Chapter 69 (Three-in-One) "Xiao Mingzhang, does it hurt...?"

Liangzhou, Commander's Mansion

Xiao Mingzhang learned a few days ago that Yunzhu was coming with her child, so he had been ordering people to decorate the current residence.

Liangzhou borders the Western Regions, and since ancient times, there has been constant warfare. This commander's mansion was the residence of almost every general who led troops to the Western Regions.

However, when Xiao Mingzhang first arrived in Liangzhou, he went straight to Hanze and didn't have much time or energy to decorate the house.

Now that Yunzhu and her daughter are moving in, Xiao Mingzhang naturally wants to prepare the best for them.

He had been wounded by an arrow and had been bedridden for the past few days, unable to move. Now that he was finally able to move around, he went to his daughter's room and inspected all the bedding, teacups, and other utensils.

Children love to play, so the things prepared for them shouldn't be too sharp. Mu Zhaozhi is at the age where she needs to learn and practice writing extensively, so there should be many calligraphy books and brushes on her desk for her to choose from. She also likes to look at picture books. Last time, Xiao Mingzhang saw Mu Zhaozhi's picture books by her bedside at Yunzhu's house. They were all stories similar to Mencius' mother moving three times, so he also needs to prepare some for her. There are also clothes of various colors that little girls love, as well as skirts of various colors... The room was so small that you could see the whole thing just by turning around, but Xiao Mingzhang stayed in the room for more than an hour, checking everything in the room.

If someone does well, reward them; if someone does poorly, immediately call someone to make amends.

As he slowly supported himself and turned out of his daughter's bedroom, he heard a commotion of voices coming from outside the courtyard. Wu Qi rushed in from outside, saying, "Young Master, we've arrived! They've arrived!"

Xiao Mingzhang immediately forced himself to walk out of the courtyard.

The young girl, Mu Zhaozhi, had never been to Liangzhou before.

Previously, some of her classmates had visited Liangzhou and, upon returning, boasted to her about the prosperity of Liangzhou.

Prosperity? Mu Zhaozhi didn't understand what prosperity was. Was it a scene completely different from Hanze Town? So, on the way here, she had been lying on the carriage, watching the scenery rushing past the window.

Gradually, she seemed to truly understand what prosperity meant.

From Hanze Town to Liangzhou, it was only a half-day's drive, but she watched the scenery change along the way, from golden, sparsely populated grasslands to villages with a growing number of people, then to towering city gates and streets lined with houses, and countless people on the streets... Mu Zhaozhi felt as if she had been thrown into a huge bonfire festival, where many, many people gathered, some she knew and some she didn't. People brushed past each other, interacted, talked, and traded, and when it happened, it became a bustling scene.

Just as the carriage arrived at the gate of the commander's mansion, Mu Zhaozhi finished defining Fan Hua. Her mother called her to get off the carriage, and she followed her mother down.

This is a very, very large mansion, even larger than the Yongxian County Government Office where she was kidnapped some time ago.

As soon as Mu Zhaozhi entered the room, she felt that the hall was incredibly large.

Even more incredibly, as soon as she entered the door, countless servants rushed towards her.

They called her "little miss" while embracing her and her mother, urging them to sit down.

After spending several days at Xiao Mingzhang's house, Mu Zhaozhi had grown quite accustomed to these people calling her mother "Princess Consort" and herself "Young Miss." However, she didn't understand why these people were urging her to sit down instead of inviting her directly to his bedside, since she had come to see Xiao Mingzhang.

Just as she was wondering, a medicinal fragrance wafted from behind her, instantly interrupting her thoughts.

Mu Zhaozhi turned around and saw only Xiao Mingzhang, who was dragging his sick body.

After a few days apart, his complexion was no better than when they parted; in fact, he looked even thinner and more haggard. His cloak hung loosely on his body, as if it were clinging to a tree trunk that could be broken at any moment.

However, he was smiling, so he didn't look that bad overall.

Mu Zhaozhi stood up and went up first to greet Xiao Mingzhang.

"It's been a few days. How are you feeling?" She didn't call Xiao Mingzhang by his given name, but her concern for him was genuine.

Since entering the hall, Xiao Mingzhang's gaze had been fixed on Yunzhu and his daughter. Seeing his daughter come over to show concern for him, he endured the pain in his chest and bowed slightly to reply to her, "Yes, thank you for your concern, Azhi. I'm feeling much better these past few days."

Mu Zhaozhi nodded, and then said in a childlike voice, "See? I didn't lie to you, did I? My mother and I really came to Liangzhou to see you!"

Upon hearing his daughter's words, Xiao Mingzhang smiled with even more satisfaction, making the corners of his pale lips curve into a more pronounced smile.

"Yes, I know that Azhi is the most honest and trustworthy person."

After exchanging greetings, Mu Zhaozhi had nothing more to say to Xiao Mingzhang, so she ran back to her mother's side with small, quick steps.

Yunzhu held her daughter's small hand and waited for her to stand firmly in front of her before slowly getting up and reluctantly facing Xiao Mingzhang again.

Upon seeing Xiao Mingzhang's sickly appearance, Yunzhu couldn't help but feel a hint of surprise flash in her eyes.

This was the first time she had seen Xiao Mingzhang so ill. In the past, the most serious injury he had suffered in front of her was only a cold. Although he was haggard, he was not emaciated. But today, Xiao Mingzhang seemed to have lost half of his life, standing on the edge of life and death, teetering on the brink of collapse.

They're so sick, why did they still have to come out to greet them?

That was Yunzhu's first thought.

But in an instant, she concealed those thoughts that were easily noticed.

Over the years, what Yunzhu has learned most is how to deal with all situations harshly.

She uttered, "I thought you'd lie in a hospital bed pretending to be dying so that A-Zhi and I would care about you."

"I don't want you to worry." Xiao Mingzhang looked at Yunzhu sincerely, responding to all her emotions with just one sentence.

Yunzhu: "..."

No matter how clever she was, her little schemes always seemed a little insufficient when facing Xiao Mingzhang.

Yunzhu, without thinking twice, said to Xiao Mingzhang, "Since you have the time, please arrange accommodations for me and Azhi first. Azhi, Ayan, and I will live in the same courtyard."

“Yes, I know. I’ve already had it arranged.” As soon as Yunzhu finished speaking, Xiao Mingzhang continued.

Yunzhu couldn't help but linger her gaze on Xiao Mingzhang's face for a few more moments.

After a few breaths, she grasped her daughter's hand tightly and raised her head to signal Xiao Mingzhang to lead the way.

“Your Highness…” Wuqi followed beside Xiao Mingzhang and saw that he was about to move again, so he wanted to say something.

But with just one look from Xiao Mingzhang, he shut his mouth again and retreated.

Xiao Mingzhang walked slowly at the front, leading Yunzhu and Mu Zhaozhi to their place.

It was a small courtyard right next to his main courtyard, with three bedrooms. The largest one was for Yunzhu, the one on the far side was for Ayan, and the smallest one in the middle, which had the best lighting, was for Mu Zhaozhi.

The courtyard also has a small kitchen and a separate study, with all the necessary utensils prepared, almost identical to those in Hanze Town.

If there is any difference, it is that this place is more spacious, and many things are made of better and more expensive materials.

Yunzhu walked around the courtyard and then carefully checked Mu Zhaozhi's room. Finding that everything was indeed arranged properly, she finally stopped arguing with Xiao Mingzhang.

However, Xiao Mingzhang himself felt that the arrangements were not complete enough, and said, "Tomorrow I have called people from the cloth shop and the tailor shop to come over and make some new clothes for you and Azhi. Winter is coming soon, and we should start preparing early."

New clothes?

Yunzhu did not refuse and nodded.

Mu Zhaozhi is at the age where she is growing, and every spring, summer, autumn and winter, a new batch of clothes needs to be prepared for her. This year, because of Xiao Mingzhang's affairs, she has not thought of starting to make winter clothes for her yet, but now it is indeed time.

Seeing that Yunzhu did not refuse, Xiao Mingzhang pressed on and said, "You can stay in this mansion. If there is anything you need later, you can just tell the servants. This place is no different from the Prince's mansion. You don't need to be reserved. Just do as you always have."

Same as before? Wasn't it when she was most restrained back in the Prince's mansion?

Yunzhu glanced at Xiao Mingzhang, wanting to say something harsh and hurtful, but seeing his increasingly pale face, she ultimately didn't say it.

She then said, "Alright, my daughter and I have been in the carriage for a long time and we're tired. You should go back first; we need to rest."

"Okay." Xiao Mingzhang was very obedient; he did whatever Yunzhu asked him to do.

He turned around and slowly, very slowly, left the small courtyard.

Mu Zhaozhi stood beside Yunzhu, watching Xiao Mingzhang's faltering figure, and said, "Mother..."

"Do you want to see him off?" Yunzhu lowered her head, guessing her daughter's thoughts without her needing to say anything more.

Mu Zhaozhi paused, then nodded slightly.

Xiao Mingzhang was injured while saving her, Mu Zhaozhi knew this. Her mother didn't want to forgive him, but she also seemed unable to bear seeing him always walking ahead alone.

He doesn't want anyone's help, so he'll always accept if she sees him off.

Yunzhu lowered her head, looking into her daughter's innocent eyes, and wanted to tell her that Xiao Mingzhang was playing hard to get, and that the people she needed the least sympathy for in this world were those surnamed Xiao.

Why would royalty need the sympathy of ordinary people?

But remembering that he had just risked his life to save Mu Zhaozhi, and that he might still be seen as her savior in her heart, Yunzhu ultimately said nothing.

Gratitude is indeed one of the lessons Mu Zhaozhi needs to learn now.

She then nodded her head slightly, just like her daughter.

Mu Zhaozhi immediately ran forward and walked beside Xiao Mingzhang, accompanying him all the way back to his own courtyard. Only then did she return to her mother's side without any burden and move into her own little bedroom.

—

On her first day in Liangzhou, Yunzhu put her daughter down for a nap, but she herself couldn't fall asleep easily.

She lay on her side on the bed, staring into her daughter's sleepy eyes, reviewing Xiao Mingzhang's every move just now.

In fact, before arriving at the commander's mansion, Yunzhu had always thought that Xiao Mingzhang would use any means necessary and shamelessly arrange for her and himself to be in the same bedroom and on the same bed.

Given Xiao Mingzhang's shamelessness, she had no doubt that he would do such a thing to repay a debt of gratitude.

But he didn't.

He not only arranged a separate bedroom for her, but also recreated almost all of her preferences in the bedroom.

Her habits and preferences were impeccable; she knew exactly where to place the tea set and whether to put the tea snacks on the left or right.

It's hard for Yunzhu not to think back to the past, back when she was still in the Prince's Mansion, before she saw the true nature of the entire family in the Prince's Mansion, before she had completely given up hope, she was also taken care of by Xiao Mingzhang in the same way, with meticulous care.

After going around in circles, she has returned to this path. Beneath Yunzhu's seemingly aloof exterior lies a future in which she herself is uncertain.

All she knew was that her only chance of survival was to find Xiao Mingzhang, but what would happen after that? Xiao Mingzhang was going back to the Central Plains; would she go back with him? If one day Xiao Mingzhang really became the Crown Prince, would she go to Jinling with him?

Unaware of this, Yunzhu turned over. She had originally planned to go to Xiao Mingzhang's residence later, but once she arrived, she found herself unable to remain as calm as she had imagined.

Finally, she couldn't wait any longer and went straight to Xiao Mingzhang's courtyard next door.

On the way to the neighboring village, Yunzhu did not ask anyone to greet Xiao Mingzhang.

She just walked in.

Xiao Mingzhang's bedroom was half-open, filled with a strong smell of medicine mixed with the stench of blood. Yunzhu walked halfway there, and the pungent smell reached her nose. She heard the doctor's strong voice: "Didn't I say before that the young master should not stay in the hotel for more than half an hour these days? Now that the blood has seeped out like this, how long have you been gone?"

"It's been almost two and a half hours!" Before Xiao Mingzhang could answer, Wu Qi, who was standing to the side, had already answered for him.

Xiao Mingzhang glared reproachfully at Wuqi, then heard the doctor say again, "This is unacceptable! The young master is taking his health far too lightly. If this continues, the arrow wound will not only fail to heal, but it will likely become even more serious, which would be a blessing in disguise!"

"I understand, today's situation is special, but it won't happen again in the future," Xiao Mingzhang said to the doctor in a very polite tone.

The physician sighed deeply. What doctors fear most is facing people of much higher status and position than themselves. These important people don't follow medical advice, and no matter how anxious they are as subordinates, there's nothing they can do.

After the doctor finished applying the medicine to Xiao Mingzhang, he gave him a thousand and one instructions before leaving.

Yunzhu stood outside Xiao Mingzhang's bedroom and met the doctor who was coming out.

The doctor did not recognize Yunzhu, but was astonished by her beauty. He stood there for several breaths before bowing to her and respectfully retreating.

To appear in Xiao Mingzhang's commander's mansion, not dressed as a servant, and with such a beautiful face, the doctor had heard from the servants in the mansion a few days ago that the Crown Princess was coming with her young mistress. It was likely that this was the Crown Princess from rumors.

But... wasn't the heir apparent of the Huan Prince's mansion rumored to have died three years ago? And there's no news of Xiao Mingzhang remarrying.

The doctor was puzzled. As he walked, he couldn't help but look back again and saw that Yunzhu had already reached the door of Xiao Mingzhang's bedroom.

After the doctor left, Wuqi was helping Xiao Mingzhang put on his clothes again, layer by layer, when he suddenly heard footsteps outside the door. Both master and servant looked up at the door.

"Yunzhu?" Xiao Mingzhang's face lit up with joy, his delight needing no further explanation.

Wu Qi, however, did not show any kindness.

He had seen everything the Crown Prince had done for his wife over the years. At first, he had hoped that the Crown Prince would be able to bring his wife home as he wished, but now the Crown Princess was too cold-hearted. No matter what the Crown Prince did, she was unmoved. Gradually, Wu Qi had lost hope in Yun Zhu.

But he still had to be extremely respectful to Yunzhu, saying, "Princess Consort."

"The doctor said you should stay in the hospital less often. Why didn't you listen to him?" Yunzhu asked Xiao Mingzhang directly after entering the room, skipping all the formalities.

"It's only a couple of hours, it'll be fine." Xiao Mingzhang paused, knowing that Yunzhu had overheard what the doctor had said earlier. He smiled indifferently, not wanting her to focus too much on his injury.

"Are you alright?" Yunzhu couldn't help but feel annoyed. "Xiao Mingzhang, do you really not care about your health, or are you trying to act sickly in front of me and Azhi so that Azhi will always feel guilty?"

"I didn't!" Xiao Mingzhang didn't expect Yunzhu to interpret him this way. He braced himself on the bed with both hands and immediately tried to get up to explain to Yunzhu.

But when he exerted force, the wound that had just been re-bandaged tore at his flesh, causing him to freeze in pain, unable to do anything but gasp for breath and furrow his brow in agony.

Seeing this, Yunzhu stepped forward suspiciously, wanting to check his specific situation.

Wu Qi had already squatted down in front of Xiao Mingzhang, blocking her way, and said first, "Your Highness!"

Xiao Mingzhang shook his head, hanging his head alone, gritting his teeth to endure the pain, before saying to Wuqi, "You go out first."

Wu Qi asked in disbelief, "But the doctor said that if the wound is aggravated, a new medicine will be needed. Did the young master aggravate his wound just now?"

"No, you go out first!" Xiao Mingzhang gritted his teeth, but despite his words, beads of sweat had already seeped out from his forehead like raindrops.

Wuqi did not believe Xiao Mingzhang's words. But he was just a servant and had no way to disobey Xiao Mingzhang.

He could only glance at Yunzhu, who hadn't been driven away, and pointed to a pile of things on the table, saying, "These are ointments and bandages needed to clean the wounds. Thank you for your help, Your Highness."

"I already told you I'm fine!" Xiao Mingzhang scolded.

Wuqi didn't listen. After finishing his instructions to Yunzhu, he bowed and left, closing the door behind him.

Yunzhu watched this scene silently, her slightly furrowed brows suggesting she was pondering whether this master and servant were putting on an act in front of her, deliberately leaving Xiao Mingzhang's wounds for her to bandage.

"I'm fine, you don't need to listen to him..." Seeing the door close, Xiao Mingzhang said weakly, leaning on the bedpost with one hand.

Yunzhu coldly looked at Xiao Mingzhang, thinking that she really had no intention of taking the initiative to bandage him. In fact, it would be best if Xiao Mingzhang could die from the pain, so that she and her daughter would no longer be tools for anyone to threaten others, and their lives would no longer be in danger.

But she still cared about Mu Zhaozhi after all.

The thought of Xiao Mingzhang's passing would surely sadden Mu Zhaozhi and make her feel guilty, making it impossible for Yunzhu to truly ignore Xiao Mingzhang's wounds.

She ignored Xiao Mingzhang for a while, and finally said, "Xiao Mingzhang, do you think I can't see whether you're alright or not? Or do you think that your subordinates can see things that I can't?"

"I don't……"

Xiao Mingzhang was starting to wonder how he was going to explain things to Yunzhu.

He didn't want Yunzhu to know about his pain because he didn't want them to worry about him or feel guilty, but in Yunzhu's eyes, this seemed to be wrong as well.

And those hours today... he only wanted her and her daughter to be more comfortable; he didn't intentionally want to increase his own suffering to elicit their sympathy...

Xiao Mingzhang wanted to explain everything to Yunzhu, one by one, but Yunzhu had already taken the ointment from the side and returned to Xiao Mingzhang's side after she finished speaking.

She placed the ointment beside Xiao Mingzhang and calmly began to undo the clothes he had just put on.

"..."

Xiao Mingzhang paused, his gaze following Yunzhu's hands.

He saw Yunzhu calmly remove his outermost garment, and then calmly remove his inner garment. Finally, when she reached the last inner garment, he noticed that Yunzhu's hands hesitated and slowed down. But then, expressionless, she peeled open his inner garment as if she were peeling open the skin of an animal.

The newly applied bandage bled a little again because of the excitement earlier.

Yunzhu frowned and unwrapped the bandages layer by layer, finally revealing the wound inside.

The arrow wound, which was just a finger joint away from the heart, was still terrifyingly gruesome even after several days of rest.

Fresh blood gushed out, like the most filthy nutrients, irrigating the rugged soil.

Yunzhu looked up, glared at Xiao Mingzhang, and asked, "You call this nothing?"

"..."

Xiao Mingzhang was speechless. At this moment, Yunzhu's every move towards him seemed like a blessing from heaven.

He just stared at Yunzhu, his gaze so intense it almost melted her.

Yunzhu originally wanted to exchange a few sarcastic remarks with Xiao Mingzhang, but she didn't expect to receive such a reaction from him. She instantly understood Xiao Mingzhang's thoughts, and her cheeks flushed.

But she wasn't a complete virgin who had never experienced such things, and she quickly calmed down, giving Xiao Mingzhang another glare.

She lowered her head, no longer speaking to Xiao Mingzhang, and focused intently on wiping away the blood, then gently spreading ointment on the wounds with her fingers.

Her movements were very meticulous, and she patiently spread the ointment little by little.

Even so, when the swab reached the center of the arrow wound, Xiao Mingzhang couldn't help but groan.

"Does it hurt?" Yunzhu asked.

"Hmm..." Xiao Mingzhang finally stopped forcing himself. He looked deeply at Yunzhu, and his eyes were filled with a hint of grievance.

Yunzhu didn't know what he had to complain about. She had come to negotiate with him, but now she was being made his maid. She wasn't complaining at all.

"Just bear with the pain!" she told Xiao Mingzhang rather irritably, then lowered her head and continued to apply the ointment to him.

Xiao Mingzhang let out a muffled sound from the corner of his mouth, his lips pressed tightly together, not daring to let Yunzhu know that he was not in unbearable pain, but was secretly laughing.

Because he could sense that although Yunzhu said those words, her delicate hands moved much more gently in her twirling motion because of his words.

Finally, Yunzhu finished applying the ointment to his wound. She then pulled over the bandage and wrapped it around Xiao Mingzhang's wound again, layer by layer.

Bandaging is quite convenient, unlike applying ointment, but Yunzhu's hands kept circling around Xiao Mingzhang's chest and back. After a while, Xiao Mingzhang couldn't resist and grabbed her hands.

He said, "I'll do this myself."

"You still have an injury on your arm, so you can't exert any force?" Yunzhu asked.

“That injury is nothing serious…” Xiao Mingzhang said.

Yunzhu frowned. Now, what Xiao Mingzhang said was not a big deal, but not a single word of it could be believed.

She completely ignored Xiao Mingzhang's actions and continued to wrap the bandages around him.

Xiao Mingzhang coughed twice and could only talk to Yunzhu about other things to divert his attention.

He asked Yunzhu, "Why did you suddenly come to see me again? Is there something you need?"

"Yes." Yunzhu originally wanted to tidy everything up for Xiao Mingzhang before telling him those things, but since he asked, she took the opportunity to tell him as well.

As she tightened the bandages on Xiao Mingzhang's arm, she said, "I want to talk to you about what's to come."

"after?"

"Yes." Yunzhu was finally able to straighten up. She looked down at Xiao Mingzhang and said, "Azhi and I are only here temporarily. Don't think that we will stay by your side forever. Xiao Mingzhang, isn't your ambition to become the crown prince and the emperor? When you really become the crown prince, let Azhi and me leave. I don't want to stay by your side forever."

"..."

That's what she originally wanted to say...

Xiao Mingzhang looked up at Yunzhu in a daze, not knowing how to answer her for a moment.

He thought that since she was finally willing to bring her daughter back to his side, she would never want to leave again. But it turns out she still wants to leave.

"Yunzhu..." Xiao Mingzhang remained silent for a while before speaking to Yunzhu.

But Yunzhu said again, "I am not here to discuss this with you. If you are unwilling, you can send my daughter and me away now and let us continue to wander the streets and fall into the hands of anyone. But if you are willing to keep us, then you are agreeing to what I said."

Yunzhu did not give him any choice; she came today only to inform him of this matter.

How could Xiao Mingzhang utter a single word of refusal?

No, he didn't utter a single word.

He couldn't bear to watch his daughter or Yunzhu be taken away and out of his protection.

Xiao Mingzhang's eyebrows and eyes gradually drooped, and a dim halo fell before his eyes with his movements.

He heard himself ask in a low voice, "What if I don't become the crown prince in the end?"

What if I don't become the crown prince in the end? Will you and Azhi stay by my side because you need to protect me?

"Xiao Mingzhang, we've come this far. If you still don't become the crown prince in the end, I will only look down on you."

Yunzhu finished speaking silently, and Xiao Mingzhang immediately raised his head, meeting Yunzhu's gaze.

Yes, the person who understands you best is always the one beside you in bed.

If he still can't grasp the throne at this point, then he's useless.

Xiao Mingzhang smiled bitterly. No matter how painful the wound was, it wouldn't bring tears to his eyes. But Yunzhu's words could pierce his heart in an instant, making him burst into tears.

"Yunzhu..."

"At least for now, my daughter and I will be by your side, right?"

Before anyone knew it, Yunzhu had dressed Xiao Mingzhang in his clothes again.

Her fingertips were warm, but her words were like ice, sinking one straight to the bottom.

Xiao Mingzhang's emotional rollercoaster occurred in that single instant.

He stopped speaking and quietly watched Yunzhu leave until her figure completely disappeared from his sight and the sound of her footsteps gradually faded away, then he lowered his eyelashes again.

A tear the size of a bean landed on the back of his own hand.

—

Yunzhu returned to the courtyard and did not see Xiao Mingzhang again that day.

Ayan returned to Xiao Mingzhang's commander's mansion late at night.

The first thing she did upon returning to the courtyard was to knock on Yunzhu's door.

Yunzhu got up and opened the door for her.

After spending a short time in Xiao Mingzhang's residence today, Ayan, following Yunzhu's instructions, quietly left the mansion to check on the current situation of the troops guarding Liangzhou.

As Yunzhu had predicted, most of the troops currently guarding Liangzhou were brought by Xiao Mingzhang from Yunzhou. With the war with the Western Regions temporarily over, the troops were not very disciplined and were mostly scattered in various military camps in Liangzhou City for rest and reorganization.

However, according to Ayan's observation, among the several military camps in Liangzhou, one group had far fewer people coming and going than the others.

“I bet they’ve gone to hunt down Prince Yi!” Ayan said.

"Pursue Prince Yi?"

Yunzhu was surprised. Her original intention was for Ayan to do a simple investigation into Xiao Mingzhang's current military strength so that she could have a rough estimate of his chances of seizing the throne. However, Ayan told her these things instead.

After thinking it over, Yunzhu shook her head, clearly not believing that Xiao Mingzhang would go to such lengths for his daughter.

The emperor has not yet established an heir apparent. Prince Yi is the emperor's favorite youngest son. If Xiao Mingzhang really kills him because of Mu Zhaozhi, how can he openly and legitimately obtain the throne from his father?

Although Yunzhu sometimes couldn't figure out Xiao Mingzhang's thoughts, she was mostly clear that he and his father were complete hypocrites.

They clearly had the ability to overturn the table and become emperor themselves, but they insisted on pretending to be gentlemen, forcing the emperor step by step to openly and legitimately hand over the throne to them before they would stop.

They didn't want outsiders to have any complaints, didn't want to bear a bad reputation, and didn't want to be the bad guys.

"But I truly believe it!"

Ayan grew up in a military camp in the Western Regions. She couldn't say she fully understood the situation in Liangzhou, but after careful comparison, she could glean some insights.

The missing troops in the camp now are the ones closest to Yong County. Several days have passed since the events in Yong County, and if it weren't for Xiao Mingzhang's instructions, how could these soldiers not have returned to the camp yet?

Yunzhu naturally wouldn't take any of Ayan's words lightly, but she simply couldn't believe it—could Xiao Mingzhang go to such lengths for his daughter...

“Perhaps it wasn’t for A-Zhi, but he himself wanted to kill the Prince Yi?” A-Yan said.

“Then let’s wait and see…” Yunzhu said.

If they really go after Prince Yi, the news of the falling out between Prince Yi and Prince Huan's mansion will soon spread throughout the country.

Ayan nodded.

Anyway, this is only the first day that Yunzhu has returned to Xiao Mingzhang's side. They still have a lot of time to observe her later, so there's no rush.