Chapter 318 His Royal Highness Prince Ding will definitely not agree.

As Xie Lingyue finished speaking, Shen Ning was suddenly shocked.

Xie Lingyue said: "Since my family was in trouble, the Fourth Princess has hidden me with Concubine Ma. Not long ago, the Fourth Princess received a jade pendant from Concubine Xu and asked her to deliver it to Xu Zhong.

The Fourth Princess felt strange at the time and went to see her, only to discover that... the Concubine Xu in the cold palace was not the real Concubine Xu at all, and that Concubine Xu's constant maid was also missing."

Originally, the fourth princess Xiao Yu had wondered if someone had rescued Concubine Xu from the palace, but this idea was immediately rejected by Concubine Ma.

For those who really have the ability to save Concubine Xu, the safest way to deal with the aftermath is to fake Concubine Xu's death, find a random corpse, set it on fire, and then Concubine Xu can be free to fly away. There is no reason to find a fake one and keep it in the cold palace for a show.

Wouldn't this be even more dangerous?

The only explanation is that that person needs others to know that Concubine Xu is still alive... and perhaps only one person cares about Concubine Xu's life or death.

That person is Xu Zhong.

Shen Ning's heart began to beat violently.

Xie Lingyu said, "The affair between Concubine Xu and Xu Zhong is no longer a secret. Xu Zhong's rebellion was most likely motivated by Concubine Xu... The Fourth Princess and I both believe that this jade pendant must have been something Concubine Xu realized before her death and intended to give to Xu Zhong."

"If Xu Zhong knew that Concubine Xu was gone, he might be willing to stop."

Shen Ning also agreed with this guess: "Yes, it is possible!"

Xie Lingyue continued, "But after the Fourth Princess went to the Cold Palace that day, she was being targeted. Even Concubine Ma was being targeted. The Fourth Princess leaving the palace would be too conspicuous. I wanted to make this trip...

I used to be in the army more often, so I could find Xu Zhong more easily. However, now Concubine Ma, the Fourth Princess, and everyone around them are being watched. I'm sure someone will know that I'm here with you. I can't leave the palace, so I can only come to you to find a solution."

Shen Ning's mind was turning rapidly as she thought of a countermeasure. Xie Lingyue glanced outside and said, "Hurry, I can't stay too long or I'll be suspected. As long as I can get out of the palace, it would be best if you can help me delay for a day or two. That way, I'll have a way to prevent the people behind me from catching up."

At this time, Shen Ning had already thought of an idea, and she called Sanyue in.

Among the people around him, Yuanyue and February have grown up and are much taller than Xie Lingyue, making it difficult to disguise themselves, but March is almost the same height as Xie Lingyue.

"Please forgive my cousin for wearing March's clothes. You two can switch."

Xie Lingyue's eyes lit up and she nodded immediately. Beside her, Sanyue had a pitiful look in his eyes, pursed his lips, and resignedly walked to the other side to take off his outer robe.

Chen Ning moved quickly, and in no time she had disguised Sanyue as Xie Lingyue had been when she came in before. Then, as usual, she asked him to take some things as a return gift to Ma Guiren.

A moment later, Sanyue, disguised as a palace maid, carried a food box and imitated Xie Lingyue's previous movements, walking slowly back to Concubine Ma.

On the way, Sanyue did notice someone secretly following him...but, palace maids usually walked with their heads down, and coupled with their disguise, the other party didn't notice anything.

On the other side, Xie Lingyue changed into March's clothes and was disguised as March by Chen Ning, who then asked someone to bring some lychees that the Queen Mother had just given her that morning.

"Send him home and tell my mother that everything is fine here and she doesn't need to worry."

Xie Lingyue bowed, turned around, and walked out of the palace carrying the food box with ice cubes...

Xie Lingyue left, and Yuanyue walked in and came to Shen Ning's side and whispered: "Miss, someone is indeed following Miss Xie."

Miss Xie disguised as March.

The matter is of great importance. Whether Xie Lingyue can successfully reach Liaodong means whether it is possible to make Xu Zhong stop. Shen Ning thought for a moment and decided to make a feint to the east and attack in the west to be safe.

She had already thought that the only possibility of causing trouble now was the Second Prince, so she asked July to bring a plate of lychees and then took July towards the Weiyang Palace.

In Weiyang Palace, Xiao Nanyong just returned from the Qianqing Palace.

After all, Emperor Jiaping had several sons, so it was normal for him, who was the most filial and humble one, to serve in front. But he also needed to rest and let others take his place. If he stayed there all the time, it would easily give people a chance to criticize him.

Just then, a secret guard came in.

"Master, after the maidservants from Concubine Ma's palace left, a guard from the King of Beihai left the palace with lychees in his hand. He's almost at Zhengyang Gate. Do you want to let him pass?"

Xiao Nanyong's eyes flickered slightly.

Although Xie's house was not in the palace, with Chen Ning's financial resources and Hua Yingxue, all the things there were not much worse than those in the palace. Although Chen Ning had sent things back before, they were very few.

At times like this, one should be even more cautious...

But at this moment, another secret guard came in: "Master, the King of Beihai is coming this way with lychees."

In an instant, the coldness in Xiao Nanyong's eyes was like frost meeting warmth, and after a moment of stunned silence, it immediately melted away.

When she sent lychees to her family, she also sent some for him. So, was she thinking about him as much as she was thinking about her family?

These lychees must be very sweet, so she wanted to give them to the people she cared about.

Xiao Nanrong raised his hand and said to the first secret guard, "Let him pass."

Chen Ning was thinking of him even when she ate lychees. If she knew that her people were stopped, she would definitely be unhappy.

She just wanted her family to taste lychees...

The secret guard left as soon as he was told. Xiao Nanyong stood up, walked around the screen to the mirror, looked himself up and down, adjusted his appearance, and then calmly applied some perfume produced by Huayingxue on both sides of his wrists from the bottle of perfume produced by Huayingxue on the bedside.

He had smelled this fragrance on Shen Ning before. Although the fragrance was slightly different when he used it, the difference was not big. He thought she would like it too.

A moment later, Shen Ning entered the Weiyang Palace.

"The Empress Dowager gave me a lot of lychees. They are quite sweet. I can't eat too many for fear of getting a sore throat. I brought them here for Your Highness to try and also to see how your injury is."

Xiao Nanyong met Chen Ning's usual gentle smile. His expression remained gentle, but his heartbeat was already out of rhythm.

She was thinking about letting him taste lychees, and she was also concerned about his injury... How could she be so good? How could he be willing to watch her marry Lao Qi!

Xiao Nanyong pursed his lips and gestured, indicating that his injury was much better.

Shen Ning pushed the lychee to him: "Your Highness, try it, but don't eat too much. After all, you are seriously injured and haven't recovered yet."

A light seemed to be lit in Xiao Nanrong's eyes, the corners of his lips curled up slightly, and he peeled a lychee with his jade-like fingers and ate it.

The secret guard stared in amazement.

Master, that is Prince Ding’s future wife. Are you just going to eat what she gave you?

Shen Ning smiled and asked, "Is it sweet?"

Xiao Nanrong looked up at her and nodded, a slight blush appearing on the tip of his ear...

At the palace gate, the secretary whispered to Yan Nu, "Look at our master. Doesn't he look like a young boy who's just beginning to fall in love?"

Yan Nu had no expression on his face.

The secretary sighed to herself, "Alas, why did it have to be the King of Beihai... His Royal Highness Prince Ding would definitely not agree."