Chapter 96 If I don't disobey the imperial decree, I'll have suffered eighty lashes for nothing.

Night falls.

All was silent.

Yun Si changed into night clothes, took all the medicine, and sneaked into the palace again with A Wu.

She waited for a long time tonight, but that person never came to the Prince Xiao's residence. Just to be on the safe side, before leaving the residence, she let Lu Yu lie on her bed and fall asleep normally.

This time, the two entered Yong'an Palace without incident.

Hiding on the roof, I overheard people whispering below.

"Tell me, how could His Highness Prince Xiao be so foolish? He'd rather have the eldest daughter of the Jiang family than stay with that sickly man, repeatedly angering the Emperor. Does he really not want to live?"

"If you ask me, that sickly girl is a menace. His Highness is so badly injured, and His Majesty won't let her into the palace. She hasn't made a sound at all, nor has she come to plead with His Majesty to let her see His Highness."

"Indeed, they are truly heartless and ungrateful."

"Yes, it's fortunate that His Highness is so devoted to her. Yesterday, His Majesty even sent someone to inquire whether His Highness was determined to defy the imperial decree."

"How did Your Highness answer?"

"His Highness said that if we do not defy the imperial decree to the end, then wouldn't the eighty lashes be for nothing?"

"Tsk, Your Highness really says that?"

"Of course it's true. His Majesty has already given the order that once His Highness recovers from his injuries, he will hand over the power of the Ministry of War and go back to his Jinzhou."

Upon hearing this, Yun Si's heart tightened slightly.

"What are you all gossiping about here for?"

A cold shout interrupted the discussion of several palace servants: "Don't you want your tongue anymore?"

It was Jiang Wanning's voice.

Behind her followed Jiang Xinyu and a group of palace maids and eunuchs.

Several palace servants who had been gossiping were so frightened that they knelt down and begged for mercy.

Jiang Xinyu waved his hand, telling them not to talk nonsense again, and then they left.

Jiang Wanning disagreed, saying, "Aunt, you should punish them severely. If you let them off like this, where is your authority?"

"The Prince Xiao's room is just ahead. Don't make a fuss. You should think about how to win him over. If you don't seize this opportunity, it will be even harder to get close to him once he leaves the palace."

Jiang Xinyu said earnestly, "If you can't marry him, and the Jiang family doesn't have any better options, do you think your father will give up on him or on you?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Wanning's face turned pale.

She wasn't stupid; she understood what the Empress meant.

The Jiang family will certainly not give up on Prince Xiao easily.

Moreover, since Prince Xiao has already agreed to adopt her under his aunt's name, whether or not Prince Xiao marries her will not affect the Jiang family's support for him.

But the next empress must be a daughter of the Jiang family.

If she fails to win over Prince Xiao, then the Jiang family will have more than just her as a daughter.

Yun Si, who was hiding on the roof, also understood what was said.

The daughter of the Jiang family...

A scene suddenly flashed through Yun Si's mind.

It was a scene she had witnessed in her past life.

Jiang Xiuyuan, an illegitimate daughter of the Jiang family, almost killed Jiang Wanning.

What grudges exist between them?

I'll look into it properly later; maybe I can make use of it.

"Alright, that's all I have to say. The rest is up to you to fight for."

After saying this, Jiang Xinyu turned and left with his entourage of palace servants.

Jiang Wanning stood still, her eyes fixed fiercely on Qin Ye's door.

She is the only legitimate daughter of the Jiang family. If she cannot marry Prince Xiao, no one else can even dream of it!

The throne of the next empress can only belong to her.

Jiang Wanning seemed to have made a decision, and turned to head towards the imperial kitchen.

Just as Yun Si was about to leave, several imperial physicians arrived.

Examine Qin Ye to understand the extent of his injuries.

In just a few days, his wounds had almost healed, much to the astonishment of the imperial physicians.

Everyone praised Dr. Ji's medical skills as superb.

Dr. Ji blushed at the praise, but he couldn't explain and could only accept it guiltily.

After the imperial physicians left, Jiang Wanning changed into a white bathrobe, carefully dressed herself, and carried a food box into Qin Ye's room.

The flickering candlelight in the room illuminated Jiang Wanning's plain white nightgown, adding to her deliberately feminine appearance.

She placed the food box on the table and slowly walked to the bedside. Qin Ye was resting with his eyes closed, and his profile looked even more handsome and cold in the light and shadow.

"Your Highness, Wan Ning has stewed some bird's nest for you. Would you like to try some?"

She spoke in a very soft voice, with a hint of cautious probing.

Qin Ye's eyelashes fluttered slightly, and he slowly opened his eyes, but there was no warmth in his gaze: "Get out."

The two words were like ice, instantly freezing the smile on Jiang Wanning's face.

Every time she came in, she would say those two words.

Jiang Wanning was so angry that she gritted her teeth.

She gripped the silver spoon tightly, her fingertips turning white, and forced a gentle expression: "Your Highness, you've just recovered, you should eat something to nourish yourself. This bird's nest was personally stewed by Wan Ning for three hours, please consider it..."

"I said, get out."

Qin Ye interrupted her, his impatience undisguised: "I have never seen anyone as shameless as Miss Jiang. Don't you have any self-respect?"

Jiang Wanning's face turned pale and then red. She bit her lip, trying to suppress her grievances: "Your Highness, Wanning knows that you only have your Princess in your heart, but His Majesty has already issued the decree..."

"What does His Majesty's decree have to do with me?"

Qin Ye sat up abruptly, his eyes icy as he said to the man, "Jiang Wanning, put away your filthy thoughts. Get out of here right now. If you dare to enter my room again, I'll have your legs chopped off."

His voice was cold and ruthless, making it impossible to doubt the truthfulness of his words.

Jiang Wanning shuddered, a hint of fear flashing in her eyes.

But when she thought of what the Empress had said, she forcibly suppressed her fear, her eyes filled with madness and stubbornness.

She had no choice, no way to turn back.

We can only move forward.

"Your Highness..."

"roll!"

"..."

She was both shocked and angry, and suddenly smashed the bird's nest bowl on the ground.

The sound of shattering porcelain was particularly jarring in the quiet night.

"Qin Ye, don't push your luck!"

Jiang Wanning said with a distorted expression, "That Yun Si is just a sickly woman. What right does she have to occupy the position of Princess Xiao? In what way am I, Jiang Wanning, inferior to her?!"

Qin Ye looked at her coldly, as if she were a clown: "You are not worthy to be compared with her."

"you!"

Jiang Wanning was so angry that she was trembling all over, and her hand pointing at him was shaking.

"Do you think you'll have a good ending by disobeying the imperial decree? His Majesty has already planned to take back your military power. Once you're a powerless cripple, let's see if Yun Si will still follow you!"

Yun Si couldn't listen to it anymore.

Three silver needles pierced the air with a sound.

It pierced Jiang Wanning's body accurately.

Jiang Wanning felt as if she had been pricked by something, and before she could even respond, she collapsed limply to the ground.

"Sister is amazing."

Seeing this, A-Wu clapped her hands.

Actually, she couldn't help but want to break the woman's neck, but her sister struck first.

Yun Si was very satisfied with her masterpiece.

Her silver needle shooting skills are now highly refined; shooting from the roof into the house is a piece of cake for her.

"she……"

Doctor Ji was standing to the side, initially shocked that Jiang Wanning, a young lady from a sheltered family, could say such things, when in the next instant, she collapsed.

What happened?

Seeing this, Qin Ye showed no surprise. He looked up at the roof and, sure enough, met those eyes that he had been longing for.

"Get down quickly."

Yun Si and A Wu entered the room, and Doctor Ji quickly pulled A Wu out so that the two could talk alone.

Why are you so disobedient?

Qin Ye's deep voice carried a complex tone.

It sounds like a reproach, but in reality, it's full of helplessness and joy.

"I don't come here every day."

Yun Si sat down by the bed and said, half seriously and half jokingly, "This woman is like a leech, Your Highness probably can't get rid of her."

What are you trying to say?