Knowing she was in the wrong, Shia's tone softened. "I was just trying to help you..."

Help him care for his ministers and let him leave a good reputation for them. What's wrong with that?

Long Xinghuang got angry when he heard her words.

He never made her do these unnecessary things, but she never listened to him, claiming it was for his sake, but in reality it was for her own.

To put it bluntly, she didn't want to stay in the palace.

Since that's the case, there's no need for him to force her to stay any longer.

"It seems that the Holy Maiden has never taken my words to heart. Her repeated departures from the palace suggest that she does not wish to stay here. I should respect the Holy Maiden's wishes."

Upon hearing this, Shia exclaimed in surprise, "You want to kick me out of the palace?"

She would have been happy to hear this before, but now, for some reason, she felt a little reluctant.

"Guards!" Long Xinghuang shouted. "Holy Maiden Xiya has disobeyed my orders and left the palace without permission. Send her back to the palace and give her twenty lashes as punishment."

"Long Xinghuang, are you really going to hit me?" Xia couldn't believe it and felt extremely wronged, so she actually called him by his name in front of everyone.

"How dare you! You dare to address the Emperor by his given name! This is utter disrespect and, according to the law, you should be executed!" He Siyue retorted, her voice trembling with rage.

Seeing that Shia's luck value had already fallen below the standard threshold, Qi Tong anxiously said, "[It's over, it's over, it's over! Her luck value has dropped below the standard! Good heavens, she's even more arrogant than you! When you called him by his name, at least it was just the two of you, but she did it in public!]"

Mu Tiantian: 【...My daughter? I'm not like her. If I had known I could come back, I definitely wouldn't have done that. I'm so sorry for my life.】

She was lucky to survive calling the emperor by his name in public.

"Consort He, I am still here. When did it become your place to judge me?" Long Xinghuang said coldly.

He Siyue trembled and quickly knelt down, "Your Majesty, I spoke without thinking. I beg Your Majesty to have mercy."

"Guards, escort Consort He back to the palace. Since you're so quick to speak, you should learn to shut up first." As soon as Long Xinghuang finished speaking, the guards were about to take He Siyue away.

He Siyue asked anxiously and unwillingly, "That Holy Maiden is so disrespectful, doesn't the Emperor care about her?"

"What I should do is none of your business," Long Xinghuang commanded in a deep voice. "Drag him away."

He Siyue glared at Xia with a defiant look on her face.

Shea dared not speak, realizing what she had just done.

Xin Liangmu couldn't help but curse her inwardly, thinking what an idiot she was.

Long Xinghuang ordered, "The Holy Maiden Xiya has addressed me by my given name, which is extremely disrespectful. Drag her away and give her thirty strokes of the cane, then imprison her to await further judgment."

"Your Majesty..." Xin Liangmu anxiously tried to speak up for her.

"Whoever dares to plead for the Holy Maiden will be punished the same as her." Long Xinghuang looked at Xin Liangmu, "Does the Imperial Preceptor have something to say?"

"Your Majesty...no...cough cough..." Xin Liangmu coughed weakly a few times.

Long Xinghuang waved his hand, and Shia was immediately dragged out.

Qi Tong worried: "Thirty strokes of the cane—if it's not handled properly, someone could die."

Mu Tiantian: [What would happen if she died?]

Seven Unifications: [Their luck value will completely collapse, but I don't know how it will collapse.]

"Minister Xin, Minister Jing, what brings you two together?" Long Xinghuang asked in a low voice, not asking them to get up.

The two men knelt as they replied.

Jing Huaxiong said solemnly, "I heard that the Imperial Preceptor's health has improved considerably, so I specially invited him to come for a small gathering to offer my congratulations."

"Oh? Did I disturb you today?"

Xin Liangmu quickly explained, "I am more than happy to welcome Your Majesty, how could I possibly feel that Your Majesty is bothering me?"

"My two ministers need not be nervous. I came here today only to bring the Holy Maiden back to the palace. Now that she has been brought back, I will not disturb you two any longer. However," Long Xinghuang glanced at Xin Liangmu and the other man, and said sternly, "My two ministers, a little gathering is fine, but I hope that you are not discussing anything unspeakable behind my back."

"Your subject dares not," the two said in unison.

Long Xinghuang ignored them, and the two of them remained kneeling.

He walked up to Mu Tiantian and said, “Miss Mu has rendered meritorious service in saving the Regent, and I should reward her accordingly.”

"How about this, Miss Mu, come to the palace with me, and you can choose any reward you like," Long Xinghuang said, then added, "There aren't many people who can receive such rewards from me, so Miss Mu should think it over carefully."

The meaning is very clear.

If she refuses, she will bear the consequences.

Long Xinghuang is currently in a bad mood, and anyone who says anything that doesn't go his way will be punished.

"Your Majesty's grace is overwhelming, and I dare not refuse. However, the Regent..." Mu Tiantian felt that Long Xinghuang must have summoned her to the palace to investigate whether she was Lin Miao.

If what Qi Tong said is true, that she used to beat and scold him and even escape from prison, and if he confirms that she is Lin Miao, wouldn't her fate be even worse than Xia's?

She absolutely cannot enter the palace!

Long Xinghuang frowned upon hearing her mention Long Fantian, clearly displeased. "When I summon people to the palace to discuss merits and rewards, do I need to hear Long Fantian's opinion?"

"Someone, prepare a sedan chair for Miss Mu, we're going back to the palace!" With that, Long Xinghuang walked out of the restaurant.

Lu Ke was worried and wanted to step forward to stop her, but Mu Tiantian shook her head at him.

Lu Ke was filled with remorse. If he hadn't acted so impulsively, perhaps Sister Sanshui wouldn't have been taken away.

However, the emperor said that rewards should be given according to merit.

Although he didn't know what had happened, since it was a reward, Sister Sanshui shouldn't have any problems.

As soon as Long Xinghuang stepped out of the restaurant, he saw Long Fantian walking towards him.

"Your Majesty," Long Fantian nodded slightly, his aura far surpassing his own, "Where does Your Majesty intend to take Miss Mu?"

Long Xinghuang was not to be outdone and looked at him seriously, "Uncle, I just wanted Miss Mu to come to the palace to receive a reward. After all, Miss Mu was seriously injured while saving you. Are you going to stop me? But you are really well-informed. I haven't even sent anyone to the palace yet, and you've already arrived."

After saying that, he glanced at the two maids behind Long Fantian.

Chunyu and Dongxue knelt down and bowed, saying, "This servant greets Your Majesty."

"Your Majesty wishes to bestow a reward upon Miss Mu, so I will naturally have no objection. I am merely passing by and it just so happens that I am here. However, I have a few words to say to Miss Mu. Surely Your Majesty will not even grant me this small amount of time?" This time, Long Fantian surprisingly did not refuse him.

Upon hearing this, Mu Tiantian opened her eyes wide and looked at him. Did this mean he agreed to let her enter the palace?

What is Long Fantian planning?

Long Xinghuang originally thought that if Long Fantian disagreed, he would fight to the end no matter what.

He refused to believe that he, as the emperor, couldn't get a person from his regent's palace.

The assassin had already made him lose face, and he absolutely could not allow Long Fantian to disobey him again and again.

Unexpectedly, Long Fantian's attitude was much better today.

Long Xinghuang felt a little better and agreed.

Long Fantian stepped forward, took Mu Tiantian's hand, and walked her aside, much to the astonishment of everyone present.