Chapter 580 Powerful (Second Update)

Before dawn, Gu Jiao came out of the east room. These past few days, Huangfu Xian had been resting in the west room, while Xiao Heng and Xiao Jingkong were originally going to rest in the east room, but their great-uncle dragged them to the next room.

I could already hear a big and a small boy arguing next door; it seems they've started.

Gu Jiao went to the backyard to wash up. Just as she was wiping her face, she saw a shadow cast by the lantern under the eaves.

She turned around and looked closely, and saw Huangfu Xian pushing a wheelchair out of the study.

The study has no threshold, allowing wheelchairs to enter and exit freely.

But how did he get out of the west room?

"Have you been awake for a long time?" Gu Jiao asked.

"It didn't take long; your guards helped me out."

It refers to the incident where the Dark Guard A evaded him and his wheelchair from the West Room.

This kid has even started using secret guards.

Gu Jiao said, "Wait a moment, I'll make breakfast after I wash my face."

Huangfu Xian stared at her intently: "Little Mushroom said you have a way to help me stand up?"

Small... mushroom?

Gu Jiao blinked in surprise, and it took her a while to realize that he was referring to Xiao Jingkong.

Gu Jiao glanced at him: "Have you figured it out?"

Huangfu Xian lowered his eyes, rubbed his cold fingertips, and said, "I've figured it out."

He wanted to live, not to live like a walking corpse, but to live like a real human being.

Even without legs, one should still stand tall and upright.

He wanted to visit every corner of Zhao Kingdom, to measure its territory with his footsteps. He would carry his mother's hopes and live on and on, striving to live.

"It's very hard work."

"I'm not afraid."

"It still hurts a lot, even more than scraping the bone."

"I'm not afraid of pain."

Gu Jiao scratched her head. "It's not a question of whether you're scared or not; it's that I don't have the materials here to make a receiving cavity."

Never mind, I'll go tap for resin when spring comes.

After washing her face, Gu Jiao returned to the east room, took out a small medicine box to get medicine and gauze to change Huangfu Xian's dressing, but was surprised to find that the weight of the small medicine box was wrong.

She opened it and saw that there was a pair of brand new receiving chambers on top of the emergency medicines.

...

The incident involving Consort Jing and her daughter taught the Emperor a bloody lesson. He never mentioned covering up crimes for anyone again. Of course, even if he wanted to, he couldn't hide it anymore. Princess Xinyang had already publicly revealed Consort Jing's crimes in front of all the civil and military officials in the Golden Palace. There was no going back.

As for Ning An's true identity, it must be revealed to the world, and the various crimes committed by the imposter Ning An will also be made public.

These matters were entirely entrusted to the Ministry of Justice.

Minister Xing was exonerated and released this morning.

Xiao Heng and Vice Minister Li personally went to the Dali Temple to bring him back.

Vice Minister Li cupped his hands in apology to Minister Xing, smiled apologetically, and said, "Minister Xing, I had no choice but to accuse you of acting that day. I apologize for the offense!"

"You brat!" Minister Xing raised his hand to slap Vice Minister Li across the face.

Li Shilang was so frightened that he shrank back.

Minister Xing finally held back, only lightly kicking him: "You didn't even give me a heads-up! I told you I've always treated you well, so why are you turning around and throwing mud at me like this!"

Li Shilang chuckled awkwardly, glanced at Xiao Heng beside him, and said, "Isn't it because Liu Lang told me not to tell the lord? Liu Lang said that it's already dangerous enough that I pretended to be bribed by her, and if more people find out, the truth might be exposed."

Minister Xing retorted defiantly, "What? You can act, but I can't?"

Li Shilang said with a wry smile, "You...you just can't act. You're so upright..."

This flattery instantly quelled Minister Xing's anger by half. He looked at the two of them and said sternly, "This is a one-time exception. There will be no next time. Remember to inform me in advance of any future plans. Don't keep me in the dark again!"

"Yes, yes, yes! Yes!" Vice Minister Li replied with a smile.

As they spoke, the group left the Dali Temple, and the carriage stopped by the roadside.

Vice Minister Li personally helped Minister Xing into the carriage, then turned around and walked awkwardly toward Xiao Heng, lowering his voice to say, "Sixth Brother, thank you so much this time."

Li Shilang was not feigning being bribed by the young master of Xianleju; he was genuinely bribed.

After the affair was exposed, Xiao Heng stepped forward and said that Vice Minister Li had adopted his suggestion to play along with others in order to lure them into a trap.

Xiao Heng said, "Minister Li, you're too kind."

Li, the Vice Minister, said embarrassedly, "I was out of my mind this time. I will never dare to do it again. I am deeply grateful for your life-saving grace. If you ever need anything from me in the future, just tell me and I will do my best to help you!"

Xiao Heng smiled faintly: "You're too kind."

Whether Vice Minister Li was truly grateful enough to go to great lengths for him was unimportant; what mattered was having this leverage over him, which would allow him to use Vice Minister Li for his own purposes.

From this moment on, Xiao Heng began the first step in cultivating his power.

Princess Xinyang handed over the account book belonging to Consort Jing to Xiao Heng. Xiao Heng understood Princess Xinyang's meaning: if he wished, he could hand over the account book or choose to keep it in his own hands.

With those incriminating evidence, the network of connections that Consort Jing had cultivated over the years became his easy prey.

Upon returning to the Ministry of Justice, Minister Xing immediately had Xiao Heng bring him the case files.

Xiao Heng's explanation was very clear and easy to understand, which pleased Minister Xing.

He felt that after this incident, Xiao Liulang should be promoted.

While reviewing the case files, Minister Xing said, "I will leave Sun Ping's funeral arrangements to Vice Minister Li. You just focus on handling this case. Oh, and Ning An..."

Halfway through his sentence, Secretary Xing realized that it was a fake Princess Ning'an, so he changed his words and said, "Since this matter has been handed over to the Ministry of Justice, then send someone to the Dali Temple later to bring the young master of Xianleju here."

Xiao Heng said, "The young mistress of Xianle Residence has been taken away by His Majesty's men. His Majesty said he would deal with her personally."

"Is that so?" Minister Xing nodded. "...Alright then."

His Majesty is the boss, what can he say?

"My lord! My lord!"

During the conversation, a jailer hurried in, cupped his hands and reported, "Lord Xing, a eunuch surnamed Su has come from the palace, saying he has urgent business with Magistrate Xiao."

"I remember there was a eunuch named Su by the Empress's side..." Minister Xing did not know Xiao Heng's background, but he knew that Xiao Heng was deeply favored by the two masters of the palace. But when did even the Empress get involved?

Minister Xing looked at Xiao Heng: "Alright, go ahead, don't keep them waiting."

Xiao Heng bowed and took his leave.

At the entrance of the Ministry of Justice, he saw the anxious and agitated Eunuch Su.

"Eunuch Su," he greeted.

"Oh dear!" Eunuch Su hurriedly ran towards him, grabbed his arm, and whispered, choking back tears, "Young Marquis, something terrible has happened! The Seventh Prince is in trouble!"

...

Xiao Heng went to the clinic, picked up Gu Jiao and put her in a carriage, and rushed to the palace as quickly as possible.

"What's going on?" Gu Jiao asked.

Xiao Heng said, "He fainted. He said he was a little listless after being rescued that day. The Empress had the imperial physician examine him, but there was nothing wrong with him, so she just assumed he was too frightened. But at noon, he suddenly fell off his chair while eating. I don't know if he fainted before getting off, or if he fell and then fainted."

Gu Jiao pondered: "What did the imperial physician say?"

Xiao Heng shook his head: "The imperial physicians can't diagnose the problem."

The two entered Kunning Palace and could hear Empress Xiao crying from afar.

The crown prince went to court and was unaware that his younger brother had gotten into trouble.

Empress Xiao did not send anyone to inform him.

"Master, Lord Xiao and Doctor Gu have arrived!" Eunuch Su announced from outside the door.

Empress Xiao dismissed the palace servants, leaving only Eunuch Su.

"Aheng!" Empress Xiao choked with sobs.

As the empress of a country, Empress Xiao was always dignified and self-possessed, and rarely lost her composure like this.

Xiao Heng gently comforted her, "Aunt, please take care of yourself. Let Jiao Jiao take a look at Xiao Qi first."

Empress Xiao stepped aside: "Jiaojiao, you must heal Xiaoqi..."

Gu Jiao nodded: "I will do my best."

Gu Jiao put down her small basket, opened her medicine box, and took out her stethoscope. There were no abnormal sounds in her lungs, but her heart was beating a little too fast.

She took Qin Chuyu's pulse again, and the pulse was so strange that she had never seen it before in her two lifetimes.

Gu Jiao asked Empress Xiao, "Could you describe in detail the scene when the Seventh Prince fainted?"

Empress Xiao recalled: "At that time, Xiao Qi was eating. He said he didn't want to eat vegetables, so I said something to him. Suddenly he cried out, clutched his chest, and fell to the side."

"Clutching his chest? Is it angina?" Gu Jiao murmured, then added, "Does he usually do this?"

Empress Xiao choked back tears and shook her head: "No, he's been perfectly fine. Ever since that woman kidnapped him, he's been listless. I thought he was just traumatized, and the imperial physician said so too. But the child is so young, we can't give him any medicine. The imperial physician said he'd be fine in a while, but who would have thought..."

Gu Jiao pulled back the covers, undid Qin Chuyu's clothes, and carefully examined his body for any hidden wounds.

There was nothing there.

Xiao Heng suddenly spoke up: "Jiaojiao, his right wrist."

Gu Jiao looked at Qin Chuyu's right wrist but couldn't see anything. She changed her angle and stood next to Xiao Heng. This time she could see clearly.

Qin Chuyu had a grayish-white mark on his wrist, which was not visible in either bright or dim light.

Gu Jiao rubbed it with her fingertips, but couldn't wipe it off: "Did he have this before?"

Empress Xiao thought for a moment and shook her head: "It shouldn't be. Although this mark is very shallow and difficult to detect, if it has really been many days, there will always be a chance to find it."

Gu Jiao: "So it's very likely that it appeared recently."

Gu Jiao pondered for a moment, then said to Xiao Heng, "Where is the young master of Xianle Residence? She should know what this is."

Xiao Heng said, "She was taken away by His Majesty's men. His Majesty said he would deal with her personally."

Empress Xiao hurriedly instructed Eunuch Su, "Go to His Majesty and demand the person!"

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(End of this chapter)