Xiang Song looked up and saw that the Emperor was no longer in the Imperial Garden. He pointed in the direction of the Imperial Study: "Go to the Imperial Study. The Emperor is in a good mood today. Even if you say something wrong, he won't blame you."
“It was Miss Jiang who sent Cangyun to inquire about the Ministry of Rites of the previous dynasty. I’ll go find the list for you, and you go and report to the Emperor for me.”
Before Xiang Song could even reply, Xiang Yang ran off in a flash.
"You...you little rascal, you've become clever this time." Xiang Song chuckled and shook his head, then turned and walked towards the Imperial Study.
"Is she trying to overturn the verdict and clear the Su family's name?"
In the imperial study, after listening to Xiang Song's words, Xiao Jingzhao fell into deep thought.
He has already sent people to investigate, but the evidence is missing. To overturn the case, they need to find strong evidence.
Xiang Song's eyes lit up. "Your Majesty, if Miss Jiang continues to search for those involved in the case, let's give her the list first. Perhaps Miss Jiang has a brilliant plan. If not, it's not impossible for me to find some evidence."
"Okay, I'll leave this to you."
Xiao Jingzhao took out a booklet from the drawer under the imperial desk.
"The names of everyone in the Ministry of Rites are listed here. Half of them have already resigned and gone home. Remember to remind her."
Xiang Song accepted the order and left.
After bathing in his palace, Xiao Jingzhao changed into casual clothes and headed towards Cining Palace.
As soon as one foot stepped into the palace gate, the sound of Chang Le's laughter came from the garden.
"Big sister, don't dodge. Let me throw one. The snowball is small and won't hurt you."
Yonghe, the cat, hid behind a pine tree. The tree was covered with a thick layer of snow, and the branches drooped under its weight.
Yonghe remained silent, and Changle, unaware of her sister's hiding place, flung the snowball in her hand like a shooting star.
Hearing his younger sister's laughter as she played in the snow, Xiao Jingzhao walked towards the garden.
The snow crunched underfoot, and suddenly, a snowball flew towards us.
Xiao Jingzhao turned slightly to the side, and the snowball flew behind him.
"Ouch! Your Majesty, be careful."
Xiao Jingzhao turned around and saw Eunuch Ma covering his forehead, with snowflakes still clinging to his nose and the front of his clothes.
Hearing the shout, Chang Le rushed over. Seeing Eunuch Ma's appearance, she suppressed a laugh and quickly apologized, "I'm sorry, this princess didn't mean to hit you."
How could Eunuch Ma dare to let the princess apologize to him? He quickly bowed and said, "Your Highness is too kind. The snowball was so small, how could it hurt this servant? It was too sudden, this servant was just startled. Your Highness, please don't blame yourself."
Seeing that there was only a faint red mark on Eunuch Ma's forehead, Chang Le looked up at Xiao Jingzhao again, "Second Brother, I, I really didn't mean it. I'll have Zhu'er take the ointment over in a bit."
Looking at Chang Le's rosy cheeks, the snowflakes in her hair, and her guilty little eyes.
Xiao Jingzhao said, "Playing for a while is enough, don't catch a cold."
His tone was gentle, without the sternness of before, and Chang Le immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
She raised her little face and said with a grin, "I'm dressed very warmly, I won't catch a cold. Second brother, do you want to play with us?"
Hearing his younger sister's words, which were taken advantage of, he felt a surge of pride.
Yonghe quickly came out from behind the tree, bowed, and said, "Second brother has arrived."
Then he tugged at Chang Le's sleeve, "Second brother is busy with state affairs, he doesn't have time to play with you. Come back to the palace with me to change your clothes."
Chang Le pouted and reluctantly followed her sister.
Xiao Jingzhao suddenly remembered that Chang Le should be at the academy at this time.
He quickly called out, "Changle, wait a minute."
"Has Second Brother changed his mind and wants to have a snowball fight?" Chang Le suddenly turned around, her eyes shining.
Why didn't you go to the academy today?
"Didn't anyone tell Second Brother? It snowed heavily last night, and the academy sent everyone home."
A hint of joy flashed in Xiao Jingzhao's eyes, "Sui Sui is home too?"
Chang Le nodded and then shook her head. "Su Nan took him back to Lord Su's place. Sister Jiang is very busy. Su Nan said he can take good care of Sui Sui."
"Did you want to take him back to the palace yesterday?" Xiao Jingzhao could guess with his toes that Chang Le must have followed him outside the palace.
Chang Le didn't hide anything and angrily recounted in detail how she followed Su Nan outside the palace and how she had argued with him.
“That Su Nan guy is infuriating! I said I would take Sui Sui back to the palace for one night, but he said that men and women should stay together and that it would be more appropriate for Sui Sui to stay with him.”
"Suitable my foot... When Sui Sui lived in the palace, it was always Second Brother who accompanied her. I think he did it on purpose."
Chang Le's cheeks puffed out, but luckily Yong He pinched her wrist just in time, preventing the word "fart" from escaping her lips.
"I understand. Go back to the palace and rest. Su Nan meant no harm. He treats Sui Sui very well. Don't bully others in the future."
Chang Le: "..." Whose brother is this? Where did my second brother's elbow go?
Xiao Jingzhao knew his younger sister's personality very well. He didn't believe she would argue; he was sure Su Nan would try to reason with her, and Chang Le would get angry when she couldn't win the argument.
Xiao Jingzhao had the imperial meal delivered to Cining Palace.
The Empress Dowager was amazed by the beautiful green vegetables on the exquisite porcelain plate on the table.
"Yue Niang is truly an extraordinary woman. You can't find another woman like her anywhere in Wanling, both domestically and internationally."
Aunt Cai was well aware of the Empress Dowager's implied meaning, and she served the Empress Dowager a piece of bok choy, adding in agreement:
"That's right. Take this bok choy for example. When the climate in the capital gets cold, nothing can be grown in the ground, let alone this variety, which I've never seen in Yannan. These green leaves look delicious to me."
The Empress Dowager glanced at Xiao Jingzhao and said, "Who says otherwise? A woman like Yue Niang is hard to find even with a lantern."
"Your Highness, please don't worry. Miss Jiang is the young master's biological mother, and that's a fact that no one can change."
Xiao Jingzhao listened quietly to his mother and Aunt Cai's back-and-forth conversation, and ate his meal with elegant movements, as if the matter being discussed had nothing to do with him.
With fresh vegetables, Xiao Jingzhao ate half a bowl more rice.
Eunuch Ma observed this and secretly thought to himself, "The Emperor has an excellent appetite, and Vice Commander Xiang deserves much credit for that."
After leaving Cining Palace, Xiao Jingzhao instructed Eunuch Ma to summon Xiangyang to the Imperial Study.
Eunuch Ma was slightly taken aback. "Your Majesty, Chief Physician Lin said that strenuous exercise is not advisable after meals."
Xiao Jingzhao paused slightly. "Didn't I tell him to come here to practice martial arts?"
"This servant will go immediately."
...
Afterwards, Gao Mu and Zhang Cai delivered the dishes to Juxian Pavilion.
Upon seeing the vegetables arrive, Hu Qing immediately added the names of the vegetables to the menu.
The first customers to order saw the menu and prices, and found that even the price of bok choy exceeded that of meat dishes.
The diner asked incredulously, "Where can we find leafy green vegetables this season? Could the menu be wrong? Besides, this stir-fried bok choy is a few coins more expensive than the meat dishes."
Hu Qing said with a smile, "You're half right, sir. There are indeed no leafy greens for sale at the market this season. Our Juxian Pavilion has spent a lot of money to grow these fresh vegetables, which is why they are more expensive than meat dishes."
The diners nodded repeatedly, but there was still doubt in their eyes.
Hu Qing instructed the waiter to carry a basket of bok choy to the front hall.
Scarcity drives up prices, and the restaurant sold out of bok choy in just one day.
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