Chapter 29 Will you join me?

Marquis Yun was incompetent, and the matter of the Jingjiao Camp was at the behest of the Empress Dowager. She took this opportunity to transfer jurisdiction of the Jingjiao Camp to Xu Qingye, the second legitimate son of the Duke of Zhenguo. The Chen family, due to their marriage to the Yun family, had always enjoyed a close relationship. Whenever Emperor Jingyuan wanted to send troops, the Ministry of War would cry poor and offer obstructions. The Emperor, fed up with this, refrained from executing him simply because he would have to explain to the Empress Dowager.

Just take advantage of this opportunity to catch them all in one go.

When it comes to military power, it’s safer to replace it with someone you trust.

Marquis Yun and Minister Chen looked pale, but since things had come to this point and they had made the mistake first, no one dared to protest. They could only grit their teeth, accept the imperial edict and express their gratitude.

Yun Yao and Chen Yuanruo were pale and looked desperate. Emperor Jingyuan's words of moral deficiency were enough to send them to hell.

Both of them were of high status. Seeing that the eldest prince and the second prince were gradually reaching the age for marriage, the ladies from various families were trying their best to become the prince's consorts. However, at this juncture, an imperial decree from Emperor Jingyuan ended their dreams of becoming imperial consorts. I'm afraid that even those wealthy families would have to consider this.

Xiao Mingxuan glanced at Emperor Jingyuan who was sitting above him and lowered his head, hiding his ambiguous expression. He clenched his fists tightly, suppressing the hatred that was almost breaking through the shackles.

As the two families left with their daughters, Zhao Siyuan suddenly said, "Uncle, you should take good care of your cousin. If I hear you say one more word, I promise that the whip will fall on her neck next time."

Yun Hou met Zhao Siyuan's cold eyes and wanted to argue a few words, but he swallowed them all and left with Yun Yao in shame.

Emperor Jingyuan didn't say a word, pretending not to see anything, and let Zhao Siyuan lecture him.

The bad guys had all left, but Xihe didn't forget to ask for rewards from her brothers and sisters. She said excitedly, "Daddy! You didn't see today, but my third brother and fourth sister are so handsome! My little brother is also very powerful!"

"Oh? How come they are so powerful?" Seeing that his little daughter's cheeks were red and flushed, Emperor Jingyuan breathed a sigh of relief.

"Third brother kicked that guy away with one kick, and he flew far away! Fourth sister picked up the whip and beat that bad guy, so brave!" The little girl never tired of it, flipping her palms and showing off famous scenes. "Little brother is also very powerful, he stopped the bleeding for me, and when I fell into the water, he reacted super quickly! He caught me in an instant!"

Emperor Jingyuan laughed out loud and patted his little daughter's head, "Little girl, you are here to ask for their reward."

"Hehe, this is what Daddy taught me! Merit should be rewarded!" The little girl's thoughts were seen through, and she shyly snuggled into Emperor Jingyuan's arms, "Daddy, don't you think it's right?"

"Little girl, you are so clever!" Emperor Jingyuan smiled and pinched his little daughter's face, then turned his gaze to the people in the audience.

He looked at Zhao Siyuan with a complicated expression, "That's your cousin, you won't show favoritism?"

Zhao Siyuan was stunned for a moment, then said righteously, "Right is right, wrong is wrong. You can't confuse right and wrong. This is what my father taught me."

Emperor Jingyuan's eyes softened slightly, "So you still remember."

He also doted on his daughter when she was just born, but the more he got involved with her, the less care he paid to her, and before he knew it, the child had grown up.

Emperor Jingyuan smiled and looked at his third son who had always been incompetent. "Not bad, you know how to protect your sister."

The Third Prince took advantage of the situation and said, "Father, can I not copy..."

Emperor Jingyuan interrupted him, "You still have to copy the book!"

The third prince was dispirited again.

Emperor Jingyuan smiled and said, "I heard that you want the Tangquan Villa in the north of the city?"

The third prince's eyes suddenly lit up, like a pug, causing Emperor Jingyuan to tilt his head and smile.

"It's yours."

That was Emperor Jingyuan's private property, and the Third Prince had been coveting it for a long time.

"Your Majesty, I thank you!" The third prince immediately knelt down to express his gratitude, fearing that if he was a second late, his Tangquan Villa would be gone.

"As for you." Emperor Jingyuan turned to look at Xiao Mingxuan and did not speak for a long time.

This hostage was sent from Beili, and Emperor Jingyuan met him no more than three times in five years.

After a moment, Emperor Jingyuan said, "As long as you behave yourself, I will not touch you."

Although he wanted to annex Beili, there was no need to make things difficult for a half-grown child.

Emperor Jingyuan rewarded him with gold, silver and precious objects as a reward according to the custom.

Xiao Mingxuan had kept his head down, making it difficult to discern his expression. Upon hearing this, he stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

Emperor Jingyuan waved his hand and asked everyone to leave.

I thought the matter was over, but just as Marquis Yun and Minister Chen entered the mansion, the imperial edict of Emperor Jingyuan arrived, revoking the imperial edicts of the female relatives of the two mansions on the grounds of poor discipline.

The imperial edicts were under the control of the harem, and Emperor Jingyuan's personal involvement clearly demonstrated his stance. For a time, everyone in both palaces avoided him.

As night fell, the house was filled with gold, silver and jade artifacts sent by Emperor Jingyuan. Xiao Mingxuan took a porcelain bottle and played with it in his hand.

"What exactly happened then?"

A voice was heard in the darkness, but no one was seen. "Master, Miss Yun pushed the little princess first, and then scolded her."

"And then Xiao Xier took action?" Xiao Mingxuan was a little surprised. Was he really being too suspicious?

The secret guard hesitated, "Not yet. The little princess didn't want to do anything at the time. It was only after Miss Yun verbally insulted you, the master, that the little princess took action."

Xiao Mingxuan paused while wiping the porcelain, and remained silent for a long while.

It's October now, and the wind in the north is as sharp as a knife, yet it seems a little kinder than in previous years.

"You continue to stay by her side, but next time you don't have to hide. If anyone offends her, just kill him." Xiao Mingxuan gently loosened his hand, and the flawless white porcelain shattered, with porcelain fragments falling all over the floor.

"clear."

A breeze whistled past, shaking the branches apart, and after a moment, everything returned to calm.

The room was silent. Half of Xiao Mingxuan's face was illuminated by the candlelight. His eyelids were slightly drooping, and the flickering flames were spinning in front of his eyes, as if they would devour him in the next second.

After a long time, a chuckle was heard, "This stupid girl is hiding it from me."

Since Xihe was injured, Emperor Jingyuan stopped her from attending school and let her recuperate in Fuhua Palace.

Every day after waking up, the little girl would nestle in Concubine Chen's arms and listen to Yun Hui's gossip.

Yun Yao suddenly disappeared, and the Yun family searched everywhere for her, finally finding her body, already cold, in a dilapidated temple outside the city. It was said that the young lady of the Chen family was terrified, locking herself in her room day after day, afraid to leave, and claiming there was a ghost.

I don’t know if there was a ghost or not, but Chen Yuanruo scared himself to death. He was so crazy that he couldn’t speak clearly.

Then there is Concubine Liu. It is said that she knelt at the gate of Yuanyang Palace all night. In the morning, she met Emperor Jingyuan who was returning to the palace. She wanted to pretend to be weak and fell into Emperor Jingyuan's arms, but Emperor Jingyuan avoided her and punished her for being disrespectful in front of the emperor and put her in solitary confinement.

In the name of recuperating from injuries, Xihe was also forbidden to leave the Fuhua Palace.

The little girl sighed all day long and had no choice but to bully the flowers and plants that the Vanity Palace had worked so hard to raise.

There was a problem with the palace accounts, and Concubine Chen was still dealing with it, so she let Xihe go to bed first.

Just after closing her eyes for a quarter of an hour, she opened them again. Xihe got up resignedly and said, "I still can't sleep."

"If you can't sleep, don't force yourself to sleep." A familiar voice suddenly came from outside the window.

"Little brother!" Xihe was about to lift the quilt and get out of bed, but was held down by Xiao Mingxuan who jumped in.

"Don't get out of bed. It's cold at night."

Xiao Mingxuan covered the little girl with the quilt again, closed the window, and then slowly sat down beside the bed.

He looked up at the empty bowl beside him and asked casually, "Have you taken the medicine?"

Xihe was not good at lying. His eyes were vague and he made a silent "ang" sound.

"Nonsense again!" Xiao Mingxuan glanced at the little girl with a smile, couldn't help pinching her cheek, and then slowly looked at the potted plant on the windowsill.

He pinched some in his hand and found it was slippery and wet, apparently it had been poured out not long ago.

Xiao Mingxuan was so angry that he raised his hand and lifted the curtain, which scared Yun Hui who was waiting outside.

"Get your master another bowl of medicine." Xiao Mingxuan ignored the other party's jaw-dropping expression and turned to leave when he suddenly remembered something, "And get some candied fruit."

Yun Hui looked like she had been struck by lightning, and her whole body was floating lightly, and no one knew where she was.

Damn it, why is the Ninth Prince here?

Yun Hui was still in shock until Xiao Mingxuan took the medicine.

Xiao Mingxuan took a sip first, and when he thought the temperature was about right, he scooped a spoonful and brought it to Xihe's mouth.

"Open your mouth!"

Xihe subconsciously took a few steps back, shaking his head like a rattle.

"I don't want to drink!"

When the little girl became stubborn, even ten cows couldn't stop her. She refused to drink and kept shrinking towards the foot of the bed.

Xiao Mingxuan narrowed his eyes, giving the impression that a storm was about to come.

"What? Do you still want to hit me?" The little girl raised her chin slightly, maintaining her confidence.

Xiao Mingxuan smiled sinisterly, like a big-tailed wolf, "..."

You know what, I really want the little girl to have a complete childhood.

Xiao Mingxuan put down the medicine bowl and slowly rolled up one of his sleeves with his bony hands.

When Xihe saw this, she was stunned. "You really came! I'm injured, and you still want to hit me! You are shameless! You are mean! You have no conscience!"

Xiao Mingxuan's expression froze, and he could hardly maintain the smile on his face.

His tone was full of gnashing teeth. "Despicable? Shameless? What kind of book have you been reading? You use it without knowing the meaning?"

Xihe was stunned for a moment, "Isn't that right? Then when should it be used?"

Xiao Mingxuan choked, his ears turned red, and he couldn't say a word for a long time.

Since kind words of advice refused to listen, Xiao Mingxuan took direct coercive measures.

He pulled the person huddled in the corner over with one hand, and with one arm, he passed it under her armpit and clasped her waist, holding her tightly. With his right hand, he took a spoonful of medicine.

"Open your mouth! If you don't drink it, I'll pinch your nose and force it down your throat!" Xiao Mingxuan said in a deliberately harsh tone.

Xihe shuddered, looked at the black medicine in front of him, and squeezed out a word from between his teeth, "Little brother, your future wife will be pissed off to death by you."

Xiao Mingxuan's face darkened, not knowing what the little girl was up to again. "What does this have to do with you?"

The little girl swallowed the medicine, her face wrinkled, but she continued to speak confidently, "The book says that when a husband gives his wife medicine, he must be gentle and affectionate, and use kind words to persuade her. They call this... well, the joy of the boudoir!"

Bang!

Xiao Mingxuan didn't hold the bowl firmly and almost knocked over the medicine bowl.

He only snorted coldly, and if you listened carefully, you could hear the sound of grinding teeth. He said woodenly, "Beauty pleasure?"

Xihe nodded heartlessly, as if she had found someone with the same ideals as her.

"So you have some books hidden?" Xiao Mingxuan said.

Xihe: "..."

I was careless.

Xiao Mingxuan picked up the medicine bowl and handed it to Xihe's mouth, "Drink it, and I'll leave the book to you for now."

"Is this true?"

Xihe suddenly looked up, and the loneliness in her eyes was gone, and she looked radiant.

"Really, drink it." There was a hint of helplessness in Xiao Mingxuan's tone.

It is better to loosen than to block. Anyway, he is used to hearing those shocking words.

Xihe drank the medicine obediently. Xiao Mingxuan stuffed the candied fruit into his mouth and did not mention the matter of collecting the book again.

"Little brother, I haven't seen you for a long time." After loosening the shackles, Xihe leaned lazily on Xiao Mingxuan's shoulder and said in a muffled voice.

It took her a month to recover from this illness, and she hadn't seen Xiao Mingxuan for a long time.

"Miss me?" Xiao Mingxuan asked.

Xihe nodded without hesitation, "I don't know when I can return to the National Academy. I want to stay with you."

Hearing this, Xiao Mingxuan paused.

"The state banquet will be held in seven days, and you will be able to see me." Xiao Mingxuan glanced at the scab on the little girl's forehead and straightened her head.

"What state banquet?" the little girl asked curiously, blinking her eyes.

"Your father's birthday banquet will also feature envoys from Nanli and... Beili."

Xihe looked up but couldn't see Xiao Mingxuan's expression.

The little brother is the ninth prince of Beili.

"Little brother, are you... homesick?"

Xiao Mingxuan pursed his lips lightly, his mind wandering, and turned to ask another question, "Xiao Xier, will you leave Tianshuo?"

Xihe blinked, not keeping up with Xiao Mingxuan's jumping thoughts.

Why did the topic suddenly turn to her?

Xiao Mingxuan's eyes were deep as he stared at Xihe closely.

Xihe couldn't help swallowing.

What's wrong with the Big Bad Wolf?

After waiting for an answer for a long time, the hope in Xiao Mingxuan's eyes slowly faded, "Forget it, just pretend I didn't say anything."

Perhaps because Xiao Mingxuan looked too lonely, Xihe took the initiative to grab his hand and said, "Little brother, are you going back to Beili?"

A moment of stunned silence was enough for her to react.

Xiao Mingxuan left his homeland at the age of four, and it has been five years now.

Xiao Mingxuan's silence was considered as his tacit agreement. The proton could not stay in Tianshuo forever. One day he would return to Beili.

"Xiao Xi'er, if I return to Beili, would you be willing to come with me?"

If we meet again, perhaps we will be fighting with swords.

But secretly, he didn't want to go to that extent with the girl.

Xihe stirred the thin quilt in her hands and pursed her lips, "Will I never be able to come back after I leave?"

Xiao Mingxuan was silent for a while and nodded.

The little girl's eyes dimmed, and after a moment, she shook her head and said, "I don't want to."

In Xihe's heart, the little brother is indeed very good, but her father, mother, brothers and sisters are also very good to her.

"Brother, I like you very much, but if I have to choose, I choose them."