Chapter 435 Xiao Yanxu Enters the Palace

"I think not yet. If he comes back, the eldest master will send a message."

Zhuang Liyue: "Looks like it's only two days. Arrange people to keep watch at Prince Rong's mansion, the city gate, and... the palace gate. I want to be the first to know when they return."

"Yes!" Nanny Hua responded and left to make some quick arrangements before returning to her room. "Madam, what about the five years' worth of debt?"

Zhuang Liyue's face was grim. "Don't worry about it. Even if she comes back, there will be no chance to check."

Nanny Hua felt that this was not right. "Gu Yun is acting like he might report to the authorities if the money is not paid back within three days. He might then go to the palace or the Gu family to look for Gu Wanqing. If Gu Wanqing brings people to our house, it will be troublesome."

Zhuang Liyue was furious when she heard this. All the shops under Gu Yining's name should have been hers!

"Go to the private vault and count the silver and send it over this afternoon!"

If things go well, won't the entire Dayuan be in her pocket?

It's just a shop, she doesn't care about it now!

Imperial Palace

Xiao Yanli felt a headache when he saw the court officials chattering endlessly.

"Alright, stop arguing. Leave this matter to Lord Zhang. I want a result within three days. Everyone, go away."

Xiao Yanli stood up and left in a hurry.

Prince Rong quickly chased after him, "Uncle Emperor, you have dark circles under your eyes. Is this because you stayed up late again last night?"

Xiao Yanli looked at Xiao Hongyi, whose eyes were filled with concern for him, and was very relieved. "Uncle Emperor is in good health. It's not a big deal if he stays up all night occasionally."

Xiao Hongyi: "If you don't listen to Yu-san, won't this daily diet recipe for conditioning your body be ineffective? It's better to have Yu-san come to the palace as soon as possible to check your pulse."

Xiao Yanli remembered that Song Yu had entered the palace some time ago, but he had forgotten exactly when?

It must have been a long time ago, and it's time for Yu to go to the palace for a checkup on A-Yu.

"You reminded me that it's time to let Miss Song enter the palace." Xiao Yanli immediately ordered the eunuch beside him: "Go to Chaofeng Palace Academy to inquire..."

Xiao Hongyi hurriedly said, "Yu girl, you don't have classes today. You and Gan'er, the Mu brothers and sisters went to Luming Mountain to taste the blue fruit. They are already outside the city now and will be back the afternoon after tomorrow. Gan'er will bring the blue fruit to the palace then."

Xiao Yanli couldn't help but smack his lips when he heard this. "Hmph! Why didn't you tell me earlier? Send someone to Luming Mountain to inform Song Yu to return to the city the afternoon after tomorrow and go directly to the palace. Oh, and have her prepare peony fruit cakes and blue fruits. She's quite clever with her hands, so she should be able to make a dessert with blue fruits, right?"

Xiao Hongyi smiled and said, "Yu girl should be able to do it. What if she can't do it?"

"I just said it casually. Just ask her to come the next afternoon. If there is nothing else, you can leave."

Now that Xiao Hongyi has achieved his goal, there is no need for him to stay in the palace.

"I will take my leave."

Xiao Yanli got on the imperial carriage and rushed to the imperial study with a group of palace maids and imperial guards.

Seeing this, Xiao Hongyi curled his lips. It wouldn't be long before he would be the one sitting on it.

"emperor."

Xiao Yanli nodded to Wang Gui, then picked up the memorial and bowed his head to carefully review it.

Xiao Yanxu walked out from behind the screen behind Wang Gui, took the freshly brewed tea from Wang Gui's hand and placed it in front of Xiao Yanli, saying in a strangled voice, "Your Majesty, this is the best Dragon and Phoenix tea. Please try it."

Xiao Yanli didn't even raise his eyes. He picked up the teacup and took a sip. "Not bad, it tastes sweet. Ah Gui... Ah! Why is it you? When did you come back?"

Xiao Yanli raised his hand and removed the white jade mask from Xiao Yanxu's face. He said excitedly, "It really is you! How come your face looks exactly the same as it did eighteen years ago? Not even a single wrinkle. Tell me, did you take some elixir of immortality out there?"

"Ha... Big Brother, there's no such thing as an elixir of life. If there's a good medicine, it's probably just a good mood. Everything you eat tastes delicious."

Xiao Yanli feigned displeasure, "Hmph, you're so good, you only care about your own pleasure and don't help big brother with state affairs. Now that you're back, don't even think about running away! Hurry up and come here, there are a lot of memorials here, you have to approve them all for big brother today, otherwise, don't even think about leaving the palace!"

Xiao Yanxu's scalp instantly went numb. He immediately knelt down, hugging Xiao Yanli's thighs, and howled, "Woo... Big brother, please forgive me. I can't read all of this, and you don't even feel sorry for me. I rushed back from a long journey and came straight to the palace to see you. Ayi doesn't even know I'm back. In my heart, big brother will always be number one, woo..."

Xiao Yanli frowned in disdain, "Hurry up and get up! You're such a grown man and you still can't shed a tear!"

"Hehe..." Xiao Yanxu stood up with a playful smile, "I knew that big brother cared about me the most, so I can't help but care about big brother. I will accompany big brother to read the memorial. Even though I am not smart, I still have a lot of clever ideas."

"No need. There are a lot of memorials, and most of them have been reviewed. Tell me, are you going to leave this time?"

"Ningning and I don't have any grandchildren, and now we have a little grandson, so we have to bring him up with us. I came to see Big Brother first because it's about my godson..."

Xiao Yanli interrupted him with a smile, "I have already drafted an imperial decree. I will let him inherit the title of prince on the day of my godson's birthday banquet!"

Xiao Yanxu was surprised that his elder brother really valued his godson and even drafted the imperial edict in advance.

"Let's keep this imperial decree for now. My son still needs more experience."

Xiao Yanxu was surprised. "Why? You're asking for a title for your son but not your grandson? Do you prefer your son?"

"How could that be? I like both my sons and my grandsons. How can three generations of a family be princes? If my godson doesn't make much progress, the ministers in the court will also oppose it. I'll hold this imperial decree over for now."

Xiao Yanli was silent for a moment. "Okay, wait until my son achieves another great achievement and then let him inherit the title. That will also convince the ministers. Did you know that your grandson's wife has been replaced?"

Xiao Yanxu smiled and said, "Of course I know. Ningning and I came back early to secretly investigate. Yu girl has good character and we all like her. But have you seen her adoptive father, Song Mingen? What does he look like?"

"I've never met him. Old Jiang said he was handsome and had an extraordinary demeanor." Xiao Yanli sighed, "What a pity, he died of illness not long after arriving in Beijing."

Xiao Yanxu felt a little disappointed when he heard this. His elder brother had never seen Song Mingen, so he couldn't be sure what he looked like.

"Did Mr. Jiang say who he looked like?"

Xiao Yanli was surprised. He hadn't seen his biological brother for eighteen years, and he seemed a little strange.

"If Mr. Jiang knew who Song Mingen looked like, he would have dragged him to find his relative long ago."

Xiao Yanxu thought about it and realized that he had only met Old Jiang a few times since he was young.

It can be said that he has never seen Mr. Jiang since he got married.

Also, since Mr. Jiang was a civil official, he naturally rarely interacted with the wealthy Gu family.

Song Mingen couldn't be his and Ningning's son.

Ayi has kept them with her since she gave birth to them.

Song Mingen could only be Gu Wanqing's illegitimate son.

"Then you go ahead and get busy, big brother. Ningning is still waiting for me at the Yunqi Inn. We will return home in the afternoon."

"Wait, stay and have lunch with me."

"No, Ningning and I will go to the palace together the day after tomorrow."

Not long after Xiao Yanxu left the palace, the person Zhuang Liyue arranged to follow appeared nearby.

Yunyan was watching from a big tree in the dark.

After an unknown amount of time, several carriages slowly came into view.

His sight quickly fell on Du Zhixu's carriage.

Yunyan's expression changed slightly, and she hurried down the tree and returned to the main courtyard.