"Have you become mute? Can't you speak anymore?"
The emperor remained furious and swept everything off the table with a wave of his hand.
A series of crackling sounds rang out beside him, but Su Qingcai didn't look up. He said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, please give me a little more time. I will definitely find out the truth..."
"Give you a little more time? Can you promise me that this kind of blunder won't happen again?" The emperor snorted coldly, not immediately agreeing. "If there's a second time, you'd better watch yourself!"
Su Qingcai's heart skipped a beat. He knew that this was actually a threat from the emperor, but he had no choice but to bite the bullet and say, "Your Majesty, I guarantee that I will investigate this matter thoroughly and will produce more compelling evidence. Please grant me some more time."
His attitude was sincere and genuine, which pleased the emperor and somewhat eased his anger.
"Since you have made such a guarantee, then I will give you another chance. Remember, you must not act so rashly again. Those who achieve great things must remain calm and composed."
The emperor, after all, still favored Su Qingcai. Since Su Qingcai had already made a guarantee, he saw no need to press the matter further and let him investigate.
"Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty." Su Qingcai breathed a sigh of relief and bowed solemnly to the emperor.
However, whenever an investigation is involved, that question inevitably comes to mind.
Was the emperor really the mastermind behind Xiuyifang?
After much deliberation, Su Qingcai decided to ask in person. He stood up and cautiously asked, "Your Majesty, do you know of Xiuyi Workshop?"
"Xiuyifang? What kind of place is that?" To Su Qingcai's surprise, the Emperor looked completely bewildered, and the confusion in his eyes seemed genuine.
Su Qingcai smiled and casually said, "It's nothing, it's just that Mirror Lake has been haunted lately, so I just wanted to ask Your Majesty about it."
"Haunted? How could such a thing happen! Won't that affect the royal gardens?" The emperor was shocked and then became worried about the royal gardens beside Mirror Lake.
Judging from his tone and slightly anxious expression, Su Qingcai was certain that the emperor had nothing to do with Xiuyifang and that the mastermind was someone else.
The weight that had been hanging over his heart finally lifted. Thankfully, it wasn't the emperor; now he could investigate without worry.
Su Qingcai thought of some ideas, casually reassured the Emperor, and hurriedly returned to the Ninth Prince's residence, wanting to discuss the next steps with Su Xiaoning.
As soon as he stepped into the courtyard, he saw Su Xiaoning holding a small knife and sunbathing. She was muttering to herself, as if she was telling the knife a story.
"...In the end, the prince defeated the dragon, and the princess and the prince lived happily ever after."
"Sister, what is a dragon? And what about princesses and princes? Are they referring to nobles in the palace?"
"...Don't worry about these little things, just enjoy listening!"
Su Xiaoning and Xiaodao were talking quietly, occasionally laughing out loud.
The warm afternoon sun shone on the two of them, creating a halo around them. They looked so beautiful, like a fleeting illusion.
Su Qingcai leaned against the courtyard gate, not going in. He quietly watched the two people laughing heartily. Although the sunlight wasn't shining on him, he felt a warm glow in his heart.
I wonder if things will be the same after he and Su Xiaoning have a child?
An idea suddenly popped into Su Qingcai's head, and a suspicious blush appeared on her face.
The way Su Xiaoning and Xiaodao interacted was so much like a mother and son that he couldn't help but think about his future with Su Xiaoning. Would they also have a child as adorable as Xiaodao? Would Su Xiaoning tell stories to the child like she did now?
The thought of such a distant future is so heartwarming that it brings tears to my eyes.
Su Qingcai's gaze fell on Su Xiaoning from afar, and perhaps because it was too intense, Su Xiaoning noticed it.
She looked up and saw Su Qingcai standing there dumbfounded at the gate. Her smile vanished, and she fell silent.
Xiao Dao looked over curiously, and when he saw that it was Su Qingcai, he sensibly said, "I'm leaving first," then jumped out of Su Xiaoning's arms and ran away in a flash.
Su Xiaoning lowered her head slightly and did not speak, creating an awkward atmosphere between them.
Su Qingcai walked over helplessly, tucked Su Xiaoning's disheveled hair behind her ear, and said softly, "Why did you stop talking as soon as I arrived?"
"No, I just said I was tired..." Su Xiaoning was a little flustered, not knowing how to face Su Qingcai.
Ever since Shen Jun said that there was no lucky koi to protect her, she had kept those words in mind. It was only when Xiao Dao saw that she was in a bad mood that he dragged her to the yard to bask in the sun and told her stories that she was able to forget about them a little. Now that Su Qingcai has returned, it has stirred up her hidden worries again.
Su Xiaoning's nose tingled, and she almost burst into tears.
Su Qingcai noticed that something was wrong with her, so he squatted down, looked directly into Su Xiaoning's eyes, and asked seriously, "What's wrong?"
"I..." Su Xiaoning was at a loss, her eyes quickly reddening, "I'm sorry..."
Su Qingcai was taken aback: "Why are you apologizing to me?"
"I know what happened in court today. The reason you haven't returned for so long is because you were scolded by the Emperor... I'm sorry, it's all because I no longer have the koi fish mark, so I can no longer help you..."
The more Su Xiaoning thought about it, the sadder she became, and tears welled up in her eyes.
Su Qingcai was somewhat amused and exasperated that she was actually struggling with this issue. He gently pulled Su Xiaoning into his arms and patted her back softly.
"Why do you even think about this kind of question? Have you forgotten what I told you before? No matter if you have the koi fish mark or not, I will love you the same way. Only you can stand by my side."
"...Back then, my lucky charm mark was still there. Now that all this has happened, who knows if your thoughts have changed?"
"fool."
Su Qingcai let out a soft chuckle, then hugged Su Xiaoning tighter, saying helplessly, "When have I ever lied to you? Don't slander me."
He lowered his head and planted a kiss on Su Xiaoning's forehead.
"Whether you have the koi fish mark or not, you are Su Xiaoning, the one I love."
The kiss seemed incredibly passionate, burning into Su Xiaoning's heart.
Su Xiaoning looked up in a daze, and met Su Qingcai's gentle yet firm eyes. Those eyes were full of her, without a trace of pretense.
He didn't lie to her, and she didn't need to feel sorry for herself at all.
Su Xiaoning was deeply moved. She hugged Su Qingcai tightly and cried silently in his arms, but this time the tears that fell were tears of emotion.
In the courtyard, a perfect couple embraced. A warm breeze blew, and the time was just right.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
