Chapter 53 Chapter 53 Yaoyao is so smart, I want to reward you...

Through the conversation, Jinyao learned that the boy's name was Cui Jingyu, the fifth in line, and others called him Cui Wulang.

He chatted enthusiastically with Jinyao, asking her name, her family, and her age, as noisy as a sparrow.

Jinyao was a little impatient, but because his smile was so bright, she couldn't resist and could only deal with it perfunctorily.

"I heard that my sister-in-law and my eldest cousin were engaged when they were young. Did you two meet when you were young?"

Jin Yao smiled and said, "I've never seen it before."

It's so annoying, could you please shut up?

Cui Jingyu said regretfully, "My eldest cousin is so old, why didn't my uncle choose me as his childhood sweetheart?"

Jinyao: What are you talking about?

She looked at Yun Qiao, and she understood: "Young Madam, are you tired? Why don't you go to the backyard and rest for a while?"

Jinyao nodded quickly.

Cui Jingyu groaned, his face full of disappointment: "You're tired so soon."

The boy's thoughts were written on his face. Yun Qiao thought that he must be very bold and not afraid of his son-in-law hearing about it.

She forced a smile and reminded, "Sir, my young mistress is pregnant, so it's normal for her to feel tired.

Cui Jingyu was stunned and his eyes unconsciously moved down. Jin Yao had deliberately worn a loose dress today, a chest-length skirt and a wide cloak with a plush trim. One could only see that her belly seemed to be slightly bulging, which was not noticeable unless you looked carefully.

Jin Yao quickly said, "Fifth Master, please forgive me. I will go first."

After saying this, he quickly excused himself to the Prince and Princess, and went back to the backyard to rest.

Since she had already shown up, the rest of the welcoming of guests had nothing to do with her. She just hid in the backyard. As a result, she met the wife of Duke Hengguo just when she was halfway there.

"Oh, Madam He." Lady Hengguo liked her very much and walked towards her happily when she saw her.

Jin Yao was a step too slow, and it was no longer possible for her to hide. Unfortunately, the wife of Duke Hengguo was not alone, and was accompanied by two unfamiliar wives of officials.

"Madam of the Duke." She had no choice but to kneel and salute.

"Why don't you go to the garden to welcome the guests?"

Jinyao smiled and thought quickly, "I'm pregnant and have morning sickness. I've already troubled my mother with all the chores. I just met with my relatives and I can't hold on any longer. I'm going back quickly."

Lady Hengguo lowered her eyes and looked at her belly. She tried her best to maintain a smile and held her breath.

"Your belly..."

Jin Yao's heart suddenly tightened when she heard this.

They wouldn't be able to tell, right? These women have all given birth before. What if someone with a keen eye could see that something was wrong with her...

"I can't see anything. How many months has it been?" Lady Hengguogong's words made her suddenly feel relieved.

"March, the fetus is just beginning to stabilize."

"It's still early. You are so lucky to be pregnant right after entering the mansion. Take good care of yourself and go back to rest."

After seeing off Lady Hengguo, Jinyao finally breathed a sigh of relief. Yunqiao sighed, "What did this servant say? Lady has a small frame, so if her clothes are loose, you won't be able to see anything."

"Go back quickly so that no one can see you."

Jinyao hurried back to Guanlan Courtyard. She suddenly asked, "Where's the bag of candy?"

Yun Qiao was on guard: "Young Madam, are you greedy?"

Jinyao is indeed a bit greedy, but she can't be so greedy that she can't even eat a piece of candy.

"No, this candy comes from an unknown source, and the young lady can't eat it casually." Yun Qiao refused to give it.

Jinyao was a little discouraged. He Anting had been very strict with her recently. She was not as indulgent with her food as before and he also gave a severe warning to the maidservants around her.

"Besides, you've eaten too much and your teeth hurt, and you can't just take any medicine right now. Please bear with it. The kitchen has some new Poria cocos and Euryale ferox cakes. Would you like to try them?"

"All right."

Qi Yue and He Anting were drinking in a pavilion across the lotus pond from the table.

"Prince Yin's case is almost settled. Once he's gone, will the emperor crown her queen?"

He Anting nodded: "Use the opportunity of the Queen's coronation to purge the old officials and promote new ones."

"Those old guys always want to stuff their daughters into the palace to strengthen the imperial family. I was wondering why the emperor was so anxious to crown a queen. I really thought he was obsessed with it. It turns out he was waiting here."

He Anting sneered, wondering how it was possible for an emperor to be filled with love.

There may be love, but it is insignificant compared to the country.

The banquet in the front yard was lively for a long time, and the noise gradually died down as the sun gradually set. Jinyao rested for an afternoon and wanted to go out for a walk, so she asked Yunqiao to help her walk on the path outside Guanlan Courtyard.

"The chicken soup tonight was pretty good. Ask the kitchen to make more tomorrow."

"Okay, no wonder I saw you use a lot."

The master and servant were talking when suddenly a maid came hurriedly up the path. She lowered her head and walked so fast that she almost bumped into Yun Qiao.

Before Yun Qiao could make any move, the maidservant apologized repeatedly.

"Forget it, let's go quickly, and be more careful next time."

The maid asked again, "I'm lost and don't know how to get to Haitang Garden. Please tell me, sister."

Haitangyuan was where Li Shishi lived, so Jinyao asked casually, "What do you want to see Miss Li about?"

He Anting had always instructed his servants not to approach Mu Garden unless necessary.

"Master He asked me to bring a message to Miss Li."

Jin Yao didn't think much about it: "That's perfect, I'll go with you, come with me."

The maid panicked when she heard this: "Young Madam, this is a private matter. The master said you can't know about it. You'd better not go over there yet."

"Is that so..." she said slowly.

"Then go by yourself." Jin Yao showed her the way and then left.

After she walked away, she thought more and more puzzled. He Anting basically would not avoid her or hide anything from her now. Moreover, how could He Anting be sure that the maid would meet her on the road and even gave the maid instructions in advance?

Jinyao stopped and wondered if she was overthinking.

"What's wrong, ma'am?" Yun Qiao asked puzzledly.

"Go call two guards and follow me to Begonia Garden."

Yun Qiao was startled: "What are you doubting?"

"I suspect there's something wrong with that maid just now. I hope I'm overthinking it." Jin Yao said as she turned around and walked, holding her waist.

Yun Qiao quickly ran through the inner palace and went to the outer palace to call two strong and tall guards to follow her to Haitang Garden.

Jinyao couldn't help but quicken her pace.

The lights were still on in the Haitangyuan house, but no one was in the yard. Jinyao was guarded by the guards in the middle. Yunqiao went forward and knocked on the door: "Miss Li? Are you asleep?"

There was no response from inside, and Jinyao's gentle expression furrowed into a frown: "Knock the door open."

Yun Qiao nodded and was about to kick the door when it suddenly opened by itself.

The wind blew towards them, Yun Qiao raised her hand to block it, and the vase fell to the ground and broke. One of the guards quickly protected Jin Yao in the middle, and the other rushed forward and pinned the attacker.

The maid was pressed to the ground. Jin Yao hurried into the house and immediately saw a scene that made her legs go weak. Li Shishi fell to the ground unconscious with a big bloody hole on her abdomen.

Jinyao shouted in a trembling voice: "Call the doctor quickly."

Then he bent down and reached out his trembling hand to check her breath. She was still panting, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

Cold sweat covered her forehead. Yun Qiao went to call for help, and the house suddenly became chaotic. The doctor came very quickly, almost being carried by the guards.

Jinyao was terrified: "Doctor, please save her, please save her."

No matter how naive she was, she knew that Li Shishi's husband was no ordinary man. If something happened... the He family would be in trouble.

Yun Qiao put a thick cloak on her and said, "Don't be afraid, Madam. Thanks to you for coming in time. Now that the doctor is here, Miss Li will definitely be safe."

Jin Yao leaned in her arms and sat on the armchair in the yard to watch. When He Anting came, he walked with a brisk pace, a frost between his brows, and his whole body had an aura as if he wanted to kill someone.

Qi Yue and Ye Yunheng followed behind, also with worried looks on their faces.

Jinyao's ears moved, she raised her head confusedly, and subconsciously stood up and rushed over.

"Husband." The delicate woman hugged his waist and called out with sobs.

He Anting held her in his arms, patted her back gently, and asked the guard with a stern look, "Where is the murderer?"

"She's been taken into custody. Our subordinates have interrogated her, but she refuses to speak. Miss Yunqiao said that her mistress saw her acting suspiciously while taking a walk, and she was worried, so she asked us to follow her."

"He must have sneaked in with one of the officials' wives. His target is very clear, that is Li." Qi Yue whispered.

"The banquet was a mixed bag, with a large crowd. It would be extremely difficult to investigate."

The county lady also heard about this and hurried over: "My God, how could such a thing happen in your mansion? Who is this girl?"

At this point, Qi Yue no longer concealed the truth: "We are following the emperor's orders to settle this girl. The emperor is deeply attracted to her, but due to government affairs, he cannot appoint a queen for the time being. If word gets out, those restless old ministers will definitely find a way to get rid of her and remove any obstacles that prevent the woman in the family from competing for the position of queen."

The county lady understood what he said in just a few words, and her face suddenly changed: "It's over, it's over. With something like this, how can the He family not be pissed off?"

Jinyao curled up in He Anting's arms. The man's broad chest made her feel safe. She gradually calmed down, holding her waist and fell into deep thought.

Miss Li is a victim.

If the emperor really valued her so much, how could he be willing to let her hide for so long?

Isn’t it safer inside the palace than outside?

He Anting held her tightly and said, "If you want to vent your anger on me, then vent it on me. It's my fault that I didn't take good care of him."

The county lady was speechless and sighed while covering her chest.

A quarter of an hour later, a smoky-white figure arrived at Begonia Garden, his face as gloomy as ink.

The yard was crowded with people kneeling, and Jin Yao was no exception. She secretly looked up at Xiao Zongqi, and soon, the imperial physician and the doctor in the room came out together.

"The girl is safe. Thanks to the timely discovery, the bleeding has stopped. However, we still need to see if she has a high fever in the next few days. Then she needs to take the medicine and change the dressing on time and rest."

Xiao Zongqi breathed a sigh of relief and rubbed his eyebrows irritably.

"Your Majesty, I failed in my duty today. Please punish me." He Anting apologized calmly.

Xiao Zongqi sneered: "You indeed deserve punishment, He Qing. Tomorrow in front of Xuanyang Gate, you will be whipped twenty times."

"Yes." He Anting accepted the punishment without any hesitation.

Jin Yao suddenly raised her head tremblingly: "Your Majesty."

Her voice was as soft as a cat's, and Xiao Zongqi didn't hear it at first.

He Anting frowned and looked at her. Jin Yao mustered up the courage to call out again. Seeing that she was scared to death and still called out to him, Xiao Zongqi deliberately asked, "Why, do you want to be punished with him too?"

"No, Your Majesty, listen to me... I was just walking outside with my maid when I saw the assassin sneaking around. I immediately asked my maid to call the guards to go to Begonia Garden and apprehend the assassin. Fortunately, Miss Li is lucky and has a good life, so her life is safe."

"So can the merits and demerits offset each other?" She looked at Xiao Zongqi eagerly, with a look that made people want to laugh.

Xiao Zongqi suppressed his laughter and deliberately kept a straight face: "This has already offset his merits and demerits. Otherwise, he would be demoted. If you dare to bargain with me again, you will be punished with thirty lashes."

Jinyao immediately shut up, bent down and knelt obediently.

The party lasted too long tonight, and after the punishments were met, everyone dispersed. Jin Yao and He Anting also returned to their own yard.

He Anting looked at his wife, who looked like she had lost her parents, and pinched her soft jaw to play with it: "It's only twenty lashes, I can bear it."

"I'm sorry I couldn't help you."

"How could I not help? The government said that if it weren't for Yaoyao, I would be demoted."

Jin Yao buried her head in his chest and sighed deeply: "Can I say anything bad about him? Is there anyone listening?"

"Walls may have ears, but just keep your voice down." He Anting said with a raised lip corner.

"That's good. I don't think he truly loves Miss Li. Then why is he so worried? He even wants to beat you up. It's strange. If he's so worried about Miss Li, why doesn't he send secret guards and assassins to protect her? Instead, he blames you and clears himself of all charges."

He Anting was really surprised. He originally thought that his wife was just venting and muttering a few words, but he didn't expect her analysis to be so logical.

Hearing this, his expression turned serious: "Yaoyao, he is the emperor. The heart of an emperor is unfathomable. There is no such thing as cherishing or loving someone. All feelings are based on exploitation."

Jin Yao raised her head: "But Miss Li is just an ordinary girl, there is no point in taking advantage of her."

He Anting's brows were gloomy. There was really nothing he had to take advantage of. He just happened to like her and took advantage of this liking to achieve his own goals.

The emperor's love can never be pure.

"Yaoyao is so amazing today. You are so smart. I want to reward you." He said seriously.

Jinyao asked curiously, "What's the reward?"

"I've just learned some new fingering techniques. Yaoyao, come and try it."

So it’s the same thing again. He’s going to be whipped tomorrow, so why is he being so vulgar today?

"Go ahead, go ahead. Let the officials give you fifty or a hundred lashes."

"Yaoyao is reluctant to leave."

The two of them argued for a while, and Jin Yao finally satisfied him because he was about to be whipped.

It was just that while using the fingering technique, it became something on her mouth, and he said something about asking her to adapt in advance.

The next day, Jinyao wanted to accompany him.

He Anting didn't want to, but Jin Yao insisted on going. She would sit in the carriage and promised not to see his miserable appearance.

"You want me to worry even more at home? I'll get a stomachache if I worry. Can you bear it?"

The veins on He Anting's forehead jumped: "It's up to you, Yunqiao, but don't let her see it."

Yun Qiao responded, "Yes."

The couple went out of the yard and met an acquaintance.

"Cousin-in-law, cousin, are you going out?" Cui Jingyu stared at Jin Yao intently, and the jealous old man caught his gaze immediately.

Jinyao didn't say that she was going to whip someone. Wouldn't it damage her husband's dignity if such a shameful thing were told to others?

She quickly said, "Yes, go and get the reward."

He Anting's eyes were indifferent: "Fifth brother, do you want to join us?"