahaha!" Has Your Majesty forgotten the promise he made to me a few days ago and allowed me some freedom? And now, Your Majesty wants to lock me in the palace again? "


    Qin Shuo stared blankly.


    "If that''s the case, then I''m leaving. Zhilan, return to the palace."


    Hu Xiao was also infuriated by Qin Shuo. He had never thought that Qin Shuo would go back on his word time and time again, not even with the aura of a monarch. He took Zhilan and left without looking back.


    Hu Xiao knew that he couldn''t stay with Qin Shuo any longer, or else he might not be able to control himself and not make a move.


    Hu Xiaoshan was clearly angry and left, but Qin Shuo was still standing there in a daze. He had been wrong.


    "Your Majesty?"


    Yin Fufeng was worried.


    When these two would get along, they would part from each other on bad terms. Fortunately, as long as he was with Zhao Qiyan, there would be more books in the imperial court.


    Hu Xiao''s personality was still so bold and fierce, but he had a true personality.


    At this time, Zhao Qiyan silently rubbed the back of his head. Luckily, Hu Xiao''s anger was not directed at him. Otherwise, Zhao Qiyan knew that he would be in dire straits.


    "Let''s go down. I want to be alone."


    Although Qin Shuo had lost face to Hu Xiao, but he was used to it. At the moment, Qin Shuo was more concerned with Hu Xiao''s words, was his thinking too old-fashioned?


    "This official will take his leave."


    "This humble official will take his leave."


    Seeing this, Zhao Qiyan and Yin Fufeng had no choice but to leave. The matter of the King was not something that they could control as subordinates.


    After Hu Xiaoxiao returned to the palace, he managed to suppress the anger in his heart with great difficulty. However, he still cared in the end.


    Everywhere he saw, he saw impatience. Dealing with such matters in the harem every day, Hu Xiao had become impatient a long time ago.


    Besides, he had heard about the barracks that Zhao Qiyan had mentioned. Hu Xiao was curious about it. People who did not like to be bound were not allowed to do so.


    "Zhilan."


    Having thought of an idea in his heart, Hu Xiaoxiao called out to Zhilan, who was busy outside.


    "Empress, what''s the matter?"


    "Zhilan, do you know where the military camps are located in the Eastern Courtyard?"


    That''s right, Hu Xiao wanted to go to the barracks. Since Qin Shuo wouldn''t let her go, she had no choice but to go.


    When Zhilan heard this, her eyes widened as she looked at Hu Xiao. She thought that Hu Xiao would obediently stay in the palace once he returned, but in the end, she still underestimated Hu Xiao.


    "Reporting to the Empress, Zhilan doesn''t know. The barracks in the Eastern Courtyard are extremely secretive. How would this servant know?"


    If everyone knew where the military base was located, they would have to engage in a huge battle. They could just directly go to the military base and launch a sneak attack.


    Zhilan saw Hu Xiao''s distressed look and made up her mind.


    "Empress, although Zhilan doesn''t know, General Zhao, as the general of the Eastern Courtyard, naturally knows. Why don''t the Empress go find General Zhao?"

 C33

    Zhilan''s words were a reminder to Hu Xiao. He could still see the scene from the training field today clearly. He only needed to find Zhao Qiyan and threaten him a little bit.


    Hu Xiao stared at Zhilan for a while. Zhao Qiyan should have some interest in her, but what about Zhilan?


    However, Hu Xiaoxiao decided to let nature take its course. However, with this in mind, it would definitely be a good idea to look for Zhao Qiyan. He made up his mind and called Zhexiu over.


    "Zhixiang, you''ve been in the palace for quite some time, have you been familiar with the palace?"


    Zhixiang was not as good as Zhilan, and Hu Xiaoxi didn''t really understand it. Bringing her out of the palace so hastily would only bring about a lot of trouble. They weren''t going to have fun, Zhixiang was too weak, so Hu Xiaoxiao didn''t think that it was appropriate at all.


    "To reply esteemed empress, this servant still isn''t very familiar with the palace, but I remember some places I''ve been to before."


    Zhixiang was rather timid to begin with, so she didn''t leave very far after being redeemed by Hu Xiaoxiao. Furthermore, Zhixiang didn''t dare to laugh too far. After all, this harem was a place where people killed people without blinking their eyes.


    If that''s the case, then I will take this opportunity to familiarize myself with this huge harem. As a person of my palace, I will need to familiarize myself with every place and take a look around. I will make a trip out of the palace.


    Hu Xiaoxiao smiled at Zhexiu as he spoke. As an empress, Hu Xiaoxiao''s servants naturally needed to familiarize themselves with the affairs of the harem. Now, it could be considered an opportunity to teach Zhexiu.


    "Yes, your servant will do it right away."


    This could also be considered Hu Xiaoxiao''s first job for Zhexiu, so he naturally left with his thoughts in his heart. Although there was still some reverence in his heart, he was still unable to conceal the excitement in his heart.


    "Zhilan, change your clothes, let''s go to General Zhao''s residence."


    Hu Xiaoxiao said after seeing that Zhexiu had left.


    Since Qin Shuo wouldn''t let them go, they would secretly go. Qin Shuo had to do a lot of things every day, so he naturally wouldn''t know.


    Seeing that Hu Xiaoxiao had already made up his mind, Zhilan could only go and prepare.


    After all, it was a stealthy trip and it was a little difficult to leave this huge palace, so he had to waste some time in the palace.


    At Zhao Qiyan''s residence.


    Zhao Qiyan had gotten used to practicing martial arts every day. Even if he wasn''t in the military camp for the past few days, Zhao Qiyan would still train every day at irregular intervals.


    However, Zhao Qiyan was in a trance during his training, and every time he made a mistake, he would lose his mind.


    "What happened to the general today? Are you thinking about the person you like? "


    Just as Zhao Feiyan was indulging in his own fantasies, the little general who accompanied him in training suddenly spoke up.


    "What are you talking about? Do you think this general is that kind of person? "


    Zhao Qiyan''s attitude towards training was rather strict. However, the current Zhao Qiyan was constantly making mistakes, which surprised me.


    "What rubbish are you talking about? Hurry up and train! Be careful of your skin!"


    Zhao Qiyan''s embarrassment turned into anger, and his actions became more merciless.


    Although his hands were moving nonstop, the scene from that morning surfaced in his mind. Waves of ripples appeared in his heart.


    While the two of them were fighting evenly, there was a rustling at the door.


    "Zhilan, are you sure this is Zhao Qiyan''s general''s residence?"


    Hu Xiao looked at the high wall in front of him and was stunned. The door ¡­ How could there be weeds at the entrance of the General''s Estate?


    "Niangniang, we sneaked out. We can''t enter through the main entrance, otherwise, if we enter through the front door, His Majesty will know."


    Fortunately, Zhilan had visited Zhao Qiyan''s general''s manor the last time. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have been able to find such a place.


    "Forget it, it''s not the first time I''ve climbed over a wall."


    He climbed up the wall and climbed up the wall, so it wasn''t that big of a deal. With that, Hu Xiao jumped up.


    Seeing Hu Xiaoxiao, Zhilan also jumped on without hesitation.


    On the other side of the wall, Zhao Qiyan was practicing with someone else.


    He had never seen anyone spar before, and he couldn''t help but exclaim in his heart. As expected of a great general of the Eastern Courtyard, his punches and kicks were naturally unspeakable.


    At this moment, Zhao Qiyan turned around and saw two people standing on the wall next to his house. He was stunned. Could it be that he was seeing things? Why did he see Hu Xiao and Zhilan on the wall?


    He had just seen Zhilan''s figure in his mind, and now that he saw her, he realized that he must be seeing things.


    In a daze, the little general''s fist landed before his eyes and barely dodged.


    Hu Xiao and Zhilan, who were on the wall, laughed at Zhao Qiyan''s bedraggled appearance. When the little general heard the sound, he was greatly alarmed and quickly turned his head around.


    "General."


    The general stood aside submissively. There had never been anyone who had injured Zhao Qiyan before. At this moment, he was extremely worried. Moreover, there were two people watching from the wall.


    Judging from Zhao Qiyan''s appearance, it seemed to be someone he knew. However, the little general still felt that it was strange. Why were the two of them not climbing the wall while leaving the door open?


    "No worries. It''s just a small accident. You can leave. Today''s matter will be ruined by this general''s heart."


    Zhao Qiyan looked at the frightened general in dissatisfaction. After all, he was an empress. If people found out that he was climbing his own wall, wouldn''t it be disrespectful to the imperial family?


    Seeing Hu Xiao jump down from the wall, Zhao Qiyan wondered if he had misjudged him. What was Hu Xiao doing here, staying in the palace?


    "How have you been, General Zhao?"


    Hu Xiao looked at the stupefied Zhao Qiyan and found it funny. Zhilan even rolled her eyes at Zhao Qiyan.


    "Esteemed Empress, why did you suddenly visit?" "It''s still better to go through the back door ¡­"


    Zhao Qiyan''s words were very tactful. After all, Hu Xiao and Zhilan had climbed over the wall, and this was the back door.


    Zhao Qiyan bowed to Hu Xiaoxiao, but his eyes were glued to Zhilan.


    "What do you think of my proposal this morning, General Zhao?"


    Hu Xiaoxiao only had one goal in this trip, and he would not rest until he reached his goal.


    What Qin Shuo had said this morning, Zhao Qiyan had heard it clearly. Now Hu Xiao wanted him to take her to the military. This was bullying the king, and if His Majesty knew, he wouldn''t be able to bear the consequences.


    No matter how you looked at it, this deal was not worth it.


    "I see that the general''s skills are pretty good, why don''t we have a match? If General Zhao loses, can you bring me to the army camp?"


    Zhao Qiyan was a little interested in Hu Xiao''s suggestion. Zhao Qiyan had seen Hu Xiao''s skill before. Zhao Qiyan was very curious about Hu Xiao''s skill, it was unlike any martial arts he had ever seen.


    Zhao Qiyan was very confident in his skills, so he decided to let Hu Xiaoxiao know the difficulties he was facing and retreated. He was not going to offend Zhao Qiyan.


    "This subject is a man, it is always fair to fight with the empress."


    "General Zhao, don''t worry. Since I dared to say that out loud, I naturally have my own thoughts. You just need to accept my attack."


    This was how it was in the ancient times. The hierarchy was deeply rooted in one''s heart. If it was in the modern world, there would be no need for so much nonsense.


    "In that case, I shall be offending you."


    Since Hu Xiao had already said so, there was no point in Zhao Qiyan evading.

 C34

    The two of them stood on the training field, ready to take action.


    Hu Xiao watched as Zhao Qi Yan''s fighting spirit was aroused. The fights he had encountered in the past were trivial, but Zhao Qi Yan was the commander of the troop. Hu Xiao was full of energy.


    At this moment, Zhao Qiyan was nervously looking at Hu Xiao. Hu Xiao was not a reckless person, and since Hu Xiao dared to challenge him, Zhao Qiyan was also very surprised. However, when Zhao Qiyan recalled the moves he had seen a few times before, he did not dare to relax.


    A fierce battle was on the verge of breaking out. Hu Xiao was the first to attack, and once he started to fight, he acted like he was on his own. Zhao Qiyan was stunned for a moment, but then he braced himself for it.


    After a few rounds of sparring, Zhao Qiyan had completely retracted his contempt. He was so focused that he didn''t dare to be careless anymore.


    At this moment, Hu Xiao became more and more valiant as the battle progressed. Zhao Qiyan showed mercy, but Hu Xiao laughed. Zhao Qiyan showed mercy, but he did not show mercy. He adjusted himself to his best condition, and went up to Zhao Qiyan once again.


    In the blink of an eye, victory or defeat would come to an end.


    "The empress''s skills are impressive, I''ve lost."


    Zhao Qiyan laughed. Although he had lost, he was convinced of his defeat.


    The surrounding generals were also shocked. They had never seen such an outstanding girl before. They thought that the woman had said that she wanted to challenge their general, but they never thought that the one to lose was their general!


    "Is the general willing to admit defeat?"


    It had been a long time since he had such a good fight. Hu Xiao was also in an extremely good mood. It seemed that this General Zhao was not an idiot.


    Zhao Qiyan was a man of some ability, and was far from being a match for his own scarecrows.


    However, Hu Xiaoxiao also knew that he had nearly lost. If it wasn''t for the fact that Zhao Qiyan was worried about something, it would be hard to tell who would win today.


    "It''s hard to follow a single word of mine. Since this general promised esteemed empress just now, he''ll do his best to do so. But we don''t have to go to the palace. Everything this empress does depends on this general."


    Zhao Qiyan was not the type of person who couldn''t afford to lose, so naturally he would keep his promise for a long time. Otherwise, how could he have established his might in the military camp?


    "That''s great. General Zhao, there''s no need to address me as Esteemed Empress anymore. I''m following the general right now, so naturally I''ll listen to him as well."


    "That''s good."


    Zhao Qiyan was still hesitating on how to address Hu Xiao, but it was too much to call the empress in the barracks. Hu Xiao''s suggestion had solved a big problem.


    After that, Zhao Qiyan called for servants to bring out two sets of servants for Hu Xiao and Zhilan to change into.


    Zhao Qiyan had thought that it would be a mess if a woman wore men''s clothing, but when Hu Xiao and Zhilan came out, Zhao Qiyan was stunned.


    Only after hearing Hu Xiao''s soft cough did she react, "Esteemed empress, we definitely can''t let His Majesty know of our actions right now. If you offend us in any way, please forgive us. Let''s go."


    "Yes."


    Hu Xiaoxiao nodded. He didn''t have any objections to this, but he had some interest in following behind Zhao Qiyan.


    On their way out of the city, they walked through a few remote areas before finally arriving.


    This was indeed the most important thing. Without Zhao Qiyan''s guidance, they would never have found this place. They wouldn''t even have been able to secretly follow him.


    "There''s a military camp ahead. If you regret it now, you can go back."


    Zhao Qiyan looked at the two as they spoke. He wasn''t trying to get them to return, but as a woman, it wasn''t that messy for her.


    "We''re already here. General, you can go in."


    Zhilan looked at Zhao Qiyan with a strange expression.


    Zhao Qiyan felt quite strange. He had already arrived at the entrance of the barracks. How could he go back on his words and leave now that they were already here?


    "Then let''s go."


    Seeing that the two had made up their minds, Zhao Qiyan didn''t say anything more.


    As the few of them entered the military camp, they saw that every place was bustling with noise and excitement, especially the one in front.


    Hearing this, Hu Xiao brought Zhilan over. If he hadn''t heard wrongly, that person was probably competing?


    Seeing this, Zhao Qiyan also followed along. Seeing that Zhao Qiyan had cleared a path, the little soldier didn''t stop to watch the show.


    Zhao Qiyan was not surprised. The competition between the generals was authorized by Zhao Qiyan. Only through continuous competition could one improve their abilities and survive on the battlefield.


    The few of them looked at the martial arts competition with interest. Hu Xiao could not help but rub his hands together in an attempt to fight it out. Seeing this, Zhao Qiyan quickly stopped Hu Xiao.


    Hu Xiaoru came, and if he went in to compete with him, then Zhao Qiyan would be at a loss. If something happened and Qin Shuo found out, then he would be in trouble.


    "Forget it, this person''s techniques are too flowery. If I were to fight on the battlefield, I would definitely die quickly."


    Hu Xiaoxiao smiled when she saw Zhao Qiyan''s reaction. She had a sense of propriety, but she was infected by the atmosphere and wanted to take action.


    However, if one looked carefully, they would see that that person''s technique was too gorgeous and not actually real. Although the match wouldn''t take one''s life, this kind of fighting style was too sissy, and was not suitable for the battlefield.


    Zhao Qiyan listened to him and observed for a while. Sure enough, it was just as he had said.


    "Look at how weak that person''s hands and feet are. They''re only powerful, but he can''t even make a move. It''s like he''s tickling people. Does he have a certain level of status here?"


    Hu Xiao said as he looked at Zhao Qiyan.


    Zhao Qiyan nodded. Indeed, it was as he had said. One of the contestants was a high-ranking officer.


    After hearing Zhao Qiyan''s affirmation, Hu Xiaoxiao felt reassured. If that was the case, then even though that person was beating him up badly, it would be extremely difficult for him to avoid Zhao Qiyan''s attacks. This would make things difficult for that person.


    If he didn''t have some status in the barracks, that person would have hit the other person within ten moves.


    A soldier standing at the side disdained Hu Xiao''s words.


    "What do you know? General Li''s kung fu is very good. Didn''t you see how difficult it was for the other Li Si to dodge?" "You were just brought here by General Zhao. You don''t have the skill to stand close to him, but your waist doesn''t hurt just by standing there and talking."


    Zhao Qiyan was about to reprimand the soldier, but Hu Xiao shook his head and remained silent. He looked at the soldier as if he was looking at an idiot.


    When the soldier saw that Zhao Qiyan was not dissatisfied with what he had said, he thought that Zhao Qiyan was the one who had broadened his horizons. However, the lower status Zhao Qiyan had, the more he spoke.


    Hu Xiao was disdainful of arguing with such a person. With a glance, he could tell that this person was General Li''s supporter. Ah, no, that''s not right, he was a brainless fan.

 C35

    Hu Xiao was the master of Zhilan. In Zhilan''s heart, he was extremely respectful to her and could not tolerate provocation. Naturally, Zhilan would be angered by that person insulting Hu Xiao.


    Although he was extremely dissatisfied, he still hesitated and laughed. Seeing Zhilan''s expression, Hu Xiao finally understood.


    "Go."


    Ye Zichen nodded towards Zhilan. At this moment, the outcome of the battle was decided between the two of them.


    Seeing this, Zhilan walked to the center of the arena.


    "I want you to spar with me."


    General Li nodded when he saw this, but he wasn''t too worried. He had already beaten a few people in a row, so General Li couldn''t help but feel a bit bloated.


    "This general has never seen you before. New?"


    General Li couldn''t help but laugh when he saw Zhilan''s handsome appearance. With a single glance, he could tell that she was a child who knew little of the affairs of the world. General Li couldn''t help but feel even more unconcerned.


    Seeing this, Zhilan did not pay attention to General Li and did not want to waste any more words with him.


    General Li saw that Zhilan attacked without saying a word, so he hurriedly dodged. He looked extremely pathetic, not even thinking about what just happened.


    Soon, the outcome was decided, and the soldier''s mouth was wide open in disbelief. He had admired General Li to the extreme, but the person who was speaking just now defeated General Li in a few moves. He didn''t know what to think.


    General Li wanted to say something, but upon seeing Zhao Qiyan standing behind him, he hastily shut his mouth.


    "I told you people with decent martial arts to fight Zhilan here, let me see."


    Hu Xiao said to Zhao Qiyan.


    "Yes."


    At this moment, Zhao Qiyan was also shocked by Zhilan''s kung fu skills. He thought that since Hu Xiao was so skilled, Zhilan should have some kung fu skills, but he never thought that her kung fu skills were also good.


    Zhao Qiyan was becoming more and more curious about Zhilan.


    He then instructed the person beside him to bring a small general up. He then casually instructed the person and let them in.


    At this moment, when Zhilan saw the people walking in, she subconsciously looked towards Hu Xiao, only to see Hu Xiao nodding in understanding.


    Although Hu Xiao knew that Zhilan''s kung fu skills were not bad, he still didn''t know what she was really like. At the moment, he was trying to get to the bottom of things.


    Seeing the two of them fighting, Hu Xiaoxiao stopped listening to Zhao Qiyan''s murmurs. Instead, he turned his attention to the two of them. It seemed like a real sparring session now, not a small fight like before.


    Just now, there were already many soldiers surrounding them. Now that the people who had defeated General Li were sparring again, the number of soldiers also increased.


    After looking at Zhilan for a while, Zhao Qiyan looked at Hu Xiao and began to ponder. Zhilan''s kung fu skills were similar to that of the Southern Yue, but her kung fu skills were blurry and disorderly.


    Just as Zhao Qiyan was deep in thought, he heard the crowd take a deep breath and looked towards the arena. Zhao Qiyan had finished shouting in her heart. What she was worried about had finally happened.


    The general looked at Zhilan, then looked at the hair rope in his hand and was stunned. He knew that General Zhao had asked him to come and spar with someone, but he did not know that it was a woman. There were no women in the barracks, and it would be strange if such a talented woman appeared.


    When Zhilan saw her hair tie being held in a daze by that person, she couldn''t help but feel infuriated. This was simply humiliation, no longer showing mercy. Zhilan''s every move was a killing move. That person saw Zhilan''s anger and couldn''t help but feel anxious.


    It had already been rather difficult to resist just now. Now, it was completely because of Zhilan''s unilateral abuse. Unfortunately, that little general was completely unable to retaliate.


    At this moment, the crowd was cheering for Zhilan. Everyone admired such an outstanding woman.


    This torture lasted until Zhilan was satisfied.


    "I never expected Miss Zhilan to be so skilled as well."


    Zhao Qiyan exclaimed as he watched the scene.


    The Southern Yue was truly open-minded. Most women practiced martial arts, and they were good at it. This was where they should learn from.


    "There are too many things General Zhao doesn''t know."


    Hu Xiao said as he looked at the astonished Zhao Qiyan.


    She also did not expect Zhilan to be quite skilled. She was a good seedling, and was definitely going to cultivate her well. Furthermore, Zhilan''s personality was deeply loved by Hu Xiaoxiao.


    However, Zhilan didn''t know that today, she had finally obtained the true trust of that b * stard.


    "Enough, come back."


    Seeing that the young general was in such a miserable state, Hu Xiaoxiao could not help but open his mouth to speak. If he did not stop, then the soldiers of the Eastern Courtyard would most likely suspect him.


    Hearing this, Zhilan snatched the hairband from the hands of the little general and stood behind Hu Xiao.


    Seeing this, Zhao Qiyan no longer belittled the two and led them directly into the main general''s camp.


    Zhao Qi Yan originally wanted to show the two of them around, so he only smiled at Hu Xiao. But now, he realized that Hu Xiao might really be able to change the faces of the Eastern Courtyard''s soldiers.


    As they were walking towards the camp, Zhilan''s hand was stopped by someone.


    Looking at the person behind her, she saw that it was the little general that she had beaten up a moment ago. Zhilan was a bit confused.


    "What is it?"


    As soon as Zhilan finished speaking, Hu Xiao and Zhao Qiyan turned to look at her. The sight of this made Zhao Qiyan''s heart burn with an inexplicable rage.


    "Miss, may I ask if you''re married?"


    The general said excitedly after seeing Zhilan stop.


    With these words, Hu Xiaoxiao burst out laughing. So it turned out that this little general had actually been beaten by Zhilan to become interested in Zhilan!


    [It turns out there are people who are so abused these days. Shouldn''t they just stay away?]


    Before Zhilan could say anything, Zhao Qiyan angrily said, "You''re done with your training today? You actually have the leisure to ask such boring questions? "


    Zhao Qiyan caught a glimpse of Zhilan''s hand as she spoke, but in the end, Zhao Qiyan could not resist kicking her out.


    Zhao Qiyan''s kick sent the soldier flying to the ground. He couldn''t help laughing at the sight.


    Zhilan just so happened to withdraw her hand.


    "What does this lady''s marriage have to do with you? You dare to harass me when you can''t even beat me? "


    Zhilan looked at the person sitting on the ground and said condescendingly.


    That general lowered his head when he heard this. As expected.


    I''ve always thought that my skills in the camp were quite good, but now that I''ve lost to a woman, I find it hard to accept it. Now that I''ve been rejected by Zhilan, the desire to become stronger in my heart has grown stronger.


    "Just you wait, one day, I will beat you!"


    When the general heard this, he shouted loudly, ignoring the ashen-faced Zhao Qiyan.


    "Hurry up and f * ck off. Scram as far away as you can. Don''t embarrass yourself here."


    Zhilan ignored the general''s words. She didn''t care about the other person''s words. Zhilan turned around and left. Seeing the situation, Zhao Qiyan hurriedly followed behind her.

 C36

    They didn''t say anything along the way.


    Zhao Qiyan caught up to Zhilan and wanted to comfort her. However, Zhilan''s next words made it impossible for Zhao Qiyan to suppress the anger in her heart.


    "I didn''t expect General Zhao to be so grumpy and honest, just acting so crude."


    As Zhilan spoke, she rolled her eyes at Zhao Qiyan.


    "This general has always been loyal and honest!"


    In his heart, Zhao Qi was extremely dissatisfied. What did he mean by being irritable? After thinking carefully about what Zhilan had said, Zhao Qiyan realized that Zhilan was trying to protect the little soldier. She really didn''t recognize Lu Dongbin''s good intentions. Didn''t he just save Zhilan?


    "Tsk."


    The more the two talked, the more excited they became. In the end, they still started to fight.


    Hu Xiaoxiao looked at the actions of the two and inwardly laughed. Indeed, enemies often cross paths, and they were able to fight each other. It seemed that their future days would be spent in chaos.


    Without even looking at what Hu Xiao was thinking, the surrounding soldiers were all watching with great interest.


    Everyone had seen Zhilan''s long hair floating in the wind just now. She had been ordered by General Zhao Qiyan to bring a woman into the army, but now, they were fighting with the woman. Each of their punches was filled with pleasure.


    The crowd grew larger and larger, but Hu Xiao was not interested in the fight between Zhao Qiyan and Zhilan. Zhilan''s skills were not as good as Zhao Qiyan''s, and with Zhao Qiyan''s personality, he was sure to let Zhilan go.


    Seeing the familiar object next to the tent, Hu Xiaoxiao smiled as he arrived at the side of the pillar to try it out.


    The soldier in charge hurried forward to stop the laughing. At this point, the item was in the testing phase and could not be casually used by anyone.


    "Ugh, where did you come from without the permission of the general ¡­"


    Before he could say anything, his mouth opened wide as he watched Hu Xiaoxiao''s actions.


    In the past few days, they had been using these pillars to practice their techniques, but in the end, they were not familiar with it. They did not know how to use it, but seeing Hu Xiao''s familiar appearance, they could not help but admire him from the bottom of their hearts.


    Hu Xiao skillfully practiced a set of Taichi Fist before he turned around and looked at the young soldier who seemed to have something to say to him.


    Seeing the surprised look on the young soldier''s face, Hu Xiaoxiao was slightly surprised. It seemed like he had unknowingly done something that he shouldn''t have done. However, it didn''t matter, as this person was unable to see through it.


    "Who made this?"


    Hu Xiao had asked about Zhao Qiyan''s attitude before. It seemed that Zhao Qiyan had a military advisor by his side that was quite proficient in this item. It must have been done by that person.


    "This was made by Mister Mo Zhu."


    When the general heard Hu Xiao''s words, he quickly replied. Hu Xiao had followed General Zhao Qi Yan here, so he must be either a rich or a noble. Judging from his appearance just now, it wouldn''t be a problem for him to say so.


    "Mister Mo Zhu, right?" "I understand."


    Sir? Without a doubt, it was the Military Advisor. He turned around and returned to the main tent. Looking at the two who were still struggling with each other, he shook his head and took the lead to enter the tent.


    Seeing this, Zhilan and Zhao Qiyan had no choice but to stop and enter as well.


    However, although his hand stopped, his mouth had no intention of stopping.


    "Enough, you''re already so old, yet you''re still fighting and quarreling like a child."


    Zhilan and Zhao Qiyan remained silent, just like what Hu Xiaoxiao had said. Their actions just now were very similar to that of a child.


    "Zhao Qiyan, are the soldiers of the East Court so weak?"


    Hu Xiaoxiao saw that the two of them did not speak, and could not help but speak.


    Ever since Hu Xiaoxiao saw the barracks, he had been constantly observing it, but this result caused Hu Xiaoxiao to be very disappointed. After they walked in, the guards at the gates didn''t even bother checking, and those behind them were extremely lazy training.


    Not to mention the sparring that followed, from Hu Xiaoxiao''s point of view, it was just a small fight like playing house.


    A person in the barracks who was pretty skilled actually wasn''t able to defeat a woman. It seemed like the military camp wasn''t as strong as Hu Xiaoxiao had imagined.


    "Hmm? Why did the Empress say that? "


    The words from Hu Xiao caused Zhao Qiyan''s expression to change. To Zhao Qiyan, this was not as bad as Hu Xiaoxiao had said it was.


    "Look at those people. They are people who need to go to the battlefield at any time, yet they are so lazy in private. I believe that once they see that bloody scene on the battlefield, they will definitely be scared to the point of running away."


    Although Hu Xiao''s words were not pleasant to hear, it was not without reason. Zhao Qiyan did not refute him too much.


    "Bring me to meet Mister Mo Zhu if General Zhao wishes to further increase the strength of the army."


    He didn''t want to say anymore, so he directly spoke out his thoughts.


    When Hu Xiao first saw those items, he had already made up his mind to meet this strategist. Now that he saw Zhao Qiyan, it was impossible for him to miss out on this opportunity.


    "What are you going to do?"


    Zhao Qiyan had no idea where Mr. Mo Zhu had gone to during his fight with Zhilan. He couldn''t help but break out in a cold sweat.


    If not, Zhao Qiyan would not know how much trouble he was going to cause this time. After this, Zhao Qiyan strictly demanded that the soldiers in the barracks not reveal any information about the military, and those who disobeyed would be executed. This made Zhao Qiyan''s army very famous for being hardnosed in the future. This will not be mentioned in the future.


    However, I shall give General Zhao a word of advice. The soldiers in General Zhao''s camp are too weak, so if you bring me to see which Mister Mo Zhu is, I might be able to help the general.


    With that, Hu Xiaoxiao stopped talking. Zhao Qiyan was the only one who decided which direction to go.


    Seeing Zhao Qiyan hesitating, Zhilan was anxious. "General Zhao has seen the Empress''s skills before. This trip will only yield benefits for General Zhao. Why do you need to consider it for so long, General?"


    Zhao Qiyan shook his head. Mr. Mo Zhu was not someone that ordinary people could see. Even His Majesty had been taken advantage of by Mr. Mo Zhu, not to mention the Empress and Zhilan. Although their strengths were not to be underestimated ¡­


    Just as the two of them were arguing endlessly, an outside soldier reported that someone in the palace had requested to see General Zhao.


    The faces of the three people changed when they heard this. Within the palace? Could it be that His Majesty already knew that Hu Xiao was in the military camp? Someone had been sent to capture him?


    If that was the case, it was a capital offense to bully the king!


    Although she knew in her heart that Qin Shuo wouldn''t do anything to her, if she accompanied Jun Ruoru and Hu Xiaoxiao, it was possible that Qin Shuo would kill her out of the blue. In fact, in the Southern Yue, it wasn''t likely that they would go to war because of a woman and an ally that they had known for many years.


    When a soldier comes to block a water, Zhao Qiyan hardened his heart.


    "Let that man in."

 C37

    Everyone saw themselves bringing people into the barracks, since they couldn''t avoid it.


    However, the three of them were staring without blinking at the outside of the tent.


    When the person outside the tent got closer, Hu Xiaoxiao looked at the person with a somewhat familiar expression and relaxed his body.


    "Zhao Qiyan, why are you not training outside? Why are you hiding inside?"


    As soon as that man said that, the three of them heaved a sigh of relief. It turned out that the one who came from this palace was actually Yin Fufeng.


    Yin Fufeng was surprised to see Zhao Qiyan walking into the tent without a word.


    "To attend the empress."


    Yin Fufeng felt a slight headache coming on. Why did this queen come here instead of staying in the palace? Besides, her little servant had also come with her. She was indeed a headache for the first prince.


    In the morning at the training field, Yin Fu Feng thought Hu Xiao was finished, but he didn''t expect to see him in the barracks. He looked at his old friend helplessly, and he had a rough idea about what was going on.


    "Forget about those boring courtesies. It turns out that the one who has come is you. I thought it was His Majesty who knew about it."


    Seeing that Yin Fufeng was no longer worried, Hu Xiao knew what Yin Fufeng was thinking. He wouldn''t complain to Qin Shuo about this, that would be enough.


    "Hur hur."


    He was very familiar with Zhao Qiyan''s character. Now that Zhao Qiyan had brought the both of them to the army camp without caring about the fact that His Majesty was here, he must have done something to make them lose.


    However, for Zhao Qiyan and Hu Xiao, the bet would be a fight.


    "Why does General Zhao look so depressed?" But what is the problem? "


    Yin Fufeng couldn''t help but ask his old friend when he saw him in such a difficult situation. When did he ever make it so hard for his old friend?


    Zhao Qiyan immediately blurted out the information when he heard Yin Fufeng''s question. This old friend of his had a lot of insidious ideas, and he had a lot of them in his head. It would be great if he could ask Yin Fufeng about this.


    "The empress would like to see mister Mo Zhu."


    Yin Fufeng was also surprised for a second, and then laughed out loud.


    "I merely wish to meet Mister Mo Zhu. Why should I not meet him?"


    Yin Fufeng naturally understood his good friend''s intentions, but since Hu Xiao was able to run to the army camp without paying attention to His Majesty''s holy will, he could naturally find Mister Mo Zhu. So, it was better for Zhao Feiyan to sell this favor to Yin Fufeng.


    Of course, Yin Fufeng had read all of the blueprints. Since he was able to draw those blueprints, he must have a way to enhance the military''s strength. How could he not do such a beautiful thing?


    Seeing that Yin Fufeng had decided on this matter, Hu Xiao couldn''t help but admire him from the bottom of his heart. He knew about Zhao Qiyan''s hesitation just now, but he didn''t expect it to be so simple for Yin Fufeng.


    "Empress, when this official left the palace, His Majesty went to Yongning Palace."


    When Hu Xiao was about to say something, Yin Fufeng suddenly said.


    Hearing this, the three men''s faces changed dramatically. Yin Fufeng didn''t seem to notice it at all. They had thought that Hu Xiao would be worried, but he only took a glance at Yin Fufeng before calming down.


    "If he''s gone, then so be it. I just came out to take a walk. His Majesty should be free."


    Hu Xiao said while looking at Yin Fufeng with his dazed eyes.


    Yin Fufeng smiled but didn''t respond.


    Since that was the case, he didn''t have to worry too much about it.


    Since the few of them decided to meet Mo Zhu, they didn''t stay in the barracks any longer. Soon after, they left, and Hu Xiao''s trip to the barracks made him understand the Eastern Courtyard more and more.


    Hu Xiao thought that Mister Mo Zhu was also living in the barracks, but seeing Zhao Weiyan leading them back, he couldn''t help but mock himself.


    After the carriage returned to the city, it began to move in the opposite direction from the general''s residence. It moved further and further away from the general''s residence.


    Just as Hu Xiao was about to ask, the carriage stopped outside the house.


    He could not help but size up the room in front of him. He was used to the extravagance of the Imperial Palace and the majesty of the General''s Estate. The rooms here were very much like the rooms loved by scholars.


    Zhao Qiyan walked up and knocked on the door.


    Not long after, a child ran out.


    "Master said that he wouldn''t see any guests today, and nobody would come."


    The boy arrogantly said, not even looking at the person standing outside the door.


    Zhao Qiyan rubbed his nose and felt the dust on his nose.


    "Yuanbao, can I trouble you to inform Mr. Mo Zhu that Zhao Weiyan has brought an important guest to pay him a visit?"


    "I won''t see you. Master said that he won''t meet anyone. You should quickly head back."


    Hu Xiao had thought that Zhao Qiyan would run in and say something when he said that, but the boy still acted the same as he had when he first saw him.


    He was an impatient person to begin with, so he couldn''t stand it any longer.


    Hu Xiaoxiao was hoping to see Zhao Qiyan. Otherwise, with Zhao Qiyan''s appearance, he probably wouldn''t even see this Mister Mo Zhu a hundred times. He had no idea how this General Zhao managed to be stopped outside the door by a small Military Advisor.


    When Yin Fufeng and Zhao Qiyan were about to persuade Hu Xiao to leave, both of them were shocked by what he had done.


    Hu Xiao walked up, grabbed the small child by his collar, and directly picked him up before walking in.


    The three of them hurriedly followed Hu Xiaoxiao.


    Hu Xiaoxiao was used to being arrogant and domineering, and had never rejected anyone that came along with him. This Mister Mo Zhu was considered the first, and Hu Xiao had always abided by the principle of keeping his mouth shut.


    "You vulgar person, how dare you be disrespectful to me, quickly let me down!"


    The moment the ingot was inattentive, it was hoisted up by Hu Xiaoxiao like a chick. After being stunned for a moment, he started cursing.


    "How can Mr. Mo Zhu have a child who doesn''t know the heavens?" "Where is Mister Mo Zhu? Take me to see Mister Mo Zhu, and I''ll put you down."


    Hu Xiao looked at the Yuan Treasure that was struggling in his hand and was extremely happy in his heart.


    Behind him, Zhilan stared helplessly at her mistress.


    Yin Fufeng and Zhao Qiyan looked at each other with smiles on their faces.


    Yuan Bao was already used to being arrogant and despotic in front of them. They also noticed that even though a child did not argue with a Yuan Treasure, they were still annoyed. Now that Hu Xiao''s actions had caused the two of them to laugh, they finally let out a breath of anger.


    The boy had never been treated like this before, and now that he heard that it was a woman, he began to struggle even harder.


    "Don''t move! Quick, tell me, which house is Mister Mo Zhu in? "


    Seeing that the child was struggling so fiercely, Hu Xiaoxiao immediately slapped the child''s buttocks.

 C38

    The boy''s butt was slapped by Hu Xiaoxiao. He immediately stopped moving and pointed in a direction with a wronged expression.


    Seeing this, Hu Xiao threw down his ingot. Although the ingot was still small, it still took him a lot of effort to carry it.


    Seeing that he had been put down by the woman, Yuan Bao hurriedly ran out.


    By the time Hu Xiao and the others arrived at Mister Mo Zhu''s side, the ingot had already told Mo Zhu everything that had happened. If they temporarily ignored the tears that fell from the corner of their eyes, they were rather nervous.


    "Mister Mo Zhu."


    Zhao Qiyan and Yin Fufeng said together.


    With regards to Mo Zhu, the two of them were extremely impressed and willingly called him Mister Mo Zhu.


    Hearing this, Mo Zhu nodded his head and looked at Hu Xiao with a sharp gaze. Zhao Qiyan subconsciously wanted to block Hu Zhu''s laughter, but he only saw Hu Zhu smiling silently at him.


    "You''re the one who came in with the Yuan Treasure?"


    Mo Zhu could tell at a glance that Hu Xiao was a woman. The weight of the ingot was not small. To be able to carry it all the way into the inner courtyard, this girl must be pretty skilled.


    However, why did Yin Fufeng and Zhao Qiyan seem to be very protective of this woman? This made Mo Zhu curious about Hu Xiao''s identity.


    I hope that Mister Mo Zhu will not take offense to it. My name is Hu Xiao, and when I first met Mister Mo Zhu, if there are any offenses, I hope that Mister Mo Zhu will not take them to heart.


    "Haha, she really is a wonderful woman."


    Mo Zhu stared at Hu Xiao and laughed for a long time before speaking.


    Seeing that the atmosphere was not as tense as it had been in the beginning, Yin Fufeng and Zhao Qiyan finally calmed down a little.


    "Hu Xiao heard that Mo Zhu has made the training equipment in the barracks and is here specifically to ask Mister for guidance."


    When Hu Xiao said this, he saw that Mo Zhu was no longer as courteous as before, and faintly felt contempt for him. Hu Xiao, however, was not annoyed and continued to look at Mo Zhu.


    "You''re from the barracks?"


    Although Mo Zhu was talking to Hu Xiao, the way he looked at Zhao Qi Yan surprised Zhao Qi Yan.


    "Yes."


    Before Zhao Qiyan could say anything, Hu Xiaoxiao spoke in a hurry.


    Yin Fufeng silently looked at Mo Zhu.


    Although Mo Zhu was a person with vast and profound knowledge, he was still too noble in the end. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have brought this place along with him.


    Qin Shuo had heard that Mr. Mo Zhu had also visited him a few times. Although it seemed like a pleasant conversation to outsiders, but after Qin Shuo had been rejected by Mo Zhu, although Qin Shuo loved talent, he would not let Mo Zhu be an official in court.


    "I thought that the things that Mo Zhu had done would still need improvement. That''s why I got Zhao Qiyan to bring me to see you."


    Although some of the items made by the hands of the Black Bamboo were similar to the blueprints, they were too exquisite and were far too lacking in terms of training the soldiers.


    Furthermore, the drawings Hu Xiao had asked people to draw were tailored to his Tai Fist technique. Naturally, the people of the Eastern Courtyard were not practicing the same techniques as Hu Xiao, and there was naturally a need to improve on them.


    That was what he had thought when he saw the soldier training today.


    Mo Zhu''s own courtyard had a set of skills, which made it convenient for Hu Xiao to continue his movements.


    "Zhao Qiyan, watch my movements and the way I use it."


    Hu Xiao didn''t wait for Mo Zhu''s reply. He greeted Zhao Qi Yan and started practicing.


    As for Mo Zhu, who was dissatisfied with Hu Xiao''s words, he intended to educate Hu Xiao. However, when Hu Xiao easily used those things, Mo Zhu gradually put away his contempt.


    Zhao Weiyan didn''t reveal who drew these blueprints when she sent them over. Now it seemed that these blueprints came from the hands of Hu Xiaoxiao.


    It was not only Zhao Qiyan who was looking at Hu Xiao with rapt attention. Even the others were also looking at Hu Xiao in surprise.


    After demonstrating all of it with a smile, the few of them were stunned.


    "Zhao Qiyan, did you see it clearly?"


    Hu Xiaoxiao felt discontent in his heart when he saw them staring at him intently.


    "Yes."


    Zhao Qi Yan nodded hastily. He was still wondering how to use the item, but he knew that it would be useful once Hu Xiao finished using it.


    "Mm, do it your way, and your soldiers do it on a daily basis."


    What he said was better done than done. Hu Xiao used the most direct method to let Mo Zhu know what was lacking in these things.


    Sure enough, when he saw Hu Xiao use it so decisively just now, even though Zhao Qiyan had mentally prepared himself, he still used it so hard that Zhao Qiyan was one of the top experts in the Eastern Courtyard. Now even Zhao Qiyan was using it with such difficulty, let alone the soldiers.


    Yin Fufeng was shocked when he saw Hu Xiao''s face. He wondered how many other things Hu Xiao had hidden in his mind. Luckily, he was now the queen of the East Court, and all his actions were for the East Court.


    Mo Zhu had always felt that this set of training equipment was very good, but it was not suitable for him. Now that he had seen Hu Xiao and Zhao Qiyan use it, it meant that Mo Zhu knew exactly what was not suitable for them.


    Zhao Qiyan was also enlightened. The item he saw at first glance was too shocking and flawless. It seemed to be a bit unrealistic, but fortunately, he brought Hu Xiaoxiao with him on this trip. Otherwise, he would not know what to do.


    Seeing that everyone understood his intentions, Hu Xiaoxiao felt that this trip out of the palace was full of rewards.


    Although Hu Xiao was not sacrificing himself to become a country, and he was planning to leave the Eastern Palace, he still saw the sky above the Eastern Palace. Although Hu Xiao was not sacrificing himself to become a country, he was still planning to leave the Eastern Palace, but he still opened his eyes and saw the sky above the Eastern Palace.


    Noticing that Mo Zhu was talking with Yin Fufeng, Zhao Qiyan and the other two young masters, they decided that it was time for them to return to the palace.


    "Empress, this humble subject has something important to report to His Majesty. Why don''t we go together?"


    Looking at the worried look on Hu Xiao''s face, Yin Fufeng realized that he had sneaked out of the palace earlier and was now planning to sneak back to the palace. However, it was easy to leave the palace, but even more difficult to enter.


    Seeing the two of them at a loss for words, Yin Fufeng couldn''t help but open his mouth to speak.


    Today, even if Japan follows the orders of the Emperor, they should return to the palace to report the results, just in time to bring Hu Xiao and Zhilan to the palace.


    "That''s good, that''s good."


    While Hu Xiao was still worrying about how to return to the palace, Yin Fu Feng had really helped a lot. The two of them went inside his palanquin without saying a word.


    It would be a good choice if he had Yin Fu Feng''s escort.


    They had actually sneaked out. Naturally, they couldn''t just go back in the open. Yin Fufeng left them at the corner and left. The two of them also went back to the Yongning Palace sneakily.


    Seeing the palace maids and eunuchs kneeling at the entrance, the two of them hurriedly and secretly climbed up the wall.

 C39

    The palace maids and eunuchs who kneeled in the courtyard waited for Hu Xiao and Zhilan to change before climbing out again.


    Seeing that Yin Fufeng and Hu Xiao had left for the palace, Zhao Qiyan was slightly more at ease. He pinched the bag that Hu Xiaoxiao had given him before leaving, then turned around and walked back to Mr. Mo Zhu''s study.


    The little boy was about to close the door when he saw Zhao Qi Yan coming back. He became slightly flustered and relieved when he saw that there was no one following him.


    He had never seen such a crude woman like Hu Xiaoxiao. Furthermore, she had accompanied Mister Mo Zhu for a long time, so it would be very honorable if she went there. Someone would dare to carry his collar and walk away.


    "Teacher is still in the study room."


    When the ingot saw that there was only Zhao Qiyan left, it told him where Mr. Mo Zhu was and ran off. It was a huge blow today that it felt like it needed a place to recuperate.


    Mo Zhu wasn''t surprised to see Zhao Qiyan return.


    "Is there anything else, General Zhao?"


    At this moment, Mo Zhu was thinking about how to modify the training equipment used by the soldiers. He had more ideas and was also in a good mood. Therefore, his attitude towards Zhao Qiyan was much better.


    "The woman who came today is the empress of the eastern courtyard."


    Because of this set of tools, Mo Zhu and Hu Xiao would definitely come into contact with each other again. If Hu Xiaoxiao were to sneak out of the palace now, he would definitely have to inform the other party first, otherwise, it would have a huge impact on Hu Xiaoxiao if he were to be exposed in the future.


    "So it''s the empress. Sorry for the impoliteness."


    Mo Zhu looked at Hu Xiao''s expression and thought which family''s daughter or talented Jianghu woman it was. He didn''t expect Hu Xiao to be the mother of a country, so he really didn''t know how to be tactful.


    However, Mo Zhu was somewhat puzzled as he looked at Zhao Qiyan''s expression. What did Zhao Qiyan mean? If not in front of a laughing face, it would be better to say it later.


    "The empress was secretly visiting the barracks today, so it''s not good to be overly flamboyant. She specifically greeted Teacher, afraid that something like this might happen again in the future. I hope Sir can keep it a secret."


    Zhao Qiyan was afraid that something bad would happen. Sometimes, Mr. Mo Zhu had to look down on His Majesty before he could say anything. Now that he was laughing, Zhao Qiyan was not very confident.


    There was no need for the empress to go around secretly during private interviews. Mo Zhu understood Zhao Qiyan''s intentions after some thought. It was a simple matter, so it didn''t matter if he agreed.


    "This humble one understands, but this empress is a truly wondrous woman. How could she be so proficient in weapons and martial arts? This humble one wants to see if the empress is any weaker than General Zhao."


    Why would a dignified empress need such strength? However, no matter what, Hu Xiaoxiao''s actions today had caused Mo Zhu to be pleased to accept it.


    Seeing that Mister Mo Zhu had agreed to this matter, Zhao Qi Yan let out a sigh of relief in his heart. At the very least, he could be considered to have some sort of protection as he placed the embroidered bag in front of Mister Mo Zhu.


    "What is this?"


    Mo Zhu looked at the bag in front of him with a puzzled expression.


    "This is what the empress has given to mister Mo Zhu. You''ll know when you open it."


    Zhao Qiyan had already looked through the contents of the box before entering, and he was filled with admiration for Hu Xiaoxiao.


    "General Zhao, this is an amendment to the crossbow. Today, I see that it is not suitable for you to allow the soldiers to train with the crossbow. This is a different version. Take a look."


    Before Hu Xiao entered the palace, he gave the brocade sack to Zhao Qiyan to keep.


    The things inside the barracks were being done by Mr. Mo Zhu, and Zhao Qi Yan had a plan in mind. If Mr. Mo Zhu agreed to his request and gave it to Mr. Mo Zhu, then there was no harm in asking someone else to do it for him. If not, then he would just have to find someone to do it for him.


    Presumably, this was also because he was laughing slyly and did not directly tell Mo Zhu his intentions.


    Now, it seemed that Mister Mo Zhu and Hu Xiao harbored a feeling of cherishing each other. If the Emperor were to pursue this matter in the future, with Mister Mo Zhu helping him cover it up, the Emperor probably wouldn''t do anything about it.


    When Mr. Mo Zhu saw that this was given to him by Hu Xiaoxiao, he probably understood what Hu Xiao meant. He did not expect that Hu Xiaoxiao, despite being a woman, had the courage and foresight to be called a rare woman.


    The contents of the silk bag were indeed eye-opener for Mo Zhu.


    That embroidered bag was speaking about one of the problems that puzzled Mr. Mo Zhu today. With this embroidered bag, he was able to solve this problem. The crossbow was originally made, but its safety performance was too low and it took too much time and effort.


    After strolling around the base camp, Hu Xiao had gotten to know a few of the larger divisions of the base. It was not easy for soldiers to carry heavy bows and crossbows on the battlefield, so it would be better to just make them better.


    It would be a good way to train a few soldiers to use the crossbow to shoot arrows at the edge of the battlefield.


    A single arrow could lower a single white arrow. In the future, the soldiers of the Eastern Courtyard would also be imperceptibly boosted in the battlefield.


    "General, rest assured that I will be able to make this crossbow after studying it for a few days. I have something that I need your help with."


    Mo Zhu put down the brocade sack in his hand, turned around, and said to Zhao Qiyan.


    "Mister Mo Zhu, just say it directly. There is no such thing as helping or not helping the two of us."


    When Zhao Weiyan saw that Mo Zhu''s expression was the same as when he was looking at the silk sachet, he knew that Mister Mo Zhu was interested in the sachet. If this matter succeeded, it would greatly increase the East Branch''s military might.


    "Just now, the empress was in a hurry to return to the palace, so I haven''t properly thought out how to change that set of equipment. Now, General is going to let me record this flaw so I can further repair it."


    "That''s easy to say. Let''s go."


    Zhao Qiyan didn''t refuse and directly walked over.


    Hu Xiaoxiao''s earlier moves were reflected in Zhao Qiyan''s mind. In addition to his usual habits, Zhao Qiyan slowly began to fight.


    Mo Zhu and the ingot on the side noted down their flaws.


    Looking at Zhao Qiyan''s movements, Mo Zhu remembered the moves he had used just now and frowned slightly. Mr. Mo Zhu could be said to be experienced and knowledgeable, but when he was young, he had never seen a move like Hu Xiao''s. His curiosity was piqued.

 C40

    The Southern Yue and Eastern Court had always formed an alliance through marriage. Therefore, the women raised by the Southern Yue Royal Family were just like women raised by the Eastern President. They were proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, with Hu Xiao appearing to be an exception.


    In the past few days, Mo Zhu had heard of the words and actions of the laughing empress. Originally, he had thought that the rumors were just an exaggeration, but after seeing them today, his reputation had truly lived up to.


    With Hu Xiao''s character, how could the Southern Yue allow Hu Xiao to marry into the Eastern Courtyard?


    Even though he had all sorts of doubts in his heart, he still wanted to think about the East Court. He didn''t know how to explain it in the future, so he needed to pay attention to his words and actions.


    "Did Mr. Mo Zhu remember everything?" Do you need this general to do it again? "


    Zhao Qiyan finished his punching routine very quickly, and spoke while looking at Mr. Mo Zhu.


    "No need, this one will write it down. Sorry for troubling you, General."


    Mo Zhu put away all the thoughts in his mind. To be able to obtain Zhao Qi Yan''s trust and respect, his character must be pretty good.


    "Since Mr. Mo Zhu has remembered, this general should not disturb you any further. I have matters to attend to at the barracks, so I shall be leaving first."


    Zhao Qiyan did not stay for long after he finished what he had to do. He had left the camp in a hurry. Now that he remembered that there was one more thing that he had to do, Zhao Qiyan had to make a trip back.


    "General, please."


    Hearing this, Mo Zhu didn''t ask Yuan Bao to send Zhao Qiyan out.


    "Sir, sir, is that rude woman really the Empress today? "How could His Majesty marry a tigress to the empress?!"


    The ingot had been held back for a long time. Seeing that there was no one around, he finally spoke the words that had been in his heart for a long time.


    He had originally thought that the woman was very rude and was a soldier following Zhao Qiyan, but unexpectedly, she was actually a woman. Furthermore, she was the current empress. This made Yuanbao feel that it was too unreasonable.


    The woman really was refusing the empress''s order to follow General Zhao Qiyan around and be so rude!


    "Yuanbao, you can''t speak carelessly. The empress is currently in the palace, so why would she come to this remote place?"


    Mo Zhu glanced at his little doorman and said.


    Today, Hu Xiao had brought in his own child from a small door, which Mo Zhu saw, and he was slightly dissatisfied. However, given the nature of the ingots, they needed someone to cure them. This boy had been by his side for too long, and was acting a little too arrogant.


    Thinking about it, Hu Xiaoxiao''s actions today must have instilled some fear within the heart of this little gatekeeper. In the future, he would be able to teach him a lesson.


    "Teacher, but General Zhao clearly said ¡­"


    Before Yuanbao could finish his words, he saw the fierce gaze of the good-natured Mister Mo Zhu and swallowed his words.


    "Yuanbao, remember, only General Zhao and Lord Yin have been here today. There has never been anyone else, nor has there ever been the Empress."


    Upon receiving the brocade sack, Mo Zhu had agreed to Hu Xiaoxiao''s request. Now, he naturally had to fulfill his promise.


    "Yes, sir."


    Seeing this, the ingot did not say anything more. Since Mister Mo Zhu did not want him to say anything, Mister must have his own reasons. Naturally, he should listen carefully.


    Seeing that the ingot was no longer entangled with the matter, Mo Zhu went to modify some tools.


    When he first saw the blueprint in Zhao Qiyan''s hand, the crooked words beside it startled Mr. Mo Zhu. However, the item on the blueprint made Mo Zhu forget about it. Now that he saw Hu Xiao himself, he was relieved.


    Women were all so talented. As a Mister Mo Zhu, he should have worked hard.


    On the other side, Zhao Weiyan rushed back to the barracks without stopping.


    Zhao Qiyan didn''t think that Hu Xiao would say something like this, but now it seemed like he needed a good grasp.


    Zhao Qiyan had always been proud of the fact that he had never encountered such an incident.


    "Where is General Li, who is fighting with the Japanese general today? Have him come to see this general. "


    The most important thing in the camp was the victory of someone with a higher skill. Zhao Qiyan was not used to seeing such a rascal appearing in his territory.


    The Zhao Family was a family of generals, so naturally, the cavalry of the Zhao Family was valiant and invincible. However, these troops also needed to be strengthened.


    Zhao Qiyan''s face was dark. He had to vent out his anger.


    "General, you were looking for me?"


    Soon, his subordinates brought Li Si over. Zhao Qi Yan looked at Li Si''s face with some familiarity in his eyes.


    "Hmm, how long have you been in the army?"


    Zhao Qiyan couldn''t remember the details at the moment, so he just let them go.


    "It has been some time since I''ve replied to the general."


    Li Si, who was a side branch of Zhao Qi Yan''s mother''s family, had changed a small position in the army camp. Li Si, who was a side branch of Zhao Qi Yan''s mother''s family, had switched a small position in the army camp.


    "This general can see that you have quite a high reputation in the army. Can you tell this general how you did it? "Hmm?"


    When Li Si heard Zhao Qiyan''s words, he was so scared that he quickly kneeled down.


    "General, have mercy, this lowly general did not do it on purpose, please have mercy."


    "What are you shouting for? This general only said a few casual words. Why don''t you tell this general how you did it? "


    Li Si''s cowardly look made Zhao Qi''s heart burn even more fiercely. How could there be such a coward in the army?


    "General, this person claims to be a small merchant who is part of the general''s mother''s household. He was sent to the barracks because his family was unable to discipline him. He has always claimed to be related to the general and has always been taken care of by the generals. Didn''t you say to do this? "


    The attendants beside Zhao Qiyan looked at Li Si, who was screaming that he had been wrongly accused. Zhao Qiyan, on the other hand, had an impatient look on his face as he spoke.


    "Oh? "There''s actually such a thing?"


    At this moment, he took a closer look. At first glance, it looked somewhat familiar. It turned out to be that person.


    There was indeed such a popinjay, but he never told her to take care of him. It really was full of worms!


    "This general has never said such a thing. Why don''t you guess what this general means?"


    "General, please forgive us. We are at fault. We will punish you according to military law!"


    Who would have thought that he would be fooled by a little coward? The servant hurriedly knelt down and said.


    Zhao Qiyan never brought anyone to the barracks. On top of that, that person did look a little different when Zhao Qiyan was not around, so he believed that Zhao Qiyan''s words were true. However, he regretted it now.


    "Then let''s do it according to martial law. We''ll go get the twenty plates ourselves."

 C41

    When the person saw Zhao Qiyan act this way, he went to retrieve the board. As for Li Si, he was still kneeling on the ground.


    "In my army camp, the people you hate the most are people who have mixed with you. You have also violated the military taboo. As you are the first person to commit a crime, you can avoid death, but you can''t escape from death. Go claim the 50 boards yourself and strip yourself of your official position. Go home."


    Zhao Qiyan had walked from an ordinary soldier to where he was today. He couldn''t stand the sight of people who dared to act recklessly because they were behind him. He didn''t want to make a precedent because of his relationship.


    "General, General, on the account of my relationship with your mother, please forgive me. I won''t dare to do anything anymore."


    The man had been paralyzed by Zhao Qiyan''s words. His father might have broken his legs if he had been sent home by Zhao Qiyan, but he had seen the consequences of having a slate. The punishment was too terrifying.


    Furthermore, he, Li Si, was sent here because of a case. If he were to return, he would definitely be caught.


    "This general has already made up his mind. There''s no way I can change it any further. Let''s drag it on."


    Zhao Weiyan was extremely annoyed with this person, so she naturally wouldn''t leave him any face. If she didn''t deal with him now, wouldn''t she turn into a mess in the future?


    Li Si was dragged down and his supporters were punished as well. Only then could this matter be put to rest.


    Within the study room.


    "My beloved one went to the barracks today. How was the effect of the painting the Empress drew?"


    Qin Shuo saw that Yin Fufeng had returned and asked hurriedly. Like Zhao Qiyan, Qin Shuo was also very concerned about this.


    According to Zhao Qiyan, if these tools were used well, then the Eastern Courtyard''s military might would be increased. This was a fatal attraction to the Emperor!


    "The empress has already finished her painting of Ink Bamboo. The effect of training the soldiers is not bad, but there are still some that need modification. This subject and General Zhao discussed it for a while, so I came back a little late to report."


    After parting ways with Hu Xiao, Yin Fu Feng went straight to the study room to look for Qin Shuo. Earlier, when he left the palace, he found that Qin Shuo had gone to the Empress'' Yongning Palace.


    "Oh? Modified part? What''s wrong with the empress''s painting? "


    To Qin Shuo, Hu Xiaoxiao''s drawing was perfect. Zhao Qiyan had said the same before. Why would it need modification?


    "His Majesty doesn''t know that although the empress''s paintings are exquisite, they''re still heavily used in the army camps. There are still some deficiencies in the use of many people, so it''s best to change them according to the abilities of the soldiers in the East Court."


    Yin Fufeng said.


    "In that case, the two of you can decide for yourself. If you have any developments, you can report them to me. Have you seen your beloved one leave the palace today? There is only the two of you in the camp discussing, but there is no Queen? "


    Earlier on, Hu Xiaoxiao had suggested that they go out of the barracks to have a look, and then, they hadn''t been able to find anyone. If they hadn''t gone to the barracks, Qin Shuo wouldn''t have believed him at all.


    "Your Majesty, what do you mean? There''s only this official and General Zhao in the camp, and the empress had just come to the east courtyard. How would she know the location of the camp? "


    To Qin Shuo''s question, Yin Fufeng had already thought of a countermeasure. It was good to fight to the death and refuse to admit it. In the huge palace, it was normal for there to be no one.


    "Really?" Did my beloved daughter hide anything from me? "


    After Yin Fufeng and Zhao Qiyan''s attitude towards Hu Xiao, Qin Shuo didn''t quite believe them, but what Yin Fufeng said made sense. However, if Hu Xiao didn''t go to the barracks, then where did he go?


    "Your Majesty is overthinking things. If this subject sees the empress today, I won''t die a peaceful death."


    Yin Fufeng looked at Qin Shuo seriously.


    "There is no need to be like this, I can only trust you."


    Yin Fufeng couldn''t fake it, so he had to let the matter go.


    "There''s a imperial report sent over today. Please take a look to see what you have in mind."


    There had been a lot of business these days, and people living in the depths of the abyss. Qin Shuo knew this, but he had no choice. Now that Yin Fu Feng was here, Qin Shuo handed him the imperial report.


    Yin Fufeng took a glance at the paper in his hand, put it away, and started reading it carefully.


    "Empress, what can we do like this?"


    At this time, Hu Xiao and Zhilan were hiding in a fake mountain in the imperial garden. Zhilan looked at Hu Xiao helplessly and said.


    When she first saw the palace maids and eunuchs kneeling in the courtyard, Zhilan had thought that this matter had already been exposed. She was just thinking about how to deal with it when she saw Hu Xiao changing into a new set of clothes and hiding within this fake mountain, feeling very puzzled.


    I have already checked this place before. Although it is within the Imperial Garden, there are very few people who will discover traces of people staying here. If anyone asks, the two of us will always be here.


    As the saying goes, the most dangerous place is the safest place. Hu Xiao and Zhilan''s location was a place that everyone would ignore. It gave Hu Xiao an opportunity and also a way to deal with them.


    Zhilan couldn''t help but admire Hu Xiaoxiao from the bottom of her heart. In the past, Hu Xiaoxiao had the courage but didn''t have the foresight to do anything, so he didn''t consider the consequences.


    Seeing that the time was right, the two tidied up their clothes and walked out, walking towards the Yongning Palace.


    "Empress, I heard that His Majesty hasn''t seen the empress fly into a rage in Yongning Palace today, and is looking for the empress in the Imperial Palace?"


    Inside the Snowy Palace, the personal maid of Snowy said.


    "Hmm? The empress had disappeared? "Who told you that?"


    Xue Meng''er was not feeling very well today. She had been resting inside the hall without going out. Only now did she know about this and couldn''t help but feel extremely happy.


    "This servant heard it when I went to the internal palace to collect the new silk this month. This servant has already asked around, His Majesty has already made all the eunuchs kneel in the courtyard. The empress doesn''t return for a day, she kneels for a day, and the empress can only get up after she returns to the palace. I''ve even asked the eunuchs and maids who have seen the empress to inform the empress that once they return to the palace, they''ll go to meet His Majesty at the Imperial Peace Hall."


    "Heheh, let''s go. Let''s go to Eternal Peace Palace to see if this vanished empress has returned. Little Sparrow, help me wash and change my clothes. I have to go take a good look."


    This was a rare opportunity for Xue Meng''er, who had been laughing his head off. Xue''er was already dissatisfied, but now she was laughing her head off. This was truly a great help from the heavens.

 C42

    Within Yongning Palace.


    "Big Sister Zhitang, where did the empress go?" Did you ever know? We can''t just keep on kneeling like this. "


    The palace maids and eunuchs had long been dissatisfied with his laughter. Although he was the esteemed empress, he had no intention of fawning on his majesty and had even angered him. In this imperial harem, it was easy for anyone to have a favor.


    He''d thought that if he was allocated to the empress''s palace, he''d gain some face and even more benefits if he left. But the people outside didn''t treat it as a big deal and even made His Majesty angry over and over again, causing the palace maids to inwardly curse a few times over.


    One or two of them had the slightest chance of breaking their brains, wanting to leave the empress''s palace and go look for the concubine the emperor doted on.


    "Where is the Empress going that only us servants know about? If you want to kneel, then just kneel.


    Zhexiu cast a glance at the person who had spoken to him, then said impatiently.


    Although she knew that her majesty was asking, she clenched her teeth and declared that she didn''t know. She was afraid that she had done something that would cause the Empress''s plans to fail, so she could only feel anxious in her heart.


    When Xue Meng''er arrived at Yongning Palace, she saw many kneeling palace maids and eunuchs. It was exactly as Bird had said.


    "Yo, what happened in the Yongning Palace today? What''s wrong with you all? Why did he kneel here? Where''s your mistress? "


    It was rare to see such a scene, so Xue Meng''er was extremely happy. She took this chance to suppress her random laughter.


    In the past, Hu Jun had always been arrogant and domineering. Even this group of palace maids were the same. Now, with two of them kneeling on the ground, Xue Meng''er felt a bit vexed.


    "To reply Imperial Concubine Xue, I don''t know where esteemed empress went. Has Imperial Concubine Xue ever seen esteemed Empress before?"


    The person who spoke was the person who had spoken to Zhitang.


    Everyone knew that the empress and Imperial Concubine Xue were incompatible fire and water. Now that Imperial Concubine Snow had made it clear that she was here to watch the show, this person had even eagerly stuck it onto his body in a rather shameless manner.


    The people of Yongning Palace would always ignore Xue Meng''er, and no one would respond to him. Thus, this person had set a precedent.


    "How would I know where the empress has gone? Hasn''t the empress always come without a trace?"


    As Imperial Concubine Xue saw this person speaking, she became exceptionally happy. This person was actually above average.


    "Little Sparrow, I''ve noticed that your palace maid is very quick-witted. I''ve been fated with this little palace maid. You go speak to the inner palace and I''ll have her. I presume the empress won''t mind, huh?"


    Xue Meng''er said to the maids by her side. She did not really want to take in the palace maids, but seeing that Hu Xiaoxiao was not here, it would be good to anger him a little after finding a few palace maids.


    "What are you standing there for? "You''re still not up? You''re thanking esteemed imperial concubine. Being able to catch Imperial Concubine Xue''s eye is your good fortune."


    Bird saw that the man was still kneeling on the ground.


    "Yes, yes, many thanks to the Empress. From now on, this servant will do my best to serve the Empress."


    That man hurriedly said as he saw the situation. He couldn''t wait to get up and stand behind Imperial Concubine Xue.


    Xue Meng''er did not say anything as she saw this. She led the rest of the people to the sleeping quarters.


    "Has the imperial concubine crossed over?" Knowing that the empress isn''t in the room yet and she''s leading people in, isn''t that a bit impolite? "


    Seeing that Imperial Concubine Xue was about to enter, Zhilan hastily opened her mouth to speak.


    As soon as the words left her mouth, everyone in the courtyard looked over at her, and when they saw the smile on her face, they immediately let out sighs of relief.


    "Oh, so big sister has returned. His Majesty said that after I returned, he would ask me to go to the Imperial Palace to meet him. Why haven''t you gone yet?"


    Xue Meng''er saw the smile and felt her heart tremble, but Qin Shuo was still angry at the smile. With Qin Shuo behind her back, Xue Meng''er became a little more forceful.


    "There''s no need for little sister to worry about whether I''m going or not. I just don''t know what little sister''s intention for coming to my palace with such a large lineup is."


    Hu Xiaoxiao was even more annoyed as he looked at Xue Meng''er. He had not seen her when he first left, but she was here somehow. Coincidentally, he didn''t know if Xue Meng''er could foresee the future.


    "I just wanted to share the worries of His Majesty with you. I wanted to come over to see where my long-lost sister had gone to. Coincidentally, my sister had come back the moment she arrived."


    "Heh, what a coincidence. Everyone in my palace went with my sister. She sure is a good girl."


    After the laughter faded away, that person lowered his head deeply, not daring to look at Hu Xiao. Although he felt that Hu Xiaoshan was very wrapped up, all the palace maids and eunuchs knew about his skills. At this moment, that person was afraid that Hu Xiaoxiao would kill him if he became unhappy.


    He felt more and more that he''d had a bad luck ¨C leaving early and leaving late at this critical juncture had truly angered and infuriated him. In the end, the Empress outweighed the Imperial Concubine.


    "Sister feels that there is some kind of fate between you and this palace maid. I can''t be unwilling to part with you, can I?"


    Hu Xiaoxiao''s tone was still as tough as ever, and Xue Meng''er felt like retreating.


    "Imperial Concubine Xue sure has a lot of airs. The people in the empress dowager''s palace want to take Imperial Concubine Xue''s words. Isn''t that a bit too much of a bully?"


    Zhilan couldn''t bear to watch any longer. The imperial concubine was a concubine after all, how could she steal someone from the empress''s side? Did she really think that there was no one left in their imperial palace?


    "Master, why are you interrupting as a servant!?"


    When the sparrow heard Zhilan''s words, it couldn''t help but speak up.


    "Zhilan is my servant girl, her words are like the word ''I'', who the hell are you?" How dare you contradict me? Someone come, slap my face! "


    Hu Xiao narrowed his eyes. It seemed like the lesson given to Xue Xun Er last time wasn''t enough. Xue Meng''er was fine, but Hu Xiao was a very protective person. How could the people around Xue Meng''er dare to openly contradict him?


    The servant beside her didn''t give the bird time to react at all.


    "What is it? I don''t even qualify to teach a lesson? Imperial Concubine Xue wants to stop us? "


    Hu Xiao said as he saw Imperial Concubine Xue hesitating to speak.


    Xue Meng''er''s face paled when she heard this. Originally, she had come to see Hu Xiao Xiao''s joke, but who knew that in the end, she would be humiliated. Xue Ling''er felt hatred in her heart, but there was nothing she could do.


    "Why are you still kneeling? Didn''t His Majesty say that as long as I come back, you can get up? Aren''t you back? Or do you want to stay on your knees? "


    When everyone heard this, they hurriedly got up and didn''t dare to say anything else. They silently stood behind Hu Xiao.


    None of them knew when or how long Hu Xiaoxiao had been standing outside the door watching. For a moment, the only sound that could be heard was the sound of someone slapping a sparrow.


    All of them were so quiet that they were afraid that Hu Xiaoxiao would know what they were talking about. They all knew about Hu Xiaoxiao''s personality. They were afraid that if he became unhappy, they would find a reason to punish him.

 C43

    Hu Xiao was very pleased with this. This was the first time he had ever been satisfied with his status as Empress. Especially when he saw how Xue Mi''er did not dare to say anything, the irritation in his heart lessened.


    "Your Majesty, the empress has returned. Imperial Concubine Xue brought people to the empress'' place."


    Inside the Imperial Palace, Wei Chen stepped forward and said.


    "Yes, to the Yongning Palace."


    Hearing that Xue Meng had gone to the laughing Yongning Palace, Qin Shuo''s heart tightened. With the way Xue Meng looked, he didn''t know how Hu Xiao had bullied her when he went there. Last time, she had thrown her into a pond, but this time, Qin Shuo didn''t dare to delay and hurriedly walked towards the palace.


    "Enough, I''ve learnt a few lessons from watching this little palace maid. Seeing Imperial Concubine Xue''s heartbroken expression, I''m going to feel heartbroken."


    Seeing that the fight was almost over, Hu Xiao ordered his men to stop, teaching them a lesson, but not too much, this time it was considered a warning to the unscrupulous palace maids and maids, although Hu Xiao did not care, but there should always be someone attending to them in the large Yongning Palace, if they were all gone, who would clean it? Changing people was also very troublesome.


    "Elder sister really has a big temper, even the empress shouldn''t teach the palace maids a lesson so casually, right?"


    Xue Meng''er''s heart burned with anger as she looked at the red face of the sparrow. It was as if she had hit her own face.


    "What, Imperial Concubine Xue still wants to bring her underlings to avenge her?" "Haha, Zhilan, see our guest out. This young lady in this palace won''t be able to accommodate a tender and alluring beauty like Imperial Concubine Xue."


    With that, Hu Xiao no longer paid any attention to Xue Meng''er, but turned and walked towards the bedroom hall. He estimated that Qin Shuo would be here soon. Hu Xiao sighed deeply. He was very busy dealing with this and dealing with that.


    "Imperial Concubine Xue, please."


    Seeing this, Zhilan told Xue Meng''er to leave quickly.


    It was fine that Hu Xiao was the Queen, but even Hu Xiao''s servant girl was acting so arrogantly? As for what Ye Zichen had just said about Zhilan as a joke, she didn''t believe it.


    Xue Meng''er was getting more and more dissatisfied. She raised her hand and hit Zhilan. Since she didn''t dare to do anything to Hu Xiao, then even if she was the Imperial Concubine, she would still make a move on the lowly servant beside her.


    Hu Xiaoxiao, who had yet to enter the bedroom, heard the slapping sound and turned around to see Zhilan being slapped by the two servants next to Xue Ling''er. The stronger one, Zhilan''s face quickly turned red.


    Hu Xiaoxiao looked at Zhilan''s calm appearance and felt hatred in his heart. It wasn''t that he didn''t know Zhilan''s skills, but the reason why Zhilan wasn''t struggling at all was because she was afraid of making things difficult for herself.


    "Imperial Concubine Xue."


    Seeing that, Hu Xiao walked step by step towards Xue Mi''er. Seeing that she was almost unable to stand up, Xue Meng''er was greatly alarmed. The manner in which Hu Xiao smiled was too terrifying.


    "What is it? Elder sister, are you going to hit your younger sister? As the imperial concubine, my servant girl was disrespectful to her and taught her a lesson. "


    Although he was scared to death, Xue Meng''er was still very stubborn.


    "Heh, very good. Imperial Concubine Xue, do you really think I won''t dare to touch you? This little sister''s hairpin seems to be a little weak? Why don''t I change my little sister to another one? "


    As soon as the joke ended, Xue Meng''er heard a click above her head and was startled.


    Hu Xiao was still that reckless Hu Xiao. Moreover, the hairpin that he had brought today was personally bestowed by the Emperor himself and was paid in tribute. That degree of tenacity was extremely outstanding, but was it not as tenacious as Hu Xiao''s?


    That hairpin that was as hard as iron was like a chopstick in Hu Xiaoxiao''s hand. What if it was him?


    His body couldn''t help but go soft, and before Xue Meng''er could say anything, he heard Qin Shuo yell, "What a joke!" Stop! What are you doing! "


    Xue Meng''er''s body softened. At this critical moment, Qin Shuo hurried to support her.


    What Qin Shuo saw was Hu Xiaoxiao raising his hand above Xue Xun''er''s head. At this moment, Xue Meng''er''s weak body was Hu Xiaoxiao''s violent crime.


    "Heh, what should I do? Your Majesty, why don''t you ask your good consort? "


    Looking at the concubine''s expression, Hu Xiaoxiao sneered. It seemed like the agreement he made with Qin Shuo a few days ago was just for fun. But from the looks of it, Qin Shuo did not put those agreements on the surface.


    Your Majesty, Your Majesty, chenqie is very scared. chenqie saw that Your Majesty was worried endlessly about my sister''s matters and specifically tried to persuade my sister, but who would have thought that my sister would unreasonably break the hairpin Your Majesty gave me, chenqie ¡­ wuwu ¡­


    Qin Shuo looked at Xue Meng''er''s pitiful appearance and felt his heart tighten. After all, she was his beloved concubine. Qin Shuo had experienced Hu Xiao''s brute force before, and was extremely angry.


    "Men, arrest the empress!"


    Qin Shuo looked at Zhu Xiao who was still unharmed, his heart burning with rage.


    The guard waited for Qin Shuo to finish and then went forward to grab Hu Xiaoru, but in the end he was still afraid that Hu Xiaoru would become the empress, and Hu Xiao himself was extremely skilled, to the point where he could not catch Hu Xiaoxiao.


    "Su''er, don''t be afraid. Gu Zai gave you a new hairpin, so you can go back for now. I''ll look for you after taking care of the things here."


    Seeing how she was laughing, the so-called "home cannot be seen from the outside." Although Xue Meng was Qin Shuo''s favorite concubine, it was still a bit inconvenient.


    "Then chenqie will be waiting for Your Majesty in her bedroom."


    Xue Meng''er was naturally a sensible person, and seeing Qin Shuo say this, she didn''t dare to stay any longer and let the palace maid help her out of the door.


    "Pfft, who do you think you are? You actually dare to capture me!"


    Seeing Qin Shuo give the order, Hu Xiaoxiao felt disdain in her heart. With her skill, ten of these people wouldn''t be enough. Sure enough, after a long time, the guards still hadn''t touched Hu Xiaoxiao''s clothes.


    "Alright, you can leave now."


    Qin Shuo saw that his bodyguard was not only unable to laugh, but was also flung around by the laughter, and felt helpless.


    He grabbed Hu Xiao''s hand and walked into the palace.


    "Let go!"


    Entering the door, Hu Xiao broke away from Qin Shuo. Outside the door, he needed to give Qin Shuo some face, but there was no one around, so Hu Xiao struggled to break away from Qin Shuo.


    "Tell me, where did the Queen go today?"


    Seeing Hu Xiaoxiao, Qin Shuo had a headache. How could there be such a restless queen? He had just said that in the morning and she had disappeared in the afternoon, and she was truly his good queen!


    "Hmph, chenqie is just walking around the palace. Why?" Even His Majesty has to restrict me? "


    Hu Xiaoxiao sat down casually, and on the table was a cup of tea that Zhixiang had brewed. He casually poured a cup for Qin Shuo.


    "Nonsense, I''ve searched the entire palace but have yet to find the empress!"


    Qin Shuo did not believe Hu Xiaoxiao. After all, he had been looking all day, and if Hu Xiaoxiao was really in the palace, then Qin Shuo would have been looking for Hu Xiaoxiao in such an open manner.

 C44

    Qin Shuo looked at Hu Xiao''s relaxed appearance, not knowing if he had really been in the palace or not.


    "I was strolling with Zhilan today. I saw a good place in the imperial garden and fell asleep there. I just got back. I heard that His Majesty was looking for me crazily?"


    Qin Shuo had never really cared about him, but now that he was looking for him, he felt a little bored.


    From then on, Qin Shuo had to keep an eye on the situation, making it much more inconvenient for him to do things.


    "Wait here for me. I''ll be back in a moment."


    Seeing Hu Xiao''s appearance, it seemed that he did not wish to lie. Since Hu Xiao dared to say such words, then this proved that Hu Xiao''s plan had been set up a long time ago. There wasn''t much to see.


    With that, Qin Shuo walked out of the hall. Just now, Xue Meng''er had been frightened by his laughter, so now he naturally had to reward her a little. Xue Meng''er''s tear-stained look made Qin Shuo''s heart tremble a little.


    "Wei Shi, isn''t there some new pearl agate that has just entered the palace? Go to the Inner Palace to pick out some hairpins for Imperial Concubine Xue to send over, and also send some to Imperial Concubine Xue along with some suitable hairpins. Help comfort and comfort Imperial Concubine Xue, and other than that, without her permission, no one is allowed to take a step into the Eternal Peace Palace! "


    After Qin Shuo had finished instructing, he went to the bedroom. In the end, Hu Xiaoxiao needed to give him an explanation. If he continued to do as he was told, then this Queen would also need to be taught a lot.


    Seeing that Qin Shuo had finished giving orders and came in, Hu Xiaoxiao couldn''t help but pout, put down the pastries in his hands, and rushed outside for a day. His stomach was already hungry, but he still couldn''t eat in front of Qin Shuo.


    However, Qin Shuo was happy to see Hu Xiao put down the pastries, but he thought Hu Xiao was just estimating his authority as the son of heaven, so he was a bit more sensible.


    He grabbed Hu Xiaoxiao''s hand and pushed him onto the ground.


    "The empress doesn''t believe you. And now she wants to give you a chance to confess? "Think carefully before replying Gu, did the empress leave the palace and go to the barracks?"


    Hu Xiaoxiao ignored his sacred will and disappeared for the whole day. In addition to the barracks, Qin Shuo did not know where he could get Hu Xiaoxiao to go through so much trouble.


    "Does Your Majesty have any proof that I went to the barracks? "His Imperial Majesty should be somewhat confident that the military camps are the most important areas of the Eastern Courtyard. Does Your Majesty think that a weak girl like me would be able to find such a place?"


    Hu Xiao sneered when he heard this. Since she dared to take a walk outside today, she naturally had her own ways of escaping.


    "Heh heh, the empress sure has a glib tongue. I''m deeply impressed."


    Qin Shuo was not in a position to say anything. What he said was true, the barracks were indeed hidden, and if there was no one to lead the way, they would not be able to find it. Qin Shuo shook off the thought that was running through his mind. He couldn''t come to the East Courtyard for just a few days, not to this extent.


    The only people who were on good terms with Hu Xiao were Zhao Qiyan and Yin Fufeng, but Zhao Qiyan and Yin Fufeng were his trusted ministers. They were concerned with the matters of the country, and naturally knew what they shouldn''t do.


    This was the first time that Hu Xiao, who was quietly lying on the ground, had seen this woman being bound by him, even though he was used to baring his fangs and brandishing his claws at him, if he had forgotten what Hu Xiao had said just now, it would have been a great thing.


    His eyes changed, and Qin Shuo rushed forward.


    Hu Xiaoxiao was wondering why Qin Shuo was so quiet. He looked up and saw Qin Shuo, and couldn''t help but be angry. From the bottom of his heart, Qin Shuo had a bad feeling about her! At this point, Hu Xiao no longer remembered that he was Qin Shuo''s legal wife, the current Empress of the East District.


    He lifted his foot and kicked out. After all, he had been learning from Zhao Weiyan for a few days, so Qin Shuo naturally reacted to the change in Hu Xiaoxiao''s laughter. Seeing Hu Xiaoxiao''s foot about to land on his body, he quickly dodged.


    Seeing this, Hu Xiaoxiao''s eyes narrowed. She had forgotten that Zhao Qiyan had taught Qin Shuo some skills, but even Zhao Qiyan had been defeated by her, not to mention Qin Shuo, who was not even a beginner.


    However, Qin Shuo was able to dodge his attacks, which was a good move. After a few rounds of fighting, Qin Shuo was defeated in the end.


    Pulling off the veil, he tied it to Qin Shuo''s hand, laughing heartily as he stepped back.


    "Queen!" What are you doing? Quick, Gu let go of me! "


    Qin Shuo had originally thought that after dodging Hu Xiao''s punches and kicks, he would at least have some chance of winning. But unexpectedly, he was still no match for Hu Xiao. Now that he was tied up, he naturally felt humiliated.


    "Your Majesty, if you hadn''t plotted and plotted against me first, how would you have ended up like this? Do not shout like that. If the court ladies and eunuchs saw this, they would lose the prestige of the Emperor''s Son of Heaven. Isn''t this great? Does His Majesty want to eat this osmanthus cake? It''s not bad for chenqie to eat. "


    Seeing Qin Shuo tied up on the bed with such a cute appearance, Hu Xiaoxiao said in a good mood.


    Qin Shuo was born handsome, and now that he was tied up, he looked slightly masochistic. Without caring about whether Qin Shuo was willing or not, he smiled and handed the osmanthus cake in his hand to Qin Shuo.


    Qin Shuo, who had also been busy all day, was extremely hungry. He unceremoniously ate the cinnamon cake that Hu Xiaoxiao handed to him. However, there were some servants waiting on him, and since he was tied up, it wasn''t a big deal.


    From the looks of it, if you ignored the tied hands, they would look like husband and wife.


    Xue Meng''er did not go far outside the Yongning Palace. She thought that with his relationship with the Emperor, the Emperor would not stay long at the Palace, but unexpectedly, there were a few screams for help from the Emperor.


    "The king has ordered that no one is allowed to enter without his orders!"


    Zhilan had been guarding the palace gates since a long time ago. When she saw Xue Mi''er about to enter, she hastily stopped her. Right now, the emperor and the empress were alone in a room, but this was the best time to cultivate their relationship.


    "Impudence! A mere palace maid like you dares to block me! If something were to happen to your majesty? "


    When Xue Meng''er saw that Zhilan was stopping her, she couldn''t help but feel angry. She ordered the nearby eunuchs to go forward and capture Zhilan to teach her a lesson.


    "This servant is only following orders. If Imperial Concubine Xue tries to barge in, she would be disregarding His Majesty''s orders. Imperial Concubine Xue, have you thought this through clearly?"


    Xue Meng''er''s slut appearance was of no use to Zhilan. In the end, she owed Zhilan a lot. If it were them from the Southern Mountain, they would have already rushed in long ago.


    "You ¡­ "You actually ¡­"


    Xue Meng''er was furious, but there was nothing she could do. After all, she did not dare disobey His Majesty''s decree.

 C45

    They could only wait outside the palace.


    "Imperial Concubine Xue, what are you doing?"


    Yin Fu Feng rushed over just in time to see Xue Meng''er. She was just as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.


    "His Majesty and the empress were doing something in the hall. Listen, His Majesty told the empress to let him go, it must be because His Majesty was hurt by the empress, but these maids stopped me from entering. Hurry up and go take a look."


    Xue Meng''er hurriedly said when she saw Yin Fufeng.


    "Imperial Concubine Xue, what are you saying? This official is a court official. How can I step into the Empress''s chamber? This is a great crime. Zhilan, what''s going on?"


    Yin Fufeng also heard Qin Shuo''s voice. Thinking of Hu Xiao''s skill, he couldn''t help but sweat for him. But thinking about what had happened today, it would be better to let the couple take care of themselves.


    "Lord Yin has misunderstood your concubine, your concubine doesn''t mean that."


    Xue Meng''er was extremely shocked as she hastily said this.


    "Reporting to Lord Yin, the king has ordered that no one is to enter without his personal order."


    Seeing that Yin Fufeng had asked her that question, Zhilan agreed that it was indeed Wen Chen. With just a few words, she had already blocked Xue Mi''er''s path.


    So that''s how it is. Imperial Consort Xue, His Majesty actually gave such orders. Naturally, you don''t wish to be disturbed by outsiders.


    Yin Fufeng himself didn''t believe that his daughter was interested in a boudoir. Seeing Hu Xiao and Qin Shuo''s attitude towards each other in the past, he knew that they definitely wouldn''t have a boudoir. But now, it was indeed the best way to get rid of Xue Meng''er.


    "I was overthinking it. I suddenly remembered that there are some matters in the palace, so I took my leave first. Master Yin, you take care of yourself."


    Xue Meng''er looked at Yin Fufeng''s expression and gritted her teeth in hatred, but she had no other choice. It would be better for her to go back first.


    "Greetings to Imperial Concubine Xue."


    Yin Fufeng nodded at Zhilan and left as well.


    After all, he was still a courtier and it was getting late. It would not be pleasant for news to spread around the imperial harem, so it was better for him to leave this troublesome place early.


    "Empress, Empress, I can''t accept this. This was bestowed to the Empress by His Majesty. Empress, you mustn''t."


    On the other side, Xue Meng''er was burning with anger as she looked at the rewards on the table after returning to the palace. She didn''t want to see it again, so she went up and swept all the rewards off the table.


    "So what if His Majesty has bestowed him with such a gift? If His Majesty doesn''t come, then what is he doing here with all these treasures?" Have you forgotten the humiliation you received at Yongning Palace today? "


    Xue Meng''er said as she looked at the sparrow that was trying to persuade her.


    Bird held his cheek. Forgot? How could he have forgotten? However, as servants, how could they possibly compare to the queen?


    Even though he hated her to the core, Xue Meng''er''s treatment of His Majesty was still a great sin if it were to spread to his ears. What would happen if his status were to plummet?


    Everything that Sparrow said was true, but how could he let Xue Meng''er calm down? It was just to let Xue Mi''er vent her anger on these things.


    Seeing that Xue''er had gradually calmed down, Little Sparrow dared to go forward.


    "Empress, this is a letter from the Wen Mansion. Please take a look."


    After receiving the letter from the sparrow, Xue Meng''er shot a glance at the sparrow before opening it up.


    "Is it almost time for the Southern Patrol to offer sacrifices to the heavens?"


    As he spoke, he placed the letters of Wen Fu Chen in a nearby lampshade and set them on fire.


    "Reporting to the Empress, we are almost there."


    The East Branch had always had a large sacrificial ceremony held every year, and His Majesty would personally visit the East District every day to pray for peace and happiness. It was quite a grand occasion.


    "Yes, I understand. Prepare yourself. Tomorrow, we will go to Yongning Palace and beg for forgiveness. Go down, I want to be alone."


    In the past, Xue Mi''er had always gone with her majesty when they were at the marriage ceremony. Now, there was a new queen, but this time, during the ceremony, her cousin had always been on the same side as her. This was also an opportunity.


    At this moment, Hu Xiaoxiao''s various actions from the past few days had also been sent to the Southern Yue Country.


    "Nonsense!" How can royal sister be so rude! "


    Hu Guang couldn''t help but to ask anxiously as he looked at the binder in his hand.


    Hu Xiaoxiao''s previous self had been arrogant and despotic in the Southern Yue. Hu Guang had thought that marrying Hu Xiaoxiao to the East Court would allow him to become a woman. However, how could he be more impudent than before?!


    "Imperial Mother, look at my sister. She actually attacked the Eastern Courtyard King! What should I do? "


    He had already disagreed with Hu Xiaoxiao''s decision to marry Hu Guang. Now, he had indeed caused a great disaster and dared to beat up the Eastern Court''s Emperor. He had wanted Hu Xiaoxiao to marry his father in order to continue the friendship between the two countries, but who knew that Hu Xiaoxiao would be so ignorant?


    "The princess'' actions are really inappropriate. Guang''er, think of a way to persuade her. If this continues, the East Branch can send the princess back. This will be a great disaster for the South Heaven. Let''s not talk about the embarrassment. Who knows, the East Branch might even take the opportunity to attack the South Vietnam."


    The empress dowager looked at the sealed contract, her brows still furrowed. It was true that her actions were too excessive.


    He should warn Ye Xiao a little bit. He should just make a fool out of himself and play around with him a little bit, but he was acting too rashly this time.


    "Report."


    Just as Hu Guang and the empress dowager were discussing this matter, the dark guards came to report.


    "Speak."


    Hu Guang frowned and said.


    "Your Majesty, a large number of merchants from the western border have been stationed in Northern Qiang recently. I think that a lot of those people do not look like normal merchants."


    The words of the shadow guard shocked Hu Guang. The western border, Northern Qiang! The two countries that were eyeing each other like tigers stalking their prey once again popped into Hu Guang''s mind.


    "Got it. Keep an eye on the movement in Northern Qiang and the western border. Go on."


    "Guang''er, what should we do?" As soon as possible, send someone to inform your sister that her relationship with the East Branch is not to be broken off just like that. "


    The empress dowager was alarmed when she heard about the strange movements of the Northern Qiang and the western border. No matter what, she could not allow Hu Xiaoxiao to destroy the relationship between the two countries. Otherwise, if there was no one to support him in the future, then he would face a great disaster.


    "Imperial Mother, don''t worry. This son will inform my sister. My sister is an adult now, so she will definitely know your meaning."


    Hu Guang said. The most important thing to do now was to give some pointers.


    At this time, Hu Xiaoxiao, who was in the East District, did not know that Hu Guang and the empress dowager knew of his actions in the past few days. Hu Guang also sent people to the East District, and now Hu Xiao was looking at Qin Shuo, wondering what to do.

 C46

    Although there were people waiting on them to eat and drink, but the giggle was too presumptuous.


    "Empress, don''t you think this is going too far?"


    After all, Qin Shuo was the Son of Heaven, and had never lost face in front of a woman so many times before.


    "Has Your Majesty forgotten our agreement? It seems that His Majesty hasn''t even tried to execute any of them?


    At this time, Hu Xiaoxiao didn''t want to continue feeding Qin Shuo. Seeing that Qin Shuo was putting on the airs of an emperor, he couldn''t help but retreat to the side.


    "Chenqie thought that since Your Majesty had agreed to let me be your concubine, then you must have done it yourself. But why does it seem to Chenqie that Your Majesty acted as if this had never happened?"


    Hu Xiaoxiao thought that since Qin Shuo had said he had gone too far, it was great that he was unhappy about what Qin Shuo had done in the past few days. Now it was time for the two of them to start talking again.


    "I naturally know of the empress''s request. It''s just that I''ve been busy with government affairs for the past few days and forgot about it. Now it seems that the empress is blaming me?" But before saying that, can the empress take care of me? "


    With that, Qin Shuo took a look at Hu Xiaoxiao with his hands tied behind his back.


    "Forget it, chenqie shouldn''t expect His Majesty to fulfill his promise. Chenqie will break it for His Majesty right now."


    As Hu Xiao spoke, he walked forward, and before Qin Shuo could rejoice, he felt his vision darken and he fainted.


    Seeing the unconscious Qin Shuo on the bed, Hu Xiaoxiao was in an excellent mood, letting Qin Shuo not take what he had said to heart, and sleep well. Hu Xiaoxiao no longer cared about Qin Shuo who was lying on the bed, and picked up the cake next to him and ate happily.


    "Eunuch Wei, His Majesty is a little tired. May I trouble you to return His Majesty to the Imperial Palace?"


    Qin Shuo didn''t show any signs of waking up. He smiled happily and instructed Wei Chen who was outside the house.


    "Ai, Empress."


    Having received the response from the chuckle, Wei Shi walked into the sleeping quarters. Seeing Qin Shuo sprawled on the bed, he was slightly surprised.


    "I don''t think you need me to personally teach you how to do this, Eunuch Wei?"


    Hu Xiao said while looking at Wei Shi''s blank look.


    "No, no, this servant knows what to do. Then this servant will take His Majesty away and leave with the empress."


    What sort of character did Qin Shuo have? Wei Shi had long known about it from the time he was with Qin Shuo, but he would never let another person fall asleep in front of an imperial concubine. Now he was laughing until he fell asleep, ah, no, seeing Qin Shuo''s pained expression, it seemed like the Empress had beaten His Majesty up again? And this time, he seemed to have been knocked unconscious?


    Wei Shi couldn''t understand the way Hu Xiao and Qin Shuo were getting along. With Qin Shuo''s tolerance for Hu Xiao, perhaps the matter would be brought to light tomorrow.


    After Wei Shi thought it through, he left with Qin Shuo. But once he left, the Consort Concubine hid herself when she saw Qin Shuo''s appearance.


    Thus, the news of Qin Shuo being beaten by Hu Xiaoxiao spread throughout the palace overnight. Many people laughed because of the empress''s fear.


    The vertical sun.


    "Wei Shi, why is my neck in such pain?"


    Qin Shuo gradually regained consciousness, but he felt an endless pain at the back of his neck.


    "Aiyo, His Majesty has finally woken up. However, where else do you feel that there''s something wrong with that?"


    Wei Shi had stayed with Qin Shuo all night, and now that Qin Shuo had come to his senses, he said hastily.


    "Wei Shi?" Is this a palace hall? But Gu Qishao clearly remembered that he was still at Yongning Palace. How did he come back? How did Gu Jue come back? How come I can''t remember anything at all? "


    Qin Shuo rubbed his neck and asked curiously.


    Why wasn''t he in the empress'' Yongning Palace? Why did he wake up in the Imperial Palace? Looking at the bright sky outside, it must have been a night.


    Looking at Qin Shuo''s appearance, Wei Si couldn''t help but inwardly complain about Hu Xiaoxiao''s actions yesterday. The strength in his hands was too strong, and had made Qin Shuo fall asleep for the whole night.


    "Your Majesty, it was this servant who brought Your Majesty back to the Imperial Palace yesterday."


    Wei Shi didn''t dare to say anything else, but Qin Shuo had already thought it through.


    "The empress of the Gu family really has the guts to put up a front for the Yongning Palace. I''d like to see how the empress explains this to the Gu family."


    Qin Shuo was really angered by Hu Xiao, did she really think he didn''t dare to deal with her? He had actually been this unruly again and again. It was likely that the people of the harem already knew about his appearance yesterday.


    "Your Majesty, Lord Yin is waiting outside for an audience."


    Wei Shi looked at Qin Shuo and opened his mouth.


    "Yin Fufeng?" "Let him in."


    It seemed like Yin Fu Feng also came with him yesterday, and now, he was here at the right time.


    "Lord Yin, the king is waiting for you inside."


    Wei Shi hurriedly stepped out of the hall and told Yin Fufeng.


    "Mm, thank you so much Eunuch Wei."


    Yin Fufeng had just entered the palace this morning to see what Hu Xiao had done yesterday. Now, he was naturally here to take care of the king.


    "Yin Fufeng, you came at the right time, don''t you think the queen''s actions are too excessive? She dares to be so impudent again and again. Tell me, how should we deal with her this time?"


    If he ignored the way Qin Shuo was rubbing his neck as he spoke, he looked a little scary, but Yin Fufeng just looked like he wanted to laugh.


    "Your Majesty, your subject has heard of yesterday''s matter. The Empress has indeed gone overboard yesterday, but has Your Majesty ever thought of why she would do such a thing?"


    Qin Shuo was stunned, why would Hu Xiao do that?


    He still remembered what Hu Xiao had said to him before he fainted. Now, Qin Shuo clearly remembered it.


    He had previously agreed to grant the empress enough freedom, but had never done so. Forget about the empress leaving the palace, he hadn''t informed her about the plans he had made to capture Hu Xiao and had even restricted her whereabouts, which made it a little difficult for him to do so.


    "No matter what, the empress beat me up! This is the empress''s fault!"


    Qin Shuo''s words had the feel of a child''s, and seemed to be filled with anger.


    "When this subject received your orders to leave the palace yesterday, I watched over esteemed empress in the palace." When I received my orders to leave the palace yesterday, I watched over esteemed empress in the palace too.


    Yin Fufeng saw that Qin Shuo was about to waver, and continued speaking.


    "What?" When you left the palace, you saw the empress at the palace? "


    Yin Fufeng''s words surprised Qin Shuo. It seemed like he had wrongly accused her.


    "What this humble subject has said is true."


    Yin Fufeng''s calmness made his words a bit more believable.

 C47

    It was as if after he had married Hu Xiaoxiao, the harem would no longer have any days of peace.


    "Is the Empress awake?" This servant will help the Empress wash up. "


    Yesterday, Hu Xiao had been tormenting himself for a long time, but he had already rested early in the morning. Now that he had woken up, he felt refreshed and refreshed.


    "Mm, come in."


    Hu Xiao said.


    "Niangniang, yesterday, His Majesty fainted as he left our Yongning Palace. Will His Majesty come to cause trouble for us today?"


    Zhitang had been worried about this matter for the entire night, and now that she saw Hu Changzai was laughing, she hurriedly asked.


    "It''s fine. If you''re looking for trouble, then go ahead and find trouble. When the enemy comes, then we''ll just have to deal with it."


    Hu Xiaoxiao did not have much intentions towards this, and was in a good mood, so he spoke a few more words with Zhexiu.


    "But the Empress, what do you mean by ''come here with the army, come here with the army, come here with the force''?"


    With regards to his esteemed mistress'' words that he did not understand from time to time, Zhexiu only felt that Hu Xiaoxiao was very knowledgeable, but he was also used to asking a few more questions.


    "Hmm, it means disassembling a move at will."


    "This servant understands."


    Zhexiu did not ask any more questions upon hearing this. Seeing that Hu Xiaoxiao had finished washing up, he took the water with him and left.


    "Empress, His Majesty will not let go of yesterday''s matter so easily. Does the Empress have any good plans?"


    Zhilan asked after she left.


    "I''ve also thought of a way to deal with it, but as you''ve said, His Majesty won''t let us off so easily. There are too many troubles in this palace, and we''ll have to find a way to leave this harem."


    Not to mention those scheming women, even Qin Shuo came from time to time to join in on the fun. Hu Xiaoxiao only felt that his days were dark, but there was nothing he could do about it.


    Taiji Hall.


    "Do all my beloved officials still have something to say?"


    His neck was aching, and he had been sitting on the dragon throne. Previously, he hadn''t felt it, but now, Qin Shuo felt that it was too hard to bear.


    "This subject has something to do. The beginning of next month will be the day of the Southern Patrol of the Heavens. Has His Majesty been prepared for this trip?"


    The person speaking was one of Fu Chen''s hanger-ons. It was a big deal to travel to the south, and previously, the matters of sacrifice were handled by Fu Chen. This year would be the same, but Qin Shuo needed someone to remind him.


    "Mm. It''s time for me to go on a tour around the south to celebrate my death. In the past, it was always the Minister of Arts who was in charge of this matter. But this year, he should also be in charge of it. Is there anything else?"


    Looking at the days, Qin Shuo had long forgotten the days of his southern tour, and now it seemed like it was time to bring this trip up.


    Looking at the official''s silent demeanor, he said, "Since you have nothing important to do, please leave. Fu Cheng and Yin Fufeng are here alone."


    Since he had mentioned the southern patrol, Qin Shuo naturally had to be concerned about it. After all, this was a big matter. Both Fu Cheng and Yin Fufeng were important officials, so it would be good to hear their opinions.


    "Your Majesty, will you bring a concubine along with you this time around?"


    He thought they were travelling together with Xue Meng''er, but now that Qin Shuo had taken in a queen, the position of his concubine on this southern tour was very hard to determine.


    He didn''t know what Qin Shuo was thinking, so he could only ask and then make his plans. If it was in the past, things would be easy.


    "The sacrifice of the heavens to the south is an important ceremony in the East Court. Since His Majesty bestowed the title on the empress this year, he should naturally bring the empress along in order to announce the harmonious relationship between the empress and His Majesty."


    There was much gossip in the palace that was detrimental to the empress. If the event took place without the empress, it would be difficult for the empress to travel through the imperial harem in the future. The empress and her father had a good relationship with the south of the East Court, so naturally, they had to bring the empress along on their tour to the south.


    "Your Excellency''s words are wrong. Although His Majesty is going to be the empress by his name, the southern patrol is a big one. Your excellency might have heard of the empress''s actions in the past few days. If the empress doesn''t know what''s good for her, what can be done if the sacrifice is destroyed?"


    "What''s the matter?" the official looked at Yin Fufeng and hurried to say. Although it was the most appropriate decision to bring the empress along on this tour, how could he allow the empress to attend?


    "Minister Wen''s words are a bit too much, aren''t they? The empress is after all the princess of the Southern Yue, why would she do such a disrespectful thing?" The news that has been spreading crazily in the palace these days is just a small matter, don''t take Minister Wen too seriously. "


    Yin Fufeng didn''t want to be outdone, so he returned the gesture as well.


    Qin Shuo watched as Yin Fu Feng and Fu Chen argued, feeling a little bored. How could Fu Chen be Yin Fu Feng''s opponent? Yin Fu Feng looked calm and composed, but Fu Chen''s face was flushed red. Yin Fu Feng was right.


    It was reasonable to bring the empress with him, but the empress''s personality was completely unsuitable for this trip south. If he didn''t bring her along, who knew how much the harem would be affected by his laughter when he returned a few days later.


    "Your Majesty, something bad happened. Imperial Concubine Xue brought a group of imperial concubines to the empress dowager''s palace to beg for forgiveness."


    Just as Qin Shuo was at a loss as to what to do, he saw Wei Cheng run in and say.


    "What?" This is nonsense! "


    He had thought that it would be peaceful for a few days, and he hadn''t even gone to find trouble with the empress yet.


    Knowing that he was no match for the empress, yet had to embarrass himself time and time again, Qin Shuo couldn''t help but admire Xue Meng''er''s courage.


    "We can discuss this after the Southern Patrol. Imperial Concubine Xue is your cousin. I will accompany you to Yongning Palace."


    "Empress, Imperial Concubine Xue came again. She said she was here to plead punishment on behalf of the Empress."


    Zhilan was combing Hu Xiao''s hair, and Zhexiu ran over to greet him.


    "What?" It came again? Why is it so annoying? Zhilan, go and chase Imperial Concubine Xue away. I don''t want to look at this person right now. "


    It was so unpleasant to come to him one time at a time, and now he felt disgusted with her.


    However, he couldn''t figure out why these concubines would not try to please Qin Shuo if they had some good time. What was she doing here day after day? She was really sick.


    Zhilan walked out upon hearing this.


    "Imperial Concubine Xue, please leave. My Empress is not feeling well today and will not see guests."


    Zhilan was about to close the door, but Xue Meng''er''s two eunuchs stepped forward to stop her.


    "Miss Zhilan, I came here today to ask for the Empress''s forgiveness for offending the Empress yesterday. I''m even troubling Miss Zhilan to tell the Empress that if I can''t meet her today, I won''t be leaving."


    Although her words were soft, Zhilan didn''t have the slightest intention of apologizing as she looked at the servants around Xue Ling''er.


    "The Empress has already said that she is not in a good mood today. If she does not see you, Imperial Concubine Xue should not make things difficult for this servant. It would be better for her to return earlier."


    Zhilan looked at Xue Meng''er and spoke in a neither humble nor haughty manner, not even glancing at her pear-stained appearance.

 C48

    Inside Yongning Palace, Zhilan blocked the entrance and did not allow Xue Meng''er to enter, while Xue Meng''er also stood at the doorway, not giving in at all.


    He had thought that Xue Meng''er would leave after a while, but the news of his Majesty being knocked out by the Empress had already reached the ears of the imperial concubines. Now that Xue''er had arrived at the empress''s palace, they all hurriedly washed themselves and came over.


    "Empress, the concubines and concubines have come to pay their respects. It looks like they''re here to ask for forgiveness as well. What should we do?"


    Zhilan was dealing with the consorts, but Zhexiu had long since ran in to say.


    "Didn''t this palace say that all palace concubines were exempted from greetings? Why did he come again? And what crime do they seek? "


    It was one thing for them to come and beg for forgiveness, but what about the other concubines?


    Ah, as expected, women often cause trouble in places. Gu Xiao felt dizzy. This group of women really had nothing to do after eating their fill, so why did they come to his Yongning Palace?


    "Throw them away, all of you! This group of women are insane!"


    Hu Xiao said as he looked at the chattering women outside the door.


    In the past, Hu Xiaoxiao still thought that the emperors and emperors of ancient times were majestic and powerful when they went out. The emperors and emperors of the imperial harem numbered in the three thousand.


    But now, Hu Xiaoxiao felt sympathy for the emperors of the imperial palace. This was simply too scary, talking back and forth, chattering non-stop to annoy the people of the imperial court. Furthermore, these women were basically just bored and had nothing to do.


    Hu Xiaoxiao was a man who liked to fight, and did not like to think too much. Seeing so many people around, he started to get even more agitated.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, the empress isn''t feeling well today, so close the doors and refuse to see her. Ladies and gentlemen, please go back."


    Originally, they were here to watch the show. Now that they were refusing to entertain anyone, how could they leave so easily? In addition, Imperial Concubine Xue hadn''t left yet. Naturally, they had to wait and see.


    As Zhilan watched these imperial concubines not only remain but go further and further away, she couldn''t help but feel anxious.


    "Miss Zhilan, did we see the empress well yesterday? Today, she''s not feeling well. Could it be that the empress has done something that she can''t bear to see and doesn''t dare to come out?"


    They had been sitting in the antechamber for a long time, not seeing each other and laughing, and they were getting impatient.


    "That''s right, Big Sis Ning Fei''s words are reasonable. Could it be that Esteemed Empress has done some shameful things that made her afraid to show her face?"


    When one of them spoke, the rest began to speak at once, ignoring the fact that the person they were talking about was a queen.


    "How dare you!" "The empress is the head of the palace, and Rong is being so impudent in talking about the empress''s private affairs in her palace!"


    Zhilan looked at the loud voices of these imperial concubines and felt extremely infuriated.


    "Yo, even the empress doesn''t dare come out to see us now, so what if we talk?" Besides, the empress couldn''t hear him. How would she know if I didn''t tell her? Miss Zhilan, what do you say? "


    Zhilan was after all just a single person, while the imperial concubine only occupied the majority of her people. Besides, her usually casual attitude towards the concubines had already caused her deep resentment. Now that there was such an opportunity to mock them, no one would let it go.


    Everyone guessed that Hu Xiaoxiao''s good days were over. Although Hu Xiao was the princess of the Southern Yue, he had offended the Emperor time and time again, so it was unlikely that the Southern Yue would be able to protect Hu Xiao.


    "What is it? That''s how you want to see me? "


    Hu Xiaoxiao looked at the people outside, who were getting more and more intense. Although he did not want to face them, seeing that Zhilan was still not strong enough to suppress them, he leisurely walked out.


    The concubines had already guessed that Hu Xiao wouldn''t dare to come out and meet them, so they started to discuss loudly. However, when Hu Xiao looked at them with smiles on his face, they couldn''t help but panic.


    "Please forgive me, esteemed empress."


    When the imperial concubines saw him laughing, they all hurriedly knelt down.


    "Forgive? What crime did all the imperial concubines commit? "


    When the crowd heard this, they were extremely happy. Indeed, the Queen did not dare to do anything, but the words that Hu Xiao said next made them feel as if they had fallen into a glacier.


    "Come on, you guys were talking quite happily about me just now. Why don''t you say it in front of me now?"


    The previously noisy sleeping quarters instantly quieted down.


    "What is it? You don''t even dare to say anything when I come out? Didn''t you say that you were excited just now? Why don''t you dare fart now? "


    In the end, Hu Xiaoxiao was furious because no one dared to make a sound. He could not help but feel extremely depressed. Even if he wanted to vent his anger now, there was no place for him to do so.


    "Forget it, since my little sisters do not dare to say it, then I will not let myself hear those words a second time from your mouths!"


    "Yes, thank you, esteemed empress."


    Only now did everyone heave a sigh of relief. They had been too impetuous, and seeing that Xue''er was still kneeling on the ground, they didn''t dare to get up.


    "Imperial Concubine Xue, I heard that you''re here to request for punishment today. Since you''re here to request for punishment, then tell us what your crime is."


    Seeing Xue Xun kneeling at the front in plain clothes, Hu Xiaoxiao said with a smile.


    Everything that had happened today had been caused by Xue Meng''er alone, so Hu Xiao was very dissatisfied. Seeing Xue''er still kneeling on the ground, his heart became more and more agitated, and his desire to hit her increased.


    "Reporting to esteemed empress, chenqie came today to ask for forgiveness. I''ve offended many people yesterday, I hope esteemed wangfei can forgive me."


    Xue Meng''er still had not raised her head, but her head was lowered as she spoke.


    "Oh? Just because of this matter, you led all the consorts to cause an uproar in my private palace? "


    Hu Xiao was truly infuriated. To be able to cause such a ruckus in the early morning at Yongning Palace just for this small matter, it was truly amazing.


    Xue Meng''er looked at Hu Xiao in surprise when she heard this. Could it be that yesterday''s matter was a small matter in Hu Xiao''s eyes? Xue Meng''er suddenly felt that she was like a clown. She was leading the show on her own, but the main character was watching from the side.


    "You guys are asking for forgiveness? What crime did you all ask for? "


    "Chenqie''s request for punishment is no different from Imperial Concubine Xue''s."


    Good, very good.


    "I do not care about this matter at all. You have never been guilty, so quickly go and attend to your own affairs. I am also tired."


    Hu Xiao didn''t stand on ceremony when he heard this. He had been busy the entire morning with the matter of rotten grains and was simply being too childish.


    Everyone had Xue Meng''er''s thoughts at this moment. Yesterday, when His Majesty had sent off the thunder, they had ridiculed the empress, but the empress hadn''t cared in the slightest.


    "Zhilan, send everyone back."


    Seeing this, Hu Xiaoxiao ignored the rest of the people, as he felt extremely upset.

 C49

    "Ladies and gentlemen, now that the empress has seen you, please accept my greetings as well as my apologies, please?"


    The two of them stood up and said.


    With just a few words, Hu Xiaoxiao dismissed the concubines. Zhilan and Zhexiu looked at Hu Xiaoxiao with extreme adoration, and Hu Xiaoxiao instructed the two of them to see the guests out. Naturally, they wouldn''t show any mercy.


    Just as Hu Xiao was about to return to the backyard, Qin Shuo arrived.


    "The Emperor has arrived."


    Wei Chen could not help but shout as he looked at the chaotic scene between concubine and concubine.


    All the imperial concubines hastened to kneel down and pay their respects.


    At this moment, Hu Xiaoxiao naturally heard the commotion and turned around to pay his respects.


    "We pay our respects to Your Majesty. Your Majesty is truly blessed."


    Qin Shuo came and shooed away the concubine and concubine, feeling very dissatisfied in his heart.


    "Empress, what are you doing?"


    "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, this isn''t related to the esteemed empress at all. All sorts of wrongs and mistakes are Ji''er''s fault, so may Your Majesty not punish the empress?"


    Xue Meng''er hurriedly said. The reason she came to Japan today was because of this scene, so how could she let it go?


    "Hmm? "What do you mean, ''find your son''? If you hurry up, I will know."


    Qin Shuo looked at Xue Meng''er who was kneeling beside him. When had Xue Meng''er become so obedient and sensible? He was actually taking care of Hu Xiaoxiao today?


    Looking at the look on Xue Meng''s face and then seeing whether he was laughing in the distance, Qin Shuo''s heart was filled with rage.


    On the way over, he had heard the eunuch say that Xue Meng''er had come to specifically plead for the empress''s punishment, but the empress had actually shut the door and ordered her servants to chase away the consorts.


    "Huh? Look, Imperial Concubine Xue looks so pitiful with her tear-stained face. Weren''t all of you here today to beg for forgiveness? Since I just gave you all a chance to let you all safely leave, and you guys aren''t willing, then my backyard is actually empty. I obtained some seeds, so my sisters should take this opportunity to help me rummage through the land. "


    Hu Xiao really did not want to look at the hypocritical looks of these people, so he could not help but open his mouth to speak.


    Just now, Hu Xiaoxiao had already given them a chance, but the crowd did not cherish it. Even Hu Xiaoxiao himself felt rather helpless.


    "Your Majesty, chenqie is taking care of His Majesty''s back palace. I presume that His Majesty won''t interfere?" Your Majesty, please don''t forget our agreement. "


    Hu Xiaoxiao saw that Xue Meng''er was looking at Qin Shuo''s pitiful appearance, and could not help but whisper into his ear.


    "If your imperial concubine comes to find trouble with chenqie, chenqie will punish her based on her own thoughts."


    Thinking back, Qin Shuo helplessly looked at Hu Xiao, who took advantage of the loophole. This girl had her moments of intelligence.


    Qin Shuo looked at this group of girls from the harem. Normally, they had never met like this before, but now that they were crowded together in the Yongning Palace, Qin Shuo felt a headache.


    "Your Majesty, chenqie is willing to plead guilty. Since chenqie has committed a mistake, she should naturally be punished."


    Xue Meng''er saw Qin Shuo''s hesitation and said.


    At this time, Xue Moyan was hoping that Qin Shuo would feel sorry for her, so she didn''t have to go to the backyard.


    Today, Japan was only here to put on airs, not to confess its guilt.


    "Since you''ve admitted your wrongs, hurry and go to the backyard. Your Majesty, there are countless opportunities in your day, since you''ve handed your harem over to me, I will definitely take care of it. Zhilan, bring our little sisters over there. If you don''t dig up and play with the land, you are not allowed to come out."


    Without waiting for Qin Shuo to speak, Hu Xiao said.


    What a joke, her words were not just for show. Since this group of concubines wanted to admit guilty, then she would give them a chance to do so. Since they dared to talk behind her back, then they should suffer a little.


    "Nonsense, Your Majesty. The empress is too presumptuous. The consort is here to serve His Majesty. How can she do such menial work?"


    Upon seeing this, Fu Cheng hurriedly said.


    She had never thought that the empress would be so arrogant and despotic, managing the harem was not such a method.


    "Yo, I thought there was only one man here, His Majesty. Why is there a Minister of Arts?"


    Hu Xiaoxiao hadn''t seen Fu Cheng before, but upon hearing his voice, he felt disdain in his heart. Well, it wasn''t just Xue Meng''er who had come to cause trouble for her, even Wen Fu Chen had come.


    "You, you ¡­ "Esteemed empress, you''re insulting a court official. This is a serious crime."


    What do you mean there''s only one man here, His Majesty? How dare he laugh and say that he''s not a man? This was a great humiliation!


    Xue Meng''er was overjoyed to see that Fu Cheng was also here. She knelt down on the ground and remained motionless. She did not believe that Xiao Xiao would dare to do those menial tasks in front of the Emperor and her cousin Fu Chen.


    "Hehe, I''ve never said anything to humiliate an imperial court official, but Lord Wen actually gave me such a big hat. I''m really afraid."


    As Hu Xiao spoke, he even moved a little closer to Qin Shuo.


    Seeing this, Qin Shuo was overjoyed. He knew that Hu Xiao would seek his help, so he was not too stupid.


    "This official admires the empress for her glib tongue, but isn''t it a bit too much for the empress?"


    The more Fu Chen saw the way he was laughing, the more annoyed he became.


    "Thank you, Sir Wen, for your praise. However, Wen Dai shouldn''t pay too much attention to the harem. After all, harem has harem rules."


    "Alright, we''ll do as the empress says. After all, the empress is the master of the imperial harem. If you go back on your word, how will you manage the harem in the future?"


    Hu Xiao''s words reminded Qin Shuo that he was too concerned about the harem. Glancing at him, Qin Shuo felt a little suspicious.


    "Yes, Your Majesty."


    Seeing that this was a foregone conclusion, Fu Chen followed quietly behind Qin Shuo without saying anything else.


    "This concubine thanks Your Majesty for your love."


    Seeing that Qin Shuo was no longer against him, Hu Xiaoxiao felt happier in his heart. This was the first time that Qin Shuo had become like this.


    "Zhilan Zhitang, take your little sisters to the backyard and watch them finish flipping through the books."


    Seeing this, Zhilan got up and led the other consorts to the backyard. Xue Meng''er still wanted to say something, but when she saw Fu Cheng''s expression, she had no choice but to follow beside Zhilan.


    This was a bit too much to brag about. Seeing the person who had just been talking in such a disrespectful manner just now, Zhilan could only obediently flip the floor. She was truly overjoyed in her heart.


    The smile reminded Qin Shuo of the scene where he fainted yesterday.


    Putting away all the thorns on his body, Hu Xiaoxiao was unexpectedly calm and peaceful. The mystery that had been bothering him all this while suddenly brightened up.


    "Queen, prepare yourself. I''ll go on a tour of the south with Gu Tian at the beginning of next month."


    With a giggle, Qin Shuo decided that the trip south wouldn''t be as boring as it had been in the past. Perhaps it would be a complete mess in the palace, or perhaps Qin Shuo couldn''t even imagine it, but it would probably be interesting.

 C50

    Hu Xiaoxiao''s good mood came to an abrupt end. What was that?


    Before Hu Xiao could voice out his doubts, Qin Shuo turned around and left. Wen Fu Chen stared at Hu Xiao and followed him.


    Seeing that familiar figure, Hu Xiao hastily pulled that person back. That''s right, it was Yin Fufeng who had come to join the fun.


    "Tell me quickly, why do you want me to follow you when you know that the Southern Patrol Sacrifice is just a toy?"


    Hu Xiaoxiao was puzzled, hadn''t Qin Shuo also been unhappy with him all this time? Why did that Southern Patrol Officer want to follow him? Qin Shuo wasn''t afraid that he would kill him in the middle of the road and run away.


    "Aiyo, esteemed empress, quickly let go. Men and women shouldn''t be so intimate with each other."


    Yin Fufeng jumped up hurriedly and said, "This is the harem, right? How can you be laughing like this? If someone makes use of you, then I, Yin Fufeng, will die a thousand times."


    "Stop blabbering, hurry up and tell me about the Southern Patrol Sacrifice."


    Hearing this, Hu Xiao also let go of Yin Fufeng, realizing that what he did was wrong, but he couldn''t blame himself. He could only blame Qin Shuo. With such a casual word, she couldn''t help but be surprised.


    Yin Fufeng explained it in a simple way, but it sounded like he hadn''t noticed it at all. To be honest, he could just go out and play for a while.


    Yin Fufeng saw that Qin Shuo was still smiling and didn''t understand so he quickly followed him back to the study room.


    When Hu Xiaoxiao, who had never been out before, heard this, he was overjoyed. Just as he was worrying about staying at the palace, he remembered that they were out on a trip. Thinking of his concubines, he walked into the palace with a sly smile.


    The crowd watched as Hu Xiao walked in, suppressing their dissatisfaction, not daring to open their mouths to say a single word.


    "Do you regret it now, sisters? I don''t usually give people any chances, but it''s a pity that my little sisters didn''t catch it.


    Looking at the furious crowd, he couldn''t help but laugh in his heart.


    "Empress."


    When Zhilan saw Hu Xiaoxiao coming in, she stood behind him.


    "I am a little tired, just look at my sisters, this matter requires you to personally work, then you will know the hardships of the people, no one can be lazy, and the maids and eunuchs of Yongning Palace will all come over to watch, to see how Master does things, and to serve Master at your side in the future, you will do your best."


    "Yes, Empress."


    Zhilan said with a smile. It seemed like the humiliation she had suffered at the hands of Xue Meng''er these past few days was something she could take back today.


    With the people of Yongning Palace watching, as well as His Majesty''s dictation, for a moment, no one saw the superfluous actions of Xue''er. She looked at the faraway smiling face that stood by the window, and gritted her teeth in hatred.


    He had thought that with his cousin here today, he would be able to escape punishment like this. However, this damned Hu Xiaoxiao had also received the rebuke of his own cousin. He truly was an evil person.


    Although she felt like cursing and laughing thousands of times in her heart, with her skill, Xue Meng''er was really scared and kept her composure. Everyone saw Xue Meng''er being so obedient, so they no longer dared to complain.


    It was true that he had brought calamity upon himself. To be able to think of such a method of punishment as Hu Xiao''s, he could be considered an extraordinary person.


    "Your Majesty, the Empress didn''t behave like any sort of empress at all. Your Majesty definitely cannot bring her along on this southern tour."


    In the study room, as soon as the Minister came in, he knelt down and said this.


    The empress had lost her virtue and was vulgar. Qin Shuo was already used to hearing these words from Fu Chen, but even these did not have any new meaning. He could not help but feel annoyed.


    "Oh? Minister Wen said that the empress was wicked? So, Minister Yi Wen means that which concubine in the imperial harem is suitable to go? "


    Qin Shuo narrowed his eyes, his cold and handsome face was now a little severe. Looking at the kneeling Wen Fu Chen, he asked absent-mindedly.


    "This subject thinks that Imperial Concubine Xue is most suitable. Furthermore, Imperial Concubine Xue has been going together with me for the past few years. Imperial Consort Xue is demure and composed, and should be able to shoulder such a great responsibility."


    "Imperial Concubine Xue? Do you remember that Imperial Concubine Xue is Minister Wen''s cousin? "


    Yin Fufeng was shocked by Fu Chen''s words. What Fu Chen had said made Qin Shuo feel a little annoyed. Fu Chen had done it too obviously.


    If it was a woman like that from the south, it would be alright for her to be an official in the imperial court, but from the perspective of the traditional East Court, these relationships had to be hidden away in private. Although most of the sons and daughters of officials were concubines in the imperial harem, this was still a taboo.


    "Imperial Concubine Xue has accompanied me on a solo tour to the south, but she has never shown up. Now that I have an empress, I naturally will go along with her and pray for the blessings of all the people in the world. To end up ungrateful and unjust? "


    Qin Shuo''s words were too harsh, and Fu Chen finally reacted. Being provoked by Hu Xiaoxiao into confusion, Fu Chen was now shocked.


    "Your Majesty, please forgive me. This is not what I meant. It was just that Imperial Concubine Xue had performed well in the past, which was why this humble subject recommended Imperial Concubine Xue. Your Majesty has made clear to me."


    The scholar hurriedly knelt down again, not daring to raise his head as he was extremely nervous.


    "Ah, I was just joking, don''t take it to heart, but the Queen''s decision to follow this trip to the south is completely meaningless." Ah, I was just joking, don''t take it to heart, but the Queen''s decision to follow this trip to the south has absolutely no meaning.


    After a long silence, Qin Shuo said slowly.


    Fu Cheng was shocked. He had been careful in dealing with matters of the mansion, but why did Qin Shuo know about it? He didn''t dare to say anything more. Qin Shuo was giving him a clear hint. If he persisted in doing so, the consequences would be dire.


    "Yes, this humble subject obeys."


    "This humble subject obeys the decree."


    Fu Chen and Yin Fufeng said in unison. However, their moods and moods were completely different.


    "Yes, you can leave now."


    Qin Shuo nodded.


    Recently, it had become too obvious for Fu Chen to target the empress. Qin Shuo had no choice but to think about what Fu Chen wanted to do.


    "Your Majesty, a letter from the Southern Yue."


    Wei Chen placed a letter in front of Qin Shuo and left.


    "Hmm? "South Vietnam?"


    Qin Shuo was slightly surprised, but immediately relieved.


    "But the Empress has let the south Yue know recently. Did the south Yue write a letter to His Majesty specifically?"


    Yin Fufeng joked.


    Although he felt that Hu Xiao''s actions were quite straightforward, if his opponent was the Son of Heaven, then this situation was a little too excessive. Presumably, the Southern Yue also thought the same.


    "As you expected, but I believe that the reason why the South Yue sent people over is also to remind the Empress of the future."


    Qin Shuo smiled and handed the letter to Yin Fufeng. It was a good thing that the South Yue had sent people to the East District.


    As expected, she really did come for the Empress.

 C51

    Listening to the imperial concubines babbling as they rummaged through the courtyard for an entire day, Hu Xiaoxiao unexpectedly fell into a deep slumber.


    "It''s been hard on you all today. I''ve already instructed the kitchen to prepare a meal and send it to your sister''s palace. Please finish your meal and go back to rest."


    Seeing that the land in the backyard was pretty much turned over, Hu Xiaoxiao couldn''t be bothered to torture this bunch of concubines who lived like princesses anymore.


    "Many thanks, esteemed empress."


    After all these years, this was the first time that someone had done such menial work. At this moment, they were no longer in a good mood, and when they heard that Hu Xiaoxiao had already prepared a meal in the sleeping hall, they quickly ran back to the palace.


    At this moment, even Xue Meng''er was unable to say anything to Hu Xiao. She quickly left.


    Sure enough, when the palaces returned to the palaces and saw the dishes on the table, they couldn''t help but thank Hu Xiaoxiao in their hearts. They gave him another sweet date and he did it very well.


    At this moment, they didn''t even have the strength to curse. They hastily ate some food and washed up to rest.


    "The Empress is such a kind-hearted person today. Those imperial concubines are used to being so pampered. They must have been tired out and rested for a few days after returning to the palace today. It''s been a few days of peace."


    Zhilan happily said from the side while she helped Hu Xiaoxiao to eat.


    She had long since disliked the actions of these imperial concubines, and what she had done to them was truly satisfying.


    "Heh heh, let them lie down. If they have nothing better to do, they''ll come to my place to behave atrociously every day. I''m sure that when these consorts see my Eternal Peace Palace in the future, they''ll take a detour."


    Hu Xiaoxiao was delighted to hear about this. These women had a lot of things to do and were quite delicate. They had taken care of it once, so the next time he saw her laughing, he would pay more attention.


    Hu Xiao was very happy that Qin Shuo had become so adept today. Today, he had been able to intimidate the harem thanks to Qin Shuo''s help, and in a few days he would have the chance to tour the south. Thinking about it, Qin Shuo was not that unpleasant.


    "Empress, I heard that His Majesty has received news today that the Southern Yue is sending people over."


    After hesitating for a moment, Zhilan finally said it out loud.


    "South Vietnam?"


    The fact that the Southern Yue sent someone to the Eastern Court was nothing compared to what he had done recently. He had merely sent someone to remind him of what he had done. Thus, he was quite aware of this.


    In order to get rid of the Empress, he had tried many things to test Qin Shuo''s attitude. Naturally, from the perspective of outsiders, it was a bit too much. If he wanted to have a good relationship with his country, he would naturally be anxious.


    "Do you know who the Southern Yue will send over?"


    After thinking about it, Hu Xiao couldn''t figure out who the Southern Yue would send to that place. If he had known about it in advance, he could have thought of a few countermeasures.


    "This servant doesn''t know. The King''s letter to His Majesty did not mention anything."


    Zhilan heard this and shook her head. Of course, Zhilan knew about the way Hu Xiao was laughing. Zhilan had guessed the reason as well. If even a mere servant girl like her knew about it, then there was no need to mention the King Hu Guang.


    This feeling of coming home, Hu Xiaoxiao was depressed in his heart. In his previous life, he had acted recklessly, but what Hu Xiaoxiao did was a little over the top, so why did the Southern Yue send someone to teach him a lesson?


    "Forget it, we''ll talk about it when the time comes. I haven''t told you yet, but His Majesty has asked me to accompany him on a tour of the south. When that time comes, I plan to bring you and Zhexiu with me. You should prepare yourself."


    Hu Xiaoxiao suddenly remembered that he hadn''t told Zhilan of his visit to the south, and couldn''t help but say that when Qin Shuo said this today, Zhilan had brought the imperial concubine to the backyard. Since then, she had been supervising the imperial concubine, so she naturally didn''t have the opportunity to tell him.


    "Okay."


    The southern patrol would presumably take away a few days, and could be considered a happy occasion since they could use this opportunity to avoid the southern Yue visits.


    The vertical sun, Taiji Hall.


    Qin Shuo looked at the courtiers kneeling in front of His Highness and felt extremely depressed. He was the son of the heavens in the East Court, but why were so many courtiers objecting to his decision to take their empress with him?


    "Your Majesty, please reconsider. The empress has been very open with her actions, and the ancestors have passed down the ''Sacrifice'' from generation to generation. It really isn''t appropriate to bring the empress along for such an important event."


    "Your Majesty, the southern patrol is a big matter and the empress is unable to handle it. Please reconsider!"


    "Please reconsider, Your Majesty!"


    Qin Shuo looked at Wen Fu Chen. Qin Shuo had just remembered that the courtier who had just spoken seemed to be a hanger-on at the Fu Mansion a few days ago.


    These literati were too pedantic, but now these pedantic courtiers were all unanimous, asking him to think twice about taking the empress on a tour of the south?


    Looking at the officials hiding in the court, Qin Shuo''s mind spun a few times.


    "In the past, our ancestors had brought the empress with them to visit the south to offer sacrifices to the heavens. Why is it that the empress has no reason to accompany you when you arrive?"


    Zhao Qiyan looked at the group of civil officials as the atmosphere in his heart grew increasingly tense.


    While saying that the southern tour was passed down from ancestor to ancestor, since the old ancestors were to go together with the empress, it would be the most reasonable for the emperor to set up the empress together with the empress. Yet, these people were so pedantic!


    "General Zhao is a military general, so he naturally doesn''t know the importance of this tour of the south. Since the empress is so rude, she naturally can''t be held responsible. How can the commoners trust her?" In the past, the empress was always dignified and virtuous, so how can this empress compare to her? "


    "Lord Li means that His Majesty shouldn''t have done anything after he was established?"


    Yin Fufeng couldn''t help but feel a bit angry as he saw his courtier talking more and more nonsense.


    These were probably the arrangements made by the civil officials. Seeing that the person in charge was just quietly watching from the side, Yin Fufeng relaxed a little, thinking that Qin Shuo had already come up with a plan to deal with them.


    "Master Yin is serious, this is not my intention."


    Lord Li hurriedly said when he saw Yin Fufeng talking like this.


    Although Fu Cheng had said that he was opposed to the empress going on a tour to the south for the ceremony of offering sacrifices to the heavens, it was absolutely impossible for the emperor to be implicated in this matter.


    "Every word of yours has that meaning. Although I, Zhao Qiyan, am a military general and do not like the roundabout way you scholars talk, I, Zhao Qiyan, know that His Majesty has set up an empress. Regardless of the empress''s character, since His Majesty has an empress, then I will bring the empress along with me this time around!"


    Zhao Qiyan was truly angered. He had only known Hu Xiaoxiao for a few days, but was convinced by her intelligence and skill. How could he allow these vulgar geniuses to insult him like this?


    Yin Fufeng looked at Zhao Qiyan. He never thought that his friend''s words would be so reasonable.

 C52

    In the end, he was still a military general. He didn''t have the guts of a scholar, but his speech was filled with joy, Qin Shuo.


    "The Empress is traveling together with me. This matter cannot be brought up again. She will retire from the imperial court."


    He really couldn''t bear to hear such a lively scene of ministers arguing over each other, and when had his words ever needed to be retorted by the ministers over and over again? Could it be that he, Qin Shuo, was the Puppet Emperor?


    Qin Shuo''s face was very gloomy, no longer as gentle as it used to be. It had been a long time since he had seen Qin Shuo like this, to the point that the Minister of the court did not know his identity.


    Ignoring this group of people, Qin Shuo left immediately. If this morning''s assembly continued, Qin Shuo could not help but wonder if he would explode with rage in the main hall. That would not be good.


    Within the Snowy Palace.


    "What did you say?" The person following them in the southern palace guard this time is actually the Queen? "


    When Xue Meng''er heard what Bird said, she turned pale with fright. She had thought that she was bound to get this position, but she hadn''t thought that it would be snatched away by that person.


    "Your servant has asked around. Yesterday, His Majesty ordered the empress to accompany him on his southern tour of the palace, and today, the court and officials of the imperial court were all against the empress. Who knew that His Majesty would be angered because of this, and even said that the empress would not mention it again?"


    Bird was shocked to see his master, but he quickly told her what he knew.


    Imperial Concubine Xue repeatedly made her way to the empress''s doorstep. The sparrow''s face still seemed swollen from being humiliated by the empress yesterday, so she was extremely fearful of the empress.


    He had thought that since His Majesty doted on Imperial Concubine Xue, he would definitely have pitied her yesterday for humiliating the empress. He had thought that with His Majesty''s affection for Imperial Concubine Xue, he would definitely have pitied her yesterday for humiliating the empress.


    "No, my cousin told me to find a way to accompany His Majesty on a tour of the south. Little Sparrow, didn''t the kitchen boil a pot of chicken soup today? "Here we go, how can we find His Majesty?"


    He could not sit still and wait for death. He had to go together with them on this trip to the south.


    In the past, she would always accompany him every year, but this year, the moment he laughed, she would be dumped. At that time, her title of imperial concubine would be no different from the truth.


    How many of the imperial concubines would be ridiculed then?


    "Okay."


    When Bird heard this, he hurriedly carried the bowl of chicken soup and followed behind Xue Xun''er.


    "Your Majesty, Imperial Concubine Xue came. She said that she made some chicken soup today and brought it to help Your Majesty heal."


    In the study room, Wei Chen stepped forward and said.


    Today, the imperial court''s Qin Shuo had been greatly angered by the imperial court, and after returning to the study room, he had a good deal of anger. At this point, he had just calmed down, and the fact that Xue Meng''er had arrived in time and the chicken soup had been able to calm down was a coincidence.


    "Hmm? Imperial Concubine has come. Let her in. "


    Qin Shuo asked, and Xue Meng was as considerate as ever.


    "Your Majesty, your concubine heard that you had a great outburst of anger this morning, so she ordered some people to boil a bowl of chicken soup. Hurry and drink it while it''s still hot."


    It had been a long time since he had seen Xue Meng''er''s mischievous appearance.


    "My beloved concubine is here. Come sit with me."


    Qin Shuo smiled and patted the seat beside him.


    Having been tossed around by Hu Xiaoxiao, Qin Shuo seemed to have forgotten the gentleness and consideration of his concubine in the harem. Now that he saw Xue Meng''er act this way, Qin Shuo was very happy.


    "How about you, your majesty?"


    Xue Meng''er happily fed the chicken soup to Qin Shuo''s mouth.


    "En, not bad. The cooking skills of the concubines are becoming more and more refined."


    "Hehe, Your Majesty is too kind. Chenqie thanks Your Majesty on behalf of Auntie Li. If Your Majesty likes it, then come to Chenqie''s palace. Chenqie asks Auntie Li to make the dishes she likes everyday and wait for you."


    "Haha, I''ll tell my beloved concubine in advance when I have time. There''s no need to wait so long for me."


    Xue Meng''er, on the other hand, remained the same as before. Yesterday''s rough work had caused Xue Meng to feel somewhat haggard, but it was this haggard look that made Qin Shuo feel pity for her.


    "My beloved concubine, in a few days it will be the Southern Patrol. Are you coming with me this time?"


    "Really? This chenqie can travel with His Majesty the same as the empress? "


    Xue Meng''er was overjoyed to see Qin Shuo''s words.


    "Yes, I''ll allow you to go with me."


    Seeing Xue Meng''er''s expression, Qin Shuo could not help but feel a little happy. She was still a child after all, so he knew why she was here. Thinking of what Fu Chen had said yesterday, Qin Shuo felt a little speechless.


    After a few days of training, Qin Shuo saw that Xue Mi''er was smarter than she used to be and could be considered to be doing well. Just as he was thinking about Hu Xiao, he heard news of him.


    "Your Majesty, the empress has left the palace."


    Out of the palace? Ye Zichen waved his hand and allowed Wei Chen to leave. He really couldn''t rest for a day.


    "Your Majesty, is the empress going in and out of the palace so casually?"


    Seeing this, Xue Meng''er was greatly alarmed. When did Hu Xiaoxiao gain such great authority? He was actually able to freely enter and leave the palace.


    "Mm. The empress is new after all, so she''s naturally curious about everything. Leaving the palace for fun is also fine. It''s not good for her to be stuck in the harem forever."


    Qin Shuo did not feel there was anything wrong with giving Hu Xiaoxiao the right to do so, and asked Xue Meng''er about it.


    "Alright, since I still have some important matters to attend to, let my beloved concubine leave first and prepare to travel south with me."


    Xue Meng''er took her leave after hearing this, in order to vent her anger on the scholar, and did not stay by Qin Shuo''s side for long.


    Qin Shuo looked at the departing Xue Meng''er and his face turned cold.


    "Empress, where are we going?"


    Zhilan looked at the horse carriage as it moved further and further away.


    "What should we do? You''ll know when we get there."


    Sure enough, looking at the familiar courtyard in front of her, Zhilan should also know that the Empress did not know many people outside the palace. The further she went, the more out of the way she went. Besides that Mister Mo Zhu, there was nothing else.


    "Who are you looking for?"


    Hearing the knock on the door, Yuanbao hurriedly ran over to look at Hu Xiao and Zhilan. Yuanbao, however, felt that Hu Xiao and Zhilan seemed to be rather familiar with each other.


    Seeing the stunned look on Yuan Bao''s face, Hu Xiao laughed out loud.


    "Little bastard, how come you don''t recognize me?"


    As Hu Xiao spoke, he recognized the ingot. Inwardly, he knew that it wasn''t a good idea. He turned around and ran, but before he could run far, he was picked up by Hu Xiao.


    "Quickly put me down, how can you be so rude like a woman!"


    He was lifted up again. Yuanbao only felt depressed. As expected, he had a bad premonition the moment he saw this person.

 C53

    It was a similar scene, except that Hu Xiaoxiao had changed from a man''s outfit to a woman''s.


    It was just too cowardly. Previously, when Hu Xiao was still dressed as a man, Yuan Bao''s heart was only filled with anger, but now, Yuan Bao felt extremely ashamed in his heart. Being carried around by a woman, he believed that in the future, he would properly practice martial arts.


    From afar, Mo Zhu could hear the sound of the ingot. However, he could not hear the panic in the voice, so he did not pay it any more attention. It was likely that only an acquaintance had come to visit.


    "Mister Mo Zhu, how have you been?"


    Mo Zhu felt a sense of familiarity as he looked at the girl in front of him. He waited for Hu Xiao to speak before turning around.


    "This is the Queen ¡­" "Empress?"


    Seeing Yin Fufeng, who was still holding his glass, Mo Zhu said with a puzzled expression.


    "Why did the empress run out of the palace again?" You didn''t sneak out this time right? "


    Yin Fufeng couldn''t help but feel happy when he saw Mo Zhu''s surprised expression. It was rare to see any other expression on Mo Zhu''s face.


    "Tsk, how can I always sneak out? This time, I came out of the palace in broad daylight."


    Hu Xiao disdainfully said when he heard this. What did he mean by sneaking out? It sounded so unpleasant.


    "Fine, fine, fine. That''s good. I don''t need to cover for you anymore. You can be considered to have been freed."


    Yin Fufeng smiled. This time, Hu Xiaoxiao was quite straightforward, and Yin Fufeng was very happy about it.


    "Why did you two start drinking so early? "Bring me along. There are too many rules in the palace. I have long been greedy, but I never had the chance."


    With that, Hu Xiaoxiao sat down without waiting for their reply, not caring about the identity of Yin Fufeng and Mo Zhu at all.


    Seeing this, Zhilan also left. She knew that if she couldn''t persuade her empress, she might as well make up her mind.


    After catching up to the ingots, he thought that he had only heard of Mister Mo Zhu and had never seen him before. Therefore, he decided to get to know him better.


    In the blink of an eye, only three people remained.


    Mr. Mo Zhu, I will be following His Majesty around the south in a few days. I came to find you to ask you if you still need my help, otherwise, I would need some time to leave. Don''t delay the training of the soldiers.


    In front of these two men, Hu Xiao wasn''t reserved at all. However, Yin Fufeng and Mo Zhu were a little bit embarrassed. After all, there had never been a woman sitting in the middle of a banquet with these two, so even if there were women, they were still there to serve them.


    "There are still some who have arrived, but General Zhao had already cleared my doubts yesterday, so I won''t trouble the Empress anymore."


    Although Mo Zhu was experienced and knowledgeable, he didn''t know how to get along with Hu Xiao.


    "Ai, you are all too restrained. Call me the Empress. Just call me the Laughter. There''s no Empress here. I''m just a few friends here to discuss ideals."


    Seeing that the two of them really couldn''t let it go, Hu Xiaoxiao couldn''t help but stop his chopsticks and say these words one by one.


    Drinking wine was supposed to be enjoyable, but these two people were so restrained and didn''t have much fun.


    "Yes, the Empress is right."


    Yin Fufeng couldn''t help but speak up.


    "I already said that you''re not allowed to call me ''mistress'' anymore."


    Hu Xiao pouted with a very discontented expression.


    Seeing this, the two laughed out loud.


    It had been a long time since they''d had a drink, so Hu Xiaoxiao felt a little dizzy after taking a sip. Under the effects of the alcohol, the three of them started chatting more and more.


    After three rounds of drinking, Hu Xiao was already on the verge of collapse. He thought that he wouldn''t fall for a thousand cups of wine, but unexpectedly, after toasting with Mo Zhu, he fell onto the table.


    Lying on the table, the banter was even louder than when she was awake. The banter and the tipsy faces made the banter seem even more alluring.


    Seeing the gradually quieting down laughter, Mo Zhu was slightly surprised. Seeing Yin Fufeng, who had also collapsed on the side, Mo Zhu had no choice but to make his own move.


    Along the way, he silently thought about how men and women were not close to each other. To Mo Zhu, this part of the journey seemed as if he had walked for a century as he slowly placed Hu Xiao on the bed.


    "Don''t go, Daddy is definitely going to win this match. When the time comes, don''t leave me alone, okay?"


    Just as Mo Zhu turned around, his hand was pulled by Hu Xiao. He muttered something to himself that Mo Zhu could not hear clearly. For a moment, he just stood there blankly. After bringing the spirit back, Mo Zhu quickly shook free of Hu Xiao''s hand.


    Looking at his exposed arm, Mo Zhu''s face turned even redder. He had never been so close to a woman before. For a moment, Mo Zhu was at a loss for what to do.


    Seeing that Hu Xiao seemed to be a little cold, Mo Zhu hurriedly went up to Hu Xiao and placed his hand on the bed. Then, he hastily walked out.


    Mo Zhu looked at the laughing man who was sleeping soundly in the room, laughing in his heart at his messy appearance a moment ago.


    Competition... Dad. Don''t ignore me...


    At this moment, he couldn''t help but feel puzzled as to why Hu Xiao would say such a thing. He also didn''t understand the mumbling in the dream, but Mo Zhu was very sure that it was not the language of the Southern Yue. Just when Mo Zhu was thinking about that, Yin Fufeng came out.


    "Mo Zhu, so you''re actually here. Quickly pour me a cup of water, your body feeling extremely uncomfortable."


    When Yin Fufeng woke up, he couldn''t see anyone anymore. He walked around the mansion for a while before he finally saw Mo Zhu.


    Mo Zhu glanced at Yin Fufeng, then walked to a cup of tea and gave it to him.


    "Ah, you finally survived. Mo Zhu, your wine is too good."


    Yin Fufeng gulped down a few cups of wine and then sat down.


    Today, Japan felt that they had nothing better to do, so they came to Mo Zhu''s side to drink. Who knew that after drinking too much, their entire body felt uncomfortable.


    "Won''t His Majesty look for the empress?"


    Seeing that Yin Fufeng had finally regained some consciousness, Mo Zhu slowly opened his mouth.


    "Ah, yes. Where is Cousin Huang? "Where did he go?"


    Hearing Mo Zhu''s words, Yin Fu Feng rubbed his forehead and said. Just now, he felt that he was lacking something, but now he realized that he didn''t see Hu Xiao at all.


    "Nuo, lie there."


    Yin Fufeng pointed to the room and said, "No wonder Yin Fufeng didn''t look like his usual self." Mo Zhu shook his head, it seemed like it would be better for Yin Fufeng to not drink in the future.


    Not only Yin Fufeng, but also the two of them were too drunk to stop drinking.


    Yin Fufeng and Hu Xiaoxiao didn''t know that Mo Zhu had decided to stop drinking with them today. No matter how hard they tried to persuade him, they couldn''t. Therefore, they had thought about it for a long time.

 C54

    Yin Fufeng looked over to the direction of Mo Zhu''s hand, and couldn''t help but slightly smile in his heart.


    They called for Zhilan to wait on them, then left.


    "Your Majesty, the empress went to where Mister Mo Zhu is. His Excellency Yin is also present. It looks like the empress is drunk."


    Qin Shuo saw that Hu Xiaoxiao did not reply for a long time, and he was slightly dissatisfied. Hearing that his subordinate had reported back that he drank too much, Qin Shuo''s anger grew even higher.


    "Get Zhao Qiyan to bring the empress back."


    Hu Xiaoxiao was becoming more and more impudent. It was a great fortune for him to be allowed to leave the palace, but he still dared to drink with a man! He still looked drunk, what a shame! Does Hu Xiaoxiao look like a queen at all?


    Hu Xiaoxiao felt a splitting headache when he woke up.


    "Empress, you''ve finally woken up. This is the sobering soup. Drink a little first."


    Hu Xiaoxiao stared blankly at Zhilan as she served him. Only after a long while did he recall her.


    "Where is this place?"


    Looking at the unfamiliar house in front of him, Hu Xiaoxiao was wary of it. This was a habit that Hu Xiaoxiao had developed, so he would only look around in unfamiliar places for quite a while.


    "Has the Empress forgotten?" This is Mister Mo Zhu''s residence. "


    Zhilan saw the look of Hu Xiaoxiao and blamed herself endlessly. She should have just been watching Hu Xiaoxiao, instead of letting him laugh like this.


    "Oh, where are Mo Zhu and Yin Fufeng?"


    Hu Xiaoxiao slowly recalled that he had never known that his alcohol tolerance was so low. He could not help but feel a little vexed, this was the first time he drank with someone that was so drunk, it was truly a sin.


    "Mr. Mo Zhu and Lord Yin are in the front hall. General Zhao is here as well."


    Seeing that Hu Xiaoxiao had slowly recovered, Zhilan felt as if a huge burden had been lifted from her heart.


    Zhao Qiyan?


    "Help me out."


    Hu Xiaoxiao felt weak all over, and after struggling for a while, he could not help but give up.


    "Zhao Qiyan, why are you here?" And bring so many people? "


    When Hu Hu came out of his room, he saw Mo Zhu, Yin Fufeng and Zhao Wuyan sitting together, discussing this matter. However, there were so many soldiers standing outside.


    "Replying esteemed Empress, this subject has come under the orders of His Majesty to bring the Empress back to the palace."


    Zhao Weiyan laughed out loud before kneeling on the ground and replying to his question.


    Hu Xiao raised his head to look at the time. It had already been half a day, no wonder Zhilan was so surprised to see him awake.


    However, Qin Shuo was too annoyed, he even knew he had sent Zhao Weiyan to look for him. How troublesome.


    Hu Xiao originally had a good impression of Qin Shuo, but his actions made him feel like he was being cautious of his children''s parents, constantly controlling them.


    "Forget it, let''s head back then."


    Seeing the palanquin being surrounded by soldiers, Hu Xiaoxiao finally gave in. After all, the current Hu Xiao desperately needed this palanquin.


    "Yes, esteemed empress."


    Zhao Qiyan looked at Hu Xiao in surprise. He didn''t know that Hu Xiao would be so easy to talk to. He thought he would waste his breath, but Hu Xiao actually agreed in such a straightforward manner.


    "Yin Fufeng, I told you to think of a way to deal with this. That Wen Fu Chen actually sent all of his officials to oppose the Empress''s decision to accompany her on this trip to the south. Just think it over and tell me what to do."


    Zhao Feiyan saw that Hu Xiaoxiao had finished his sentence, and hurriedly told Yin Fufeng what to do. Without waiting for Yin Fufeng''s reply, he hurriedly ran out.


    Looking at Zhao Qiyan''s flustered expression, Hu Xiaoxiao inwardly smiled. He really deserved the title of General Zhao.


    However, Fu Chen had sent a joint letter to oppose him on his southern tour?


    Sure enough, both of them hated each other. It was not easy for her to get a chance to go out and play, but Fu Cheng still dared to stop her several times. It seemed that she and Fu Chen had a good conversation.


    "Mr. Mo Zhu, please forgive us for our hasty trip today. We will discuss this matter in detail when we return."


    Before Hu Xiao left, he suddenly remembered his purpose for coming today. He turned around and said as he was about to enter the palanquin.


    "Yes, Mo Zhu will definitely be here to welcome the Empress."


    Hearing this, Mo Zhu smiled.


    "Zhao Qiyan, is what you said true?"


    Hu Xiaoxiao pulled open the curtain and said to Zhao Qiyan, who was riding on a horse beside him.


    "Hmm? "What did the Empress just say is true?"


    Zhao Qiyan was stunned by Hu Xiao''s imprecise question. What did he just say? He seemed to have said a lot just now.


    "You were the one who told Yin Fufeng that an emperor and his official had joined forces to stop my journey with His Majesty on the southern side of the palace."


    Hu Xiao said as he looked at Zhao Qiyan, who had a bad brain.


    "That''s right, and I even had a fight with that group of officials during the morning assembly. Those people always said that the empress was incompetent and couldn''t accompany His Majesty on his southern tour, but you said that it was infuriating."


    Zhao Qiyan hurriedly said after hearing Hu Xiao''s question. Zhao Qiyan was about to go crazy with anger over what had happened in the imperial court today. This bunch of civil officials had their stomachs full of twists and turns. Zhao Qiyan hated them to the extreme.


    Hearing this, Hu Xiao didn''t say anything more, as a plan arose in his mind.


    Seeing that the carriage was about to reach the entrance of the palace, he smiled and jumped down.


    When Zhao Qiyan finally reacted, she saw Hu Xiao''s back and quickly followed him.


    "Esteemed Empress, Esteemed Empress."


    Hu Xiao ignored Zhao Qiyan''s voice and continued to walk forward.


    Ah, I do not know where the palace of Wen Fu Chen is! Even though he had already planned everything out, he didn''t know that it would be of no use. Feeling depressed, he turned around and waited for Zhao Qiyan at the corner of the wall.


    "Alright, I''m here. Don''t keep running forward."


    Zhao Qiyan ran towards him like a gust of wind, causing Hu Xiaoxiao to laugh.


    "Hmm? "Empress?"


    Zhao Qiyan, who had been looking for Hu Xiao the whole time, was startled.


    "Alright, I''m going to look for Wen Fu Chen. Bring me to Wen Fu Palace."


    Hu Xiaoxiao felt a little embarrassed as she spoke. If she wasn''t lost, why would she be waiting here? Perhaps she would have already arrived in front of Fu Cheng.


    "Empress, why are you going to the Wen Mansion? We are about to arrive at the imperial palace. "


    With regards to Hu Xiaoxiao''s personality, Zhao Qiyan felt helpless.


    And since he wanted to go to the Wen Mansion to say hello, why did he jump off the train? If His Majesty knew of such a danger, he would not be able to handle it.


    "Since Minister Wen is giving me such a big gift, I will go and return the favor. You can lead the way."


    If he had said it earlier, he would have been delighted. However, after seeing Zhao Qiyan leading the way, Hu Xiaoxiao was satisfied.


    Zhao Qiyan was also extremely happy to be able to cause trouble for Fu Chen because of Hu Xiao''s temper. Zhao Qiyan led the way in front of him without asking further questions.


    Zhao Weiyan did not like Fu Chen''s way of doing things, and Fu Chen had dealt with Hu Xiao several times before ending the matter with Fu Chen''s exasperation. Naturally, Fu Chen would not be able to win against Fu Chen like this.

 C55

    Within the Imperial Palace.


    "Your Majesty, General Zhao sent people back and forth to chat with the empress. The empress hopped off a train and went to the Minister of Arts'' estate. General Zhao feared that something might happen, so he came to ask what His Majesty should do?"


    Wei Chen hastily ran over and said.


    Seeing Wei Shi sweating profusely, Qin Shuo''s head began to hurt again. Why would he go to Fu Mansion when he had nothing to do? What the hell was Zhao Qiyan doing? He couldn''t even get a small girl to stay in the palace. He had truly wasted the name of General Gu!


    "Forget it. I''ll go take a look for myself. I''m guessing Zhao Qiyan won''t be able to stop the empress either."


    Hu Xiao had jumped off a train halfway through. Which family''s girl would be so rude? Zhao Qiyan usually won with brute force, but now he couldn''t even compare to Hu Xiao with brute force. It would be better if he went himself.


    "Okay."


    Wei Chen hurriedly went to get ready.


    "There''s no need to put on such a grand show. If word of the empress''s actions gets out, it''ll definitely stir up another wave of shock in the harem. Don''t disturb the Gu Concubine again."


    Qin Shuo was aware of this, and laughed too much. In this case, he might as well secretly bring her back. If someone asked, they could argue.


    "Okay."


    Wei Si hurriedly stopped when he heard this. Recently, the empress''s various ways of behaving had caused Wei Shi, the resident eunuch in the palace, to change his mindset over and over again. Now that he heard Hu Xiaoxiao had gone to the Wen Mansion, he had already associated with various kinds of laughter in his mind.


    The two of them hurriedly left the palace. After all, with Hu Xiao''s personality, if something happened in the end because he was too late, then the gains would not make up for the losses.


    "Master, this is a letter from the palace."


    When Fu Chen saw the letter the butler brought in, his heart skipped a beat.


    "The Queen and Lord Yin are at Mr. Mo Zhu''s place."


    It was just a few words, but Fu Cheng''s relaxed expression relaxed a little.


    Since they were already in the imperial court today, Qin Shuo''s side had humiliated him. All day long, the civil officials and officials were in a state of anxiety, and as the time of the southern patrol approached, if Qin Shuo decided not to bring Hu Xiao along, the consequences would be unthinkable.


    Although he did not know when Hu Xiao had contacted Mister Mo Zhu, Fu Chen believed that it did not matter who the Empress was with. As long as that person was not His Majesty, it would be a great opportunity to trip him up.


    He had originally been hesitating on how to find an opportunity like this, but he never thought that Hu Xiao would be so impatient and would hand over his weakness so quickly.


    At this moment, the envoy only wanted to say the truth. He placed the letter in his hand above the fire and burned it down. The envoy did not delay and left the room.


    Fu Chen, who lived in Mo Zhu''s residence, had once been with Qin Shuo. Now it just so happened that if the three of them were caught, it would be a reason why Hu Xiaoxiao would not be able to go on a tour of the south.


    "Are you sure this is the place?"


    Hu Xiao could not help but ask as he looked at the high wall.


    This was clearly an alley, and Hu Xiao was very clear that he was talking about going to Fu Cheng''s house, not an alley! Moreover, this alley looked extremely deserted!


    Zhao Qiyan nodded at Hu Xiaoxiao.


    "That''s right, this is the Wen Mansion. However, this is the back of the Wen Mansion. There aren''t many servants here, so you can climb the wall and enter. No one will find out."


    Zhao Qiyan nodded firmly, as if to confirm his words.


    "Climb the wall?"


    Hu Xiao looked at Zhao Qiyan with a dark expression. He didn''t know when he gave Zhao Qiyan the impression that they had to climb the wall wherever they went, but he didn''t know that he had brought her, the grand empress of the Eastern Courtyard, here to climb the wall!


    "Yes, is there a problem?"


    Zhao Qiyan was confused. In his impression, Hu Xiao only climbed walls wherever he went and never walked through the main entrance. Thus, he decided to bring Hu Xiao along as he understood Hu Xiao''s thoughts.


    "Why do you think I need to climb the wall? "Scholar Fu Chen did not expect me to go on a tour of the south, but I''m still climbing the wall to look for Wen Fu Chen. Didn''t this give him another reason why I''m not a virtuous and virtuous person?"


    At this moment, Hu Xiaoxiao really wanted to wake up this Zhao Qiyan who was making wild guesses about a woman''s heart. Wasn''t this the same as sending her other weakness to Fu Chen?


    For the empress to climb the walls of a imperial court official was an extremely unpleasant thing to talk about. Now, she really wanted to crack open Zhao Qiyan''s brain to see what was inside.


    "The letter has already been sent?"


    Xue Meng''er looked at Bird and said. Originally, she wanted to inquire about His Majesty''s arrangements for the southern patrol. However, she didn''t expect that Wei Chen would report this to her majesty right outside the door.


    "It has been delivered to the Minister of Arts. He intends to go out."


    Bird said.


    The sparrow naturally knew what was written in Xue Meng''er''s letter. At that moment, it felt that Hu Xiao was too bold. It also felt that Hu Xiao was very carefree, but in its heart, it was also extremely envious.


    Seeing that Zhao Qiyan had finally understood his reasoning and brought him to the main entrance of the Wen Mansion, Hu Xiaoxiao finally had the joy of teaching his disciple.


    Zhao Qiyan looked at Hu Xiao''s embarrassed expression. He thought Hu Xiao was going to quietly enter the Wen Mansion to help the scholar, but unexpectedly, he decided to openly cause trouble for Wen Fu Chen instead.


    "I''m telling you, Minister Wen, I have something that needs to be done. I need you to come out and see me."


    The people of the Eastern Courtyard had not known about the face of Lord Hu Xiao, but now that they saw him acting so boldly, they couldn''t help but mock him in their hearts.


    "Who are you? Don''t tell me you are one of those girls who wants to get close to our master every day? You actually dare to claim that you are me? Do you really think that you are the esteemed Empress? "


    The gatekeeper looked at Hu Xiao and snorted.


    Furthermore, from the way she laughed, it seemed that she was quite inferior to the esteemed Empress. It was likely that the woman from the Smoky Willow Region had quite the guts to actually dare to confer the title of Empress upon herself.


    Hu Xiaoxiao looked at the gatekeeper and smiled. He didn''t expect that one day he would be called a woman from the land of fireworks. It was truly inconceivable.


    "How dare you. This is the empress of the Eastern Courtyard, the legitimate wife of our emperor. How can you be so rude?" You don''t want your head? "


    Seeing Hu Xiaoxiao being humiliated in such a manner, Zhao Feiyan could not help but feel anxious in his heart, and even his words became more impolite.


    "Zhao..." "General Zhao ¡­"


    The boy didn''t know the empress''s appearance, but he knew Zhao Qiyan''s appearance. Now that Zhao Qiyan was talking nonsense, the boy was so scared that he didn''t know what to do.


    Zhao Qiyan was overjoyed at the boy''s cowardly look. He was finally able to show off his might in front of Hu Xiaoxiao.

 C56

    As expected, although the boy didn''t know how to laugh, Zhao Qiyan had seen him before.


    Now that he saw Zhao Qiyan, he was scared of the famous general on the battlefield, especially when he heard that the woman who had spoken to him was the Eastern Court''s empress. The doorman was scared out of his wits.


    "What? General Zhao has already acknowledged me, yet you, a mere doorman, actually want to let me into this Wen Mansion?"


    Seeing the frightened look on the boy''s face, Hu Xiaoxiao was overjoyed. Zhao Qiyan was indeed a good person. At the very least, she could put up a front, even if she was already a queen.


    "Esteemed Empress, please come in. This lowly one has eyes but did not recognize the baht. Please forgive me."


    The boy hurriedly said after hearing Hu Xiao''s words. His flustered movements made it seem as if there were hundreds of dogs chasing after him.


    "Yes."


    Seeing the child step aside, he didn''t feel the slightest bit of guilt towards the abuse of his empress status.


    The boy led Hu Xiaoxiao into the room. No matter how high the position of Minister Wen was, he was no bigger than the queen of a group of people. He did not feel the slightest sense of guilt towards his master.


    Hu Xiao and the others followed after him.


    "Who''s making a ruckus here?"


    At this moment, Fu Chen was planning to head over to Mister Mo Zhu''s residence. Seeing the food market bustling in front of his house, he could not help but feel discontented.


    When he caught a glimpse of Hu Xiaowen, Fu Chen was momentarily unable to recognize him. However, when he saw the girl following behind the boy, he felt that she was a servant bought by the mansion.


    "Hmm? Scholar Fu Chen? "


    Hu Xiao had never seen Wen Fu put on an act like this before, but he did have a somewhat scholarly look. He could not help but pout his lips.


    "How dare you, you lowly servant, call me by my full name! Who gave you the guts?"


    The tone of the woman''s voice sounded familiar to Fu Cheng, but he did not ponder over it too deeply. When he heard Hu Xiaoxiao speak his name, Fu Chen felt that this woman had offended him.


    "Hmm? Who gave you the guts to call me a lowly slave? Isn''t it that he doesn''t put His Majesty in his eyes? "


    Hu Xiao narrowed his eyes and looked at Fu Chen, only to realize that Fu Chen did not recognize him? How dare he call her a lowly maid? Although he had long since heard the words of the Venerable Scholar, he was still furious.


    "Hmm? "This palace?"


    Hearing Hu Xiao''s voice, Wen Fu Chen felt that it was extremely strange. As he passed the boy and stared fixedly at Hu Xiao, he finally realized that the person before him was the person he was looking for.


    "Empress!"


    The young boy thought that Zhao Qiyan and Hu Xiaoxiao had deceived him. Looking at Fu Chen laughing at him, he felt uneasy as he looked at Fu Chen, afraid that he would be displeased with him. However, the young boy heaved a sigh of relief after hearing Fu Chen''s next words.


    Hu Xiao looked at Fu Chen with a smile on his face. Fu Cheng actually recognized him, so Hu Xiao was no longer afraid.


    "What is it? When Minister Wen saw me, he was very surprised? "


    Fu Chen''s surprised expression was clear as he chuckled. He had heard Zhao Qiyan''s words on his way back to the palace. Even she herself was surprised, let alone the Fu Chen.


    "This official only feels that the empress should not appear here. After all, from the way this official and the empress get along, it doesn''t seem too good."


    When Hu Xiao heard this, the smile on his face grew brighter and brighter. Seeing Hu Xiao''s smile, Fu Cheng felt his heart tighten. He felt that Hu Xiao''s smile seemed to contain a conspiracy.


    "To think that the Minister of Arts would have such an awareness. He even knows that he has a bad relationship with me?"


    "What is the empress saying? Since the empress is a noble empress, this official is only using a subject. Where did the relationship come from?"


    Fu Cheng felt that he had already been surrounded by Hu Xiaoxiao. However, he was unable to ignore Hu Xiaoxiao''s words. He felt extremely depressed in his heart.


    "Since Minister Wen knows that it has nothing to do with me, then I am completely unrelated to him. Since that is the case, how could Minister Wen be so concerned with my personal matters?"


    Seeing the menacing Zhao Qiyan behind Hu Xiao, Fu Chen assumed Hu Xiao must have come with the same thoughts as him, so he thought about this detour and relaxed a little. Since he knew the purpose of Hu Xiaoxiao''s visit, he naturally had a plan to deal with him.


    After all, this was a courtesy highly valued by His Majesty. If he did not give up, His Majesty would reconsider his decision. As for laughing at the empress, he would not dare to do anything to him.


    "Does the empress mean that she will place this lowly official in a place of disloyalty and injustice? "As an official in the East Court, I am a court official. As the empress, if certain actions of the empress endanger the safety of the East Court, then I will naturally be in charge of them."


    Scholar Fu felt that he was a man of vast knowledge. If he could defeat a mere girl like Hu Xiaoxiao, then wouldn''t it be embarrassing for him to be a courtier in the Eastern Courtyard?


    "The speed at which Minister Wen changed his expression and the way he spoke is something that I am ashamed of. Since that is the case, I do not like to twist and turn my body in a manner similar to talking. I prefer to come directly."


    His head was already dizzy, and he was still talking to the scholar. He had already become impatient and had become even more so. He thought that a sour scholar like Wen Fu Chen should not be so rational with the scholar.


    As Hu Xiao thought of this, he suddenly rushed towards Fu Chen. In that instant, Hu Xiao used his strength to lift Fu Chen''s collar.


    The surrounding attendants were stunned by the laughter. They had actually forgotten to save their own master. They stood to the side like wooden chickens.


    Fu Cheng had never been treated like this by a woman before. He was a dignified seven foot man, yet he was easily lifted up by a weak woman. Fu Cheng felt that he had lost even more face than the last time he was beaten up by Hu Xiaoxiao.


    "What is the empress doing?" Quickly put this lowly official down. This is disrespectful! General Zhao! General Zhao! Does General Zhao intend to turn a blind eye? "


    When Fu Cheng saw Zhao Qiyan standing behind Hu Xiao, completely unfazed, he was infuriated. He had not expected Zhao Qiyan to suffer so many times in the hands of Hu Xiaoxiao.


    Zhao Qiyan had naturally heard Wen Fu Chen''s cry for help, but he did not want to rescue Wen Fu Chen. He was used to the high and mighty attitude of Fu Chen, and now that he was able to see Hu Xiao teaching Wen Fu and Fu Chen a lesson, he definitely chose to ignore him. Moreover, he could not beat Hu Xiao.


    When the manservant heard about the quarrel between Hu Xiao and Zhao Qiyan, he knew that it was the Eastern Courtyard Queen. Both sides were rich and powerful, and they were the kind of people a manservant could offend.

 C57

    The entire courtyard was filled with mandarin servants, but they did not dare to make a move on him when they saw that he had been caught by a laughing queen.


    "Mistress, something''s wrong. The empress came to find the old master, and now the two of them are actually fighting each other."


    Since ancient times, a scholar would never be able to laugh, but now that Hu Xiaoxiao had come to the mansion to fight with a scholar, Madam Wen was extremely surprised. Furthermore, her husband was a weak scholar who could not be lifted and could not even be shouldered, how could the two of them fight?


    Lady Wen didn''t dare to think any further and hurried over.


    From a distance, he saw the courtyard full of servants standing to the side in a hurry, but none of them dared to step forward.


    "Esteemed empress, keep them under your fist."


    When she saw the laughing fighter about to land on her husband, at this moment, Madam Wen couldn''t care less about the manor, so she blurted out.


    Hu Xiao heard Madame Wen''s voice and turned cold. However, he did not have any intention of stopping as his fist continued to strike at the body of Wen Fu Chen.


    "You! "You actually beat up a court official!"


    Fu Chen said in disbelief as he was knocked to the ground by Hu Xiaoxiao.


    Last time, he had only brandished his fist in a frightening manner, only to realize that he was not holding back in his attacks. The Scholar Fu Chen was stunned by Hu Xiaoxiao''s actions and covered his own face in disbelief.


    Hu Xiao was already dizzy. If it wasn''t for the fact that the alcohol was too strong, Hu Xiao''s punch would not have missed. Hu Xiao felt that Fu Cheng should be thanking him now.


    "I''ve already fought. Scholar Fu Chen, you actually dared to join hands with so many court officials to oppose me and His Majesty''s southern patrol. You''ve already made preparations for this matter to be known to me. I''ve only punched you a few times and have not killed you. For this, you, Wen Fu Chen, should be thanking me properly."


    As he finished speaking, Hu Xiaoxiao raised his fist, and saw Wen Fu Chen looking at his fighter''s back as he did, and his smile became even more wanton and unrestrained.


    "This official will never allow the empress to travel with me. I will only embarrass the East Court. If that''s the case, how can the empress bear the responsibility?"


    Although Fu Cheng was afraid of laughing at the emperor''s fist, he truly wanted to stop him from roaming the south. If he did well on this trip, not only would he gain face in front of the emperor and other officials of the imperial court, it would also be much more difficult for him to become the empress.


    This was already a risky move. Although it was a little difficult for Fu Chen to make a move, he did not want to compromise.


    "Very good, Scholar Fu. I appreciate your courage."


    Fu Cheng was so angry that he started laughing.


    "Esteemed Empress, you must not. Darling definitely won''t be able to endure another beating from the Empress."


    When Lady Wen saw Hu Xiaoxiao raise his hand once again, she quickly said.


    "Hmm? I have yet to make a move. I never thought that Lady Wen would love Lady Wen so dearly. It is a different person that I have a whole new level of respect for. "


    "In that case, I will spare Lady Wen for now, but Master Wen, in the future, you have to remember, I am not someone you and the rest of the court can discuss, and Master should understand that there are some things that you can say but not say. Some people can be offended, while some people cannot be offended."


    Seeing Zhi Lan running over, Hu Xiaoxiao said to Fu Cheng and Madam Wen with a smirk on his face. Before Fu Chen and Madam Wen could respond, Hu Xiao had already passed by Zhao Qi Yan and returned.


    "Sir Wen, take care."


    Seeing this, Zhao Qiyan said something to Fu Chen before turning around to leave.


    Following in Hu Xiao''s footsteps, Zhao Feiyan felt that he had become more of a worshiper in front of the civil servant.


    "Empress!" How can you... "Ah ¡­"


    Zhilan saw Hu Xiao walk out from the Wen House and was about to laugh at him. But then, she saw the scene where Hu Xiao fainted.


    Fortunately ¡­


    "Greetings, your Imperial Majesty."


    Zhao Qiyan also saw Hu Xiao falling down, and her heart skipped a beat. Just as she was about to reach out to catch him, she looked at Qin Shuo and stopped walking.


    "Mm, no need for formalities."


    Seeing the faint smile in his arms, Qin Shuo didn''t know what to think.


    He had thought that he would fight with Hu Xiaoxiao, who had yet to enter the palace. However, he had never expected that Hu Xiaoxiao''s faint state would be the starting point for peace.


    "What happened to the empress?"


    Hearing this, Zhao Qiyan hurried forward to take a look. With a smile, he fainted on the spot, but Qin Shuo was there. If Qin Shuo didn''t say anything, Zhao Qiyan wouldn''t dare to do anything.


    After checking his pulse, Zhao Qiyan''s face was filled with excitement.


    Zhao Weiyan had a medical background, and with Zhao Qiyan''s help, Qin Shuo was very confident. Seeing the look on Zhao Qiyan''s face, Qin Shuo couldn''t help but feel nervous.


    "How is it?"


    "Your Majesty, the Empress ¡­" "She ¡­"


    After he had built up his mind, Zhao Qiyan let out a long sigh and spoke slowly.


    "Your Majesty, the Empress has only yet to awaken her wine. Just now, we had a spar and forced the remaining alcohol in her body to come out. Now, the Empress is only sleeping."


    Everyone fell silent when they heard this. They all decided to not let Hu Xiaoxiao drink a single drop of wine unless it was absolutely necessary!


    "Greetings, Your Majesty. Your Majesty didn''t know that the Empress had made a ruckus in the estate and even attacked this official. I hope Your Majesty can help this humble subject."


    At this point, when the manservant told him that Qin Shuo was here, he rushed out of the house. He thought that Qin Shuo was here to seek justice for him; after all, Hu Xiaoxiao had left the palace without permission and was with Mr. Yin Fu Feng and Mo Zhu, so how could His Majesty endure this? However, the result had disappointed Fu Cheng.


    "Daughter, the empress''s body is a little unwell today. I don''t think that Daughter is too serious. As a man, it is naturally not good to be compared with a woman. Let''s forget about it."


    Qin Shuo looked at Fu Chen''s swollen cheek and felt a pinch of pain. Zhao Qiyan had already reported the incident between Hu Xiao and Fu Chen, but it was still a disgrace. Qin Shuo did not want to blow the matter up.


    When Fu Chen heard this, he looked at Qin Shuo in surprise, as if he had never thought that Qin Shuo would protect Jin Hui''s laughter. He then looked at Qin Shuo who seemed to be smiling and was about to get into the carriage.


    "Your Majesty!"


    He still wanted to say something, but Qin Shuo stopped him.


    "My beloved, I hope no one knows what happened today. My beloved, you know how you did it."


    With that, he signaled with his eyes to Wei Shi before turning around and entering the carriage, no longer paying any attention to Fu Chen.


    Qin Shuo naturally had a good idea of why Fu Chen was laughing so much, even though Hu Xiao was only half-way to the Wen Mansion. With Hu Xiao''s temper, it was rare for him to come looking for trouble with Fu Chen.

 C58

    Seeing Qin Shuo laughing as he went into the carriage, Wei Si looked at the still kneeling Wen Fu Chen, and couldn''t help but light a candle in his heart to Wen Fu Chen.


    Facing Hu Xiao, a woman with such great kung fu skills, he was making things difficult for a weak scholar like Fu Chen.


    "Sir Wen, His Majesty brought the medicine for you. It''s extremely effective. Empress, I hope you won''t take offense to the Empress''s actions today."


    To be able to turn the Minister of State like this with a single punch, Wei Si gained a new understanding of the martial arts of laughing, and he could not help but feel slightly at ease with the mercy that Hu Xiao had shown to the emperor in the past.


    "Thank you, Eunuch Wei."


    The emperor was going to protect the empress now, so even if Wen Fu Chen had feelings for the empress, he could only swallow them back down.


    "Milord."


    A trace of heartache flashed through Madam Wen''s eyes as she looked at the stunned Fu Chen. She had long heard of Hu Xiao''s domineering arrogance, but she had never seen it before. Now, it seemed that the news had spread and Hu Xiao was such a person!


    Looking at Fu Cheng''s pale face, Madam Wen couldn''t understand why Qin Shuo would marry such a lady and protect her everywhere!


    With a sigh, he carried the scholar back to his residence.


    The vertical sun.


    Qin Shuo''s attitude was known to Fu Chen. Seeing Fu Chen''s normal expression, Zhao Qiyan guessed Fu Chen had thought it through.


    "Since This Emperor has decided to bring the Empress along with us on the southern side of the patrol, there is no need for all my beloved officials to discuss this matter. If there is nothing else, we will withdraw from the court."


    "This subject and others respectfully send you off, your majesty."


    In Tai Chi Hall, the court officials did not leave in a hurry after seeing Qin Shuo leave.


    "It seems that Sir Wen is not against the idea of bringing His Majesty on a tour of the south with the Empress?"


    In the past, wasn''t this the most positive thing for Fu Chen? Yet today he did not say a word? It was really strange, as if the sun had risen from the west.


    Seeing this, the other official hurriedly pulled him aside.


    "Don''t spout nonsense. Who in the court doesn''t know that Minister Wen and the Empress are at odds?" You actually dare to touch the Minister of Arts'' brow in this kind of result, don''t you want your future? And yesterday, I saw the Queen coming out of the Minister of Wen, so something must have happened. "


    After hearing those words, the official panicked. He hurriedly nodded his head and left.


    Naturally, Fu Cheng heard the conversation between the two. However, he did not have the time to converse with them. He followed Wei Chen to the study room.


    "Enter the Emperor."


    "My beloved one is here. Is your beloved one''s injury better yesterday?"


    Although Fu Cheng was surprised, he did not show it on his face. He could not guess what was on Qin Shuo''s mind.


    "Thank you for the empress''s concern, this humble subject is much better."


    He had thought that Qin Shuo had only asked him to come to his study room for the sake of yesterday''s events, but now it seemed that was not the case.


    "It''s good that you''re feeling better. I''ll bring two of my concubines with me when I go to the southern side. One of them has to be the empress, while the other one has a lover. What do you think?"


    Although the style was old-fashioned and rigid, sometimes, one could still listen to the style of the court, allowing Qin Shuo to think things through.


    "This subject thinks that the other person is most suitable to be Imperial Concubine Xue. Imperial Concubine Xue has been on patrol in the south, so she''s naturally more experienced than Esteemed Empress. The two of them could help each other out."


    Previously, he had told Qin Shuo that he would need to bring Imperial Concubine Xue along with him, but His Majesty had never let him go. Now that Qin Shuo had taken the initiative to bring up the matter, it was exactly what Fu Chen wanted.


    Just as he was worrying about how to bring it up with His Majesty, he didn''t expect Qin Shuo to bring it up on his own accord.


    In the letter yesterday, Xue Meng''er had naturally mentioned that Qin Shuo had secretly asked Xue Mu''er to prepare to accompany him on a tour of the south, but Xue Meng''er felt very unsettled. She seemed to be afraid that Qin Shuo would forget about this matter and intentionally let Wen Fu Chen think of a way to confirm it in front of Qin Shuo.


    "That''s fine too. I''ll leave Imperial Concubine Xue''s business to you. The empress has Yin Fufeng to handle it."


    When Qin Shuo heard this, he didn''t say anything more. Tomorrow, he would leave the palace to patrol the south and worship the heavens.


    There was nothing important to worry about recently. Thinking of Hu Xiaoxiao''s appearance yesterday, he said, "Let''s go to Yongning Palace."


    Tomorrow was the day of her southern patrol, and if the empress was in poor health, that would be a big concern.


    "Zhilan, how did I get back?"


    Hu Xiaoxiao felt much better after waking up, but his head still ached. His memories remained in his Wen Mansion from yesterday, but he woke up and went back to the palace.


    "Empress, you frightened Zhilan yesterday. Fortunately, His Majesty saw that the Empress had not returned to the palace for a long time, so he went out to welcome you. Otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable!"


    Zhilan saw that Hu Xiaoxiao was in such a bad mood that she couldn''t drink alcohol. Zhilan thought that Hu Xiaoxiao knew about this, but she never thought that Hu Xiaoxiao wouldn''t be able to control it in the slightest!


    "Alright, I know I was wrong. Tell me, how did the emperor accept me back to the palace?"


    Wasn''t it Zhao Qiyan? To think that Qin Shuo had nothing to do in the palace to bring him back to the palace, it was hard for him, and the Son of Heaven was so wronged.


    "His Majesty was so gentle yesterday and treated the empress very well."


    He had originally thought that Zhilan would make fun of Qin Shuo like she used to, but Hu Xiaoxiao looked at Zhilan and was slightly startled. Just what had happened to her while she was drunk? Why was Zhilan so abnormal?


    "Empress, His Majesty has come. If you have any questions, ask them yourself."


    After hearing the voice of Wei Chen and Wei Yan Er, Zhilan ran out, leaving Hu Xiaoxiao alone, unable to make heads or tails of the situation.


    "Greetings, your Imperial Majesty."


    Looking at the leisurely approaching Qin Shuo, he felt better after seeing that he was welcomed back to the palace yesterday by Qin Shuo.


    "Exempt from the formalities, does your head still hurt?"


    Qin Shuo himself had experienced the pain of a hangover. Yesterday, he had asked Yin Fufeng about it, and had thought that with Hu Xiaoxiao''s personality, he would be able to drink quite a bit, but he never thought that Hu Xiao would be the one to pour out a bowl!


    Although he found it funny, Qin Shuo held it back on the surface. Yesterday, Hu Xiaoxiao had gone insane in the Wen Mansion, and looking at his heavy attack, tomorrow would be the day of the southern patrol. Qin Shuo knew that he would never dare to provoke Hu Xiao, and if Hu Xiao became angry because of this, he would have done something unpredictable, and it would not be worth it.


    "Your Majesty, I heard Zhilan say that it was Your Majesty who brought me back yesterday? Thank you, your majesty. "


    Zhilan would never lie to him, so Hu Xiao still believed in her. Although when Mr. Mo Zhu talked to Hu Xiao, he still felt that Qin Shuo was a chicken woman, but now, he should thank her.


    "En, that''s alright. Who asked you to be the lonely empress? Tomorrow, we''ll be visiting the south. Are you ready?"


    Seeing Hu Xiaoxiao being so well-behaved, Qin Shuo was not used to it, but he felt that Hu Xiao was a good person. After all, he did not have the physique to be a masochist.

 C59

    In the past, the two of them would either be competing with each other or just laughing and chasing each other away. It had been a long time since they had been together in such a peaceful manner.


    "Zhilan is already prepared."


    As he spoke, he carelessly rubbed his head.


    "Is there a headache? I never thought that the unreasonable empress would have such a surprising tolerance for alcohol. "


    Hu Xiao looked at Qin Shuo in shock, never knowing when Qin Shuo became so humorous. Inwardly, he rolled his eyes at Qin Shuo, but he didn''t show it on his face.


    "Your Majesty is praising me. Chenqie isn''t omnipotent."


    He really wanted to look down on Qin Shuo, but his identity made him shut up. If he couldn''t help but mock Qin Shuo, then in a few days he would be at a disadvantage if he didn''t let Qin Shuo accompany him.


    "Hur hur."


    It was still that glib Hu Xiao. Because of his slight struggle, his smooth hair became a little messy. Qin Shuo looked at Hu Xiao as if he had been bewitched, and slightly lowered his head to straighten out Hu Xiao''s hair.


    Crash.


    The sudden sound of silence made the two of them split up in a hurry. Qin Shuo normally left, and Hu Xiaoxiao looked at the source of the sound with a smile that was not a smile.


    "Greetings to Your Majesty, esteemed empress."


    Xue Meng''er caught a glimpse of the two of them and quickly knelt down.


    He thought that Hu Xiao and Qin Shuo''s relationship was as bad as it was rumored to be, but who knew that in a place he could not see in private, the two of them had such a good relationship?


    Originally, he had thought that there was no one in the Huxiao Palace, and Qin Shuo had been angered by Hu Xiaoxiao and left. He had come to see Hu Xiaoxiao, but who would have thought that he would see such a side of him?


    "Hmm? Imperial Concubine Xue? "


    Qin Shuo thought it was the blind maid, but unexpectedly it was Xue Meng''er. Qin Shuo was slightly surprised, was Xue Meng''er looking to humiliate herself in the empress''s palace?


    "Imperial Concubine Xue? Your Majesty, did you listen? Why would Imperial Concubine Xue come here? "


    Hu Xiaoxiao was naturally able to hear Xue Xun Er''s voice, but now that Xue Meng''er had come across his embarrassment, he definitely wouldn''t let her escape unscathed.


    "Hehe, the empress and Imperial Concubine Xue aren''t very close, so it''s natural that she wouldn''t be able to hear it. It''s natural that she won''t be able to tell now."


    Qin Shuo laughed when he heard this. If he could not recognize Xue Meng''er''s voice, Qin Shuo would not believe it.


    Seeing the interest in Hu Xiaoxiao''s eyes, Qin Shuo naturally covered for him. He also wanted to see Xue Meng''er in a joke.


    "Is it really Sister Xue? "Little sister, don''t blame me. After all, I haven''t had a good memory these past few days."


    Qin Shuo''s pampered look made his heart tremble. When did Qin Shuo become like this? Wasn''t he always looking down on everyone, standing high above everyone else?


    The way the two of them answered each other in the tent caused Xue Meng''er to feel hatred in her heart. When did their friendship become so good?


    "The empress must be joking. How could little sister dare to blame big sister?"


    Although he wished he could cut Hu Xiao into pieces, Xue Meng''er did not dare to voice out her dissatisfaction with Hu Xiao. Hu Xiao had been frightened of his own Xue Meng a few times, so he could only roll his eyes at Hu Xiao.


    "Hehe, little sister is really famous for being knowledgeable. This little sister is really ashamed. Your Majesty, what do you think?"


    Hu Xiaoxiao glanced at Qin Shuo, who was grinning from the side. How could this person not care about his image?


    But compared to Qin Shuo''s current appearance, Hu Xiaoxiao was more interested in kneeling on the ground and letting Xue Meng''er lose all of her virtuous and virtuous looks. Hu Xiaoxiao was very happy in his heart.


    This was especially the case since the scholar had been openly and secretly mocking him. Now that he had mocked his cousin, it was also the case.


    "Empress, Imperial Concubine Xue heard that Empress was not feeling well yesterday, so she brought ginseng soup to greet the Empress. Does Empress want to see?"


    "Xueyu," Zhexiu said from outside the door, not seeing Xueyu kneeling in front of the canopy.


    "Hmm? "No need, Imperial Concubine Xue has arrived."


    When Hu Xiao heard this, he looked at Xue Xun''er. He thought that it was because his palace maid was not sensible, and now it seemed that Xue Meng''er was in the wrong. The palace maid who had informed him would only report now, and Xue Ling''er had already arrived in front of the tent.


    "Esteemed Empress, chenqie didn''t intentionally break into the Empress''s sleeping quarters. I beg your pardon, Your Majesty."


    Xue Meng''er originally came here because she wanted to laugh out loud yesterday but was dizzy when she came back to ridicule Hu Xiao. However, not only was she unable to ridicule Hu Xiao, she was even able to see the coquettish atmosphere between him and the Emperor.


    "Imperial Concubine Xue? Why would the imperial concubine appear here again? Shouldn''t the imperial concubine be waiting in the front hall right now? "


    Zhixiang was startled when she heard Xue Mi''er''s voice coming from the sleeping quarters. She did not know when Xue Meng''er had entered Hu Xiao''s sleeping quarters.


    "Zhixiang, it''s alright. Imperial Concubine Xue can go to this palace whenever she wants. There''s no need for Imperial Concubine Xue to notify me next time. My palace and Imperial Concubine Xue''s palace are the same."


    Seeing this, Xue Meng''er was alarmed and quickly kneeled down and begged for mercy.


    "Your Majesty, please forgive the empress for her recklessness. Chenqie shouldn''t have disregarded communication to come in here. Chenqie definitely won''t dare to do it again."


    "No matter, why would His Majesty blame us? Your little sister is the most beloved concubine of the Emperor, isn''t she, your Majesty? "


    Qin Shuo had originally been looking at the situation between Hu Xiao and Xue Meng''er, but unexpectedly, Hu Xiao was trying his best to direct the flames to him.


    The corner of his mouth curled up slightly. Sure enough, with a mischievous smile by his side, even if he were to quarrel with him, his mood would slowly ease up.


    "The empress is right, but in the future, Imperial Concubine will need to pay attention to a few things. After all, it isn''t appropriate to rampage within the empress palace like this."


    "Yes, chenqie will definitely pay attention in the future. Thank you, Your Majesty, and thank you, esteemed empress."


    Seeing Qin Shuo loosen his mouth, Xue Meng''er relaxed. Fortunately, Qin Shuo didn''t bother too much with it.


    "That''s enough. Since you''ve paid your respects to the empress and Gu Ruoyun, you can go down. We''ll be patrolling the south tomorrow. You should prepare to set off tomorrow as well."


    When Xue Meng''er heard this, she was overjoyed and quickly retreated from the competition. Tomorrow, we will patrol the south. First, we will let Hu Xiaoxiao be complacent for a while, but when it is time, we will no longer know whose home ground it is.


    Hu Xiaoxiao looked at the exceptionally happy Xue Meng''er, not very happy. He had thought that he would be the only Empress on Qin Shuo''s trip to the south, but who would have thought that these two cousins who had always been looking for their fault would actually go with him?


    "What does Your Majesty mean by this?" This concubine truly doesn''t know that His Majesty intends to bring his imperial concubine along with him. If I had known earlier, His Majesty would have told me that I could stay behind and protect the palace so that I could help Your Majesty. "


    It wasn''t that Qin Shuo didn''t know about the things that happened between him and Xue Meng''er, but he didn''t care and brought her along. At this moment, Hu Xiaoxiao really wanted to praise Qin Shuo''s courage.

 C60

    As the saying goes, one mountain cannot have two tigers. Moreover, among the laughing and searching children, one was a imperial concubine and the other was a queen.


    Seeing Hu Xiao was so against Xue Meng''er, Qin Shuo felt jealous of him. He could not think of anything else, but he felt a little proud of himself.


    There''s no need for the empress to do this. I just feel that it''s usually the imperial concubine who goes there, and the imperial concubine is fairly familiar with it. If the imperial concubine is by your side giving guidance, it''ll definitely be a big matter for the empress.


    Every word that Qin Shuo said was for the sake of laughing, for the sake of considering all aspects of laughing.


    "Hehe, in that case, do I still need to thank Your Majesty for his good intentions?"


    Hu Xiaoxiao was having trouble hiding his anger, but Qin Shuo did not see it at all.


    "There''s no need to thank the empress, this is all within my capabilities."


    Seeing Hu Xiaoxiao''s unconcealed exhaustion, Qin Shuo had many other things to do, so he could only take his leave. Looking at Hu Xiaoxiao''s face which was even uglier than before, he could not help but feel puzzled, and felt that a woman''s heart was like a needle in a haystack.


    Hu Xiao did not stay for long with Qin Shuo. At this point, Hu Xiao already had the thought of not going on this trip to the south.


    Since he knew that he still had Xue Moyan and Wen Fu Chen on his journey, Fu Chen did not like him in the first place. Since he knew that Xue Moyan and Wen Fu Chen were on his journey together with him, Fu Chen did not like him in the first place.


    But now, there were these two people. Hu Xiaoxiao was extremely annoyed. Although it was tempting for Hu Xiaoxiao to go out and play, if there were people pointing fingers at him along the way, then he might as well not worry about the liveliness.


    "Zhilan."


    He called Zhilan. There was still a need to discuss the matter. The southern patrol was tomorrow, so time was of the essence.


    "Empress, this is a letter from the Southern Yue. The king has instructed you to personally open it."


    Before he could bring Hu Xiaoxiao along, Zhilan had already handed over the letter in her hands to Hu Xiaoxiao. This was an urgent letter from the Southern Yue, and it had just been delivered into Hu Xiaoxiao''s hands.


    "Hmm? "South Vietnam?"


    Hadn''t the Southern Yue just arrived? How did they get to the second letter so quickly? Why was it that he had never seen the South Vietnamese so close in the past? Hu Xiao''s heart was filled with an expressionless face.


    "The southern side of the East Court is the foundation of the nation. As a queen, all of you have to travel with me. Please reconsider, sister."


    It had to be said that Hu Guang was extremely intelligent. Even though he was thousands of miles away, he still knew every single move she made. His original plan was not going to work, so he could only take things one step at a time.


    As long as there were no Fu Chen or Xue Meng''er among them.


    After all, Hu Xiao was still using the princess'' body to make things more convenient for Qin Shuo. Since Hu Guang had his eyes on this trip, he couldn''t sell his backer, the Southern Yue, at a critical moment, or else things would become more difficult for him.


    Feeling relieved, the sleepiness returned.


    "Zhilan, are you prepared for tomorrow''s southern patrol?"


    Since he had made up his mind, he naturally couldn''t be wronged. To play, he had to have fun!


    "Empress, everything has been prepared. Don''t worry, Empress."


    "Yes, I am tired. If there is no more urgent matter, you can wait for me to wake up. You can decide any large or small matter within the palace."


    He was still unable to resist his sleepiness. Seeing that everything had been arranged properly, Hu Xiao went to sleep without any trace of politeness.


    On the day of his southern patrol.


    Qin Shuo looked gloomily at Hu Xiao who was still sleeping. On such a big day, Hu Xiao was still sleeping! How preposterous!


    "Someone, wake the Queen up!"


    If not for the fact that both the emperor and queen had to accept the worship of the officials before their departure, Qin Shuo would not have woken up Hu Xiao.


    Just now, Qin Shuo had tried, but Hu Xiao was also very alert in his sleep, and Qin Shuo''s smell was very unfamiliar. Luckily, he had been practicing kung fu with Zhao Qiyan recently, otherwise he would have been hit by Hu Xiao''s fist.


    Seeing Hu Xiao being so vigilant in his sleep, Qin Shuo did not care too much about the last few times when he was accidentally hurt by Hu Xiao. But now, he still had to meet someone, and this kind of thing that would ruin his looks would be left to the servants.


    "Your Majesty, the Empress is very angry when she wakes up. Let this servant give it a try."


    Zhilan looked at Qin Shuo with a face full of fear and trepidation. Hu Xiaoxiao looked extremely disrespectful, and Zhilan was afraid that if Qin Shuo was unhappy, she would be blamed on him.


    "Yes."


    In the end, she was still Hu Xiaoxiao''s personal palace maid. This was good as well.


    "Niangniang, this servant is Zhilan. It''s time to leave the palace. Niangniang, don''t blame me. I''ll help you clean up and change your clothes."


    Zhilan cautiously stepped forward and softly said.


    With that, Zhilan stepped forward to help Hu Xiaoxiao up. It was indeed a magical move. Although Hu Xiaoxiao did not open his eyes, he was still being tormented by Zhilan. Seeing this, Qin Shuo felt more at ease.


    The empress had always been riding within the palanquin. At that time, it would be a good idea to send Hu Xiao into the palanquin and have Zhilan stand guard beside him.


    "Kneeling, respectfully sending your majesty, esteemed empress, and Imperial Concubine Xue on a smooth journey south."


    At the entrance of the capital city, all the people in the imperial court were kneeling down to see them off. Some ordinary citizens were among them as well, and they kneeled down when they heard the voice of Wei Chen.


    The busy streets to Japan were now even more congested. Qin Shuo looked at the scene that was even more grand than before, and a sense of superiority arose in his heart. This was the Southern Patrol, which had been set up to pray for the blessings of the common people.


    "Rise."


    Although there were not a thousand words to say, there was still action to be had. His Majesty brought the empress and imperial concubine with him, as well as important officials within the imperial court, all of them showed importance to him.


    Water can both carry boats and capsize boats, if a country can be trusted by the people is the foundation of the country.


    The group of people continued on their way.


    Hu Xiaoxiao finally woke up from the shock.


    Hu Xiaoxiao was stunned by the bumpy scene in front of him. After seeing the surroundings clearly, Hu Xiaoxiao stiffly turned his head to look at the smiling Zhilan who was serving him.


    Didn''t I sleep in the sleeping quarters? Why did he appear outside in the blink of an eye?


    "The Empress''s thoughts are correct. You are indeed on your way in your dreams."


    She had been frightened by the sight of Hu Xiao sleeping peacefully in this scene. At this moment, Zhilan only felt admiration for Hu Xiao and did not feel the slightest bit of fear.


    "Me? In your dreams? "


    Just now, he was still in a daze, and he seemed to see the worship of the officials as well as the people walking along the streets together. He couldn''t personally experience such a magnificent sight, but he was still in a deep sleep, and Hu Xiaoxiao felt that even she could not forgive herself for what she had done.

 C61

    Along the way, the scenery was beautiful. To Hu Xiaoxiao, who was living in the fog and haze of modern times, the scenery was everywhere he went. However, Hu Xiaoxiao was not in the mood to appreciate the scenery.


    Today, he had slept from the palace all the way to leaving the imperial city. With Qin Shuo''s emphasis on etiquette, there were rumors that he was not virtuous or virtuous.


    Zhilan was in a rare good mood and could easily guess what her master was thinking. However, Zhilan didn''t have the slightest intention of dispelling her master''s doubts. Recently, she had become more and more lazy.


    The group finally reached the place where they could rest. Hu Xiaoxiao seemed to have been relieved of a great burden, and hurriedly ran out towards the carriage that Qin Shuo was riding.


    Out in the open, with so many people accompanying him, Qin Shuo actually needed guards by the carriage. Hu Xiaoxiao suddenly felt that Qin Shuo was making too much of a fuss and rushed over without a care.


    The Imperial Guard could see Hu Xiao from far away, but he didn''t put up any defenses against him. It was likely because he knew that if Hu Xiao had anything to do, the Emperor would inform him.


    The moment he entered the carriage, Hu Xiaoxiao wished that he could pay attention to etiquette, so that he wouldn''t feel so awkward.


    Men and women had beautiful scenery and guards around the carriage. It wasn''t that she didn''t know how to react, but had she really been a fool just now? He actually rushed forward without caring about anything else?


    Qin Shuo and Xue Meng''er were also very embarrassed when they saw Hu Xiao barging in. Usually it was a pleasure to hide in one''s room, but now they were run into by someone. The two of them wished they could just run into each other and die.


    Qin Shuo watched as Hu Xiao silently removed his claws from Xue Meng''er''s snow-white skin, while Xue Meng''er silently put on her clothes.


    "Sorry for disturbing you, please continue."


    Before the two of them could do anything, Hu Xiaoxiao hurriedly left.


    This atmosphere was really awkward. As Qin Shuo''s queen, seeing her husband being loved by others really made her feel good.


    Both of them were stunned, seeing Hu Xiaoxiao leave, Qin Shuo came back to his senses.


    "On the way back, I have to take care of all the carriages. My beloved concubine is weak, let me rest first."


    Xue Meng''er looked at Qin Shuo angrily. If it was in the past, Qin Shuo would never have let Xue Meng''er get so embarrassed, but now, Qin Shuo was very annoyed.


    "Scram, don''t make This Emperor regret bringing you out."


    Seeing that Xue Meng''er wasn''t willing to get out of the car, Qin Shuo couldn''t help but vent his anger.


    Originally the journey was excellent, but on the way, Xue Meng''er was afraid to ride alone to Qin Shuo''s carriage. Alone, with firewood burning, Xue Meng seemed to tease, and Qin Shuo, who hadn''t had a pet consort for a long time, naturally couldn''t resist the temptation of Xue Meng''er, so he laughed and saw what Hu Xiaoxiao did just now.


    Xue Meng''er originally wanted to continue what they had just done, but things went against her wishes. Fu Chen had already provided her with the convenient conditions, but in the end they were destroyed by Hu Xiao.


    Wen Fu Chen stood in the distance and watched as Xue Meng''er got off Qin Shuo''s carriage with an embarrassed expression. He knew that his plan had failed and could not help but sigh.


    "Cousin."


    Xue Meng''er wanted to get on her carriage, but the moment she saw Fu Cheng, she changed her mind and walked towards him. Now, the two of them could have a good discussion.


    "Imperial Concubine Xue."


    Xue Meng''er can be called Wen Fu Chen Cousin, but Wen Fu Chen absolutely cannot call Xue Fu''er by her breast name.


    "Cousin, you saw it just now. We''ll send in those people we arranged along the way. If we don''t teach the empress a lesson soon, I''ll go crazy."


    Xue Meng''er saw that no one was around to say anything, and that was the best time for her to make a move on Hu Xiao. Before she even left the palace, she had already planned this matter.


    "Imperial Concubine Xue, don''t worry."


    Not only Xue Meng''er, Fu Chen was also extremely annoyed with Hu Xiao. If this operation was useful and Hu Xiao was eliminated, then Xue Meng''er would be the one to ascend to the last position. This would be of great benefit to Wen Fu Chen.


    The two of them were still whispering to each other. From the looks of it, it seemed that Imperial Concubine Xue and her family were just chatting.


    "Send the empress to see me, Gu."


    After adjusting his appearance, Qin Shuo instructed.


    Although it was rude just now, but remembering what Hu Xiao did this morning, Qin Shuo needed the empress to say it properly.


    "Hmm? Your Majesty is looking for me? Is Imperial Concubine Xue still in the carriage? "


    Hu Xiaoxiao was unwilling to enter the carriage. After all, she had just come across Qin Shuo and Xue Meng''er''s dirty business, and now that she wanted to enter, Hu Xiaoxiao was somewhat conflicted.


    "Imperial Concubine Xue has already left. Imperial Concubine Xue will only be in His Majesty''s carriage for a short while. Empress need not worry too much."


    Wei Chen couldn''t help but explain as he looked at the smiling face of the young wife, who looked extremely jealous of him.


    "Ai, Eunuch Wei, you don''t know what I am thinking right now?"


    Hearing Wei Shi''s words that completely misunderstood her meaning, Hu Xiaoxiao could only sigh, because she didn''t know how to explain it.


    Seeing this, Wei Shi laughed and walked towards Qin Shuo.


    "Empress, did you sleep well today? "Hmm?"


    Looking at the laughing face that was following behind Wei Chen, Qin Shuo suppressed the anger in his heart.


    "Your Majesty, chenqie was in the wrong for what happened this morning. Chenqie was merely careless. Your majesty is magnanimous. Please spare your chenqie."


    Seeing Qin Shuo''s expression, Hu Xiao knew how much he had gone overboard today. Hu Xiao wasn''t someone who didn''t know what was important. Even he couldn''t figure out what had happened after he had slept through it.


    Just now, Hu Xiaoxiao had asked Zhilan about the details. Normally, the person who would wake up like Hu Xiaoxiao should not have had people tormenting her and yet she did not wake up. It was too strange.


    "Oh? The empress knew she was wrong? But is that true? "


    This was the first time Hu Xiao had solemnly admitted his wrongs to Qin Shuo. As a smart person, he naturally thought of all sorts of things, and luckily, the previous empress also had a palanquin to drive them out of the city.


    However, with Hu Xiao''s vigilance, for him to be able to fall into Hu Xiao''s trap without him knowing, he must be a familiar and unsuspecting person.


    "It''s true, Your Majesty. Chenqie promises you she will never do it again!"


    At this time, Hu Xiaoxiao''s pleasant words sounded like he was desperately trying to get rid of the money, afraid that Qin Shuo would remember Hu Xiaoxiao''s mistake. Wearing small shoes to Hu Xiaoxiao from time to time on the road, wouldn''t that ruin his playful mood?

 C62

    Qin Shuo felt better seeing Hu Xiaoxiao joke around.


    "Come up."


    Seeing Hu Xiao still standing at the door, Qin Shuo''s face darkened. Thinking back to what had just happened, Qin Shuo''s good mood immediately disappeared.


    Hu Xiao originally did not want to stay with Qin Shuo. He had come to apologize to him and then leave, but looking at Qin Shuo''s darkening face, he knew he was in the wrong and did not want to make Qin Shuo too angry.


    He could only unwillingly board the carriage.


    "We''ll leave here after resting."


    Seeing that Hu Xiaoxiao had finished his work, he instructed the servant.


    "Okay."


    Just now, Qin Shuo''s palanquin had stopped because of Wen Fu''s orders. With Qin Shuo''s orders, everyone began to walk towards the relay station.


    Fu Chen and Xue Meng''er looked at the departing crowd and felt extremely dissatisfied. However, there was nothing they could do. They could only discuss their previous plans.


    "What, the Empress and Gu Ruoyun are already at a loss for words again?"


    The horse carriage had already travelled a long distance, and the atmosphere in the carriage gradually became quiet. This was the first time the two of them were so quiet, and for a moment, Qin Shuo felt that he could not get used to it.


    "Hehe, Your Majesty is overthinking things. Right now, Your Majesty is really going on a tour of the south. He doesn''t forget to enjoy himself."


    In fact, Hu Xiao had already been unable to hold it in. He wanted to act dignified, but seeing Qin Shuo''s words, Hu Xiao could no longer hold himself back.


    "You ¡­"


    When Qin Shuo heard Hu Xiao''s words, he wished that he hadn''t said anything. Hu Xiao said something that would make him vomit blood, so he might as well keep Hu Xiao''s mouth shut.


    "This was prepared by Fu Cheng."


    Qin Shuo''s meaning was to tell Hu Xiao that this luxury was not his own intention. This was all due to Fu Chen, and he actually did not approve of this luxury.


    "Well, the Minister of Arts is wrong."


    Hu Xiao naturally understood what Qin Shuo meant. Since he knew what Qin Shuo meant, Hu Xiao was too embarrassed to mention it. After all, if he angered Qin Shuo, he would be the one to lose out.


    However, as he looked at the luxurious carriage, Hu Xiaoxiao could not help but curse in his heart. It was indeed the emperor who was out on a tour. This scene was truly extraordinary.


    He had originally thought that the carriage was luxurious enough, but when he saw the inn, he knew that he had made a mistake. The luxury of this inn was comparable to that of the Imperial Palace.


    Just as Qin Shuo was on the horse carriage, Hu Xiaoxiao had already started to mock him for his extravagance in leaving the palace. Looking at the station now, Qin Shuo''s face darkened even more.


    Hu Xiaoxiao looked at Qin Shuo''s embarrassed face and couldn''t help but feel happy. He should let Qin Shuo know how much of a waste it was for him to go out to the palace. This way, he would know more about the hardships of life and could make some changes, so it would be less of a waste.


    Seeing the gloomy expression on Qin Shuo''s face, Fu Cheng was overjoyed, thinking that Hu Xiao and Qin Shuo had just had an unpleasant argument on the carriage.


    "Then let it be. In the future, don''t waste it so extravagantly. The people suffer. If I take the lead and waste it, won''t it become my fault?"


    Before Wen Fu Chen could say anything, Qin Shuo spoke up.


    At this point, Fu Chen didn''t know why Qin Shuo was so angry, but it wasn''t the same Wen Jiabao who had been in the imperial court for so long.


    "This humble subject has neglected this matter, His Majesty''s teachings are correct."


    In the past, it was always so luxurious, and at this point the Scholar absolutely did not think that Qin Shuo would blame him, but he secretly made a note to himself. It must have been because of what Hu Xiao said to Qin Shuo on the carriage, otherwise Qin Shuo would never have bothered with him over such a small matter.


    Qin Shuo seemed to recall his previous grandeur and was a little dissatisfied, but he did not say anything more. After a long time, he was still not out of the palace and was a little tired. He lifted his feet and walked into the room.


    After the meal, the group went back to their rooms to rest.


    "Hurry up. His Majesty has sent me to serve him. If I am delayed, I will definitely punish all of you for your crimes."


    Today he lost a lot of face in front of Hu Xiaoxiao, Xue Meng''er would definitely not be willing to give up. Now, seeing that Qin Shuo didn''t have any thoughts of sleeping with Hu Xiaoxiao, she came to test Hu Xiaoxiao.


    While Hu Xiao told the consorts that he did not care about his majesty, and told them to find a way to please him, he also tried to seduce Qin Shuo. For a time, Xue Meng''er could not see clearly what he meant.


    "Yes, Empress."


    The sparrow had been by Xue Ling''er''s side for a long time. At this moment, it naturally understood why she was acting this way. Now, it was naturally doing its best to cooperate with Xue Ling''er.


    Hu Xiaoxiao was about to go out to play at the relay station when he suddenly heard the voice of Xue Meng''er and couldn''t help but twitch his mouth.


    It was just a small sleeping room, and beside it was nothing more than Qin Shuo venting his anger. Hu Xiaoxiao didn''t know why Xue Meng''er had such high regard for it, and even used it to stand up in front of her.


    It had been a long time since she last let out a laugh, and Xue Meng''er was half out of breath. She thought that Hu Xiao would argue with her over this, but his calmness was outside of Xue Meng''er''s expectations.


    Even if he said he was going to serve His Majesty, it would not be good for him to stay at the Laughing Hu Clan for long. Although he did not see any jokes about Laughter Laughter Laughing Laughter, he still rushed to leave.


    Hearing the sound from far away, he smirked.


    "Zhilan, have you finished packing the items?"


    After tidying up his clothes for the whole night, Hu Xiaoxiao felt that going out was a troublesome matter, especially for women with extremely high status. They would wear different clothes at different occasions, so what kind of heavy jewelry would they wear?


    "Empress, everything is ready now. Does the Empress have any other orders?"


    Zhilan looked at Hu Xiao, who had been sitting upright on the side, and said.


    If she was disrespectful and did not help, she would even make a mess of the things that had been tidied up. Zhilan deeply felt this, and was pleased that she was able to obediently sit by the side.


    "I don''t have any orders. I''ll go out and take a look. If you have nothing else to do, then go and rest."


    Xue Meng''er had already said that since Qin Shuo had found Xue Meng''er to sleep, he would not have anything to worry about tonight. She laughed, and with great difficulty went out, if it wasn''t better, it would be difficult to laugh.


    "What?" Empress, are you planning to go out? "


    Zhilan looked incredulously at Hu Xiao upon hearing this. Couldn''t Hu Xiao have stayed for a while?


    "Enough, I have my reasons. You can stay. If anyone comes to find me, you can find an excuse to reject them."


    Before Zhilan could say anything, Hu Xiaoxiao interrupted her and asked, "Since when did Zhilan begin to instruct her on everything?" Just now, Xue Meng''er''s words made her laugh. She did not believe that Zhilan had not heard them. Since that was the case, what reason could she have to stop her?

 C63

    Seeing that she couldn''t hold back her laughter, Zhilan couldn''t help but sigh inwardly. Hu Xiaoxiao was such a stubborn person, that if he decided to leave, then there was nothing Zhilan could do to stop him.


    It would be better if it was like Hu Xiao had said, it would also be extremely good to stop those people who wanted to see the empress here, so Zhilan no longer said anything.


    Seeing Zhilan acting in such a manner, Hu Xiao was extremely happy. He felt that if he were to go out and see Zhiran, he would naturally have to bring her something suitable for her.


    "Is the empress busy?"


    Before he could exit the gate of the inn, Hu Xiao was stopped.


    Looking at the bodyguards with sabers at the station, Hu Xiaoxiao cursed in his heart, saying that Qin Shuo''s display was truly grand. He actually had so many bodyguards guarding the place, he had no idea what was saving resources.


    "I need to go out for a while."


    Rushing in was not the most sensible way to do it. Not to mention whether he could beat so many guards with sabers, he could not afford to get into big trouble this time.


    "The empress is safe and sound, what is the empress going out to do?"


    It was fine for him to lie to others, but unfortunately, Yin Fufeng was standing right behind the guard.


    Hu Xiao looked at the look on Yin Fufeng''s face and was a bit depressed in his heart. Since Yin Fufeng was behind her, she probably couldn''t get out today.


    "Hehe, how have you been, Master Yin?"


    She secretly rolled her eyes at Yin Fufeng. If Yin Fufeng didn''t know what she was going to do, he wouldn''t believe it even if he beat her to death. With his clever brain, he could easily guess her laughing out loud.


    "It''s late at night. We don''t need the Imperial Palace here, so the Empress''s exit isn''t very safe. Why not wait until tomorrow to go out?" And his Majesty is not yet asleep. "


    Of course, Yin Fufeng also saw Hu Xiaobai''s face. He was impatient, so he decided to take a break after coming to the relay station for a meal. He must be out for a little fun. Because of this, Yin Fufeng decided to wait here for him.


    Qin Shuo naturally knew that Hu Xiao was laughing, he couldn''t bear the dark days in the palace, so he thought of a way to leave the palace. Now that he was out of the palace, Hu Xiao was like a wild horse out of control, and if he wasn''t under strict supervision, he definitely wouldn''t be able to find Hu Xiao.


    "Your Majesty? I suddenly recalled that this matter was not that serious and that it could be done tomorrow. This way, I''ll be going back. Thank you all for your hard work. "


    Sure enough, with Yin Fufeng here, he couldn''t leave even if he wanted to. But how could His Majesty know? And not to go to bed? How could Qin Shuo take the time to control him?


    "Empress, take care."


    This was the first time he had seen Hu Xiao being humiliated. He was very pleased, but he did not dare to be too presumptuous. Even Zhao Qiyan could not beat Hu Xiao in terms of martial prowess.


    The look in Hu Xiao''s eyes before he left made Yin Fu Feng''s heart quiver. It was obvious that he wanted to settle the score with him. Yin Fu Feng looked at his little body and became worried. It seemed that he had to go to Qin Shuo as soon as possible to get Qin Shuo to think of a way for him, or else the consequences would be unimaginable.


    A good night''s dream.


    "The Queen is going with us."


    Yin Fu Feng and Qin Shuo came out together to look at Hu Xiao. Seeing Hu Xiao quickly getting into the carriage, Qin Shuo quickly said.


    Yesterday was just as he had expected. Hu Xiao indeed wanted to take a walk after resting. Seeing that Hu Xiao did not dare to look him in the eye, Qin Shuo could not help but be curious.


    "Your Majesty."


    Hu Xiao, who was about to step into the coach, stopped abruptly. He threw a fierce look at Yin Fufeng, who was trying his best to suppress his laughter, and rushed up like he wanted to teach him a lesson.


    Never having known that Yin Fu Feng would talk so much, Hu Xiaoxiao had forgotten that it was because of Qin Shuo''s order to wait for Hu Xiao at the entrance of the relay station last night. In Hu Xiaofeng''s opinion, it was because of Yin Fu Feng that he was so unlucky to sit next to Qin Shuo.


    "Did the empress sleep well yesterday?"


    Seeing Hu Xiaoxiao trying hard to smile, Qin Shuo was in a beautiful mood.


    "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. Chenqie sleeps well." It would have been better if he had gone out for a walk before going to bed.


    However, he didn''t dare to say the following words out loud. He could only silently criticize it in his heart.


    Qin Shuo knew what was going on inside Hu Xiao''s heart. Seeing how Hu Xiao was so angry and didn''t dare to say anything, and was even secretly threatening Yin Fufeng, Qin Shuo felt very happy.


    They didn''t say anything along the way.


    "Your Majesty, the Liu Province is right in front of us."


    Seeing that Liu Zhou City was getting closer, Wei Shi said.


    For the past few days, Qin Shuo had been sitting beside Hu Xiao. Hu Xiao already had a lot of resentment towards this, so when he heard Wei Chen''s words, he was moved.


    The obvious relief on Hu Xiaoxiao''s face stunned Qin Shuo. A few days of travelling had unknowingly passed. Although it wasn''t as chaotic as before, the two of them were safe and sound. The look on Hu Xiao''s face stung Qin Shuo''s eyes and made his heart ache.


    "Mm, let''s go in."


    Seeing Hu Xiao looking at him with his sparkling eyes, Qin Shuo restrained himself and said slowly.


    It was true that he had been sitting quietly on the carriage for such a long time. If it weren''t for the fact that he was obstructing his identity, Hu Xiao would have probably started a fight long ago.


    The road was dusty and the Mayor of Liuzhou had been waiting at the city gate for a long time. When he caught a glimpse of Qin Shuo''s carriage, he immediately came to greet him.


    "Your subjects welcome Your Majesty."


    The mayor wrote everyone greetings to Qin Shuo.


    "Alright, rise."


    Qin Shuo looked at the kneeling crowd and said, as before.


    "The yamen has already prepared the dishes. Please take your leave, Your Majesty."


    Hearing the dishes, Hu Xiaoxiao''s eyes lit up. Although the journey wasn''t too arduous, with delicious food waiting for him, he was naturally overjoyed.


    "Let''s go."


    Along the way, the group more or less felt a little tired. The food prepared by the government office was just right for them to rest for a bit.


    The mayor also knew the hardships Qin Shuo and the others had gone through, so he didn''t have much to show for it. For a moment, the only sound that could be heard was the sound of everyone eating.


    "Your Majesty, chenqie has finished using her. I will be leaving now."


    Hu Xiao was already satisfied, now that he had eaten, he wanted to lie down. In any case, he had been willful in front of Qin Shuo many times, so he didn''t care about this disrespectful departure.


    As expected, Qin Shuo had already gotten used to laughing, so he nodded and let Hu Xiao and the others leave.


    When the mayor saw this scene, he was greatly shocked. This time, the patrol to the south had long received the news that the emperor would accompany the empress for a few days. The two of them were supposed to be at peace for the country, and Qin Shuo normally wouldn''t pamper them like this.

 C64

    After going around the yamen and getting a basic understanding of the situation there, Hu Xiaoxiao then leisurely walked over to his room.


    The mayor was someone who knew how to enjoy himself. As he looked around the yamen, he saw many low-key, reserved decorations and a small piece of equipment that was worth several cities. Haha, it was just a small mayor.


    "Empress, tomorrow will be the day of your sacrifice. His Majesty has ordered this servant to inform you of tomorrow''s ceremony."


    Before Hu Xiao could settle down, the palace maid who served Qin Shuo came.


    Sacrifice to the heavens? Hu Xiao nodded and finally remembered something important.


    He had a headache from the traditional Chinese etiquette, so he had no choice but to listen carefully.


    After the mama finished her sentence and left, Hu Xiaoxiao seemed to have come alive as he lay on the bed.


    "Zhilan, why do I have to go with you? Can''t I just walk around in Liu Zhou City?"


    Hu Xiao wailed in pain. Why was the southern patrol so different from what he had expected? Along the way, he had to travel, either on a horse carriage or at a relay station. He might as well stay at the queen!


    Not a single person in the current imperial palace dared to go against him. Basically, those who hated him had already come to patrol the south. If he continued to laugh like this, then he would be considered a little overlord in the imperial palace.


    "Empress, don''t forget that you''re the empress. If you don''t go with His Majesty, then who in the entire Eastern Courtyard would have the right to worship the heavens alongside His Majesty?"


    Hearing this, Zhilan rolled her eyes at Hu Xiaoxiao. Even if it was in the past, Qin Shuo would only bring Imperial Concubine Xue to stay at the yamen, he would not bring her along for the Heaven''s Sacrifice ceremony. Since Hu Xiao had also come, then he would definitely go with him this time.


    "Alright, alright. I understand now. Zhilan, you don''t need to say anymore."


    Hu Xiao''s weak and lifeless appearance caused Zhilan to worry a little. She was worried that Hu Xiao would cause a ruckus the next day as willfully as he had done in the past.


    Seeing that Hu Xiao wanted to die, Zhilan stopped talking, just hoping that Hu Xiaoxiao would be alright tomorrow.


    "Esteemed Empress, tonight, the City Lord arranged a banquet at the Drunken Immortal Tavern, inviting esteemed Empress to attend."


    Hu Xiao nodded when he heard this. The emperor himself had personally come, and all the state officials would set up a banquet. Since they were living in someone else''s house, they naturally had to go to the banquet.


    After rolling around on the bed, Hu Xiaoxiao felt very happy. Seeing that Hu Xiaoxiao had already agreed to go to the banquet, Zhilan did not want to disturb him anymore. She turned around and left, closing the door behind her and standing guard outside.


    There was no need for the Imperial Palace to guard this place, so naturally, the empress''s door needed someone to guard it.


    Hu Xiaoxiao laid down until the banquet started, then he called Zhilan to help him wash up.


    The dark red muslin clothing accentuated Hu Xiaoxiao''s alluring beauty and added a bit of charm to it.


    When Qin Shuo saw Hu Xiaoxiao, his eyes brightened up. No wonder she was the most beautiful woman in the Southern Yue. With her figure, she was indeed of the highest quality. He immediately called Hu Xiao over and sat down beside her.


    "Does mama know of the ceremony tomorrow?"


    Seeing Hu Xiaoxiao sitting beside him, Qin Shuo asked. Although the mama had already reported this to him, he still wanted to ask her about it.


    "I''ve already known everything. Your Majesty, don''t worry. Your concubine will definitely not disappoint you tomorrow."


    He had originally thought that the mayor would arrange some interesting performances, as the layout of the mansion was excellent, but now he was disappointed. It was just a dance song and sword play, and seeing a few dancers leisurely walking over, Hu Xiaoxiao could no longer tolerate it.


    Looking at the courtiers who were so engrossed with this kind of gentleness, he sneered in his heart. Even with her beauty and the intoxicating scent of cosmetic powder, she was still able to make these people fall in love with her. Heh, what a joke.


    As he talked about how beautiful a woman was, he also indulged in her beauty.


    Before long, Hu Xiaoxiao was no longer in the mood to stay.


    "Your Majesty, chenqie feels unwell and wishes to leave first."


    Qin Shuo could naturally see that Hu Xiao was no longer here. Seeing him like this, he agreed. Any discomfort was a lie, he just wanted to leave.


    Seeing that Qin Shuo had agreed to his idea, Hu Xiao left.


    Returning to his room to change his clothes, Qin Shuo was currently at a banquet, so he naturally did not care about him. Just now, Hu Xiao did not believe that Qin Shuo did not understand what he meant.


    "Empress, are you going out?"


    Zhilan asked in shock as she watched Hu Xiao skillfully change into the man''s clothes.


    So was he resting during the day and then going out for a stroll at night?


    "En, are you coming with me?"


    Zhilan nodded and followed behind Hu Xiao, preparing to leave together with him.


    The Liu Province was originally the most bustling city on the road, and it was even more prosperous than the Beijing. Today, the Liu Province was exceptionally lively.


    "Uncle, what''s the matter today?" "Why is it so lively?"


    Hu Xiao followed the crowd and squeezed onto the bridge. He couldn''t help but ask his uncle who was beside him.


    That old uncle was also a talkative person, and now that Hu Xiao was asking him, he did not hesitate to share all that he knew.


    As it turned out, His Majesty''s Southern Patrol of the Heavens was in Liuzhou City for the past few days of the year. As a result, people from all over the city looked up to Qin Shuo''s face, hoping to catch a glimpse of his elegance would rush to Liuzhou City in the next few days.


    "So it''s like that, thank you uncle."


    The scene was so lively that it seemed as if the whole world was celebrating. Looking at the people who were happily surrounding them, this simple and simple happiness made Hu Xiaoxiao forget all his troubles for a moment.


    "Sigh, don''t go, young master, you''ll have something better to look forward to in a moment. This man is riding a raft in the river while he''s passing through this area, the women all have an embroidered ball in their hands. If you take a fancy to that man and throw the embroidered ball to that man, then today you will have many marriages because of it."


    The old man hurriedly said when he saw Hu Changzai leaving.


    Hu Xiao stopped in his tracks when he heard this. If it was indeed as the old uncle had said, it would be quite a lively scene. Hu Xiao was extremely interested in seeing such a large matchmaking site.


    As expected, not long after, a man slowly approached from the downstream. The woman on the shore looked at the men in the river and prepared to throw the ball as soon as the man closed his eyes.


    After watching the show for a while, Hu Xiao left. Compared to Qin Shuo, these men still had too little face.

 C65

    Crowded streams of people followed. The direction in which people walked was flowing. Although it was bustling, it also seemed out of place.


    "That man looks pretty. Why don''t you bring him home to be my husband?"


    Just as Hu Xiao and Zhi Lan were strolling leisurely, they did not know that there were people watching them from afar.


    Hu Xiao felt that someone was staring at her from behind, but she turned around and could not see who they were. It was probably because she was being too vigilant, and there were so many people on the streets that she did not recognize any of them.


    Even though he thought this, he still felt a bit guilty. He quickened his pace towards the yamen.


    "Why did Young Master leave so quickly?" This young master has a pretty face and is very compatible with me. I wonder if this young master will marry? "


    The lady who had followed Hu Xiao for a long time saw that Hu Xiao had increased his pace, and quickly lost sight of the crowd, so she quickened her pace and walked towards Hu Xiao.


    Hu Xiao looked at the girl in front of him. The sky blue group of girls looked extremely young and cute, and if one ignored the words he said, she would definitely look like a lady from a noble family.


    So the person who was staring at him from behind was actually the lady. Hu Xiao found it funny, why was his current outfit so attractive to girls? Was he too handsome? It looked like he had succeeded in dressing up today.


    "This lady is so bold. I don''t think my lady is very compatible, so I must ask her to look for someone else. There is no need to waste time on me."


    He did not want to get too involved with the little girl in front of him. If she were to leave tactfully, it would save her a lot of trouble.


    "Whether you like it or not, you''ll understand. However, in my eyes, you and I are very fated. If I like you, then I won''t waste any time on you."


    Hu Xiao originally thought that after the woman heard what she had to say, she would retreat, but who would have known that she had triggered her competitive spirit? The remaining parts were not suitable for her to confess that she was a girl, so she let Qin Shuo know that he had disguised himself as a man to play, and that it would lead to a lot of trouble.


    Seeing that the lady in difficulty did not agree with what he had said, if he wanted to avoid any trouble, he might as well leave quietly.


    After making his decision, he exchanged glances with Zhi Lan, and the two of them took advantage of the crowd to leave stealthily.


    The woman wanted to say something, but no sound of the two of them could be heard. She stomped her foot in anger and viciously ordered the people behind her, "No matter what, find those two people for me. I''m determined to win against that handsome man!"


    When the servant behind the woman heard her master''s orders, he scattered in search of those two.


    At the same time, Hu Xiao was secretly rejoicing at the fact that the lady was able to get rid of him so easily.


    "Empress, we have already gotten rid of that person ¡­ A woman? "


    Zhi Lan was already out of breath from running, and seeing them resting inside the alleyway, she asked.


    "You got rid of him, right?"


    Just then, the two of them had been extremely careful in their retreat, and with that young miss''s appearance, they naturally wouldn''t have been able to catch up to them.


    was stunned by the voice. He turned his head stiffly to look at the pitch black alleyway behind him.


    Could it be that right after stepping out of the woman''s palm, someone had already come chasing after her?


    At this moment, Zhi Lan also felt a hint of killing intent from the depths of the alley. How could the assassin come so fast?


    The two of them looked at each other in tacit understanding before hurriedly retreating behind them. They believed that they would not dare to make a move in a place with too many people.


    But Hu Xiao never thought that the assassins would actually be so bold, following closely behind Hu Xiao and the others in the crowd.


    In her panic, Hu Xiao looked at the lady who was teasing him just now. At this time, the girl no longer had any servants following her, and there were a few people in the dark beside her who looked like they would attack her at any time.


    At this point, Hu Xiao had already thought it through, seeing the lady''s expression, she believed that the killers must have come for her. They were curious about her identity, and he and Zhi Lan should have been implicated by her, and she was a person who had spoken a few words to her. Although the lady had an arrogant personality, she was not an evil person, and Hu Xiao would definitely not leave them with no hope of survival.


    Seeing that the few of them had rushed up together, Hu Xiao anxiously ran towards the lady. In a few jumps, Hu Xiao saw an inn''s window and directly jumped in.


    The girl was suddenly brought running by Hu Xiao, and was naturally shocked, but when she saw Hu Xiao, she relaxed in her embrace.


    The woman was startled, and felt relieved. Indeed, only girls could have such a delicate and pretty appearance, and every single movement was filled with a feminine aura, she should have thought of that long ago, and felt extremely regretful.


    "It''s safe now, come down."


    Seeing that the lady was still holding onto him while she was in a daze, Hu Xiao could not help but feel that it was funny, wasn''t the woman just now as bold, why was she now so afraid?


    "You''re a woman?"


    Hearing her voice, Hu Xiao was startled, when had she ever accidentally let her go? Just now, she was too nervous, and Hu Xiao did not know when this woman had discovered her identity.


    "Just now, I accidentally touched your place ¡­"


    Seeing Hu Xiao''s blank face, the woman could not help but blush and lower her head to ask. Although she had a bold and unrestrained character, she had never encountered such a situation before. Naturally, she was extremely shy now.


    "Oh, it doesn''t matter. Those assassins came for you. Are there any candidates?"


    The woman''s red cheeks suddenly made Hu Xiao feel helpless. It would be better to be as unrestrained as before, since this way Hu Xiao would be a bit more at ease.


    When the woman mentioned this, she instantly retracted the expression on her face.


    "They really came for me. I''m sure no one other than that person would want me to die that badly."


    In the past few days, there had been people secretly chasing after her. Usually, they had relied on their servants and guards to easily hide, but today, because the guards and servants were all sent by the lady to find Hu Xiao and Zhi Lan, she found out that she was slightly nervous, but she was finally able to relax.


    Just now, Hu Xiao did not even bother to speak with her and carried her in her arms. The lady thought that the assassins no longer cared about the people on the streets, but at that moment, Hu Xiao calmed down.


    Although he had only met Hu Xiao once, with Hu Xiao by his side, his heart was at ease.


    "Empress, we have already captured a person."

 C66

    Zhi Lan''s voice sounded outside the door.


    The woman originally thought that Hu Xiao was the daughter of a normal family, but hearing Zhi Lan mention the Empress, it was as if she was struck by lightning.


    "What?" Empress? "Who are you?"


    He looked at Hu Xiao in shock, her mouth wide open, yet not knowing what else to say.


    The woman was born and bred in the Liuzhou City, and it was the son of heaven who had brought the imperial concubine of the harem with him to undergo the ritual of offering the heavens to the Liuzhou City. Was the woman in front of him actually the imperial concubine of the harem? Did she do something evil just now?


    Seeing that her identity was already exposed, Hu Xiao scattered the hair she had tied up, the man''s attire made Hu Xiao unhappy, but the woman''s actions were not as convenient as the man''s, if she was not forced to do it herself and did it conveniently, Hu Xiao would definitely not want to continue acting the man''s role.


    That jet-black hair instantly added to Hu Xiao''s beauty. Since she was young, his Liuzhou had always been the place where the most beauties flourished, yet it was gentle and refined. Women all had their own unique charm, but in the eyes of a woman who looked at a beauty, Hu Xiao''s appearance was also top class.


    "You and I have only met by chance, there''s no need to care about the status and etiquette of those people."


    Hu Xiao looked at the girl who was gradually panicking, and felt helpless in his heart. She was just a mistress, how could she let the girl care about her? Wasn''t she afraid of the heavens and the earth?


    "Zhi Lan, bring that person in."


    Hu Xiao was more interested in the assassin.


    Hearing that, Zhi Lan dragged the person in her hand inside, and seeing Zhi Lan''s rude actions, the lady looked at Hu Xiao in puzzlement.


    Hu Xiao smiled slightly: "Zhi Lan is also a woman."


    Indeed! The girl was suddenly left with nothing to live for. Hadn''t she always been like the jade-green girl of a small family? Why was it that the women who he saw today were each more rude than the other? And he was so good at it?


    He could not help but look at his own weak physique, and then at Hu Xiao''s curvy body. It seemed that training in martial arts would not cause one''s body to change shape.


    "Wake him up."


    Hu Xiao ignored the lady who was on the side. It was the first time she had met an ancient killer, and Hu Xiao was filled with curiosity.


    Hearing that, Zhi Lan threw the man onto the ground, and splashed the water from the teapot on the table onto the man''s face.


    The man woke up in a moment.


    "Speak, who sent you?"


    Hu Xiao asked after seeing the man wake up.


    The man turned his head and looked at the people within the room before speaking with great difficulty.


    Just now, Hu Xiao''s skill and the way Zhi Lan caught him was just too evil, she was only taking someone''s money to help them get rid of the calamity, if she took''s life, it would be a loss to him.


    "The reason Madam Song sent me little people is mainly to make the Miss Soong suffer a little."


    The man did not take long to explain everything he knew.


    Madam Song? Miss Soong? This woman in front of him was surnamed Song?


    However, Hu Xiao was currently dissatisfied with the man, to the point that she did not hesitate to reveal the identity of the mastermind, how could it be so easy? Not all of them pretended to be loyal to their master, right? You need to be tortured to reveal a little bit of information? Why was it different from what she had imagined?


    "Miss Soong is this lady. That Madam Song is my father''s concubine."


    Hu Xiao raised her head and looked at Miss Soong, and nodded to him.


    Seeing that, Zhi Lan knocked the killer out again.


    "How could that be? Since she''s your father''s concubine, why would she be so cruel to you next time? "


    Looking at the looks of those people, Hu Xiao could not even see a little bit of mercy from their actions.


    Furthermore, from the looks of the Miss Soong, she did not look like someone from a poor family, so she should be the favorite of her father.


    "Ai, it''s a long story now, but it''s just some ugly things in my family. I''m already used to it. May I ask which master of the palace the Empress is?"


    The Miss Soong did not seem to have any intentions of talking about this matter, upon hearing Hu Xiao''s question, she only brought up one sentence, and did not bring up anything else at all.


    Seeing that, Hu Xiao did not feel troubled, for the matter of the family must be painful on the heart, it was understandable that Miss Soong did not want to talk about it, but it was also not good for her to ask too many questions.


    "Hu Xiao."


    "Hu Xiao? It''s my first time meeting you. My name is Soong Xuan. "


    Hu Xiao? Hu? Who was the Empress with the surname Hu? Could it be those concubines that were only favoured once or twice? No, the Emperor''s Southern Patrol has brought along the Imperial Consort Xue and Empress.


    The empress had only been married to the emperor for a few days, but the empress ¡­ The Queen has the surname Hu!


    The girl in front of him was actually a Empress whose strength exceeded that of tens of thousands! Just now, she had taken liberties with Empress, Soong Xuan was extremely worried, and only hoped that Hu Xiao would not mind her disrespectful conduct just now.


    Looking at Soong Xuan''s eyes that gradually became clear, Hu Xiao understood in her heart. This Soong Xuan most likely knew his identity, but it wasn''t much of a pain.


    "The Empress is truly lucky. I was blind and did not recognize the baht, to actually be unaware of the fact that it''s the Empress. I hope that the Empress does not blame me."


    Soong Xuan quickly kneeled down and said.


    Looking at Soong Xuan''s family background, she should be a wealthy one within the Liuzhou City. Otherwise, how would she know that she was a queen just by looking at her name?


    "Hmph, didn''t Miss Soong Xuan feel that she was a good match for my esteemed lady just now? Do you still think that it''s a good match? "


    Zhi Lan and Hu Xiao were originally implicated by the person in front of them, and Soong Xuan even dared to tease her just now. Zhi Lan had already disliked Soong Xuan from the start, and had purposely addressed her as Queen Hu Xiao before he came in.


    Hu Xiao laughed when she heard this. With Zhi Lan''s little mind, it was not as if she did not know, and did not have any intention to teach Zhi Lan a lesson. Although this Soong Xuan''s character was very suitable for her taste, it was still possible to punish him a little for her actions just now.


    Zhi Lan saw that Hu Xiao did not stop him, and was secretly happy.


    "It was my fault for being blind and failing to recognize Taibai Jinxing just now, but I can''t get tired of my family and am responsible for my own actions. If the Empress is to blame, then I will be blamed."


    Hearing Zhi Lan''s words, Soong Xuan''s heart tightened, today it could be said that she had kicked an iron board, but by all means, she must not implicate her father, this was truly unfilial.


    "Family? Didn''t your family just hire you to be murdered? Why did he start to plead for his family now? Could it be that Miss Soong was deceiving my Empress with your actions just now? "


    What Soong Xuan had said just now made Zhi Lan have a whole new level of respect for her. Originally, she thought that she was just an arrogant and despotic young miss, but now that she said that she was willing to sacrifice him to protect her family, her attitude made Zhi Lan have a new level of respect for her.


    Just as Soong Xuan was about to say something, clattering sounds came from outside the inn.


    "There''s someone at the top!"

 C67

    At this moment, the person standing on the roof saw that he had been seen through, so he no longer hid himself and rushed into the inn with the person outside.


    Seeing that the man in the tavern had turned into a woman, although they were startled, all of them did not have time to be curious as they rushed towards Soong Xuan who was kneeling at the side.


    Although Soong Xuan had a despotic personality, she didn''t have the time to protect herself. At this moment, she was already prepared to die.


    After a long time since she felt no pain, Soong Xuan could not help but slowly open her eyes, only to see that the few of them had long fallen to the ground in different positions.


    Looking at Hu Xiao who was standing beside them, Soong Xuan did not do anything. Soong Xuan had experienced Hu Xiao''s capabilities before, so she thought that Hu Xiao would just stand there and watch him die.


    "Come on, I was in the wrong for what happened today. Meeting by chance is fate, so let''s forget about the unpleasant things from before."


    Hu Xiao saw that there was less fear in Zhi Lan''s eyes and couldn''t help but to ask.


    It had been a long time since there was such a woman that fit his needs, and Hu Xiao couldn''t bear to see such a pitiful look on Soong Xuan''s face.


    "Thank you, Empress, for your understanding. The next City Lord''s Mansion is still having a feast, and the streets are bustling with people. How about you go to the little girl''s place first?"


    Soong Xuan said when she saw Hu Xiao feeling tired.


    "En, that''s good too. Zhi Lan, you can go back first. I will be back in a while."


    Zhi Lan nodded.


    In Liu City''s Song Manor.


    The mansion had a long, carved corridor with rows of servants. It was even better than the Mayor''s mansion.


    "Our Song Manor is the richest in Liuzhou City. Today, father has brought his wife to the City Lord''s Mansion to attend the banquet, but there''s no one in the mansion right now. First, let me bring you to my room to change."


    Seeing that Hu Xiao was still wearing her men''s clothes, she could not help but say this.


    After all, he already knew that Hu Xiao was a woman.


    She did not stay in the Song Palace for long, Hu Xiao merely wanted to watch Soong Xuan enter the Song Palace. Although most of the assassins had already been killed by Hu Xiao, she was still worried, because if she met with a few fish that escaped the net on the way back, the consequences would be unimaginable. Those that were saved with great difficulty, naturally had to be good people until the end.


    "No need. Since you''ve made it back to the Song Manor safely, I''ll return."


    With Hu Xiao''s status, it was naturally not good to stay outside, and upon seeing this, Soong Xuan did not urge him to stay any longer, as the sacrifice would take a few days, she was not in a rush, there would be more chances in the future.


    At the City Lord''s banquet.


    Ever since Hu Xiao left, the dancers went even further, one cup after another, welcoming him.


    Yin Fufeng had been tipsy for a long time. In his heart, Yin Fufeng was secretly anxious as he saw Qin Shuo''s blurry eyes. He pinched the Zhao Qiyan who was seated uneasily at the side.


    "Go and save His Majesty. With your hulking appearance, as long as you go up and shout at those dancers, they''ll naturally be afraid of you."


    "What?" You! "You!"


    Zhao Qiyan saw that his good friend had plotted against him again, but he was already impatient, when Zhao Qiyan saw that the dancers were about to touch Qin Shuo''s body, he could not help but glare at them, in his heart, Qin Shuo was the Son of Heaven, how could he allow these people to taint him?


    Seeing that, without waiting for Yin Fufeng''s urging, he anxiously walked up.


    "Go, go! The emperor doesn''t need your service. Don''t taint this general''s eyes!"


    Everyone here knew about Zhao Qiyan, so they thought that if Qin Shuo had fallen for them, they would be able to enter the palace to become their masters. But seeing how disgusted Zhao Qiyan was, most of them did not have the guts to do so, and retreated.


    "Your Majesty, you drank too much. This humble subject will send you back to rest."


    Seeing that Qin Shuo was already powerlessly leaning on the side, Zhao Qiyan stepped forward and supported Qin Shuo, wanting to bring him away.


    Seeing that, Yin Fufeng anxiously followed.


    The contents of the banquet were all the same, the children of the influential families were trying their best to win the attention of the court officials and Qin Shuo. All of these things that were attracting the attention of others felt that it was extremely boring.


    Seeing that the majority of the people were already drunk, Zhao Qiyan and Yin Fufeng supported Qin Shuo and left, leaving the banquet.


    "Alright, I''m not drunk."


    After exiting the front hall, Qin Shuo anxiously stood up from Zhao Qiyan''s body.


    Seeing that Qin Shuo''s expression was different from his previous blurry look, Zhao Qiyan gradually relaxed as well. It seemed that Qin Shuo did not like those banquets either.


    Seeing that Qin Shuo had nothing to do, the two of them left.


    Pushing open the door, the familiar figure on the bed made Qin Shuo slightly startled.


    A woman dressed in red lay on the bed. Qin Shuo had seen Hu Xiao dressed in red before, and it was extremely enchanting on her body.


    "Heh, did the empress think it through and come to offer herself up?"


    Qin Shuo was extremely familiar with Hu Xiao''s character, she definitely would not be able to come to his bed, but the red figure in front of him was extremely familiar, could it be that Hu Xiao was jealous when she saw those dancers sticking on his bed?


    Could it be because he was jealous that he left the banquet so early? And then come to his room and wait?


    He thought he had guessed what Hu Xiao was thinking, and with a smile he walked over to the person on the bed.


    Initially, they thought Hu Xiao was shy, but when they entered, the strong smell of fatty water powder immediately caused them to be dissatisfied. Hu Xiao had a faint medicinal scent on her body, and had never smelled anything like this before.


    If he was just jealous, he wouldn''t be like this.


    Sensing that something was wrong, Qin Shuo went forward and flipped the woman over. It really wasn''t Hu Xiao!


    Qin Shuo suddenly felt a sense of loss, and looking at the man on the bed who had such a charming look, he felt even more annoyed.


    "Wei Shi! Throw this woman out for me! "


    Hearing that, Courtier Wei anxiously ran in, Qin Shuo had never been so rude to girls before, so he did not dare say anything else and quickly dragged the woman who was kneeling out.


    "Your majesty, your majesty, spare me!"


    The woman hurriedly said as she saw the guards surrounding them.


    Initially, when she saw Hu Xiao wearing the red clothes, a look of shock flashed across Qin Shuo''s eyes, she thought that Qin Shuo had gotten drunk today. With the red clothes and the aphrodisiac spices that were burning in the house, the lady in red thought that she had made sufficient preparations, but somehow, something went wrong.


    "Drag her out and gag her."


    Courtier Wei saw that the lady was still speaking nonsense and quickly replied.


    After all, she had followed Qin Shuo for so many years, so she could naturally tell that her master was feeling extremely terrible right now.


    "Let''s go, let''s see what the empress is doing right now."


    The person who was leading Qin Shuo remembered Hu Xiao.

 C68

    The group of people majestically arrived at the Bedchamber where Hu Xiao resided.


    "What is it? The empress isn''t here? Since the empress isn''t here, why would you, the empress'' personal palace maid, be here? "


    He had already been waiting for Hu Xiao in the house for a long time, but Hu Xiao did not appear.


    "Reporting to Your Majesty, just now, this servant was kidnapped by someone. After waking up, this servant did everything I could think of to return here. This servant really doesn''t know where Empress is."


    Zhi Lan knelt on the ground and trembled, she had never seen Qin Shuo so angry before, but she was sweating on behalf of Hu Xiao.


    "Oh? "Since you haven''t come back to see the empress, why haven''t you come to report to me?"


    What was kidnapping? This was the territory of the Liuzhou City Master, how could anyone dare kidnap the empress''s servant here? Compared to the maids, Hu Xiao naturally had a higher status.


    "Servant, servant."


    Zhi Lan did not know how to reply. When Qin Shuo came here, he did not say it in such a manner, so he was afraid that what he said was wrong.


    "Heh, since you don''t know what to say, just keep kneeling over there. You can get up whenever the empress comes back."


    He did not know when he had let Hu Xiao go so far, but he became even more daring.


    He was just sitting there quietly, and was just getting slightly drunk just now, but he was getting more and more dizzy. Seeing Hu Xiao''s bed, Qin Shuo did not hesitate to turn and collapse.


    A good night''s dream.


    "What is it? The empress hasn''t come back for the whole night? "


    Qin Shuo, who had just woken up, coldly looked at Zhi Lan who was still kneeling on the ground and said.


    Yesterday, he gave the order of death, if Hu Xiao did not return, Zhi Lan would kneel for one day, and if she did not return for one day, she would kneel for one day, so naturally no one would let Zhi Lan get up, and no one would dare plead for one day, so how could Qin Shuo not know that Hu Xiao did not return for one night?


    "Your Majesty."


    Courtier Wei looked at the furious Qin Shuo, his heart beating heavily with sweat, but he knew that the Queen had gone too far, to not return for an entire night was too disrespectful.


    At this time, Zhi Lan only felt that the sky had fallen and the earth had crumbled. It was impossible for him to have not returned for a night without any business, something must have happened.


    "Your Majesty, please save Empress, no matter how much trouble the Empress has caused, she will not be able to return home overnight, it must be because something happened on her way back. Yesterday, the Empress had a good relationship with the young miss of the Song Manor, when the Miss Soong met with some trouble, the Empress sent Miss Song back.


    Afraid that Hu Xiao would encounter danger, Zhi Lan immediately told them everything that had happened yesterday.


    "Soong Xuan? Wei Shi, bring the people to the place that the little girl talked about. "


    "Okay."


    After Wei Shi heard this, he hurriedly brought his men to the Song Manor. If it was really as Miss Zhi Lan had said, then Empress must have met with some mishap.


    "What?" Empress had come to the manor before? However, this little one has never seen it. "


    Soong Xuan''s father fearfully said as she looked at the Courtier Wei. Anyone who saw the emperor''s personal eunuch so early in the morning would be a little surprised, and continued to come at him menacingly.


    "Empress? "They did come yesterday, but they did not stay in the mansion for very long before leaving. But what happened?"


    Soong Xuan had long heard that the Emperor had sent people over, and when she heard the conversation between the two, he quickly spoke up.


    "Hmm? Is this Miss Song? You said that Empress left yesterday? "


    Hearing that, Wei Shi''s face changed, if what Zhi Lan said was right, then where did the Empress go? Could something have really happened?


    Since he knew that the Empress was not here, there was no point in staying. After bidding the two of them farewell, Wei Shi went back to report.


    "What? They left yesterday? Seal off the entire mansion, only people are allowed to enter, and no one is allowed to leave! "


    Qin Shuo''s complexion really changed upon hearing this. With Hu Xiao''s abilities, it would not be difficult for him to return, it was definitely because he had met with some sort of accident on the way.


    Very soon, the news of the blockade of the yamen spread out. Everyone had a worried look on their faces, with the exception of those two people.


    The moment Qin Shuo sealed the yamen, everyone rushed there.


    Knowing that Hu Xiao had not been back for an entire night, everyone had different expressions.


    "You did it?" Why don''t you let me notify you? "


    When he heard that Hu Xiao had not been back for an entire night, Wen Fuchen immediately thought that Xue Mier had done so. Although he hoped that Hu Xiao would fall from the stage, it was not at this time either.


    "I don''t know. I thought it was you guys."


    Seeing Wen Fuchen asking her, Xue Mier also had a face of doubt, she thought that Wen Fuchen was the one who did this, but he never thought that there would be someone who didn''t know, but no matter who, as long as something happened to Hu Xiao, the greatest benefit would be her, Xue Mier.


    Looking at Qin Shuo''s expression, Xue Mier felt suspicious, but this was also an opportunity for her.


    "Your Majesty, is there any news about Empress? "Big sister was too careless. It''s fine if she went out to play, but she didn''t even let me know. I don''t know what she did out there, but even she doesn''t dare to come back now."


    Xue Mier said as she stood by the side.


    "Hmm? What did he do? Dear Consort thinks that the empress has forgotten to return after going out for a stroll? "


    Qin Shuo stared at Xue Mier with a gloomy face. Xue Mier was really dumb, she already knew that Xue Mier was in a bad mood, to actually dare to pull her teeth out from the tiger''s mouth.


    "Chenqie didn''t mean it that way. Your Majesty has misunderstood Chenqie. Chenqie also hopes that elder sister can return safely."


    Xue Mier saw that she had unknowingly angered Qin Shuo, and anxiously said.


    "Scram, get out."


    Seeing Xue Mier''s false appearance, Qin Shuo was secretly unhappy, but in his heart he was considering whether bringing Xue Mier out as well was a mistake or not.


    Seeing Qin Shuo like that, Xue Mier did not dare stay any longer, and quickly left.


    "I heard that the yamen was sealed off today, saying that someone stole an extremely precious item from the lord."


    "That''s right, I saw a large group of soldiers walking around early in the morning, so someone had actually stolen something from the mayor."


    "The thieves these days are too rampant. They actually dared to steal from His Majesty when she was staying at the yamen. Did they really not want her life?"


    "¡­ ¡­"


    Listening to the people talking about it, Hu Xiao felt bored.


    Looking at such a large lineup, it was most likely written by Qin Shuo, who said that someone stole the City Lord''s item, in the end, it was just to find him.


    Hu Xiao''s clothes were in a mess, but she could not do anything about it.


    Yesterday, after leaving the Song Palace, Hu Xiao was walking towards the yamen by herself, but halfway through, she asked for their killing intent. Originally, she thought that they were a group of people that were chasing after Soong Xuan, thus, she turned around and walked into the dark alley, planning to teach this group of impolite people a lesson.

 C69

    Originally, Hu Xiao thought that it was just like those small fries, she did not even put them in her eyes, and unknowingly, she was struck unconscious by the person hiding in the darkness.


    On the vertical beam, Hu Xiao saw that the few people had completely disregarded him, and sat around him, murmuring to themselves. Then, she stealthily got up and went forward.


    Hu Xiao quickly beat them up to the ground and looked at them coldly. Then she tied them up again.


    Before he could bring Hu Xiao up any questions, he saw the few lively people who were jumping around had all tilted their heads to the side, black blood flowing out of their mouths.


    Hu Xiao was shocked, she immediately went to check, only to realize that the few of them had seen the truth, they were afraid that she might not be able to endure the torture and say something she shouldn''t have, so she decided to bite off the poison that was buried by her teeth. The poison was extremely powerful, but in a moment, they had all lost their lives.


    She frowned as she looked at the few people who had been following him from the yamen until now. Just now, Hu Xiao had already vaguely felt their killing intent a few times, but it was concealed very well every time. Adding to the people she had met later on who tried to assassinate Soong Xuan, Hu Xiao thought that they were the same people.


    If training them was so easy, then the person who invited them must be either rich or powerful. Furthermore, they must also have the right to do so. Otherwise, the game wouldn''t be so fun to play.


    It seemed like his life was worth quite a sum. It was actually worth it for someone to waste such a large sum of money.


    Hu Xiao was a martial artist after all, and now that she saw someone willing to pay for her life, she even showed off a little. After looking at the dead body a few more times, Hu Xiao turned and left.


    If these few people did not succeed, and their master were to find out that they were incapable, they would definitely be severely punished, and have even sent people with even more powerful skills.


    When she came out, she saw the soldiers on the streets. Hu Xiao was also shocked, but after hearing the people''s narration, Hu Xiao became relieved, and only because of this, Hu Xiao did not have her usual high-spirited look. Those soldiers did not even ask a single word, and only thought of Hu Xiao as the little beggar of Liuzhou City.


    Although the City Lord Palace was talking about a thief who stole something, then the first to be suspected would be this little beggar. But now, they had turned a blind eye towards him, and presumably, the order they received was to search for their Empress. After all, he had not returned for an entire night, so Qin Shuo was definitely furious.


    He slowly made his way to the main city gate office, and sure enough, he saw Yin Fufeng and Zhao Qiyan at the entrance looking around, as if they were looking forward to something.


    Qin Shuo did not mind being anxious, but these two people that Hu Xiao thought were his friends, Hu Xiao did not have the heart to make them be so anxious.


    "Where did this beggar come from? Let''s go quickly! This is silver!"


    Zhao Qiyan only saw a woman with tattered clothes appear before him. Right now, she was extremely annoyed, but she couldn''t help but throw the few pieces of silver in her arms into Hu Xiao''s arms and drive him away.


    Yin Fufeng originally thought the same as Zhao Qiyan, but the beggar in front of him was not moved at all by the silver in his hands, and even continued to look at Zhao Qiyan and him, and after staring for a while, Yin Fufeng slightly smiled.


    "Empress."


    After he recovered from the pain, Yin Fufeng bowed to the beggar in front of him.


    Zhao Qiyan was startled, "Empress? Where is the Empress! "


    The big and sturdy man had been worrying about Hu Xiao''s safety for the entire morning, but there was not a single trace of Hu Xiao to be found in the entire city. Seeing Yin Fufeng suddenly bow, he became extremely terrified, and carefully took a look at the person Yin Fufeng was bowing to was the beggar who had just lost his silver.


    Staring, Zhao Qiyan was immediately scared until his legs became weak, and just as he was about to fall to the ground in embarrassment, Yin Fufeng saw that he needed help.


    Hu Xiao saw that the two of them recognized him, so she used her eyes to signal them to follow her.


    "Empress, how can you be like this? Did something happen outside yesterday? This humble subject will go and take revenge for the Empress, the person who should be bullying my East Court, she is tired of living! "


    Zhao Qiyan became more and more agitated, especially when he saw Hu Xiao in such a sorry state.


    "Shut up!" looked at Hu Xiao and said once more, "Does the Empress not wish to appear right now? What do we need to do? "


    Hu Xiao glanced at Yin Fufeng in praise. As expected of the old cunning fox, but in the short exchange, he already knew what he was going to do.


    Hu Xiao did not hide anything and told her plan to Yin Fufeng and Zhao Qiyan.


    So the reason why Hu Xiao did not appear now was to let the person behind him to reveal herself, and with the two of them hiding in the shadows, it was clear who would be the first to reveal themselves.


    Yin Fufeng naturally understood the principles behind Hu Xiao''s trip, so he did not try to stop him. Seeing that his fox-like good friend did not have any words to say to stop him, Zhao Qiyan forced himself to stop himself from saying anything, and tried to advise him otherwise.


    "In that case, esteemed wangfei, you must be extra careful. You must ensure that you return before the sacrifice. If there''s anything you need help with, just let us know."


    Seeing that his good friend was so sensible, Yin Fufeng comforted him a lot.


    With just a quick thought, he understood that Hu Xiao''s appearance was not well-known by anyone within the East Court. It was likely that those assassins knew about him, so they had naturally been following him all the way from the yamen, and thus the people within the yamen became the main suspect. Now that Hu Xiao had left the hiding place, those people would definitely be thrown into disarray, and with that, they would be able to see who was behind.


    "Mn, I will do so, it''s just that I''m not here, so His Majesty will definitely make things difficult for my people in the palace, especially Zhi Lan. You guys think of a way to stop him, but you must not let His Majesty teach me, Zhi Lan, a ruthless lesson."


    Seeing Zhao Qiyan who was hesitating at the side, Hu Xiao laughed in her heart, to be able to make Zhao Qiyan be so bashful and not say anything, Hu Xiao thought that the only person who could cause him to not say anything was Zhi Lan, and if she did not return tonight, Qin Shuo would definitely vent her anger and anger, and with so many people protecting her, she would definitely be able to protect her well.


    Seeing that the two of them had agreed, Hu Xiao limped far away.


    "Is the Empress really fine?" "Why do I feel that something''s wrong? Is the Empress''s foot injured?"


    Zhao Qiyan looked at Hu Xiao''s back and asked. He was really used to Hu Xiao''s arrogant and domineering attitude, but now that he saw it ¡­ Weird ¡­ Hu Xiao found it hard to adapt to the current situation.


    "It doesn''t matter. The Empress is so intelligent, so naturally no one would dare make things difficult for her. The two of us should think carefully about how we should defend the Empress in front of His Majesty without any doubts."


    Yin Fufeng slapped Zhao Qiyan on the head, feeling that he was going to fail.

 C70

    Qin Shuo heaved a sigh of relief when he saw Yin Fufeng and Zhao Qiyan enter.


    "Then, is the woman in shabby clothes with you two just now the Queen? If that''s not the case, you guys should at least give me a proper explanation. "


    Just now, he had wanted to go out and see if there was any news of Hu Xiao, but in the end, he saw three people in the corner, and then Qin Shuo quietly walked in.


    Zhao Qiyan and Yin Fufeng were shocked upon hearing this, they did not know when Qin Shuo saw them, but the two did not know, and could only inform the situation, if not, with their little tricks, it would not even be enough in front of Qin Shuo.


    "Your Majesty, that woman is indeed the Empress, but the Empress also has her own difficulties."


    Yin Fufeng saw that Qin Shuo seemed to have calmed down a bit, and told his everything he knew, especially when he heard that Hu Xiao had been beaten unconscious by others. That was why she did not return for one night, and almost shattered the teacup in her hand.


    "Humph!" He truly had the guts! Check with me. If you can''t find out anything, then you don''t have to come to me. What about the empress? Where is the Queen now? "Since we already know that it''s extremely dangerous outside, why are we still staying outside?"


    When he realized that it was not intentional nor did he stay out of the night, Qin Shuo actually let out a small sigh of relief. He wasn''t that stupid, but when he heard Hu Xiao''s plans, Qin Shuo couldn''t help but feel angry.


    A burst of crackling sound made everyone hold their breath, they stood there quietly, they had never seen Qin Shuo get so angry, all of them felt guilty, the room became quiet, but they still could not see the thing inside.


    "Forget it, the Empress is right to do so. Zhao Qiyan, I shall leave the Queen''s safety in your hands. You need to bring the Queen back to us unharmed."


    He was a dignified emperor, yet he could not even protect his own wife. With Qin Shuo''s strong self-esteem, how could she endure it? But if she were to forcefully retrieve Hu Xiao now, then all of Hu Xiao''s previous efforts would be for naught.


    With their eyes closed, everyone noticed that Qin Shuo had stopped scolding people and quietly left.


    "How about General Zhao? Did we find the Empress? "


    Zhi Lan had been waiting here since the moment she heard the noise inside Qin Shuo''s house, so she quickly grabbed Zhao Qiyan and asked.


    A grown man, a dignified, with a face as red as an apple. Looking at the hands that were being held by Zhi Lan, she actually didn''t know where to start.


    Seeing that Zhi Lan was getting more and more anxious, Yin Fufeng saw that he had watched enough and finally released Zhao Qiyan from his hands and said: "Empress is fine, I just do not plan to come back yet, don''t worry, we still have things to do, and will take our leave first."


    With that, he pulled Zhao Qiyan who was still in a daze, and left. The two of them had many things to do, they could not afford to delay any longer.


    "Cousin, what should we do?" "What do you think about the empress?"


    Xue Mier had long been chased out of the room by Qin Shuo and was feeling annoyed. When she saw Wen Fuchen walk in, she asked anxiously.


    "How is it? Didn''t those people come here to report that they had been captured? Let''s just kill them over there. It''ll be good if we clear out those who don''t listen to us early. "


    Wen Fuchen squinted his eyes, and said to Xue Mier word for word.


    "What!"


    Xue Mier was shocked upon hearing this. Previously, she had only thought that they would teach Hu Xiao a lesson after capturing him, but now, Wen Fuchen had actually said that he wanted to kill him! After all, what should he do if he was found out?


    "If we don''t take advantage of this opportunity to get rid of him, then there will be endless troubles in the future. After getting rid of him, I''ll have all of the officials request the emperor to support you. In that case, our families will shine."


    Backward! Xue Mier''s heart trembled. It could be considered to be a pretty good choice.


    Seeing the bird standing at the window, Xue Mier stepped forward and took the slip of paper from the bird''s feet.


    "The empress has fled, and is currently pursuing him with all her might."


    These few words actually caused Xue Mier''s beautiful face to go pale. Wen Fuchen curiously looked at it and his heart felt a little disappointed.


    "Let them go all out in their pursuit. They will use any means they can to reach their goal. If something happens in the process, then they don''t need to worry about it. It''s even better if they die!"


    Wen Fuchen had already hated Hu Xiao to the core, but now that he saw Hu Xiao actually escape from the hands of those few people, he was naturally extremely nervous.


    They were already grasshoppers on the same rope, and they could move their entire bodies at any moment. Now, they could only choose to get rid of Hu Xiao as soon as possible, and the two of them might have a chance of survival.


    At this time, Zhao Qiyan and Yin Fufeng had arrived at the place where Hu Xiao was talking about.


    "Tonight, you must go with me to meet His Majesty. This is a rare opportunity for us to shine in our Soong Family. Whether or not we can bring honor to our ancestors will all depend on you."


    Within the Song Residence.


    Soong Xuan was kneeling on the ground, listening to her father''s teachings.


    The current generation of Soong Family were all merchants, and their relationship with the Liuzhou Yamen was pretty good as well. The days were rather comfortable, but he didn''t know who exactly the old master had gotten him used to the hallucinatory medicine the previous day, but now, he wanted to bring Soong Xuan to His Majesty no matter what, in order to soar into the sky.


    Soong Xuan was used to being domineering in front of Master Soong, after seeing that it was just a few sentences, she immediately turned and left.


    "You, why are you here?"


    Originally, he planned to rest for a bit, but when he saw the person inside the house, he was shocked.


    "I came because I wanted to, but right now, I need you to do me a favor."


    Seeing Soong Xuan who was so shocked, Hu Xiao''s mood was extremely good, even she had climbed over the wall to pass through Zhao Qiyan''s house, let alone this small Song Manor.


    It was fortunate that Hu Xiao came straight to her room, if she had heard what Soong Xuan''s father said just now, then something big would have happened.


    "I heard you talking to my father just now."


    Hu Xiao seemed to be able to hear the voice in her heart, and so she said it out loud.


    "Then what do you want me to do?"


    Since she heard it, she did not plan to agree. It was just a thought, in this world, there were too many women, she did not believe that Hu Xiao could do anything to her.


    "Do you know that the City Lord''s Mansion has been sealed off for only entering and not exiting?"


    Without speaking, Hu Xiao started to ask about the matters of the City Lord''s Mansion.


    "I know. Eunuch Wei, who was with His Majesty, came to the Song Manor in the morning to inquire if you were here yesterday and was sent away by me. What happened to you yesterday?"


    Soong Xuan had left yesterday. Logically speaking, Elder Wei should not have brought him to the Song Manor.


    "Hehe, the favor I want you to help is to agree to see His Majesty tonight, while I will accompany you as your maid."


    "What!"

 C71

    Soong Xuan was startled, who would know that her husband was going there and yet wanted to force her to go there?


    "Shouldn''t you have done everything you could to stop me from going?"


    What exactly was Hu Xiao thinking? Even if Hu Xiao was now an Empress, shouldn''t losing a competitor in a place like the imperial palace be able to make her beloved last a little longer?


    "Do you think I can stop it? [There are countless girls in this world who have this kind of intention. Wouldn''t they be tired if I tried to stop them all?] Forget about it, if those courtiers and officials knew about it, they would give me the title of jealous. It would be difficult to do so left and right, why did I not let myself live a little easier? "


    Soong Xuan''s thoughts were also the thoughts of a majority of the women, but this thought was too tiring, if she was not careful and did something disrespectful, when the time came, the consequences could be described with more than just the word "tragic".


    He had never heard Hu Xiao speak so casually before. In the past, all of these were Soong Xuan''s thoughts, but at home, the father had forced him to change them a little, and now, Hu Xiao''s words caused him to recall again, if there was someone to guide him, it would not be too presumptuous of him.


    "No, the more free and easy you are, the more I will treat you as a friend. I absolutely cannot do such a thing that would harm you, no matter what. Also, is the thief that the mayor was talking about the empress you?"


    All of a sudden, she recalled the scene on the streets today, and seeing Hu Xiao''s current state, she came up with a rough idea. It must be that there was some kind of misunderstanding between Hu Xiao and Her Majesty, and that way, she would not be able to take advantage of it and enter.


    "Heh heh, you''ll agree before nightfall."


    Hearing that, Hu Xiao did not argue with Soong Xuan anymore. With Soong Xuan''s father''s determined look, Soong Xuan would agree to it no matter what.


    "Impossible!"


    Soong Xuan steeled her heart, if she had persisted, then her father would not have done too much, but she had still underestimated the power of her aunt.


    Initially, she had even wanted to bring Hu Xiao for a walk, but with her protection, it would not be too difficult. If she could not even avoid these insignificant soldiers, then she, Soong Xuan, would definitely become the richest merchant in the Liuzhou City.


    But before Soong Xuan could bring Hu Xiao out, her father had already rushed over.


    "Follow me."


    Seeing that Soong Xuan was about to leave the palace and play crazily, Soong Xuan''s father was so angry that she blew her beard and stared. In the past, if Soong Xuan was playing around like this, with his title of being the richest man in the Liuzhou, she could protect Soong Xuan, but now, since she had already made up her mind to send Soong Xuan to the palace, she definitely could not let Soong Xuan do whatever she wanted.


    Seeing that Soong Xuan wanted to escape, Master Soong quickly looked over to the butler. She saw that there were a few more servants by Soong Xuan''s side, and just as Soong Xuan wanted to resist, she was subdued by them.


    Soong Xuan, who had never received such treatment before, was extremely furious.


    naturally saw her daughter''s eyes, and immediately turned away. Soong Xuan was also his precious baby, but if it wasn''t for the fact that the situation didn''t allow it, and if he wanted to continue on with his Soong Family, she could only go this way.


    Pressing Soong Xuan into the Soong Family Ancestral Temple.


    In the Ancestral Temple, Soong Xuan suppressed the words that she wanted to say. All of the ancestors'' spirits were worshipped inside, so they absolutely could not make a ruckus, if they were to disturb the ancestors'' spirits, it would be a huge sin.


    "Father."


    At this time, Soong Xuan understood what else his father did not understand, for his father to be able to force him into the Ancestral Shrine, which explained how determined he was to see Her Majesty. On one side was his father, and on the other was Hu Xiao.


    "Xuan''er, I know that you don''t want to do this, but this is a chance to make our Soong Family shine like a sun." Xuan''er, I know that you don''t want to do this, but this is also a chance to make our Soong Family shine like a sun,


    The saw the disbelief in Soong Xuan''s eyes and her heart tightened a little. The palace was another place that ate people without spitting out their bones, but fortunately, his daughter was an intelligent child and her beauty was of the highest class. Naturally, she would live a more wonderful life than before.


    "I''m going out. Xuan''er, think it over first. Before the banquet tonight, I''ll come to pick you up and go with you."


    Knowing that there was no longer any leeway left, Soong Xuan felt very uncomfortable.


    In the past, if she, Soong Xuan, didn''t want to do anything, her father would not make things difficult for her. But now, her father''s attitude was this hard, there was no room for negotiation.


    When Hu Xiao saw that the Master Soong had forcefully brought Soong Xuan away, he had already hidden herself and knew that Master Soong would not give up just like that. This way, Hu Xiao would be at ease and stay in Soong Xuan''s room.


    Hu Xiao, who always came to dress up, fell asleep without any burden on her heart, until she was awakened by the door''s sound. Today, hiding and hiding had long exhausted Hu Xiao''s body and mind, but after sleeping for a while, she felt much better.


    He crawled up to see Soong Xuan walking in dejectedly.


    "What is it? But did he agree? "


    Looking at her wronged expression, Hu Xiao guessed correctly, in just a few hours, Hu Xiao had already seen through Soong Xuan, and it was still early, if Soong Xuan did not agree, she would not be able to come out now.


    Soong Xuan rolled her eyes. Hu Xiao, who was laughing happily at the side, knew that she was not in a good mood, but she did not care about her feeling.


    "If you continue to mock me like this, be careful that I won''t bring you to the banquet tonight."


    Seeing Hu Xiao laugh way too much, Soong Xuan could not help but say this.


    "Enough, you just don''t want to be chosen by His Majesty. This is a very simple matter. If you agree to take me there, I will definitely fulfill your wish."


    It was just a small matter, Soong Xuan did not know that Hu Xiao would be upset.


    As expected, after Soong Xuan heard what Hu Xiao said, she instantly turned to look at him.


    Hu Xiao kept her word, since he was so sure, then there must be a way to let him have what she wanted.


    In this way, the two of them could be considered as having done it in one hit.


    After discussing the countermeasures, Soong Xuan easily went to dress up as her father wished, while his personal servant girl took out a set of maid clothes for Hu Xiao to change into.

 C72

    Hu Xiao''s disappearance had caused the entire Liuzhou City Palace to be immersed in a feeling of low blood pressure, yet it just so happened that no one dared to even touch His Majesty''s brow.


    Originally, he thought that the Southern Patrol Sacrifice ceremony would proceed smoothly as per usual, but he never thought that due to the fact that this year, the Emperor and Queen came to the Liuzhou City together, they would cause so much trouble for the Empress.


    Although he was dissatisfied with the empress, he didn''t dare to say it out loud. Just as he was thinking about how to resolve the issue, darkness shrouded his vision. He raised his head to look at the person and was shocked.


    Chu Feng had never seen this man before. Yet, this man had managed to appear before him without making a sound. If this matter were to happen to His Majesty, it would be a capital offense.


    "What do you want? "Who are you?"


    Just as he was about to shout for his bodyguards to come forward and protect him, the black-clothed man covered his mouth.


    "If you do not wish to die, then do not speak. Right now, I am not here to take your life. If you do anything that I do not wish to see, then your life will not be something that you can decide."


    The black man''s low voice sounded beside Prefect''s ears. Hearing the threatening words from his mouth, Prefect absolutely did not dare to take a single step further.


    I know that the reason why the yamen is sealed is to find a Queen. Now, I have come to tell you to resolve this matter as soon as possible.


    Furthermore, if they were to keep sending out soldiers like this, they would have no chance at all. However, he did not say those words out loud.


    "Do you really think I don''t want to settle this as soon as possible? But now, I don''t even know where the Empress is, how do you want me to settle this? Since you are able to pass through layers of defenses and arrive in front of me, does that mean you have clues to the Empress? "


    If the black clothed man had entered so deeply into the tiger''s cave just to let him solve the Empress''s problem quickly, Prefect would definitely not believe him. But no matter what, if this person could provide him with a clue, it would be beneficial for them.


    "Master is really smart, how would I know any clues about the Empress? I have only come here today to tell sire that if you want to find the Empress, then you must naturally go door to door in the entire Liuzhou City to search for it. "


    After the black clothed man finished speaking, he left without waiting for Prefect''s reply.


    Prefect acted as if he understood something and rushed towards Qin Shuo''s location.


    "Your Majesty, this subject has already investigated and found nothing strange within the Liuzhou City."


    and Yin Fufeng had long since cleaned up Liu Sisi''s tail, so he had returned to report.


    Qin Shuo listened and nodded.


    The fact that there was no news from the Liuzhou City was the best news, and thus, he gave the order to eliminate some of the troops, before seeing the Prefect rushing in.


    "Your majesty, please do not do this. Now that the Empress is missing, and this is only the first time that the Empress has been to the Liuzhou City, I believe she will not go too far. If you do not hurry up your search for the city, something might happen to the Empress."


    The words he had heard from the black clothed man were not without reason. If he increased the range of his search, he would definitely be able to find the Empress very quickly.


    Qin Shuo looked at the Prefect, he might as well do as he said, but the main force was not looking for the empress, they were looking for the people who dared to kill the empress.


    "I will do as you say, you will be in charge of Zhao Qiyan, and you must find the Queen, and after Prefect leaves, the two of you will stay behind for a while."


    That group of assassins dared to kill the Queen in broad daylight, then they must know the Queen''s whereabouts like the back of their hand. Other than Zhao Qiyan and Yin Fufeng, Qin Shuo did not believe anyone else.


    Prefect naturally knew that he did not have much authority here, and upon hearing Qin Shuo''s orders, he bowed and then left.


    "There is some truth to what Prefect said, but your goal here is not the empress. We firmly believe that the empress can handle this kind of trivial matter, so the people you are looking for are the killers, you guys must find the one behind this no matter what.


    In the end, Qin Shuo was still worried that Hu Xiao would not be able to stay out here alone, so if Zhao Qiyan led his troops to scout house to house in the city, he would definitely be able to play a role to protect Hu Xiao.


    Zhao Qiyan and Yin Fufeng naturally knew what Qin Shuo meant, so the two of them quickly retreated.


    The people who were chasing and killing Hu Xiao were hiding in the dark, but they were in the open.


    Although the empress had disappeared, the banquet would not stop because of her.


    "Xuan''er, the time has come. Please follow me to meet His Majesty."


    Seeing that the time was almost up, Master Soong came to Soong Xuan''s room early and waited, afraid that if he did not pay attention, Soong Xuan would disappear without a trace.


    "Daddy, you''re here."


    Liu Sisi and Hu Xiao had already been waiting in their room for a long time, and when the Master Soong called for them, they made some preparations and walked out.


    Looking at the brand-new Soong Xuan, Master Soong felt gratified.


    On the way here, he had been thinking about how he would capture Soong Xuan and bring him back if she escaped right before the battle?


    "Xuan''er, you''ve grown up."


    With just one sentence, Master Soong made Soong Xuan feel very sad. He thought that since he agreed to meet His Majesty with his father today, he should be very happy.


    She, Soong Xuan, was not at the palace. Furthermore, she had just discussed the plan with Hu Xiao earlier, so no matter what, her majesty would not take a fancy to her today.


    It was just a formality. It was enough to let his father, whose heart had been broken, have a happy time.


    The pleased Master Soong did not see Hu Xiao behind Soong Xuan and only took him as Liu Sisi''s maid. After giving his a few more instructions, he sat in the carriage and went to the yamen.


    With a single sentence, the first time she saw His Majesty, who was not nervous, was already a lie. Although Southern Patrol Sacrifice was usually held in the context of Liuzhou City in the past, Soong Xuan had never seen his majesty in person.


    Was he really as handsome and dashing as he was left behind?


    "Relax, it''s just one person. Don''t be too nervous."


    Seeing Soong Xuan being so nervous, Hu Xiao could not help but console him.


    Thinking about it, when she left this morning, she seemed to have seen Qin Shuo''s figure in the yamen, but she did not know if it was because she was seeing things, and if she saw him later, she could ask.


    He thought that he should discuss the matter of him being hunted down with His Majesty. If there were others who tried to assassinate him, then things would not be good.


    Soon they were at the dining room, as bored as they had been the day before.


    When Qin Shuo walked in, he immediately saw Hu Xiao behind Soong Xuan, and was slightly startled.

 C73

    Originally, she thought that it would take some time before the two of them could meet again, but who knew that Hu Xiao would actually be so bold to walk into the banquet so openly.


    But seeing Hu Xiao''s appearance, Qin Shuo''s heart calmed down a bit. At this moment, he was incomparably glad that Hu Xiao''s skills were not bad, and when she saw Hu Xiao''s smeared face, Qin Shuo was slightly stunned. Seeing Hu Xiao''s appearance, it was unknown what rotten idea she had.


    After eating and drinking to their heart''s content, it was time for the aristocratic women to perform again.


    "Greetings to Your Majesty. My daughter learned that Your Majesty had personally gone to the Liuzhou, and she had long since learnt a dance to offer to Your Majesty as a wish."


    Seeing that the atmosphere had gradually turned cold, the Master Soong shamelessly walked forward and said.


    Seeing that the person who just spoke was the person who brought Hu Xiao in, Qin Shuo was startled.


    With the current situation, he would usually push his own sons and daughters out for Qin Shuo to see. If he had made a decision, then he would be lucky.


    He became increasingly curious as to what Hu Xiao was planning.


    "Yes."


    Seeing that the person was still waiting for his words, Qin Shuo nodded his head slightly, then allowed a lady to walk up happily.


    "Your Majesty, this is the number one merchant in the Liuzhou City, the Patriarch of Soong Family. That woman is the elder who came here with the Soong Family. She is normally well-liked, but her personality ¡­"


    Wei Shi did not say anything, but Qin Shuo already knew, his personality was definitely above Hu Xiao''s, if not he would not have chatted with Hu Xiao happily.


    In the end, she was still a young lady from an aristocratic family. Even though Soong Family was the home of a merchant, the education of a young lady from an aristocratic family was not inferior at all.


    Soong Xuan''s temper was something that everyone in Liu Cheng knew, and seeing such a serious Soong Xuan, she was stunned.


    However, Soong Xuan''s beauty did not last for long, only a burst of exclamations could be heard, and when Hu Xiao looked over, she saw that Soong Xuan had already fallen to the ground, and the plan was carried out smoothly like before. Seeing Master Soong sitting in her chair, not daring to move forward, Hu Xiao had to withstand the pressure and walked forward.


    There was no other way to make Soong Xuan stay in the center of the hall, and no one in the hall dared to step forward.


    "Miss, Miss, what happened to you?"


    Hu Xiao calmed herself down and anxiously ran in, and helped Soong Xuan up from the ground.


    looked at Hu Xiao who had shouted out so loudly, and tried to hold back her laughter. So it was actually because of this idea, and the others couldn''t see it, but Qin Shuo could clearly see that Soong Xuan had originally been extremely good at jumping, but she had purposely thrown herself on the ground, and thinking back to that Master Soong who was in a rush to recommend him to Soong Xuan, Qin Shuo didn''t understand anything.


    "Get someone to bring this Miss Soong down to rest."


    After instructing the Courtier Wei to bring the Miss Soong down to rest, Qin Shuo saw that Hu Xiao was following him closely and was already more than two-thirds sure of her previous guess.


    After placing Soong Xuan down, Hu Xiao found an opportunity to walk out. There were some things that she needed to investigate about, and she could not do it as the Empress.


    "What is it? You can bear to come back? "


    Seeing Hu Xiao sneakily leaving, Qin Shuo stopped him.


    "His Imperial Majesty has recognized the wrong person."


    Looking at the Qin Shuo in front of him, Hu Xiao was shocked. How in the world did Qin Shuo see through his ghastly appearance?


    "Heh, were you injured outside?"


    Seeing that Hu Xiao was not admitting it even if she was beaten to death, it was rare that Qin Shuo did not cause a ruckus with Hu Xiao.


    "Your Majesty, chenqie."


    It had been a long time since anyone had shown such concern for him, and Hu Xiao felt a twinge in her heart. She had always thought that Qin Shuo and him had always hated each other, but she did not know when it had unknowingly become worried for each other.


    "I know it''s you."


    "Forget it, it''s fine if you recognize me." "Chenqie''s purpose in returning was to remind Your Majesty to be extremely careful. Those assassins were in the shadows, but I don''t know if they were here for Chenqie or for some other reason. Just be careful."


    Hu Xiao said as she looked at Qin Shuo who was standing in front of him.


    "Is the empress worried about loneliness?"


    Hu Xiao''s words made Qin Shuo''s gloomy face, which had been silent for the whole day, warm up a little.


    "Your Majesty is overthinking things. Who wouldn''t care about your consolation in East Court? Your Majesty, don''t worry. Chenqie will definitely return before the sacrifice. "


    Seeing that the crowd was growing larger, Hu Xiao quickly said a few words before leaving in a hurry. At that moment, he absolutely could not casually expose herself, what else was there to investigate?


    After seeing Hu Xiao disappear in the blink of an eye before her eyes, her expression which was slightly warmer then darkened.


    "By the way, Your Majesty, please remove those search warrants outside. This is too inconvenient."


    As if she remembered something, Hu Xiao ran back and sat on the wall.


    "Yes."


    Sitting on the wall and swaying around, he looked really good. Although he was not as gentle and elegant as the women from East Court, he still had a kind of freedom that belonged solely to Hu Xiao.


    This was one of the main reasons why Hu Xiao followed Soong Xuan to see him. As she was too nervous, Hu Xiao actually forgot her purpose for coming here.


    "Your Majesty? Assassin? Hurry, come protect us, hurry and capture us assassins. "


    Just then, the imperial guards saw Hu Xiao jumping down from the wall and anxiously said. They were about to send people to capture Hu Xiao, but they were stopped by Qin Shuo.


    "Forget it, we are merely old friends. There is no need for you to be so concerned. You all can continue patrolling."


    Although Hu Xiao''s techniques were good, but she could not wait to be captured by so many guards. Although it was strange, Qin Shuo had already given the orders for everyone to continue their patrols.


    But for Hu Xiao, the situation was completely different, and this made Hu Xiao think that it was already over. She was thinking about how she should go and check, when Hu Xiao was suddenly stopped by someone.


    She couldn''t help but want to hold her forehead. Could it be that she didn''t go out to look at the calendars today? Looking at Zhao Qiyan in front of him, Hu Xiao really didn''t know whether to laugh or cry, especially at the moment Zhao Qiyan made his move.


    "Empress?"


    Just now, outside the wall, he heard the shouts for an assassin, so Zhao Qiyan anxiously rushed over, looked at the person in front of him and rushed over without caring about anything, in Zhao Qiyan''s dictionary, there was no woman that could not be beaten, and this person was an assassin!


    But when they started fighting, Zhao Qiyan anxiously stopped, but after fighting with Hu Xiao, Zhao Qiyan remembered that Hu Xiao had a unique skill, so when she fought, Zhao Qiyan was stunned.


    Once again being recognized, Hu Xiao was suspicious of him. Was his disguise so useless? They all recognized him after just one exchange? Even Zhao Qiyan went overboard, and remembered himself deeply after the fight.


    "Empress, why did you climb the wall again?" Is there really any difficulty? "


    After searching in the city for a long time, he had not found any news of Hu Xiao, so when he saw Hu Xiao, he was stunned.


    "Empress? It''s really you? "


    Before Hu Xiao could say anything, a person saved him.

 C74

    He really didn''t see the calendar when he went out today. He was so unlucky that he didn''t want to see anyone.


    "Zhi Lan, how are you? Has His Majesty ever punished you? "


    Pulling Zhi Lan''s claws off her body, she said.


    Since he did not return last night, it was assumed that Zhi Lan, as his personal maid, would definitely vent her anger. It was just that he did not know whether this punishment was severe or not.


    Hearing that, Zhi Lan quietly retreated a few steps, and then respectfully replied.


    "Reporting to the Empress, His Majesty did not punish me. You can rest assured."


    Zhi Lan''s small movements naturally could not be hidden from Hu Xiao, Hu Xiao looked straight at Zhi Lan, and saw how Zhi Lan was acting. Without her saying anything, Hu Xiao could already guess what punishment Qin Shuo had given him.


    It was just like last time, he would just make me kneel. If Master does not come back, then I will not get up, but now that there are so many people here, Hu Xiao could directly check on them.


    "General Zhao, I will have to trouble you to take care of Zhi Lan. At this time, I am a missing person, Zhi Lan must help me confuse the rest in my residence."


    "What?" Empress, you don''t plan to bring Zhi Lan along? "


    When Zhi Lan heard Hu Xiao''s words, she was stunned. Zhi Lan blamed herself endlessly for putting Hu Xiao in such a difficult situation, she had thought that if she were to look at Hu Xiao now, Hu Xiao would bring him along, but she never thought that Hu Xiao did not have any intentions of bringing her away.


    Hu Xiao panicked a little when she saw Zhi Lan''s tears that were about to fall.


    "Zhi Lan, Zhi Lan, what are you doing? It''s not that I don''t want to bring you along, it''s just that I can''t help you with the current situation. If you''re not in the house, those assassins would know that I''ve already appeared.


    Zhi Lan actually did not know what Hu Xiao went through yesterday, and now that she suddenly heard that Hu Xiao had been kidnapped, she felt even more guilty.


    "Empress, if Zhi Lan had not returned to the manor en route, the Empress would not have encountered these calamities. Zhi Lan, please punish her!"


    With that, Zhi Lan kneeled down. How could I possibly have Master suffering outside, and this servant not getting hurt at all?


    "When and what are you doing! What does this have to do with you? I don''t blame you, so I''m ordering you to stay in the government court and pay attention to strange things there. When you return, you''ll have to check. "


    After Hu Xiao finished speaking, she immediately climbed over the wall and left. She did not know if she continued to stay, but maybe later, Zhi Lan would commit suicide to apologize.


    Hu Xiao had never known that Zhi Lan was actually this sincere to him. It was only that she had disappeared for an entire night, yet in Zhi Lan''s heart, it was actually that kind of torture. It was Hu Xiao who came to this world with this warmth.


    However, the Hu Xiao at this time, was unable to return to their side. She was surrounded by an unknown danger, so she naturally had to think of all sorts of ways to get rid of these dangers.


    Seeing Hu Xiao not even being able to see her figure, yet Zhi Lan was still kneeling on the ground. Zhao Qiyan felt a kind of heartache.


    "Alright, the empress has already walked far away. What we need to do now is to help the empress find those assassins as soon as possible, only then will Empress be at ease."


    Zhao Qiyan really did not know how to protect Zhi Lan, and only spoke out what he was thinking in his heart.


    "Thank you, General Zhao."


    She naturally knew what the empress was saying. In this palace that ate people and spat out their bones, there would always be people in high positions chasing after them. What they could do now was to eliminate these threats as soon as possible.


    Zhi Lan didn''t have any intention to chat with Zhao Qiyan at the moment, and quietly calmed down. After thanking Zhao Qiyan, she left.


    The Rites of Heavenly Worship was only a few days away, he had to clean up the killers right now.


    Within the Song Residence.


    "Xuan''er, what''s going on today in front of your majesty? Your dancing father knows very well, could it be that you did it on purpose? "


    Master Soong who had been waiting for Soong Xuan in the Song Manor for a long time asked.


    Looking at his father''s expression, Soong Xuan was a little dissatisfied. To think that the first thing she did upon seeing his father was not to ask about his injuries, but to scold him verbally.


    "Father, my father should have seen how injured I was in the great hall. Could it be that in father''s eyes, my daughter will lose face in front of everyone because she didn''t want to see His Majesty hurt herself in front of everyone?"


    Soong Xuan was the Master Soong''s favorite in the first place, but for some reason recently, the Master Soong felt like she was bewitched by someone, wanting to show her face in front of His Majesty. Even her only daughter wanted to send her to that place to protect her long-term prosperity.


    "Xuan''er, your father has doted on you for so long, you shouldn''t be so willful. You should also blame your father for spoiling you into such a lawless state. Or even just disappear like that? "


    Today, Hu Xiao did not come with him when they returned to the manor. Although Soong Xuan resisted, she had never suspected Hu Xiao, and in Soong Xuan''s eyes, since Hu Xiao was the one who thought of this matter, it was definitely safe. However, Soong Xuan would never tell her father about Hu Xiao''s identity.


    "Father, daughter isn''t that kind of person who doesn''t know the big picture. Don''t worry, if His Majesty blames her today, daughter will be willing to shoulder the blame all by herself. I definitely won''t implicate even the slightest bit of her Soong Family."


    "You can say that, but don''t hide behind the lord again."


    Just as Soong Xuan finished speaking, she heard the voice of her father''s side room.


    Soong Xuan looked at it for a while, and finally understood why his mother was in such a predicament. She had been by her father''s side for so long.


    "Haha, I''ve truly troubled mother. You actually sent people outside to kill me. In the end, you thought of such a method. Father, you''ve truly become muddle-headed."


    He did not want to listen to Master Soong''s teachings and this aunt. Soong Xuan called her personal servant and left.


    "Chase him down? Is what Xuan''er said true? "


    At this time, the Master Soong did not care that Soong Xuan actually dared to contradict him, and did not care that he was still sitting in the middle of the hall, and then left.


    "Old master, Xuan''er has never disliked me for more than a day or two. It''s normal for her to lie and swindle me. I''ve been serving the old master for so many years, yet the old master suspects me?"


    To harm one''s children was a grave sin, and the aunt would never admit it. With anger in her heart, she initially wanted to send Soong Xuan to the Imperial Palace without seeing him, and with Soong Xuan''s temper, he would have been quickly killed by the palace lady. But who knew that Soong Xuan would be so useless, and cause her Soong Family to suffer such humiliation in front of so many people!

 C75

    Back in her room, Soong Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.


    It would be a lie to say that she was not nervous in the great hall, but Soong Xuan did not know why she had to trust Hu Xiao, who she had only met a few times.


    "What did the empress say? Why didn''t you come? "


    She slumped down on the chair, the battle of wits today was too burdensome for Soong Xuan, and she did not want to use even a bit of strength.


    "Miss, the empress said she has more important things to do, and the empress told me to send you a message that if there''s an imperial edict tomorrow morning, you must receive it. The empress will always follow you."


    Seeing that his young miss was affected, Soong Xuan''s personal maid spoke as she helped massage the part of''s ankle that was injured today.


    "Yes, I understand. I''m tired, so all of you should leave first. It''s different if you serve me now."


    "Yes, miss."


    When the servants heard Soong Xuan''s orders, they anxiously went forward to settle Soong Xuan. After taking off the heavy hair accessories that Soong Xuan had worn all night, and tossing and turning it around for a long time, Soong Xuan finally got onto the bed.


    As for the words the servant girl had just passed to him, although Soong Xuan had her doubts, she couldn''t think too much into it.


    At this time, Hu Xiao came under the Liuzhou City. She had seen the beggars for a long time the day before, and now, she was just in time to see how these beggars passed by.


    The bustling Liuzhou in the capital, to think that there would be so many beggars. Standing in the darkness and observing these people for a long time, Hu Xiao finally understood.


    Why didn''t I see these beggars when I entered the Liuzhou City that day? Even the people wearing tattered clothes didn''t see them, so this was actually the reason.


    This Liuzhou Prefect was actually so bold, secretly classifying these beggars and poor citizens as one group, and actually forbidding them from entering the western street, it was truly a vicious heart. If not for the fact that Hu Xiao had accidentally come here earlier in the day, she probably would not have known this Liuzhou Prefect was so bold.


    How dare he do such a dirty thing under the light of summer.


    The commoners were all equal, but this Prefecture Overseer had actually forcefully divided the commoners into different grades. He still wanted to compare the Liuzhou to the capital city; this was truly a good method.


    After watching for a while, Hu Xiao could not bear to continue watching, so in the future, she had to explain it all to His Majesty. Normally, she would enjoy the worship of the commoners, but when the commoners were in trouble, she could not solve it for them.


    In the Song Residence.


    "Soong Family, Soong Xuan accepts the decree."


    Originally, he thought that Soong Xuan had left a bad impression in front of Qin Shuo and that it was a fortuitous encounter with the Imperial Palace. However, he never expected that early in the morning, the imperial decree would be sent to the Soong Family.


    "We sympathize with Soong Family''s direct daughter, Soong Xuan. Her Soong Family''s direct daughter possesses both martial arts and literature, and she is extremely intelligent. We hereby decree that Soong Family''s direct daughter, Soong Xuan, will follow us on our journey to offer sacrifices to the heavens.


    "Soong Family''s direct daughter, Soong Xuan, accepts the decree."


    Soong Xuan stepped forward and took the imperial edict from Eunuch Wei''s hands. It was only now that Soong Xuan understood the profound meaning behind Hu Xiao''s words.


    Yesterday, the way Qin Shuo looked at him, Soong Xuan clearly understood that Qin Shuo''s heart would not give him even a little bit of it. In that case, Soong Xuan actually did not care at all.


    "Congratulations Miss Soong, we will be leaving tomorrow, I hope you prepare well for today."


    After receiving a few columns of crushed silver from Master Soong, he left with a smile.


    "Xuan''er, I was wrong to blame you yesterday. You better not be angry at me for being your father."


    Master Soong said as he helped Soong Xuan up from the ground with a smile. Seeing the speed at which his face was changing, Soong Xuan wanted to laugh even more.


    Soon enough, he saw one of his own aunts in the crowd. Looking at her multicolored face, Soong Xuan was even happier, it was not because Soong Xuan was so unreasonable, but she remembered that yesterday, since that aunt dared to speak in such a manner, and also dared to scheme against him, she must have made preparations to expose herself.


    "But we have to thank Aunt. If Aunt had not recommended this all the way, I''m sure Xuan''er would not have been invited by Your Majesty to worship the heavens."


    "There''s no need, this is all Xuan''er''s own fortune."


    If he had known it would turn out like this, he would have asked his daughter to meet His Majesty. This way, he would have a chance to show off his strength.


    "Xuan''er, your aunt is right. This is all your own fortune."


    Master Soong who was watching from the side said in a hurry.


    "Heh."


    Now, Soong Xuan did not hold much hope for her father anymore, and it was merely a favor Hu Xiao wanted her to help out. It was impossible for him to enter the palace, and no one knew what face her family would have after that.


    It was unknown how many times his father had been used to his concubine''s fantasy soup, but he actually did not care about his own thoughts. Presumably, it was also to repay the Master Soong''s love and care for him after all these years.


    Not wanting to look at all these, Soong Xuan turned and left, she still had to think about how to contact Hu Xiao, so she did not know where Hu Xiao was.


    "Your Majesty, the Empress has not been found yet. Wouldn''t it be abandoning the Empress for this journey? Do we still need to wait for a few more days?"


    After Xue Mier heard that Wen Fuchen would set off the next day, she hurriedly ran over to find Qin Shuo. If there was no Queen tomorrow, then ¡­


    "There''s no harm, the empress is too stubborn. It''s fine if she doesn''t follow us, we can''t delay any longer."


    Xue Mier was serious, or did her IQ just grow? To be able to say such words, Qin Shuo was very pleased in his heart.


    "Your Majesty, since sister has come, how about we wait for her for a few days?" Your Majesty is a man of great loyalty and filial piety. If there is an empress who wishes to sacrifice to the heavens with you, then it would not be good for your majesty if you were to speak of it in the future. "


    Every word that Xue Mier said was meant for the emperor, but she could not find any fault with it. If it was in front of Hu Xiao in the past, she would most likely not commit such a crime under Hu Xiao''s hands.


    Alright, I understand the intentions of the Dear Consort, you should go back first, we can''t delay the sacrifice of the heavens. We will set off tomorrow, now that the Queen is not here, the Dear Consort will be in charge of this matter.


    Seeing that, Xue Mier knew that she could not persuade His Majesty, and agreed with a sad face before leaving quickly.


    Xue Mier was naturally spirited after taking back the power of Southern Patrol.


    "How is it?"


    Ever since Xue Mier went to His Majesty''s residence, Wen Fuchen had been waiting for him. When she saw that Xue Mier had returned, he anxiously asked.


    "Cousin, since the authority to manage Southern Patrol has already been transferred to me, you can rest assured."


    "If that''s the case, how about the empress?"

 C76

    How about the empress? Naturally, he couldn''t move.


    "Cousin, we must not do anything to the empress now. I have just taken over the management of Southern Patrol from the hands of His Majesty. If news of the empress''s sudden death spreads, everyone will suspect me."


    The current Hu Xiao absolutely could not let anything happen to him. What they needed to do now was to keep Hu Xiao trapped in their Liuzhou City, and not let him appear while she was sacrificing her life for the heavens.


    "That''s fine too. Cousin, please be careful. I''ll go arrange other things first."


    Wen Fuchen had thought through what Xue Mier had said, this was definitely not the best time, and if it was so, then he could take this chance to rest and grasp the rights to land in Hu Xiao''s hands, at that time, even if Hu Xiao were to come back, it would be useless.


    On the morning of the third day, Qin Shuo brought everyone to continue their journey, and Soong Xuan naturally accompanied them.


    "Who is that?"


    Xue Mier did not know about what happened at the banquet. On that day, she said that she was sick and did not go to the banquet.


    "Reporting to the Empress, who is this, the direct daughter of Soong Family, who shone brightly at the banquet a few days ago? That day, even though Soong Xuan''s dancing posture was astonishing, a mistake was also made.


    When the female servant heard Xue Mier''s question, she replied.


    Yet another fox had appeared. He never thought that Liuzhou would actually make his Majesty accept such a woman, and that he himself would experience such a change within a single day after leaving the banquet. This is truly interesting.


    At the same time, inside Soong Xuan''s carriage.


    "Have you seen the Queen? Has the Empress been one of our followers? "


    Seeing that, the servant girl shook her head, she did not see Hu Xiao, she did not know why her master was so confident that Hu Xiao would follow them, with Hu Xiao''s identity as a Empress, there was no need to disguise herself, maybe her master was imagining things.


    Soong Xuan naturally saw through the servant girl''s thoughts, but she did not say anything, she only lifted the curtain herself and looked at the followers behind him.


    Hu Xiao would definitely follow her, it was just that her appearance had improved a little this time.


    Sure enough, after looking around once, Soong Xuan confirmed where Hu Xiao was.


    "Is that the new servant? "Why haven''t I seen it before?"


    Soong Xuan pointed at the servant that was following outside, but no matter how she looked at it, Soong Xuan felt that this person was Hu Xiao.


    "That''s a new servant, a little mute. When the butler saw this little mute begging on the street yesterday, he felt very pitiful and bought him back. Seeing that this little mute still had some skill, he decided to stay by Miss''s side and work for her."


    Soong Xuan nodded her head, if she was a little mute, then she should not be Hu Xiao, furthermore she was begging on the street, even if Hu Xiao was out there, she was still the Queen, she could not possibly be pretending to be mute while begging on the street.


    Although she could not find Hu Xiao, Soong Xuan still believed that Hu Xiao was here, but she had not revealed herself.


    Just as Soong Xuan was searching for Hu Xiao, Qin Shuo was also searching for an extremely important matter when Southern Patrol were sacrificing the heavens. Hu Xiao''s recovery process would definitely not allow her to be so rude in her capacity as Empress.


    After searching for Soong Xuan''s follower, Qin Shuo also did not get any useful information, and his heart was filled with even more suspicions, wondering where Hu Xiao was right now.


    At this time, Hu Xiao who was hiding in Soong Xuan''s group had given up on hiding after seeing just one person.


    The horse carriage stopped by the side of the road to rest, and Hu Xiao took the chance to enter the strange carriage.


    "Who?"


    Yuan Bao heard his master''s words in the carriage and was about to rush in when he was stopped by his master.


    "No worries, it''s an old friend."


    It turned out that the person Hu Xiao saw just now was Mr Mo Zhu, and the Mr Mo Zhu had also seen through Hu Xiao''s identity.


    "Empress, weren''t you missing? Why would it appear in my carriage? "


    Just as expected, after Mo Zhu heard from Zhao Qiyan that Hu Xiao had gone missing, he smiled without saying a word. He already knew, how could someone as smart as Hu Xiao go missing?


    "Hmm? It has been missing for a while, but have you come back? Wasn''t the Mr Mo Zhu in the capital? Why would it appear within the Southern Patrol''s heavenly sacrifice team? "


    At this time, Hu Xiao felt that she was a fool to bid farewell to Mr Mo Zhu like that in the capital.


    "Hehe, Empress, please excuse me."


    Seeing Hu Xiao staring at him fiercely, Mo Zhu felt that it was extremely interesting, the empress''s temper was not normal, but in the capital, Mo Zhu did not remember him saying that she did not follow Southern Patrol, and it was only a few days late.


    "Yuanbao, go inform His Majesty that the empress is here."


    Since Hu Xiao dared to sneak into his carriage, she should have associated Hu Xiao''s figure with her majesty.


    Originally, when Hu Xiao saw the Mr Mo Zhu, he had felt that he was no longer missing. However, when she went to inform His Majesty about the Origin Treasure, Hu Xiao was not worried at all.


    So it was actually because he wanted to borrow''s power to appear, and was truly extremely intelligent. If there was someone else besides him, regardless of what explanation Hu Xiao gave to the rest, Mo Zhu would be tied to Hu Xiao no matter what he did. Since that was the case, Mo Zhu would definitely support Hu Xiao with her full power.


    "Hmm? The lonely queen is on the carriage of the Mr Mo Zhu? "I understand."


    Qin Shuo who had been looking for Hu Xiao suddenly heard his whereabouts, and was startled, since when did Hu Xiao have such a good relationship with the Mr Mo Zhu?


    knew how arrogant the Mr Mo Zhu was, even he had suffered a few times at the hands of the Mr Mo Zhu. If Hu Xiao did not come over, in the short span of a few months, how could the Mr Mo Zhu treat Hu Xiao differently?


    Although he was extremely dissatisfied, this was not the time for him to act willfully. Since Hu Xiao had decided to appear at this time, then he had to go and fetch Hu Xiao.


    After Qin Shuo heard this, he walked over to Mr Mo Zhu''s carriage.


    "Mr Mo Zhu, I have something to discuss with you, I wonder what you think?"


    "Your Majesty, the Mr Mo Zhu is inside."


    Seeing that Qin Shuo had followed him, Yuan Bao hurriedly ran to the side of the carriage and pulled the carriage''s curtain to allow Qin Shuo to enter.


    Qin Shuo looked at the ingot but did not say anything, the Courtier Wei then anxiously placed it at Qin Shuo''s feet. Qin Shuo calmed his heart down and walked over.


    When Qin Shuo saw the horse carriage, he almost couldn''t suppress the anger in his heart. Hu Xiao and Mo Zhu were really good!


    "What are you doing?"

 C77

    Just now when the carriage moved, Hu Xiao was already very close to Mr Mo Zhu and she could not help but throw herself into Mo Zhu''s embrace.


    Mo Zhu, who had never been so close to a woman, was instantly stunned and stood in place.


    Qin Shuo went in and saw the two of them hugging Hu Xiao. How could Qin Shuo hold back his anger?


    Hu Xiao anxiously pulled her body away from Qin Shuo''s chest when she heard his.


    "Your Majesty, listen to me. That wasn''t what you thought."


    Hu Xiao looked at the furious Qin Shuo and could not help but panic. To be so intimate with another man in front of the Son of Heaven, even an ordinary man would not be able to take it, much less when Qin Shuo was the current Son of Heaven.


    Just as expected, Qin Shuo left without waiting for Hu Xiao to finish her words.


    Since Hu Xiao was impatient, then let Hu Xiao always be like this. This time, it didn''t matter whether or not Hu Xiao was the Queen.


    It turned out that the Queen who had never accepted him was actually Qin Shuo, who thought that he was wrong for being so reserved. She actually had someone in her heart, which was why she was making such a ruckus in his palace. To think that he had even thought that Hu Xiao''s character was extremely good.


    Seeing Qin Shuo turning to leave, Hu Xiao''s heart suddenly became anxious, she could not care about anything else, so she quickly followed.


    "Your Majesty."


    The current Hu Xiao was only a guard, and had changed her appearance. Her voice also changed, she could not care about anything else, and before anyone could react, Hu Xiao had already rushed towards the direction where Qin Shuo had left to.


    "Men, there is an assassin! Protect his Majesty!"


    Zhao Qiyan saw and immediately rushed towards Qin Shuo''s direction, and shouted.


    Yin Fufeng had been observing every single movement of his just now, not everyone could enter Mr Mo Zhu''s carriage, and during the journey, Yin Fufeng had gone to Mr Mo Zhu''s carriage, but there were no signs of anyone on the carriage.


    And when the ingot was in front of Qin Shuo, his eyes suddenly lit up, and looking at the man''s technique, he looked like Hu Xiao.


    After thinking about it, Yin Fufeng anxiously pulled Zhao Qiyan who was about to rush forward to protect.


    "Wait, General Zhao, that person is Empress, there''s no need to chase after him."


    "What?" Don''t mess around, Empress is clearly a woman! "


    Zhao Qiyan was pulled by Yin Fufeng, and was extremely anxious in his heart, if something were to happen to Qin Shuo under his protection, then he would definitely be involved.


    "Believe me, you told the imperial guards that that person is His Majesty''s old friend. Just look at him, Eunuch Wei is not worried at all, he probably knows that person''s identity too. The person who could make His Majesty so angry must be the Empress."


    Hearing that, Zhao Qiyan looked at Wei Shi strangely, seeing that Zhao Qiyan nodded at him, believing his good friend''s words.


    "There''s no need to chase. I was the one who had a bad impression of them just now. There aren''t any assassins around."


    The imperial guards had initially chased them halfway, but who would have thought that Zhao Qiyan would say such a thing midway.


    Although he was suspicious, Zhao Qiyan''s words were still an order, who would dare to disobey it?


    By his side, Qin Shuo had long left the carriage, and was walking out of the forest. Right now, he was thinking of a daughter, and it was as if he was fleeing for his life.


    Just as she was feeling frustrated, thinking about whether she should return like this, but she felt that she could not care less. While she was hesitating, Hu Xiao had already rushed over.


    "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, walk slowly. Your concubine won''t be able to keep up."


    Hu Xiao looked at Qin Shuo who was still walking forward and asked anxiously.


    "Impudent, who allowed you to follow me? "Get lost, I don''t want to see you!"


    In the end, he still couldn''t say anything important.


    "Your Majesty, please listen to Chenqie''s explanation. It was really an accident just now. Chenqie and Mr Mo Zhu don''t have anything!"


    In that instant, Hu Xiao really wanted to turn around and leave, but she was wrong about this matter at the end of the day. If she did not explain herself clearly, not only would Hu Xiao damage her reputation, she would be hated by him in the future and she would be implicated by her in the future. At that time, there was no point in explaining it to him anymore.


    "Oh? What did the empress want to accept? Explain why the empress and Mo Zhu were hugging each other just now? Or was it that Mo Zhu had purposely let Gu Ruoyun witness this scene? "


    Qin Shuo looked at Qin Shuo with bloodshot eyes. It looked extremely terrifying, as he was used to fighting and fighting, and had fought so many times, he could not help but take a few steps back.


    "Your Majesty, it was definitely not like what Your Majesty saw. Just now, when the carriage moved, your concubine fell down because she was unable to stand steadily. Mr Mo Zhu protected your concubine in time, and Your Majesty, think carefully, if that''s really the case, how could your concubine let Your Majesty know?"


    He tried his best to reason with Qin Shuo, but he couldn''t do anything about the man who was so angry. It was as if the Qin Shuo right now had entered into a bull''s horn.


    "Heh heh, you said it was an accident? How could there be such a coincidence? Furthermore, you, Hu Xiao, have not come! My East Court has only been a few months, but you''re actually so familiar with Mo Zhu? If it wasn''t for the fact that Black Bamboo was interested in you, why would it be so special to you? Hu Xiao, have you forgotten that the last time you and Mo Zhu were drunk, we were the ones who brought you back to the palace, so how can there be a shameless woman like you!? "


    That''s right, even he wouldn''t be able to see Mo Zhu, but Hu Xiao was actually laughing and drinking with him. Hehe, she really was Qin Shuo''s good queen.


    "Qin Shuo, yes, I did drink with Mo Zhu, but didn''t you, Qin Shuo, also drink with a lot of women? If I do not have any sense of shame, then what are you!? "


    Hu Xiao had long been infuriated to the point that she could not even be ranked, and directly pointed to Qin Shuo''s name and asked loudly.


    "How dare you call my name?"


    Hu Xiao was indeed a bold person, no one had ever dared to call him by his full name before. Ever since Qin Shuo became a prince, who knew if he was not a prince, your majesty? How dare he, Hu Xiao, be so bold!


    "Hehe, why would I not dare? Qin Shuo, is this the first time you''ve seen me act so brazenly? To tell you the truth, if I was interested in that whatever Black Bamboo, I wouldn''t have followed you here with my eyes and explained so much. I would simply be wasting my time, what''s so special about you?


    It was only a name, Hu Xiao could not hold it in anymore. She had never been so lowly with someone before, but Qin Shuo did not know what was good for herself.


    If it were not for the fact that Qin Shuo had treated her rather well, why would she drop her dignity and come here to flirt with Qin Shuo?


    Qin Shuo was startled when he heard it. If he didn''t have some feelings, would it mean that Hu Xiao had changed her opinion of him? At this point in time, Hu Xiao''s nagging could no longer be heard.


    "Wuu ¡­" Woo ¡­ "Howl ¡­"

 C78

    In the midst of this green mountain water, Hu Xiao''s smell was trapped.


    After being stunned for a while, Hu Xiao anxiously pushed Qin Shuo away. How could Qin Shuo be so unstable? Wasn''t he extremely angry just now? Why did he play hooligan the moment there was a disagreement?


    "What are you doing?"


    Hu Xiao ruthlessly touched her lips. She really couldn''t understand what kind of words she just said made Qin Shuo become so beastly. With such an unpredictable temper, it was no wonder people said that he was like a tiger accompanying his king.


    "Hur hur, let''s go. Go out."


    Qin Shuo was currently in an extremely good mood, and did not bother about Hu Xiao''s disrespectful behavior just now.


    "Forget it, it''s good that you''ve thought it through. But I''ve suddenly changed my mind, so just let me pretend to be a guard for a few more days. The empress is too bored, so she can only stay in the carriage all day."


    Originally, she wanted to use the black bamboo to recover her identity, but since Qin Shuo was so jealous, and he took advantage of him just now, Hu Xiao decided to be a little too excessive.


    "Alright, as you wish."


    Now that Qin Shuo was in a good mood, anything Hu Xiao said would be the truth.


    "Also, I saw that many of the things on the Mr Mo Zhu''s carriage were based on the blueprints I drew previously. I was very curious about it and decided to use the Mr Mo Zhu''s attendant to stay by Mo Zhu''s side to learn how to draw!"


    Once Hu Xiao said this, Qin Shuo''s expression darkened. Just now, something like this had happened, and Hu Xiao was actually still going to go to Mo Zhu''s side?


    "Does the empress think that it''s easy to deceive her?"


    Qin Shuo stopped and looked at Hu Xiao, as if she would not leave if Hu Xiao did not give him a very good explanation.


    Qin Shuo, this child, actually laughed at Hu Xiao. Hu Xiao said with a beaming smile: "Didn''t Your Majesty suspect that I have relations with the Mr Mo Zhu? Then I will stay by Mr Mo Zhu''s side and let your majesty know whether or not I have any relations with him! "


    "You! Forget it, if you like it, go ahead.


    Seeing how calm Hu Xiao was while swearing, Qin Shuo actually still believed in Hu Xiao, and how Mr Mo Zhu previously had a woman he loved, but then there were some troubles, and in the end it was just the Yin and Yang that separated him from her, making him too excited.


    "Then chenqie will thank Your Majesty."


    Seeing that Qin Shuo had promised him, and was even surprised, why did Qin Shuo suddenly think it through? But it was good to think it through, at least he wouldn''t be troubled.


    Seeing that Zhao Qiyan and the others were looking forward to it, Hu Xiao consciously stood behind Qin Shuo, as if she was a bodyguard with a blade on her head.


    Zhao Qiyan saw that Hu Xiao was following behind him, and frowned, but quickly let go, and anxiously went to greet him.


    "Your Majesty, what''s the matter?"


    Qin Shuo naturally heard the assassin Qin Shuo shouted just now, and when he saw Hu Xiao''s embarrassed look, he forced a smile. His face returned to its unapproachable state.


    "It''s nothing. I just spoke a few words with my old friend and worried my beloved one."


    Hearing Qin Shuo''s words, everyone heaved a sigh of relief.


    "It''s good that Your Majesty is fine, it''s good that you''re fine. Shall we set off then?"


    He had already delayed for a few hours. If he did not hurry, it was unknown whether he would be able to reach the relay station before nightfall.


    "Empress, I saw ¡­"


    At the same time, inside Xue Mier''s carriage.


    Just now, Xue Mier saw that the situation was not good, and told the palace maid, while Zhao Qiyan was not paying attention, the man quickly followed.


    "What!?" His Majesty was so muddle-headed! You can go and spread the news. That way, Your Majesty will only keep an eye on this matter and will delay the search for the Queen. "


    Although Xue Mier was shocked after hearing what the palace maid had to say, it was indeed a method that could temporarily prevent Hu Xiao from returning. Although doing this would damage her reputation, Xue Mier did not care.


    In regards to the various matters that would allow the current her to take over this Southern Patrol by herself, in order to be able to stand firmly by Qin Shuo''s side, she would use any means at all.


    "Yes."


    After getting such a big piece of news, the palace maid could no longer hold back and wanted to advertise. Now, she even wanted to leave, and couldn''t wait to pass the news to the other palace maid who were working together with him.


    "What?" Are you sure you saw it with your own eyes? But his Imperial Majesty has never revealed it. "


    "Have you heard? When His Majesty left just now, the reason General Zhao didn''t bring Imperial Army to chase after him was because that guard who accompanied His Majesty was a pet similar to his Majesty. "


    "Pet? Isn''t that a man? "


    "So your Imperial Majesty likes men. No wonder your Imperial Majesty hasn''t summoned any concubines to sleep with you recently."


    "That''s right, that''s right. I heard that last time, His Majesty allowed his imperial concubine to plow through the soil and sow the land."


    "¡­"


    For a time, the news spread like wildfire. People who were usually bored to death actually got such a piece of news. In just a short while, various versions of it had already been published.


    "Why is the Empress back again?"


    At this time, Mo Zhu looked at Hu Xiao, who had just returned, and felt that something was amiss. With her Majesty''s personality, how could she let Hu Xiao return so easily?


    "What is it? Mr Mo Zhu, are you not happy to see me safely return? "


    Hu Xiao fixed her gaze on Mo Zhu and said.


    "Empress is overthinking it. I am just curious, how did His Majesty let the empress off so easily? After all, the scene just now was indeed too excessive."


    She had never seen Qin Shuo like this before.


    "It really is the Empress. Please excuse me."


    Yin Fufeng had long seen through everything, and was no longer too curious about the scenery outside, so he waited inside Mo Zhu''s carriage. With his understanding of Hu Xiao, Hu Xiao would definitely return to Mo Zhu, and as expected.


    He smiled faintly at Mo Zhu. Just now, the two had been betting that he had won.


    Mo Zhu smiled helplessly.


    "Hmm? Master Yin? Why are you here? "


    Just now, Hu Xiao did not notice Yin Fufeng who was seated in the corner of the carriage, and was stunned when she opened her mouth.


    "It turns out that Empress did not see this official just now. It actually hurt this official''s heart."


    When Yin Fufeng heard this, he looked at Hu Xiao in distress. He thought that Hu Xiao would comfort him, but Yin Fufeng was actually disappointed.


    "Haha, okay, I don''t know you yet. Let''s talk business."


    hated to think about things, so he decided to get down to proper business.


    "I have already discussed this with His Majesty and have not revealed my identity. I am now a follower of the Mr Mo Zhu."

 C79

    It was actually the follower of the Mr Mo Zhu. Just now, Yin Fufeng had already heard everything that Qin Shuo had seen from the ingot, and thought that Qin Shuo would greatly mind Hu Xiao staying with Mo Zhu once, but now, not only did she not receive any form of punishment, she had even allowed Hu Xiao to continue staying by the Mr Mo Zhu''s side. It was truly inconceivable.


    "His Majesty agrees?"


    Mo Zhu said nothing, only inquiring with his eyes.


    "What''s that?" I was not chased out of Mo Zhu''s carriage just now, if I was not Mr Mo Zhu''s attendant, then what? Furthermore, I am more interested in these items from the Mr Mo Zhu. "


    Hu Xiao said as she looked at the new things on the black bamboo carriage.


    "Oh? Can the Empress tell? "


    At this time, Mo Zhu put down his fan, and even Yin Fufeng stopped what he was doing and looked at Hu Xiao.


    Naturally, Mo Zhu had been in charge of the carriage for a long time, if not she would not have fallen so far behind in catching up to them. However, Hu Xiao was able to discern the secret on the carriage with just a glance.


    "What is it? Isn''t it because of those blueprints that Mr Mo Zhu produced this carriage? "


    Sure enough, it could not be hidden from Hu Xiao''s eyes, causing Yin Fufeng to admire Hu Xiao more and more, how exactly South Yue was taught to Hu Xiao, to actually let Hu Xiao become so proficient in martial arts and weapons.


    "Then, Empress, do you think there is anything else I need to change?"


    Mo Zhu smiled but did not speak. There were some changes to the carriage that Mo Zhu did not feel satisfied about, but just as he was thinking about meeting Hu Xiao and letting him see what she needed to change, he did not think that this opportunity would come so quickly.


    "Mr Mo Zhu is overpraising me, I do not see anything that needs to be changed about this carriage."


    Hu Xiao shook her head, if it was just for defense, then Mo Zhu''s carriage was already very good, but if there were any other changes, that would be too much.


    "That''s good too."


    Hu Xiao said this, but Mo Zhu was not dissatisfied, and, yes, he was pursuing perfection.


    "Does Mr Mo Zhu still remember the diagrams that I drew before?" Seeing Mo Zhu nod, Hu Xiao continued: "Then I presume that Mr Mo Zhu knows my painting skills, I think Mister''s painting skills are very good, why not Mister teach me how to paint these few days?"


    Even a gentleman like Mo Zhu, who had come out of the mud unscathed, was not affected by Hu Xiao''s change. She turned her head to look at Yin Fufeng, and realised that Yin Fufeng was the same as him, and Mo Zhu felt that things were more balanced now, and that he was not the only one.


    "Heh heh, that''s good too. Otherwise, if Empress were to draw another astonishing work like the one before, it wouldn''t be good if we can''t see it."


    It was as if she thought back to her previous painting. Hu Xiao was extremely embarrassed, after all the brush was different, it was rare to be able to draw a painting like this, so Hu Xiao felt that she was already pretty good.


    They chatted merrily along the way, but for once, Yin Fufeng did not leave, and instead walked towards the relay station.


    After everyone had dinner, Qin Shuo thought of the daytime when he was about to go out and look for Mo Zhu. But before he went out, he was stunned.


    "I didn''t expect His Majesty to like men. No wonder he hasn''t summoned anyone to sleep with him in recent days."


    "How could that be? You wouldn''t know that palace maid saw that the relationship between His Majesty and a man was too intimate. "


    Qin Shuo looked at Courtier Wei beside him, how could he not know that he was overly intimate with a man today?


    Hearing that, Wei Shi wanted to rush out and drag the person who was talking nonsense out to kill him, but he was stopped by Qin Shuo.


    "How come I don''t know that I''m too close to a man? Looking at their appearances, the matter of the man who liked women alone has already been spread around in the eunuchs of palace maid? "


    He was bored to death, since he liked to spread the rumours about his master.


    "Your Majesty, did you forget? When you left with Empress today, Empress was dressed as a man. "


    Wei Shi swallowed his saliva and said while enduring the huge pressure.


    "Hmm? Is it my fault? "


    He had forgotten that Hu Xiao was dressed as a man today, but there was actually a palace maid who dared to follow him.


    "Send Yin Fufeng to see me."


    Immediately, Qin Shuo lost the thought of looking for Mo Zhu. If the king spread the rumours about him liking men, wouldn''t it be destroyed?


    "Okay."


    Immediately, Wei Shi anxiously left, and from his gloomy expression, Wei Shi could tell how unhappy he was.


    It was time to properly discipline this group of palace maid eunuchs. After a few days of peace, they dared to be so impudent. If it were any other day, they would have passed on the rumours of imperial concubines.


    Just as Yin Fufeng was preparing to go to bed, he heard Qin Shuo''s orders, and immediately, he ran over to Qin Shuo''s house.


    "Your Majesty, did something happen?"


    Qin Shuo had never summoned him at such a late time, something big must have happened.


    "Speak."


    Hearing Yin Fufeng''s question, Courtier Wei anxiously kicked the two eunuchs who were kneeling beside him and said fiercely.


    Just now, the two eunuchs did not know that they had just finished a few chitchat, but the main character they were talking about had actually heard them.


    He didn''t dare to hide anything anymore and told her everything he knew.


    The more Yin Fufeng heard, the more shocked he became, no wonder Qin Shuo was in such a hurry to summon him over.


    "Drag him away!"


    Wei Shi saw that the two of them still had everything he knew and immediately ordered the guards to drag the two of them away.


    Outside the hut, an earth-shattering sound of injustice came out. Seeing Qin Shuo''s gloomy face, Wei Shi hurried out.


    "How can we allow these two people to roar like this? It''s practically dirtying the ears of His Majesty. Let''s drag them out to find a place to settle things."


    With that, he stopped looking at the two people who were still begging for forgiveness, and Wei Shi turned and closed the door, standing at the entrance to check it.


    "Is that man the Empress?"


    had already realized that the guards with the emperor today were the Empress s and definitely no one else. However, this group of people actually obtained the information from god knows where, and spread out such dirty words.


    The few of them knew the identity of the guard, but the eunuchs of palace maid did not. Otherwise, how could such a bold servant dare to pry into his master''s secrets?


    Accompanying a lord like a tiger, how could anyone who was following their master see such a secret and proclaim it everywhere? If it wasn''t for the fact that someone behind their back was plotting against them, they wouldn''t have believed it at all.


    Hearing that, Qin Shuo nodded, he was too angry, he did not realize that someone was following not far from them!


    "Think of a way to solve this problem. I don''t want to hear that there are still people spreading rumors in the palace!"


    At this time, Qin Shuo had long suppressed his anger, and wished for nothing more than to kill all of the people who had spread the message.

 C80

    "Yes, this humble subject will investigate immediately."


    It could be big or small at this moment. If he did not stop it now, the consequences would be unthinkable.


    Yin Fufeng left very quickly. Fortunately, he was outside the palace at the moment, if he was in the palace, even if he rummaged through the sky, he might not be able to find this person.


    "What''s wrong?"


    Yin Fufeng came out of Qin Shuo''s room and directly walked towards the room that Zhao Qiyan lived in.


    Just as Zhao Qiyan was planning to go out and look around, Yin Fufeng directly went over to stop him. He had never seen his good friend in such a state of panic, so Zhao Qiyan became nervous.


    "Today, after I stopped you from going to His Majesty, did you see someone taking advantage of the chaos to run in?"


    At this time, Yin Fufeng was not in the mood to talk nonsense with Zhao Qiyan, so he asked directly.


    "What?" I didn''t notice, what''s the matter? "


    That''s right, why would Zhao Qiyan pay attention to such a small detail? Suppressing the anger in his heart, Yin Fufeng told Zhao Qiyan everything he knew about Qin Shuo.


    Ah!


    Zhao Qiyan looked at Yin Fufeng blankly, but he did not understand what Yin Fufeng meant. Wasn''t Yin Fufeng the one who told him that he was a Empress in the day? If that was the case, even if there were rumors, they should have told the rumors that His Majesty and the Empress were very close in the forest, right? How did it turn into a man?


    Zhao Qiyan''s thoughts were all reflected on his face, Yin Fufeng felt extremely helpless, and he could not help but slap Zhao Qiyan''s face.


    "During the day, the Empress is wearing male clothing!"


    Only then did Zhao Qiyan completely understand what Yin Fufeng meant, "Then when we go to investigate one palace, only the eunuchs of palace maid would be so bored. Fortunately, we only came to two palaces, so it''s good that we are like this."


    Looking at Zhao Qiyan''s expression, Yin Fufeng was a little comforted in his heart. At least he was not that stupid anymore.


    Seeing that everyone had entered the inn as they were bodyguards after all, Hu Xiao did not feel right staying with Mo Zhu anymore. She turned and headed towards Soong Xuan who was looking for him.


    "Hu Xiao?"


    After looking for Hu Xiao for an entire day, she finally found him. If it wasn''t for Hu Xiao by her side, Soong Xuan would always feel uneasy.


    "Yo, little girl, you truly look quite good. No wonder your father wanted to send you to the palace."


    Looking at the tender skin and the appearance of the meat, did that man not like it? This was indeed a great beauty.


    Tch, it''s not like I have never seen you before, but how could I dare compare to you with my current appearance?


    That day, when she had only seen Hu Xiao''s female attire, Soong Xuan had felt that she was extremely beautiful.


    "Alright, alright, I''m a bit hungry. Why don''t I bring you to the backyard and find something to eat?"


    did not eat dinner at all, so naturally, she came to look for Soong Xuan to look for food, if she was discovered with Soong Xuan in the way, it would be considered a huge escape, but if it was Hu Xiao herself, then if she was caught stealing food, she would definitely be beaten to death randomly by that group of people, which was truly not worth it.


    As expected, after Hu Xiao''s words fell, Soong Xuan''s stomach made a noise.


    Today, had been worrying about her all along, and furthermore, there was Xue Mier who had been eyeing her from the side like a tiger. Naturally, Soong Xuan did not eat much, and now that her heart was in her stomach, she was naturally hungry.


    Seeing that Soong Xuan liked it so much, Hu Xiao did not care that Soong Xuan was faking it, or that she meant it, she just pulled Soong Xuan to the backyard.


    Just now when she was patrolling, Hu Xiao saw the new harvest of corn in the backyard, it would definitely be delicious while roasting.


    "Your Majesty, chenqie is afraid. Can Your Majesty comfort chenqie tonight?"


    It had been a long time since Qin Shuo had spoiled him, and he would be interrupted every time. The Xue Mier of tonight, however, still had the heart to probe him.


    Recently, Qin Shuo was so abnormal, and today, her servant girl had even seen Qin Shuo and a man messing around in the forest. Xue Mier felt that something was amiss.


    Seeing Xue Mier, who did not arrive early or late, Qin Shuo naturally knew what Xue Mier was thinking about. Qin Shuo calmly sat on the chair and looked at Xue Mier.


    But it was also prepared, all the way while they were rushing, they did not see any signs of fatigue on Xue Mier''s body, her body had a light fragrance, Xue Mier saw that Qin Shuo did not object, and calmed down a little.


    A pair of soft, jade white hands brushed against Qin Shuo''s body. Seeing that Qin Shuo had closed his eyes, his actions became bolder and bolder, and he slowly straddled onto Qin Shuo''s body as he kissed his.


    Qin Shuo endured for a long time, until now, he gradually recalled the taste of Xue Mier, and quickly picked him up and placed him on the bed.


    "Dear Consort, you have my favor today."


    Although he knew that the person in the day was Hu Xiao, after all, he was Hu Xiao dressed in the attire of a man, and thus, Qin Shuo had the intention to prove himself.


    "..."


    "Not good, not good! The backyard is flooded, someone come quickly!"


    "Someone come quickly! The backyard is filled with water! Put out the fire!"


    "..."


    Hearing the loud noise, Qin Shuo immediately wore his clothes, there was still a trace of confusion in his eyes, and seeing that Qin Shuo had stood up, Xue Mier was moved, but the look in his eyes made Qin Shuo''s heart beat faster, and without saying a word, he stood up and quietly put on his clothes.


    "What''s going on?"


    Seeing Xue Mier putting on her clothes, Qin Shuo nodded her head slightly and opened the door.


    "Reporting to your majesty, the rear courtyard is in danger. Someone come quickly and protect your majesty."


    The Courtier Wei hurriedly replied and then called for people to protect Qin Shuo. If there was someone who took the opportunity to harm the Emperor, then it would be terrible.


    "How can you be in the water if you''re fine?"


    The military strength of the relay stations was excellent, how could they be in such a situation?


    "General Zhao has already gone to investigate."


    When the eunuchs saw Qin Shuo''s reaction, they all took a step back in fear.


    At this moment, he definitely could not go out and wander around everywhere. He turned around and returned to the house to sit down, pondering who he was talking about. It could not be an accident, could it be that the assassins knew of his whereabouts and wanted to assassinate him?


    But it was also not something he should do. Wherever Zhao Qiyan was present, Qin Shuo would never even think about it like this, so it would definitely be a problem with the internal personnel.


    Since he could not think of the murderer, Qin Shuo did not waste his time thinking and sat in the main hall waiting for Zhao Qiyan''s reply.


    After a moment, Zhao Qiyan returned.


    "Your Majesty, we''ve already controlled the flow of water, but that person ¡­"


    Zhao Qiyan did not dare to say it out loud, as if it was a rare occurrence for them.


    Seeing Zhao Qiyan''s expression, Qin Shuo thought for a bit and understood. Seeing Zhao Qiyan''s appearance, it seemed like this matter was related to Hu Xiao, causing him to have a headache.

 C81

    Hu Xiao did not even do it once, not even for a day! Just as she was thinking about how to excuse Qin Shuo, she heard Wen Fuchen speaking.


    "What is it? General Zhao did not find the one who went astray? [Since he dared to do such a thing in front of His Majesty, he should know what kind of crime he would be found guilty of. He must be an assassin. He should try to take advantage of the chaos and disobey His Majesty!]


    Seeing that Wen Fuchen had taken such a huge risk, even if Zhao Qiyan did not want to bring Hu Xiao and up, it was impossible for him to do so. After all, everyone had seen him bringing Hu Xiao and Soong Xuan out just now.


    "Forget it, bring them up here for a look."


    Looking at Wen Fuchen who was still speaking righteously, although Qin Shuo was very dissatisfied, he did not say anything, and just stood there silently.


    Very quickly, Zhao Qiyan brought the two of them up.


    At the moment, Hu Xiao looked like a man. No one could recognise him, but they could no longer be clear about her appearance.


    At this moment, the moment Xue Mier, who had been silently standing at the side the entire time, saw Soong Xuan''s face, she instantly slapped Soong Xuan''s face with lightning speed. "Tell me, what was your intention in setting the backyard on fire?"


    Xue Mier had never thought that the one who would ruin her good fortune, was actually Soong Xuan, and thus, she was unable to control herself.


    Xue Mier''s sudden punishments made everyone present a little surprised, why was it that the gentle and weak Imperial Consort Xue had always been subservient and weak, even though they were used to being pampered and prideful, this was the first time they had seen someone act so ruthlessly.


    Hu Xiao frowned as she looked at Xue Mier. Just now, she did not have the time to stop Xue Mier, but Soong Xuan had already been beaten up. At this moment, Soong Xuan''s face swelled up at a speed that could be seen with the naked eye, and she looked at Soong Xuan.


    Xue Mier saw the look in everyone''s eyes as they looked at him. She was stunned for a moment, the hand she used to hit Soong Xuan using just now seemed to be in a daze, as though she had done something she shouldn''t have.


    "Speak, are you a spy? Deliberately taking advantage of this opportunity to approach His Majesty, who sent you here? "Who is the mastermind?"


    The atmosphere of the Wen Fuchen Hall had gradually quietened down, and went up to speak, signalling the guards at the side to come forward and suppress Soong Xuan.


    Hu Xiao watched the movements around him closely. Seeing that the people were about to rush up to him and make a move, Zhao Qiyan quickly blocked all the guards.


    "What do you want to do? Minister Wen, could it be that you want to abuse your private affairs in front of His Majesty? "


    The person in the hall was the Empress, so Wen Fuchen and Xue Mier were unable to see through him, but he and His Majesty were well aware of it. Fortunately, Xue Mier had hit that Soong Xuan just now, and if she had hit her, Zhao Qiyan would not even dare to imagine how she would have gone crazy.


    Seeing Zhao Qiyan protecting the two people kneeling down, Wen Fuchen was startled, they were just ordinary people, one was a direct daughter of the Soong Family, and the other was just a merchant. Wen Fuchen did not care, and the other one was even more so, although he was a servant of the Mr Mo Zhu, but he was only a servant, so even if the little servant were to die, the Mr Mo Zhu would definitely not compete with him!


    But now it seems like Wen Fuchen was wrong.


    "General Zhao, could it be that you are biased towards these two disorderly subjects? These two are not your General Zhao''s close friends or anything like that? "


    Wen Fuchen said while looking at Zhao Qiyan''s side. Suddenly, Zhao Qiyan felt like he knew something.


    "Alright, Soong Xuan, speak."


    Seeing that they seemed to be continuing to argue, Qin Shuo felt a headache and secretly glared at Hu Xiao. If it wasn''t for Hu Xiao, this troublemaker, there would have been a lot of trouble.


    When Hu Xiao heard Qin Shuo''s words, she secretly glanced at Soong Xuan, but Soong Xuan naturally understood what she meant.


    "I was a bit hungry just now. When I went out, I saw the patrolling guards, so I begged him to take me to the backyard to find something to eat. However, the kitchen in the backyard was empty, so we thought about roasting some dried corn, but in the end ¡­"


    Soong Xuan''s face was originally completely black from the smoke, and now that she spoke of her grievances, it did indeed attract the pity of the men present.


    Results... In the end, they set the entire backyard on fire!


    Hearing this result, his face darkened.


    "Oh? Since you''re hungry, then why didn''t you bring your own guards, and instead brought this person along? "


    Xue Mier knew that the guard by Soong Xuan''s side was the man who was pestering Her Majesty in the forest all day, and Soong Xuan had even caught Qin Shuo''s eyes. Wasn''t this clearly slapping her, the Imperial Consort Xue, in the face?


    "If I said that it was a coincidence, would Imperial Consort Xue believe me?"


    Soong Xuan looked at Hu Xiao and said, that pitiful look on her face and Imperial Consort Xue''s overbearing attitude made all the men present lean towards Soong Xuan.


    "Why must Imperial Concubine be so overbearing? Since this Miss Soong has given us the reason, we will know when we go investigate."


    Zhao Qiyan saw the look on Imperial Consort Xue''s face and anxiously said. He had already spread the news that the Emperor was fond of men, and when she left with the Emperor, many people had seen him, if she continued to pester in the Imperial Consort Xue, sooner or later, she would find out about Hu Xiao''s identity, so she could not allow the Imperial Consort Xue to pester him like this.


    "Does General Zhao plan to always protect this Miss Soong and this guard? Is it really as Minister Wen said? Could it be that there is some relationship between General Zhao and these two that no one else knows? "


    Xue Mier said while looking at Zhao Qiyan. She was currently worrying about how to teach this guard and Soong Xuan a lesson, and an extremely good opportunity had appeared in front of her. How could Xue Mier let this opportunity go so easily?


    "Allow this official to speak one more time, why must Imperial Concubine bite this Miss Soong to death and this ¡­ Where are the guards? Could it be that the imperial concubine has other motives? "


    Yin Fufeng stood at the side and watched for a long time, but seeing his good friend, he did not know how to refute, and interrupted.


    Yin Fufeng''s words immediately made Xue Mier speechless. Was her performance really too overbearing?


    Seeing that you are causing such trouble, the guards will punish you as my personal maid. Seeing how you are causing trouble, if you want to make this journey with the Southern Patrol go smoothly, and leave this person by Gu Lao''s side, it is already time for you to leave. You still have to get up early tomorrow to continue your journey. "


    Qin Shuo had been tormented for an entire night, and now he felt extremely tired. He had even saved a life just now, so there was no point in continuing this trial, where there was no punishment anyway.


    However, he could also consider it as a fortunate thing that Hu Xiao was brought to her side.

 C82

    Qin Shuo''s and Yin Fufeng''s group heaved a sigh of relief, but only the two of them knew what Wen Fuchen and Xue Mier were thinking.


    Hu Xiao and Soong Xuan looked at each other, a complicated expression in their eyes.


    He was originally doing it to distance himself from Qin Shuo, but now he was getting closer and closer to Qin Shuo. He really shouldn''t have known whether he was happy or worried. However, it could be considered as having escaped a calamity from Wen Fuchen and Xue Mier, and was not too bad.


    "Esteemed Empress, this matter was indeed a good thing. Since this is the case, the direct daughter of the Soong Family cannot enter the palace to be an imperial concubine, and is merely a minor female official. After the Empress returns to the palace and finds a way to resolve this issue, who would dare to say a word of disapproval? How could His Majesty really quarrel with the Empress? "


    palace maid who was beside Xue Mier consoled him when she saw her gloomy look.


    When Xue Mier heard this, she shook her head. The servant girl had said that it could be considered a happy occasion, but the guard did not seem to be a person who liked men.


    Just like that, Xue Mier became a bit more at ease, as the two servants favored by the emperor, and when they return to the palace, they would be under her, Imperial Consort Xue''s rule.


    As for Hu Xiao, Xue Mier was extremely confident that she would not be able to return to the palace.


    "You two, come with me."


    Seeing the two people kneeling in the great hall, not knowing what to do, Yin Fufeng started to speak.


    Hu Xiao smiled at Yin Fufeng. At a time like this, a person with eight facets like Yin Fufeng would definitely not help the two of them.


    Supporting Soong Xuan who was still kneeling on the ground, Hu Xiao carried her and followed behind Yin Fufeng.


    "Thank you Master Yin for helping me out just now. If you need any help in the future, feel free to mention it."


    Yin Fufeng had helped Hu Xiao by who knows how much ever since she met Hu Xiao, but it had always been him, so Hu Xiao did not think that it mattered whether she lived or died, but Soong Xuan had been implicated by him just now. If anything were to happen to Soong Xuan under her lead, Hu Xiao would feel that no matter what she did, she would not be able to make up for it.


    With how overbearing Xue Mier and Wen Fuchen were, Hu Xiao could have seen it and remembered it in her heart. Fortunately, Xue Mier and Wen Fuchen did not know that she was the Queen that they wanted, otherwise, would the outcome not be so easy?


    "Empress, you''re too serious. This official has only done what I should have done."


    Furthermore, Qin Shuo''s appearance just now clearly showed that he did not want to bother about Hu Xiao and Soong Xuan.


    "No matter what, I still have to thank him."


    Seeing how concerned Hu Xiao was, Yin Fufeng did not say anything. Since it was like that, she decided to follow Hu Xiao.


    As for this Miss Soong''s words, they were still the same as ever. Since you are a female official right now, this Imperial Consort Xue will presumably not make things difficult for you on the journey back, so Miss Soong can be at ease. "


    Hu Xiao was startled, from tomorrow onwards, as long as there was nothing wrong, it would be fine.


    "Xuan''er thanks Master Yin."


    Soong Xuan looked at the gentle and refined Yin Fufeng and said. Her face seemed to be redder than before.


    "No need, then please do as you please, I still have matters to take care of. But I, the Empress, remember something, the painting of the Mr Mo Zhu seemed to have been destroyed because of this fire. The Empress should take some time to look for the Mr Mo Zhu."


    With that, he did not wait for Hu Xiao and Soong Xuan''s reply and directly left.


    When Hu Xiao heard this, she became anxious, but she could not find Mo Zhu at the moment. Otherwise, something bad might happen, and she would probably want to roast the corn and eat it, but who knew that she would encounter such a mishap?


    Seeing that the person had walked far away, Soong Xuan looked at the Empress beside him who had a face as black as her, and felt that it was somewhat funny that she would end up in such a sorry state.


    "What are you laughing at?"


    Bringing Hu Xiao back to her senses, she saw Soong Xuan standing behind him with a smile that was like a flower, and could not help but ask.


    Shouldn''t the two of them be sad? How could this Soong Xuan really not follow common sense? Smiling like a ghost.


    "Haha, don''t you think that the two of us are a bit laughable?"


    Only now did Hu Xiao relax to discover their faces. It was no wonder that Soong Xuan was smiling so happily now.


    "Alright, after tormenting myself for an entire day, I have finally ended up in such a miserable state. Today''s matter is my fault."


    Speaking till here, Soong Xuan''s current state was completely implicated by her. If she did not insist on letting Soong Xuan head to the Southern Patrol together with her, she would not have lost her position as a female official in the end.


    "Forget it. I made this choice myself. It has nothing to do with you. It''s getting late. I''m going back."


    What Hu Xiao said was not unreasonable, but since she, Soong Xuan, was a friend, and in the end, was also surprised and unhappy, wasn''t it? The rest is fine.


    Hu Xiao naturally understood the meaning of Soong Xuan''s words and smiled faintly in her heart. They had merely met by chance, and in just a few days, Soong Xuan had actually trusted him so much.


    But even so, Hu Xiao still felt a warmth in her heart, it was rare for Soong Xuan to have such a high heart to still become friends with him.


    After returning to her room, Soong Xuan washed up and laid on her bed. She did not know if what she had done was right, but after thinking about it carefully, even without Hu Xiao, she would still have been grabbed by her own father and dancing in front of the emperor. If it weren''t for Hu Xiao supporting her, she would have done her best for her family.


    In this way, Soong Xuan believed that Hu Xiao could prevent herself from becoming the Emperor''s concubine, and that was enough.


    "Xiao Lan, what is a female official in the palace?"


    Soong Xuan who had never understood this before was most worried about the female official.


    "Ah?" Miss, why did you suddenly ask about this? "


    The servant girl Xiao Lan only knew that the chaos outside was caused and that due to their awkward position, they only dared to hide inside the house. Thus, she did not know that the source of the chaos was her young mistress.


    "Your Majesty just made me a female official in the palace. I don''t know what it was so I asked you."


    When Soong Xuan saw the servant girl''s surprised expression, she could not help but feel her heart tighten. She could not help but become more curious as to what exactly this female official was. But just now, with the great mistake they had committed, it shouldn''t have happened like this, right?


    "Miss, you were actually given the title of a female official! If that''s the case, then this will be the end of our road in Soong Family. "

 C83

    That Xiao Lan''s words were too harsh, Soong Xuan could not help but become more curious.


    What did this female official do? Why did it cause Xiao Lan to feel such despair? In addition, there was a faint feeling of hatred.


    Soong Xuan squinted her eyes and looked at Xiao Lan, now she felt that the servant girl looked a little familiar, the Southern Patrol was gifted to her by her father, so Soong Xuan let the servant girl stay by his side, so Soong Xuan suddenly remembered that the servant girl seemed to have been to the maid''s side before.


    It seemed like this girl was sent by his concubine to monitor him.


    "Impudent!" What does this young lady have to do with you? What does my Soong Family have to do with you? You are only a small maid, yet you dare to yell like this in front of me! "


    When the servant Xiao Lan saw the furious Soong Xuan, she was startled and immediately knelt down.


    "Miss, Miss, this servant ¡­" This servant does not mean that! "


    In the past few days, had always taken care of her at Soong Xuan''s side. Previously, she had always been by Master Soong''s wife''s side, and had long been enlightened by Madam Song that the Song Manor was hers from start to finish. This time, she was the one who followed Soong Xuan out to monitor him.


    Furthermore, because Madame Song had obtained the Master Soong''s permission, and because Soong Xuan had always taken care of her, she thought that she would care about the relationship between the Master Soong and Madam Song, but what was this?


    "Oh? What do you mean, what do you mean? But before that, tell me, who is this female official?


    Soong Xuan did not want to stay in the palace from the start, so she did not know what it was. However, seeing that the servant girl had not said anything, Soong Xuan was angry.


    Reporting to the young miss, this is the palace maid of the palace. If the young miss is bestowed the title of female official, then the level of the imperial harem will be very strict. If the young miss becomes this female official, then you will no longer be able to be her concubine for the rest of your life.


    Soong Xuan looked at the servant girl, she really didn''t know if this person was really stupid or just faked it, wasn''t he disgusted by what she said just now? Why did she say it again now?


    "Heh, so what if you''re a palace maid? No matter what, I am the first daughter of this Soong Family! Who do you think you are? What does my Soong Family''s future have to do with you? Could it be that you want to get the upper hand? "


    After hearing the servant Xiao Lan''s words, Soong Xuan finally understood the meaning behind Hu Xiao''s words. In such a way, he had severed his path of becoming his concubine, and it could not be considered as breaking their promise. He was just a small female official, and with Hu Xiao''s power in the Empress, he would definitely leave the palace as soon as possible.


    "Miss ¡­"


    Xiao Lan only realized what Soong Xuan meant when she heard him. In the past few days, she had lost some of her dignity, but her Soong Family was still considered rich, so Xiao Lan was not too worried about her life, and Soong Xuan would definitely worry about if she was a part of Madam Song''s clan.


    "Do you think I can''t deal with you?"


    Soong Xuan could naturally see the expression on Xiao Lan''s face, and she couldn''t help but feel strange in her heart. When did she let this kind of person think that she didn''t have any temper, Miss?


    Without waiting for Xiao Lan to speak, Soong Xuan said: "Men, this lowly slave has offended her. She can be dragged out to take care of her.


    When the guard at the door heard her, he hurriedly came in and dragged Xiao Lan out. When he saw that Xiao Lan was too noisy, he even covered her mouth.


    Yes, Xiao Lan is right, now that they are in front of your majesty, she is indeed in a difficult position, but when we return to the Liu City, we can just deal with them. As for where the Empress is, if you are not willing to make a move and say it out loud, it is truly naive, even does not put her in her eyes, not to mention that she is just a lowly slave.


    After being tormented for a long time, he had been exhausted. He had a good night''s sleep.


    On the morning of the third day, the weather was much better than usual. Perhaps it was because the big fire yesterday had burned away the hazy smoke.


    Hu Xiao stood at the entrance of the inn, hesitating. Since they had already been conferred as his personal bodyguards last night, they should naturally stay together with Qin Shuo. But right now, Hu Xiao did not dare to be together with Qin Shuo.


    Last night, she had unintentionally destroyed the paintings of the Mr Mo Zhu, and those paintings were considered a treasure for the Mr Mo Zhu. Although the Mr Mo Zhu had always been gentle to anyone, it was because she had not done anything to provoke the Mr Mo Zhu, but now, she had destroyed so many paintings of the Mr Mo Zhu. Although Hu Xiao did not dare to guarantee that she would not understand the deepest part of the painting that the Mr Mo Zhu was hiding, she still knew most of it.


    Hu Xiao naturally noticed Hu Xiao''s hesitation, and she did not try to force the matter, if she were to force the two of them into the carriage, it would definitely be a very embarrassing thing.


    "You were previously a follower of the Mr Mo Zhu. You will go and bid your farewells with the Mr Mo Zhu first this morning, and it will not be easy for you to get to know him again in the future. I am not an unreasonable person."


    This morning, Qin Shuo had known that Mo Zhu''s painting had been destroyed yesterday, and when he thought of the huge fire last night, he naturally thought of the same thing. If he did not let Hu Xiao say a few words to Mo Zhu, the two of them would definitely feel guilty and resentful, and hurting their relationship like this would not be worth it.


    Hu Xiao looked at Qin Shuo, and was slightly shocked. He actually knew what she was thinking and it was as she wished? Could it be that Qin Shuo really did not care about what happened anymore?


    "Thank you, your majesty."


    But now, Hu Xiao couldn''t care less what Qin Shuo was thinking. Since Qin Shuo had already given her the chance, then he might as well not let down Qin Shuo''s rare concern.


    Seeing Hu Xiao answer without turning back, walking in the direction of Mo Zhu, Qin Shuo suddenly regretted what he had just said.


    As a result, the gap between the two of them was also good, so it saved them a bit of trouble, but after that, he recalled Hu Xiao''s personality. If he insisted on not allowing Hu Xiao to meet with Mo Zhu, Hu Xiao would definitely secretly run over to meet him, and even complain about him being unreasonable, and upon thinking about how Hu Xiao would definitely think like this, and ignoring the slight discomfort she felt, Qin Shuo turned and entered his carriage.


    "Mr Mo Zhu."


    Hu Xiao said as she walked over to Mo Zhu who was about to get on the carriage.


    "Hmm? Huang ¡­ Aren''t you the personal guard of His Majesty? What are you doing here? "


    Mo Zhu looked at Hu Xiao and said.

 C84

    Hu Xiao sighed upon hearing this. As expected, she thought that if she did not go to Mr Mo Zhu''s side last night, she would have thought that she was the one who set the fire that destroyed Mr Mo Zhu.


    Mo Zhu''s tone was no longer as familiar as the previous day''s.


    "Sir, His Majesty has allowed your subordinate to come and find you."


    Mo Zhu endured the rage in his heart, looking at Hu Xiao''s expression, how could Mo Zhu not know what Qin Shuo was thinking?


    "Mm, come in like this."


    Seeing that more and more people were looking at him, Mo Zhu was helpless and could only let Hu Xiao follow them in.


    Although Hu Xiao followed Mo Zhu into the carriage, because she made a mistake, she was not as carefree as before.


    "Empress, what are you doing?" I believe she had something to say after she came in. "


    This silence was not like Hu Xiao''s, and in a place where Hu Xiao was present, this silence was unheard-of, in the end, she was still not feeling well.


    "I''m sorry."


    Hu Xiao thought of a few excuses in her heart, but then rebutted them all, thinking that those twisted excuses were not because of Hu Xiao''s personality.


    "Hmm? What does the Empress mean by this? "


    Although Mo Zhu''s expression was still the same as ever, but when she felt the air around her body become warmer, Hu Xiao knew that she was right.


    "The paintings that were destroyed last night were the ones that I set on fire, but this was just an accident. I didn''t know that these flames would burn into your paintings ¡­"


    The more she spoke the softer she got, the more Hu Xiao recalled how foolish she was to actually cause such a disaster last night. If Qin Shuo and the few people present did not know who he was, then she, Hu Xiao, would not be able to stand here safe and sound.


    "So it really is the Empress."


    Mo Zhu froze for a moment. But now that he thought about it, only this fearless empress would have the courage to barge into such a disaster and remain safe and sound.


    "Since it is the Empress''s words, there is no need to be sorry. I also do not know what I should say to the Empress."


    On the other hand, these words made the guilt in Hu Xiao''s heart grow even more. Mo Zhu was someone who did not even put His Majesty in his eyes, but now he had said these words.


    Since it is a calamity that I have stirred up, then I must take responsibility of it, but Sir''s drawing skills are superb, if Sir wants me to recuperate, then I have no choice, other than that, Sir can give me any orders, I, Hu Xiao will follow suit!


    Seeing Hu Xiao say these words, Mo Zhu nodded her head slightly. She knew that Hu Xiao''s drawing technique was there, and would definitely not say anything unrealistic.


    Seeing Mo Zhu''s obviously gentle expression, Hu Xiao''s heart suddenly trembled, as if she had done something that couldn''t be reversed.


    "In that case, this one thanks the Empress."


    At this time, Yuan Bao who was outside the carriage, was looking at her master Mo Zhu and feeling extremely happy in his heart. After all, Hu Xiao had lost a lot of face the few times they met, and now that Hu Xiao was about to be played by her master, the Yuan Bao was naturally happy.


    "These are part of the paintings that were destroyed yesterday. I tried to make amends last night, but I can''t keep most of them. Today, I''ll have to trouble you. I hope you can help me restore these paintings."


    Just as expected, Hu Xiao was startled when she heard it. Mo Zhu''s words were pleasant to hear, but based on the way she, Hu Xiao, was drawing, if she really could restore these paintings, why would she need to worry so much about following behind Mo Zhu and drawing with him?


    "This one is also aware of Empress''s painting skills, but I believe that this isn''t a problem for Empress. The Empress''s talent in painting can be described as outstanding. If it''s like this, I really will have to trouble Empress."


    After saying that, Mo Zhu tossed a series of broken paintings to Hu Xiao and did not speak anymore.


    Seeing Mo Zhu sitting at the side, Hu Xiao was at a loss whether to laugh or cry. Although Hu Xiao would usually learn to draw when she was free, the brush was different. Mo Zhu was not afraid that her own painting would be destroyed by Hu Xiao.


    However, it was just as Mo Zhu had said. Hu Xiao had made the mistake first, so naturally, she could only do her best to accomplish this task. If she could get Mo Zhu''s forgiveness, it would be the best way to repay the favor.


    After a day of silence, when Hu Xiao finally raised her head from the drawing in front of him, the carriage finally stopped.


    When Mo Zhu saw Hu Xiao put down the brush in her hand, she walked forward to take a look at it, but was stunned to the spot. She had originally thought that although Hu Xiao was talented, she would never be able to recover, but now, it seemed that although Hu Xiao''s recovery was not as great as it was before, it was even worse than before!


    "The Empress really does conceal her strength."


    However, after a few days, Hu Xiao was simply giving Mo Zhu a pleasant surprise. It was the same, but it made Mo Zhu more and more curious about Hu Xiao.


    "Sir, you''re too kind. Are we at the relay station now?"


    Hu Xiao had been tired for a whole day, but now she did not even have the strength to smile obsequiously. After sitting on the bumpy horse for an entire day, Hu Xiao felt that her butt was not her anymore.


    "Yes, we''re here."


    Hu Xiao''s carefree attitude caused Mo Zhu and the ingot to turn red.


    Just as she was about to say something, Hu Xiao pushed aside the curtain and jumped down. Mo Zhu was about to block them, afraid that Hu Xiao would accidentally fall down, but when she extended his hand out to see that Hu Xiao had safely landed on the ground, she naturally retracted his hand.


    He had forgotten that Hu Xiao was not an ordinary woman, so using her skills to raise a small fatty like her would not be a problem at all.


    Only to see that behind Hu Xiao''s line carriage, she had anxiously rushed towards Qin Shuo.


    "Teacher, did the Empress draw all this?"


    The ingot was originally going to jump off the carriage along with Hu Xiao, but Mo Zhu''s teachings suddenly popped up in his mind. He wanted to suppress the restlessness in his heart, but seeing that Mr Mo Zhu had not come out for a long time, he couldn''t help but to walk in, and seeing the broken drawing on the table, he was even more shocked.


    The ingots would be very clear about what these paintings looked like before Hu Xiao made a move, but the drawings now looked like a completely different shape, the ingots were naturally surprised.


    This was all drawn by the Mr Mo Zhu herself, but wasn''t Hu Xiao learning it from the Mr Mo Zhu''s side just a short while ago?


    The lady was originally a dazzling existence, and seeing Qin Shuo and Hu Xiao standing together and chatting happily, Mo Zhu''s heart sank a bit.

 C85

    The relay stations for today had become somewhat quiet. In the past, it was Hu Xiao who caused trouble outside, causing the relay stations to become slightly restless.


    Qin Shuo had a foresight of things. He knew that Hu Xiao would only cause trouble when she was outside, so he made Hu Xiao follow him closely.


    It was actually a bit calmer than before. Everyone had a good night''s sleep.


    deeply felt that he had to make Hu Xiao stay by her side forever from now on. Only by doing this would he be able to save himself a lot of trouble.


    Hu Xiao followed behind Qin Shuo a little helplessly, they had already rested well, and were full of energy. But Hu Xiao was in a miserable state, how could she sleep by Qin Shuo''s side, and at the moment, she was even more yawning, but Hu Xiao was not too presumptuous. She was currently Qin Shuo''s bodyguard, and what she represented was Qin Shuo''s face, how could she display her appearance in front of everyone.


    It was also fortunate that she did not need to be an assistant by Mo Zhu''s side today, otherwise, Hu Xiao would really be depressed.


    "You didn''t sleep very well last night, why? You still want to show off now? "


    Seeing that Hu Xiao was about to head towards the head guard, Qin Shuo immediately shouted to stop him. However, he did not expect that Hu Xiao''s blank and ignorant eyes did not know what to say for a while.


    "What''s wrong? I have to go where I am supposed to, and not let His Majesty want me to ride in the carriage with His Majesty? "


    Hu Xiao casually asked, but Qin Shuo suddenly felt that Hu Xiao''s suggestion was extremely good.


    "Mm, this is good as well. Since you are a personal bodyguard, you should be protected by your personal bodyguards. In that case, you will ride with me in the carriage."


    With that, he watched as Wei Shi pulled open the curtain for him and walked in without waiting for Hu Xiao to reply. Hu Xiao stared blankly for a long time before slowly following suit, as if what Qin Shuo said was not wrong.


    Seeing Qin Shuo bringing Hu Xiao into the carriage, he could not help but be enraged.


    These few days, the maid who had spread the rumors that the Emperor liked men had long been found and punished by Yin Fufeng and Zhao Qiyan. The saying that the Emperor liked men had been reversed to say that the guard was sick because the Emperor had only taken care of him.


    "Your Majesty is actually ignoring the rumors spread among the eunuchs of the palace maid at all? You actually invited that maid to accompany you on the train at such a time? "


    Although she hated him to the bones, Xue Mier was helpless. It was not good for her to flare up, if something were to happen in this situation, Xue Mier believed that the entire group would object to her, Xue Mier.


    But how could His Majesty be like this? He actually ignored her face as an imperial concubine and openly closed the distance between them as if they were enemies with Xue Mier.


    Xue Mier and Hu Xiao could not care less about what she thought, they went inside Qin Shuo''s carriage.


    Indeed, just as they had imagined, the silence of the carriage made the two of them feel extremely awkward.


    Hu Xiao moved his body, she felt that the atmosphere was too weird, and she was unable to endure it.


    "What are you going to do?"


    Seeing Hu Xiao getting up, Qin Shuo anxiously asked.


    "Your Majesty, your subordinate is now your Majesty''s guard. I''m afraid that if I ride in the carriage with Your Majesty, your subordinate would be the first among the guards, no?" Furthermore, all of the eunuchs in palace maid are saying that His Majesty likes men, that sort of thing. Why is His Majesty not avoiding suspicion? "


    Hu Xiao revealed everything that she knew, every word was all for Qin Shuo''s sake. If Qin Shuo wanted her to stay, Hu Xiao would not be able to.


    Ah, you are still as eloquent as ever. I know that the Queen is unable to stay in the same carriage as you, but it is fine since you are not in a good condition. Just now, the soldiers have also seen your condition.


    Hearing that, Hu Xiao was stunned that she was about to step out of the carriage. Since Qin Shuo said this, then she really would not force herself to leave, and she was too lazy to get used to these twists and turns. Since Qin Shuo did not even care about her now, how could she possibly look for trouble with him?


    Hu Xiao had already forgotten that she was the one who insisted on getting off the carriage.


    Seeing that Hu Xiao had slowly calmed down, Qin Shuo felt at ease. After travelling for a distance, she had not had a good rest the previous day, so under the bumpy atmosphere, Hu Xiao''s sleep became even deeper.


    Seeing that Hu Xiao was almost on the side of the carriage, Qin Shuo decided not to let it go. He got up and stood beside Hu Xiao, and gently put Hu Xiao''s head on her legs.


    had never done such a thing before, and he was extremely shocked in his heart, how much did Hu Xiao know about it? But why was he safe and sound when he came into contact with Hu Xiao? He was getting more and more curious, but in truth, Hu Xiao was still a man in disguise. Even though Hu Xiao was defenseless in front of him, Qin Shuo had never harbored any ill intentions towards him.


    It was unknown if it was because of this reason, but Qin Shuo was stunned.


    The atmosphere inside the car had finally warmed up a little.


    Hu Xiao had already woken up when she touched Qin Shuo, but because she was curious about what Qin Shuo would do, she forced herself to close her eyes. Although she felt that Qin Shuo was a little strange for being so gentle and gentle, but luckily Qin Shuo did not do anything strange to Hu Xiao, so Hu Xiao could still be at ease.


    In the end, he really did fall asleep.


    They didn''t say anything along the way.


    "Your Imperial Majesty, up ahead is the Aquatic Manor."


    Just when Qin Shuo felt that his legs were numb, Zhao Qiyan''s voice came out from outside the carriage.


    Hu Xiao acted as though she was frightened and immediately leaped up from Qin Shuo''s leg.


    After losing all his weight, Qin Shuo started to feel unwell. However, he, who had been recovering extremely well, did not say anything.


    "Mm. After resting and reorganizing for a moment, we will continue on our journey. I believe that the soldiers and soldiers will all be affected by this and that, so we should just follow this Aquatic Manor''s path."


    Hu Xiao was a little suspicious after hearing it, so she slept all the way to her destination? By Qin Shuo''s side? Besides, she was sleeping so peacefully!


    "Yes, this humble subject will do it right away."


    After waiting for a long time, and seeing that Qin Shuo was not walking out like he usually was, and was just speaking from the carriage, Qin Shuo was stunned for a moment, before replying and leaving.


    "Your Majesty? Your subordinate thanks Your Majesty! "


    He saw Qin Shuo rubbing his numb legs. So it was because of this that Qin Shuo did not go out to speak? Wasn''t that all his fault? Although they knew that Zhao Qiyan would not say anything, they could not hold back the people who were staring at Qin Shuo from the beginning.


    "No matter. We are husband and wife. There is no need to say those two words."

 C86

    The two words "husband and wife" had always been slowly being protected by Qin Shuo, but Hu Xiao had never felt anything about it.


    When she thought about how she had always caused trouble in the past and how Qin Shuo had taken care of her, she seemed to have become more of a husband and wife.


    "Haha, it is your subordinate''s fault. However, why are we repairing in this Aquatic Manor and not at a relay station?"


    Seeing that, Hu Xiao did not care anymore about Qin Shuo and changed the topic.


    In the past, they would always sit in the government office when they entered the city. If they were to leave the city, it would be at a relay station. How come now, even the Manor has been settled down?


    Heh, this Aquatic Manor is also my imperial family''s villa. It has been a bit late today, and according to the next relay station, it is quite far. If we don''t stay here and continue on our journey, I''m sure that we will be sleeping in the forest tonight.


    After Hu Xiao heard this, he did not speak anymore. She did not know what was going on, so speaking any further now was naturally not a good choice.


    "Oh, your subordinate is overthinking it."


    Seeing Hu Xiao being so easygoing today, Qin Shuo was slightly startled, but quickly calmed down. Maybe in the past few days, Hu Xiao had gotten tired of it and lost her mind, so it was not a problem.


    The party soon arrived at the Manor, one of His Majesty''s summer resorts, worthy of its name.


    It was still extremely hot outside, but after they entered the Manor, they felt much more comfortable.


    "Greetings, Your Majesty. Long live and long live our Emperor.


    The manager of the Aquatic Manor had long received the news and was waiting here. At this moment, he saw Qin Shuo walking over and hurriedly said.


    "Mm, rise. You''ve worked hard here at the Guardian Villa."


    Qin Shuo felt more respect for this manager, so he thought of it later.


    "Your servant did not work hard. Your servant had already prepared some delicious food. Your Majesty, the various ladies and gentlemen, I would like to request that you step into the hall."


    Today''s journey might not be as arduous as before, but after walking for a long time, everyone had already become extremely hungry. When they heard that dishes were prepared in the hall, they immediately felt extremely hungry.


    Seeing that, Qin Shuo smiled, then stepped inside.


    Hu Xiao had slept the whole way, so she was not really hungry now. However, to prevent herself from thinking about that night at the inn, where she had to roast some corn due to hunger. She burned the backyard, and Hu Xiao still went to eat some.


    After she finished eating her fill, Hu Xiao slowly walked around the Villa. Needless to say, this Elephant Water Villa was extremely big, and after asking the palace maid that was on duty and finding out that there was a hot spring at the back of the mountain, Hu Xiao could not help but laugh even more happily, and turned around to walk in Soong Xuan''s direction.


    "Hmm? Why is the Empress here? "


    To address the man dressed in the uniform of a guard as "Empress," would indeed make it difficult for Soong Xuan, but at this time, the people surrounding Soong Xuan had already been tidied up by Soong Xuan, so they didn''t mind revealing Hu Xiao''s identity.


    "I was wandering around this mansion just now and was informed that there was a hot spring at the summit of the back mountain. We were tired from our journey recently, I wonder if Miss Soong would like to go with us to the hot spring?"


    Hu Xiao''s purpose for coming was self-evident, and wanted Soong Xuan to go to some hot spring with him.


    "Empress? Have you forgotten about what happened at the relay station that day? "


    Soong Xuan was startled upon hearing this. The last time she went out, he had burnt the rear courtyard of the inn in the end. The danger level of traveling with Hu Xiao was too high, so Soong Xuan felt that her safety could not be guaranteed.


    "Of course I remember. However, it''s rare to see this hot spring. It would be a pity if I didn''t go. Is young miss really not interested?" "If that''s the case, I''ll head there by myself."


    Seeing that, Hu Xiao pretended to say, she did not believe that Soong Xuan was afraid of these small troubles, and as expected, just as Hu Xiao was about to turn and leave, she heard Soong Xuan''s words and laughed.


    "Your Majesty, the Empress and Miss Soong went to the back of the mountain together. Your goal here is the hot spring you dug there."


    Seeing Hu Xiao and Soong Xuan heading towards the back of the mountain, Wei Shi anxiously reported to him.


    "Hmm? Hot springs? "I understand."


    The back of the mountain was still okay, even if the two of them were fighting, it would not be able to last long, so Qin Shuo heaved a sigh of relief.


    Hu Xiao and Soong Xuan had long reached the side of the hot spring.


    "It''s actually a natural hot spring. Awesome."


    Seeing that, Hu Xiao was satisfied, there were usually no one who came to the back mountain, and on the way here, they did not notice anything strange, so she relaxed, took off all her clothes, and entered the hot spring.


    "Alright, Soong Xuan, don''t delay any longer, this hot spring is a good item, come and try it out."


    Seeing Soong Xuan''s hesitant look, Hu Xiao smiled and said to Soong Xuan who was still standing on the shore.


    Smoke curled up, and Hu Xiao had already washed everything off her face with the water from the hot spring.


    With the hot spring as a contrast, she had long known that Hu Xiao was beautiful, but right now, she was completely shocked by Soong Xuan''s beauty. In the past few days, she had lost sight of Hu Xiao who was disguised as a man, and it seemed as if Hu Xiao had made some changes to her appearance. She looked extremely normal, but right now, she had recovered her previous appearance, which was simply beautiful to the extreme.


    "Why are you still looking at me? Come down quickly, or there''ll be people coming later. "


    But after waiting for a long time and not seeing Soong Xuan enter the water, Hu Xiao felt it was strange. Normally, Soong Xuan should not have been afraid of the water, otherwise, he would not have followed him here.


    "Empress, it is no wonder that you are the most noble in the harem. Your looks are all top class."


    Soong Xuan saw that Hu Xiao was impatient while waiting in the water, and could not help but laugh as she spoke.


    Hm? What did Soong Xuan mean by that, praising herself for nothing? Was he lost in her beauty? But Soong Xuan was just a woman, how could this be? Was it flattery?


    Hu Xiao immediately threw the thought out of her mind. Soong Xuan was not that kind of person, but she could not understand, what did Soong Xuan mean by this? It was not as if she had never seen her own female attire before, how come she was stunned now?


    But looking at Soong Xuan''s appearance, Hu Xiao had a plan in her mind. She held in a breath and instantly swam to Soong Xuan''s side, pulling him into the water.


    "Ah ¡­" Help... "Save me ¡­"


    A moment of carelessness allowed Hu Xiao to pull the water away, causing her to instantly suck in a lot of water, but she was unable to see Hu Xiao coming to her rescue even after flopping in the water for a long time. Only then did she slowly calm down, and saw Hu Xiao not far from her, calmly and unperturbedly watching her struggle.


    "Hmm? But there''s a woman calling for help? "


    , who was on patrol, seemed to have heard Soong Xuan''s cry for help and rushed over to the back of the mountain.

 C87

    Soong Xuan struggled in the water for a long time, but she still did not see Hu Xiao. Just as she was about to curse at him, she heard Hu Xiao''s bell-like voice ringing beside him.


    "Alright, I''ll stop messing with you. Calm down for a moment. This drowning person will automatically rise to the surface."


    As if she had been bewitched, Soong Xuan slowly relaxed her body and could be considered to have experienced this feeling.


    "If there are any monsters, esteemed wangfei, you are very similar to those monsters that seduce people and absorb men''s Profound Qi."


    Soong Xuan said bitterly.


    Hu Xiao acted as if she could not hear anything, and laughed while swimming into the distance.


    Whether it was in the modern world or the modern world, was already used to having her looks. But now, she was actually praising himself with such a woman.


    Suddenly hearing the approaching figure, Hu Xiao was startled. Probably, she had alarmed this person when she pulled Soong Xuan into the water just now, but from the looks of it, she was in the wrong. She had actually forgotten that there was someone patrolling everywhere in the Villa, but she just did not know who this person was.


    Hearing the voice as if she had gone in, Hu Xiao did not care about letting Soong Xuan dive further into the water, if it was not Zhao Qiyan who came, then it was Yin Fufeng, to be able to be this vigilant. Other than the two of them, she did not think that Soong Xuan would be seen by them, but she, Hu Xiao was not.


    Just as expected, by the time Soong Xuan managed to react, she was already close to them.


    "Who''s making a ruckus here? But do you need help? "


    Just now, Yin Fufeng only came up because he heard about saving lives, so he should be asking this question now.


    Hearing that the person who came was Yin Fufeng, Hu Xiao was secretly hiding herself in a dark place covered in smoke.


    AHH!" "Turn around!


    Soong Xuan suddenly turned her head upon hearing the man''s voice, only to see Yin Fufeng also frozen in place, until he finally heard Soong Xuan''s words.


    Just now, Yin Fufeng was still able to clearly see the woman''s appearance., who had never seen this kind of situation before, was instantly in a state of panic, and did not know what he should do. However, Soong Xuan''s face was deeply imprinted in Yin Fufeng''s mind.


    Soong Xuan gritted her teeth as she looked at the distant Hu Xiao, but she still saw the smiling Hu Xiao. She was extremely furious, why was it that she, Soong Xuan, would always be the one to be embarrassed? But seeing that it was Yin Fufeng, Soong Xuan did not panic at all, since she had guessed who it was and decided to avoid it.


    The ticking sound behind him made Yin Fufeng''s back turn, but he could still hear it very clearly, as well as the sound of the clothes being passed.


    "Master Yin, did you find anything? "How is it?"


    Just now, Yin Fufeng had left too quickly, and the guard had not caught up to Yin Fufeng for a while as well.


    "I have nothing to do. You can all go down first. I''ll be fine here."


    Hearing that the lady behind him had stopped, Yin Fufeng anxiously said.


    It was no longer necessary for a woman to bathe in the bath when the man saw her. If others were to find out, how would she have the face to continue existing in this world?


    Soong Xuan was very satisfied with what Yin Fufeng had just done.


    "Why did the Master Yin appear here?"


    After Soong Xuan was fully dressed, she turned around and asked.


    "Just now, this one heard Miss cry for help ¡­"


    So it was like that! Soong Xuan could not help but remember a few more points of Hu Xiao, but Soong Xuan knew that it was not appropriate for Hu Xiao to appear now, and said that.


    "It was Xuan''er''s carelessness that caused her to accidentally fall into this water. I hope that Master Yin can forgive me."


    Only now did Yin Fufeng regain some of his composure. Looking at the set of soldier''s clothes that was still placed not too far away, he immediately guessed that Hu Xiao was definitely still far away. The only person that could make Soong Xuan hide her strength was probably Hu Xiao.


    "It is my fault, it is just that I have let Miss Song down."


    Raising his head to look at Soong Xuan, Yin Fufeng quickly lowered his head. At the moment, Soong Xuan''s appearance was too bewitching, her hair was still dripping with water, and her clothes were stuck on Soong Xuan''s body, making him unable to take another look.


    Just as the soldier in the distance thought that he still had other things to tell Yin Fufeng, when he returned, he saw the back of a lady. He was so frightened that he lost track of what he was talking about and anxiously ran down the mountain.


    "What are you doing, panicking!"


    The panicked soldier was caught by Zhao Qiyan who happened to be patrolling at the foot of the mountain.


    "Where''s Yin Fufeng? Aren''t you patrolling with the Master Yin? But what happened to Yin Fufeng? "


    Zhao Qiyan saw that the person he grabbed had a flustered look on his face, and was immediately on guard against Yin Fufeng''s consolation, but just as he was about to rush to the back of the mountain, he was stopped by the soldier.


    "General, General Zhao doesn''t need to go. Master Yin is currently on the mountain, but he isn''t in danger. It''s just that ¡­" "But ¡­"


    After listening for a long while, he still could not say anything. Zhao Qiyan was extremely furious, what had happened?


    The soldier could naturally feel Zhao Qiyan''s impatience. Zhao Qiyan''s punishment of the soldiers caused fear in the hearts of the people, and so he did not care about anything else and stated everything that he had seen.


    Zhao Qiyan, who was originally filled with rage, felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over him.


    "Did you lie to me?"


    He had been alone for a long time like his good friends, but after hearing all this, Zhao Qiyan''s first reaction was that his good friend finally had someone to accompany him. He was so lonely that he was the only one left, but when did a good friend ever have a woman like her?


    Just as Zhao Qiyan was feeling suspicious, the soldiers behind Zhao Qiyan heard the news.


    "Master Yin is truly an elegant and outstanding man, to think that you would think of such a good place to meet me. We are truly lamenting ourselves for not being able to match up."


    "That''s right, but I never thought that the Master Yin would actually have such a strong desire for monopoly. I presume that woman is also an excellent one."


    "Ah, yes."


    "¡­"


    The discussion behind him immediately pulled Zhao Qiyan back from his thoughts, and upon hearing their words, he became even more furious.


    "Bullshit, when did Yin Fufeng get to the point where you guys are talking about it here? Shut your dog mouth for this general, if this general were to hear even the slightest bit of news about this matter! Carefully watch your dog heads! "


    To actually dare to criticize Yin Fufeng like that in front of him, he was truly tired of living, if that was whether it was good or bad, then whatever. Zhao Qiyan might as well go up and say something, but these words were something even Zhao Qiyan could hear the mocking tone in the words, how could Zhao Qiyan not be angry!


    "Yes, General. Please spare my life."


    They had forgotten the relationship between Master Yin Fufeng and General Zhao Qiyan, hence they were extremely afraid, afraid that Zhao Qiyan would kill them if they were not careful.


    Looking at the few people who were kneeling on the ground and begging for forgiveness, Zhao Qiyan''s heart was gloomy.


    "Zhao Qiyan? Why are you here? "

 C88

    Suddenly hearing someone shout behind him, Zhao Qiyan turned around and looked at that person, his face slightly flushed, as though he was in an even more miserable state than before. Looking at this good friend in such a state, Zhao Qiyan more or less believed what the little soldier said about him.


    "I thought that soldier was lying to me, but now it seems to be true."


    How could Yin Fufeng not hear the ridicule in his voice, but what was Zhao Qiyan doing?


    "What is true?"


    Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind, it couldn''t be that he was met by a good friend of his, Soong Xuan, when he went to the hot spring, right?


    "The follower who followed you has already told me. Who is that woman? If you''re hiding this from me, I''m afraid you''re not going to make sense of it. "


    Zhao Qiyan strongly slapped Yin Fufeng, he almost fell down to the ground from Zhao Qiyan''s slap, causing Yin Fufeng to stabilise his mind, and said while looking at his good friend who looked like he was watching a good show.


    "Just now?" Zhao Qiyan, you don''t believe me, our good friend from so many years? "It was just an accident just now. You just heard a few insignificant words from someone else and you suspect me so?"


    He had never seen Yin Fufeng get so angry before. Not only Zhao Qiyan, even the crabs general who was standing by the side was stunned. Yin Fufeng had a famous good temper, yet he actually ignored his image?


    "Yin Fufeng, you..."


    Although Yin Fufeng had lost his temper, Zhao Qiyan did not know what had happened. Yin Fufeng was not someone who could not stand jokes, why did he casually ask a question just now?


    Seeing Zhao Qiyan''s expression, it was as if Yin Fufeng had reacted, but just now, Soong Xuan''s appearance had always remained in Yin Fufeng''s mind, and he realised that Yin Fufeng did not want to worry about her friend''s feelings anymore.


    With just a glance at the people around him, Yin Fufeng directly walked over, as though he did not want to bother with them.


    Zhao Qiyan watched his good friend leave, secretly shocked in his heart. He had never seen so many emotions on his good friend''s face, but seeing how his good friend was acting, Zhao Qiyan did not dare to go up and tease him.


    Just as he was about to warn the people behind him not to say what he had seen and heard today, he didn''t know that news of Yin Fufeng''s actions in the Elephant Water Villa had long ago spread.


    "The person just now was Yin Fufeng?"


    At the side of the spring, when Hu Xiao saw that she could no longer hear anything, he stood up and asked.


    "Mm, yes."


    Soong Xuan was still thinking about what Yin Fufeng had said and how she did it. Seeing that Hu Xiao did not have much enthusiasm after she came over, she smiled slightly.


    "What''s wrong? With such a sullen expression, could it be that Yin Fufeng had seen everything? If that''s really the case, what should we do? "


    When Hu Xiao saw that Soong Xuan had lost her previous liveliness, her heart dropped. Especially when she saw the look in Soong Xuan''s eyes, Hu Xiao was finally stunned.


    Hu Xiao had experienced how strong and pure an ancient woman was, if it was really like this, then what should she do?


    "Sigh, Empress was really guessed correctly by you. Since what has happened, what does the Empress think we should do? Could it be that she could make time go back to that time period? so that it doesn''t happen again? "


    Soong Xuan had already calmed down a little. Although she was not as noisy as the other girls, in the end, she still felt sad. However, she knew that other than feeling sad, she could not think about other things.


    "Soong Xuan, I am sorry for what I did, but I thought of a method, I have asked His Majesty before, His Majesty said that although Yin Fufeng has a high position in the palace now, his private life is very noble, I have never heard of Yin Fufeng having a woman by his side, or passing down teachings to his, he is considered one of the most noble and pure people, if you do not mind, I will."


    Before Hu Xiao could finish speaking, she was interrupted by Soong Xuan.


    "Empress, there is no need to be like this. I know what Empress meant, but I, Soong Xuan, worship freedom, and hate these betrothal gifts. If the Empress is really doing me a favor, then let this matter be buried in my stomach."


    Soong Xuan said while beaming, as though she did not look like she had wanted to tear Yin Fufeng into a thousand pieces just now, and she did not seem to care about it at all.


    When Yin Fufeng heard this, he actually lost all of his strength in an instant. He walked down the mountain in a daze, and then, the scene that happened in front of Zhao Qiyan just now occurred again.


    "If that''s the case, then it''s up to you. You''re right, we should find a person that we like and that person also likes us."


    For example, no matter how much Master Soong liked Soong Xuan before, he would still use the attitude of a father to force Soong Xuan to show his face in front of His Majesty, so that he could achieve his own goals. However, Hu Xiao could not say these words.


    Seeing Hu Xiao not saying anything for a long time, Soong Xuan chuckled in her heart.


    "Alright, we came here to play with great difficulty, why do we have to care about such things? It''s better to be happy and have fun, why are you so depressed? But now that I have been seen naked by that person, I will naturally feel rather awkward in front of Master Yin in the future.


    Hearing that, Hu Xiao did not say anything, but only hugged Soong Xuan, and the two of them realised that they were like grasshoppers on a string, although they just happened to meet each other by chance, with so many restrictions, it could be considered as a rare fate.


    The two of them were not good at expressing themselves, so they only felt that their feelings had reached a deeper level. However, after hugging for a while, they hurriedly let go of each other.


    After playing around in the spring for a while, Soong Xuan stood up and took her leave.


    It was not good to be gone for too long, Soong Xuan felt that she would like to play with them for a few more days, if not, wouldn''t her journey in the future become extremely boring?


    Seeing that, Hu Xiao did not stay for long, but after working so hard for the past few days, Hu Xiao felt that not only was she extremely quick, even her body was extremely tired, and it was not easy to find a place to relax, Hu Xiao would naturally not let him go.


    Since he was already back home, there was nothing much to do. He still had to watch Xue Mier and her wife kiss me and me, Hu Xiao felt even worse.


    Hu Xiao turned and dove into the water again, it had been a long time since she last went back to play, and now she felt very comfortable, but she also felt more modern, less scheming and scheming, and more true nature.

 C89

    "Have you heard? That soldier who went on patrol with Master Yin today saw an incredible thing. "


    "Ah, I heard about it too. I heard that when Master Yin patrolled to the hot springs at the back of the mountain, he had actually swapped away all his soldiers. Yet, Master Yin stayed behind to meet his lover in private?"


    "Is that so? "But I heard that the back of the mountain is a hot spring, an extremely good place. Do you think that the lovers of Master Yin and Master Yin are not in one of the hot springs ¡­"


    "Hahaha, maybe it''s the way you said it was."


    "..."


    He once again heard the palace maid Eunuch by his side chatting over tea, but this time, the person talking about it was Yin Fufeng, Qin Shuo felt that it was extremely subtle, it was true that he had been too indulgent towards these people, to actually dare to discuss it so openly like this with his master! Just as he wanted to discipline her a little, he saw Yin Fufeng walking over from afar. Qin Shuo stopped thinking about it and prepared to watch the show.


    "What is it? The court lady and the steward did not teach you etiquette? So you''re talking about your master so openly? "


    Sure enough, Yin Fufeng did not disappoint Qin Shuo, and directly walked towards the few people who were just talking loudly, if one ignored Yin Fufeng''s bright smile that was on his face, he would have the appearance of teaching a servant a lesson.


    However, that number didn''t even dare to take a deep breath and could only kneel on the ground.


    Who in the Palace Servant didn''t know? The more Master Yin Fufeng got angry, the happier he got, and if one were to see Master Yin Fufeng''s smile, then the person who received the training would definitely be better off dead.


    "Milord, milord, this servant didn''t do it on purpose. Milord, spare me!"


    None of them dared to act as they had in front of the furious Yin Fufeng. All of them were kneeling on the ground, afraid that Yin Fufeng would remember their appearances and settle debts.


    But how could Yin Fufeng let them do as they wished?


    "Raise your heads and let me have a good look. Just what did His Majesty feed you with so much food and so much mouth?"


    What happened after that? He even went to patrol the surrounding territories. How did the news spread just like that? Being discussed behind his back was not the first time, if it was in the past, Yin Fufeng would definitely not care, but after recalling what Soong Xuan had said just now, how could she destroy his innocence? If she did not take care of this matter now, if someone found out that the girl was Soong Xuan, then what would happen to a weak girl like Soong Xuan?


    The few of them still had their heads down, they wanted to bury their bodies on the ground. Seeing that, Yin Fufeng did not try to force them, he looked at the people behind him and then forced them to raise their heads.


    Although they were unwilling, but the few of them had long lived like princes in the palace, how could they compete with the guards who were being trained around Yin Fufeng?


    After Yin Fufeng memorized their appearances, the secret guard let go of them and left them on the road as though they were trash.


    However, these people didn''t have any thoughts of surviving. All they had was fear for the future.


    Yin Fufeng, who had left a few people behind, could still remember the reason he was here.


    "Greetings, your Imperial Majesty."


    who was lying on top of Qin Shuo ignored them. Yin Fufeng remembered that those few people were all people from Xue Mier''s palace.


    "Get up, how about it? But what movement? "


    With how many things had happened in the past few days, Qin Shuo naturally had to be more vigilant.


    "This humble subject has already made his rounds, there is nothing wrong with it. This humble subject is making his rounds, Your Majesty can rest assured."


    Hearing that, Qin Shuo nodded his head, and was just about to let Yin Fufeng leave, but Xue Mier who was beside him suddenly spoke out.


    "Hehe, Master Yin is tired, this Aquatic Manor has always been an extremely safe place, so Master Yin need not be too realistic. I heard that Master Yin met a woman back in the back mountain, but I never would have thought that even a gentle Master Yin would feel sad about it.


    Xue Mier saw that Yin Fufeng was about to turn and leave, and anxiously said, it took him so much effort to finally catch a hold of Yin Fufeng, how could he give up so easily, Yin Fufeng had already given him face many times, she was the favorite concubine of His Majesty and the Imperial Consort Xue himself, how could he be so disrespectful?


    Qin Shuo scolded from the bottom of his heart, he had previously felt that Xue Mier had become smarter, but now that he saw that had thought too much into it, he was still as stupid as ever. Just now, Yin Fufeng had punished those talkative eunuchs of the palace maid just because of that, and now he actually dared to raise Yin Fufeng''s eyebrows, he really did not know how to write the word death.


    When it comes to the topic of personal safety, this humble subject knows that he can''t compare to Imperial Consort Xue, but the safety of his Majesty''s East Court is of utmost importance, so it''s naturally better to be cautious. Imperial Consort Xue likes to use the zither, chess, calligraphy and paintings most of the time, so this humble subject will take care of his safety.


    Yin Fufeng''s words did not leave any face for Xue Mier, every word he said was filled with ridicule for Xue Mier, and seeing Xue Mier''s gloomy face, Yin Fufeng immediately left.


    Qin Shuo was still by Xue Mier''s side. Naturally, it was impossible for Yin Fufeng to do too much, but letting Xue Mier be perverted was something that he could do.


    Your Majesty, look at Master Yin''s words.


    Although she hated him from the bottom of her heart, Xue Mier did not dare to say anything. Just now, she had been angered until she became muddled, and even forgot about Yin Fufeng''s past, how dare she tease him like this in front of His Majesty.


    "Alright, what Yin Fufeng said is the truth, Dear Consort does not need to worry about these matters, you can leave now, I want to be alone for a while."


    When Yin Fufeng left, he did not know about the look in Xue Mier''s eyes, but Qin Shuo understood. Thinking back to Yin Fufeng''s furious look, the palace maid were probably speaking the truth, it had been a long time since they last saw Hu Xiao walking around, so they guessed that the woman on the mountain was probably Hu Xiao!


    Thinking about it, Qin Shuo''s expression became relaxed, if the woman that Yin Fufeng saw was Hu Xiao! Then him!


    However, thinking about it, Hu Xiao was probably not the only one that was brought along. Just like the last time when she was set ablaze, he was probably also carrying a Soong Xuan with him.


    He walked towards the back of the mountain, feeling a bit worried after all.


    Smoke lingered, and the indistinct figure of a woman appeared in the middle of the lake before Qin Shuo''s eyes, she was truly a beauty, her hand gently resting on the shore, her smooth hair draped over her shoulders, when she looked at the thing on her back, Qin Shuo was immediately stunned.

 C90

    The tattoo on Qin Shuo''s shoulder was a photographic memory, the girl in the spring was indeed Hu Xiao!


    But just now, he saw Soong Xuan leaving in a hurry, so it was likely that the person Yin Fufeng had met should be the Soong Family woman. Hu Xiao had promised him before, so she should still bear some responsibility for what she had said.


    "Who?"


    Hu Xiao was a little sleepy when she heard footsteps behind him. She immediately put her clothes on and moved as fast as lightning.


    Qin Shuo was slightly regretful, he had long hated Hu Xiao''s good skills.


    "It''s me."


    Seeing Hu Xiao''s face, Qin Shuo could not help but say. She walked out of the forest and showed himself.


    When Hu Xiao saw that the person spying on him was actually Qin Shuo, she could not help but feel annoyed. She immediately ignored Qin Shuo and picked up her clothes to leave, but when she passed by Qin Shuo, she was hugged by Qin Shuo.


    "You ¡­ Let me go! "


    After soaking in the hot spring for a long time, Hu Xiao had already lost all of her strength.


    "I''ve never seen Empress Gu''s appearance before. She''s really a beauty, don''t you think so, Empress?"


    Hu Xiao heard and stared at Qin Shuo, but she did not know what to say. The current situation was too embarrassing, Hu Xiao only wanted to find a hole to hide in, and had never been toyed with like this by Qin Shuo before.


    Hu Xiao struggled even harder as she let out a sigh.


    "Okay, it''s Gu Wen who is in the wrong. Stop messing around. Just now, I noticed that someone was following Gu Yong. Furthermore, that person is not far away."


    Hearing that, Hu Xiao stopped struggling, and listened carefully. She glanced at Qin Shuo, and originally thought that Qin Shuo would let go of him at this time, but she never expected that Hu Xiao would think too much, and not only did she not stop, she was even going too far.


    Seeing that, Hu Xiao did not know what else, but the person in the dark was most likely brought by Qin Shuo! How despicable.


    Seeing Hu Xiao''s fierce gaze, the corners of Qin Shuo''s mouth raised slightly, it seemed that she had thought things through, but it was too late, it was rare for Hu Xiao to have such a situation where he could easily trample Hu Xiao, so Qin Shuo did not give up, and immediately fell down while hugging Hu Xiao.


    No matter how good Hu Xiao''s martial arts were, she was still a woman. already had a foundation, and had been learning by Zhao Qiyan''s side for a while, to the point where he was not a match for his.


    The two of them fell into the water, after struggling for a long while, they slowly lost all their strength, seeing that Hu Xiao had stopped, Qin Shuo was overjoyed.


    "What is it? What''s wrong with the Queen? Could it be that he was sick? "Should we hurry back and let Imperial Physician Gu Xuan have a look?"


    Without waiting for Hu Xiao to speak, Qin Shuo took Hu Xiao out of the water and draped her jacket over Hu Xiao''s body. When no one could see her body, Qin Shuo decided to give up.


    They quickly went down the back mountain, and when they found out that Zhao Qiyan was leading his people up the back mountain, they did not have the back mountain under their surveillance, so if anything happened to it, it would not be good.


    "Your Majesty? "You ¡­"


    Zhao Qiyan''s teaching speed was already fast, after dashing far away he brought his own people and ran in front of Qin Shuo to speak.


    He was extremely suspicious, what exactly was in the back mountain, how come when Yin Fufeng went up, there were rumors of Yin Fufeng and the lady secretly meeting, and even His Majesty had brought a lady down, could it be that the lady was a Spirit Demon? Thinking of this, Zhao Qiyan acted as if he was facing a great enemy.


    Qin Shuo saw that Zhao Qiyan was staring straight at Hu Xiao and did not jump, only then did he look at Hu Xiao''s wet hair that was hesitating for a long time, and then he let go of Hu Xiao''s hair.


    "Cough, cough!"


    He couldn''t help but remind Zhao Qiyan. Did he not want to live after staring at the girl in his arms?


    "Your Majesty! "This person!"


    Zhao Qiyan wanted to say something, but Qin Shuo cut him off.


    "This person is harmless, so you don''t need to bother yourself with Zhao Qiyan, go back to busy yourself."


    With that, he ignored Zhao Qiyan''s thoughts and left. Feeling the person in his arms struggling a little, Qin Shuo hugged him a little tighter.


    After returning to her room, Hu Xiao jumped down. In the time it took for a spark to fly, Hu Xiao''s feet had already arrived in front of him.


    After all, she had been learning by Zhao Qiyan''s side for a long time, and even though Hu Xiao had not recovered her strength, she was able to escape easily.


    "You! You are shameless and despicable! "


    Hu Xiao was furious to the point that she did not know what to say, and had never been treated like this by a man. Hu Xiao had long since lost her previous clever words, and directly pointed at Qin Shuo, but she did not know what to say.


    "Hehe, you are the queen of the Gu family, what''s wrong with being alone to you? However, I advise you not to struggle fearlessly. Right now, you are only wearing the clothes of an orphan. As long as you leave this place, you will be recaptured by the hidden guards.


    Qin Shuo easily stopped Hu Xiao''s following movements, and whispered into Hu Xiao''s ear.


    After Hu Xiao heard this, she no longer bothered with Qin Shuo, as she could not even handle Qin Shuo, so she might as well listen to him, and after she recovered her spirit, she would properly argue with Qin Shuo!


    Seeing Hu Xiao obediently lying on the bed, Qin Shuo''s mood became a bit better, he took off his clothes and walked over.


    "What are you doing!"


    Seeing Qin Shuo''s actions, Hu Xiao looked at him as if she was facing a great enemy.


    Qin Shuo chuckled when he heard it, "What? What does the queen wish me to do? I do not mind being alone if the Queen so wishes. "


    Having never seen Qin Shuo like this, Hu Xiao could not help but be startled, but he quickly reacted.


    "Stop, what nonsense are you talking about? Stay away from me!"


    Hu Xiao anxiously used the blanket to cover herself, afraid that Qin Shuo would do something beastly, but she had no way of resisting!


    "Pfft, you''re thinking too much, Queen. I don''t have any meaning to you, but it''s already late at night, shouldn''t I go to bed? And has the Queen forgotten that you are currently living in an isolated room, sleeping in an isolated bed?! "


    Hu Xiao''s expression became extremely excited, of course she knew about it! But Hu Xiao had originally wanted to pretend that she didn''t know.


    "Alright, I won''t tease you anymore. This bed is big enough. Move it a bit closer and it will be enough for us to sleep. Don''t worry, I won''t do anything to you."


    After Hu Xiao heard this, she inched closer. Seeing that, Qin Shuo laughed, he had never seen Hu Xiao being so cute, but Qin Shuo knew that he could not continue teasing Hu Xiao, if not, he would get angry out of embarrassment.


    After walking in a bit, Qin Shuo laid down outside. He had never slept with his concubine like this before, and for a moment, it was a bit fresh.

 C91

    "What did you say?" His Majesty had gone to the back of the mountain? And you even brought a woman? "


    Xue Mier fiercely stated as she looked at the palace maid beside him!


    He had originally wanted to see just what major event had caused Qin Shuo to send himself off! But that big matter was actually going to meet with a girl in private? He actually brought the girl back in such a fair and square manner!


    When did Qin Shuo become so sentimental? Bringing Soong Xuan inside the Liuzhou City was not enough, but now, it was even a woman whose identity was unknown! Along the way, he even pulled and pulled at a man, even bestowing him the title of his personal bodyguard!


    Even though Qin Shuo was moved by his repeated teasing, in the end, he was unable to do anything! How could she, Xue Mier, endure this!


    "Reporting to the Empress, this servant heard from the guards who followed General Zhao that this matter is indeed true. That woman is currently in the same room as Your Majesty."


    Originally, he wanted to inform Xue Mier, but who would have thought that Xue Mier would be so angry.


    "I understand. You can leave now and give her some silver."


    Xue Mier was feeling annoyed and said to the servant by her side. palace maid''s eyes lit up when she saw the situation.


    Just as Xue Mier was about to rush towards Qin Shuo''s house to have a good look, she was stopped by her own maid.


    "Empress, you can''t, you absolutely can''t do this, if you go and find His Majesty now, His Majesty would definitely vent his anger on you. His Majesty would train with the General Zhao every day, so why didn''t Empress go and find that slut at that time?"


    The servant quickly pulled Xue Mier, who was about to rush out, and said bitterly.


    "What you''re saying is that I was impulsive, so I decided to let that bitch have a dog life!"


    Just now, His Majesty had sent him away with some anger. If he were to rush up without any regards for his own life now, it would truly be too reckless. However, he would still be favored by the emperor for an entire night, and knew that this was the period of the despicable man''s death!


    Seeing that Xue Mier had calmed down, the servant immediately let go of Xue Mier, who was in a bad mood. If she were to do something that made Xue Mier even more unhappy, she would have to bear Xue Mier''s anger that she did not know of.


    The night passed silently, and on the morning of the third day, Qin Shuo followed Zhao Qiyan to practice his martial arts. Originally, he had wanted to steal some time to rest, but after thinking about how he could only suppress Hu Xiao under such circumstances, if he stopped, Hu Xiao would laugh at him, he would leave with Hu Xiao in his arms.


    "Empress, His Majesty has already left with the General Zhao."


    Xue Mier had gotten up early to wait for the palace maid to speak, but upon seeing the situation, she immediately rushed towards Qin Shuo''s room.


    The guards outside the door had been ordered by the king. Unless it was an order from the king himself, no one was allowed in.


    "You dare to stop me?"


    He had never been stopped before, but when he entered Qin Shuo''s room, his face immediately turned completely pale.


    "This elder brother, our Empress came here under the orders of His Majesty. May I trouble elder brother to accommodate her."


    When the maid saw this, she hurriedly said, but did not dare to force her way in.


    "Oh?"


    The guard was also somewhat shaken. Xue Mier was the favorite concubine of the emperor, and she had been waiting inside her Bedchamber since a long time ago.


    "If there is an order from His Majesty, we would naturally not dare to stop Imperial Consort Xue. However, without hiding anything, there is still one more person in His Majesty''s room. Does Imperial Consort Xue want to enter now?"


    Seeing how the king was instructing them before he left, as if he was taking this person inside seriously, the guard naturally didn''t dare to let them go.


    "Oh? Another one? If that''s the case, I will really take a look inside. As long as the two of you don''t worry, if His Majesty blames me, I will shoulder the responsibility all by myself. "


    Seeing that, the two of them did not have much to stop, since Imperial Consort Xue had already said so, if they were to stop now, they would not know what was good for them.


    Seeing the two of them opening the door, Xue Mier was ecstatic, and smiled at the two of them before entering.


    Hearing the voice, Hu Xiao blankly crawled up, and before she could even clearly see the person who came in, she saw a woman''s palm approaching him.


    He hurriedly got up to dodge, but then he heard the woman''s loud shout.


    "You despicable woman, to think that the Imperial Consort Xue did not stay and greet her when she came here, how could you not know your manners!"


    If it were in the past, those girls would have already knelt down and begged for mercy. However, when the maid saw that the woman on the bed seemed to have relaxed a little after hearing these words, she actually sat down leisurely.


    At this time, the two guards still did not know what Imperial Consort Xue was doing, it seemed that they had taught him a lesson.


    Xue Mier was extremely discontented, it was fine that her majesty gave her face, but this woman had only served her majesty for a day, yet she dared to be so arrogant, it should be good.


    Now that he was no longer being disciplined, he no longer restrained his two female servants.


    Seeing that, Hu Xiao was ecstatic, and when she saw the two guards staring at him coldly, Hu Xiao became even happier.


    She felt that she was already feeling aggrieved yesterday, and now that she saw the person who sent him to the door to vent her anger, how could Hu Xiao not be happy?


    "Could it be that you don''t know of the Imperial Consort Xue, and you still haven''t come to greet us? Do you mean that you don''t want your life? "


    palace maid seemed to feel that she was being ignored. She spoke again, but this time, her hand was stopped by Hu Xiao.


    Seeing till here, Xue Mier felt that the person who stepped on it was familiar, but she could not think of anything else, so she familiarized herself with her. Maybe it was because she had seen her before, but she did not need to worry.


    "Impudent!" How dare you stop me! What are you two standing there for? Why aren''t you coming over to help? "


    When the palace maid saw that her hand had been stopped by the person, she became even more furious and spoke to the two people outside.


    Seeing that, the two of them rushed forward, wanting to attack Hu Xiao.


    Just now the two of them understood, that Imperial Consort Xue was here to vent her anger on this man, they did not notice that when Imperial Consort Xue entered, he just sat at the side, allowing the palace maid to insult the girl on the bed, and for her to not say anything after being humiliated like this, she was most likely scared silly.


    But looking at how they fought back just now, even though they did not open their mouths, they were most likely mute. If that was the case, even if the two of them helped Imperial Consort Xue, this mute would not know what to do, and would no longer have any scruples.


    "Impudent, is this how you treat me?"


    Hearing that voice, Xue Mier felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave, she never thought that the person she was most familiar with would actually be the person she feared the most!

 C92

    When those people heard this voice, they also couldn''t help but stop what they were doing.


    Hu Xiao slowly pushed the hair that was scattered in front of him down to her ears, and the face you revealed was surprisingly the Empress of today''s East Court!


    "Please forgive me, please forgive me."


    Everyone quickly kneeled on the ground. They had seen the face of the Queen Hu Xiao before, but didn''t they hear that the Queen had been missing for a long time? Why did she suddenly appear? and just now, he had actually been disrespectful to the Empress!


    "Hehe, isn''t it a little late to be thinking about forgiveness now?"


    Hu Xiao looked at the three people who were acting so arrogantly just now, and when she saw Xue Mier who was still sitting upright on the chair, she couldn''t help but have a plan in her mind.


    "What is it? Imperial Consort Xue hasn''t seen me for a few days, and you have actually forgotten about this basic form of etiquette? "


    Hearing that, Xue Mier immediately knelt down, but didn''t the past say there was no need to bow? Xue Mier hated him in her heart, but she didn''t dare to show that expression of her just now on her face again.


    "I actually did not know when this place was managed by the Imperial Consort Xue? How can you be so unreasonable? "


    Hu Xiao looked at the few people who kneeled down, and was in a good mood. After being stifled for so many days, and just getting up a little late, Hu Xiao saw the good show that was about to take place.


    He noticed that he was still wearing Qin Shuo''s clothes, and that his hair was dishevelled to the point of seducing Qin Shuo, and that he couldn''t hold it in anymore, if not he would not be so fun.


    "Elder sister, please forgive me. I was blind. Please forgive me."


    If she knew that the person lying on the bed was Hu Xiao, even if Xue Mier had a hundred guts, she would not dare come in front of Hu Xiao and let Hu Xiao grab her braid.


    However, it was too late to regret it now.


    "Oh? Sister and sister? I don''t remember having a sister like Imperial Consort Xue? Looking at how Imperial Consort Xue was acting just now, she doesn''t seem to be interested in elder sister at all. Imperial Concubine, please call me Queen, I would not dare to address elder sister Concubine like that. "


    "Empress, Imperial Consort Xue didn''t do it on purpose. If Empress blames someone, then blame this servant."


    Seeing Hu Xiao being so overbearing, the servant girl anxiously said.


    "Oh? When did it ever come to a little maid''s turn to speak when her master was speaking? Is this how the Imperial Consort Xue s are taught in the Imperial Consort Xue Palace? "


    Hu Xiao looked at palace maid, who was anxiously standing beside Xue Mier, and laughed. This palace maid really had the same IQ as Xue Mier, to actually be so stupid, could it be that she wanted to stand up for her master, to let him have some fun with Lin Xiang Xi?


    He was not one of those people who would show mercy to the fairer sex. She was someone who had even kicked the lotus pond in the Imperial Consort Xue''s face before, someone who did not even put the Imperial Consort Xue in her eyes.


    "Empress, this servant was wrong, this servant should not speak carelessly, this servant will punish myself."


    As if she thought about how Hu Xiao had punished the talkative palace maid in the past, the servant girl slapped him hard on the face. She thought that Hu Xiao would make her stop when she saw that she had already punished her, but the servant girl had miscalculated.


    For a moment, no words came out. The servant girl''s voice of face-smacking was resounding in their ears, and in the end, Xue Mier couldn''t take it anymore.


    "Your Majesty has arrived."


    While Qin Shuo was still practicing martial arts, he heard a subordinate report that Xue Mier had brought a few people to her Bedchamber, and immediately felt that it was inappropriate and rushed back, as expected, after seeing the scene inside the house, Qin Shuo was startled.


    Xue Mier looked at him bashfully, yet Hu Xiao was sitting on the bed with a servant girl slapping him across the face. When she made the two guards kneel, what else could Qin Shuo not understand?


    Your Majesty, chenqie was only here to look at the girl that was protected by Your Majesty yesterday, but chenqie really doesn''t know that this girl is the Empress. If there is a place where chenqie runs into the Empress, then chenqie is in the wrong.


    Hu Xiao coldly looked at Xue Mier who was reversing right and wrong, but was not anxious at all, as if the person Xue Mier was talking about was not him.


    "Mn, I understand. Dear Consort, get up first."


    had only seen through it, but Xue Mier had not actually hurt Hu Xiao, so Qin Shuo naturally had to give face to see that he was punishing Xue Mier right now, and that was not really appropriate.


    Hearing that, Xue Mier did not immediately get up, but looked at Hu Xiao.


    "Imperial Concubine, why are you looking at me like that? Since His Majesty dotes on Imperial Concubine, let her get up. "


    Hu Xiao looked at Xue Mier in disdain. She never thought about doing anything to Xue Mier anyway, and she was pretty much done with her anger just now.


    "Enough, enough. Stop hitting me too. You are causing me a headache for no reason at all."


    After sleeping for a long time, Hu Xiao felt as if her head was heavy and her feet were light.


    Seeing that, Qin Shuo was somewhat worried.


    "Alright, since the empress has said so, let''s disperse."


    Looking at the people who were still huddled together, Qin Shuo could not help but feel annoyed.


    "Your Majesty, may I ask, when did Empress return? Didn''t Empress disappear? "


    Seeing that Xue Mier was fine, Wen Fuchen decided to go up to Hu Xiao in the blink of an eye. Originally, they were worried that they would not be able to find Hu Xiao, but now, they saw him running out by herself, which made things more convenient for them.


    "Oh? The Queen is missing? Had Gu not told everyone that the empress had been sent elsewhere to be treated because she was feeling unwell? Now that I am in such good health, it is naturally time for me to come back. "


    Qin Shuo said softly as he looked at Hu Xiao, he was afraid that he would disturb half of Hu Xiao''s body, upon seeing this, Hu Xiao rolled her eyes in her heart, it was truly a pity that Qin Shuo did not want to be an actor.


    Everyone shouted out in their hearts when they heard Qin Shuo: Your Majesty, you really never said that!


    But they did not dare to say anything, and even Wen Fuchen, seeing this, did not know how to refute. It was good that Hu Xiao had returned, at least they had a target for her actions.


    "Mn, that''s right. It''s true that my health wasn''t too good at the Liuzhou a few days ago."


    Seeing that all of them were looking at him, Hu Xiao smiled slightly, but it was as if she had just recovered from a serious illness.


    "In that case, this humble subject congratulates Empress for his recovery."


    With His Majesty supporting them from behind, even if Hu Xiao had not recovered from her severe illness, no one dared to say anything.

 C93

    Seeing that Hu Xiao looked like she could not take it anymore, and was injured by Qin Shuo just now, she had recovered from her serious illness, it would not be good if it happened again, so everyone quickly retreated.


    "Then, what is going on?"


    Xue Mier did not believe what she said, but just based on his guesses, she did not believe it at all. Furthermore, there was still the palace maid punishing herself, so Qin Shuo wanted to hear how Hu Xiao distinguished herself.


    "Oh, Your Majesty, didn''t you already guess that? Why ask me? Your good Imperial Concubine brought people to kill chenqie early in the morning. When she found out, chenqie kneeled down on the ground. But Your Majesty, are your gatekeepers so disloyal? He admitted defeat with just a little pressure? You really should be taught a good lesson. "


    Hu Xiao rolled her eyes at Qin Shuo, but she still pointed out her weak point.


    It was really like that, although Qin Shuo did not reveal it on the outside, but he was secretly happy, but Hu Xiao''s way of doing things made Qin Shuo even more happy.


    However, Hu Xiao had maintained this kind of mentality the whole time, at least Qin Shuo felt that there was still another Hu Xiao that could be trusted.


    "Wei Shi, let me inform you that we will meet the Queen at the Elephant Water Villa for a few days. I have not seen her for a while but there are some people who have forgotten about the dignity of the Queen."


    Wei Shi listened and went to inform the others.


    "What?" Meet me? "Why?"


    Initially, he had thought that he would not need to go through all those formalities, but he had only just let people see him. Now, he wanted to announce to everyone that Hu Xiao had returned? Since that was the case, he might as well stay by Qin Shuo''s side as his personal bodyguard.


    "Hehe, Xue Mier has already seen you just now, and the empress thinks that she can hide it from you? I called Zhi Lan to help you wash, the Queen is preparing, we''ll meet in the main hall later. "


    Qin Shuo said while looking at Hu Xiao with a smile.


    Although Qin Shuo felt that hiding his identity and only following by his side was not bad, but now that he was seen, he was slightly better. This way, he wouldn''t have to spread the news of him and the empress being intimate with each other to those bored eunuchs of the palace maid.


    Seeing that Qin Shuo no longer had any room for discussion, Hu Xiao gave up. With Xue Mier''s facial expression, everyone should know that the Empress had returned soon. Since everyone wanted to know, they naturally had to inform her honestly.


    "This servant greets Empress."


    Zhi Lan, who had not served Hu Xiao for a long time, naturally could not control the joy in his heart when she saw Hu Xiao. Hu Xiao had finally returned, and Zhi Lan''s heart became a lot calmer.


    "Alright, it''s been a long time since we last met, Zhi Lan."


    Hu Xiao also felt that it had been a long time since she last saw Zhi Lan, but when she saw Zhi Lan''s tears, Hu Xiao did not scold him in the slightest.


    Seeing that, Qin Shuo who was at the side turned and left, leaving the master and servant time behind, it was rare to see such a loyal servant, Hu Xiao was also blessed.


    Hu Xiao saw that Qin Shuo had turned around and left, and anxiously helped Zhi Lan, who was still kneeling on the ground, up. Qin Shuo was still there just now, so he naturally had to go too far.


    "Empress ¡­"


    When she was coming here, Zhi Lan had thought of a lot of things she wanted to say to Hu Xiao, but after meeting him now, she didn''t know what to say.


    "Alright alright, alright, we''ll have to deal with those annoying people later on. Zhi Lan, you have to blind your mother''s eyes or else I will punish you."


    Hu Xiao saw that Zhi Lan was still trying to incite the anger in her, and anxiously said, afraid that Zhi Lan would be late to meet her in the morning.


    "Yes, Empress."


    Although Zhi Lan didn''t know what it meant to be blind, she understood why Hu Xiao was dressed so beautifully.


    He then instructed palace maid, who was still waiting outside, to bring in the toiletries one by one.


    Seeing that, Hu Xiao smiled at Zhi Lan and allowed him to go.


    "The Queen intends to regain her identity? Then what about the two girls by His Majesty''s side? "


    After receiving Wei Shi''s words, Zhao Qiyan rushed over to his good friend Yin Fufeng''s room and said.


    The lady from yesterday was carried by the emperor down the mountain, and when Zhao Qiyan recalled it again, he knew that Qin Shuo doted on the girl when he looked at her. Could it be that this was the reason why Hu Xiao came back and chased away the lady beside the emperor?


    Looking at his close friend who was lost in his own thoughts, Yin Fufeng felt that he was hopeless. Seeing the expression on his face, Yin Fufeng knew what Zhao Qiyan was thinking.


    Closing the fan in his hand, Yin Fufeng couldn''t help but hit Zhao Qiyan.


    "Why did you hit me?"


    Zhao Qiyan was extremely dissatisfied that he was suddenly awakened by Yin Fufeng, but taking into consideration that he had slandered Yin Fufeng yesterday, Zhao Qiyan did not dare to go back.


    "What is it? I can''t hit you? How did you manage to get that general position with your brain? "


    Yin Fufeng looked at Zhao Qiyan, and started to get angry, he was truly a fool who did not know how to use his brain.


    "Sigh, just hit me and you''ll hit me. Don''t slander my intelligence!"


    could not tolerate others insulting himself the most, so when Zhao Qiyan heard this, he became anxious.


    "Humph!" Looking at the way she acted today, the lady that was carried down the mountain by His Majesty yesterday is Empress, how could you be so stupid? "


    Furthermore, the person he met yesterday was Soong Xuan, if anyone said that they would be together with Soong Xuan, then it would be Hu Xiao, and Zhao Qiyan''s worries were not a problem, as the woman in his Majesty''s heart was Hu Xiao herself, and looking at Soong Xuan and Hu Xiao''s appearance, it was obvious that they were good friends, so thinking about it, Yin Fufeng was not worried at all.


    "What?" That woman is Empress? Yin Fufeng, are you trying to bully me? If the woman was from Empress, how could she have let His Majesty hug her without moving? Empress treats His Majesty ¡­ "


    Zhao Qiyan said as he was sealed from the outside. How could the empress not be able to guess it?


    Seeing that Zhao Qiyan seemed to have thought it through a little, Yin Fufeng smiled. Since he was being carried, it was likely that he had just fished it out of the water, otherwise how could he remain motionless in His Majesty''s embrace?


    "You said that the woman is Empress, and that the soldier said that you were with a woman at the back mountain, and that the Empress would naturally not let you see it, so the person that can be with the Empress must be the direct daughter of Soong Family, Yin Fufeng, is that person yesterday the direct daughter of Soong Family?"


    Zhao Qiyan felt that he had seen through what had happened, and could not help but laugh as he looked at Yin Fufeng.


    Seeing that, Yin Fufeng tried his best to restrain himself from slapping the big and tall face in front of him. He was supposed to be smart when he was not, but when he was not, he was actually alert.

 C94

    Since he no longer had to worry about Hu Xiao, Zhao Qiyan was extremely happy. With regards to Yin Fufeng''s painless strength that was hitting him, Zhao Qiyan felt that he could ignore it.


    "Zhao Qiyan, are you worrying about the Empress, or is it that you''re worried about the Empress''s personal maid, Zhi Lan?"


    Seeing that Zhao Qiyan was still looking at his arrogant and smug look, Yin Fufeng spoke. Sure enough, Zhao Qiyan who was smiling just now suddenly looked extremely good as he held his breath.


    Sensing Yin Fufeng''s meaning, Zhao Qiyan resisted the urge to stare at Yin Fufeng.


    "Of course it''s the Empress!"


    After that, Zhao Qiyan left in a huff, and did not look like he was going to bother with Yin Fufeng anymore.


    Yin Fufeng saw that his good friend had originally come to find him to support Hu Xiao, but now that he had left alone, ignoring his previous gloomy mood, he smiled and followed.


    They had been waiting in the main hall for a long time, but they had not seen the empress or the emperor, so they were all suspicious of each other.


    "The Emperor and the Empress have arrived."


    Everyone followed his order and kneeled on the ground, shouting loudly, "Long live the Emperor, long live the Empress!"


    This was the first time that Hu Xiao saw so many people greeting him at such a close distance. She was a little nervous.


    Qin Shuo, who was holding onto Hu Xiao, naturally felt the muscular man in Hu Xiao''s palm, and soothingly patted the back of Hu Xiao''s hand. Qin Shuo then sat upright and looked at the person who was kneeling on the ground.


    "Flatten your body and give yourself a seat."


    "Thank you, your majesty. Thank you, Empress."


    He then stood up in an orderly manner and placed himself in the same position as before.


    "I heard that all the ministers and imperial concubines were very concerned about the empress. The empress was sent to another place to be treated because of her unwell Liuzhou City. She should be here to meet all of you."


    Qin Shuo changed his usual icy face and said while smiling.


    Seeing that, Hu Xiao tried her best to reveal a smile, but in her heart, she shouted to herself that she must not lose face again!


    "That''s right. When this humble subject heard that Empress was sick, I was terrified. Now that the Empress has recovered, it''s practically the fortune of her East Court."


    Hu Xiao looked at the person who spoke just now, and tried to recall his name, but he could not. He could only feel a sense of helplessness.


    "Thank you for your concern, Master Lee. I am doing well too, so naturally, I will not be able to leave everyone''s care."


    After thinking for a long time, Hu Xiao could only vaguely remember this person''s surname, but could not remember anything else, but it was enough to only remember one surname. After hearing that, Qin Shuo glanced at Hu Xiao with praise.


    Qin Shuo and the various ministers were happily chatting with each other, Qin Shuo was slightly jealous, he had never seen Hu Xiao laughing and chatting with him like this, every time they met, it would always be a mess, but it did not look too bad now.


    In Qin Shuo''s eyes, this scene looked pretty good, but in Xue Mier''s eyes, she was extremely jealous, the harem must not interfere too much with the government, thus Xue Mier did not dare to say anything despite being filled with suspicions.


    The empress could speak to her courtiers like this with the backing of the emperor, but if she said anything more, the official might take her place. Her position as imperial concubine would almost come to an end.


    She secretly held onto a few chairs, but Xue Mier''s smile did not decrease as she watched the scene unfold, Hu Xiao had naturally seen Xue Mier''s appearance, but she never thought that Xue Mier would actually be able to endure so much, but Xue Mier actually did not cause him any trouble, and Hu Xiao was too lazy to bother with her.


    "Okay, there will still be time in the future. I have matters to attend to with the Queen. You two can leave first."


    Seeing that, Qin Shuo laughed.


    Hearing that, the people who were talking animatedly stopped and bowed and left, but they did not dare to be presumptuous in front of Qin Shuo.


    Seeing that, Hu Xiao heaved a sigh of relief, she had been focusing fully, afraid that she said something that she could not take back, and it finally ended.


    "Mier."


    Wen Fuchen, who had just left, walked together with Xue Mier.


    "Cousin."


    Just now, the two of them had tolerated Wen Fuchen in their eyes, and from the look of it, Xue Mier knew her purpose for coming here, so she nodded at Qin Shuo, who was thinking the same thing.


    Xue Mier had never gotten news of Hu Xiao, she thought that she would never come back, but now it looked like she was overthinking it. However, Xue Mier had to admit that Hu Xiao really knew how to hide herself, even with so many top-notch assassins, she couldn''t find him!


    But now that Hu Xiao had returned, no one could blame her for her viciousness.


    Just by looking at the two of them, she could already guess what they were thinking. If others knew, they would not be able to find any evidence, so Xue Mier immediately turned and left.


    I''ll go take a look at Soong Xuan. This girl has followed me along with the Southern Patrol, so I haven''t met her as the Empress. I''ll be leaving first.


    Hu Xiao looked at Qin Shuo''s expression and was greatly shocked. She only bid farewell to Qin Shuo before leaving, causing Qin Shuo to laugh bitterly as he did not know whether to laugh or cry. had only taken a glance at the direct descendant of the Soong Family and stirred up some trouble later on, if not for the fact that Hu Xiao had taken off herself and arranged for him to come here, Qin Shuo would not have been able to tolerate this person for a long time.


    His personality was too similar to Hu Xiao''s. It was enough to have Hu Xiao as unique in the palace, but if there was another one, Qin Shuo would feel that his harem was filled with miasma.


    "Miss, Empress is here."


    Inside Soong Xuan''s room, a servant girl hurriedly said to Soong Xuan who was still seated on the bed.


    Soong Xuan was startled. Empress? When did Hu Xiao regain her identity? Just as she was hesitating whether she should go forward to welcome her, the servant girl beside him suddenly became anxious.


    "What should we do, Miss? Empress isn''t here to interrogate us, right? One Imperial Consort Xue is not enough, but now there is another Empress. Young miss, what should we do? "


    That''s right, she had forgotten that these people who accompanied her had never seen Hu Xiao before. In their view, the fact that His Majesty had asked her to follow along with his Southern Patrol was something she loved, and it was understandable for Empress to come and scold her.


    "Miss, how can we quickly go out and welcome the Empress?"


    Seeing Soong Xuan still sitting on the bed, the female servant became even more anxious, but why was Soong Xuan just standing there dumbstruck? If Hu Xiao continued to scold her, it would be a huge loss, and she was thinking if she should go up and shake Soong Xuan awake, then she would hear Hu Xiao''s voice.


    "There''s no need. I''ve already entered by myself."


    Before waiting for the man to come out, Hu Xiao directly walked in and the two of them quickly knelt down.

 C95

    Hu Xiao glanced at Soong Xuan before stepping forward to help Soong Xuan up, but was shocked by the servant girl who was still in fear. Was the Empress actually this nice to others?


    "Stand up, I just heard what you, the servant girl, said. That Xue Mier is actually making things difficult for you while I''m not here? "


    Seeing that, the servant girl followed Soong Xuan up. Hu Xiao only shot her a glance and stopped caring about the man, although Zhi Lan was unhappy, but seeing that Hu Xiao did not care about it, he gave up.


    "It''s not that this servant said that, Empress, you misunderstood."


    Soong Xuan rolled her eyes at Hu Xiao. Did Xue Mier not make things difficult for him? Humph! She was only taking this opportunity to establish her might!


    "Oh? Did I misunderstand? Then this servant has a deep meaning to his words. Do you really want your young miss to become the target of our Imperial Consort Xue and clan? This is the first time that I have seen a servant hoping for his master to be in trouble. "


    Hu Xiao then looked towards the servant girl that had crawled up together with Soong Xuan and said.


    The servant girl originally wanted to stay and see what the relationship was between Hu Xiao and herself, but why was she acting like this now? She had been involved.


    "Please forgive me Empress, I did not do it on purpose."


    The servant girl hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed as she spoke.


    No matter how I listened to it, it was all for Soong Xuan''s own good, but why did Hu Xiao understand what she meant?


    Soong Xuan looked at the people in front of him, but completely ignored them. Ever since that person last time, Soong Xuan did not have the time to take care of them, but now, it seemed like she did not want to be lonely.


    "Oh? Zhi Lan, you drag this person down and take care of it yourself, yet you dare to openly slander Master, how can such a person stay by the side of the Miss Soong, and drag him away, it would be too disgraceful for my eyes. "


    Hearing that, Zhi Lan went forward and had the eunuchs at the door drag the servant girl down.


    "Miss, Miss, please save me. I am Mrs Song''s man. Miss, please save me."


    Seeing that Hu Xiao was serious, the servant girl immediately hugged onto Soong Xuan''s leg and cried.


    "Heh, what does Madame Song have to do with me? Since you''re Madame Song''s man, then go and find Madame Song to save you."


    Since she had already said that she was someone else''s, Soong Xuan definitely could not help that little servant girl anymore.


    Zhi Lan saw that the two masters were getting more and more disgusted with him, so she stopped her from talking and brought her down.


    "What, you actually managed to get into this kind of situation? That lowly person from your family dared to plant himself in your side, yet you are still so calm?"


    Hu Xiao coldly said as she looked at the happy Soong Xuan who had dealt with a person.


    If Zhi Lan had not told her about the situation Soong Xuan was in, although Hu Xiao had always been wandering in front of Soong Xuan, she had also noticed something different, but since Soong Xuan did not say anything, she did not ask, but Zhi Lan had investigated everything clearly, and because of this, without feeling guilty over the past few days, Hu Xiao had eagerly come to help Soong Xuan resolve the problem.


    "Hehe, it''s just that these people have been skipping around for a few days and I didn''t want to feed them to them. Previously, when my father sent me these things, I couldn''t avoid it, but later on I found out that they all worked for that person."


    After she explained why there were these people, Hu Xiao did not say anything else.


    The Master Soong was confused, to actually let his concubine hide so openly by his daughter''s side, he was a talent, and just now, Hu Xiao had heard the servant that was dragged down call her a Madam Song, just a small concubine, to actually dare call herself Madam Song. It could be seen how her concubine normally taught her subordinates.


    "Alright, in the future, if there are any people or things that are difficult to handle, just send someone to inform me, no need to be so wronged. I still have matters to attend to, so I will be leaving first.


    Hu Xiao waved her hand, she got up and left, but according to her status, it would not be good for her to continue staying here, but now she had to take back some things, Xue Mier actually dared to take advantage of her absence to bully Soong Xuan, it must be because she had too much power, she did not know her own identity.


    But today, she was not in a hurry. As someone who had just been brought back from an illness, Hu Xiao was not suitable to run around. She should be resting in her room.


    "Imperial Consort Xue, after dispersing today, Empress went to that Miss Soong and even dealt with a servant girl who had plotted to murder Master. She did not stay for long after."


    Inside Xue Mier''s palace, a palace maid saw that Hu Xiao had already returned to her own room, so she hurried over to report on Hu Xiao''s actions that she was monitoring.


    "Oh? To actually punish a servant girl on their first meeting, how is that servant girl doing at Soong Xuan''s place? "


    Hu Xiao was not such a person. She had never done such a thing to any palace maid or eunuchs before.


    "Reporting to Imperial Concubine, that servant girl''s place in the Miss Soong is also highly valued by the Miss Soong."


    At least on the surface, palace maid still asked those who served Soong Xuan before, so she was naturally in the same state to report to Xue Mier.


    "Oh? It seems like this Miss Song will be in even more trouble in the future. Go and find a good object to gift to that Miss Song, she is just a child with a small family property in Fringe City, just take a look, this is what I want to do, just say it was my gift to Miss Soong, and I hope that Miss Soong can grieve for me. "


    The palace maid replied and left.


    "Empress, if Empress knew about this, it would not be so easy to deal with. Furthermore, Empress only dealt with the people of Miss Soong just now ¡­"


    Another palace maid by Xue Mier''s side said, her tone was filled with worry, as though she was worried about Xue Mier.


    Xue Mier looked at him, and was surprised, no one had ever lectured him in such a manner, so he was considered number one, but this person seemed to be gifted to him by''s elder cousin, no wonder he was so reasonable.


    "What''s your name?"


    The things that happened these few days were complicated, Xue Mier had long forgotten the names of the people around him, and it became even more so.


    "Your Highness, this servant is called Little Hui."


    Xiao Hui saw that Xue Mier seemed to value him and anxiously said.


    "Oh, Xiao Hui, you don''t have to worry too much about what you said just now. Let''s not talk about whether the Queen will care about all this, and even more so, Soong Xuan is scared by the Queen. If I send something over now, it will make Soong Xuan think that I''m on Soong Xuan''s side.


    Although Soong Xuan would only be a small female official when she returns to the Palace in the future, it would still be worth it.

 C96

    palace maid Xiao Hui did not say much after hearing what she said. The Empress had only just returned, and Soong Xuan was now at loggerheads with the Queen. It would not be bad if the Empress were to have someone to protect her master from the bottom of her heart.


    "Hmm? From the Imperial Consort Xue? I hope that big sister can wait for Xuan''er to thank Imperial Consort Xue. If there is a chance, Xuan''er will definitely pay us a visit. "


    Soong Xuan looked at the contents of the box. Although she felt disdain for it, she looked as if she had never seen the world before. Her expression of fear and trepidation actually made the palace maid feel joy in her heart.


    Taking the silver from Soong Xuan''s hands, the corners of her mouth couldn''t help but curl up in happiness.


    "Hehe, Miss Soong is too serious, I will definitely inform Imperial Consort Xue of what you have said."


    The palace maid came here to gather information, and now that she knew what she wanted, she no longer bothered to bring Soong Xuan out any further, and turned to leave.


    palace maid, who was in too much of a hurry, did not see Soong Xuan''s disdainful face.


    Miss, this person looks down on our Soong Family too much, to actually use such a lousy thing to deceive Miss, that whatever Imperial Consort Xue has ill intentions, before, she actually wanted to do something to Miss, but now she wants to rope Miss in, Miss, don''t be tricked by that person!


    Lan Xin looked at the contents of the box and said in disdain.


    Although her Soong Family was merely the richest man amongst them, she had some connections with the officials of the imperial court. She had seen so many good things and now, Xue Mier had actually let go of one of them as if she was a beggar.


    "Hehe, it''s nothing more than watching Empress kill someone here, then I feel that this young miss is very hostile towards Empress and is just rushing to be a good person. Although the item is broken, since you sent it over for free, you should take it.


    When Lan Xin heard what her young mistress said, she was filled with admiration. She had never thought that she would be able to think of such a thing, so she was somewhat comforted.


    "Let''s go, Empress has just recovered from a serious illness. We should look for him and show our sincerity."


    Xue Mier noticed that the time was coincidentally when it was time for lunch, so she stood up and walked towards Hu Xiao''s direction.


    "This concubine pays her respects to Empress, Empress is extremely fortunate."


    Hu Xiao was just about to take his chopsticks and bring them in when she saw Xue Mier bringing people in. She was a little depressed in her heart, thinking that both she and Xue Mier had learnt to look for people at meal time, not bad not bad, not bad.


    Unfortunately, she did not want Xue Mier to sit down and eat with her at all.


    "Get up, is Imperial Consort Xue here looking for me for something at this time?"


    Since she didn''t tell this person to sit down and eat, Hu Xiao suddenly felt that he was extremely bad.


    Since Hu Xiao had not allowed him to eat with her, Xue Mier naturally wasn''t as thick-skinned as Hu Xiao. She decided to sit down and eat by herself, and could only stand at the dining table in extreme awkwardness.


    "When chenqie heard that Empress had just recovered from her severe illness, she specially brought some ginseng to nourish Empress."


    Fortunately, she had brought something with him earlier, so Hu Xiao would definitely feel guilty and let him sit down.


    "Hmm? Good ginseng? Leave the things here, Imperial Consort Xue, if you have nothing else to say, you should leave earlier. "


    In the end, Xue Mier had still underestimated Hu Xiao. It was a waste not to accept the things that had been delivered to her doorstep, because Soong Xuan had learned something similar from Hu Xiao.


    "Huh?"


    Just as Xue Mier was unsure of what to do, Qin Shuo had saved him.


    "Why is the Dear Consort here? "Since you''re already here, let''s have a meal together."


    Looking at Xue Mier at the side, Qin Shuo felt a headache. Why did he bump into a wall with Hu Xiao so many times, but Xue Mier just could not learn to be good? How could Xue Mier possibly win against him? Wasn''t this a fantasy story?


    "Since this is the case, this consort shall obey. Thank you, Your Majesty, thank you, Empress."


    Xue Mier immediately sat down, afraid that Hu Xiao would say another word for him to leave, Xue Mier''s speed at changing her face was something Xue Mier had experienced for herself.


    Hu Xiao saw that Qin Shuo had said it in such a manner, and did not stop him, and continued to eat his own food.


    "Elder sister, this dish is very nutritious. Elder sister is in good shape, please eat more."


    Look, aren''t they coming? Hu Xiao cast a glance at Xue Mier who was grinning as she scooped food into her bowl, and cursed in her heart.


    This Xue Mier really thought that she was not an outsider, looking at her familiar appearance, she was directly used to serving Qin Shuo, the tone of her voice was extremely strange, at the thought of this, Hu Xiao rolled her eyes at Qin Shuo who was eating heartily at the side.


    Qin Shuo who was being stared at for no reason expressed that he felt wronged, he did not know what Hu Xiao was thinking about, but seeing how friendly Xue Mier looked to Hu Xiao, she felt comforted in her heart, as long as the two of them could coexist peacefully, he believed that his harem would be more peaceful.


    "Yo, sister''s food is quite tasty. I can''t smell myself, I only need to use my transgender body, don''t take too much care of me."


    Hu Xiao said as she picked up the dishes that Xue Mier had just given him, and then she picked out the dishes one by one and placed them to the side.


    That small appearance was filled with disgust.


    "How could that be? What''s wrong with elder sister?" How could he ask about such a thing? Could it be that elder sister''s body is still recovering? This little sister knows a highly respected doctor, how about little sister come here to treat big sister''s illness? "


    If it was in the past, Xue Mier would have definitely become angry from the embarrassment, but now, Xue Mier was forcefully holding it in.


    Hu Xiao looked at Xue Mier with praise in her eyes, it was much better than before, but she was not in the palace, so she guessed that Xue Mier knew a doctor from the capital, and it looked like that man was the one who wanted to kill him, so Hu Xiao did not think that Xue Mier would be so kind as to treat him.


    "There''s no need. My disease is treated by the best imperial physician in the palace, so the best doctor in East Court should have already been sealed as an imperial physician by the emperor. Is what Imperial Concubine just said questioning his majesty?"


    Qin Shuo was helpless towards this, he did not know why Hu Xiao and Xue Mier''s mockery would spread to him again.


    "Alright, empress, Imperial Consort only wants to be good to the empress. Why are you being so overbearing?"


    "Hmm? His Majesty meant that I was being overbearing. Since that''s the case, I''ll apologize to your Imperial Consort. I''m a little full, so you guys can continue. "


    Looking at Qin Shuo''s reaction, Hu Xiao suddenly felt that she had lost all appetite, turned and left, while Xue Mier, who was at the side, saw the situation, and raised the corner of her mouth, seems like she had won this time?

 C97

    Qin Shuo looked at Hu Xiao who had left, then looked at the tableware that was placed back on the table. Hu Xiao did not seem to be eating, where did she get all that food from?


    Just as he was about to follow Hu Xiao and take a look, he was stopped by Xue Mier who was by her side.


    "Your Majesty, Empress seems to be a little angry just now. Could it be that chenqie did something wrong? Your Majesty, if you believe in chenqie, chenqie didn''t do it on purpose. "


    looked at Xue Mier who was pulling at the corner of her clothes, and her heart quivered. Just now, it really did seem like Hu Xiao was making a ruckus without reason, because Qin Shuo had seen what Hu Xiao had said to Hu Xiao just now.


    He immediately lost the will to chase after her.


    "I''m fine, just now I saw Dear Consort taking care of the empress. It was the empress herself who did not appreciate your kindness, so I can''t blame you. What did you eat earlier? Why don''t you sit down and eat some now?"


    Hu Xiao was just too reckless earlier, so she should really be reprimanding Hu Xiao, if she doted Hu Xiao too much, with her temper, Hu Xiao would definitely trample on her nose.


    Xue Mier looked at Qin Shuo, who was sitting beside him, and thought back to when she was still Hu Xiao''s one and only favorite.


    If there was no Hu Xiao, her majesty would definitely spoil him like she used to. If there was no Hu Xiao, the one behind the East Court would definitely be her, Xue Mier!


    "Your Majesty, eat more. Perhaps elder sister will be back by herself soon. Don''t worry."


    That person might not come back for the rest of her life, but Xue Mier would never say these words. Thinking that Hu Xiao should have met the person she arranged for at this time, Xue Mier forced herself to become excited, and she could only bring all of the dishes that Qin Shuo liked into Qin Shuo''s bowl.


    "Your Majesty, something bad happened! The Empress has been assassinated!"


    Before Qin Shuo could even swallow down the food in his mouth, he heard Wei Shi''s words, and immediately spat out the food in his mouth.


    "What?" Stabbed? Where''s the empress now? "


    After escaping from the hands of the assassins, how did Hu Xiao get hit by them again? Without care for anything else, Qin Shuo immediately ran in the direction that Wei Shi had pointed to.


    Xue Mier originally wanted to stop Qin Shuo once again, but''s movements were too fast and she was extremely worried for Qin Shuo''s safety, so Xue Mier quickly chased after him.


    At this time, Hu Xiao, who was surrounded by the killers, felt a bit of excitement. The grievances she had suffered at Xue Mier''s place just now was the perfect opportunity to vent it out.


    These people were not simple assassins. If it was a simple assassin, Hu Xiao felt that she could handle them, but now that these people were acting weirdly, as if they were deathsworn, they did not care about the injuries on her body at all, as if they were determined to kill her.


    "Zhi Lan, these people are very strange, quickly retreat."


    Hu Xiao looked at Zhi Lan who was also being surrounded by these people and asked anxiously.


    Hu Xiao was not that kind of person, seeing that she was no match, if she did not hurry up and escape, that would be what a fool would do.


    Zhi Lan immediately stopped after hearing what she said. Hu Xiao''s abilities were much better than hers, if she did not hold him back, Hu Xiao would definitely retreat.


    Seeing that Zhi Lan had left, Hu Xiao also turned and ran out, and the assassins quickly followed.


    "Hu Xiao?"


    Hu Xiao who was about to turn around and leave, suddenly glanced behind him. Qin Shuo just happened to be here at this time, and upon seeing this, Hu Xiao secretly cursed, Qin Shuo was truly an assassin, why did he come over if he did not run!


    When Qin Shuo said this, the assassins immediately turned and rushed towards Qin Shuo, as if he, the emperor, was even more attractive than her, the Queen.


    Even though she did not want to, Hu Xiao had no choice but to turn around and walk over to Qin Shuo. With Qin Shuo''s abilities, he definitely could not defeat these assassins, and could not understand why Qin Shuo would do this.


    Otherwise, people like Wen Fuchen were already dissatisfied with him. If Qin Shuo was injured because of him, then with the looks of Wen Fuchen and the others, wouldn''t they want to skin ten percent of his body''s skin off?


    He thought that he was only bringing Qin Shuo back, but he never thought that it would be so difficult.


    "Your Majesty!"


    When he brought Xue Mier out, he immediately saw Qin Shuo, and anxiously called out, but Xue Mier did not expect that it was because of her words, that Qin Shuo was called as a dangerous place.


    Looking at Xue Mier''s expression, Hu Xiao felt that she had not seen the talisman before she left, and was actually in such bad luck, she originally wanted to leave, but seeing that it was already too late, she immediately rushed forward to block the sword that was aimed at Qin Shuo.


    "Hu Xiao!"


    Without waiting for Qin Shuo to react, Hu Xiao had fallen onto Qin Shuo''s body. Qin Shuo turned around and supported him, and when he saw the blush on Hu Xiao''s chest, he was even more stunned.


    "Your Majesty, Empress, quickly protect your Majesty and your Empress!"


    Just now, Zhao Qiyan knew that Wei Shi was talking about the assassin so he rushed over, but looking at the situation, he was still too late.


    The assassins came to kill Hu Xiao in the first place, although they were only wounded in the end, they could only return and report. Seeing that Zhao Qiyan had fallen onto the Imperial Army, they did not linger any longer, and turned to leave.


    "Quick, call for someone. Doctor Xuan, quick!"


    It was as if Qin Shuo could not hear the voices of the outside world, at that moment, his mind was filled with memories of how weak Hu Xiao was, but he was still worried about whether she was alright. Before Qin Shuo could even speak, Hu Xiao herself seemed to have confirmed what she was doing, and she fainted.


    He had originally thought that Hu Xiao would only leave on her own accord, but what he saw now was a severe slap to Qin Shuo''s face.


    "Empress? "Empress!"


    Zhi Lan saw that Zhao Qiyan had brought his troops and horses over, and also walked towards Hu Xiao, but Zhi Lan saw Hu Xiao who was in her arms.


    Hu Xiao had her unique skills from the start, it was impossible for those people to have injured Hu Xiao, but what was going on?


    Hugging Hu Xiao, Qin Shuo casually sat down, not caring at all that he was the emperor.


    "Your Majesty, the Empress has lost too much blood. Take this pill first. Your subject shall go and refine the medicine. May Your Majesty place the Empress on the bed."


    Seeing Qin Shuo still placing Hu Xiao on the ground, the imperial physician said with fear.


    Hearing that, Qin Shuo did not bother with the man, but picked up Hu Xiao and carried him to her own room, as she had never seen Qin Shuo like this, no one dared to stop him, even Xue Mier did not dare say anything.


    They had always seen Hu Xiao playing around with each other, but now, Hu Xiao''s face was pale white, and even Zhao Qiyan had become somewhat ruthless, but it was a pity that he was only able to catch one live killer.

 C98

    It was as if she was floating in a sea, swaying from side to side, the events of the past flashed past her eyes continuously, but Hu Xiao felt that she could not wake up no matter what.


    "Dad, Mom, I''m in so much pain."


    "It hurts, why don''t you hug me?"


    "¡­ ¡­"


    "Your Majesty, your body is more important. This place should be guarded by a servant."


    Hu Xiao had already fainted for an entire night, and Qin Shuo had also stayed at Hu Xiao''s side for an entire night. At this time, Qin Shuo no longer had the elegant demeanor he usually had, and instead had a few more vicissitudes of life.


    "No worries. It''s fine to be alone here. You all can leave."


    Qin Shuo said as he glanced at Zhi Lan, who had been attending to him from the side.


    Looking at the people around him who had worked hard the entire night, Qin Shuo felt as if he was numb when he thought of the unconscious Hu Xiao who was still lying on the bed.


    "Your majesty, the dragon''s body is more important, this Empress saved you for your majesty''s safety in the first place. If Empress were to know that your majesty, who only used her life to save herself, is so uncaring, I''m afraid she would be angry."


    Seeing Qin Shuo who was clearly tired, yet was not resting at all, the court officials were all worried.


    "So noisy, so noisy ¡­"


    Before Qin Shuo could say anything, a whisper came from the bed.


    "Empress, Empress, are you awake?" What did you just say? "


    Zhi Lan was extremely close to Hu Xiao in the first place, so when everyone was still making noise, Zhi Lan had already heard what Hu Xiao said.


    "Hmm? The empress is awake? "


    The previously noisy room immediately became quiet, Qin Shuo also lowered his head, he tilted his head as though he wanted to hear what Hu Xiao had said clearly.


    "That''s enough, all of you can leave for now. Our queen is still lying here, why would Gu Ruoyun go alone to rest? If there''s anything, I''ll tell you alone."


    Qin Shuo looked at Hu Xiao''s pained expression and quickly chased away all the people who were planning to continue persuading him by her ear.


    Although he wanted to say something, seeing that Hu Xiao''s face was completely bloodless, he could only shake his head and leave.


    Initially, he had thought that Hu Xiao''s mutterings were meant to wake him up, but even after waiting for a long time, he did not seem to have any signs of waking up.


    "You can leave first."


    Seeing Zhi Lan who was still standing at the side, Qin Shuo felt that she was an eyesore.


    "Okay."


    Zhi Lan did not insist, and the current Hu Xiao did not need her help, so she left for the kitchen to stare at the medicinal herbs.


    There was finally no one around him, and Qin Shuo, who had been enduring for a long time, was finally unable to hold on. He sat on Hu Xiao''s bed, a person who was usually in high spirits, but now because he was lying on the bed, Qin Shuo had never hated himself for being so powerless.


    "Mm ¡­"


    Just as he was deep in his thoughts, Hu Xiao''s mutterings caused him to come back to his senses.


    "You''re awake?"


    Looking at Hu Xiao who was slowly opening her eyes, Qin Shuo was wild with joy.


    "Yes."


    It was as if he hadn''t opened his eyes for a long time, as if he wasn''t used to it.


    "What''s wrong? But where is it hard to bear? "


    Looking at Hu Xiao''s expression, Qin Shuo asked nervously.


    "I''m fine."


    Although she was in a coma, she could still hear everything that was happening around her, and it was just that she couldn''t speak. Looking at the slightly green-eyed Qin Shuo, a tinge of bitterness flashed across Hu Xiao''s heart.


    However, in the past few days, Qin Shuo had been unable to understand what was going on. She was able to tell whether or not the relationship between the two of them was real or fake, and he thought that it was only because of her identity, but if it was just that, Qin Shuo didn''t need to stand by his side for an entire night.


    When Hu Xiao was still unconscious, Qin Shuo felt that he had millions of words in his heart that he wanted to tell Hu Xiao. But now, he couldn''t even say a single word.


    "Zhao Qiyan captured a person."


    All the Janissaries had been dispatched that day, but there was only one survivor.


    "Mn, this is not the same wave as the one at Liuzhou City."


    Hu Xiao had long known about it, catching one was already considered good, those people were all Death Soldiers.


    "It isn''t?"


    Hu Xiao''s words caused Qin Shuo to be stunned for a moment. She originally thought that this was the first time they came looking for Hu Xiao, and this time, she was the first one to come looking for Hu Xiao.


    "Yes, Your Majesty, please let the General Zhao interrogate you first. Your aim should not be pure."


    "Alright."


    Seeing that Hu Xiao had woken up, but her face was still extremely ugly, Qin Shuo could not bear to do so.


    "Rest for a moment, I''ll come see you later."


    Originally, they had wanted to wait for Hu Xiao to wake up and decide the outcome of that person. However, Hu Xiao actually said that it was not the people from Liuzhou City, then, these people could actually find an Elephant Water Villa.


    Seeing that, Hu Xiao nodded her head, felt that she was too tired to bother with Qin Shuo, and closed her eyes.


    Seeing Hu Xiao like this, Qin Shuo turned and left, he had more important things to do.


    "The empress is already awake, go in and be careful. She''s still resting. If anything happens, come and inform me as soon as possible."


    Qin Shuo said to Zhi Lan who was still outside the door.


    He turned and walked towards the place where the assassins were locked, just in time to see Zhao Qiyan walking out, bringing Zhao Qiyan along with him.


    "Your Majesty, why are you here? Is the Empress awake?"


    Shouldn''t they be guarding the Empress''s bed at this time? Why did it appear here?


    "I just woke up. The empress said that the killers this time are not the same group as last time. Is there any result?"


    "Is that true? From the assassin''s tone, it seems like he is not from East Court. "


    Zhao Qiyan heard Qin Shuo''s words and felt that it was strange. The assassins were approaching the Empress, so why aren''t they a group of people? However, it was unlikely that the empress and emperor would take this as a joke.


    "Not East Court?"


    If not because of East Court, did he come to intercept the empress so that he could instigate a war between East Court and South Yue? It was no wonder so many people had surrounded him when he had seen him that day. It was just that he didn''t know which nation had come to assassinate him with such a large amount of profound energy!


    "Again! I have to find out who the mastermind is! "


    With how brazen he was, Qin Shuo did not even put him in his eyes! were they not putting the hundreds of thousands of his East Court in their eyes?


    "Yes!"


    Zhao Qiyan naturally thought of the same problem that Qin Shuo was thinking about, and was extremely furious, but the teacher had not been guarding the border for a few months, and actually dared to reach out to Qin Shuo!


    "Your Majesty, His Majesty is in trouble. The Empress fainted again."


    Just as Qin Shuo was planning to follow Zhao Qiyan to meet that man, Zhi Lan ran over and said that.

 C99

    Qin Shuo immediately put down the table to interrogate the man, and anxiously followed Zhi Lan to Hu Xiao''s room.


    Just as she stepped into the house, Zhi Lan stopped him.


    "Shh."


    He sensed that there was something wrong with the smell in the room. When he left just now, it was only the smell of medicinal dregs. However, there was an additional fragrance in the air.


    Unable to care about the master and servant ceremony, Zhi Lan grabbed Qin Shuo and moved him behind herself.


    Caught off guard, Zhi Lan was grabbed behind him. Just as Qin Shuo was about to get angry, he looked at Zhi Lan and immediately calmed down.


    They looked at each other, then looked towards the far away bed where Hu Xiao seemed to be fine. Qin Shuo could not help but heave a sigh of relief, just as he wanted to let Zhi Lan follow behind him, he saw that Zhi Lan had already rushed to the side.


    As if there was someone behind the act, Qin Shuo was just about to yell at Zhi Lan not to do it like that, but he stood there, frozen in place.


    The man did not expect Zhi Lan to suddenly attack, and was instantly struck in the chest by Zhi Lan''s palm, the two of them started fighting.


    It was the first time she found out that Zhi Lan also knew martial arts, no wonder Hu Xiao was so arrogant, if the people beside him were all good at martial arts, then what was there to be afraid of? But now, Qin Shuo was busy watching the fight between Zhi Lan and the assassin, she anxiously walked over to Hu Xiao''s bed.


    Carefully, she placed her hand under Hu Xiao''s nose. Fortunately, if they had come back late, Hu Xiao would not have been able to stay safe and sound.


    "Someone come!" Catch the assassin! "


    When Zhi Lan saw that Qin Shuo had already protected Hu Xiao, she shouted loudly.


    Hearing that, the black clothed man''s attacks became even fiercer, as though Zhi Lan was no match for him.


    "Your Majesty, your servant''s bodyguard has arrived late!"


    Just now, Zhao Qiyan was shut outside the house by Zhi Lan and Qin Shuo. Although he heard strange noises coming from inside the house, he did not see anyone shouting, so he waited outside. After hearing Zhi Lan''s words, he did not care about anything else, he kicked open the door, then rushed to Zhi Lan''s side to deal with the black clothed man.


    The black clothed man had been struck by Zhi Lan just now when he was caught off guard, causing him to be unable to respond in time, much less need for Zhi Lan and Zhao Qiyan to work together.


    Soon, they were subdued by the two.


    "Drag him away and lock him up. Zhao Qiyan, bring someone with you to see if he still has companions. He actually dares to assassinate the Queen in the empress''s room. This person must wait for the empress to wake up and decide what to do!"


    In just a few short days, he had been ambushed one after another. This had never happened before!


    "Your Majesty, the imperial physician is here."


    Wei Shi trembled as he walked forward and said to the furious Qin Shuo.


    "Get him in here!"


    After glancing at Wei Shi, he instructed.


    The imperial physician had long heard Qin Shuo''s angry words, and immediately stopped using Wei Shi''s summons. He anxiously ran in, and after preparing everything, he started to check Hu Xiao''s pulse.


    They knew every single detail about it since the day Empress had returned from her illness. As a result, they respected the Queen more, afraid that any slight neglect would cause Empress to vent her anger.


    Especially when they found out that the Empress was lying here because of His Majesty, they did not dare to breathe out, as they were afraid of angering the emperor who was sitting next to the Empress''s bed.


    "How is it?"


    Seeing the imperial physician''s increasingly ugly expression, Qin Shuo felt a bit of fear in his heart.


    "Did the Empress just inhale something?"


    The Imperial Physician asked carefully. The Queen looked like she was poisoned, but wasn''t there always guards in Empress? How could she be poisoned? Could it be those pills? No, no, no! Impossible, in order to let the Empress get better faster, he had been keeping an eye on him the entire time, she definitely would not make a mistake!


    "Just now, that black clothed man ¡­"


    [That man actually did it!]


    Speaking of which, the imperial physician understood what else. Someone must have sent people to assassinate the empress while she was still unconscious!


    It really was hard to be the queen. If she wasn''t careful and got assassinated, it wouldn''t hurt too much and she would lose her life.


    "Luckily I discovered it in time, I can mix a few other medicinal ingredients into the formula for the Empress."


    He wiped off the sweat on his forehead and said.


    Fortunately, he was in time, otherwise, even the Great Firmament Deity would not be able to save this Empress if she was dragged out for another two hours.


    "You go together."


    Qin Shuo glanced at the imperial physician kneeling on the ground and said to Zhi Lan, who was also kneeling at the side.


    "Yes."


    Zhi Lan had the same intention, but now it seemed too unsafe. If there was an assassin inside the house, then they would definitely not know what happened if someone did anything to him while he was frying the medicine. It would be better to watch on the side with relief.


    Seeing the house that had quietened down, Qin Shuo turned around and looked at Hu Xiao who was still sleeping soundly, feeling a little helpless. [How come I didn''t notice anything just now?] If the two had not come in time, would Hu Xiao have fallen asleep like this?


    Seeing that Hu Xiao was having trouble sleeping soundly, Qin Shuo hesitated for a moment, then picked up Hu Xiao''s head and placed it on her lap, as if she was afraid that Hu Xiao would not be used to it, until she saw the painful expression on her face turn peaceful.


    had never seen someone like this before. He glanced inside the house, then turned and closed the door.


    "Eunuch Wei, how is Empress now?"


    Soong Xuan was thinking that Hu Xiao should wake up by now, hence she came to take a look. However, when she saw that the door was closed, a trace of doubt flashed across Soong Xuan''s heart.


    "Oh, so it''s Miss Soong. Empress is a lot better now, but now that we don''t see anyone, I''m afraid that you''ve provoked Feng Han. Please return, Miss Soong."


    Looking at Soong Xuan who looked a little anxious, Wei Shi was secretly happy. This girl was actually considerate.


    "If that''s the case, please forgive Xuan''er for disturbing you. May I trouble Eunuch Wei, Empress, to inform Xuan''er when you wake up."


    With Hu Xiao''s character, if she was awake, she would definitely not not see anyone, or if she did not see him, then it was likely that Hu Xiao had met with some big trouble, but she was unable to help.


    "I, Wei, have thanked you for Miss Soong''s kind intentions. If Empress wakes up, I will definitely inform you about your visit."


    After taking the silver from Soong Xuan''s hands, Wei Shi''s tone was even more intimate than before.


    "Then Xuan''er thanks Eunuch Wei."


    Soong Xuan turned towards Wei Shi, looked at the tightly shut door behind Wei Shi, and turned to leave.


    He pinched the silver in his sleeves, Soong Xuan had thought about it, Soong Xuan had only seen the Empress once after hearing about it, why is Soong Xuan so concerned about the Queen now?


    "Eunuch Wei, Imperial Consort Xue invites you."


    Just as his mind was wandering, someone said in Wei Shi''s ear.

 C100

    After a busy night, Hu Xiao finally woke up slowly.


    Looking at the canopy in front of her, she was stunned for a long time before she could open her mouth to speak. Once again, she forgot that her current identity was the empress of East Court.


    "Zhi Lan."


    Just as he was busy using the medicine Hu Xiao wanted this morning, he suddenly heard Hu Xiao''s voice from inside the house. He quickly got up and walked in.


    "Empress? Is the Empress awake? What''s wrong with it? "Someone, go tell His Majesty that the Empress is awake."


    Hu Xiao looked at Zhi Lan who was crying with joy and joy.


    "I''m fine."


    It was only a small superficial wound, yet he had fainted for so long. Hu Xiao felt a little embarrassed.


    "Empress, you really scared me to death. If something were to happen to the Empress, what should Zhi Lan do? "But His Majesty left just as the sun was about to rise. He has been keeping watch over the Empress the entire time."


    Seeing Hu Xiao seemingly searching for something, Zhi Lan laughed lightly.


    It was also true that it was strange that Hu Xiao would not be able to see Qin Shuo every time she woke up. Although it was only for an instant, it was enough for Zhi Lan to not know what she was thinking.


    "Mm, got it."


    After a long time without being able to utter a single word, Hu Xiao felt that her voice was extremely hoarse, and that even her speech had become much simpler.


    Within the main hall of the Aquatic Manor.


    The atmosphere had changed, and it felt incomparably heavy today.


    Qin Shuo sat upright on the main seat as he looked at the ministers seated below him. The haze in his eyes grew even darker;


    "The Water Manor has always been a peaceful place, but now, it has become an assassin wave after wave. Do you have any need to explain this matter to me?"


    They were all useless people. If there were any benefits, they would fight for it. However, if something happened, they would all want to hide their faces!


    He had been raised in the court for such a long time!


    "Your majesty, this humble subject is unable to fully inspect the situation. This humble subject is willing to bear all the punishments, but since this humble subject''s interrogation, these assassins seemed to have been hiding inside the carriage from the very start. Their goal is probably the Empress."


    Zhao Qiyan looked at Wen Chen, who was normally quarreling but was now not letting go of a single word, anger burning in his heart.


    "Hmm?"


    "Your Majesty, this humble subject''s supervision is improper. Please punish me, Your Majesty!"


    Yin Fufeng looked at the people around him who had erratic looks in their eyes, and then got up and knelt down.


    Ever since the Liuzhou City had left the city, and himself had been responsible for the safety of the Emperor. Now that Zhao Qiyan had knelt down and accepted punishment, how could he, Yin Fufeng, hide behind them?


    "Since that''s the case, I''ll punish the two of you with a salary of half a year''s worth!"


    Raising his head to look at the courtiers and officials, Qin Shuo said.


    This was a heinous crime, and merely receiving half a year''s worth of salary was already the lightest punishment. Zhao Qiyan and Yin Fufeng both heaved a sigh of relief, and got up to thank the Emperor.


    "Your Majesty, the empress is awake."


    Just as he was about to say something, Wei Shi came over and reported.


    "Today''s matter shall come to an end. If there are any more conditions, we can discuss them after this. You can withdraw."


    Hu Xiao had already been unconscious for a long time, so naturally, she had to go check on it when she woke up.


    Rarely did he manage to stand outside and pull at his clothes, causing him to become extremely angry. If his clothes were to be messed up, it would probably cause Hu Xiao to laugh.


    "Empress, His Majesty has come."


    Zhi Lan saw Qin Shuo, who was standing at the side, and gently woke him up.


    "Hmm? His Majesty had come? Isn''t there something wrong? "


    Hu Xiao''s dazed look was extremely cute, if her face was not so pale, she would have been even better.


    He struggled, wanting to do it, but he couldn''t.


    Seeing that, Qin Shuo rushed forward to support Hu Xiao.


    "This concubine thanks Your Majesty."


    If it were in the past, he would have already been sent flying by Hu Xiao''s fist.


    "No need. Does the Queen feel that something is amiss? Yesterday, if we did not investigate, there were actually some remaining members of the underworld who were secretly trying to harm you to the point of almost harming you. "


    "Nothing, I heard from Zhi Lan that the incident yesterday, was really audacious. That person, please keep him safe and sound, once chenqie gets better, I will personally go and meet these assassins."


    How could she give up so easily after harming her to such a state?


    Hearing that, Qin Shuo nodded his head, Hu Xiao''s lifeless look was too inconvenient, Qin Shuo was only there for a while before he left, Hu Xiao needed to rest, if he was there, Hu Xiao would be forcing herself to talk to him.


    As expected, as soon as Qin Shuo left, Hu Xiao got onto her blanket and fell asleep again.


    Hu Xiao''s body was considered good, and from the looks of it, it would only take him two days to get off the bed. As long as she could get off the bed, it would not be a big deal.


    "Zhao Qiyan, stand guard here. No one is allowed to visit the Queen, not even a fly is allowed to enter."


    Looking at Zhao Qiyan who was behind him, he realised that Hu Xiao''s body would definitely not be able to endure another wave of assassins, and Zhao Qiyan was the only one with the ability to heal Hu Xiao''s injuries safely.


    Zhao Qiyan nodded upon hearing it, he had already been patrolling outside Hu Xiao''s room for a long time, afraid that something would happen to Hu Xiao while he was under Zhao Qiyan''s watch. Aren''t you asking to be humiliated?


    "General Zhao, did I find out that Empress was awake today? Now that I want to go in and accompany my sister, the General Zhao will definitely not allow it, right? "


    Seeing Qin Shuo leaving, Xue Mier hurried forward to say.


    In the end, he did not dare to directly meet Hu Xiao in front of Qin Shuo, as he was afraid that Qin Shuo would see through something.


    She did not sleep last night, so after knowing that the empress''s palace maid''s eunuchs were all busy, Xue Mier was panicking in her heart. Furthermore, the person that she sent out had not come back yet, so how could she still stay?


    "Imperial Consort Xue, His Majesty has ordered that no one is to visit this Empress. Please go back."


    When Empress returned that day, Zhao Qiyan was very clear about what Xue Mier was going to do, even if she did not dare to do anything, it would not do. Forget about how annoying Hu Xiao was, letting Xue Mier into the Queen''s dirty eyes for no reason would be too disrespectful of him.


    "Why, General Zhao, do you think I need to inform His Majesty about this now? Could it be that you, General Zhao, are lying to me? What do you want to do to the empress?


    "Imperial Consort Xue, you have to be responsible for whatever you say. Seeing how anxious Imperial Consort Xue is, it can''t be that you have done something untoward to Empress, and now you want to confirm that Empress is alright?"


    Xue Mier''s words were extremely overbearing, Yin Fufeng stood at the side and watched for a long time, in the end he could not hide and walked out, if he did not come out, his good friend and Xue Mier might really fight, and this would not be good.


    "Hmm? Master Yin? Why does Master Yin say that? "


    Xue Mier became nervous after hearing it, and anxiously asked.

 C101

    Yin Fufeng had said those words casually in the beginning, but it was just to let Xue Mier''s words stop her.


    Hehe, this official was just speaking casually, there is no need for Imperial Consort Xue to be so nervous.


    "However, the Imperial Consort Xue may have returned empty-handed today, and your majesty has indeed issued an order. Anyone who wishes to visit the Empress today will need to receive an order from your majesty, for this is all a matter of life and death. I hope that the Imperial Consort Xue does not make things difficult for us."


    Since the words had already been said, if Xue Mier was causing a ruckus, it would reach His Majesty''s ears. Furthermore, Qin Shuo had been extremely irritable these past few days, so he absolutely did not dare to raise his eyebrows.


    If there was only that one person, Zhao Qiyan, causing a ruckus, it would be fine, but if there was still Yin Fufeng, Xue Mier would definitely not dare to be rash.


    Xue Mier was also afraid of someone who could even be described as "black".


    "Cousin?" "Why are you here?"


    Enraged, he returned to his own room. When he saw Wen Fuchen, who was sitting in the main hall, he was extremely surprised.


    How did Wen Fuchen have the time to come and find him? Weren''t they going to avoid arousing suspicion in the next few days?


    "You arranged that person yesterday?"


    Ever since Qin Shuo had gotten so angry at the meeting, Wen Fuchen finally understood that someone must have gone to kill Hu Xiao yesterday. He never expected that it would not succeed, if not Qin Shuo would not be so simple as getting angry.


    "En, yesterday?"


    Xue Mier was so stunned, she was slightly at a loss, what did she arrange yesterday?


    "This morning, His Majesty got so angry in front of us, and even punished Zhao Qiyan and Yin Fufeng''s salary for half a year. If it was the previous group of assassins, they would have been punished on the same day, but why did it have to be this morning? Could it be that you had your men do that yesterday? "


    After all, Wen Fuchen was used to all these deceit in the imperial court, so his cousin could see through it with a glance.


    "Cousin, I sent someone over yesterday, but that person hasn''t returned yet. Cousin, could something have happened?"


    Xue Mier started to panic, if that person was really caught, what should she do? If Ye Xiao was given away, wouldn''t he be completely ruined?


    "It really is you."


    His speculation had been proven right now, but Wen Fuchen was not happy at all. The worry in his heart was the same as Xue Mier.


    "Yesterday, I was caught by Zhao Qiyan on the spot, and now, other than His Majesty and Zhao Qiyan, no one else can enter the place where the two were imprisoned, think carefully about how you should escape, and go and visit the Queen."


    There was nothing else he could do. If he could get on good terms with the empress before him, he wouldn''t have to worry about getting rid of his crimes!


    Hearing that, Xue Mier nodded, other than that, Xue Mier knew what Wen Fuchen meant.


    After Wen Fuchen left Xue Mier''s place, he immediately went to find Qin Shuo, and looked forward to the ceremony of offering sacrifices to the heavens, but it had been delayed for such a long time because of Hu Xiao''s injury. If he could persuade his majesty to ask him to head over first, wouldn''t it be great if Hu Xiao was allowed to stay at the Elephant Water Villa to recuperate?


    "What did you say?" Let the empress stay at the Elephant Water Villa to recuperate? "


    Hu Xiao looked at Wen Fuchen who was kneeling in front of him, and felt his heart go cold. Hu Xiao was injured because she had saved him, Qin Shuo actually suggested for him to keep Hu Xiao here, wouldn''t that mean that the emperor would be forced to a place of disloyalty and injustice? Furthermore, Water Villa was not safe to begin with. If Hu Xiao was the only one left, what difference would there be in death?


    "Your Majesty, we can''t delay the sacrifice of the heavens. This is a matter that cannot be helped. A major event requires a small scheme, and the Empress is very weak right now. If we force our way through, I''m afraid the Empress won''t be able to hold on."


    The words were spoken sincerely, and from the looks of Wen Fuchen, it seemed that he was doing it all for the sake of East Court. However, if Hu Xiao were to stay in the Elephant Water Villa forever, then South Yue would definitely attack him.


    How could I be one of those people who break their word and sacrifice the heavens? If I can''t even do this, then what''s the use of being the emperor? "


    When Wen Fuchen heard this, cold sweat trickled down his forehead. He had been thinking about how to let Hu Xiao use this opportunity to get rid of him, however, he had forgotten how loyal Qin Shuo was.


    Indeed, in just a few days, Hu Xiao''s injuries had healed much faster than expected.


    "Your Majesty, I feel much better now. Later, let your Majesty bring your concubine to take a look at that assassin."


    She was already impatient to see the person who dared to kill him, but she had always been listless and listless, and now that there were no longer any major issues, Hu Xiao had long rubbed her hands together.


    "En, let''s eat first."


    Looking at Hu Xiao''s face which had regained its red glow, although she was still pale, but seeing that Hu Xiao was alright, Qin Shuo agreed to the request.


    "Empress, Imperial Consort Xue is here, do you want to see the Empress?"


    In the past few days, Imperial Consort Xue had been requesting an audience, and Zhi Lan had already gotten used to it and was about to reject them. But who knew that today, Hu Xiao would be in high spirits and call out to him, as if she remembered something.


    "Let her in."


    Seeing that, Qin Shuo raised his eyebrow, with how happy he was today, even Imperial Consort Xue planned to see him? In the past, didn''t he just reject it?


    "Chenqie will participate in your Majesty''s competition, Empress."


    Xue Mier, on the other hand, had changed from her usual arrogance to being a lot warmer.


    "Get up, little sister. It''s great that you''re here. I''m currently having a meal with the emperor. Little sister, why don''t you join us?"


    Originally, he had wanted to accept Hu Xiao''s evil words, but he didn''t expect it to be completely useless.


    Even after she had done it, Xue Mier still felt that it was like a dream, was Hu Xiao that easy to get along with him? Could it be that her brain was injured?


    Looking at Xue Mier''s submissive look, Hu Xiao was in a good mood, what she wanted to do was to catch him off guard. She wanted to see why Xue Mier had come these past few days, in the past, she couldn''t help but take a detour, even if it was to pay attention to her own injuries.


    Furthermore, she, Hu Xiao, had already rejected Xue Mier at the door multiple times. With Xue Mier''s personality, how far should she be hiding?


    "In a while, I will go with His Majesty to see the assassin that came to kill me. Is there anything else Sister Xue can do? If not, shall we go together? "


    The corner of Hu Xiao''s mouth raised slightly. She had always thought that the Emperor''s Southern Patrol was a big day, and there were so many guards, how could those assassins find him so easily. Sure enough, there was someone guiding them from behind.


    After drinking a mouthful of the soup, Hu Xiao looked at Xue Mier happily.

 C102

    Xue Mier never thought that she would be able to follow Hu Xiao to the dungeon the first time she saw him. She had thought of countless ways to go these past few days, but none of them made a breakthrough!


    "I''m fine. We can go together. I want to broaden my horizons towards this person who dares to assassinate my sister."


    Afraid that Hu Xiao would change her mind later, Xue Mier quickly said. After all, with Hu Xiao''s personality, it was hard to guess.


    Qin Shuo looked at Hu Xiao and Xue Mier, who rarely got along with each other, and felt a little gratified in her heart.


    In the past few days, Qin Shuo had kept his doors shut to see Xue Mier, and it was all for the sake of Xue Mier. If not for him, Hu Xiao would not have left her house in anger, and she would not have been injured.


    Like the Water Manor dungeon.


    "Your Majesty, the Empress is locked in here."


    When he brought Wei Shi and the others over, Zhao Qiyan was in the middle of interrogating them, and turned around to see that Qin Shuo and his men were already in front of him.


    "This humble subject greets Your Majesty, Empress."


    Qin Shuo nodded as he looked at Hu Xiao.


    "This person came to my room? Did General Zhao manage to get anything out of it? "


    Seeing that the person in front of him had an ordinary appearance, Hu Xiao''s initial interest decreased. As expected, it was all a lie.


    "Reporting to the Empress, this person''s mouth is very hard. Currently, she has not found the answer."


    Zhao Qiyan felt very ashamed, this man was obviously here to assassinate Hu Xiao, but he couldn''t get any answers out of him.


    "No punishment?"


    Seeing that her whole body was in a good condition, Hu Xiao asked curiously, since she could not ask for anything, why did she not use torture?


    "Zhen told this person to leave it for the empress to deal with."


    Qin Shuo looked at the red-faced Zhao Qiyan, who did not know how to explain, and said that out of good intentions.


    Oh, so it was like that. Because she had been instructed to leave it for him to deal with, she didn''t dare to use torture. That was good as well, allowing her to broaden her horizons.


    "Since that''s the case, then since I''m here now, let the General Zhao interrogate me. I''ll naturally admit the punishment. I also want to know who is behind this."


    Hu Xiao said with a smile, it was as though she was saying that the weather was extremely good today, and upon seeing that, Xue Mier clenched her hands tightly.


    Zhao Qiyan turned and walked towards the black-clothed man.


    "Wait, how many days has this person been hungry?"


    If he did not use torture, the black clothed man would not be in such a state. Although Qin Shuo had warned him not to use torture, Zhao Qiyan would definitely not let him off easily.


    "The Empress has great eyesight. Ever since she was locked up, she has been hungry to this day."


    Since he didn''t want this person to stay comfortably in the dungeon, this was the only solution.


    "Mn, Zhi Lan, serve the food and let this person eat it."


    Hu Xiao thought for a while before replying.


    Hearing that, everyone looked at Hu Xiao strangely, they did not want him to use torture, how could they let him eat? Even the black-clothed man was shocked, not knowing what Hu Xiao was going to do.


    Hu Xiao naturally saw through their suspicions, but she did not want to explain why they would do so.


    Although the man in black did not want to give in, he could do nothing about it. With the food in front of him, the fragrance was everywhere and his body was already moving uncontrollably.


    "We can begin now."


    If he had been so hungry just now, the assassin would not have said anything. He might as well let the assassin eat and drink until he was full and feel like he was alive again. His willpower would naturally be greatly weakened.


    But after a while, Xue Mier was unable to watch it anymore, but Hu Xiao and Qin Shuo both remained motionless, so no matter how uncomfortable she was, she had to endure it.


    "Will this assassin be unable to bear the torture and commit suicide?"


    In the end, he could not bear it anymore. The look in that person''s eyes when he looked at him and that extremely painful scream echoed by his side.


    "Hmm? No, just now, he had experienced the sweetness of living. Why, does it seem like I can''t bear to look at Imperial Consort Xue? "


    Hu Xiao had noticed every single one of Xue Mier''s movements, and upon seeing Xue Mier''s voice, she replied.


    So that was the reason why he let him eat! Xue Mier felt chilled all over, she had really underestimated Hu Xiao.


    Looking at Wen Fuchen, he finally calmed down a little. He reckoned that Wen Fuchen had settled the matter here.


    "How could that be? This person is the sinner who murdered Empress, it''s not excessive for him to die a thousand times, right now he only has a little bit of physical pain."


    Hu Xiao laughed when she heard that, but for some reason, Xue Mier suddenly became forceful again, but at the same time, she did not care about that.


    That miserable cry was like the cry of an opponent who had been knocked to the ground. After calming her heart and being unable to ask any further questions, Hu Xiao no longer had the mood to continue watching.


    "Your Majesty, let''s return. Your consort isn''t feeling too well."


    The injuries on his body were not small, but he had expended a great deal of effort just now, so Hu Xiao felt that she was somewhat tired.


    In his heart, however, he was extremely agitated. It was only a small wound, how could it be so weak that could not withstand the wind!


    Hearing that, Qin Shuo nervously brought Hu Xiao out, afraid that she would faint again if she didn''t feel well.


    "Your Majesty, the yin aura in the dungeon is very heavy and it is very normal for the Empress to not feel well. It is better for the Empress to not go to these places where the yin aura is very dense or else she will become ill."


    Just now, Qin Shuo returned from the underground prison and sent Hu Xiao back to her room for an imperial physician.


    "Thank you very much."


    Hu Xiao nodded towards the imperial physician, this was the first time Hu Xiao had seen this person, but it was all thanks to him, otherwise he would have been lying unconscious on the bed.


    "Empress''s words are too serious."


    The imperial physician had always heard that Hu Xiao had an arrogant and despotic personality, she had never fought in the past, but seeing that Hu Xiao was so knowledgeable, the people who made up the rumors hated him to the extreme, causing him to constantly tremble in fear, afraid of angering the empress.


    Seeing that Hu Xiao was fine, Qin Shuo was slightly relieved, and after warning him to rest well, he left.


    "Your Majesty, Empress''s interrogation is not appropriate today. The imperial harem cannot be used for political purposes, Empress has overstepped her boundaries, and Empress cannot do such a thing just because she saved Your Majesty."


    Qin Shuo had wanted to ask the officials to discuss the matter regarding the dungeon, but now, they did not mention anything about it at all. Instead, they were dissatisfied with the empress!


    "Your Majesty, Sir Qin''s words are reasonable. Empress has indeed overstepped her boundaries a little. Even Empress ¡­ It shouldn''t be like this, your majesty. "


    Yesterday, they had all been trying to hide from the empress, but today, they had all jumped up to her. It was as if the empress had committed the greatest sin. How laughable!


    "Your Majesty, this subject believes that what the Empress did is not wrong, and it is not considered crossing over!"

 C103

    Qin Shuo looked at the man who spoke just now, and saw that Hu Xiao and the man did not have any connections, how dare she speak up for Hu Xiao?


    "Hmm? Tell me, why is it that the Queen isn''t considered a transcender? "


    The previously noisy hall instantly quietened down, Wen Fuchen looked at the person who spoke, wasn''t this Master Ji?


    Master Ji was a man of noble character in the imperial court, he had never favored anyone, nor did he ever say who he was standing on the same side as,. During the past few days, the imperial court had been extremely noisy with regards to Empress Hu Xiao, but even so, Master Ji had never said a single word, how could he not understand today?


    Zhao Qiyan and Yin Fufeng looked at each other, their eyes filled with suspicion. They had originally thought that they could wait for everyone to get tired from arguing and speak, but now the two of them felt that Master Ji''s words were reasonable!


    "That assassin was originally aiming for the Empress. If the empress can even be considered surpassing those who came to kill her, isn''t that a little too much?"


    That Lord Ji spoke neither humbly nor arrogantly.


    "If any of the lords here can''t be questioned personally, I''m afraid none of them would be willing? Furthermore, Empress suffered such heavy injuries. "


    "Master Ji is right, Empress is not considered to have passed the trial, the interrogation is not considered dry government, Empress is already a person who was harmed, and they did not use any severe punishment on the assassins, it can already be considered excellent."


    Zhao Qiyan saw and quickly complied.


    "Even so, there has never been such a precedent since ancient times!"


    The voice of the person who said that Hu Xiao had gone overboard seemed to have been moved by Master Ji, the words were no longer as forceful as before.


    "There was no such precedent before, so I''ve come to set this precedent. The two people the empress is interrogating are not involved in the secrets of the court. Even if they''ve crossed it, we''ve still allowed them to do so!"


    Seeing that the few of them wanted to say more, Qin Shuo said impatiently.


    It was as if the court officials were monitoring Hu Xiao day and night. As long as Hu Xiao did anything, there would be people rushing out to see if she was alright!


    Hu Xiao was the descendant of her own nation! How could she be humiliated like this!


    Could it be that under normal circumstances, Qin Shuo himself was too amiable, but now he actually dared to create such a rumor about the Queen?


    The few of them who were still full of confidence just now all closed their mouths shut, afraid that Qin Shuo would punish them, but no matter how much Wen Fuchen looked at them, no one came out to refute, and decided to give up.


    "Is there anything else?"


    Glancing at the crowd who were quiet, Qin Shuo asked impatiently.


    Did they really think that Qin Shuo was the puppet emperor? He actually wanted to interfere in every matter, and even wanted to patiently interfere in his decision! The difference between a sovereign and a subject was like the difference between a sovereign and a subject!


    After waiting for a long time and seeing that no one spoke, Qin Shuo waved his hand to signal for everyone to leave.


    "Empress, there is still no news from General Zhao. It seems that the assassin still hasn''t recruited anything."


    After sleeping for a while, Hu Xiao stood up and looked at Zhi Lan with some suspicion.


    It seemed like that person had said something, but why was there no news at all? And it was so quiet?


    "Nothing? These penal instruments and the like seemed like they were designed by the Mr Mo Zhu, right? Come, let''s go to the Mr Mo Zhu. "


    As if she suddenly remembered something, Hu Xiao got off the bed and dragged Zhi Lan away.


    "Empress, pay attention to your manners!"


    He quickly grabbed onto Hu Xiao. It was really not appropriate for Hu Xiao to go out like this. If those ministers with ulterior motives knew about it, then so be it.


    Looking at herself in the mirror, Hu Xiao felt that it was a bit inappropriate, so she sat down obediently and let Zhi Lan manipulate him.


    After a while, the two glowing men walked out of the door and headed straight for the courtyard of Mr Mo Zhu.


    "Empress? Greetings, Empress. "


    He had never seen Hu Xiao dressed in Queen''s clothing before, and every time he had seen Hu Xiao dressed up as a man, he had always thought that it was because Hu Xiao was a girl.


    Hearing Zhi Lan cough, she immediately knelt down to salute.


    "Alright, no need to be so restrained."


    This little face that was red from holding her breath really did look like a Lucky Cat.


    Seeing that, the ingot quickly crawled up and ran, but after bowing, it seemed to have forgotten Hu Xiao.


    "Esteemed Empress, this little gatekeeper really doesn''t understand etiquette!" We''re still running outside the door! "


    Zhi Lan''s Origin Treasure that had disappeared in front of him said jokingly, and before she finished speaking, it had once again appeared in front of him.


    "Empress, this way please. Master is inside."


    Just now, he only remembered Hu Xiao and Zhi Lan who were outside the door when he was halfway through running of the ingot. Once again, he anxiously ran out to greet them.


    In the end, he was still able to hold it in. His ears reddened as he heard the unbridled laughter behind him. He led the two to where Mo Zhu was and hastily disappeared.


    "I pay my respects to Empress."


    Seeing the well-dressed Hu Xiao, Mo Zhu was also stunned for a moment like the ingot, but only stunned for a moment.


    "Mr Mo Zhu does not need to be courteous, I believe Mr Mo Zhu knows that a few assassins have injured me in the past few days, I heard that those torture instruments were created by Mr Mo Zhu?"


    In the past, he did not leave much behind, but Mr Mo Zhu could be considered to have made a lot out of it.


    "The Empress praises you too much. Some things do indeed come from this humble one."


    So Mo Zhu was too modest, looking at Hu Xiao''s actions, she seemed to have some strange thoughts in mind.


    Sure enough, when Hu Xiao saw the incomplete painting on the table, she walked over and picked up the brush.


    When she brought back her ingot, she saw that Hu Xiao was about to do something to her master''s drawing.


    "The Empress cannot! This was the result of Master''s efforts in the past few days! You can''t be a toy. "


    He thought that his master would be too embarrassed to argue with the woman, that he would be able to see how the black bamboo was painted with the Origin Treasure in the next few days. He couldn''t let Hu Xiao destroy it.


    "Yuanbao, don''t be rude."


    Seeing that he was about to rush forward to fight with Hu Xiao for the brush, Mo Zhu anxiously shouted to stop, and then retreated, but he did not seem to be in a hurry, his eyes were filled with worry, as though he was afraid that Hu Xiao would ruin it.


    Seeing that, Hu Xiao smiled, and seeing that Zhi Lan had blocked the ingot, she continued to receive the Chinese painting.


    Soon.


    "Come take a look, Mr Mo Zhu."


    After blowing all the ink on her hand dry, Hu Xiao took a step back to let Mo Zhu go forward.


    When the ingot saw that Hu Xiao was alright, it could not wait any longer and rushed over, only seeing him exclaim in shock.


    "You, you, you, what are you doing!"

 C104

    Mo Zhu instinctively wanted to step forward and take a look. It would be a lie to say that he was not curious, but Mo Zhu hesitated.


    "Empress, men and women should not be intimate with each other. Moreover, Empress is the empress. This one is only clothed in cloth, I''m afraid it''s not suitable."


    In the past, Hu Xiao would always wear men''s clothes, so Mo Zhu didn''t feel that it was right, but now, it was really too inappropriate.


    He didn''t like being close to women, so he had no choice but to do so in the past. But now, no matter what, Mo Zhu couldn''t even take a step towards him.


    Hu Xiao curled her lips when she heard this. She was only wearing a woman''s outfit today. Why did she start talking about men and women who don''t like each other in the past?


    But seeing that it was really too difficult, Hu Xiao took a few more steps forward.


    Seeing this, Mo Zhu slowly walked forward.


    "What a stubborn old man!"


    Naturally, Mo Zhu heard these murmurs, but he also turned a deaf ear. As the saying goes, a wall has ears, he, Mo Zhu, did not want others to gossip about him.


    Although Zhi Lan stood at the side and did not say anything, but looking at her expression, it could be seen that Mo Zhu had gone overboard this time, but it just so happened that Hu Xiao was being watched by various people, so being careful was extremely good.


    "May I ask who this drawing is?"


    The black bamboo stared fixedly at the area that Hu Xiao had drawn and asked while trembling.


    "Hmm? Mr Mo Zhu didn''t understand? Isn''t Mr Mo Zhu studying torture tools? How about you fill it in yourself? "Is it more perfect than what you wanted?"


    Perfect? Although she did not know what Perfection meant, Mo Zhu was very satisfied with Hu Xiao''s actions. It was true that every time Hu Xiao saw him, she would give herself a pleasant surprise.


    "Can the Empress describe in detail how this torture device is to be used?"


    Previously, she did know about the Black Bamboo she drew, but Hu Xiao did not understand some parts of the Black Bamboo she drew later on.


    Just as Hu Xiao was about to speak, she was interrupted.


    "What are the Empress and the Mr Mo Zhu doing? What torture device? You speak so happily, do let me hear you speak so that I can hear you speak? "


    He was used to seeing Zhao Qiyan interrogating prisoners in the dungeon, so he felt somewhat bored. This was why he wanted to see if Mo Zhu had any new moves, but he didn''t expect that once he entered the door, it would be so quiet. Even the gatekeeper Yuan Bao was gone, so Yin Fufeng went straight to look for Mo Zhu''s temporary study room.


    He was wearing green clothes, but it wasn''t able to cover the dense stench of blood on Yin Fufeng''s body. Hu Xiao and Zhi Lan had fought since young, so naturally, they weren''t unfamiliar with this smell.


    "Master Yin, where did you come from? You smell so good."


    As he said this, he covered his nose. It looked quite funny.


    "Hmm? "On me?"


    No one had ever said that his body smelled heavy. When Yin Fufeng heard this, he took a sniff and said, "Eh, it really is heavy."


    As he thought about this, his face did not reveal any traces of it. Yin Fufeng looked at the movements of the ingot in amusement, as if he had found some entertainment. After walking a few steps forward, the ingot retreated a few steps, almost falling out the window.


    "Master Yin."


    Yuanbao was close to tears, his small face frowned, as he was afraid of Yin Fufeng''s actions.


    "Alright, Yin Fufeng, stop teasing Yuanbao, come over and take a look at this."


    If he let Yin Fufeng continue bullying the ingots, he would cry, and could only speak to save him.


    Hearing that, Yin Fufeng did not continue playing with the ingots, but turned and picked up the drawing.


    When Mo Zhu was drawing, Yin Fufeng knew that he had filled in a few strokes, and now it seemed like the new strokes were done by Hu Xiao.


    Glancing at Hu Xiao in shock, Yin Fufeng never thought that Hu Xiao would actually be so talented!


    "This torture device must have been used on that assassin?"


    Hu Xiao said softly after looking at Yin Fufeng, he looked extremely similar to a demon.


    The words that came out of her beautiful face were truly terrifying.


    merely flicked a glance at the drawing, but she was also extremely shocked. Since she was young, she had always been by Hu Xiao''s side and had never come into contact with these things. She thought that the tools Zhao Qiyan had made last time would be his limit, but Hu Xiao was actually breaking her imagination time and time again.


    "Since Empress has said so, there is no harm in using it on those two, I wonder if Mister can do it in the next few days?"


    "Yes."


    "Since that''s the case, then I''ll have to trouble Mr Mo Zhu."


    Mo Zhu naturally knew about the people in the dungeon. Furthermore, they would be leaving the Ethereal Water Manor soon, so rushing them out in the next few days was not a big deal.


    After finalizing the matter, Hu Xiao saw that the sky was already dark, so she left with Zhi Lan. She heard an incredible thing from Yin Fufeng''s words just now.


    Just interrogating a prisoner who wanted to kill him was enough to make him cross.


    Even if she wasn''t there, Hu Xiao would still know who was the mastermind behind the scenes. Other than Wen Fuchen, there was no one else who had been trying to cause trouble for him.


    However, Hu Xiao did not have the time to bother with Wen Fuchen. The most important thing was to find out who it was that wanted to kill him from behind.


    "Esteemed Empress, the Miss Soong came to see you while you were unconscious. However, she was stopped by Eunuch Wei."


    After all, the Empress had just regained her identity and went to establish Miss Soong Xuan''s prestige, and the relationship did not seem to be the same, but Zhi Lan was curious as to why Hu Xiao and Soong Xuan seemed to be close, could it be that the two of them had not met on the streets that day?


    "Let''s go to Soong Xuan''s place."


    Initially, Hu Xiao wanted to directly return home, but she suddenly changed her mind.


    She nodded her head in satisfaction. That Soong Xuan''s aunt had done too much, if Soong Xuan still continued to endure, Hu Xiao felt that it was very possible that she would pack up and send this group of people back to the Song Manor, so that they wouldn''t get in her way.


    "Greetings Empress."


    Seeing Hu Xiao''s clothes, Soong Xuan''s expressionless face became cheerful.


    "Just get up. If you are on your own, there is no need to bow. It will be difficult."


    Hu Xiao said somewhat angrily as she walked forward to help Soong Xuan up, but after a moment, her smile blossomed.


    "Alright, is the Empress doing well?" "Just send someone to notify me, why are you coming here yourself?"


    Although it wasn''t as pale as before, it had only been a few days, and his heart was still anxious.


    "It''s alright, I need to walk a few more steps to get better, but I think I heard that Xue Mier came here before?"

 C105

    On the way here, Zhi Lan had sent people to look for Soong Xuan after she left Xue Mier that day, although she knew that Soong Xuan would not betray him, Hu Xiao was still curious why Xue Mier was looking for him.


    The last time she set fire to the relay station, Hu Xiao had clearly remembered that Xue Mier looked as if she wanted to use this opportunity to suppress Soong Xuan.


    "Empress, are you talking about the Imperial Consort Xue? "She''s here before."


    Soong Xuan knew that Hu Xiao would know about this matter, so she did not hesitate, and directly said it, and there was nothing wrong with it, if she was hiding it, it would cause others to suspect him.


    "Hmm? Xue Mier wants to join hands with you to deal with me? "


    With just a thought, she could make a rough guess, but Xue Mier was bound to be disappointed.


    Just as expected, Soong Xuan just nodded after hearing what she had said.


    The corner of her mouth raised slightly, this Xue Mier was still so stupid, at least she knew how to find allies, it was only because she, Hu Xiao, had underestimated Xue Mier''s IQ.


    However, although this thought was good, the teammate had found the wrong person. He wasn''t afraid of being bitten by the person that tried to murder him before.


    After sending the gift over, didn''t the empress punish me with a personal maid? Imperial Consort Xue thought that the empress was trying to establish her prestige with me, so as soon as you left the mansion, she sent someone else over to present you with the gift, and I rejected it. The gift was left behind, but it was just something that you couldn''t see clearly.


    With regards to this, Soong Xuan was actually very calm. With Xue Mier''s treacherous personality, she would definitely suffer sooner or later. If she continued like this, it would be better to stay far away from her.


    "If you really don''t want to enter the palace, then I''ll go find His Majesty."


    He suddenly remembered that Soong Xuan had gotten an official daughter because of him, and the worry on her face just now must have been because of this matter. After all, she was going to return to the Palace after offering sacrifices to the heavens.


    "No need, thank you Empress for thinking for my sake, the Empress has a lot of troubles on her body right now, if I let His Majesty take back her words, I''m afraid that His Majesty will be unhappy. As long as she is not a concubine, Xuan''er does not care."


    Seeing that, Soong Xuan anxiously said, with the person who caught a glimpse of him in the capital, if she was also in the palace, maybe she would be able to meet him again in the future, and her home would be safer because of him entering the palace, it was not entirely a bad thing.


    "Since you think like that, I will not allow anyone to bully you even for a day if I am still the Queen. You can rest assured."


    After talking for awhile, Qin Shuo sent people to look for him. Hu Xiao could only get up, as she did not want His Majesty to wait for him to eat.


    The official girl could not become''s concubine, but Soong Xuan was worried for her. However, she seemed to have seen a trace of happiness on Soong Xuan''s face just now, could it be that she had her eyes on some young master? Forget it, I will ask Soong Xuan for her opinion at that time.


    Hu Xiao thought very nicely at the moment, but when she found out who the man whom Soong Xuan had casted a glance at was, she was stunned for a long time.


    Very quickly he was back in his room, looking at the plain and tasteless dishes in front of him, then looking at the sumptuous dishes in front of Qin Shuo, Hu Xiao wanted to slap him! So the so called shared dinner was her watching Qin Shuo eat?


    Although a beautiful person could be considered refined and refined when eating, Hu Xiao felt that she didn''t have this kind of hobby!


    "Your Majesty, Your servant doesn''t feel very hungry. Otherwise, Your servant will leave first and Your Majesty will summon the Imperial Consort Xue to accompany Your Majesty for a meal."


    It was really hard to swallow, Hu Xiao felt that she was already full after just looking at it!


    Before Hu Xiao could retract the disdainful look on her face, Qin Shuo naturally saw it and found it funny. As the queen, he was extremely nervous, and in order to escape, he even pushed his husband to another woman.


    His concubines pretended to be overjoyed just because they wanted to eat with him, Qin Shuo. This was the first time he had seen Hu Xiao like this.


    "Sit down!"


    Just as Qin Shuo was in a daze, Hu Xiao had already retreated step by step, and could not help but ask.


    Ye Zichen rolled his eyes. He knew that he couldn''t get away, so he felt like there was nothing he could do about it.


    "Then Your Majesty, is Imperial Consort Xue still going to announce it?"


    Seeing that Hu Xiao had listened to him and sat down, Wei Shi remembered her instructions from earlier and asked Qin Shuo.


    "There''s no need, I believe the Imperial Consort Xue has already gone to bed by this time. With the empress here, you can leave."


    Hu Xiao stared at Qin Shuo, but Qin Shuo''s skin was thickening, it was already dawn, and it was already late! However, since she had already sat down, he naturally did not like others to do anything else. Especially with Xue Mier''s face, it was rare for Hu Xiao to not refute his.


    As he slowly pulled at the soup in front of him, his eyes were looking at the roasted chicken in front of Qin Shuo.


    "Empress, you''re being rude. Has mama never taught the empress before?"


    Being stared at by Hu Xiao made her unable to continue eating, how could Qin Shuo not be able to accept such an obvious resentment!


    "Your Majesty, why don''t I exchange it with Your Majesty? Your consort''s soup is very nourishing. Your consort saw that Your Majesty has been too tired in the past few days and needs to properly make up for it by not eating too oily food. Your majesty''s health and well-being is the most important, your consort is willing to help Your Majesty share the hardships. "


    Qin Shuo finally turned his head and looked at him, Hu Xiao anxiously said, after all the food was something that went without saying, if Qin Shuo did not speak, he would feel embarrassed too.


    The imperial physician said that the empress won''t be able to bear the acrimony these few days and will leave in a few days. If the empress doesn''t recover soon, she might not be able to hold on. "


    These perverted theories sounded good on Hu Xiao, but in the end, it was still Qin Shuo who went up to the next level.


    Hu Xiao gave up after hearing that. Everything Qin Shuo said was for her own good, he was too embarrassed to say anything else, he could only bitterly drink the soup in front of his, and for his own body, the chef had actually added medicinal herbs to the food. It was so bitter, but Qin Shuo was watching from afar, and could only slowly finish eating.


    "Cousin, do you have any way to deal with that person?"


    In the morning, when the assassin looked at him with a gaze that made it impossible for Xue Mier to rest, it was only late in the night that Xue Mier dared to look for Wen Fuchen.


    The man was being guarded too tightly by Zhao Qiyan, she needed to be informed of her presence, if she were to rush in now, she would definitely be suspicious, but thinking about it, Xue Mier had no choice but to come and find Wen Fuchen.


    "I''ll think of something about this. Cousin, you can''t let anyone find out anything about it. If someone finds you, it''s not like you don''t know anything about you biting yourself to death. I''ll arrange everything else."


    Wen Fuchen was also very anxious. In these few days, Qin Shuo had obviously sided with Hu Xiao, and if he were to be found out that the person was from one of the sects, Xue Mier would not be able to protect her own position.

 C106

    These few days, on the morning of the morning when he was discussing the empress Hu Xiao, His Majesty was filled with both joy and anger. Especially towards these officials who did not have any good intentions towards the empress, especially towards those who did not know what was wrong with the empress.


    Now that Xue Mier''s disgrace and honor were with his Wen Mansion, if anything were to happen to Xue Mier, His Majesty would definitely suppress his Wen Mansion because of it. Like this, the people in the prison would be in big trouble, but there was nothing they could do about it.


    The Queen blocked a sword attack for His Majesty just a few days ago. As for the favor of his Majesty, it was as if she could not tolerate the sand in her eyes as she hatefully threw out the teacup in her hand. Hu Xiao, it''s all Hu Xiao!


    He hated Hu Xiao to the core, but every single time Hu Xiao turned the tables on him, he refused to believe that not a single thing could cause her majesty to give up on Hu Xiao!


    On the other hand, Xue Mier still felt uneasy after Wen Fuchen came out. Seeing that it was still early, she turned and walked towards Hu Xiao.


    Hu Xiao, who had been strolling outside for a while, turned around and went back into her room. The weather was a little cold and she felt that something was wrong, so she sighed in her heart.


    Pushing open the carved flower door, Hu Xiao''s heart felt even more uncomfortable when she saw the person seated inside.


    "Chenqie pays her respects to Your Majesty."


    He bowed unwillingly, stood up, and walked to the other side to sit down.


    Although her expression was as ice-cold as usual, Hu Xiao was acutely aware that Qin Shuo seemed to be holding back something at this moment.


    "What business does Your Majesty have with me?"


    Not feeling that she had offended Qin Shuo at all, Hu Xiao was a little confused, and suddenly, something happened to Qin Shuo.


    Seeing that, Qin Shuo did not say a word, looked at Hu Xiao for a long time, and then placed the white paper in front of Hu Xiao.


    It was a little strange, but Hu Xiao felt that the paper looked a little familiar.


    After a while, Hu Xiao knew why the paper looked so familiar. It looked awkward, but in her heart, she was cursing at Yin Fufeng fiercely.


    Looking at Qin Shuo, if not for the things that Yin Fufeng gave him, how would Qin Shuo know about all these! Wasn''t he trapped in the midst of injustice and injustice? There was a type of item that he did not explain to His Majesty first, but rather, it was brought by a court official. If she was Hu Xiao, she would not easily accept this matter.


    "Did you see it clearly? Should the Empress give us an explanation? "What is this?"


    Seeing Hu Xiao''s rare awkward expression, Qin Shuo''s previous anger seemed to have been pacified.


    "Your Imperial Majesty, this is a torture device."


    After all, it was her fault, and upon seeing this, Hu Xiao repeated what she had told Mo Zhu and Yin Fufeng.


    "¡­"


    "Empress, I remember that the Empress of the South Yue should not have known about these things. If we were to talk about the previous items that could barely make it through, after all, the South Yue is a joyous martial arts experience, but I''m afraid that the Queen should give us a proper explanation for these things."


    The last time they appeared, Qin Shuo was just too shocked. When he saw them, he felt good, and forgot to ask Hu Xiao how she found out, and now with all these, how could a princess be so proficient?


    "Hehe, Your Majesty, chenqie has read many poems and books, but what Your Majesty doesn''t know is that chenqie also likes all kinds of miscellaneous books. These items were all things chenqie saw in these travel records, and she managed to fill in a few of the original paintings she saw in Mr Mo Zhu today."


    There were many travel notes in the four directions, but there were very few people who had the time to read them. If one were to say that Hu Xiao had no interests in South Yue at all, it would truly be enough.


    "Is that true?"


    Qin Shuo''s face was full of suspicion, but he couldn''t find any evidence.


    "Of course, but today, chenqie recalled that these torture instruments should be made by the Mr Mo Zhu, so she went to seek advice a few times. At that time, chenqie also thought that these torture tools should be made by the Mr Mo Zhu, so she went to ask a few times.


    After thinking about it, Hu Xiao said leisurely.


    In the past few days, with so many court officials treating her like an unfit queen, although she, Hu Xiao did not like the position of the queen, but she was not suppressed by them like this. Instead, it would be better for her to tell Qin Shuo why, because even if they mentioned it, they would still be wary of him, and consider him a little more.


    "Yes."


    When Yin Fufeng told Qin Shuo about the painting, he already knew about it. But it could be said that Hu Xiao was very considerate to be able to tell him everything.


    "However, the empress should still pay attention to these words and actions. If there are any more similar paintings in the future, please let me know. Lonely, you''ve prepared yourself mentally."


    Qin Shuo looked at Hu Xiao coldly, this was the true goal of Qin Shuo''s trip, Hu Xiao was her Queen and sought after another man. Qin Shuo, who was extremely possessive in the first place, found it hard to accept.


    "This was chenqie''s mistake, chenqie will definitely do so in the future."


    As if she had made a promise, Hu Xiao felt a rare uneasiness, only to see Qin Shuo nod his head and not reply.


    Hu Xiao could no longer stay still. Just now, she felt that her body was not feeling well, and was still struggling with Qin Shuo for a long time.


    "Your Majesty, your consort''s body isn''t feeling very well. If Your Majesty still wants to continue reading, you should take these paintings and head back first."


    Without waiting for Qin Shuo to speak, Hu Xiao pushed Qin Shuo out of the door and closed it.


    He could not believe his eyes as he looked at the door in front of him that was closed. It was actually quite nice to look at!


    "Hu Xiao, open it for us!"


    Although the surrounding girls did not dare to look at him, Qin Shuo still felt that Hu Xiao had humiliated him. He was not able to hear what Hu Xiao had said just now, so naturally he would not let Hu Xiao go.


    She went up and knocked on the door, but Hu Xiao did not open the door, she was furious.


    Whatever, he still had other things to do. He felt that he could imitate a few things with this torture device.


    "Wei Shi, go back."


    Glancing at Wei Shi who was standing at the side and wanted to laugh but did not dare, Qin Shuo said with a fierce glare.


    "Okay."


    Just as she was about to get up, Xue Mier stopped him.


    "Chenqie pays her respects to Your Majesty."


    Xue Mier had naturally seen the scene of Qin Shuo being chased out just now, and she felt that this was a plan in front of her.


    The grimness on Qin Shuo''s face looked extremely much like he was unsatisfied with Hu Xiao.


    "Oh, Dear Consort, why are you here? "Get up."


    Looking at the bowing head and pleasing to the eye, for some reason, Qin Shuo felt that it was a little boring.

 C107

    Xue Mier had already witnessed what happened just now, but her heart was tightly clenched in anger.


    Hu Xiao was only a Empress, how could she possibly dare to shut the emperor outside the palace?


    "Your Majesty, chenqie saw it just now. How can Empress Sis be so ignorant? Your Majesty must not be angry at your elder sister. Your elder sister''s temper hasn''t been as good these days ¡­"


    Her voice got lower and lower, as though she was afraid that Hu Xiao would hear half of her words. Everything she said sounded like it was at a time when Hu Xiao was in a bad mood.


    Hu Xiao naturally heard Xue Mier''s words from inside the house, and after thinking for a while, she turned around and walked out.


    With her temper, if she did not apologize to Xue Mier for what she just said!


    "Hmm? Why is it that it''s the first time Imperial Consort Xue knows that I have a bad temper? "


    Looking at this, it seemed that she had a good temper in the past, but today she had only kicked Qin Shuo out, it was already good enough that she did not hit him!


    "..." Greetings, Empress. "


    Xue Mier was startled, she had thought that with Qin Shuo here and what Hu Xiao had done just now, Hu Xiao would definitely not appear, but she could do nothing about it.


    "Hmm? So you knew I was here? You dare to say bad things about me in front of this palace, that''s just making things difficult for you. "


    Walking forward, he patted Xue Mier''s face and said slowly.


    Seeing Hu Xiao''s actions, Xue Mier forced herself to resist the fear in her heart. She endured it, and didn''t dare to get up.


    "Empress has misjudged little sister. Little sister was just a little dissatisfied on behalf of His Majesty a moment ago."


    This time, Qin Shuo learnt his lesson, and stood quietly by the side, and did not try to defend anyone, if not the final battle of the two women would involve his own body, which would not be good.


    Hearing Xue Mier''s words, Qin Shuo frowned, it was as though he did not say anything, how did he become dissatisfied?


    "Hmm? It was clear that I was playing with His Majesty just now. What, for us to get married, the Imperial Consort Xue has to give us pointers? Is Imperial Consort Xue not afraid of getting tired and panicking? "


    Hu Xiao arrogantly said these light words, but the more she knelt on the ground, the more shocked she became.


    After all, Xue Mier was her beloved concubine.


    "Alright, Mier did not do it on purpose, she will not do it again, why is the Queen being so aggressive?"


    It was not the first time that she knew Hu Xiao''s glib tongue, if she was allowed to continue, Hu Xiao would probably say more words that would not be good, if not for him knowing the relationship between the two of them, she would probably believe it was the joy of a lady''s room.


    "Your Majesty is right, Chenqie will not do anything else. I hope Empress will forgive Chenqie this time."


    With Qin Shuo''s words, Xue Mier anxiously replied.


    "Hmm? Won''t do it again? Was it because of my poor memory? Imperial Consort Xue just sowed dissension a short while ago, it''s just a trifle, but I still have to give a lesson, if not I always felt that Imperial Consort Xue would still try to do it again. "


    Crack.


    Just as Hu Xiao finished speaking, she raised her hand and slapped Hu Xiao''s face. This time, she did not hold back, and Xue Mier was knocked to the side, her mind still buzzing.


    Seeing that, the palace maid by her side anxiously went to support Xue Mier, but did not dare say anything, as she was afraid that if she angered Hu Xiao again, the two of them would be punished as well.


    After being unable to get up for a long time, no one saw the hatred that flashed across Xue Mier''s eyes.


    Qin Shuo originally wanted to go up and help Xue Mier up, but gave up after a while. He knew that Hu Xiao was venting her anger for the last time, and maybe there was something else as well.


    The reason why Hu Xiao laid on the ground for the past few days, was partially because of Xue Mier. Originally, Qin Shuo was a little resentful, but it was just a few sentences, and as the son of heaven, it wasn''t good to fuss about it, but now, he didn''t expect Hu Xiao to be unable to hold back.


    "Imperial Consort Xue, have you remembered this lesson? Are you sure you''re wrong? "


    After standing for a while, Hu Xiao looked at Xue Mier''s expression and asked while squatting in front of him.


    "Chenqie will remember this, chenqie will know her wrongs."


    His words did not show any dissatisfaction. If he ignored the fact that his hands were tightly clenched, at the very least, he would have some trust.


    But Hu Xiao did not care about Xue Mier''s situation, on the left and right, it was just a concubine in the palace, no matter how scheming she was, she was only scheming to kill her, but Xue Mier did not have that bit of ability, although she hated her very much, but she could not do anything to her.


    Hu Xiao had most likely guessed who the person behind the dungeon was sent over, and it was just for fun. If the person behind the scenes was revealed, then his life would be quite fun. How boring.


    If not, I do not know what the next time will be like. After all, you said it yourself just now, I have a bad temper these days, and perhaps even His Majesty will not be able to stop me here. "Yun Che:" ¡­ "


    Looking at Qin Shuo, who was standing at the side and could not bear to do anything, Hu Xiao smiled slightly. It was a rare occasion that she felt that Qin Shuo was very satisfied to have done something like this once.


    "Send your Imperial Consort Xue back, it won''t be good if you don''t use medicine on her."


    She lightly touched the place where Imperial Consort Xue had been beaten up by him. Seeing Xue Mier retreating a few steps, Hu Xiao laughed.


    This small appearance was truly heartbreaking.


    "After Dear Consort returns, you should rest well. As for the remaining matters, just leave them to the empress."


    After being comforted, he got someone to send Xue Mier back.


    Xue Mier had long been stunned by that slap, instead of her usual chattering, Xue Mier only nodded her head and followed palace maid out.


    "Wei Shi, send someone to deliver the best medicine to Imperial Consort Xue."


    After giving instructions to the Courtier Wei at his side, Qin Shuo walked a few steps towards Hu Xiao.


    "What is it? Your Majesty wants to help Imperial Consort Xue teach your concubine a lesson? "


    Looking at Qin Shuo''s expression, he spoke in disdain.


    "You taught me a lesson just now, I think that since Xue Mier will be more obedient, in the future, the Queen will not find trouble with Xue Mier, if not it will make things difficult for him, and Wen Fuchen will not be able to explain himself."


    Rubbing Hu Xiao''s hair, she said with a doting tone.


    "Enough, didn''t chenqie promise Your Majesty before? As long as the emperor''s concubine does not take the initiative to provoke chenqie, chenqie will not have the time to bother with them. Don''t worry about that.


    Hu Xiao retreated a little, and it was a little awkward to avoid the big hand on her head. While Qin Shuo was unconscious, he did not know about this, but now that she was awake, he was more or less a little embarrassed.


    The red flush on Hu Xiao''s face made her look even more beautiful, but seeing that Qin Shuo''s expression was strange, she immediately turned and ran, leaving behind Qin Shuo''s laughter.

 C108

    Early in the morning, Hu Xiao headed towards the dungeon.


    After a hasty breakfast, Hu Xiao brought Zhi Lan towards the dungeon. It seemed that she was already done with the preparations yesterday, and couldn''t wait to see the effects of the dishes.


    The dark, damp dungeon was abnormally crowded today. Looking at the court officials who were surrounding the prisoners, Hu Xiao''s mouth twitched. She thought that she had come early enough, but she never thought that there would be someone faster.


    "Greetings Empress."


    Hu Xiao walked forward, and as everyone saw this, they opened up a path.


    "Queen, you''re here."


    On the other hand, Qin Shuo had never seen Hu Xiao this early.


    "Your Majesty, this is what chenqie did. Chenqie will naturally come and take a look."


    Smiling merrily, Zhao Qiyan stood beside Qin Shuo. Upon seeing this, Zhao Qiyan immediately brought out the torture instruments Mo Zhu had chased out the night before. When Pu Yi saw the torture instruments brought up, he was startled.


    "Your Majesty, were these torture instruments really made by the Empress?"


    Wen Fuchen thought for a while and said.


    Qin Shuo nodded his head, he originally wanted to say something, but when he looked at the people around him, he could only hold back his words.


    Just now, he only felt that the thing Zhao Qiyan brought was not enough for him to be afraid of, but after a while, that thing was used on him to let him know how powerful it was.


    "General Zhao, I wonder if you would be willing to listen to my little scheme?"


    After watching for a while, Hu Xiao started to feel bored, the left and right side of him were just miserable.


    "Empress, please explain."


    Seeing that, Zhao Qiyan walked over.


    "Why are you like this ¡­"


    Not knowing what the two had said, Zhao Qiyan''s face was full of disbelief.


    "Empress!"


    "Hmm, what does General Zhao think?"


    Hu Xiao looked at Zhao Qiyan and smiled.


    Although Qin Shuo was curious, he still kept staring at Hu Xiao, but that man didn''t seem to be in pain at all.


    Zhao Qiyan glanced at Qin Shuo and saw him nod his head. Then, he forced himself to give the order.


    "Empress, do you guys need to retreat for a moment?"


    Seeing the thing that the man had brought, Hu Xiao smiled slightly, and turned to leave. Seeing how Zhao Qiyan was adamant, Hu Xiao, who had wanted to watch a good show, felt a little helpless.


    "Since General Zhao has said so, let''s avoid it."


    Looking at Zhao Qiyan''s troubled expression, Qin Shuo''s heart had a somewhat ominous premonition. When Zhao Qiyan finally spoke of the matter in front of him, his brows furrowed even more.


    "Forget it, we can just leave Zhao Qiyan and Yin Fufeng here. Everyone else can leave."


    Just now, he had only made Hu Xiao and the others retreat, but now, he had made everyone retreat. He could not help but be curious as to what exactly Hu Xiao''s plan was.


    "Withdraw, why is Zhen''s words useless?"


    Qin Shuo saw that everyone was still hesitating and was dissatisfied, so everyone quickly left, afraid that Qin Shuo would be dissatisfied one more time.


    After a while, they all left.


    "Hand it over."


    Qin Shuo looked at the few people left in the prison, and said to Zhao Qiyan.


    The thing that the man held up was not anything earth-shattering, it was only a feather. Yin Fufeng was already curious, but now his curiosity was even more intense.


    But after a while, Yin Fufeng found out.


    "Pfft, hahahaha."


    I say, Zhao Qiyan, how exactly did Empress manage to think of such a thing? It makes my blood boil, I say, Zhao Qiyan, have you not taken all of the poison from this man''s body?


    Yin Fufeng did his best to hold back his laughter, trying his best to sound serious, but after a while, Yin Fufeng realised that it was useless, he could not hold back his laughter!


    Even Qin Shuo''s Ten Thousand Year Ice Mountain face had a bit of a smile on it. Seeing that Qin Shuo was still in such a state, Yin Fufeng did not try to hold it in.


    "Did I just look for him? I''ve already taken all the poison from his mouth. He won''t take the poison."


    He saw that the man''s lower body was stripped naked. The feather that had been brought over was now being held by someone, teasing the man''s lower body.


    "Zhao Qiyan, if you have the guts, kill me. It''s really ridiculous! "


    The man looked like he wanted to cry but kept on cursing Zhao Qiyan, but the few of them turned a deaf ear.


    "Stop right there! If they wanted to kill him, they would kill him. What a disgrace! Men, how can you be like this! Hurry and let go! "


    The clamoring did not stop, and the laughter did not stop either.


    "Hmm? A man? You actually dared to make such an assassination attempt, how can you still have the face to say such words? "


    Seeing that the man was cursing happily, Yin Fufeng could not help but to ask as he looked at Qin Shuo''s gloomy face.


    Since this person dared to do such a thing, they should know the consequences if they caught him. It was just a small disgrace that he could not endure it.


    As Qin Shuo was the current Emperor of East Court, how could he allow such a small servant to be so presumptuous!


    "Pui!" If not for your humiliations! Hmph, what gentleman! What bullsh * t, they were all things that couldn''t be revealed! Bastard! You are worse than beasts! "


    Seeing Yin Fufeng stopping them, the man scolded even more violently, as though he felt that his scolding would make them release him.


    Sure enough, that person stopped the feather in his hand and kneeled down to the side in fear. He thought that his words had some effect, but in the next moment, he was no longer able to say anything.


    The sword in Zhao Qiyan''s hand continued to move, but the words of curse just now could not be heard at all, blood flowed out of the man''s mouth, and his face was filled with pain.


    "Alright, I can''t say anything, so I don''t need to talk anymore."


    Qin Shuo''s expression did not change as he said that.


    Only after Zhao Qiyan made his move did he remember that Qin Shuo was right behind him, watching him. He fearfully turned around, but didn''t dare look into Qin Shuo''s eyes.


    "Your Majesty ¡­"


    "No worries, let''s go."


    Qin Shuo naturally saw Zhao Qiyan''s face and said gently.


    The emperor had been sitting here for a long time, but his subordinate had thought that he could not stand a single bit of bloodshed. Was he ever so delicate? However, Zhao Qiyan''s attack just now was truly somewhat unexpected. Although Zhao Qiyan was stubborn, he was not such a reckless person.


    "General Zhao, in a while, you will definitely make me retreat. If that person goes overboard with his words, you can just shut him up, and not be able to get anything out of him. I also have some thoughts about the person behind that person, please."


    Hu Xiao''s words echoed in his ears, but Zhao Qiyan did not mention it.

 C109

    In the main hall.


    The torture instruments that Hu Xiao used today were simply too frightening, and thinking about them, it was just too terrifying.


    "Your Majesty, those two in the dungeon have been killed."


    "What!?" Let Zhao Qiyan come to us! "


    He placed the chopsticks heavily on the table. Although Qin Shuo had previously seen Zhao Qiyan scraping the man''s tongue, he did not kill him.


    However, in less than a day, both of them had died!


    "Greetings, Your Majesty. Empress."


    After a while, Zhao Qiyan rushed over, when Qin Shuo was aware of it just now, Zhao Qiyan had already found out.


    "Hmm, I heard that both the assassin and his companion were killed in prison? How could nothing have happened a few days ago, and yet, they are all being killed today? "


    As usual, one could not see the expression on Qin Shuo''s face, but Zhao Qiyan knew that Qin Shuo was currently in a rage.


    His defense was tight for so many days, yet at this time, he was killed in prison. How could Qin Shuo not be angry!


    "Reporting to Your Majesty, this humble subject has done something unfavorable, so I ask that Your Majesty mete out a heavy punishment."


    Right now, he had already been killed. Furthermore, it was him who had killed him, so he should receive a heavy punishment.


    "It is indeed a heavy punishment. Zhao Qiyan, you didn''t bring your troops around for such a long time, yet someone had actually killed someone in front of your eyes. You must be slightly slacking off."


    Qin Shuo stared at Zhao Qiyan for a long while, then spoke out.


    "Your Majesty, since I haven''t been able to ask for so many days, this General Zhao probably didn''t do it on purpose, so there''s no need for me to be so concerned."


    Hu Xiao saw that the situation was not good, seeing that Zhao Qiyan still had more to say, she anxiously said.


    This person was simply too stubborn. Hu Xiao believed that if Zhao Qiyan said something to provoke Qin Shuo, he would definitely be heavily punished.


    Forget it. Since the Queen has spoken like this, we shall do as she says. Moreover, these two people were originally handed over to the Queen to deal with.


    Seeing Zhao Qiyan''s expression, Qin Shuo felt slightly helpless, but he could not help but give Hu Xiao face.


    What Hu Xiao said was not wrong, Qin Shuo was only angry because these people were so bold, they had already openly assassinated them once, and now they were even trying to kill him in front of their eyes the second time!


    Moreover, they had already been imprisoned in the prison for such a long time. If they had come early to kill, the atmosphere would not have been so tense. Moreover, if those two had said something earlier, then they would have come to silence.


    "Oh right, the Queen is almost fully recovered, Zhao Qiyan, give the order, we will begin the Southern Patrol tomorrow."


    "Yes, this humble one thanks Your Majesty, thank you Empress, this humble one will take his leave."


    Zhao Qiyan replied and then left.


    After resting for so many days and delaying for so long, it was about time for them to depart.


    On the morning of the third day, everyone had already packed everything up. Hu Xiao and Qin Shuo appeared together and started their journey.


    Xue Mier, who had been frightened by Hu Xiao, did not dare to linger around in front of Hu Xiao anymore and quickly got into her carriage.


    It was a rare occasion that no one was alarmed, so Hu Xiao was very satisfied with the results. After bidding farewell to Qin Shuo, she turned around and walked towards her own carriage.


    The carriage jolted for a short distance, causing Xue Mier to feel that her body was unwell. In the past, such a situation would never occur, but due to Hu Xiao''s threat yesterday, she was able to hold on for a long time.


    After walking for some time, the sunlight was too strong, and the soldiers on the road were unable to take it. Zhao Qiyan saw a stream in front of him and gave the orders before stopping at the side.


    "Your Majesty, our esteemed empress''s body is a little unwell. May Your Majesty have the imperial physician take a look at her body?"


    Qin Shuo was resting inside the horse carriage when he heard someone report from outside.


    "Hmm? Wei Shi, bring the imperial physician over to take a look. "


    Xue Mier? Is this for real again? Why have I never seen Xue Mier act like this before, it was only a bumpy journey, when did it become so unbearable?


    But after a moment, Qin Shuo understood why.


    "Your Majesty, congratulations, congratulations!"


    But after a while, Wei Shi ran back in a hurry to say it.


    "What is it?"


    Hearing Wei Shi''s words, Qin Shuo felt that it was weird, what was there to congratulate?


    "Of course there''s good news. Your Majesty, Imperial Consort Xue is already more than a month old."


    Wei Shi knelt by the side and said.


    This sudden news made Qin Shuo stare blankly, and his expression was no longer as ice-cold as before.


    "Let This Emperor take a look."


    Since this was still Qin Shuo''s first child, Qin Shuo naturally had to go and take a look.


    "I... Am I really pregnant? "


    Inside the carriage, Xue Mier was extremely happy, the thing that made Xue Mier the happiest since the Southern Patrol.


    "Of course he''s pregnant. The Imperial Physician Gu is the best in the East Court, don''t tell me that the Dear Consort doesn''t believe the Imperial Physician Gu?"


    The imperial physician wanted to continue the conversation, but he heard Qin Shuo''s voice coming from the carriage, he anxiously retreated and paid his respects.


    "Your Majesty, your consort pays her respects."


    Just as Xue Mier was about to bow, she saw Qin Shuo quickly stop his movements.


    "Dear Consort is now pregnant, so let''s skip all these traditional courtesies."


    Gently supporting Xue Mier, her movements was much lighter than before, causing Xue Mier to be extremely happy.


    "Thank you, Your Majesty."


    Qin Shuo''s attitude was much better than before, it was all because of this child that was nestling in Qin Shuo''s embrace.


    "Your Majesty, the Imperial Physician had just said that chenqie had ruined your son''s life. Your concubine finally has your son."


    Xue Mier had been by Qin Shuo''s side for a long time, and this was only their first child, how could the two of them be unhappy.


    "That''s right, Dear Consort has a lonely child now. It''s a pity that the boat is busy and Dear Consort can''t take proper rest. When we return to the palace, I will definitely reward you handsomely."


    "Your Majesty."


    Xue Mier seemed to be a little shy, her soft and small hands tightly grabbing onto the front of Qin Shuo''s clothes, looking at her, it seemed as though she was very shy.


    "Don''t worry Dear Consort, I will stay here with you. Wei Shi, after you have rested enough, we will head out. I am here alone with Dear Consort."


    Fortunately, Xue Mier''s carriage was big enough, so it was not a problem for them to accommodate each other.


    "Minister Wen, congratulations."


    At this moment, Xue Mier''s personal maid quickly came over to report the good news to him.


    With the pregnancy of this Imperial Consort Xue, the ones most happy would be the Emperor and this Minister Wen.


    "Congratulations? "What''s wrong?"


    Looking at Xue Mier''s personal servant, Wen Fuchen felt strange. It couldn''t be that Xue Mier had succeeded, but she was on her way right now, so how could she possibly succeed?


    "Minister Wen, the Empress has already had a doctor by her side. The Empress is already one month pregnant."

 C110

    The maid''s words stunned Wen Fuchen for a moment. He suddenly turned and grabbed the maid.


    "Is what you said true? Are you trying to frame me? "


    All day long, he had been thinking about how to defeat Hu Xiao, but he was helpless. Now that Xue Mier was pregnant, the heavens were truly helping the two of them.


    This child came at the right time, with this child, Qin Shuo would definitely love Xue Mier even more.


    "Minister Wen, this is absolutely true. His Majesty already knows that he is currently accompanying the Empress in her carriage."


    Seeing Wen Fuchen like that, the servant hurriedly said.


    "Mm, I understand. Go serve your esteemed mistress."


    Although he wanted to look for Xue Mier now, since Qin Shuo was still there, a few hours would be fine. In any case, since the child inside his stomach was already here, he wouldn''t run around.


    After the servant left, Wen Fuchen hid inside the horse carriage, and it was time to think carefully about how to protect the child in Xue Mier''s stomach.


    If Hu Xiao knew about this, then it would be even more difficult for Xue Mier''s children, and who was currently thinking knew of this news.


    "This is great!"


    He looked very happy, without a trace of uneasiness in his expression.


    After searching Hu Xiao''s face for a long time and not finding a single flaw, Zhi Lan finally gave up.


    "Empress, you''re not worried?"


    Zhi Lan asked after hesitating for a long time.


    "Not worried?" You think I should be worrying about something? I''m happy but I don''t have the time for it. Xue Mier''s pregnancy is something that can cause one''s East Court to expand and scatter.


    Hu Xiao looked at Zhi Lan strangely, as if she did not know why Zhi Lan had asked this question.


    Seeing that, Zhi Lan could only shake her head, but in her heart, she suddenly thought of something. That was true, the Empress and the Emperor did not have any feelings for each other, although the relationship between the two of them had improved a little, but at most, they were just friends, and in the name of friends, they should be happy.


    Due to Xue Mier being pregnant, their journey was extremely busy, after all, she was carrying a dragon''s seed, so it was impossible for him to make even the slightest of mistakes.


    The journey was slow, so they arrived at the relay station shortly after dusk.


    Escorting Xue Mier into the house all the way, she somewhat ignored the empress Hu Xiao.


    Seeing that, Hu Xiao finally understood why Zhi Lan had such a strange expression on her face. Wasn''t she supposed to be worried?


    He was just a child, how could a concubine be bigger than a queen? Hu Xiao smiled and walked straight in, since she did not intend to be the Queen in the first place, if Qin Shuo could use this chance to divorce her, that would be for the better.


    After being exhausted all day, other than Xue Mier who had been protected along the way, whose state of mind was still better, the rest of them were listless and went back to their rooms early to sleep.


    Hu Xiao had slept all the way back on her horse, and was currently in high spirits. The moonlight was perfect, and just as she was walking around the inn, she saw a pavilion in the rear of the inn that was extremely elegant, and under the moonlight, the surroundings became extremely quiet and a good place to go.


    At the same time, Xue Mier was also unable to fall asleep, but she was indeed disturbed by his body. The early stage of pregnancy was already very irritating, and when his body was uncomfortably tight, she was unable to fall asleep peacefully.


    "Since you''re here, sit down."


    Hu Xiao had long heard the sound of footsteps behind him, and when she saw that the man did not come out even after a long time, she spoke up.


    "Imperial Consort Xue? "Sit."


    Looking at the one month old stomach, Hu Xiao''s smile was a little unclear.


    "Chenqie greets Empress."


    Xue Mier had been afraid the whole way back, and she had wanted to return, but she didn''t want to flee in such a desperate situation. She stood behind the fake mountain for a long time, and when she heard Hu Xiao''s words, she couldn''t help but step forward.


    "Oh, I cannot afford the salute of Imperial Consort Xue, you are the one that everyone is afraid of, how could I dare to allow Imperial Consort Xue to bow? Quickly get up, if not, your majesty will feel sorry for me when you see it."


    Although he said that, his actions did not show any signs of fear.


    Although Xue Mier''s heart was thumping, her body was not feeling well in the first place, so she naturally sat down.


    "Empress knows that Chenqie is pregnant?"


    Hu Xiao curled her lips slightly, Xue Mier was extremely high-profile today, and had been constantly protecting Xue Mier, even if she did not want to know, she had heard people mentioning him for a long time in front of her, whether intentionally or unintentionally.


    "Heh, I naturally know. It''s already late and I''m afraid that your imperial concubine will catch a cold. If the two of you send your imperial concubine back, His Majesty might not let you off if there''s even the slightest mistake."


    Hu Xiao said to the two people behind Xue Mier.


    The two of them had been trying their best to stop Xue Mier from coming out at such a late hour, and upon receiving Hu Xiao''s order, they quickly brought him out.


    Seeing that, Xue Mier obediently followed the two people back. There was still a long way to go, and she, Xue Mier, did not believe that Hu Xiao could continue laughing so happily!


    It could be said that they were at peace.


    "Dear Consort, can your body still withstand it?"


    Qin Shuo had originally wanted to keep Xue Mier at the inn to rest and wait for them to return, but who knew that Xue Mier had always been very obedient, and now that she insisted on following them, thinking of the child in her stomach, Qin Shuo felt a little helpless.


    "Your Majesty, this is the child of your Majesty and your concubine. If you want to become a prince of East Court, you can''t be so weak! Your Majesty, chenqie can hold on. Besides, the imperial physician is by your side. Nothing will happen to you. "


    Xue Mier shook Qin Shuo''s arm and said.


    A talented woman like her was indeed beautiful, but when Hu Xiao looked at Qin Shuo''s and his appearance, he only felt that they were a little dazzling, and even a little bored.


    However, after seeing that the two of them had finally agreed to board the carriage, he slowly walked into his own.


    They ridiculed, disdained, gloated, and were even a little worried. Hu Xiao felt that if she continued to be watched by these people, she would definitely be depressed, so she had shut herself up in the carriage.


    "Empress."


    Zhi Lan turned towards Hu Xiao and changed her usual smile. She was a little worried, so she decided to lie if she wasn''t worried.


    Zhi Lan, it''s not like you don''t know what I am thinking, it''s just that I feel that those people''s gazes are too annoying, and are still so exposed, so you don''t have to mention those persuasive words anymore.


    With that, Hu Xiao ignored Zhi Lan and went to sleep by the side.

 C111

    She could be considered to have tasted the cold warmth of the world for a while, but Hu Xiao did not care about what they did.


    It was just some jumping clowns who thought that they could soar to greatness just by jumping a few more times in front of others. They didn''t mind how exhausted they were.


    Originally, they had wanted to use this to embarrass Hu Xiao, but who knew that Hu Xiao would act like nothing had happened, making them feel awkward.


    Qin Shuo could see Hu Xiao from far away, but it was useless with too many people by her side, even if they wanted to, they would not be able to do anything.


    He didn''t walk too far before he was stopped by someone on the side of the road.


    "I beg of you, please do me a favor. My child hasn''t eaten in a long time."


    "Please do your best, we haven''t eaten in a long time."


    "..."


    The carriage was in a state of chaos outside. Hu Xiao was originally still sleeping, but now that she was woken up, she became even more agitated.


    Opening the curtain, he jumped out just in time to see a soldier kicking a person onto the ground.


    Glancing at the child in the woman''s arms, Hu Xiao rushed forward without hesitation.


    "How dare you!" Can''t you see the child in this woman''s arms? "Scram for me!"


    With a kick, Hu Xiao helped the man up.


    "May I ask who you are?"


    Looking at the old lady''s disheveled appearance, yellow skin and skinny figure, Hu Xiao could not bear to see that.


    She had initially thought that even if she was in a bad situation, she wouldn''t be in such a sorry state. She had also listened to what that person said just now, but now she saw that the soldier was actually punching and kicking this old woman!


    When the old woman saw Hu Xiao''s actions earlier, she immediately cried out, as if the child in her arms had felt something. It was only until she heard the figure of the child in her arms that the old woman seemed to react, and immediately knelt down.


    I came from the Sui City. A few days ago, a huge calamity happened to the Sui City, so it''s impossible for us to save him.


    After saying that, the old lady knelt down and kowtowed with all her might with the child in her arms. Seeing that, Hu Xiao immediately helped the old lady up, and after hearing what was said, Zhi Lan took the food and walked over.


    "Before I left, I was afraid that esteemed wangfei would be hungry so I prepared more."


    Hu Xiao nodded her head and asked Zhi Lan to pass the bowl of porridge to the old lady.


    Qin Shuo, who was standing on the carriage some distance away, lifted the curtain and returned.


    Although that person was a beggar, there were too many people around so he couldn''t take the risk.


    "Wei Shi, get someone to send some food to this old lady."


    The old woman accepted the bowl of porridge but did not drink at all. She slowly took a sip of the porridge in her hand and fed it to the child in her arms. The child was about two or three years old, but was not as round as his peers.


    Hu Xiao could not bear to see this, but seeing someone give the grain in her hand to the old lady, she turned and returned to the carriage, the old lady also retreated to the side and let the carriage continue on.


    Along the way, the atmosphere was gloomy, as if no one had expected something like this to happen.


    After thinking about it, Hu Xiao walked towards Qin Shuo''s carriage.


    "Your Majesty, are we going through Sui City this time around?"


    Looking at the old lady''s appearance, Hu Xiao did not know if the rest of the people in the Sui City were like that, nor did she have ever come into contact with her at such a close distance.


    It was unknown how many children there were in the Sui City and how many people were currently suffering from natural disasters.


    "However, this city."


    Qin Shuo looked at Hu Xiao, and said slowly.


    He already knew what Hu Xiao meant, but now he was a little hesitant. If he passed the Sui City, then it would take some time, but if he passed it, then how would the millions upon millions of commoners in Sui City go about doing!


    "Since that''s the case, then let''s take a detour. Since we have been delayed for so long, we might as well continue delaying. The people of Sui City are also the people of His Majesty. Is His Majesty going to let us do as we please?"


    [It is fine if you don''t know it, but since you know it, you can definitely do it!]


    "Then let''s bypass the Sui City."


    Hu Xiao was very satisfied with Qin Shuo''s words, they should take a detour to the Sui City. Although Qin Shuo was a high and mighty monarch, but a commoner could take a boat or overturn a boat, so Qin Shuo definitely would not give up on a commoner.


    Looking at Qin Shuo''s current state, Hu Xiao felt her heart move a little. She rather liked what Qin Shuo had done.


    Receiving Qin Shuo''s orders, Zhao Qiyan did not doubt his intelligence at all as he headed in the direction of the Sui City.


    When Zhao Qiyan had gone to Qin Shuo''s carriage just now, Zhao Qiyan knew that it was unavoidable for Sui City to travel. After all, one could see everything during the sacrifice of the Southern Patrol to the heavens.


    He, Zhao Qiyan, was originally not very grateful towards such people. When the citizens were in trouble, he naturally protected them first, but if high ranking officials like himself took a detour, it would probably hurt the citizens'' hearts.


    No one objected. Even if some people disagreed, they did not dare to speak their mind. If they did, it would be a great disrespect. Their citizens did not care and they would have no place in the imperial court in the future.


    As he thought about the commoners, the speed of his journey gradually increased.


    The Sui City had not seen any carriages enter in a long time, it was as if he was in a business.


    As soon as they entered through the gate, they were surrounded, and the leader of the soldiers was in a difficult situation, but the soldier who was punched and kicked by Hu Xiao was actually sent flying, and no one dared to attack him again.


    "Everyone, don''t worry. Our master already knows the situation of everyone here. First, make a path for our master to enter the city. After we settle down, we will prepare porridge for everyone to eat."


    Seeing that the carriage was completely surrounded, Hu Xiao instructed Zhi Lan who was beside him. And so, the next scene took place.


    It was the first time that a merchant had spoken like this, so the victims who were surrounding the horse carriage all opened up a path when they saw the situation.


    It was as if they were afraid that if this person just spoke, those people would just keep following behind the group.


    However, after a while, those people who had a good impression of the caravan earlier only dared to follow far behind after seeing the carriage ride towards the Sui City encampment of the yamen.


    Although it was noisy, but Hu Xiao heard the important information from the victims.


    "Your Majesty, the magistrate court of Sui City seems to have done something incredible."


    Qin Shuo naturally heard a little, and even if he did not hear and look at the scene, he naturally understood a little.


    Hu Xiao, who had been knocking on the door for a long time, stood up and walked out of the carriage.


    "General Zhao, since you are not opening the door, then just kick him away. There is no need to keep your face any longer."


    Hu Xiao stood outside the door as though she had thought about it for a long time, and said to Zhao Qiyan who was at a loss of what to do.

 C112

    Initially, he was still wondering if there was no one at the yamen when he heard Hu Xiao''s words. Without further ado, Zhao Qiyan got up and kicked him out.


    The kick was ten by ten, but the door wavered for a moment and then returned to normal.


    "No need, how can you go against those dozens of people inside alone!"


    Seeing that Zhao Qiyan wanted to continue, Hu Xiao anxiously stopped him.


    Seeing that, Zhao Qiyan became even more furious! With a leap, he leapt onto the wall. Sure enough, there were a few soldiers blocking the entrance.


    He looked down from above for a while and saw that the people blocking the door saw that there was no sound. They thought that Ye Zichen had already walked far away and was about to leave, but who knew that someone jumped down from the wall?


    The few of them felt their legs tremble. They knew how high the wall was, but they didn''t expect this person to be able to climb up so high.


    Standing in front of these few people, Zhao Qiyan was still unable to hold back, he slammed those few people down on the ground, and opened the door that had been closed for a long time.


    Seeing that, Hu Xiao laughed, then stood up and walked towards the yamen.


    The disturbance just now had already angered Prefect, he anxiously donned his clothes and ran out, looking at Hu Xiao''s situation, she was extremely furious.


    "Who dares to trespass into my residence!" Someone grab this woman! "Board serve!"


    Hu Xiao walked a bit anxiously, and the people behind him did not even have the time to follow. Zhao Qiyan, who was standing outside, wanted to rush in and support Hu Xiao, but after hearing the scream, he relaxed.


    That Prefect had originally thought that Hu Xiao was only a little girl, and did not bring any bailiffs to go up to him, but instead kicked him, who was still standing in the hall arrogantly, to the ground.


    He placed his foot on that person''s back!


    That person originally had some dissatisfaction, but after seeing the person that came in after him, he forcefully swallowed his words back down his throat.


    "Your Majesty! Your Majesty, please save me. This woman unreasonably beat up this official. This official does not know what this woman''s intentions are. "


    Although this person was a Prefect of a prefecture, he was personally resigned to his fate by Qin Shuo. Naturally, he recognized Qin Shuo''s appearance, and in the past few days, Qin Shuo had been offering sacrifices to the heavens. He should not have passed through the Sui City, but for some reason, he actually appeared here.


    As if she could not hear her call, Hu Xiao increased her strength by a few points.


    Very quickly, the soldiers captured everyone in the magistrate court.


    Hu Xiao followed Qin Shuo and sat at the top of the hall. Because Xue Mier was pregnant, she was supported to rest early.


    Sui City was a small prefecture to begin with, so these yamen runners were recruited locally. Naturally, they had never seen such a huge scene before, and each and every one of them were instantly frightened to the point of not daring to breathe loudly.


    "Prefect, I was worried that you would report the calamity to me a month ago. We also gave you food, but why are you not showing us your grain supply? And why did I put the silver in your warehouse? Should you give me an explanation? "


    Before Qin Shuo even went out to inspect the disaster of the Sui City, he already knew that Baili Jia had hurriedly brought over the food and distributed 100,000 taels of silver. But these things were indeed left untouched in the warehouse.


    On the way here, he had already sent people to inquire about the situation. Ever since the disaster happened in the Sui City, he had never seen the government office open to release food. The commoners who came to the gates one by one were beaten away by the Prefect''s soldiers.


    The disaster was this serious, but the book that was reported to the Prefect confirmed that the disaster had been controlled. The people were already living in peace, and Sui City had safely survived the calamity.


    But now, he was allowed to see this state by Qin Shuo. It was even to the point that he was rewarded with a Prefect.


    The Prefect who was kneeling on the ground was so scared that he did not even dare make a sound. Just now, when everyone blocked the door so quickly, it must have been like this for a few days.


    "Your Majesty, please spare my life. This lowly official has been bewitched. Please give this official another chance. Please spare my life, Your Majesty."


    The Prefect crying and shouting made Hu Xiao a little impatient.


    "Since you''ve sat down on such a heinous matter, what face do you have for His Majesty to forgive you?"


    Zhao Qiyan was extremely angry when he heard the Prefect''s words.


    Those old women and children looked yellow and skinny. Those children kneeled on the street and cried out in pain. However, Prefect was covered in oil.


    This was the father and mother that did this!


    "Push down and behead them!" Zhao Qiyan, Wen Fuchen, Wen Fuchen, the two of you go and open up the warehouse.


    Qin Shuo rubbed his glabella, he never thought that the people underground would actually be so shameless!


    Qin Shuo was a little helpless. He thought that the East Court would be flourishing and that the country would be safe, but who knew that under the prosperity, it would actually be so dirty.


    Seeing that, Hu Xiao turned and followed Zhao Qiyan.


    Qin Shuo looked at Hu Xiao''s back and found it hard to reply. If it was not for the fact that Hu Xiao did not plan to come here, he would have been completely wrong. But right now, Qin Shuo had followed Hu Xiao here.


    After Hu Xiao came out, she had her men temporarily build a shed in front of the yamen.


    "Empress, what are you doing?"


    Hu Xiao was sitting upright in the simple and crude hut, writing something down.


    "Your majesty, don''t you know how to read?"


    However, Hu Xiao just ignored him and continued to write. After a while, she headed back to the city.


    Qin Shuo wanted to chase after him, but there were people rushing over from behind.


    "Your Majesty, Imperial Consort Xue fainted just now."


    The person who came was Xue Mier''s personal maid, so did he faint from fright? What should he do? Hearing that, Qin Shuo pulled Wen Fuchen who was about to walk out of the door, and followed the palace maid.


    Seeing that, Yin Fufeng frowned. Hu Xiao originally wanted to walk far, but after seeing Yin Fufeng''s figure, she came to Yin Fufeng''s side.


    The two of them smiled at each other before walking towards the granary.


    When the victims that were following behind the convoy saw Hu Xiao and Yin Fufeng walking over, they did not know what had happened and quickly surrounded them.


    At this moment, there were no longer any soldiers around the two of them. The two of them were instantly surrounded so tightly that not even a drop of water could trickle through.


    "I just heard someone calling this woman Empress! This woman is the queen of our East Court. Quickly go up and capture her. The imperial government does not care about our lives, we do not want them to live an easy life. "


    "Go!"


    The people who were surrounding Hu Xiao just now, upon hearing the man''s words, instantly erupted, one after another, they rushed towards Hu Xiao. Just now, Yin Fufeng was still protecting her, but Hu Xiao was just watching as she was beaten to the ground by one of them.


    At that moment, he stopped worrying about things like having too many people and making a move.

 C113

    Yin Fufeng was originally a civil servant, so he did not know any martial skills, so this group of victims would not listen to her.


    Hu Xiao''s feeble voice was quickly drowned out by the cries of the victims.


    Seeing that one of them was still trying to attack Hu Xiao, Yin Fufeng got up and tried to block it.


    Seeing that, Hu Xiao anxiously rushed forward to protect Yin Fufeng behind him, and kicked the person closest to him flying.


    Raising one person, Hu Xiao threw the other person out, instantly creating a space in the already crowded crowd.


    Just now, they thought that Hu Xiao was a female, but did not expect him to have such powerful fist and feet, so no one dared to go up for a moment.


    "The Empress is beating me up, the heavens are no longer with reason!"


    They were filled with righteous indignation, but no one dared to step forward.


    Seeing that, Hu Xiao smiled, she was extremely beautiful, but now when she laughed, she looked like a fairy who had descended, causing everyone to be dumbstruck.


    "What, you are only allowing me to use violence, but not letting me attack you? Where did this logic come from? "


    It was only natural for them to hit her, but it was also a heinous crime for her to hit these people.


    "Don''t care about the green and red and the white and beat people, aren''t you afraid that there will be no food for you to split?" Maybe I''m here to send you some food. "


    With these words, a thousand ripples appeared, and Hu Xiao''s words instantly exploded within the disaster victims.


    "Impossible, we are already at Sui City for one month, and we have never seen the imperial government store food. All we know is that you vampires are here to collect food, but the imperial government doesn''t give us one tael of silver or one catty of food!"


    That person''s words were quickly drowned out, but the following words were filled with dissatisfaction towards the imperial government.


    "The imperial government sent people over a hundred miles away to send over the food and money!"


    Seeing that, Yin Fufeng anxiously said, he had lost some of his composure, but he was trying his best to help Qin Shuo lose face, and that was the truth.


    "Liar! If it was given out, how could it not be distributed! The yamen was closed every day! If there was anyone who could not stand going to the yamen to beg for it, they would be kicked out of the yamen! This is what your parents did! "


    The man did not believe Yin Fufeng''s words at all, he became even more excited.


    Hu Xiao pulled back Yin Fufeng who wanted to argue and walked forward.


    They still remembered Hu Xiao''s movements just now, when Hu Xiao took a step forward and they retreated.


    "His Majesty naturally sent them down, so there''s no need to lie to you guys right now. It''s just that no one knows how to make such a thing into the Prefect, so I''ll bring you guys to collect the food, follow me well."


    Without bothering to talk anymore, Hu Xiao brought Yin Fufeng and walked out.


    Seeing that, the people who were suffering from the disaster half believed and half doubtfully followed up, but no one dared to make any small movements, as they were afraid that Hu Xiao would suddenly make a move.


    When they arrived, Master Ji had already prepared everything. With Hu Xiao''s suppression just now, the victims were still relatively obedient, lining up to receive their food.


    Looking at the victims whose eyes were once again filled with hope, Hu Xiao''s heart had all sorts of feelings.


    They had been eating and drinking in the palace, but they had never thought that the people in Fringe City would be so hard.


    Seeing that everything was progressing smoothly and there was no longer anyone left to fight, Hu Xiao headed towards the yamen. She seemed to have heard that the Imperial Consort Xue had fainted, and as the Queen, it was time to take a look.


    Originally, he wanted to bring Zhi Lan to walk amongst the refugees, but now he had to go back first.


    Being pushed around by the refugees just now, Hu Xiao and Zhi Lan''s bodies were a little dirty, as though they were two little refugees.


    Before he left, a man blocked Zhi Lan''s path.


    "Little girl, I think you''re not bad. Why don''t you follow me to my place? I won''t mistreat you. "


    A mama like person pulled Zhi Lan closer, broke off her face, and looked around.


    After receiving Hu Xiao''s nod, Zhi Lan sent him flying with a palm.


    That mama clearly didn''t look like she was looking at the servant girl. Hu Xiao slowly walked towards the mama and squatted beside her.


    "What is it? Where do you want to bring my maid? Tell me, do you have any interest in me? "


    Hu Xiao had an innate unkind appearance, it was as if she had the urge to kill this person with one palm.


    "Miss?"


    After being sent flying just a moment ago, she was still completely stunned by Zhi Lan''s strike. But when she saw Hu Xiao''s face, that mama''s mind became lively again.


    Initially, he had thought that the girls he had just captured were ownerless. After all, the Sui City now was too chaotic, and many of the girls had become abandoned due to this natural disaster. With these so-called wet nurses, he brought back some pretty girls, and after a meal, he turned around and bought them to be concubines.


    Because of this, he made a few windfalls. After all, it was extremely good to let a girl be heartfelt with a meal. He could get a small fortune without even using any effort. Why not?


    Although Hu Xiao and Zhi Lan''s clothes and faces were in a bit of a mess, they did not look bad. If she sold the two of them, Master Zhao from the city would definitely give him a lot of silver.


    Without realizing it, she revealed the thoughts in her heart. Seeing this, Chi Lan, who was behind her, picked up the mama and threw her into the hands of the patrolling soldiers.


    Take this man down, how dare you covet Empress! Deadly punishment! "


    It was only now that the mama knew who she had offended, and she quickly kneeled down and begged for forgiveness, but Hu Xiao was already far away. The soldiers saw that one of them was dragging the mama with them as they walked towards the yamen.


    Xue Mier was not hurt, she was just scared to death by the people, seeing that she did not enter, Hu Xiao turned and left.


    After a moment, Qin Shuo arrived.


    "Xue Mier is fine?"


    Hu Xiao was a little helpless in her heart, it was really not easy to be the Queen. Not only did she have to have both martial arts skills and brains, she also had to be wary of any officials who took part in the competition for some reason.


    Hu Xiao''s expression made Qin Shuo laugh, "What''s wrong with you, Empress? Could it be that the handling of the matter wasn''t going well? "


    But just now, he clearly heard from his subordinate that Hu Xiao''s actions were very proper, and he even took Yin Fufeng to safely retreat from the mob.


    "Your Majesty, what do you plan to do with your Sui City?"


    Although stowing food could alleviate the current predicament, if these people were to become lazy and wait for help from the imperial government day after day, how could the imperial government support the people of this entire city?


    Not to mention whether he could afford it, now that the Prefect s of the Sui City had already been locked up, and still needed to find a new person to replace it, with the Sui City being greatly damaged, if he did not have three to five years of profound strength, he would not be able to recover.


    Could it be that the citizens of Sui City will just be left to fend for themselves like this? Although the Sui City was far away, she was still a citizen of Qin Shuo.

 C114

    Every word that Hu Xiao said was something that she needed to consider at the moment, but Qin Shuo also didn''t have a good idea for a moment.


    Sky Disaster usually could not be cured, but in the past, it was always an emergency. When the Sky Disaster descended, the imperial government hastily thought of a countermeasure, but this was the first time it was using the Sui City!


    It had already been a month, and the people''s homes would definitely no longer have any food left over. The food that could have been harvested this year would have all been dead. If that was the case, it would truly be a big problem.


    "What does the empress think?"


    Hu Xiao was so intelligent a few times, so she guessed that she must have some sort of plan now, so she casually asked, but to her surprise, Hu Xiao just said it with a serious expression.


    In Chenqie''s opinion, the three years of tribute for the Sui City have been exempted, and from Chenqie''s point of view, the road to Sui City should be repaired as well. This way, you can gather a few robust men to help you repair it.


    The Sui City was a remote place to begin with, and this road was even harder to traverse. This was precisely the reason why there was not much traffic in and out of the Sui City, and if the road was built in the name of the imperial government to strengthen trade, then it could save the people of the Sui City.


    "Tax reduction? The empress knew that there had never been a capital that had a tax cut since ancient times. If Zhen had made this opening, then wouldn''t the other cities have to make excuses to follow suit? "Then, what dignity does this Emperor have?"


    Hu Xiao said that it would be possible to use the imperial government''s name to summon the commoners and build a road, but this tax reduction was absolutely out of the question! If all of the cities claimed that they had suffered from natural or man-made disasters, and that they were unable to pay their tribute normally, wouldn''t the East Court be a mess then?


    Moreover, the imperial government had to raise so many people. If it were to end because of this, wouldn''t the imperial government become an empty shell?


    Hu Xiao was just standing in front of the position of a citizen of Sui City, thinking about this matter. After hearing Qin Shuo''s words, she was stunned, but she quickly recovered.


    The commoners outside the city had no fixed residences, and there were many beggars in the city; Hu Xiao was truly at a loss as to what to do in such a situation.


    "Your Majesty, Minister Wen has brought someone."


    Without waiting for Hu Xiao to speak, Wei Shi spoke out.


    Seeing that, Hu Xiao got up and walked behind the screen. Upon seeing this, Qin Shuo did not say anything, but obviously, Hu Xiao wanted to take part in this matter, if she were to force Hu Xiao to leave, Qin Shuo believed that Hu Xiao would do everything she could to eavesdrop, and listening from the side.


    Since Hu Xiao was the only one who wanted to intervene in the matters of the Sui City, there was no way she could simply ignore it.


    "Greetings, your Imperial Majesty."


    Wen Fuchen led his men and walked forward before he sat down by the side.


    "Do you all have any thoughts on this matter?"


    The matter of the Sui City was a little tricky, and now Qin Shuo was telling them that everyone was gathered here for this matter.


    Your Majesty, this humble subject was giving out food just now, but from what I see, this humble subject thinks that there are too many refugees in Sui City, and the food in Prefect''s yamen is already insufficient for a few days, but there are still a lot of refugees, so what should Your Majesty do?


    One of them hurriedly said after hearing his words. He originally thought that he could hold on for a long time with more food, but it turned out to be just these few days.


    He clenched his fists. He could only hold it on the chair, but there was no need for the court officials to do so.


    After waiting for everyone to fill up slowly, Qin Shuo slowly let go of the fists that his robe was tightly clenched.


    "My beloved officials, do you have a way out of this?"


    They had been arguing for so long, but now they were venting the fear and discontent of entering the city. No one was discussing what to do in all seriousness. They immediately stopped talking.


    Seeing her feigning death at this time, Qin Shuo''s originally somewhat quiet anger began to rise again.


    Kacha, the sound of a teapot breaking sounded in the silent hall, everyone looked at Qin Shuo in fear, only to see that Courtier Wei had called palace maid to go forward and bind him up, and just as he was about to lower his head to call for the imperial physician, he was stopped by Qin Shuo.


    "It''s just a small wound, no need."


    It seemed as if it had been a long time since Qin Shuo had gotten so angry, and in an instant, the entire group of officials became quieter. Qin Shuo slightly closed his eyes, and his officials were actually weaker than Hu Xiao by just a bit, as if they did not care about the safety of their citizens at all.


    The amount of people in the imperial court all year round was less than a woman who stayed in the palace all year round. He did not know if he should rejoice in having Hu Xiao, or unluckily, he had raised so many court officials who could not think on their own.


    The current Yin Fufeng and Zhao Qiyan both came over, seeing the strange atmosphere in the hall, the follower went forward and whispered to the two of them what he meant.


    "Your Majesty, tax breaks are needed to store the food! "If the warehouse has already opened, then the next step would be to reduce taxes!"


    After Zhao Qiyan finished listening, he kneeled in the hall and spoke loudly.


    If not for Qin Shuo knowing that Hu Xiao and Hu Xiao had never met, he would have suspected that Zhao Qiyan and Zhao Qiyan''s thoughts were exactly the same, and even the logic behind it was the same.


    Just as he was about to say something, Yin Fufeng also kneeled down.


    "Your Majesty, this humble subject feels that ¡­ "No way!"


    When these words came out, it was as if a stone had been smashed into the hearts of the ministers and Qin Shuo, causing ripples.


    Yin Fufeng and Zhao Qiyan had never argued over serious matters before, and this was the first time that they had openly challenged someone like that, but after hearing what Yin Fufeng said, the person who was swayed by what Zhao Qiyan had said started to waver.


    The fact that tax cuts are too much requires caution.


    Although Zhao Qiyan was a little dazed, he still looked at Yin Fufeng the same as always.


    "Your Majesty, this subject feels that what General Zhao said is true! "It''s time to cut taxes!"


    "Your Majesty, what Master Yin said is reasonable! It can''t be like this, for the sake of long-term consideration, the imperial government can always feed the citizens, but not reduce taxes, your majesty! "


    Seeing Qin Shuo''s brows twitching in anger, a few of the people who were used to observing the situation quickly jumped out and said.


    Now, he was thinking that if he wanted to protect himself, Qin Shuo would hate him.


    At that moment, everyone was in an uproar.


    "Shut up!"


    Unable to endure it any longer, Qin Shuo smashed the teacup that he had just changed into once again.


    Qin Shuo had already smashed two cups together, which showed how dissatisfied he was at the moment. But even though he was sitting in the middle of the hall with such ease and self-control, he couldn''t help but admire him a little.


    Hu Xiao, who was behind the screen, went even further. Even if they were to continue their discussion, there would be no conclusion to it, so Hu Xiao gave up. She stood up and wanted to say something to Qin Shuo, but she accidentally stepped on a curtain and fell towards Qin Shuo.

 C115

    Qin Shuo, who had been looking in every direction, naturally heard the voice from behind and hurriedly stood up, wanting to support Hu Xiao, who was about to come towards him.


    Unfortunately, they were not given the time to be hit by Hu Xiao''s pounce and fall onto the ground. The two rolled behind the screen, and then, by chance, or perhaps it could be said to be accidentally, Qin Shuo kissed Hu Xiao.


    Seeing this, the court officials who were watching the show did not dare to step forward. Just now, Hu Xiao''s voice came out, so they naturally knew that the woman who was pressing down on the Emperor was Hu Xiao.


    Hu Xiao''s temper was bad, and now no one dared to offend Hu Xiao and Qin Shuo.


    After a while, the hall was cleared of people and there were no signs of anyone in sight.


    After staring blankly for a while, Hu Xiao finally crawled up from Qin Shuo''s body in a panic. What was rare was that Hu Xiao actually just sat on the side while squatting.


    Seeing that, Qin Shuo laughed and also stood up, he was so angered by the court officials that he stood up, and now it seemed like they had all scattered.


    Hu Xiao''s proud face was currently extremely bashful. With a slight smile, she stood up and walked towards Hu Xiao.


    "Don''t... "Don''t come over. Your Majesty, I was just being careless just now. I am definitely not throwing myself at you!"


    Qin Shuo''s slightly amused expression was something Qin Shuo naturally knew, but he did not want to let Hu Xiao off so easily!


    "Oh? If the empress hadn''t done it on purpose, how could she have fallen so accurately? Actually, the empress doesn''t need to be like this. We''re already husband and wife, so all she has to do is say ¡­ "


    As for what he had to say, Qin Shuo did not say anything. The current Hu Xiao did not have the time to think about it, as his current state of mind was too panic-stricken, to the point where he did not even dare look at Qin Shuo''s current appearance.


    A light breeze blew in, supporting Hu Xiao''s face. Because of the excessive movement just now, the hair that Zhi Lan had tidied up scattered back into the air, falling behind him in a red dress.


    The window opened behind him, and the previous Prefect was filled with lust, the yamen was filled with beautiful scenery, adding Hu Xiao, it was a complete picture of a beauty.


    Hu Xiao''s frown and smile seemed to have been imprinted in Qin Shuo''s mind, there was no longer anything else that bothered him.


    "Your Majesty, chenqie is only!"


    Hu Xiao did not even have the time to say anything before she was pushed back into her mouth.


    He unconsciously relaxed, and used both hands to hold onto Qin Shuo''s waist, lips touching each other.


    Only after a long while did the two of them separate. They were clearly husband and wife, but the way they acted didn''t seem like a husband and wife at all.


    After being stunned for a moment, Qin Shuo could no longer stay, turned and ran, leaving Qin Shuo alone, who was silently sitting on the chair, thinking.


    He thought that Hu Xiao''s mouth must be really sweet, so he kissed her. It was really sweet, but it was a pity that Hu Xiao''s face was too thin, and she couldn''t let it go.


    "Your Majesty, Patrol of Li Residence has arrived."


    Temporarily suppressing his thoughts, he straightened his clothes and let Mo Zhu enter.


    The person saluted after entering, but did not dare to get up for a long time.


    This Patrol of Li Palace was originally an official who was transporting food here, and was thinking of ways to settle this disaster together with the Prefect, but who would have thought that they would end up with their hands and feet tied, with a Prefect pressing on them, they could not do anything.


    To put it nicely, it was the reception, but to put it crudely, it was the house arrest. All the money that had been passed on had been turned off by the Prefect, leaving the victims behind. He had nothing to rely on, so he could only show that he listened to the Prefect''s arrangements.


    Unfortunately, Patrol of the Li Clan was an outsider to begin with. Naturally, he could not compare to Prefect who was already here before.


    "You should rise. I don''t blame you. It was I who didn''t see through his wolfish ambition."


    The Sui City was too far away from the capital, and the Prefect had long lured the villains away. Li Residence''s official position was not high to begin with, so it was natural that they could not win against this person.


    "Your Majesty, this humble subject is incapable! Please punish me, Your Majesty! "


    Patrol of Li Palace also had a stubborn temper, but his style of doing things was indeed something that Qin Shuo liked.


    "Forget it, then I will punish you to settle the matter of the Sui City. You to first investigate what the Sui City is like, you have come a month earlier than us, naturally you know it better than us, so I will let you take over the Sui City, you can leave now."


    Since the Prefect was in prison, he naturally needed someone to take over as soon as possible, and the Li Residence was the most suitable candidate for that.


    When Patrol of Li saw this, he bowed deeply towards Qin Shuo, then quickly walked out, and finally had the strength to fight!


    "Your Majesty, since the matter of the Sui City has already been settled, then should we leave now?"


    Seeing that Hu Xiao had left, Wen Fuchen anxiously returned to report.


    He had long since stopped wanting to continue staying in this place. Moreover, they had major matters to attend to, so how could he delay them?


    "Hmm? Do you mean that I should leave first? Or should we leave together? "


    He casually looked at Wen Fuchen, only that glint of light in his eyes made Wen Fuchen subconsciously take a step back.


    After calming his mind, Wen Fuchen continued to speak: "Your majesty, of course we should leave together. We are still preparing for the sacrifice of the heavens, and now that the disaster of the Sui City is so serious, your majesty must sacrifice the heavens even more so, so that we can pray for the blessings of the heavens. The rest will be taken over by the Prefect, so it is better for your majesty to leave as soon as possible."


    Although Wen Fuchen''s words were reasonable, but it was difficult for Qin Shuo to get rid of the anger in his heart. What was he saying, because the Heaven''s Sacrifice was still continuing, so he could abandon the victims and leave on his own?


    If this news were to spread out, wouldn''t it make the people feel bad for his Majesty? Seeing that Wen Fuchen wanted to say something, Qin Shuo did not want to continue listening.


    "Careful, this is what Minister Wen told Gu. How come Minister Wen doesn''t remember now? "This matter will be left up to you. You can''t bring it up again after leaving for a while. You can discuss it in the future. If you want, you can go and busy yourself."


    Not wanting to continue seeing Wen Fuchen, Qin Shuo turned around and left, leaving Wen Fuchen trembling in rage in the hall.


    Qin Shuo''s gaze was just too harsh, he had the intention to retreat, but if Qin Shuo continued to stay here, if the mob suddenly started to move, how could they protect Qin Shuo?!


    Furthermore, Xue Mier was still pregnant, if she was harassed by these people everyday, what would happen to the child in her womb! Would she still be able to safely reclaim the crown prince''s throne?


    Qin Shuo went straight to Yin Fufeng.


    The carving stopped for a moment, look at the workmanship, look at the materials used, Prefect is just a small local official! There was no difference in using this small pavilion in the palace! Too extravagant! One could imagine how much money the Prefect had collected from the common people.

 C116

    Due to her previous shyness, Hu Xiao had returned to her own room early.


    His actions just now were too rash, even the arrogant and despotic Hu Xiao did not know how to face the imperial court officials. Although the people had already retreated, she still felt embarrassed after thinking about it.


    At this time, Hu Xiao could not stand to watch the screen, and blankly stared at the screen behind him for a long time. Hu Xiao pushed it to the ground, and really wanted to jump up and stomp on it a few more times.


    In the end, the empress was the one who stopped him.


    "Zhi Lan, where did His Majesty go?"


    Thinking for a while, Hu Xiao asked.


    Just now when the officials had already left, Qin Shuo would not be going to see Xue Mier, right? What a fickle monarch!


    "Reporting to the Empress, His Majesty has gone out. She said that she wants to see the people who have suffered from disasters and see just what happens."


    Thinking about what he had said to Qin Shuo, Hu Xiao''s heart became anxious, and he anxiously ran out the door. Qin Shuo could not go see the victims, the citizens were extremely unsettled, if they knew that Qin Shuo was the emperor of the East Court, they would definitely attack Qin Shuo!


    Qin Shuo had only learned a few moves from Zhao Qiyan, against so many people, he would definitely suffer! He was extremely worried, and even his footsteps were extremely fast, causing Zhi Lan to be unable to catch up.


    Before she even stepped out of the door, she saw a familiar figure. Hu Xiao thought for a bit, then jumped onto the wall, her eyes looking at the small pavilion in the center of the courtyard.


    "Your Majesty, what the Minister Wen said is extremely true. Your Majesty should retreat, the emotions of the people affected by the Sui City are very unstable, what if Your Majesty were to ruin the safety of the dragon''s body here?"


    The one who spoke was Yin Fufeng, but Yin Fufeng''s words did not please him at all.


    With a crisis looming, how could Qin Shuo, as the ruler of a nation, leave?


    When she could not continue listening, she originally thought that Yin Fufeng should not be like this. Hu Xiao did not think further as she turned and flew down the pavilion.


    When sensed something, he was already standing in front of the two of them.


    "I had thought that the Master Yin was a good official who worried about the nation, but who would have thought that at this time, the Master Yin would ignore the title of Master Gu, and actually think of evacuating. It really disappointed me."


    He originally wanted to greet Hu Xiao, but who knew that Hu Xiao would actually say these words with an embarrassed face!


    Yin Fufeng immediately retracted the smile on his face, Hu Xiao''s words were too rude!


    "What do you mean, Queen? Don''t the Empress know my way of doing things? Empress heard a few words just now? What did you know? "You want to insult me like this?"


    Hu Xiao was overbearing, naturally, she was also unwilling to retreat, the battle of saliva on the verge of breaking out.


    "Impudent!" Yin Fufeng is an official under the imperial government, how can you, a harem woman, have the time to lower yourself to such a level! "


    Just as he was about to speak, Hu Xiao, who was dragged behind by him a moment ago, suddenly shouted loudly.


    It was not that Hu Xiao did not know how much Yin Fufeng had helped his, but it was bad for her. He was too excited to say anything, and immediately regretted it.


    "Yes, mine is a woman''s benevolence. Is your action of abandoning the people benevolence and righteousness? Laughable! "


    The more excited they became, the more Hu Xiao felt the same way. Yes, if not for her insistence on making a trip to Sui City, even if they knew that the people of Sui City were suffering, they would have remained indifferent!


    "Empress, you are wrong. I believe the two of us have already seen how unstable the emotions of the citizens of Sui City are today. After the citizens found out that you were the Empress, did they become more and more irritable? If the Empress was so unpopular with the commoners, then why would they say that His Majesty is the son of the heavens of East Court? If it were not for the fact that Empress is powerful, the two of us might have died in the hands of the commoners. "


    Looking at Hu Xiao, Yin Fufeng slowly said. You and I are both people with such insignificant East Court, but Your Majesty is different. If there were no His Majesty in this world, wouldn''t it be a huge mess? Empress, it is not wrong for you to speak from the point of view of a commoner, but the fault is that you, being too considerate of the commoners, do not care about the safety of His Majesty at all! "


    As to why he said that, Yin Fufeng also had a grudge in his heart. Although Yin Fufeng was a little harsh on his words, every single word he said made sense and Hu Xiao was actually unable to refute him.


    Living in this modern age, one must pay with their life, so basically no one dared to take the lives of others, but it was different now. Although there were officials controlling it, the commoners who had suffered for over a month couldn''t care so much!


    No one replied for a long time. Originally, no one wanted Hu Xiao to say anything more to make the two of them refute his words. However, Hu Xiao''s next words truly stunned the two of them.


    "Do we have to abandon the people like this?"


    His voice was not as angry as before, but it was filled with helplessness, and the heartache he had was actually causing Qin Shuo and Yin Fufeng to not know how to reply.


    How could he not care? Sui City was also a part of the East Court, and they were Qin Shuo''s citizens, but how should he care!


    Just now, the two of them were thinking about how to handle this matter, but were interrupted by Hu Xiao, even if they did not interrupt, they would not be able to come to a conclusion.


    In the morning, Hu Xiao let the soldiers build the simple shed, and the royal doctors already sat down inside. The purpose of it was to treat the people who were affected with the virus for free, each of them had a yellow and skinny face, and would inevitably bring with them illnesses, the most important part being that the refugees were afraid that someone might have an infectious disease, because if that happened, the citizens would be killed.


    "The empress is right, I shouldn''t have left now. Even if I had to leave now, I would have had to wait until the commoners were settled. But how should I settle the commoners? What are the empress''s views?"


    Looking at the Hu Xiao who was deep in thought, Qin Shuo said lightly.


    His expression was still as cold as before, but when he looked at Hu Xiao, it hid a hint of gentleness.


    "Actually, I do have a method. Your majesty and Master Yin, why don''t you listen for a bit."


    The two of them heard and looked at Hu Xiao, they thought for a long time, but did not know what to do, for Hu Xiao had a way? Qin Shuo could not help but recall what Hu Xiao had told him not long ago, and an ominous premonition arose in her heart.


    This time, the natural disaster is mainly a drought, causing the citizens to be unable to harvest any crops, there is a river 500 kilometers away from the inner Sui City, but the water source is just there. If we were to draw in a river from the river to the Sui City, wouldn''t that solve the problem of the drought? Furthermore, it seems that there are some problems with the people''s agriculture in the Sui City. It just so happens that I know a little about it. "

 C117

    A little understanding? On the other hand, even if they had never seen Hu Xiao being so modest, they would only be able to slightly understand him, so what happened in the end? Is the effect excellent?


    "Your Majesty, in truth, chenqie''s thoughts were wrong just now. Master Yin is right, chenqie hasn''t thought enough, this means that your majesty is indeed not suitable to continue staying in the Sui City. It would be better to let your concubine stay here, your majesty, you should continue on your way."


    Why did Hu Xiao want to stay? Needless to say, Qin Shuo and Yin Fufeng were naturally aware of each other.


    Before waiting for Yin Fufeng to speak, Qin Shuo was already burning with anger and trapped him within the pavilion''s pillar.


    "You are the empress of East Court, how can you be like this! Obediently go back and stay there, you''re not allowed to go! "


    Although her face was expressionless, her tone was fierce, and Hu Xiao did not know what to say.


    No one spoke for a long time. Seeing that, Yin Fufeng looked and walked out, it seemed that this pavilion could not tolerate the existence of a third person!


    It wasn''t because of that their relationship improved a lot.


    "Your Majesty, chenqie dares to guarantee that if chenqie stays, the citizens of Sui City will definitely survive this natural disaster."


    Seeing that Qin Shuo was only trying to trap her, he could not help but continue speaking. The purpose was to get Qin Shuo to promise his.


    Qin Shuo definitely could not let anything bad happen to him, but the position of Empress was something that many people could do, so naturally, he was not afraid of it.


    "Shut up! "I will never agree to such a thing. Sacrificing the heavens is for us to be together. Since you, Empress Gu, are brought out of the palace by me, you will naturally have to bring the Queen back unharmed!"


    If Qin Shuo was not able to retaliate, then how dangerous was Sui City? As a man, if he was unable to protect Hu Xiao, and instead got hurt because of that, what kind of emperor would he be?!


    The two continued to pull, only then did Yin Fufeng come out, to see a person standing at the door.


    "This humble subject greets Imperial Consort Xue."


    In the recent days, Imperial Consort Xue was in the limelight, and with the dragon seed in her stomach, it was better to let them go. Otherwise, if something were to happen, Yin Fufeng would not be able to take this responsibility.


    "Master Yin, no need to be so courteous."


    Seeing that, Xue Mier returned a bow, but just as she was about to go back in, Yin Fufeng stopped her.


    "What does Master Yin mean by this?"


    He had heard that Qin Shuo was here, but he never expected that it was Yin Fufeng who blocked his path.


    "Imperial Consort Xue, right now we are in the Sui City, and there are a lot of victims here. It would be better for Imperial Consort Xue not to walk around, otherwise, it would not be good if we alarm the fetus in her womb."


    When he came here, he was already scared senseless by the victims of the Sui City. If he still continued to walk outside, if he continued to faint again, then the baby in his stomach would not be safe.


    Master Yin is overthinking. I just woke up and heard that His Majesty was here, so I came to look for His Majesty for a meal. Furthermore, we are in the yamen now.


    Originally, Xue Mier thought that she would step down after saying that, but seeing that Yin Fufeng did not walk even half a step, Xue Mier did not understand anything.


    "I assume His Majesty and the Empress are inside? This is very good, so I no longer have to search one by one. "


    With that, he walked around Yin Fufeng, causing Yin Fufeng to smile slightly and leave.


    Originally, he did not want Xue Mier to disturb Hu Xiao and Qin Shuo''s time, but he had already done his best, so even if Qin Shuo was unhappy, it would have nothing to do with him.


    The two of them were still arguing when they heard the commotion, and Hu Xiao immediately retreated.


    Qin Shuo pulled Hu Xiao back, he originally wanted to see who would have the guts to do so, but after seeing who, Qin Shuo anxiously let go of the hand he used to look for Hu Xiao.


    Seeing Qin Shuo anxiously walking towards Xue Mier, Hu Xiao was secretly dissatisfied, but she still welcomed him with a smile on her face. She had almost forgotten, Qin Shuo was the ruler of an empire, and she was not the only wife!


    "This concubine greets Your Majesty, Empress."


    "Just as I was about to bow, Qin Shuo helped me up. Didn''t I tell you not to bow? Why isn''t he obedient again? What about my child? "


    The two of them being intimate with each other, to Hu Xiao, was a bit too much, but she still went up to greet them with a smile on her face.


    "Since Your Majesty has already spoken, then I don''t need to pay any more respects when Imperial Consort Xue sees you in the future. Otherwise, if I am too tired from meeting you, your Majesty will not be able to get along well with your concubine."


    Although he couldn''t find anything wrong with Hu Xiao''s appearance, Qin Shuo felt that Hu Xiao was angry, but he didn''t know why.


    "This concubine thanks Empress."


    "Alright, alright, the Queen has already spoken, there is no need to bow. Why is Dear Consort still like this, why is the Dear Consort healed? If you weren''t staying in your room properly, why did you come out? "


    "Chenqie just woke up. Didn''t she know that His Majesty has been busy all day and specifically called for His Majesty to come have a meal with him?" Your Majesty, even though the citizens are more important, your Majesty still needs to cherish your body and not allow the citizens to get better.


    As soon as Xue Mier finished speaking, Hu Xiao''s stomach made a sound as if it was responding to a scene, as if it was responding to a scene.


    It was a busy day for Hu Xiao today. She had been delayed at lunchtime because the victims did not yet settle down. She did not feel hungry later on, but now that she had relaxed, her stomach naturally protested.


    "I forgot about loneliness, the Queen has been busy all day, but since the Dear Consort has prepared a meal, the Queen will go with us."


    The corner of Qin Shuo''s mouth rose slightly, as if he had been teased by Hu Xiao''s ugly behavior just now. If it was in the past, Hu Xiao would definitely have followed him, but the current her seemed to be making things difficult for him, as she seemed to be making things difficult for him, as she had actually rejected him.


    "No need, Zhi Lan has already instructed the kitchens to be done, we will not disturb your majesty anymore."


    Hu Xiao had always liked to eat spicy meals, if she insisted on eating with the two of them, Hu Xiao dared to guarantee that she would not be able to finish the food, let alone watch the intimate drama between Xue Mier and Qin Shuo.


    Qin Shuo naturally knew of Hu Xiao''s preferences as well. The food that Hu Xiao had eaten when she was injured earlier was something that Hu Xiao hated the most. Since she had mostly recovered, she was naturally not willing to eat any of those meals.


    Initially, she had even wanted to invite Hu Xiao, but Xue Mier saw through her intentions, and immediately shut her mouth, if she said too much, it would make Qin Shuo unhappy, and in the future, she would not mind eating two meals a day.


    Although he could not see Hu Xiao''s miserable state, it was enough to pull Qin Shuo away from his side.


    Just now, Qin Shuo didn''t know what was wrong with Hu Xiao, but as a woman himself, he knew why Hu Xiao was here.


    "Since it''s like this, the empress will take care of herself. I can''t agree with what you said to me just now. The empress should think about whether there''s any other way."


    Hu Xiao did not like the atmosphere to begin with, and the two of them always had weird feelings whenever they ate, so it was better not to be together.

 C118

    In a place where Qin Shuo couldn''t see, Xue Mier glanced at Hu Xiao provocatively. Originally, Xue Mier thought that she would fly into a rage because of this, but who knew that Hu Xiao would still have such a calm and composed appearance?


    Seeing that Hu Xiao had disappeared from the courtyard, Qin Shuo brought Xue Mier and left the place.


    But who would have thought that Hu Xiao, who had just left the courtyard, would meet Mo Zhu and Zhao Qiyan.


    "Hey, hey, hey, Zhao Qiyan! Mr Mo Zhu. "


    He quickly caught up to the two people who were walking in front and talking about something.


    Hearing Hu Xiao''s words, the two of them were stunned, they turned and saluted.


    "Alright, no need to be so polite. Where are you guys going?"


    It was already late in the night, and seeing the two walk side by side, Hu Xiao felt a little strange.


    "Oh. Reporting to the Empress, the two of us are planning on eating ¡­"


    Hearing that, Hu Xiao interrupted Zhao Qiyan.


    "Have a meal?" You are also eating? "Why don''t we do it together? I also happen to have something to say to you."


    Originally, he thought that Hu Xiao would stop the two of them from talking, but since Hu Xiao had extended an invitation and had other important things to discuss with him, she naturally could not reject him.


    After a while, they appeared in Hu Xiao''s residence.


    They had all cleaned up and were not doing too well. However, they were not paying much attention to this matter. Although they were staying at the yamen, they were not much different from the relay stations. There was nothing they were not used to.


    After hurriedly eating dinner, Hu Xiao and walked into the courtyard. Fortunately, the courtyard Hu Xiao lived in was large enough, otherwise, if they were to chat inside the room, it would be chatty again.


    "Empress, what was the important matter you were talking about just now?"


    Zhao Qiyan had already been unable to endure it any longer, but he ate and did not speak. He could only hold it in, and now that he could finally speak, he impatiently asked about the doubts in his heart.


    "Eh? Yin Fufeng? "Come in quickly, let''s go together."


    Just as Hu Xiao was about to speak, she saw a shadow flash past and anxiously said.


    Hearing that, the person outside was startled, and turned to look inside the house, but after seeing his good friends Zhao Qiyan and Mo Zhu who were also sitting by the side, Yin Fufeng calmly walked in.


    It was naturally done after the salutation.


    "Yin Fufeng, I was too agitated in the pavilion today, sorry."


    After brewing for a long time, Hu Xiao opened her mouth to speak with some embarrassment.


    Since she had already realized his own mistakes, Hu Xiao naturally needed to find a chance to admit it. She couldn''t let the other party keep it in her heart forever.


    Zhao Qiyan and Mo Zhu could not believe what they heard, after all, they could not imagine that Hu Xiao would do such a thing, the shock was evident on their faces, but Hu Xiao could not care less about the two of them.


    "Empress is being too serious, I am also somewhat at fault for what happened today."


    Forget about Zhao Qiyan and Mo Zhu, even Yin Fufeng himself was shocked. After all, no one had ever spoken in such a serious and humble manner, and there was no need for Hu Xiao to apologize at all for today''s matters. After all, both of her hands were at fault!


    Seeing that the two of them had been playing dumb, apologizing to each other, Zhao Qiyan became more and more curious, and continued to ask, but after a while, he found out the cause and effect of today''s events, and was speechless.


    There were too many things that were misunderstood due to proper business in the imperial court, and even Yin Fufeng and Yin Fufeng would often quarrel with each other in the imperial court because of disagreements, but after that, the two of them no longer took it to heart, but now that Hu Xiao had talked about it, everyone benefited greatly.


    "Alright, since I''ve already spoken humbly, then this matter can be considered as a replay. Don''t bring it up again in the future."


    Seeing Yin Fufeng nod his head, Hu Xiao was satisfied.


    Only then did Hu Xiao recount the reason why she had them gather here today.


    "Today, we are here on my own initiative, the people of Sui City have been hungry for a long time because of this natural disaster, and the imperial government has not found out about this matter in time because of that Prefect. Since this calamity has already been brewed, we must think of a way."


    Seeing that all of their expressions were troubled, Hu Xiao on the other hand, remained calm and continued to speak.


    "I have already thought of a way, maybe Yin Fufeng didn''t notice him being with His Majesty today, but I have already asked, there is a river channel a hundred miles away from the Sui City, it can be said to have an abundant amount of water source, so my plan is to open the channel and draw a portion of the river channel''s water towards the Sui City, which will solve the problem of the drought."


    "..."


    Hu Xiao''s explanation lasted all the way until midnight, but the few people who were doing it were still full of spirit. They never thought that they would think of such a way to open a channel and not cure it, but now, Hu Xiao''s suggestion had brought great benefits to the citizens.


    A month ago, it was because of several consecutive months of drought that the citizens had not been able to gather anything. Furthermore, Sui City was too remote, and no merchants came to this place, so even the yamen was built a long time ago. It was just that after the Prefect had been installed, the place had become much more luxurious.


    It was precisely because of this mansion which was incompatible with Sui City that the citizens of Sui City hated the imperial government.


    However, Hu Xiao''s act of stocking up on food had changed the opinion of the citizens of Sui City somewhat, but they still did not believe in the imperial government in their hearts.


    This is what I have said before, there must be a person left between His Majesty and I, His Majesty, as His Majesty is a genius and his skills are inferior to mine, thus my presence here is the best solution, the method to open the channel and channel is my own, and naturally, I am the most qualified to remain here, thus, I let you all come here first to see if this method is feasible, and secondly, I want you all to persuade His Majesty to let me stay!


    As soon as Hu Xiao finished speaking, the few people who were talking earlier instantly went silent.


    "Empress, I remember that Your Majesty seemed to have severely warned Empress today to not bring up this matter again."


    After staring blankly for a long while, Yin Fufeng finally spoke up. Although the situation during the day did not allow Yin Fufeng to listen in too much, he still did not remember a single word that he had said.


    Hu Xiao was not a woman either, even if she was powerful and clever, how could she beat all the victims of Sui City? Furthermore, there would be people who would underestimate Hu Xiao''s womanly body. Although it was good to imagine, it was still a difficult task to execute.


    "I naturally know what you mean, but there should still be someone who will step forward. Since I''m the empress of East Court, I shouldn''t be afraid of you either."


    As soon as he said that, the remaining three people were stunned.


    He thought that Hu Xiao had always wanted to leave the title of empress, but now it seemed like they were the ones who were overthinking it.


    A few men were actually not as strong as a woman and could not help but feel guilty. At this moment, someone outside the door, upon seeing this, slightly mocked himself before turning around and leaving.


    "Ai, what kind of expression is this? Why do you keep looking down on our Empress? "

 C119

    Zhi Lan''s words made the three people''s faces turn ugly. Although they did not look down on Hu Xiao, she was still a woman after all!


    "It is already late tonight. Everyone, you can return first. I hope that you all still consider what I have said and that the Japanese palace will come and find you tomorrow."


    Seeing that, although they had not heard enough, Hu Xiao had already ordered them to leave, so they could not stay any longer, and left together with him.


    The courtyard became quiet after the few people left.


    The moon at night seemed to be especially round, as the figures sat inside the pavilion alone. After watching for a long time from the side, Zhi Lan decided to go up after some thought.


    "Empress, are everything you said today true?"


    Zhi Lan was now certain that Hu Xiao had indeed changed, and was now a completely different person from the previous Hu Xiao. However, his body was clearly Hu Xiao''s, and although she felt that it was not appropriate, Zhi Lan liked the person in front of him more, and felt that her character was becoming more and more flesh and blood.


    "Hmm? "What did you say?" Hu Xiao was a little confused, she had said a lot of things today, but she did not know what Zhi Lan meant by that.


    "It''s exactly what the Divine Empress and General Zhao just said."


    Even though she knew that Hu Xiao was pretending, Zhi Lan had no choice but to clarify.


    "Zhi Lan, do you really hope that what I have said is true?"


    When Hu Xiao heard it, she simply smiled and looked to the moon, as if she did not care about what Zhi Lan had said.


    Her expression was light, but only Hu Xiao knew what she wanted to do.


    "What''s the point of this esteemed Empress? The Empress is the empress, there''s no need to place yourself in such a position for the sake of the common people. Even the most important officials of the imperial court would not act like this."


    Zhi Lan let out a faint sigh. She had followed beside Hu Xiao for a long time, and even Zhi Lan had gotten a good grasp of her personality recently. Zhi Lan already knew the answer to her question, but she was unwilling to understand.


    Even if it wasn''t me, it would have been another person. Since I was the one who thought of the things, then I should be the one who understands it the most, so Zhi Lan, do you think that there is anyone more suitable than me? "


    Tonight was destined to be a sleepless night.


    Because of what Hu Xiao had said, and also because of what Hu Xiao wanted to do.


    On the vertical day, Hu Xiao slept for an additional two hours for the first time in history, but no one dared to stop him, or call Hu Xiao to get up.


    Even Zhao Qiyan and Yin Fufeng were trying to find a way to avoid Hu Xiao.


    After washing up, Hu Xiao appeared inside Mo Zhu''s courtyard without anyone noticing.


    Because there were so many things in the Mr Mo Zhu, they were all a courtyard.


    "Is Teacher here?"


    It was rare for Hu Xiao to knock on the door politely. Just now, the room was clearly noisy, but after Hu Xiao spoke, it was so quiet it was as if no one was there.


    After waiting for a long time until no one came to open the door, Hu Xiao took a deep breath and kicked open the door.


    The people in the house thought that Hu Xiao had already left without hearing a sound, but Hu Xiao could do nothing as she kicked the door open. Everyone in the house maintained their previous appearance, and upon seeing this, Hu Xiao laughed out loud.


    "Alright, I know you''re hiding from me, but the yamen is only this big. Do you think I can''t find you?" And you made a lot of noise when I came. "


    Hearing this, the group put down their bodies and returned to their original positions.


    However, their expressions were all the same.


    Hu Xiao ignored Yin Fufeng and Zhao Qiyan, and walked towards Mo Zhu.


    Seeing Hu Xiao''s actions, Mo Zhu was just about to leave, but Hu Xiao''s next action was that Mo Zhu''s body stiffened, and his ears turned slightly red.


    "What kind of standards does Empress have?! "Let go quickly!"


    She exerted her strength, but was unable to pull the corner of Hu Xiao''s clothes out of her hands, and could only watch as Zhao Qiyan stood to the side and watched a good show.


    It was rare to see Mo Zhu being so embarrassed, but Zhao Qiyan and Yin Fufeng did not move for a long time, and was about to get angry from the embarrassment, so Zhao Qiyan decided to step forward.


    But before she even took half a step, Zhi Lan had already blocked her path.


    "Miss Zhi Lan, what is the meaning of this? "Sorry to trouble you."


    Although it was rare for her to be so polite, but was still a little angry when she continued to look at him.


    "There''s no need for that. I don''t plan on doing anything, I just want Mr Mo Zhu to help me out with a small matter."


    Thus, Hu Xiao naturally let go of the corner of Mo Zhu''s clothes, and said leisurely.


    The redness on Mo Zhu''s ears receded a little. However, a moment later, the few of them were still smiling as the corners of their mouths were completely smacked down.


    "Empress, may I ask, has Empress considered this yet? You won''t regret it? "


    Initially, they thought that after a night, perhaps Hu Xiao''s thoughts would be over, but now, Hu Xiao''s request for Mo Zhu had truly shocked them! Hu Xiao''s idea was not bad, but it was only based on the premise that Hu Xiao was not able to control it!


    "If not, do you think I would joke around with you all?"


    At this time, Hu Xiao no longer had the usual smile on her face, she looked extremely similar to Qin Shuo!


    "Empress knows what this means!"


    Qin Shuo could not help but feel that Hu Xiao was being too risky this time, but he still had not agreed to it! How could they let Hu Xiao do this!


    Hu Xiao found it funny, as the few of them began to worry. However, this matter was not dangerous for Hu Xiao, so before they could say anything, they were interrupted by a voice.


    "What are you doing?"


    Qin Shuo saw that Hu Xiao and Mo Zhu''s bodies were extremely close, while the people at the side were watching!


    Hu Xiao had never been so amiable towards him before! She had never taken the initiative to stick so close to it either! Their laughter could be heard just outside the door! How could Qin Shuo not be jealous!


    "Greetings, your Imperial Majesty."


    Seeing that, they anxiously bowed, and wanted to say more, but Hu Xiao was grabbed and thrown out!


    "Your Majesty, what are you doing?"


    Qin Shuo''s rude appearance just now naturally made Hu Xiao''s arm hurt, and because he did not know why Qin Shuo was doing this, he did not dare make a sound. It was only until he turned into a corner did Hu Xiao break free from Qin Shuo''s restraints.


    "What do you want me to do alone? Let''s not ask the empress what she''s doing first! Hu Xiao, you are the lonely empress, how can you be so intimate with a man? Or could it be that you, Hu Xiao, have some sort of ulterior motive towards Ink Bamboo? "


    The words that came out of his mouth sounded unrestrained, but the current Qin Shuo was extremely infuriated by Hu Xiao.


    However, just as Hu Xiao was about to get up and leave, she was suddenly grabbed by Qin Shuo and brought back to where she was previously standing.


    "What is it? The empress has nothing to say? Was it because the empress didn''t dare to let her know? "


    Qin Shuo looked at Hu Xiao who still wanted to continue searching for Mo Zhu, and simply couldn''t help but get angry.


    "What''s the point of this, your majesty? This concubine is just chatting about some matters with Mr Mo Zhu, why would Your Majesty be so excited? "


    After fiercely pulling Qin Shuo''s hand off, Hu Xiao had even planned to turn around and leave.

 C120

    Seeing Hu Xiao''s expression, Qin Shuo could no longer endure, and pulled Hu Xiao back and kissed him.


    She was shocked by Qin Shuo''s sudden action, and after struggling for a long time, she became tighter and tighter around Qin Shuo. Finally, as if she resigned to her fate, Hu Xiao slowly lowered her hand.


    "I already know about your conversation yesterday. I will definitely not agree to this matter. You''re not thinking about how to convince me anymore."


    Letting go of Hu Xiao, Qin Shuo buried his face in Hu Xiao''s neck and said softly.


    Hu Xiao was shocked upon hearing this, it was not that she did not realise that there was someone outside, but the person did not have any hostility, she had thought that he was just a palace maid who was cleaning up the place, but she never expected that the person would actually be Qin Shuo, and after a while he was no longer breathing, Hu Xiao thought that the person was already far away, but she never expected that Hu Xiao was still outside the door.


    "Your Majesty, there is only one path that we can take. Your Majesty''s concubine dares to guarantee that if the natural disaster of Sui City is not resolved, Your Majesty can divorce your concubine and your concubine will not have the slightest complaint!"


    Hu Xiao had thought that Qin Shuo was obstructing his because he did not believe him, but he never thought that before she finished speaking, Qin Shuo''s expression would become even more vicious.


    Even Hu Xiao, who was constantly in contact with this gaze, couldn''t help but want to retreat in shock.


    "Don''t even think about it! "For a time, you are my queen, but you can only be my queen for the rest of your life. I will never let you go!"


    All of Hu Xiao''s self-righteousness was pushed down because of Qin Shuo''s words. Turns out that it was not because he did not believe her, but because she was overthinking things!


    "Your Majesty."


    The two of them had always hated each other, she, Hu Xiao, was responsible for causing trouble at the front, while Qin Shuo was responsible for repairing the trouble Hu Xiao had created, but who knew when, Qin Shuo had started to care about her?


    Hu Xiao was not a fool, and Hu Xiao was aware of the meaning behind her words. However, when did Qin Shuo change?


    Looking at the stupefied Hu Xiao, the Qin Shuo who was just a little angry immediately quietened down. The anger from before had truly came too randomly, even Qin Shuo himself did not know what was going on, but he knew that he was not willing to let Hu Xiao lose her position as the Empress, and he did not want to have any contact with Hu Xiao at all.


    "Don''t think too much into it. We merely feel that the relationship between East Court and itself has finally eased up a bit. If the two of us were to separate because of some unpleasantness, the terrifying war between the two congresses would just happen to want to protect our citizens."


    Seeing that Hu Xiao was still in a state of shock, Qin Shuo thought for a while before replying, in his heart, he was comforting himself, but he did not know that this was just a trick he was pulling on himself.


    "Since that''s the case, chenqie is relieved. If there''s nothing else from Your Majesty, chenqie will leave first."


    He did not know why, but he felt slightly disappointed. He did not know what else to say to Qin Shuo, so he found an excuse and left.


    Hearing that, Qin Shuo released his hands that were still locking Hu Xiao down, the two of them walked to the side, feeling disappointed.


    Qin Shuo''s disappointment did not last for a long time. When he saw the person walking towards him, his face returned to its previous expressionless look.


    "Greetings, your Imperial Majesty."


    After that person walked over, he hurriedly bowed and said.


    The person who came was precisely Patrol of Li Clan, oh that''s not right, it''s the new Prefect from Sui City.


    "But what''s wrong? Why are you so panicked? "


    Prefect saw that they were in a hurry to find him, but what happened to the victims?


    "Your majesty, do you want to hold the sacrificial ceremony? Right now, Sui City is a calamity caused by a natural disaster. Do you need it now?"


    Because of a natural disaster, he wanted to sacrifice the heavens and pray for the rain to calm the weather for the next year. However, Prefect did not know what to do about this matter and hurriedly came to find Qin Shuo.


    "Sacrifice to the heavens? Now that the people are like this, they still want to sacrifice to the heavens? It''s better to think of a way to survive this disaster! "


    He thought that Qin Shuo would appreciate him because of this, but he never expected that it would cause Qin Shuo to throw a tantrum like this. He didn''t know where he went wrong, the tradition of offering sacrifices to the heavens had always been one of East Court, so could it be that he was going to lose this tradition?


    "But Your Majesty, if we do not hold the ''Rites of Heavenly Worship'', what if the situation is even more serious than right now?"


    Prefect''s voice was not the same as before.


    At this time, Wen Fuchen who was passing by naturally heard the conversation between the Prefect and Qin Shuo, and interrupted and said.


    "Your Majesty, the gift set by the ancestor must not be wasted. This Heaven''s Sacrifice ceremony must be held!"


    Looking at the two people kneeling in front of him, Qin Shuo''s anger rose to a new level.


    "Oh, so what you mean is, the Rites of Heavenly Worship must be held? "Then what should we do?"


    Qin Shuo calmed the anger in his heart and said.


    Although their invitation was a little calmer than before, they instinctively felt that Qin Shuo was not very happy right now.


    "Your majesty, now that our Sui City has met with calamity and man-made calamities, we naturally have to go all out. Only in this way can we see our sincerity!"


    Wen Fuchen braced himself and said.


    "Hmm? Big deal? Now, the citizens of the Sui City need to worry about food and drinks, but you want us to organize this Heaven''s Sacrifice ceremony? "


    Qin Shuo said slightly, but his steps didn''t stop moving.


    "Your Majesty! Your Majesty, you need to think twice. If you are too humble, I am afraid you will incur the wrath of the people! "


    Patrol of Li Palace continued, but Qin Shuo did not want to continue listening, it was simply too excessive.


    Li Residence and Wen Fuchen had already left with Qin Shuo.


    "Minister Wen, what does Your Majesty mean by this? "Do you agree or do you not agree?"


    Qin Shuo did not say anything just now, but the way he acted caused the two of them to be confused, looking at how Qin Shuo seemed to have agreed to it, but they did not agree to do anything big, if they wanted to do something simple and crude, then what was the point of doing it?


    "I''ll try my best to take a look."


    Patting the man''s shoulder, Wen Fuchen chased after Qin Shuo.


    Ever since Xue Mier became pregnant, Xue Mier was the most popular amongst the eunuchs in palace maid, and he, Wen Fuchen, was naturally favored by the courtiers, so the officials following him along the path of Southern Patrol were divided into two factions.


    The first faction was led by Wen Fuchen, and the second faction was led by Zhao Qiyan and Yin Fufeng.


    Originally, they wanted to discuss how to deal with the situation of the victims, but now, because of the Heaven''s Sacrifice ceremony, they had to make a ruckus.


    "Your Majesty, this humble subject believes that this is a special period, and that the Heaven''s Sacrifice Ceremony can be done, but it cannot be done in a grand manner." Your Majesty, this humble subject thinks that this is a special period, that the Heaven''s Sacrifice Ceremony can be done, but it cannot be done in a grand manner.

 C121

    A few of them were arguing nonstop, but Qin Shuo just stared coldly at them.


    Wen Fuchen and Yin Fufeng stood at the side and did not say a word.


    "So, you two have two meanings now?"


    Seeing that there was still the intention to fight to the death, Qin Shuo suddenly said.


    "Since you are unable to differentiate yourselves, let us make this decision." But now that we are not allowed to waste it extravagantly, we will hand it over to Yin Fufeng to take care of. "


    He casually said as he glanced at Wen Fuchen, but it caused the hearts of the officials underground to be moved a little once more.


    It was as if due to the Imperial Consort Xue''s pregnancy, the attitude of the Emperor towards the Minister Wen had changed, but he was still not as good as Yin Fufeng.


    After dismissed the crowd, Qin Shuo, on the other hand, felt extremely tired.


    "Empress, this is a greeting letter from the noble woman of Sui City."


    Zhi Lan passed the name scroll in her hand to Hu Xiao, who had nothing better to do. After Qin Shuo angrily came back from Mr Mo Zhu, Hu Xiao''s mood had not been very good, and only then did it improve a bit.


    Glancing at Zhi Lan, Hu Xiao calmly received the invitation from Zhi Lan''s hand.


    That''s right, they had already been at the Sui City for a day, and some people from the Sui City knew about what they did within the Sui City yesterday.


    Although the life and death of the citizens of Sui City had nothing to do with them, but these people had done their best to not save anyone when they were on the verge of death. Just like that, Hu Xiao did not want to see any more of them.


    "I won''t see them. Let them cool down there and bring them there!"


    Throwing the name scroll in her hand, Hu Xiao said unconcernedly.


    "Oh? "Is the empress trying to take everyone''s crotch?"


    Before Zhi Lan could speak, Qin Shuo''s voice sounded.


    All of these cards had already passed Qin Shuo''s eyes before they were delivered to him. They were originally meant for Hu Xiao to see them, but she never expected that Hu Xiao would actually be so direct!


    "His Majesty is here? "As you wish."


    Hu Xiao was extremely lazy right now, and seeing that there were no outsiders present, he casually greeted Qin Shuo.


    Seeing this, Hu Xiao was extremely afraid. After all, if Qin Shuo was unhappy, it would be difficult for him, so he wanted to remind Hu Xiao of the current situation she was sitting in, but Hu Xiao acted as if she did not see anything, infuriating Zhi Lan to the point that she was about to die.


    Qin Shuo naturally saw Zhi Lan''s expression and couldn''t help but laugh. If master is really interesting, then this subordinate is also quite interesting.


    "No worries, you can leave now."


    He waved his hand, and everyone left. Only Hu Xiao and Qin Shuo were left in the house.


    Seeing that, Hu Xiao unwillingly got up from the chair and started preparing.


    "Your Majesty, could it be that the victims have settled down?"


    Hu Xiao really couldn''t understand why Qin Shuo would be so bored. Shouldn''t they check on the victims at this time? Why did she come to find her, Hu Xiao''s, misfortune?


    However, she felt that ignoring Qin Shuo was going to be even more excessive.


    "Most of the arrangements have been made, but even so, there are still people from the lower echelons. If everything requires this emperor to do, then why would I raise so many people?"


    Qin Shuo was speaking the truth, but Hu Xiao hated the fact that the people under Qin Shuo were too powerful, if not she would not have given Qin Shuo so much time.


    "What is it? "I don''t seem to like the empress looking at me."


    Seeing the unwillingness on Hu Xiao''s face, Qin Shuo was actually extremely happy.


    "How could that be? Your Majesty is overthinking it." That''s right, I just don''t welcome you. Please hurry up and leave.


    But Hu Xiao did not have the guts to say these words.


    If Qin Shuo was not a fool, he would naturally be able to tell what he was thinking, but he was unwilling to care about her. Even if Hu Xiao did not care, Qin Shuo felt that only by staying with Hu Xiao could he not be tormented like this, and that he could not be on guard at all times.


    "Those greetings, I''ll have to trouble the empress to summon them."


    After thinking about it, Qin Shuo suddenly said, but the tone of her voice did not allow for his to deny it.


    Hu Xiao was about to think of all sorts of ways to refuse, but Qin Shuo''s following words that made sense to him, made him swallow her words.


    "I presume that Empress still remembers the three chapters of the contract in the palace? "Since I''ve given the empress her freedom, does it mean that the empress needs to do something for me now?"


    As expected, Hu Xiao had forgotten about this matter. A Sky Disaster with upright Sui City would naturally not meet those people, but what was there that Hu Xiao could not understand?


    These greetings cards that were in her hands were naturally picked by Qin Shuo, and thus, he would naturally not let these people lose face.


    Even so, Hu Xiao was unwilling, but she had no choice.


    "Yes, chenqie will set up a banquet tonight to invite the various ladies to attend."


    Qin Shuo only wanted this, as long as she did what he said. As for what this banquet was going to be like, it was unknown, since they had already met!


    As if he had seen through Hu Xiao''s thoughts, Qin Shuo squinted his eyes and walked in front of Hu Xiao.


    "Naturally, the Queen has agreed to our request. I believe that this banquet will definitely be very spectacular. I''m waiting by myself to enjoy the Queen''s charm."


    She softly whispered these words into Hu Xiao''s ear, and when she saw that Hu Xiao''s ears were red, she let Hu Xiao go, turned and left while laughing.


    Seeing Qin Shuo leaving, Zhi Lan anxiously walked in.


    He must have bullied Hu Xiao, and as expected, he saw Hu Xiao sitting on the chair, gritting her teeth, and thought about what to do.


    "Zhi Lan, His Majesty just said that I would hold a banquet tonight."


    "Hmm? "So?"


    Zhi Lan did not understand, so they arranged a feast? And then? What for?


    "So, I''ll leave this difficult task to you, but right now, the citizens of the Sui City are suffering, and the feast cannot be arranged in such a grand manner. As long as it is plain and simple, it is good.


    After saying that, what else did Zhi Lan not understand? She ignored Hu Xiao''s desperate state and was extremely happy in her heart. After all, in the past few days, His Majesty had been worrying so much for the sake of the Empress''s dignity.


    But how could Hu Xiao agree? Zhi Lan was also surprised, after all, she had looked like she despised Hu Xiao.


    "Alright, I''m a bit tired, let me sleep first. Zhi Lan, when you''re done, call me."


    With that, Hu Xiao stumbled into the dorm room, completely disregarding the fact that she had just accepted an important mission. Zhi Lan wanted to cry, but there were no tears at all. Endure it!

 C122

    As if she suddenly remembered something, Hu Xiao walked out as if she was sleepwalking.


    "Zhi Lan, forget about it, change the banquet to tomorrow afternoon, we are in too much of a hurry today. Go and inform His Majesty that the banquet time has changed, otherwise, if His Majesty does not see me arranging the banquet at night, I wonder what he will say about me."


    Seeing Zhi Lan nod her head, Hu Xiao then slowly walked back into the house.


    She laid on the bed, speechless. Who told her to be Qin Shuo''s Queen now? Eating others was the shortest, their hands were softhearted, and now that Qin Shuo had raised him, it was only natural for him to be so. Otherwise, if he did not raise her, she would suffer a huge loss.


    Thinking about it like that, she comforted herself, but after a while, she could not hear Hu Xiao mumbling to himself, Zhi Lan quietly walked in, and covered the cup that was kicked to the side by Hu Xiao.


    As if she muttered something, Hu Xiao turned over and continued sleeping.


    With a sigh of relief, he remembered Hu Xiao''s orders and turned to leave.


    When she was at the South Yue, she had once held such a banquet, for which Zhi Lan was experienced and unafraid, but the bad thing about it now was that Hu Xiao had asked for it to be taken as it was!


    The imperial palace, especially the empress''s banquets, only needed to serve whatever dishes were complicated and whatever was luxurious! However, this was not the palace. Even though the empress was hosting a banquet, this place was still filled with the flying Sui City of the affected people. Naturally, they could not be so extravagant!


    After being troubled for a while, he did not know that he should do things like this. As he was thinking and thinking, Zhi Lan, who just informed the emperor about the change in time, suddenly met with a person at the corner.


    "Ah, I''m sorry, I''m sorry."


    When ordinary people saw Zhi Lan''s face, they would only move aside. After all, Zhi Lan was the empress''s close palace maid and the empress was extremely fond of him, so even the eunuchs and eunuchs of palace maid would respect him slightly. Furthermore, Zhi Lan''s entire mind was filled with thoughts on what to do.


    "Eh? Miss Zhi Lan! "


    Seeing that, Zhao Qiyan pulled Zhi Lan''s arm.


    In the past, the two of them would not be so distant from each other when they met, so no matter what, Zhi Lan would cast a sidelong glance at him. But today, she pretended not to see anything, causing Zhao Qiyan''s heart to become nervous.


    "Hmm? "Who''s pulling me?"


    Knowing that Zhao Qiyan had grabbed her arm, Zhi Lan started to have a reaction, but she did not hear what Zhao Qiyan said. He only wanted to tear off the fingers on his own hands, but pulling back twice was useless, he could only turn around helplessly.


    Ah!


    Being shocked by the sudden close approach of Zhao Qiyan''s face, it was fortunate that Zhao Qiyan was holding onto her hand, if not Zhi Lan would have already been so scared that she would have fallen to the ground.


    "Miss Zhi Lan, it''s me. Don''t you recognize me?"


    Zhi Lan''s every movement was too strange, so she could not understand what she was saying.


    "I know it''s you, Great General Zhao, why are you grabbing onto my hand?"


    He rolled his eyes at Zhao Qiyan who looked like a log. Zhi Lan was extremely dissatisfied with being scared by Zhao Qiyan just now.


    "Miss Zhi Lan, it''s like this. Just now, I saw that young lady''s footsteps were unsteady, and was afraid that young lady might encounter trouble here. Thus, I caught young lady. I hope young lady does not mind."


    With that said, Zhi Lan seemed to recall what happened just now.


    Her face turned slightly red. After all, she had been a bit foolish just now.


    "Thank you, General Zhao, for your kind intentions, but since my mother still has things to do, I will take my leave first."


    Without waiting for Zhao Qiyan''s response, he turned and ran.


    Zhi Lan was originally a martial cultivator, so her tutorial was a bit faster, and now she felt like she was forced to flee.


    Zhao Qiyan originally wanted to chase after him, but he still had things to attend to, so he could only watch as Zhi Lan walked far away.


    "Empress, since Your Majesty has instructed your concubine to guide you in your etiquette, Empress will reluctantly learn this."


    Before entering the house, he heard Zhi Lan and Hu Xiao''s unhappy voices.


    "Greetings Imperial Consort Xue."


    After giving Imperial Consort Xue a salute, Zhi Lan stood behind Hu Xiao.


    When she went out just now, Hu Xiao was still resting. When she found out that Hu Xiao was forced to sit on a chair to the side, Zhi Lan naturally saw through her impatience.


    "I say, Imperial Consort Xue, I am a princess of the South Yue, so how could I not know the etiquette of this palace? Furthermore, Imperial Consort Xue is currently pregnant, I am afraid it is not appropriate for you to be so affected. "


    Hu Xiao almost told Xue Mier to f * ck off. She looked at Xue Mier''s flat stomach, and saw that the baby inside was innocent. Hu Xiao could not get angry because of this.


    "Empress, the etiquette for South Yue and ours, after all, do not really resemble each other."


    Xue Mier seemed to be tired from standing, she found a chair to sit on, and looking at Hu Xiao''s carefree look, she felt dissatisfied in her heart.


    The current Qin Shuo was naturally not willing to do anything. Xue Mier only needed to do one thing and everyone would be happy, and that would be to nurture a baby.


    However, Xue Mier had always wanted to find trouble with Hu Xiao, and was even working hard to make Hu Xiao play the fool.


    "Imperial Consort Xue, Empress''s etiquette has already been taught by the mama in the palace." Imperial Consort Xue, Empress''s etiquette has already been taught by the mama in the palace.


    Zhi Lan found it hard to continue watching, and said.


    "How could a servant like you interrupt Master''s speech?"


    Seeing how Hu Xiao, a mere little palace maid, was able to stand up for him, Xue Mier naturally felt discontent in her heart. However, she was helpless to do anything about it, because every single word that palace maid said was true.


    When she found out that Hu Xiao was going to hold a banquet to invite the famed lady of Sui City tomorrow, Xue Mier had always been a little angry, but she had always wanted to find a reason to suppress Hu Xiao''s anger. But who knew that Hu Xiao did not care about him at all.


    She felt as if this punch had hit cotton. She didn''t even have the energy to turn it around, causing her to be unable to vent her anger.


    "Imperial Consort Xue, what Zhi Lan said can naturally be considered as what I said. What Zhi Lan said just now was exactly what I wanted to do, and now I have things to do, even if I need a teacher for etiquette, I would absolutely not look for Imperial Consort Xue. After all, who told me to become pregnant again? Zhi Lan, send our guest off! "


    Not wanting to continue interacting with Xue Mier, Hu Xiao on the other hand, spoke happily and got Zhi Lan to send him off. Although Xue Mier was not willing to let it go, she was also afraid of continuing to stay.


    Furthermore, Hu Xiao had a sharp tongue, she came here because she wanted to embarrass Hu Xiao, Qin Shuo had warned her repeatedly not to call Hu Xiao out, if Qin Shuo knew about this, she was afraid that Qin Shuo would fly into a rage.

 C123

    Seeing that Xue Mier had finally left, Hu Xiao and Zhi Lan heaved a sigh of relief.


    Although the two of them were not afraid of Xue Mier, but the child in Xue Mier''s stomach was like a ticking time bomb. If she was not too far away from Xue Mier at all times, if the child in Xue Mier''s stomach had an accident, it would be her who would be out of luck in the end.


    Hu Xiao was naturally aware of all of this, after all, she had seen quite a lot of palace dramas. Although Xue Mier was not as smart as the concubines she saw, she was still unable to handle Xue Mier''s constant tormenting from time to time.


    And because of this, Hu Xiao would always avoid most of Xue Mier''s requests, and would never come forward to meet with him.


    Zhi Lan was not in the courtyard just now. When the other palace maid s saw that Xue Mier had become famous in the past few days, they naturally did not dare to stop him.


    Although she had already sent Xue Mier away, Zhi Lan felt that Hu Xiao''s etiquette did require some evil nourishment.


    She mentioned that she had already handed over the teacher-in-charge back in the palace, but Hu Xiao had messed up and dodged all those days, so how could she possibly have learnt it properly for a period of time? Zhi Lan was naturally aware of all these, and was naturally a little worried now. If Hu Xiao were to lose her reputation at the banquet tomorrow, it would be as Xue Mier wished.


    "Empress, although we sent the Imperial Consort Xue away, what should we do about Empress''s etiquette?"


    Looking at Hu Xiao''s expression, Zhi Lan was extremely worried, seeing that there was no sign of him standing, she felt helpless.


    "It''s fine, you don''t have to be too worried about these Zhi Lan, has everything been settled already?"


    Gently knocking Zhi Lan on the head, Hu Xiao asked as if she had something important to say.


    How could that be possible, it was just a trip, and was only to inform Qin Shuo of the time of the banquet, why would he instruct him on other matters?


    "What don''t you know? Speak and see."


    It was rare to see such a difficult expression on Zhi Lan''s face, so Hu Xiao could not help but be curious, after all, Zhi Lan had been fearless the entire time, learning ten times more than she, Hu Xiao!


    "Esteemed Empress, in the past the empress set up banquet dishes were all excellent dishes, how should we set up this dish now!"


    Now that she mentioned out the doubts that she had in her heart, she was not afraid of Hu Xiao making a joke out of it. If she misunderstood Hu Xiao''s intentions, it would be a huge matter if Hu Xiao lost face.


    "Yes, just according to the standard of Sui City, only two or three meat dishes are enough. As for the rest, they should all be switched to vegetarian dishes, right?"


    Hu Xiao explained the method in her heart in a simple manner for a while. Seeing that Zhi Lan had already memorized it and did as she asked, she finally relaxed.


    Seeing that no one was disturbing him, Hu Xiao finally focused on looking at the map in front of him. The map was asked for by Zhao Qiyan and the route had already been marked. Placing a white piece of paper to the side and dipping the brush in some ink, Hu Xiao started to study the map.


    Seeing that, Hu Xiao did not care about Qin Shuo''s warning, and had already started to prepare.


    The canal that was a hundred kilometers away from the Sui City was called the Lu Yang River, which could be considered a slightly larger one nearby. In this way, even if one was split into canals halfway through, it wouldn''t affect the villages along the road that required water to supply the Yang River in the first place.


    After thinking for a while, Hu Xiao drew all of the things in her brain onto the blueprint, but after a while, a water path that connected the Yang River and Sui City appeared on the paper. Since Hu Xiao had not seen this road before, it was a straight line and she still had to inspect it on the spot.


    On the morning of the third day.


    It was still early in the morning but Hu Xiao had already dug out of bed and forcefully washed Hu Xiao. If they did not get dressed before the ladies arrived, there would be people who would pull at her pigtails and say that Hu Xiao was being impolite.


    Hu Xiao naturally knew what day it was, to actually allow the palace maid to wipe her face for half a day.


    After waking Hu Xiao up, Zhi Lan handed a copper mirror over to Hu Xiao.


    "Oh my god!"


    Hu Xiao threw the copper mirror out. When she saw her own face earlier, she was shocked.


    The bronze mirror man''s face looked as if it was covered with a thick layer of white powder. His lips were still bright red, and what was funny was that on both his cheeks, there were actually two clumps of red flowers!


    He looked so much like a ghost, but Hu Xiao, who had just woken up, was completely frightened out of his wits!


    But after a moment, Hu Xiao had her men bring in a basin of water, and without hesitation, she used up all of the makeup on her face.


    Seeing that, Zhi Lan scolded the two palace maid s who were dressing Hu Xiao a moment ago, and used rouge to take care of Hu Xiao.


    Seeing the copper mirror face, Hu Xiao could finally barely accept it. Indeed, it looked much better than when she looked at her.


    Receiving the rouge from Zhi Lan''s hands, Hu Xiao casually wiped a few strokes on her face, making him even more satisfied.


    It was still early in the morning, but there were already people who had brought invitation letters. Even though they did not want to fight with these people anymore, Hu Xiao could not help but recall the words that Qin Shuo said beside his ears.


    The feast was set up with a yard of garden at the back. The decorations were not bad, and seeing that, Hu Xiao looked at Zhi Lan with satisfaction, it was as low-key and luxurious as she had imagined.


    "Greetings Empress."


    As soon as she stepped into the flower garden, a lady dressed in luxurious clothes came forward to greet him. Seeing that, Hu Xiao nodded her head.


    "This is the main house of the rich merchant Li Hai of Sui City."


    Look at the reminder in Hu Xiao''s ears.


    "Yes, Lady Li, please excuse me."


    Hu Xiao naturally heard Zhi Lan''s warning, and seeing such a terrified Zhi Lan, the smile on Hu Xiao''s face became even wider.


    As if surprised that Hu Xiao could recognize her, Madame Li started chattering away in front of Hu Xiao, as if the two of them were very familiar with each other.


    Hu Xiao only smiled as she listened. As for whether she heard it or not, she did not know.


    He did not make Hu Xiao wait for long, before her wife came one after another.


    Seeing that they were all carrying congratulatory gifts, Hu Xiao accepted them without any hesitation. After enjoying the flowers in the backyard, Hu Xiao led the ladies to the seats, and seeing that Xue Mier''s seat was still empty, the smile on her face became even happier, as if there was a good show to see.


    Just as expected, when everyone took their seats, Xue Mier leisurely walked over.


    "Imperial Consort Xue has arrived."


    But Hu Xiao was smiling as she endured the strange gazes of the people below the ground. Seeing Xue Mier slowly walking over, she stood in front of Hu Xiao and looked as if she was about to bow.

 C124

    Ye Zichen walked over leisurely, if he didn''t notice that her big stomach really did look like it was watching a beauty walk.


    "Chenqie greets Empress."


    Then, he carried the palace maid off the stage.


    It was only a body that was more than a month old, so her stomach was not obvious, but looking at Xue Mier, it looked extremely similar to when she was pregnant.


    From the start, he had been exempt from private, and today was not just a family banquet. She never thought that Xue Mier would actually perform so much, and upon seeing that she looked like she was about to be unable to squat, Qin Shuo coughed lightly.


    Her beautiful eyes glanced at Qin Shuo, and the corner of her mouth hooked into a faint smile.


    "Hur hur, you may rise."


    When she said that, she heard it very clearly. It seemed that Qin Shuo was somewhat distressed towards his Imperial Concubine.


    "Today, the Japanese palace just so happened to be here. Thus, it invited everyone to have a meal together on its own. Let''s treat it as a family feast. There is no need to be so restrained."


    Looking at Hu Xiao who was sitting upright, she wanted to laugh. She had seen Hu Xiao''s condition just now, it was obvious that her family was in a terrible spot, but to have so many people sitting low like that, she had no choice but to find a way out.


    Sure enough, after she finished speaking, Hu Xiao then took the opportunity to lie down on her chair. As for the lowly madame from a Venerable family, Hu Xiao felt that she couldn''t care less.


    When had the madams of the aristocratic families ever seen such a scene? They couldn''t bear it any longer and thought that the banquet today would be extremely solemn? However, ever since they stepped into the palace, they no longer felt the majesty and luxury of the empress.


    Everyone looked down on Hu Xiao in their hearts; after all, she was able to see through the great elegance of Hu Xiao with a single feast.


    Imperial banquets were always luxurious, but this was the first time they had seen such a low-key banquet. No, they shouldn''t be called low-key, it was simply too simple.


    All the wives had different expressions. Hu Xiao acted as if she couldn''t see them, and continued to smile at the crowd.


    Even when everyone in the hall was flattering Xue Mier, their expressions did not change at all.


    "Looks like the rumors are true, this Empress is indeed not as popular as the Imperial Consort Xue. Look at the situation, the Empress is not as popular as a imperial concubine, did you hand in the wrong name scroll?"


    "That''s right, I was thinking the same thing. Why don''t we pass it to the imperial concubine again?"


    "You''re right. Let''s find a chance to pass an invitation to the imperial concubine. Now that the imperial concubine is pregnant, her status at the side of the emperor will only get higher. Naturally, we have to pass an invitation."


    Although the voices of the few wives were quiet, with Hu Xiao''s eyesight and hearing, he was naturally able to hear them, and even Qin Shuo was naturally able to hear them.


    Hearing this, his face changed again and again, but a moment later, it returned to normal.


    "Your Majesty, I''m sure you''ve heard that. Look at me, I''m not even comparable to a concubine. I''ve already said before that there''s no need for that. This is just a formality!"


    And this was in front of her, if it was in a private place, she would not even know how to belittle Hu Xiao, the people of Sui City were still in a state of suffering, but these so called upper class noble families were just extravagant and wasteful.


    He was already extremely disgusted by it, and now he even told her what he was thinking.


    "Empress."


    What Hu Xiao said was true, and Qin Shuo indeed had no way of refuting it. However, his current appearance was extremely sarcastic; in the end, he lost some of his royal demeanor.


    "Hehe, Your Majesty, chenqie has matters to attend to. This banquet shall be hosted by Your Majesty and Imperial Consort Xue."


    It didn''t matter whether she did or not.


    Seeing that, he did not greet them, but after saying goodbye to Zhi Lan, he brought Zhi Lan and left.


    Seeing Hu Xiao taking the servant away, the ladies did not care anymore. The nice words in their mouths did not seem to be able to finish, they kept praising towards the Imperial Consort Xue.


    "Cough cough, the empress was just unwell a moment ago, so she left first. Everyone, continue."


    Qin Shuo bid his farewells and left with Hu Xiao.


    The two people who left the place did not see the hatred that flashed past Xue Mier''s eyes, but even if they saw it, they would most likely not care.


    At this time, the two people who had the ability to make decisions left one after another, showing the awkwardness of Xue Mier, who had just been curried favor with by others.


    Previously, she didn''t pay much attention to Hu Xiao, but the madam who had been surrounding Xue Mier the entire time was also confused, and did not know whether her actions were right or wrong.


    Even the empress Hu Xiao didn''t know what was on her mind. She was a little angry just now, but she had always been welcoming him with a smile. If she wasn''t angry, why would she have left halfway?


    For a moment, everyone''s thoughts changed. The simple banquet became even more dull, and in the end, it began to disperse.


    Even if Qin Shuo had only delayed for a short while before chasing after him, he still could not find any trace of Hu Xiao, even the people in the courtyard could not be seen.


    But it was not his courtier who was sneakily following Hu Xiao.


    "I say, what is going on? The banquet has not ended, why did Empress come out together with you? "


    That''s right, the two who were sneakily following behind Hu Xiao were Zhao Qiyan and Zhao Qiyan.


    "Did something happen at Empress''s banquet? "But are they going out in their costume?"


    Just as expected, before he could finish, he saw Hu Xiao and Zhi Lan easily climb up the wall and over.


    However, Hu Xiao''s final look at them made the two of them startled. So Hu Xiao had actually noticed the two of them? The words that came out of her mouth seemed to be, ''Don''t meddle in other people''s business?''


    "Empress has really flipped over the wall and hid herself. If she doesn''t walk through the door, what wall will she climb?! We should chase after Yin Fufeng quickly. Since it''s so chaotic outside the Sui City, Empress and Miss Zhi Lan, the two weak girls, will definitely encounter danger if we go out at this time! "


    After he finished speaking, Zhao Qiyan also wanted to climb up, but he failed. He glared angrily at the fundamental person who caused him to fail in climbing up the wall!


    "Alright, Empress has her reasons for doing so. Let''s not bother about the rest and just pretend that we did not see anything."


    He grabbed Zhao Qiyan who was about to continue climbing up, and the two walked further and further away. After a while, they left the yamen.


    Without the two stopping them, Hu Xiao and Zhi Lan turned and left the city.


    "Empress, why don''t we return? There''s no need to take such a risk."


    After stopping Hu Xiao who still wanted to continue walking forward, Zhi Lan had already kneeled in front of Hu Xiao.


    Seeing that, Hu Xiao wanted to help Zhi Lan up, but unfortunately, Zhi Lan had already made up her mind.


    "Zhi Lan, you clearly know that you can''t stop me."


    Helpless, Hu Xiao also kneeled in front of Zhi Lan.

 C125

    "But Empress, even if Zhi Lan can''t stop the Empress, we have to give it our all!"


    Just now, Hu Xiao did not even kneel down and had already been helped up by Zhi Lan, but the meaning behind her words did not change at all.


    "Come out."


    It could not be, that Hu Xiao happened to be at the side of a deserted and dilapidated temple, so she brought Zhi Lan to enter, and after a while, she suddenly spoke.


    Even though she was standing in the abandoned temple, with someone following him from behind, Hu Xiao still maintained a calm demeanor, as if she was not afraid of anything at all.


    After Zhi Lan heard Hu Xiao''s words, she anxiously stood in front of Hu Xiao, and looked outside the entrance of the temple with caution.


    "Empress, you have keen ears and sharp eyes. You actually found the two of us so quickly. This one truly admires you."


    When the previously cautious Zhi Lan saw the person in front of him, she finally relaxed.


    "Haha, didn''t I tell you not to follow me at the yamen?" "Why?"


    Hu Xiao looked at Yin Fufeng and said with a smile. She had thought that she had made things clear, but she did not expect the two people to still follow him.


    Seeing that, Yin Fufeng did not feel embarrassed at all. Looking at Hu Xiao and Hu Xiao''s expressions and what Zhi Lan had just said, she knew that Hu Xiao and her master was definitely not here for a stroll! Furthermore, she had already wandered outside the city!


    "The safety of Empress is our top priority. Now that Empress has left the city, I''m afraid that she will be in danger. This humble subject and the General Zhao must follow him."


    Hu Xiao sighed, she already knew that they would not throw her off so quickly, but she had to do something that would alert the enemy if there were too many people.


    "Hehe, it''s just that I can''t stay at the Sui City, and came out to wander around. Why is it that even you guys have to do this?"


    It was now impossible to leave.


    "Since it''s like this, it''s better for Empress not to wander around outside. After all, Empress is naturally clear about the current situation of the Sui City, so it''s best for us to return early."


    Zhao Qiyan anxiously said.


    Seeing that the three of them were looking at Hu Xiao, Hu Xiao smiled slightly, but just as she was about to speak, she was stopped by a group of people.


    "Who is it!?" This broken temple is our territory, you came here, quickly leave! "


    A group of ragged clothed people were supporting each other as they walked in, but when they saw the few people inside the temple, their eyes changed a bit.


    No one had ever shouted at Zhao Qiyan like this before, especially when there was a Empress amongst them, how could a Empress with East Court be taught a lesson by this group of people!


    Just as he was about to speak, he was stopped by Hu Xiao.


    "No worries, let''s go."


    Judging from the clothes these people were wearing, they should be the victims. They must have no homes, yet they gathered here because of this. Perhaps it really was them taking over their land.


    Hu Xiao did not speak to the victims who were chasing them away viciously just now, and only turned around and walked out of the door. The group of people did not make things difficult for them when they saw the four of them being so obedient, and only watched as they left.


    Initially, they were still wondering if Hu Xiao was still going to continue on the path she had just taken, but after seeing Hu Xiao walking towards the city, they did not say anything else and followed behind him.


    They had originally thought that they would be able to return to the residence smoothly, but as soon as they entered the city gates, they saw a scene that caused them to be rather shocked.


    "Three pieces of silver for a bowl, three pieces of silver for a bowl."


    She was still curious about what had attracted the attention of so many people, but when Hu Xiao saw the item that the peddler had bought, she felt that it had gone too far.


    "Do you know about this?"


    Since when did their East Court need water as well?!


    Seeing Zhao Qiyan and Yin Fufeng frown as they shook their heads, Hu Xiao immediately lost the thought of continuing to wander around and angrily headed towards the yamen.


    She stood in front of Qin Shuo in an uncontrollable rage, restraining herself in her heart, but she still could not hold it in.


    "His Imperial Majesty really does have a way of governing countries."


    Hu Xiao did not care about the few people still standing at the side, and blurted out, while the few people following behind were also startled.


    Originally, he was very dissatisfied with Hu Xiao leaving the seats, but when he saw that Hu Xiao had changed from her usual lazy look, the rage on her face made Qin Shuo a little stunned.


    "What happened to the empress?"


    Qin Shuo was, after all, the emperor of East Court, but Hu Xiao''s shamelessness still made Qin Shuo a little angry.


    "What''s wrong? The East Court is truly huge, to actually be able to sell water sources in a place with a group of affected people, does His Majesty not plan to meddle in this matter? "


    Even though she knew that Qin Shuo might not know about this matter, Hu Xiao still felt that it had something to do with Qin Shuo. Especially since they had once held a banquet here, while the merchants outside had to sell their water sources because of the natural disaster!


    "Is that true?"


    Seeing how Yin Fufeng and Yin Fufeng were acting, they must have followed Hu Xiao here, and the two of them nodded their heads, which allowed Qin Shuo to understand the importance of the matter.


    "Go and investigate this matter, Yin Fufeng! Do you think I''m dead? We are still in Sui City, but these merchants are actually so audacious! "


    Seeing that, Qin Shuo did not bother about Hu Xiao''s disrespect anymore. After all, this was a huge matter, and after thinking about it carefully, he knew why Hu Xiao was so angry just now. Initially, he wanted to explain to Hu Xiao that as the Queen and also in advance was holding a banquet for the Queen, it was disrespectful to leave, but now, he did not want to care about it anymore.


    When Hu Xiao told him the answer she wanted, Hu Xiao turned and left. Although Qin Shuo did not know about this, but Hu Xiao did not guarantee that she could continue staying with Qin Shuo. She did not dare guarantee that she would not be able to hold back and punch Qin Shuo.


    "Bring the new Prefect up to see Gu."


    He had thought that this person would be carefree, but it turned out that it was all for him to see. Had he really been blind recently? He had actually made this kind of low level mistake again and again.


    After a while, the Prefect arrived.


    "Recently, there has been a sale of water sources in Sui City. Do you know about it?"


    Looking at the Prefect kneeling in the lower hall, Qin Shuo slightly restrained the anger in his heart as he spoke.


    "What?" This humble subject is unaware of such things. This person is truly audacious, to actually dare to commit such heinous acts. Your Majesty, please allow this humble subject to apprehend him! "


    When the Prefect heard him, he immediately exclaimed with a face full of shock.


    "Heh, at this time, we have already ordered Yin Fufeng to go and take care of it. Prefect, since you are the newly appointed parent official, you should be more attentive to the matter of Sui City, and definitely not walk the same path as the previous Prefect."


    "This humble subject thanks Your Majesty for his teachings. I will not disappoint Your Majesty''s mission!"


    Seeing that, the Prefect immediately knelt down to express his gratitude. Seeing that Qin Shuo was no longer blaming him, he turned and left.


    As the saying goes, a new official can only take care of a few matters. However, the current Sui City was simply too overbearing, and could only be slowly improved upon. However, there were still so many offenses that caused him to feel uneasy.

 C126

    Originally, he planned to leave, but when he saw the people summoned by Qin Shuo, Hu Xiao turned around.


    The two of them had never met before, but from the looks of it, it was obvious that it was Prefect from Sui City Heart. After listening to what Su Yun said, Hu Xiao lost her patience and wanted to turn around and leave, but she didn''t want to leave so easily.


    "Your Majesty, what''s going on?"


    Carrying a few snacks, Xue Mier saw that the atmosphere in the hall was not looking for something, so she walked in.


    "Why is Dear Consort here?"


    Xue Mier had already changed his clothes a long time ago, but she looked a little more young and tender than when she was wearing the clothes at the banquet earlier. She had originally wanted to change Xue Mier, but when she thought about the child in Xue Mier''s stomach, she felt a little unwilling, because the imperial physician had said that she must not let Xue Mier''s emotions go through a drastic change in the next few days, or else it would have a huge impact on the fetus in her stomach.


    "Chenqie remembers that His Majesty didn''t have much to eat at the banquet earlier. After returning, she had the kitchen prepare some food and brought it over. Even if His Majesty was busy, he shouldn''t have eaten anything."


    His cute and innocent appearance and the posture of a little girl made Qin Shuo a little irritated. Although it prevented the child in Xue Mier''s womb, he could only suppress the anger in his heart.


    During the banquet, Xue Mier had indeed gone a little overboard with what she did, it was just a mere imperial concubine, but that limelight had actually suppressed Hu Xiao, the empress, by several times. It was really disrespectful, even if it was in private, but when it came to showing this to the people of the world, the Imperial Consort Xue must be obedient to the empress, and definitely must not be like this!


    "This Dear Consort is worried. Let''s put down the food first. This Dear Consort should go back and rest well."


    Xue Mier''s appearance was truly not enough for her to stay behind like Hu Xiao and listen to their discussion.


    "Your Majesty, your concubine has been resting in her room for far too long and is currently unable to sleep. Your Majesty, allow your concubine to ask, is this person the new Prefect? What in the world was going on? Why did you keep on kneeling? "


    Xue Mier gasped in surprise, as if someone was kneeling beside him.


    "Nothing."


    He originally thought that Qin Shuo would try to coax him like he did in the past, but he was disappointed.


    "Your majesty, the current situation with the Sui City has not stabilized yet, so we must not let our guard down first. The newly appointed Prefect might be in the wrong, but after all, he is still new to the job and many things are still unclear, why not your majesty forgive him this time?"


    Just now, Xue Mier had heard Qin Shuo scolding this man when he was outside the door. If this person could save a bit of gratitude for, then it would probably be useful in the future.


    In the past few days, Qin Shuo had been taking too much care of his, and Hu Xiao had always been interfering with the affairs of the imperial court, and even now, Qin Shuo had changed his original route to come here. She, Xue Mier, did not believe that she was a concubine who had a dragon seed, and could not compare to Hu Xiao?


    "Wei Shi, send Imperial Consort Xue back to her room to rest. Imperial Consort Xue is pregnant, you absolutely cannot be tired like this.


    Seeing that Xue Mier still wanted to say something, Qin Shuo waved his hands impatiently, but the tone in his voice sounded as if he was doing it for her good.


    "Then chenqie will take her leave first."


    Since he had already achieved his goal, it was no longer urgent for Qin Shuo to send him back.


    Seeing Xue Mier slowly walking away, Qin Shuo rubbed between his brows, feeling even more agitated.


    "Let''s go down."


    Seeing that the Prefect was still kneeling on the ground, he impatiently chased him away.


    Seeing that, Hu Xiao also turned to leave, but in her heart, she felt that Xue Mier was really stupid.


    "Hmm? Isn''t this Empress? At the banquet today, His Majesty had said that the Empress wasn''t feeling very well. Is elder sister feeling better? "


    After sending the Courtier Wei back, Xue Mier was just about to walk back leisurely when she saw the figure in front of him, and immediately caught up. Today was the first time that Hu Xiao lost face like this in front of him, so it must be an extremely great matter.


    Hu Xiao cursed in her heart as she turned to look at Xue Mier with a smile.


    Hehe, in this way, I thank the Imperial Consort Xue for her concern. I am indeed not feeling very well at today''s banquet, but I am better after going back to rest.


    Just as she wanted to say her farewells and leave, Xue Mier seemed to not want that person to leave so easily.


    "Today at the banquet, my sister is truly sorry, it was clearly my own banquet, but my sister is already fighting for the host, please do not blame me, I just thought that I had never done it in such a way in the East Court, and came to help out my sister, but I never thought that it would turn into this."


    As she looked at Xue Mier with a fake smile, Hu Xiao felt very impatient in her heart. But because of the dragon seed in Xue Mier''s stomach, she could only hold it in no matter how much she wanted to.


    He couldn''t help but move further away from Xue Mier, afraid that he would accidentally slap Xue Mier in the face.


    But Hu Xiao being like this, in Xue Mier''s eyes, was akin to being afraid of her. After all, she had never seen Hu Xiao acting so domineeringly in front of him.


    In the past, Hu Xiao did not fear the heavens or the earth. But now, for the first time ever, he had conceded to her and indeed, she was afraid of her.


    "Imperial Consort Xue, you should be very clear about the relationship between the two of us, so there''s no need to call me sister. After all, I am not someone who can afford to be called a Imperial Consort Xue."


    Just as Hu Xiao was about to turn and leave, before sshe could leave, he heard Xue Mier exclaim in shock.


    "Elder sister, elder sister doesn''t need to be like this. Your Majesty has indeed favored your concubine in the past few days. Your concubine is currently harboring a grudge against your elder sister. Why must your elder sister be so vicious?"


    Hu Xiao glanced at Xue Mier, sshe did not want to argue anymore, he turned and left, but she had still underestimated Xue Mier.


    "Ah!"


    "Someone come quickly, someone come, go find an imperial physician!"


    Before she walked very far, she heard someone shouting behind him. Hu Xiao was startled, she turned and saw that Xue Mier had already fallen to the ground, and blood seemed to be flowing out from between her legs.


    He anxiously ran over to Xue Mier''s side and was just about to help Xue Mier up from the ground, but why would Xue Mier do as Hu Xiao wished?


    Before he could stabilize his position, he was pushed aside by Xue Mier''s palm. It was a good thing he didn''t die, but Xue Mier''s palm had coincidentally pushed towards where Hu Xiao was injured, and on the day of their departure, Xue Mier''s wounds were not fully healed yet, so she was just forcefully holding on on on on the road. There was no need for the boat carriage to tire so much for the past few days, only blood slowly emerging from Hu Xiao''s chest.

 C127

    In that split-second, the two of them had already surrounded many people. Qin Shuo naturally heard Xue Mier''s shout, and did not care about anything else, as he turned and walked towards the direction of the shout.


    Hu Xiao and Xue Mier were lying on the ground at the same time, the astonishment on Hu Xiao''s face slightly stunned him, but the blood below Xue Mier''s body was also extremely shocking.


    "What about the royal doctors? Quickly find an imperial physician for me! "


    He suddenly felt a bit of fear and was unable to care about Hu Xiao who had also fallen to the ground. He forcefully lifted Xue Mier up and turned to leave.


    Seeing that, Hu Xiao could only slowly get up, the scene just now was not seen by anyone, Hu Xiao looked at the surrounding palace maid, only to see that everyone was talking slowly, but how could Hu Xiao not hear them with her good hearing? It was just that she didn''t want to bother with it.


    Yes, everyone thought that she was the one who pushed Xue Mier. Just now, when Xue Mier was about to leave, her eyes made Hu Xiao''s heart tremble, and she stopped worrying about her own injuries, and anxiously followed along with Zhi Lan.


    No matter what, just now, there were only the two of them here. If they did not go forward now, they would not be able to defend themselves.


    "Heh, Empress, why do you still have the face to come here? If something were to happen to my Dear Consort, it would be best for Empress to think carefully about how to account for it to me. "


    Looking at Hu Xiao who walked over in a daze, Qin Shuo changed from his usual kind words and spoke with extreme sarcasm.


    He had thought that Hu Xiao would try to explain herself, but he never expected that Hu Xiao would actually stay silent and only kneel in front of him. The expression on her face made several people feel even more unsure of what to do.


    "Your majesty, your majesty is in trouble. There was an avalanche in Imperial Consort Xue, and it is extremely dangerous now. Your majesty feels that both your fetus and your Imperial Consort Xue are in danger, what does your majesty want to protect first?"


    However, after the month, the fetus in the abdomen is very unstable, although just a slight fall can cause a lot of consequences, now is the time.


    "What did you say!?" Avalanche! Protector! No matter what, save the Imperial Consort Xue! "


    Qin Shuo did not dare believe it, and his face gradually turned sinister. Especially when he saw Hu Xiao still kneeling on the ground, her anger grew even more intense.


    "This is what the empress did!"


    Hu Xiao naturally heard the words of the royal doctors, but she did not know what to say to defend herself at that time. Although Xue Mier had fallen down on her own, since Xue Mier''s fetus was not preserved, who would believe her words?


    Although the surrounding palace maid was busy, the look in their eyes changed.


    That''s right, as long as Xue Mier''s baby fell like that, she wouldn''t be able to get away from it.


    The infuriated Qin Shuo was unable to see any expression on her face at all, all she saw that Hu Xiao was still kneeling on the ground without saying a word.


    Not caring about Hu Xiao anymore, she just nervously stood at the door to the room.


    and Qin Shuo''s hearts were in turmoil when they heard Xue Mier''s heart-tearing and lung-splitting voice from inside. Thinking about the child who was not even born yet, what did they not understand from the Imperial Physician''s words just now, this child was probably not someone they could keep anymore. A child that everyone looked forward to before they even looked at him.


    A thought flashed through Xue Mier''s mind. Maybe Xue Mier knew that she couldn''t protect his baby and thus fell down in front of her on purpose? She used this to frame her, and seemed to have understood something. Hu Xiao no longer knelt on the ground, and got up to walk in front of Qin Shuo.


    Hearing Xue Mier''s shout in the room, Qin Shuo who was standing outside the door felt extremely uncomfortable. Although he sometimes felt a little irritated looking at Xue Mier, but Xue Mier had already accompanied his concubine for a long time, he was powerless to do anything to this person who was suffering in the room.


    Originally, he wanted to say something to Hu Xiao, but when his face saw the area on Hu Xiao''s chest where the blood seemed to be seeping out, his face immediately froze on Qin Shuo''s face.


    Just now, she had thought that it was definitely because Hu Xiao had seized the opportunity to push Xue Mier away, causing her to be in such a state. But if it was only a light push, then why was the wound on Hu Xiao''s chest acting this way?


    Just now, Hu Xiao had been kneeling the entire time, but had not been able to see it at all. However, now that Hu Xiao had stood up, she naturally saw it clearly, but Qin Shuo still did not dare believe it.


    Now that she had slowly looked at Hu Xiao''s face, she was indeed different from her usual rosy complexion, and her face was slightly pale.


    "What happened to you?"


    The anger filling his heart also made Qin Shuo at a loss of what to do.


    "Don''t worry, Xue Mier will get away with it."


    Hu Xiao was like a child in front of Hu Xiao. Qin Shuo''s confused look made Hu Xiao''s heart slightly ache.


    He had long asked around, and knew that this child was Qin Shuo''s first child, yet he had left just like that.


    After thinking about it, Hu Xiao extended her hand out and caressed Qin Shuo''s hair.


    Letting out a sigh, he turned around and went back into the hall to do his work. Even if he stood at the door, it would be useless, Hu Xiao who had already thought through everything did not care anymore.


    Initially, he had thought that Xue Mier''s child would definitely be born this way, but who would have thought that such a thing would actually happen midway, causing Hu Xiao to be caught off guard.


    The two of them didn''t have to wait for too long before the imperial physician walked out. Just by looking at his expression, one could tell what the result would be.


    "Your Majesty, Empress, Imperial Consort Xue''s womb is gone. Although this person is not well now and her life is saved, Imperial Consort Xue probably won''t be able to bear it from now on."


    After saying that, he immediately knelt down, his expression was filled with fear, it could be considered bad news for the imperial family, the imperial physician was naturally afraid, furthermore, both Hu Xiao and Hu Xiao were temperamental and temperamental, quietly waiting for the results.


    "There really is no other way?"


    The expression on Qin Shuo''s face became more and more terrifying, and even Hu Xiao was barely able to resist the cold pressure that was being emitted from Qin Shuo''s body.


    He grabbed Qin Shuo''s trembling hand and forced himself to smile at Qin Shuo.


    That smile was extremely forced, but Qin Shuo suddenly felt that he still had Hu Xiao here.


    The imperial physician nodded his head gravely, and for the first time, Qin Shuo did not make things difficult for the imperial physician, but instead brought Hu Xiao inside the house.

 C128

    On the bed, Xue Mier was in an extremely sorry state. Xue Mier, who was normally well-groomed, was no longer able to see it now, and her hair was randomly scattered on her face with a painful expression. Seeing Qin Shuo walk over, her eyes seemed to flash with a ray of light, and actually made Qin Shuo somewhat unable to bear it.


    "Your Majesty, how is our child? Is she still in my stomach? "


    Struggling to get up, Qin Shuo, seeing this, anxiously rushed forward to support Xue Mier, afraid that she would cause her body to become more serious.


    "Mier, my child, no more."


    It was just six short words, but it sounded as if an entire century had passed. These words were too heavy for Xue Mier and Qin Shuo, who wanted to go up and console them, but Xue Mier acted as if she had gone mad.


    "Ah ah ah ah ah, Your Majesty, you''re lying to chenqie. chenqie can still feel the child in my womb kicking me. Could it be that Your Majesty is joining forces with the imperial physician to tease chenqie?" Your Majesty''s joke is not funny at all. Your Majesty''s concubine and child are still here. "


    As if she wanted to let Qin Shuo confirm his words, Xue Mier pulled Qin Shuo''s hand and was about to put it on his stomach to feel it, to feel the movement of the child she spoke of just now.


    Seeing that, Qin Shuo pulled back his hand. who had experienced this just now naturally did not have the strength of Qin Shuo''s hand, and was pulled out immediately, but after doing so, Qin Shuo regretted it.


    "Mier, the child is gone, we will not stop at you, the most important thing for you now is to take care of your body, and you don''t need to worry about the rest. Children are fated to be children, and we will still have children in the future, you don''t need to worry too much about that."


    Although he could not bear it, Qin Shuo still had to finish his words. Xue Mier could not stay still here, the child was gone, and she could still have it, but if Xue Mier let her body continue to praise him, then in the future, she would not be able to get pregnant again, like the royal doctors said.


    "Your Majesty ¡­"


    Seeing that, Xue Mier calmed down, but the calmness only lasted for a few seconds. Just now, Xue Mier could only see Qin Shuo, so naturally she could not see anyone, but now, she saw Hu Xiao''s expression became even more sinister.


    "Hehe, how could Empress dare to meet chenqie? Now that chenqie has been harmed by Empress to such a state, is Empress happy? "


    Although his words were harsh, the despair in them made both of them unable to do anything.


    "Imperial Consort Xue, your child no longer has anything to give. You don''t need to be so concerned."


    Her original intention was to come and see Xue Mier. Even though what Xue Mier had said just now was too shocking, with Xue Mier''s current state, he could not withstand the trials and hardships of others.


    "Hehe, Empress speaks so easily, just like how she pushed me back then. A child is in my concubine''s stomach, and not my child, so why would I care?"


    Just as expected, after hearing Xue Mier''s words, Qin Shuo''s face turned even uglier. It was exactly as he had expected!


    "I believe that the Imperial Consort Xue does not wish to see me. I will leave first after this."


    Seeing Xue Mier''s current state, Hu Xiao did not want to bicker with him. If she said a few more words to excite Xue Mier, it would be bad for her health. She was just about to turn around and leave, but Xue Mier''s words were getting worse.


    "Hehe, Empress doesn''t dare to look at chenqie? This concubine''s child in her womb is someone that Empress is unfated to see because of him. She actually managed to let this concubine rest with just a few casual words. This child will have, haha, this Empress truly has a good bearing, this concubine is ashamed of herself. "


    Hu Xiao didn''t want to leave this easily.


    "Imperial Consort Xue, we two know about the child in your womb very well. Since your body is more important, I do not mind letting Imperial Consort Xue speak a few more words, since I understand it. However, if the Imperial Consort Xue is so aggressive, you and I are not the only ones present."


    When Hu Xiao fell in front of her, she knew that she would definitely not let this matter rest, but Hu Xiao just couldn''t understand it at all. Although Imperial Consort Xue usually looked like a person who was scheming against others, Hu Xiao could never understand how Xue Mier would use her own child to do such a thing, so Hu Xiao suddenly realised that Xue Mier was perhaps not even fit to be her mother.


    Hu Xiao''s words caused Xue Mier to be startled by instinct, she carefully looked at Qin Shuo who was supporting her, and her face seemed to regain the expression of someone who was a thousand miles away, her heart was thumping hard, but even so, Qin Shuo''s hand that was supporting her was still extremely gentle.


    "Enough, Queen. Leave first."


    Seeing that Xue Mier still wanted to say more, Qin Shuo spoke anxiously, but even if Qin Shuo heard someone, he would not be able to. The wound on Hu Xiao''s chest seemed to be oozing blood even more seriously, and because Xue Mier''s situation was so unstable, Qin Shuo could not help but become even more baffled, as he did not want to see the situation in front of him.


    Hu Xiao left as instructed. Indeed, as a woman, Hu Xiao couldn''t bear to see Xue Mier like this either. Even if it was wrong, Xue Mier had lost a child after all.


    As she left without hesitation, Zhi Lan was worrying endlessly behind him.


    "What should we do, Empress? Would His Majesty believe in the Imperial Consort Xue because of this? Wouldn''t Empress be stomped under Xue Mier''s feet like that? "


    Zhi Lan was extremely discontented with the situation behind him, but Zhi Lan believed in her young miss''s character, as Hu Xiao had always walked around with Xue Mier, and even though Hu Xiao''s attitude towards the child in Xue Mier''s womb was always negligible, Hu Xiao had never once mentioned how she would allow the child in Xue Mier''s womb to grow, after all, Hu Xiao herself did not like this position, so why did she go and try to fight against a child?


    However, no one believed him.


    "It doesn''t matter. I will believe what I should. What I shouldn''t believe is naturally what I won''t believe."


    For example, Xue Mier''s cousin Wen Fuchen. If Wen Fuchen knew about this, he would definitely get entangled with him incessantly. Just thinking about it gave him a headache.


    "Empress?"


    Zhi Lan couldn''t believe it, after all the child in Xue Mier''s womb was a huge matter, but Hu Xiao was so calm and composed, hence she could not help but feel it was strange, but before Zhi Lan could say anything, a person quickly ran over to him.


    When the man stood in front of Hu Xiao, Zhi Lan immediately put up a guard and protected Hu Xiao behind him.


    "It''s alright. Go away, I want to talk to the Minister Wen."

 C129

    Looking at the guarded face Zhi Lan, Hu Xiao slightly smiled and stood in front of Zhi Lan, smiling merrily.


    "Empress is truly capable, and does not care much about it, but that does not mean that I do not care about it."


    Looking at the grinning Hu Xiao, Wen Fuchen however, his face was filled with anger.


    "What does Minister Wen mean by this? Do you want to be disrespectful to the Empress? "


    Seeing how the first sentence of the Minister Wen was already filled with anger, how could Zhi Lan endure it? She was immediately angered, after all Hu Xiao was a Empress, how could she allow Hu Xiao to be insulted by an official of the imperial government? Even if she was a court official, he absolutely could not do so.


    "Go away, this place can allow a little girl to be as impudent as this letter!"


    Seeing Zhi Lan blocking in front of Hu Xiao, Wen Fuchen''s anger grew even stronger.


    He had originally thought that with the help of the child in Xue Mier''s womb, he would be able to get a promotion with her, but now that the child in Xue Mier''s womb was gone, he might not have any more children in the future.


    "Zhi Lan, get out of the way, since Minister Wen has already said so, I do want to see how big and small Minister Wen is."


    Hu Xiao''s smile slowly disappeared, and she gently pushed Zhi Lan away, looking straight at Minister Wen.


    "Hehe, Empress still has such arrogance. Even though she was carrying a human life, she is still so calm."


    Hearing that, Hu Xiao frowned, just a moment ago she was still thinking about how difficult Wen Fuchen was to deal with, but now he had already arrived, it was truly a Cao Cao Cao.


    "How is my relationship with the Minister Wen? Furthermore, the child in Imperial Consort Xue has nothing to do with me, so Wen Fuchen is confident that it is inappropriate. "


    Looking at Wen Fuchen''s blaming face, Hu Xiao was not the least bit worried. It seems that Wen Fuchen must have received the words from the Imperial Consort Xue, but she never expected that Xue Mier, who was not worried about the child in her womb, would actually make Wen Fuchen come and find her.


    "Ha, is there anything else you don''t understand? At that time, only the Imperial Consort Xue was with him, could it be that the Imperial Consort Xue placed him in such a dangerous place? Or does the Empress mean that the Imperial Consort Xue will seek for its own destruction? "


    Initially, he thought that Hu Xiao would change her expression when she heard him, but she still acted as if she had nothing to do with him at all.


    "Hehe, Minister Wen really doesn''t understand my words. Since I said that this matter has nothing to do with you, and since it has nothing to do with me, why do you have to listen to my words like this? Or do you both know about this? "


    Wen Fuchen''s expression changed slightly, and the tone of his voice became sharper.


    "What does Empress mean by this? Does Empress think that this is an attempt by this official and this Imperial Consort Xue to plot against Empress? "


    Zhi Lan, who was initially silent at the side, furiously glared at Wen Fuchen when she heard this.


    Although Hu Xiao did not say it explicitly, what was there to not understand? After all, no one had ever treated their child so ruthlessly, especially the one in Imperial Consort Xue''s arms. That child was a living human, but Imperial Consort Xue was actually as vicious as him!


    "I did not say that, but since Minister Wen has the time to come looking for me, I might as well go and comfort your cousin, Imperial Consort Xue, or else your Imperial Consort Xue will die of depression."


    With that, Hu Xiao went around Wen Fuchen and left, she did not have the time to continue fighting with Wen Fuchen, furthermore, Hu Xiao felt that her body was getting more uncomfortable.


    But how could the teacher be willing to let Hu Xiao leave like this.


    Hu Xiao''s body was already on the verge of collapse, the wound on her chest was painful to bear, and because of that, she was delayed by Wen Fuchen for so long, it seemed like she was going to faint the next second. Seeing that, Zhi Lan anxiously rushed forward to support him, but because she was not prepared for Wen Fuchen behind him.


    Wen Fuchen extended his hand and pushed Hu Xiao away.


    Initially, he thought Hu Xiao would never fall because of this palm, but he never thought that Hu Xiao would have such a fragile flesh.


    Hu Xiao had already fainted on the ground and after calling a few times, Hu Xiao did not reply, but instead helped him up and quickly walked into the room. Wen Fuchen stood there in a daze, looking at the people surrounding him moving forward to surround Hu Xiao.


    He did not understand why would he suddenly be in such a state. Originally, he came here to teach Hu Xiao a lesson, but unknowingly, he caused Hu Xiao to ask about some extraordinary things, and even caused Hu Xiao to faint on her hands.


    The imperial physician who had just treated Xue Mier from the side immediately knew that Empress had fainted. She passed the medicine in her hand to the servant and immediately rushed back to Hu Xiao''s courtyard.


    Qin Shuo slowly walked along with the crowd.


    Looking at the Hu Xiao who laid on the bed, whose face was completely pale, it was as if she had returned to the day at Water Villa, Hu Xiao was also so weak, as if she would leave in the next second.


    Just now, he had already seen Hu Xiao''s blood-stained clothes in Xue Mier''s room, but Qin Shuo had subconsciously forgotten about it. He had never imagined that just after a short while, he was already lying on the bed in complete disinterest.


    When they arrived, they had already seen Wen Fuchen standing by the side of the road, but Qin Shuo didn''t seem like he was talking nonsense with Wen Fuchen at all.


    Your Majesty, this is due to the blood clot on Empress''s wounds. She suffered a heavy blow just now, which is why she has a relapse.


    In a single day, His Majesty''s Empress was unconscious, and Imperial Consort Xue was still unlucky. Even if she was as strong as Qin Shuo, her heart was still grown big, how could she take it?


    "Your Majesty, please take care of the dragon''s body."


    He still wanted to say something, but Qin Shuo waved his hand and the imperial physician followed Miss Zhi Lan down.


    The surroundings were extremely quiet, so quiet that only Hu Xiao''s weak breathing could be heard. How could he have forgotten? Hu Xiao would rather block her own back seat for the sake of the commoners, why would she have such malicious intentions just because of the child in Xue Mier''s stomach?


    If South Yue still existed, then she, Hu Xiao, would only be the Empress of the East Court. Hu Xiao was naturally aware of this matter, so why frame the child in Xue Mier''s womb?


    Thinking about it, letting Hu Xiao leave at that time had also made Hu Xiao very dissatisfied. After all, with Hu Xiao''s character, how could she bear with her words?


    As he was about to say something, Hu Xiao''s finger seemed to move a little.

 C130

    He stopped talking, waiting quietly for Hu Xiao to wake up.


    Slightly struggling, Hu Xiao felt a tinge of pleasant surprise in her heart when she saw the Qin Shuo that sat by her side the last time she was unconscious.


    "You ¡­"


    Just as he was about to speak, he was interrupted by Qin Shuo.


    "Shh, you''ve only just woken up. Rest for a moment, you just fainted because of the recurrence of the wound."


    Simply speaking, after explaining the reason just now, he had originally allowed Hu Xiao to speak in a casual manner, but before seeing any reaction from Hu Xiao, she was already stunned before she could even raise her head.


    Just as he was about to raise his head, he was caught by Hu Xiao.


    "Thank you."


    When she woke up from her coma, she felt that it was too good to have someone standing by her side, so good that Hu Xiao felt like she couldn''t feel any pain.


    Never would he have thought that Hu Xiao would actually say these words. Hu Xiao, who had always been fearlessly provoking trouble, would actually also express her thanks.


    "Don''t worry about it, you''re the lonely empress after all."


    So it was only because she was the empress, but Qin Shuo was good to everyone. Had she forgotten that she was a princess of South Yue in the first place, so Qin Shuo took care of her in every possible way?


    "How is Imperial Consort Xue?"


    Wen Fuchen came to settle the score with him in the first place, but unfortunately, he actually fainted in this kind of situation.


    "My mood is still unstable."


    Yes, a living child moving down this path, naturally, he was unhappy. Hu Xiao originally did not like to casually guess, but Xue Mier and Wen Fuchen''s method was too excessive.


    At that time, Hu Xiao thought that since she did not hear too much noise, there must be something wrong with the child in Xue Mier''s womb.


    After all, her cousin had caused him to faint, and his position and position was higher than Xue Mier''s. It was clear from Qin Shuo''s appearance that she would not allow him to be framed like this.


    "It''s fine, there''s no need to worry too much about it. Gu Shenwei won''t have anyone come up to disturb the empress. The empress can rest up for a few days."


    Seeing that Hu Xiao was just too weak, Qin Shuo left after staying for a while. Although he would not blame Hu Xiao, but Xue Mier had lost a child, so she did not mind.


    "Empress."


    Once Qin Shuo left, Zhi Lan quickly ran in.


    "What''s wrong with you?" "Why are you in such a hurry?"


    Hu Xiao was not weak, she just did not know what to say to Qin Shuo, and could only allow him to leave.


    "Empress, did His Majesty make things difficult for you?"


    Just now, Qin Shuo''s appearance seemed extremely terrifying, to be able to cause no one to wait on him, he was definitely worried.


    "Nope."


    Seeing that, Hu Xiao shook her head, she knew what Zhi Lan was worried about, but it was alright now, at the moment, Qin Shuo would not pursue the matter.


    "Then what about Empress, Minister Wen?"


    When Zhi Lan heard this, she relaxed, and the good impression she had of Qin Shuo grew even more. After all, even if Xue Mier knew that it had nothing to do with Hu Xiao, the person who stood at the side when Hu Xiao did what she did had never expected Qin Shuo to give up on the investigation just like that.


    When the time comes, we will act accordingly. If Xue Mier and the rest still want to continue pestering me, then we will see. "


    Whether or not Wen Fuchen would be alright all depended on Xue Mier and Wen Fuchen''s performance, but those two people truly did not feel like they were doing.


    "Yes, Empress."


    Seeing that, Zhi Lan could only suppress the thought in her mind, seeing Hu Xiao rubbing her brow, she comforted Hu Xiao a little before turning and walking back to the place where the medicine was being brewed.


    Inside Xue Mier Hall.


    "Cousin, are you in high spirits?"


    He stood there for a long time, but did not see anyone who wanted to do anything to him. It was as if he did not see half of it, only that Qin Shuo anxiously followed behind the imperial physician and left with Hu Xiao.


    After thinking about it, Wen Fuchen turned around and walked into Xue Mier''s Bedchamber.


    It seemed like there were no servants by Xue Mier''s side. Without even thinking, he rushed towards Xue Mier.


    Since Hu Xiao had no solution at the moment, then she might as well go and discuss it with Xue Mier.


    "Mier, how are you feeling?"


    Looking at Xue Mier who was lying on the bed, Wen Fuchen felt extremely depressed just now. However, looking at his weak state made Wen Fuchen''s anger rise even higher.


    "Cousin, what happened over there?"


    There were no longer any outsiders now, if he wanted Xue Mier to maintain the same title as Hu Xiao, it would simply make Xue Mier feel depressed.


    "Cousin brother went to confront the Queen just now, I don''t know why, but the Queen fainted all of a sudden, I think the Majesty is still accompanying the Queen, and this newbie won''t be able to defeat the old one so quickly, Mier, to be honest, you don''t have any children in your womb."


    After hesitating for a long time, Wen Fuchen finally asked the question that was on his mind. What Hu Xiao said just now was not without reason, but every time she heard the imperial physician say that the child inside was safe and sound.


    But since even the imperial physician had spoken like that, how could he just drop the child like that?


    "Cousin, do you not believe me?"


    Hearing Wen Fuchen''s words, Xue Mier was shocked, why would Wen Fuchen say such words, could it be that Hu Xiao said something to him?


    The expression on his face changed again and again. He was already very familiar with Xue Mier, and now that he saw Xue Mier''s guarded look, what else could he understand? He sighed in his heart. It was as he had expected.


    "Mier, my cousin naturally believes in you."


    Seeing that, Xue Mier''s heart that was tensed just now started to sink. No matter what, Wen Fuchen would definitely stand by her side, so it was not considered as one on one.


    "It''s just that, Cousin, the situation is extremely critical right now. Mier, you just lost your child, so His Majesty naturally lost some of his previous favors.


    "Cousin, we should continue the plan we did not complete last time. Since it''s within the Sui City, and the Sui City is everywhere in the city, if she were to die under these people, why would we need to worry about it?"


    Xue Mier thought for a while and said, yes, now there was a natural opportunity, as long as they instigate it within the commoners, or let the assassins pretend to be commoners, even if it was normal times when Hu Xiao died, they would not be able to find him.


    "This plan is good. This time, we have to be a bit more efficient. Don''t let anyone catch you red-handed, this is for the best ¡­"


    When Xue Mier heard this, she agreed with what Wen Fuchen had just said. In this way, she could solve a problem.

 C131

    The two of them discussed for a while. Seeing that it was getting late, Wen Fuchen left early, even though he was pained by Xue Mier''s misfortune, but Xue Mier was still Qin Shuo''s concubine after all.


    After lying on the bed for a whole day, all of the people who came to visit were stopped by Zhi Lan and Qin Shuo. Finally, with the permission of the imperial physician, Hu Xiao was so happy that she wanted to kneel down in front of the imperial physician.


    It was because of Zhi Lan and Qin Shuo''s nervousness that Hu Xiao thought that she had not seen anyone for a long time.


    Once she was able to jump off the bed, Hu Xiao could not wait and walked towards Mr Mo Zhu''s residence. It had already been a few days, and the things would probably be ready.


    "Oh my god, finally let me go out, Zhi Lan you don''t know, if you don''t let me out, I''m afraid I won''t be myself."


    Maybe he just died in bed.


    Hu Xiao had always felt that the reason why she had been here for so long was entirely because Qin Shuo and Zhi Lan did not want him to stay at home.


    "Empress, you should let go of that thought in your heart. If this servant and His Majesty were to obstruct Empress, I believe that Empress might not even be able to get out of bed by now."


    It was not that Zhi Lan was stopping him, but rather, as long as Hu Xiao was allowed to go out, he would definitely jump up and down. It would be weird if her wounds were to recover and she had been in her room for such a long time, so Hu Xiao probably would not think about it anymore.


    "Zhi Lan."


    Hu Xiao naturally knew what Zhi Lan wanted to say, but sshe also didn''t feel the need to do so. After all, according to Hu Xiao''s own thoughts, they were also like this, but even so, he was unwilling to just be locked up for a few days!


    After that, she no longer cared about Zhi Lan''s teachings behind her as she hastily ran forward, afraid that she would be caught by Zhi Lan and taken back.


    On the other hand, Mo Zhu''s courtyard was unexpectedly bustling with activity. There were people who should have been there, but not a single one should have been there.


    "What, the two of you are together again?"


    When Hu Xiao entered the door, she saw the few people she was most familiar with sitting together with.


    Those few people were talking passionately just now, but when they heard Hu Xiao, they felt as if they were forbidden from speaking. All of them turned to look at Hu Xiao who was at the entrance.


    "Greetings Empress."


    "Is this great news from Empress?"


    After a simple bow, Yin Fufeng asked curiously.


    Earlier, when he heard that Hu Xiao had fainted from her injuries, Yin Fufeng anxiously went over to see what exactly this situation was, but he was blocked by Qin Shuo several times in a row, and every time, Yin Fufeng would immediately give up, because after Hu Xiao herself woke up, she would definitely come looking for him.


    "Yeah, much better. I''ve troubled you guys for the past few days."


    After all, she knew that Yin Fufeng and Zhao Qiyan would come here every single time, but no matter what, she could not see them.


    "It doesn''t matter. The safety of my Phoenix Body is the most important thing."


    Yin Fufeng replied with a smile, but his tone was filled with ridicule.


    Seeing that the ingot by her side was about to cook, Hu Xiao could not continue chatting with the few of them, and walked towards the ingot.


    "Yuanbao, get out of the way. Big Sister will show you what she can do!"


    Without waiting for the ingot to react, he forcefully pushed the ingot away.


    "Empress! "You will?"


    Yuanbao looked at Hu Xiao suspiciously. After all, no matter how one looked at it, Hu Xiao was someone who couldn''t even touch the Yang Spring Water.


    Even Zhi Lan had a tragic look on her face, after all, she had never seen Hu Xiao cook before. However, Zhi Lan herself knew that Hu Xiao was already tired of it and had let him be willful once, so she reckoned that Hu Xiao would probably give the stove to Yuanbao after she was satisfied, and would at least be able to keep the remaining ingredients.


    The few of them stopped what they were doing and stood in front of Hu Xiao, looking at him. After all, with Hu Xiao''s identity, she did not need to cook, maybe Hu Xiao had really done well.


    Slowly, their initial suspicion turned into disbelief.


    When the dishes were served from the wok, they were both delicious and delicious. Just thinking about how good the dishes looked was already, it would be an excellent idea.


    "Empress is truly proficient in everything. I never expected that this cooking method would be so excellent."


    As he tasted the food Hu Xiao cooked, Yin Fufeng couldn''t help but praise it.


    "Hur hur, that''s only natural. I''ve once taken a cooking lesson!"


    "¡­ ¡­"


    Ye Zichen hurriedly covered his mouth. She seemed to have said something amazing just now.


    "Haha, I secretly learned it from a chef at South Yue for a few days, hehe."


    Hu Xiao said, and then the few of them started to react, but they did not notice Zhi Lan''s suspicious expression.


    In the past, Hu Xiao would never be willing to enter the kitchen, why would she still learn culinary arts from the imperial physicians? There were too many flaws in Hu Xiao''s words, but when she thought about how Hu Xiao had once disappeared for a period of time, she realized that it was possible that she had learnt it at that time, but, looking at Hu Xiao who spoke so confidently, Zhi Lan felt that it didn''t seem right.


    Although Zhi Lan had covered up her intentions well, Hu Xiao had still caught it, and felt a bit guilty. After all, looking at how Zhi Lan took care of him, and asking more or less, Zhi Lan seemed to be following him around, as for the flaws in her words just now, Hu Xiao herself was clear, but she did not panic.


    After all, he was a soul here, and the main body was Hu Xiao. Even if she suspected, she wouldn''t be able to find any evidence.


    Under the atmosphere of endless praises, the bottom of the plate was quickly revealed.


    "Empress, I''ve heard that all of the children in your Imperial Consort Xue''s womb seem to have such reasons ¡­"


    Mo Zhu was silent for a long time. After a moment of hesitation, he asked the question that was on his mind.


    Once Mo Zhu''s words came out, the lively scene became somewhat quiet and awkward for a moment. However, Yin Fufeng and Zhao Qiyan were also extremely curious about the cause of this matter.


    "What if I say that this has nothing to do with me?"


    Looking at the three people who were looking at him quietly, Hu Xiao said indifferently, I knew that they would ask me about this.


    "Since Empress has already said so, I guess it has nothing to do with Empress anymore."


    Yin Fufeng spoke slowly, but the meaning behind his words made Hu Xiao''s eyes fill up with tears. Even if the rest of the people did not speak, Hu Xiao knew that the few of them had the same intention, it was just a casual relationship, but to be able to be trusted by these few people, it was pretty satisfactory.


    "If this is the case, Empress''s current predicament is very disadvantageous for you. What does Empress want to do?"


    The few of them did not know about anything else, and only knew that the words that had been spread within the palace maid for the past few days were enough to put Hu Xiao in a very disadvantageous position.

 C132

    Hu Xiao had been in a coma for the past few days, so she naturally did not know anything about the palace maid Eunuch outside.


    She was helpless in his heart. She had already been in a coma for a few days, yet Xue Mier still had no intentions of calming down. Back then, Xue Mier''s fall had basically had nothing to do with her, but she was just standing at the side, yet, she actually touched the porcelain instead. This must have been the end result for Hu Xiao.


    Thank you Mr Mo Zhu for your concern, but I do not plan to respond to this matter, it has nothing to do with me, and even so, Xue Mier was not able to touch me, so let her do whatever she wants.


    Hu Xiao''s relaxed appearance was extremely elegant, as if a goddess had descended upon the mortal realm. She didn''t care about anything, but her face was filled with confidence, confidence to the point where she unknowingly made others worship her.


    "Empress is bold, I admit defeat."


    Mo Zhu heaved a sigh of relief, he and Hu Xiao could be considered as a friend now, if a friend was in trouble, he would naturally be extremely worried, but after seeing Hu Xiao like this, he could finally put down his worries.


    They were all so immersed in Imperial Consort Xue that they lost their children after being pushed by the, and had forgotten that the Empress was a princess of the South Yue, so they went to the East Court to make peace between the two countries. If they made a move on the Empress, then it would be hard to explain the situation to the latter, and the Empress was even the Duke of East Court''s savior, so they could rely on this to avoid all of the punishments.


    "Mr Mo Zhu praises you too much."


    Hu Xiao nodded, towards the praise of Mr Mo Zhu, Hu Xiao accepted it humbly, since she herself agreed to it.


    "Mr Mo Zhu, did you finish what I told you earlier? Due to the fact that I have been unconscious for the past few days, I have been delayed for quite some time. "


    If she did not delay them for the past few days, Hu Xiao would have long finished making all of them.


    "It''s ready."


    Mr Mo Zhu heard and replied.


    Hearing Hu Xiao''s question, the doubt in Mo Zhu''s heart became bigger, although the thing was done, although he had already heard Hu Xiao''s intentions, but when it was done, it would be hard for him to do it, and his heart could not help but admire Hu Xiao more, as it was truly difficult to think of and produce.


    "It''s good that you''re prepared. When the Japanese palace comes looking for you tomorrow, how can we go and try? Today''s time is already quite late. I still have to go and look for His Majesty. I''ll leave first."


    Seeing that, Hu Xiao was satisfied, she knew it was done, and brought Zhi Lan out in a good mood, leaving the three of them looking at each other in confusion.


    Inside the yamen''s side hall, it was very easy for Hu Xiao to find Qin Shuo.


    "Greetings, your Imperial Majesty."


    He placed the items in his hands on the table and took them out one by one.


    It was truly a table full of delicious dishes. Just now, Hu Xiao had already packed a portion of it into a box when she was cooking, and now she just so happened to bring it to Qin Shuo.


    "Hmm? The imperial physician said the empress can go down to the ground today? "


    Seeing Hu Xiao like that, Qin Shuo straightforwardly placed the report in his hand on the table, then turned and walked over.


    "Hmm? The magistrate office had a new chef? The taste of this dish is quite different from before. "


    He sat down and looked at the food Hu Xiao brought over for him to try in an extremely natural manner.


    "Haha, Your Majesty, chenqie was the one who made this. Chenqie is the new chef for this government. Your Majesty, you must remember to double the salary for chenqie."


    The dishes cooked by the original chef were too uniform. Hu Xiao had been impatient for a long time, and now it seemed that it was the same for Qin Shuo.


    "Is this the empress''s handiwork?"


    These words caused Qin Shuo to be shocked, after all, Hu Xiao''s cooking skills were actually so good, which was completely out of his expectations.


    "What, is Your Majesty looking down on chenqie?"


    Hu Xiao smiled as she looked at Qin Shuo. However, no matter how he looked at her eyes, if Qin Shuo didn''t follow what she was thinking in her heart, then he would definitely beat his up.


    "Hehe, the empress has misunderstood Gu Ruoyun''s intentions. I''m just a bit shocked. After all, I''ve never seen the empress cook before. The double salary that the empress mentioned just now should be done by Gu Ruoyun."


    Seeing Qin Shuo agree so straightforwardly, Hu Xiao was very happy.


    Seeing that Hu Xiao seemed to have already used it, Qin Shuo was not courteous anymore, Hu Xiao had changed from the usual rowdy and just quietly stayed by her side.


    In the past few days, Hu Xiao had been lying on the bed quietly, but Qin Shuo did not feel anything strange about him.


    "Queen, is it about Wen Fuchen?"


    After finishing his meal, Qin Shuo saw that Hu Xiao had turned around and was about to leave, so he asked.


    He was aware of the rumors that were spreading around palace maid in the past few days, but Xue Mier had lost a child after all. Although he had tried her best to suppress these rumors, there were still people spreading them behind her back.


    "Your Majesty, chenqie is only a queen of the imperial harem. Your Majesty can ask your concubine about the harem, but your Majesty should think about it for himself. In addition, your concubine can avoid pursuing the matter, but I request Your Majesty to properly discipline your subject."


    Xue Mier was lying down inside the house all day, and the only person who could walk around like that, was Wen Fuchen, but these rumors did not have much effect on Hu Xiao, so she could let her go, but if she gets any worse, then don''t blame her for being impolite.


    Heh heh, the empress is the empress of the imperial harem and also the empress of this world. Since the Empress and the Solitary Emperor are at the same time, the same is true for the Empress.


    Seeing Hu Xiao who was still as obedient as a kitten just now, when she heard about this, he erected her thorns, as if she wanted to injure the others too.


    "Your Majesty, you don''t have to do this."


    Hu Xiao sighed slightly. She naturally knew why Qin Shuo acted in such a way, but Hu Xiao felt that Qin Shuo had acted in a way that was too excessive, and was afraid that the empress of the empress dowager''s authority was higher than the emperor''s. However, why did Qin Shuo have to go against common sense, and rush to split his authority so that the empress could sit on equal footing with him?


    "Queen, take this."


    However, Qin Shuo did not reply. Instead, he took out an order badge from his chest pocket and tossed it over to Hu Xiao.


    "Your Majesty, what does this mean?"


    Looking at the order badge in her hand, Hu Xiao was confused, just now she was still discussing about court officials and such, why did she suddenly throw a order badge at him? Could it be that the emperor does things for no reason?

 C133

    As he played with the object in his hands, he realised that he had never seen this order badge before, and guessed the reason behind Qin Shuo''s actions.


    "This is a solitaire''s order badge, there are only three portions of it in the entire East Court, and seeing this order badge makes me feel as if I have seen a solitaire, and have received all the orders I have received from this order badge, as though I had received all the orders from a solitaire."


    Qin Shuo laughed at Hu Xiao''s strange appearance, and said slowly.


    What!


    Hu Xiao was stunned in place for a moment, she just now thought that it was fun to play, looking at the materials of the order badge, the colors were all high quality, her heart was still thinking about how much silver would be pawned, but now she felt as if the thing in her hand was scalding hot.


    He hurriedly kneeled on the floor.


    "Your Majesty, this token is too valuable. Your concubine dares not accept it, so I hope that Your Majesty can keep it!"


    With that, he returned the order badge in his hand to Qin Shuo, but Qin Shuo''s following words made Hu Xiao not know how to refute.


    "Empress, since you can sacrifice yourself for me, I''m only giving you a small right. If the empress still refuses to accept it, do you think it''s wrong to do it alone?"


    It was obvious that all of this was because she, Hu Xiao, was a princess of the South Yue, and the empress of the East Court. If this was really the case, then Qin Shuo should have done all he could to weaken Hu Xiao''s authority, so why was it that Hu Xiao''s authority was growing higher and higher?


    "This matter has already been decided by Gu Shenwei. There''s no need for the empress to continue trying to shirk it. It''s just that she has feelings for the empress, that''s all."


    Qin Shuo sighed lightly, as though it was a huge mistake for Hu Xiao not to accept this treasure, but Qin Shuo''s current state made Hu Xiao even more suspicious.


    "Since that''s the case, chenqie will respectfully obey."


    If something urgent happened in the future, he would be able to save his life. After all, although his own martial arts were not bad, he was still not a match for a large army. If things got to that point, he would be able to preserve his life.


    "The empress should have done so long ago."


    Seeing Hu Xiao take the order badge into her chest, Qin Shuo''s somewhat serious face instantly turned happy, but she actually saw a trace of a smile on the face of the ice mountain, which could be considered to be extremely difficult.


    "Hehe, didn''t chenqie feel that the token is too valuable just now? Chenqie doesn''t dare to accept it, but since chenqie has already accepted it, then His Majesty must not return. This token belongs to chenqie."


    After he finished speaking, he held it tightly in front of his chest, as if he was afraid Qin Shuo would take it back.


    Hu Xiao''s actions were too exposed, Qin Shuo merely took a glance before turning his head uncomfortably, and said indifferently after a moment.


    "Since I''ve already given it to the empress, I naturally won''t take it back. Don''t worry, empress."


    Could it be that Qin Shuo was someone who went back on his words? Since he had already given it away, he naturally wouldn''t take it back! What the hell does Hu Xiao think he is! Such a despicable person!


    Even so, thinking back to how Hu Xiao looked just now, his face showed uneasiness, but luckily Hu Xiao had her full attention on the order badge, and didn''t notice the uneasiness on his face.


    "Haha, Your Majesty has misunderstood your concubine. Since Your Majesty is so busy and worried about your health, your concubine will leave first."


    Carrying the treasure in her arms, Hu Xiao turned around and left with a bright smile.


    Although he did not see Qin Shuo''s face when he left, but the earlobes that were slightly red could not be seen clearly by Hu Xiao. It was extremely bashful, but looking at Qin Shuo who had such a beautiful daughter in the harem, how could he also have such shyness? Could it be that he was missing a girl from one of the families?


    He shook his head, wanting to throw out the thoughts in his mind. After all, Qin Shuo''s appearance was really too magical, Hu Xiao felt that she had forgotten about this scene.


    After a good night of sleep, Hu Xiao managed to get a good night''s sleep.


    After all, he had been injured so he had to wake up several times during the night.


    Giving Zhi Lan a casual wash, Hu Xiao hurriedly rushed over to Mr Mo Zhu''s courtyard.


    "Empress, your wound! "Be careful!"


    Zhi Lan said helplessly as she chased after her.


    The Imperial Physician had said that they couldn''t move too much, or else the wound would open up again. However, when Zhi Lan looked like she didn''t care about his wound at all, Zhi Lan couldn''t help but feel a little nervous.


    "It doesn''t matter. I know what my wounds are."


    Hu Xiao heard the words from behind and did not seem to care at all. After all, her own body was clearer than the imperial physician''s, especially when the wound was on her chest. The imperial doctor was a man and woman, so she did not dare to look at him.


    Without waiting for Zhi Lan to speak, Hu Xiao had already ran into the courtyard.


    Yesterday, they already knew that Hu Xiao would be here today, and Yin Fufeng, Zhao Qiyan and Mo Zhu had been waiting for a long time inside Mo Zhu''s courtyard.


    Hu Xiao immediately rushed forward and stood in front of the object that the three people were surrounding.


    "Is this what all of you did?"


    Hu Xiao was extremely happy as she looked at the gigantic object in front of him.


    The thing in front of him looked like a windmill.


    "What''s the use of this?"


    It had been done for a few days, but they didn''t know what to do with it.


    This thing is used to draw water, and it can also be considered an object to irrigate the crops of commoners. When the water is brought to the source of water, it can be used to guide the water on the object.


    The Sui City''s terrain was too high, and although the water source could guide the people to grow their crops, it could not lead the water source to the people''s house in the Sui City.


    "Then what if the Sui City is already rather high?"


    Mo Zhu was a little suspicious, previously, Mo Zhu had already seen the ditches Hu Xiao wanted to introduce to the water sources, but these could not directly enter the homes of commoners, so what was the point of this? The water would only flow smoothly, but he had never heard of anyone flowing backwards.


    "It is used for pumping water. The water will flow to another windmill and rise up, layer by layer, until the water flows smoothly."


    It was not like Hu Xiao had not thought about it before, but Sui City was too dry of a geology.

 C134

    The three of them were originally somewhat baffled, but after hearing Hu Xiao''s explanation, they still understood Hu Xiao''s intentions, and couldn''t help but want to quickly put this plan on the agenda so that the citizens of the Sui City can get over this natural disaster.


    "There''s no time to lose, let''s hurry up and check it out. The people here definitely don''t understand what''s going on. We have to see where this stream is going to go. We have to buy those lands."


    Hu Xiao saw that the three of them understood her meaning, and impatiently brought them along, ready to investigate.


    In the past few days when she had nothing to do, Hu Xiao had been researching on this matter. Although she already had a plan on how to find the water source, she still had to do it on the spot, if they didn''t communicate well, she still needed a backup plan, and without further ado, the few of them had to discuss it before they could leave Hu Xiao''s side.


    Without stopping, they rushed over to the place Hu Xiao had originally planned.


    It was as on the map. He placed the windmill at the bottom layer of the river and passed it up layer by layer. He recorded down the required amount of windmills and then followed the river to memorize the names of the land that he needed to occupy.


    Right now, it was actually very simple, he could remember and draw at the same time, and when he reached the city, Hu Xiao''s things were completed.


    "Alright, let''s go. We need to find a few land residents. After all, buying them for two taels of silver is still the right choice."


    Hu Xiao was dressed skillfully today, but compared to before, she looked even more valiant and formidable.


    "Empress, Young Master Hu, why do we need to use silver taels to purchase these lands? It can be said that we can use it to purchase these lands. Why do we need to spend so much money?"


    Zhao Qiyan, who had never felt pain for money in the past, heard the huge sum of money that came out of Hu Xiao''s mouth. His heart trembled slightly, but he did not know how to speak of this matter.


    "Are you stupid? The commoners are suffering from a natural disaster right now. If the imperial government were to forcefully seize their land, would you agree if you were a commoner?"


    Hu Xiao rolled her eyes at Zhao Qiyan, as expected, her brain was really thick.


    "If I were one of those victims, I would definitely fight with my life on the line against the imperial government!"


    Zhao Qiyan noticed that Hu Xiao was seriously asking him, and so he replied honestly. However, the moment he said that, Zhao Qiyan reacted.


    Now that she knew what Hu Xiao meant, she could not help but blush. Why did he ask her about such a stupid thing!


    "Alright, you have always been this foolish. It''s not like we only just found out now. Why are you being so bashful?"


    It was rare for Yin Fufeng to see his good friend in such a state, he immediately said happily, and this was the first time Hu Xiao said that Zhao Qiyan was stupid in such a serious manner, and even made Zhao Qiyan himself realize that he was stupid, Yin Fufeng could not help but to admire him.


    After a while, the man who brought Hu Xiao and the others to search for the land had already started to gather the people from the fields that were chosen by Hu Xiao and the others.


    "I say, Lai San, why did you gather us together? Someone wants to buy our land? Are you trying to trick us? "How can there be anyone foolish enough to want to buy our land in this world!"


    Lai San was the person who led the way for Hu Xiao and the others. She had already lived in the Sui City for more than thirty years, and normally, she passed her days by showing directions to others.


    When Lai San came looking for them today, he said words that they did not trust. However, the meaning behind those words caused their hearts to be extremely moved.


    "Hey, when will I, Rai San, ever deceive you? If I say it''s true, then it''s true. Look, these people are the ones who want to buy the land from you. "


    After he finished speaking, Lai San pointed at Hu Xiao and the others.


    As expected, the group of people who did not trust became more trusting after seeing the way Hu Xiao and the others were dressed.


    "I say, these few old men, do you guys know anything about the situation with Sui City? Now that our Sui City has been released, the natural calamities have started to spread. A few old men are now buying up the land of the common women, it''s really a disaster ¡­ "


    The woman really did not finish her sentence, but Hu Xiao heard it. It was because what they were doing was naturally something that they were trying hard to do, and it was something that outsiders would not be able to understand.


    "Old man, that doesn''t matter. Since we want to buy these lands, that is naturally our principle as well. We cannot tell anyone about it right now, but in the future, everyone will understand."


    Hu Xiao suppressed her voice and said.


    Although the seniors could not bear to see Hu Xiao like that, they could not resist the temptation of the silver in Hu Xiao''s hands. They immediately sighed, they did not know what the heads of these rich people were thinking.


    "Then this price?"


    Since Hu Xiao had decided to buy it, they would no longer stop him. However, the price also caused the price elder to be extremely worried. After all, with the current situation, he really didn''t know how much Hu Xiao and the rest would pay.


    Even if Hu Xiao''s price was pushed too low, they would still need to think carefully about it since it was not a small matter.


    "The price will be based on your previous sales price."


    Although the expenditure incurred was huge, Hu Xiao did not want to take advantage of the current situation of these victims.


    "Old man, we are naturally aware of your Sui City''s situation, and we are also aware of your family''s situation, but we are buying your land now because the next thing we are going to do is to benefit the citizens of your Sui City, so the following expenses are extremely huge. Old man, is your price lower than your previous prices?"


    Yin Fufeng anxiously said.


    At the moment, Qin Shuo had yet to respond, but he did not know the current financial situation, but he knew that this time, the investment in Sui City was too huge, and it was unknown how long it had been before he could take it back, so naturally, he could take it in a bit less.


    Hearing that, Hu Xiao frowned, but sshe did not refute anything, after all, he was clearer about the situation in the imperial court.


    She was the one who was too impulsive just now.


    When the few elders heard that Yin Fufeng was not displeased at all, they thought that the few of them would push the price down very low, but they never expected it to be so reasonable, even if it was slightly lower, they would still not care.


    Seeing that Hu Xiao had handed over all of her authority to handle the negotiations, she did not care about anything else and started to discuss the price with the other people.


    However, after a short while, they reached an agreement. After paying the silver taels, they wrote down a note and arranged for the people to start immediately.


    Passing the place that bought water in the city, she did not see anyone shouting anymore. Seeing that, Hu Xiao nodded her head, this efficiency was what Hu Xiao wanted.


    "Why is there no one else selling water?"


    "That''s right, why aren''t you here? If you don''t come, won''t you want us to die?"


    "It''s even better if we don''t come. Our citizens'' lives are already in deep waters. If we have to charge water as well, what should we do in the future?"

 C135

    After listening for a while, he didn''t pay any more attention to them. After all, there were comments on both good and bad things as long as he felt that it was the right thing to do.


    Seeing that Zhao Qiyan still wanted to go up and argue with the rest, when Yin Fufeng saw Hu Xiao''s expression, he anxiously pulled Zhao Qiyan back.


    "It''s more important to be serious, other matters are not important. Let''s go. Young master Hu has waited for too long."


    Hearing that Yin Fufeng mentioned Hu Xiao, Zhao Qiyan anxiously looked up, to see Hu Xiao looking at him with a smile, and anxiously struggling free from Yin Fufeng''s restraints, she quickly followed.


    Ever since he was tricked by Hu Xiao the last time, Yin Fufeng didn''t know why, but he was extremely afraid when he saw Hu Xiao''s expression. Then, he looked at Zhi Lan who was behind Hu Xiao and Miss Zhi Lan also looked at him as if she was looking at an idiot.


    Seeing that Zhao Qiyan followed his with a silly look on his face, Hu Xiao just looked at him and smiled. Then he turned and left.


    "Idiot."


    Seeing that Zhao Qiyan had caught up, Zhi Lan looked at Zhao Qiyan with extreme disdain, and also turned and left with Hu Xiao.


    "Sigh, Miss Zhi Lan, what kind of idiot is that! I was just trying to fight for the Empress! Those people had no idea of the Empress''s painstaking efforts and actually wanted to complain! Miss Zhi Lan, could it be that I did not do the right thing? "


    As he said that, he rubbed his head. He looked as stupid as he could possibly be.


    Zhi Lan only glanced at Zhao Qiyan, but did not speak. She only felt that Zhao Qiyan''s manner of chattering was simply too foolish.


    "What did you say?" The queen bought land for the people? Why did you do that? You go find the people and see what the queen is up to. In addition, find the owner of these lands. No matter what the empress wants to do, you have to let that person cause trouble! It would be best for those people to make the matter bigger. "


    Wen Fuchen heard the words of the person beside him, and tightly gripped the chair as he spoke.


    Didn''t Hu Xiao just wake up? What was she in such a hurry to do?


    Thinking back to what his majesty had told him that day, Wen Fuchen could not swallow his resentment. No matter what Hu Xiao wanted to do now, he would not allow Hu Xiao to continue walking like this!


    "Yes."


    After hearing Wen Fuchen''s orders, the people around him replied and then directly left.


    After seeing that person leave, Wen Fuchen seemed to have thought of something and walked out.


    In the field, Hu Xiao and the rest discussed for a long time before they called for people to dig a line. They wanted to dig a line to come out, but before long, a man ran over quickly.


    What are you doing!?" Why did you touch my field! "What kind of world is this, seizing our little people''s land in broad daylight?


    He saw the man snatch over the tools of the several people who were still digging, and throw them to the side.


    Everyone was still in a daze when they saw the man pounce towards the place where they had dug just now.


    "You bunch of scoundrels! Even though Sui City is dried up, this field is still my house, why are you digging without saying a word! "It really is a bandit!"


    Seeing that, the few of them stood to the side and looked at Hu Xiao. In order to not reveal her identity as a member of the imperial family, they all wore casual clothes, and even the few soldiers wore casual clothes.


    With Hu Xiao standing here, even if they were thinking about how to beat this man away, they wouldn''t dare to make a move in front of Hu Xiao. After all, when Hu Xiao had accidentally hit a woman because of a soldier, the tragedy would be remembered clearly in the soldier''s heart.


    "Oh? You say this land is yours? "What evidence?"


    Hu Xiao saw that the few of them were looking at him helplessly, and then, with a thought, she stood in front of the man.


    "You are the head? You robber! "This is my family''s land, right now you are seizing my family''s land, what are you going to do?"


    After all, looking at Hu Xiao''s white and tender appearance, she did not expect that she was someone who could beat up against him, and even if there were many people waiting on this pretty face, she could not be more shameless.


    "Hmm? This land was bought by me from an old man, and I''ve even signed a written contract. White and black words, you want to go back on your word? "


    Hu Xiao took out something from her chest and placed it in front of that person. Unfortunately, Hu Xiao had underestimated the degree of that person''s skin, and that man couldn''t read at all.


    "Hmph, I don''t understand again. Even if I have to sign it, I''ll be the one to take the damn old fogey. If I don''t agree, then this land will be mine!"


    The man looked at Hu Xiao unrestrainedly and said fiercely.


    "Oh? Since I''ve paid before, why don''t you give me back my silver taels? I won''t touch your place. "


    "Silver taels?" Humph! "You never gave me silver taels. Now that you have touched my land, even if you have paid me back silver taels, I will never give it back to you. I will also lose this paper!"


    He didn''t say much as he looked at the man lying on the ground.


    "Since that''s the case, this young master does not plan to destroy these papers. Since you do not plan to return my silver either, then let''s go to the magistrate court. Let''s see who the Prefect of Sui City belongs to."


    After Hu Xiao finished speaking, she no longer paid attention to the man. The few soldiers, upon seeing this, immediately picked up the man and planned to bring him to the Prefect.


    Hearing Hu Xiao''s words, the man panicked for a moment, but when she thought about the adults who spoke to him, she flung the man who was holding him away.


    "Let go! I''ll leave by myself. I''ll go to the magistrate court. Do you think I''ll be afraid of you?!"

 C136

    On the way to the magistrate court, everything went smoothly, so Hu Xiao looked at the expression on the man''s face and naturally had some considerations in his heart. It seemed to be authorized by someone, but she did not know who the person behind him was.


    The man was still proud of himself, but he didn''t know that the people behind him were looking at him as if he was a dead man.


    Prefect had already been waiting in the main hall, when the man saw Prefect, he immediately started to cry for his father and his mother.


    Prefect saw that the few people behind the man were a little familiar, but after thinking about his orders, he could only bite the bullet and speak.


    "Who is your subordinate?" Why was there a commotion? "And so on and so forth."


    Although he was speaking to the man, his eyes were sharp as he looked at Hu Xiao and the others, guessing their identity.


    "When you see the Palace Master Yin, you still refuse to kneel! It''s a good idea! "


    The advisor saw that Prefect did not speak, but one of them knew how to read people''s expressions. Seeing that there was no impatience on Prefect''s face, he immediately knew the reason.


    "Heh, just what is it that''s worthy of making me kneel?! Show this thing in my hand to that person. "


    Hu Xiao immediately said, and handed over the words she showed to the man to Zhi Lan, in order to prevent himself from being held back, Hu Xiao purposely made the person who signed the paper look like Zhi Lan.


    Prefect took the paper from the Military Advisor''s hand. With a glance, he rejected the paper.


    The signature was Zhi Lan''s name, and looking at the Prefect, Hu Xiao knew that there would be a good show to watch today.


    "Hehe, now that Sui City are selling land, they need the Prefect''s seal, if you do not have the Prefect''s seal on your paper, it cannot be counted. This official only heard what Lee Si said, did you move the thief from Lee Si''s house?"


    The Prefect casually placed the note Hu Xiao handed him just now to the side. Looking at Hu Xiao''s expression, she felt extremely dissatisfied.


    "Oh? Thief? I don''t even know when did East Court had such a rule. Why is this set of rules that you have recently made, Prefect? "


    Hu Xiao calmly looked at the Prefect, who was neither humble nor arrogant, and used his gaze to stop Zhao Qiyan and the others who wanted to attack him from behind. Instead, he spoke indifferently, as if the words from the Prefect did not have any effect on Hu Xiao.


    "Oh? That''s right, this is the new rule our Sui City have set. Since you came to our Sui City, you naturally have to obey our Sui City rules, so don''t drag things too far away from us.


    Her voice became more stern, but when she saw that Hu Xiao was still calm and collected, she became angrier and angrier.


    "So what?"


    Hu Xiao suddenly wanted to see how Prefect would judge.


    "Master, Palace Master Yin, you have to make me the judge! This person dug a huge hole in my field! "If this isn''t seizing private land, then what is it!"


    Lee Si saw the look on Prefect''s face and said happily, it looked as though he was about to win.


    "Since you have admitted it, send this man to the prison! The penalty shall be two hundred silver coins to Lee Si, which can be considered as payment for the huge pit dug in Lee Si''s land. "


    Hu Xiao was so angry that she laughed instead, the history was always shockingly similar, that day in the capital, she was already imprisoned by the Prefect, and it was the same now. For a moment, Hu Xiao didn''t know if it was her fault or if she was too unlucky.


    Seeing that, Lee Si was extremely happy as he knelt on the ground and expressed his thanks. Prefect originally thought that Hu Xiao would panic, but he still stood at the side calmly.


    "Someone, what are you waiting for!" "Put this person in jail!"


    When the Prefect saw that the bailiff standing at the side did not move for a long time, he could not help but feel infuriated.


    The yamen runners were still afraid of Hu Xiao''s aura, but seeing how furious the Prefect was, they did not care about anything else and rushed forward.


    Seeing that, Hu Xiao was not afraid at all, and even turned to face the attack.


    Without waiting for the Prefect to speak, Hu Xiao easily beat them up one by one.


    "How dare you defy me!" The crime is even greater. Someone come, someone come quickly! "Capture this traitor for me!"


    Seeing this group of people, Yin Fufeng and Mo Zhu cleverly stood to the side. After all, they were men who were powerless against chickens, and their swords shone brightly in the sky. This was an extremely dangerous place, they definitely could not stand here.


    Seeing that, Hu Xiao did not wish to continue playing, she rushed to the front of Prefect and grabbed her throat.


    "Don''t move!"


    He dragged Prefect''s body to the center.


    The yamen runner was unable to beat more than a few of them, and now even more so, seeing how Hu Xiao had grabbed Prefect, she did not dare to continue her actions. As the saying goes, we will capture the thief first, Hu Xiao was just like this, she was about to say something when she saw the person who entered the room.


    "Your Majesty? Was the man dressed as a man the Empress? Your majesty, this is truly negligent. Look at that Empress over there, how could she capture an official like that? "


    Wen Fuchen, who had followed in, saw that Hu Xiao, who was in the main hall, was pinching her eyebrows and speaking with a worried expression.


    "Hmm?" Looking at Wen Fuchen who had followed him in, Qin Shuo felt unsatisfied in his heart.


    "Your Majesty, the Empress is really too excessive. Not only is the Prefect capturing him within the yamen every two or three days, she even dares to fight like this within the yamen!" Your Majesty, if you don''t discipline the Empress properly, you might end up in an even bigger disaster in the future. "


    Wen Fuchen acted as if he did not see the impatience on Qin Shuo''s face and continued to speak, every word from his mouth was denouncing Hu Xiao.


    Qin Shuo glanced at Wen Fuchen. Could it be that Wen Fuchen had been following him because he wanted to see Hu Xiao in this state?


    At this time, the person that Hu Xiao had caught up with looked at Wen Fuchen who was behind Qin Shuo and became even more daring.


    In the eyes of the Prefect, His Majesty was a great character that Wen Fuchen had brought here to take care of himself!


    "Your Majesty! Your Majesty, leave quickly! These people were a bunch of thugs! This official can still hold on for a while! "


    Not wanting to lose face in front of his majesty, the Prefect yelled loudly, trying to get Qin Shuo to pay attention to him so that he could understand his painstaking efforts.


    "Put him down."


    The person who came was Qin Shuo, and as soon as he heard the servant report that Hu Xiao had been captured by the Prefect and was entering the yamen, Qin Shuo rushed over without stopping.


    The Prefect saw that Qin Shuo was calling out to him and tried even harder, especially when he saw that Qin Shuo did not leave, and instead walked in. On the surface, the Prefect was even more worried, and wanted to find a way to counter him, but only to see that the person who had grabbed him just now had already let him go.


    "Your Majesty, leave quickly!"


    Seeing that Hu Xiao had slowly let go of herself, Prefect turned and slapped Hu Xiao''s chest with his palm. Seeing that, Qin Shuo could not care about anything else, he anxiously rushed forward to support Hu Xiao who was about to fall after being hit by Prefect''s palm.

 C137

    "Scram!"


    Seeing that the Prefect still wanted to advance, Qin Shuo could not care about anything else, and wanted to push him away with a palm.


    He had never seen Qin Shuo this angry, especially after seeing Qin Shuo hurriedly catching Hu Xiao, an explosion went off in his head, it was as if he had offended someone he could not afford to offend.


    "Your Majesty!"


    The Prefect was just about to be released by Hu Xiao when he was grabbed by the man who came in with Hu Xiao. He was about to say something, but the man''s next words caused the Prefect to be stunned on the spot again.


    "Hehe, Master Lee, if you have time, why don''t you worry about yourself instead? Does Master Lee know who I am? "


    Zhao Qiyan grabbed Prefect, who still wanted to continue moving forward, and whispered into his ear.


    Prefect stiffly turned his head, and looked at Zhao Qiyan in front of him for a good while. In the past, he had only taken a single glance, and had never come into contact with him at such a close distance, and only then did Prefect realize who the person in front of him was. Only then did Prefect realize why he felt that the person was familiar, and also realised who he had offended.


    Yin Fufeng stood in front of him.


    "Master Lee? "What? Do you still want to punish us for our crimes?"


    When the Prefect heard Yin Fufeng''s words, he stiffly turned around to look at Yin Fufeng again. In the past, these officials would only glance at him from afar, so how could they recognize his appearance? They only knew his name, but didn''t know what he looked like.


    But now, he had actually offended all of them. The man who was carried in the arms of Emperor Qin Shuo was their leader, and his status was definitely higher than them. He had just sat up, and was in the Prefect''s position, which was not hot yet, so he might not hug.


    Even so, Prefect could not muster up any thoughts of resistance. It was not that he did not want to resist, but he knew that with his own abilities, he would be able to escape from this group of people.


    Moreover, even if he used all his strength to charge out, he would still end up being wanted by the East Court in the end. Since that was the case, he might as well pray that the Lord would protect him.


    "Why isn''t Master Lee saying anything? Just now, this humble one saw that the Master Lee was extremely mighty above the great hall. Master Lee wanted to know who the person in the arms of the Emperor was. That''s the empress of our East Court, ah, I forgot, just now Master Lee was the one who called us the empress of East Court, a traitor. "


    "Oh, right, there''s still that one more person. That person is our East Court''s Mr Mo Zhu, have you heard of his name before? Presumably, the Master Lee knows about this, since even the Emperor has to be respectful to this person. "


    With a bang, the Prefect was completely captured. The General Zhao, Prime Minister Yin Fufeng, the, the Mr Mo Zhu!


    This time, he had completely offended all the important figures in the East Court, and it was only because of one sentence from one person, and that mere five hundred silver taels of enticement!


    Oh right, just now, in order to perform a little better in front of Qin Shuo, he had actually struck Empress with a palm! His Majesty''s angry roars!


    It was as if he had just recalled the injuries on Empress''s body. If the injuries were to recur due to his own palm, then His Majesty would be furious!


    Before he could finish thinking, he was already hit in the stomach.


    "Your Majesty, this humble subject ¡­"


    A single punch was already enough to make the Prefect in pain, and Qin Shuo had even used ten times more strength just now.


    Fortunately, the that was injured was not injured on the other side of Hu Xiao, it was fortunate that Hu Xiao had reacted quickly and retreated quickly, if she had been injured in the chest area, Qin Shuo really did not know what to do.


    Every time Hu Xiao was injured, it was always because of him, Qin Shuo.


    "This is my queen. What, what did you want to interrogate her just now?"


    As Qin Shuo stood in front of that man, his expression was no longer as cold as before, and the cold aura that could be seen with the naked eye caused the Prefect''s heart to become even colder.


    "Your Majesty, this humble subject knows his wrongs!"


    Just now, he had already seen the look in that lord''s eyes, and this was the only rule that made him admit his guilt.


    "Confess your crime?" Just a moment ago, Gu Ke heard from you about the new rules set by the Sui City. Why?


    Qin Shuo didn''t want to go around this person anymore. He had thought that with the previous Prefect, this person would be able to treat this Sui City very well.


    "Your Majesty, this humble official knows his wrongs!"


    Other than saying that he knew his own crimes, that Prefect didn''t dare say a word. Right now, he could naturally see that the Emperor already cared about the Empress, and just based on what he had done to Hu Xiao, it was more than enough for him to accept it all.


    "Hehe, admitting your guilt now is quite straightforward. What, you actually think that I won''t kill you?"


    If it was anyone else, they would be able to judge him, but it was also because of this reason that Qin Shuo did not like it.


    "Your Majesty, if that is the case, it would be this humble subject''s honor to be killed by Your Majesty."


    At most, even if they caught the wrong person, Qin Shuo would always treat the nation with filial piety and benevolence. The Prefect wouldn''t believe that Qin Shuo would punish him to death just because of that.


    "Haha, Prefect''s face is full of ''Your Majesty doesn''t dare to kill you'', but don''t forget that I still have you. Your Majesty needs a good reputation, but I don''t need one, and my reputation has already almost been ruined.


    With that, Hu Xiao stepped forward and grabbed Prefect''s neck, and slowly tightened her grip.


    When they felt the movements of Hu Xiao''s hands, Prefect could also be considered to be close to death, and the surrounding people all had cold expressions as if they were watching a show. Even His Majesty had watched the empress make his move without saying a word.


    Finally a little scared, her eyes couldn''t help but look at Wen Fuchen.


    "I''m afraid that what the Empress did was inappropriate. After all, no matter how big of a mistake the Prefect made, he shouldn''t have committed the crime and not died."


    Wen Fuchen saw the look in the man''s eyes as he begged for help. Although he looked like he was pretending not to see it, if he suddenly offended so many people, even if Wen Fuchen was Minister Wen, he would not be able to withstand the combined forces of these few people to deal with her.


    "Oh? Minister Wen? Why are you here again? Could it be that you were colluding together? You came here on purpose to look for me? "


    Hu Xiao looked at Wen Fuchen who was behind him and pretended to be shocked as she said.