Chapter 22 Follow me to your house

"We'll discuss this later. I don't want to discuss it today."

Xiao Jin can now read Yun Zhao's thoughts and hear a lot about the future, so how could he let him go easily?

"Royal brother..."

"Back off, I'm tired!"

Xiao Heng refused, and Yun Zhao shook his head and signaled with his eyes, and he left reluctantly.

"Royal brother..." Xiao Heng still wanted to fight for it.

"Step back, I'm tired!" Xiao Jin's voice was filled with unquestionable fatigue.

Xiao Heng looked at Yun Zhao. She shook her head imperceptibly, her eyes signaling him to stop talking. Xiao Heng had no choice but to grit his teeth and reluctantly leave the hall.

There were only two people left in the hall.

Xiao Jin's gaze fell on Yun Zhao's drooping eyelashes: "Do you... want to leave the palace?"

[Another test! Only a fool would fall for it!] Yun Zhao's heart was filled with alarm, but her face remained submissive. "I don't want to do this, but serving Your Majesty is my duty."

She handed in a new memorial.

Xiao Jin took it but didn't look at it. He pointed at one of the documents with his fingertips. "There's also a petition requesting the reinstatement of Duke Yun. What do you think?"

Yun Zhao pondered for a moment, then said calmly, "My father has spent half his life in the military. Now that he's getting old, it's a blessing for him to be able to spend his remaining years at home. There's no need to reinstate him."

Daye was filled with nobles and dukes, many of whom held titles but no official positions. The position of Vice Minister of War was a hot potato.

[The best policy is to stay at home and stay away from the whirlpool of the court! Whoever wants to be the Minister of War can take that position!]

Xiao Jin looked at her deeply and stood up: "Follow me, let's go to your house."

…

The arrival of the emperor shocked the entire Yunguo Mansion.

However, beneath the glory, undercurrents surged. Those whispers, suppressed by the emperor's majesty, still wormed their way into Yun Zhao's ears like venomous snakes:

"Did you see that? The Yun family girl climbed into the emperor's bed to get the Duke off the hook..."

"That's right! Two hundred thousand taels of embezzlement? Pah! I think he's selling his daughter for fame! He even lost the jade mine, he deserves it!"

…

The source of the "embezzled" banknotes remains a mystery to this day.

The price the Yun family paid for this was far more than just a jade mine.

The gate of the mansion was wide open, and Duke Yun Zhao Yunfeng and his wife Zhao Yuanying led the crowd to kneel and welcome them.

Seeing his parents kneeling humbly on the cold stone steps, Yun Zhao felt a sharp pain in his heart. He rushed over almost before Xiao Jin could take a step and helped his mother up: "Mother!"

Xiao Jin paused slightly, looking at the undisguised heartache in Yun Zhao's eyes. The corner of his mouth twitched slightly, and then he reached out and helped Duke Yun up: "Duke, please stand up."

Zhao Yunfeng's lips trembled with excitement, his voice tense, "Your Majesty... Your Majesty has come in person. I, this old minister, was overwhelmed and did not come to greet you..."

Xiao Jin was completely devoid of any violent temper at this moment, and was as gentle as an ordinary junior. "No need to be so formal. I see that the Duke is in good spirits and has rested well. State affairs are difficult right now, and we need more people. When can the Duke return to the Ministry of War to take up his duties?"

Zhao Yunfeng's heart was shaken. He looked at his daughter, who was looking downcast behind the emperor. He dared not refuse any longer and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I am at your service at any time!"

Xiao Jin nodded. "Very good. I have some matters that I need to discuss in detail with the Duke's study." He turned to Yun Zhao and said calmly, "You can talk to the Madam."

The emperor and his father disappeared behind the study door, and Yun Zhao was immediately held tightly by his mother's warm hands.

"Ah Zhao!" Zhao Yuanying burst into tears, and her trembling hands caressed her daughter's face. "My son... has suffered!"

With just this one sound, Yun Zhao's forced strength collapsed in an instant. He threw himself into his mother's arms, tears streaming down his face: "Mother... Mother..." Thousands of words were choked with sobs.

Zhao Yuanying's heart ached as she hugged her daughter. "Tell Mother, how are things going in the palace? That guy..." She lowered her voice, filled with deep worry, "...has he given you any trouble? His temper is unpredictable, and Mother is worried every day..."

Yun Zhao wiped away her tears and forced a smile. "Don't worry, mother. Serving others is not a problem for me. Even though he has a bad temper, he doesn't dare to punish me, let alone touch me."

She paused, her voice lowered, a hint of complexity etched in it that she herself hadn't noticed. "My brother commands a large military force, so at most... he's just... losing his temper, venting his frustration. Actually... being an emperor isn't necessarily as blissful as people imagine."

Zhao Yuanying was stunned. He held up his daughter's face and looked at her carefully. "My son... you actually... actually feel sympathy for him?"

Her eyes were filled with disbelief. "How many people have worked so hard for that chair? Your father and brother..."

"Mother," Yun Zhao interrupted his mother, his eyes clear and serious, "It's because we're getting closer every day that we see more clearly. It's lonely at the top! The court and the harem are surrounded by tigers and wolves. He can't even sleep or eat in peace. The memorials are piled up like mountains. He has to attend the morning court before dawn, and at night he has to... and he has to turn over the cards, just to balance the forces. There are also people... with wicked ambitions, coveting his throne day and night, wishing to pull him off the throne and eat him alive!"

Zhao Yuanying listened to his daughter's calm yet heavy narration, his heart trembling. He remained speechless for a long time, finally letting out a long sigh: "Even so... he should restrain himself and return to propriety, be a wise ruler, control his mind, and treat his subjects kindly. That is the right thing to do."

Yun Zhao nodded: "Don't worry, my daughter. Don't worry, mother, I will be safe and sound and protect myself."

She changed the subject, her expression becoming serious, "Mother, I've been asking Your Majesty to cancel my engagement with the King of Qin."

Zhao Yuanying was shocked: "Cancel the engagement? Why so suddenly?"

Yun Zhao leaned close to her mother's ear and lowered her voice, filled with suppressed anger and humiliation. "Mother, I saw it with my own eyes... Prince of Qin Xiao Yan and Su Mingli... have been secretly in love for a long time! He asked for my hand in marriage, but... it was just to seize the military power of the Yun family and pave the way for his own future as a heir to the throne!"

"What?!" Zhao Yuanying was struck by lightning, his face turned pale instantly, and his voice changed tone, "A Zhao! Is this... is this true?!"

Yun Zhao's eyes burned brightly, and she nodded solemnly, "Absolutely true! I would never dare to speak nonsense about such a serious matter, much less sully the prince's reputation! I implore you, Mother, to negotiate privately with Father, and ensure this engagement... is resolved as soon as possible!"

Zhao Yuanying was so angry that she trembled all over. She hugged her daughter tightly with heartache, "My poor child! The legitimate daughter of the Duke's Mansion was dragged into this whirlpool for no reason, forced into the palace as a servant, and suffered so much injustice... That King Qin... is so despicable! And that Su family... Good! Very good! Do they really think my Yun family is made of clay? They bully my child like this, aren't they afraid that one day the truth will be revealed, and their Su family will lose face and become the laughing stock of the world?!"

"Mother, please calm down..." Yun Zhao gently stroked his mother's back.

At this moment, a cold voice sounded from behind him, with a subtle inquiry: "What... could have made Madam so angry?"