Chapter 267 Undercurrents

The following day, at Cining Palace.

Princess Mingzhu nervously twisted her handkerchief, looking up at the Empress Dowager who was sipping tea.

The Empress Dowager put down her teacup, her tone almost eerily gentle.

"Mingzhu, did you go to your royal uncle yesterday to cry and complain?"

Mingzhu's heart tightened, and she quickly lowered her head: "Grandmother, I..."

"Sigh." The Empress Dowager sighed, interrupting her, looking worried.

"I know you are young, playful, and don't want to be tied down by marriage. How could I possibly want to force you?"

"But a woman will eventually get married. Finding a suitable husband who is of equal social standing and whose background you know well, and being a good wife and mother, is the right path and is truly for your own good."

She changed the subject, her tone still gentle, but with a hint of pressure.

"Your royal uncle is busy with countless affairs of state and matters of state. Such trivial matters should not be bothered to him."

"As a royal princess, you must be more considerate of the Emperor's will, behave yourself, and not act willfully or recklessly, causing trouble for your uncle and disappointing me. Do you understand?"

These words, though seemingly caring, are in fact a sharp rebuke and a warning.

Mingzhu's face turned pale upon hearing this, and she twisted the handkerchief even tighter with her fingers. She could only stammer, "Yes... Mingzhu understands."

As Mingzhu left the Cining Palace, she felt a chill run through her body.

Grandmother has changed; she's not the same as before.

In the past, whenever there was something she didn't want to do, her grandmother would never force her.

But things are different now. The Empress Dowager's attitude is firm, and she doesn't ask for her opinion at all.

Is she really destined to obey her grandmother's wishes and marry a stranger she doesn't like?

The more Mingzhu thought about it, the more aggrieved and frightened she became. She desperately needed an outlet for her emotions, and her feet involuntarily turned towards the direction of Weiyang Palace.

Mingzhu's eyes reddened as soon as she saw Jiang Huan.

She stood at the doorway, biting her lip, her leg hesitant to step forward, looking as if she wanted to say something but couldn't.

Seeing this, Jiang Huan quickly beckoned her over: "What happened? Who bullied you?"

This question was quite alarming; Mingzhu's tears immediately streamed down her face like beads from a broken string.

She rushed to Jiang Huan's side and grabbed her sleeve: "Your Majesty... I... I..."

Jiang Huan quickly patted her back to help her catch her breath: "Take your time, don't rush."

Mingzhu sobbed for a while before finally saying haltingly, "Today, my grandmother summoned me to the Cining Palace. She... she said..."

At this point, she couldn't help but choke up again.

"She said I was getting on in years and should start thinking about marriage, and also told me to behave myself and not to keep going to see my royal uncle..."

At this point, her voice suddenly rose: "If my uncle listens to her in the end, he'll really force me to marry someone I don't like..."

She bit her lip, then suddenly declared fiercely, "I'll go on a hunger strike! I won't eat a single bite! Let's see what they do then!"

Jiang Huan was both amused and exasperated by her childish threat, and reached out to gently pinch her nose.

"What nonsense are you talking about? Why are you fasting? It's your own body; what if you starve yourself?"

She pulled Mingzhu down to sit and carefully inquired about the events surrounding the Cining Palace.

As Jiang Huan listened to Mingzhu's retelling, her heart sank.

That old hag, she was definitely up to no good.

First they knocked, then will they have to use force next?

Alarm bells were ringing in her heart, but she remained calm on the surface, gently comforting Mingzhu.

"Don't be afraid, I'm here. I won't let you suffer any injustice. Besides, your royal uncle isn't an unreasonable person. He will always stand up for you."

It took Jiang Huan quite a bit of effort to calm the agitated Princess Mingzhu down a little.

After seeing Princess Mingzhu off, Jiang Huan immediately summoned Xiao Zhao.

"Xiao Zhao, keep a close eye on the Princess's movements these next few days, especially the people and things around her. If anything seems unusual, report it to me immediately."

Although Xiao Zhao didn't understand why, seeing her master's serious expression, she immediately agreed solemnly.

The next morning.

He Ling was having breakfast in her palace when that death-inducing electronic voice started playing in her head again.

"Urgent alert! The time until the plot point triggers is getting shorter and shorter. Danger is approaching. Please assist Jiang Huan as soon as possible to prevent tragedy from happening!"

Startled by the sudden notification, He Ling's hand trembled, and her chopsticks fell onto the table.

She panicked and lost her composure, her mind a jumbled mess, with only one thought in mind.

We must hurry and find Consort Zhuang. She's so clever, she'll surely have a solution.

She didn't care about anything else, lifted her skirt and ran outside.

He Ling rushed into Weiyang Palace in a great hurry, even forgetting to ask the palace maid to announce her arrival.

However, as soon as she rushed into the inner hall, she saw Huo Lin standing behind Jiang Huan, his arm intimately wrapped around Jiang Huan's waist, and his chin resting on the top of Jiang Huan's head.

The two were very close, and the sunlight shone on them through the window, creating a scene that was almost blindingly warm.

He Ling: !!!

[Oh no! Oh no! How did we run into each other again?!]

She stopped abruptly, almost tripping over herself, and her face instantly turned as red as a boiled shrimp.

Not knowing whether to go forward or retreat, I wish I could dig a hole and crawl into it right now.

Huo Lin's good mood was instantly shattered, and he gave him a cold look.

【Why is it her again?】

Is she my destined calamity?

【We'll find an old Taoist priest to subdue her tomorrow!】

Jiang Huan was also taken aback, feeling the sudden drop in air pressure from the person behind her, and inwardly cursed.

She quickly and gently nudged Huo Lin, signaling him to tone it down.

Huo Lin reluctantly released Jiang Huan, his tone clearly showing displeasure.

"You trespassed into Weiyang Palace without permission; where did you learn your manners?"

He Ling trembled at his icy tone: "This concubine...this concubine knows her sins, this concubine had urgent business with Your Majesty, and acted rashly in a moment of panic..."

"Urgent matter?" Huo Lin scoffed, clearly unconvinced. "Always making a fuss, what urgent matter could you possibly have?"

Seeing this, Jiang Huan was afraid that he would pursue the matter further, making He Ling even more embarrassed and delaying important matters.

She quickly tugged at his sleeve: "Your Majesty, please don't frighten her. Go to the Imperial Study and review some memorials. Don't delay official business here."

Huo Lin glanced down at Jiang Huan, barely suppressing his anger, and gave a heavy snort, which was considered giving Jiang Huan some face.

"Alright, but I will be back later."

He Ling only breathed a sigh of relief after Huo Lin's figure completely disappeared, feeling as if she had come back from the brink of death.

She looked miserable and almost knelt down before Jiang Huan.

"Your Majesty, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to. The system alerted me again, saying that time was running out and asking me to help you prevent a tragedy. In my panic, I..."

Jiang Huan shook her head: "Alright, alright, it's nothing. The Emperor has left. Tell me slowly. What else did the system say?"

Still shaken, He Ling repeated the system's emergency message.

After hearing this, Jiang Huan's expression also became serious.

Time is of the essence; the Empress Dowager will likely take action soon.

We can't wait any longer; we have to do something.

She hesitated for a moment, then looked at He Ling: "The situation is urgent, we need to split up."

He Ling nodded vigorously, "Your Majesty, what do you want me to do? Just... just don't run into the Emperor again..."

She added, still shaken.

Jiang Huan lowered her voice: "Okay, the system has an alarm function, we have to make use of it. You should pay close attention to the movements in Cining Palace, especially the people who are useful to the Empress Dowager. If there is any news, try to pass it on to me."

He Ling nodded vigorously: "Okay! I'll give it a try!"

“Okay.” Jiang Huan nodded. “I will be responsible for keeping an eye on Mingzhu and ensuring her safety. We will act according to the situation.”