Ali Khoja's wish was fulfilled, and the emperor's harem welcomed a new concubine. Hanxiang, however, was like a pebble thrown into a lake, causing only brief ripples and no major disturbance.
The time when Hanxiang entered the palace passed peacefully. The Empress Dowager, being old, was getting tired and couldn't hold on any longer, so she wanted to go back to rest.
There wasn't much else to see, so Qing'er helped the Empress Dowager leave. An Ke had intended to go back with her, but Prince Rui sent a eunuch to stop her, saying he had something to discuss and asked her to stay.
The Empress Dowager waved her hand and smiled, saying it was alright, there was no need for so many people to go back with her. Besides, An Ke had been in the palace all along, and it was only natural for Prince Rui to want to see his daughter, so the Empress Dowager allowed An Ke to stay.
After the banquet, Prince Rui strode over to An Ke's side, his face stern. "Be careful when you leave the palace these days. Remember to bring some highly skilled guards with you." After all, she was his precious daughter; how could Prince Rui not feel sorry for her?
"Take your guards with you." Prince Rui's voice was cold. "Recently, Father discovered signs of the White Lotus Sect's activities in the capital. Fearing they would discover your identity, he's willing to fight to the death to bring you back."
Anke wondered what kind of news it was. She wondered what her father's expression would be if she told him that she had just gotten into a fight with their boss a few days ago.
An Ke, thinking mischievously, blurted out, "I already know about this. My uncle knows too. Father, just wait and see how we lure you into our trap." An Ke said confidently, glancing in Xiao Yanzi's direction after speaking.
Anke: With Little Swallow in hand, I'm not afraid that Xiao Jian won't take the bait.
Yes, when the Emperor sent Xiao Yanzi out of the palace, it was also a test. He wouldn't really let Xiao Yanzi leave the palace. Did he really think he just sent Yongqi and Benjamin to investigate Ziwei's background? When the Emperor learned about the real and fake princesses, he had already sent Emin to investigate Xiao Yanzi's background first.
I learned early on that Xiao Yanzi was the daughter of Xiao Zhihang, the greatest swordsman in Jiangnan back then. I also looked into the past and found out that when the Emperor learned that Xiao Zhihang had been wronged, he lamented the passing of such a talented person.
Further investigation revealed that Xiao Zhihang had a son and a daughter; the daughter was now known as Xiao Yanzi, but the son's whereabouts were unknown. After spending some time interviewing local elders, they learned that the son had been sent south years ago. Following the trail of his journey, they eventually learned of Xiao Jian.
Next, they investigated his past. He had indeed carried on his father's chivalrous ways, righting wrongs and resolving many injustices along the way. But one year, he happened to save a leader of the White Lotus Cult and, by chance, joined the White Lotus Cult.
In Xiao Jian's heart, the Emperor was probably his enemy, and Xiao Yanzi, in her daze, mistook the Emperor for her father. Xiao Jian's background was tragic and lamentable, but he was also hateful.
Given Xiao Jian's connections and abilities, it would only take some time to uncover the truth of what happened back then. Yet, he refused to even investigate, openly believing the Emperor was the culprit behind the murder of his entire family. He even participated in several assassination attempts against the Emperor. He is not innocent!
Following the clues, E Min discovered that the masked man Fu Heng had failed to catch in Qijiang Town was Xiao Jian. Xiao Jian hadn't returned to the White Lotus Sect's stronghold; instead, he had followed them to the capital.
The Emperor then realized that Xiao Jian was after Xiao Yanzi. Although he sympathized with their plight, he knew that Xiao Zhihang's death and their family's misfortune were not caused by the Emperor. The Emperor had no obligation to be their target for revenge.
Since the White Lotus Cult would have to be eliminated sooner or later anyway, we might as well take this opportunity to wipe them out in one fell swoop. Later, he learned from the guards that An Ke had fought with someone, and that he had only glanced at the person briefly before chasing after him.
An Ke is not an impulsive person, and with Qing'er around, she would definitely prioritize Qing'er's safety. This made the Emperor suspicious. What kind of person could make An Ke rush forward without hesitation?
So, after they returned, the Emperor had a secret meeting with An Ke. When An Ke told him that the man's eyes resembled those of the masked assassin from Qijiang Town, the Emperor knew Xiao Jian had arrived. He also learned from An Ke that Xiao Jian was likely a leader in the White Lotus Sect, holding a high position.
After only a few moves, although he was seriously injured, he was quickly rescued by his companions. From this, the Emperor deduced that members of the White Lotus Sect were also hiding in the capital.
However, considering that Ali Khoja needed to be present and would soon be entering the capital, the Emperor temporarily put the matter aside, deciding to address it after Ali Khoja left the capital. Just as one must eat one bite at a time, one must handle matters one step at a time.
After learning that the Emperor and his beloved daughter knew about this, Prince Rui was relieved. He then turned to Princess Rui, and under her suggestive (threatening) gaze, Prince Rui relented and asked, "An'an, would you like to go back to the manor with Father and Mother today?"
After asking the question, Prince Rui quickly turned to look at the Princess, indicating that he had done as she said. As for whether their daughter would return, that was beyond his control. After all, it was a family matter.
After saying this, An Ke also thought that since her father and mother returned to the capital, she seemed to only return home during the day and still stay in the palace at night. After thinking it over, she decided to go back to her home tonight.
Anke stopped a passing palace maid and asked her to deliver a message to the Empress Dowager and Princess Qing, telling them that she would not be returning to Cining Palace tonight, but instead to Prince Rui's residence.
The young palace maid readily agreed and then went to deliver a message to the princess. Prince Rui hadn't expected that he could so easily bring his daughter home; he should have told her sooner.
Prince Rui also loves An Ke very much, but he is not good at expressing it in public, unlike the Princess who can openly express her longing for An Ke. In fact, the Prince's longing for An Ke is no less than that of the Princess.
After all, Anke was the fruit of their love, and the child the princess had given birth to after a near-death experience. The prince had raised Anke by his own hands until she was four years old; how could he not feel a deep affection for his child?
Wherever the prince went, he would write a letter and bring back local specialties, which he would then have transported to the capital by fast horses. Although he did not take the princess with him, traces of her presence were everywhere.
The prince always carried the princess's childhood toys with him. When the princess gave birth, she suffered from blood loss and was deeply troubled. The prince then planned to take her to various hot springs to recuperate and calm her mind. However, the princess was still young, and the long journey would be too much for her. Left with no other choice, and with great reluctance, the prince had to entrust her to the Empress Dowager's care.
Fortunately, Anke did not forget that the couple often wrote back to them. This was a comfort to the prince. He carefully placed the princess's replies in a small box, treasuring them like precious jewels.
After learning that Anke would not be returning tonight, Qing'er went to bed early to rest.
After Anke returned to Prince Rui's residence, her mother kept her company for a long time. Only when Anke was yawning and sleepy did her mother let her go.
When Anke woke up again, she had already missed her biological clock. After a quick breakfast, she prepared to leisurely stroll through the streets.
As Anke strolled down the street, she watched as the royal carriage slowly emerged from the palace gates. Curious, Anke quietly followed behind the carriage, intending to see which palace's people were alighting from.
But then I thought, could it be Xiao Yanzi and Ziwei? I followed them and found myself at Huibinlou without even realizing it. Now I didn't need to guess anymore, it was definitely Xiao Yanzi and her friends.
As soon as Ziwei stepped down from the carriage, a man in dark blue robes rushed out of the Huibinlou restaurant and grabbed her. Upon closer inspection, she recognized him as Fu Erkang, who was supposed to be a cook in the imperial kitchen.
A leopard can't change its spots; no matter where he works or what his job is, he's prone to neglecting his duties. Yes, today isn't his day off.
An Ke found it extremely boring; she didn't want to watch the two of them being so lovey-dovey—it was an eyesore. Just as she was about to leave, she caught a glimpse of Xiao Jian walking out from the side, about to enter the Huibinlou restaurant.
An Ke paused, lost in thought for a moment, surprised by the unexpected gain today. Had Xiao Jian officially checked into the Huibinlou restaurant? An Ke glanced around warily, making sure the White Lotus Cult members weren't nearby, before keeping a close eye on them.
Watching them enter the Huibinlou restaurant together, An Ke felt a bit awkward. She couldn't just walk in like that. Xiao Yanzi and Ziwei, on the other hand, didn't care; she didn't mind them either.
The main reason was that she wasn't wearing a veil when she fought with Xiao Jian that day, and Xiao Jian recognized her face. Although they both knew who was who, her presence inside made it hard to guarantee that Xiao Jian wouldn't be wary and suspicious.
An Ke felt it was best not to do anything that would alert the enemy. She glanced around warily again, then slowly walked out of the alley. Seeing them, An Ke knew she should return to the palace immediately to discuss the matter with her uncle, the Emperor.
Anke thought this way, and she did this way. After quickly returning to her residence and having a face-to-face talk with her father, Anke rode a horse back to the palace.
It just so happened that the Imperial Uncle was reviewing memorials in the Hall of Mental Cultivation and did not see any ministers, so An Ke walked straight in without worry.
Hearing the noise, the Emperor looked up and smiled when he saw it was his niece. "I heard you returned to the Prince's residence last night. I imagine your brother misses An'an very much. Why are you back in the palace so early today? Shouldn't you spend some quality time with them?"
As the emperor spoke, he winked at Xiao Luzi, who understood and quickly beckoned to the palace maids to bring some tea and snacks that the princess liked.
An Ke sat down on a cushion nearby, looking at the tea and snacks laid out on the table. She had little appetite at the moment, but picked up the flower tea and took a big gulp. Then she slowly explained the reason why she had come to the palace.
When the Emperor learned that Fu Erkang had neglected his duties, his expression was already quite grim. When he learned that the men knew each other and were close friends, his face became even darker than described.
"I understand. It seems it's time to let them go for now," the Emperor said meaningfully, then turned to An Ke and said cheerfully, "Don't you like this cloud cake? In the past, when you came to my Hall of Mental Cultivation, you were always looking for cloud cake or hibiscus pastry. Why the change of heart today?"
An Ke took a breath and said, "Uncle, An An has already had breakfast this morning. Now, let alone cloud cake, even if it were something else delicious, I can't eat it."
"Then you can help me review these memorials; it'll be good for digesting them," the Emperor said shamelessly.
An Ke felt three black lines flash through her mind. Good heavens, who is the kind person who reviews and digests this memorial?
But looking at the mountain of memorials piled up on the table, An Ke couldn't help but feel sorry for the Emperor. Being an Emperor really wasn't easy; he got up earlier than the rooster, slept later than the dog, and worked harder than a donkey. One worry after another, and his hair was falling out in clumps.
Fortunately, people in the Qing Dynasty were mostly half-bald, otherwise, it would have been quite a laughing stock for my uncle to have a bald head.
An Ke could only dutifully review the memorials, and an hour passed in the process. From her initial dutifulness, An Ke later became increasingly resentful. What did she have to do all day? She kept an eye on the Emperor, either asking if he had eaten or inquiring about his well-being.
No wonder the Emperor gave her this stack of memorials; he must have already read them and was too annoyed to reply.
*
Huibinlou
Little Swallow never expected to run into the person who had stolen her sword, and felt it was simply fate. Coincidentally, Fu Erkang had also heard Xiao Jian's poem and was quite impressed. He felt that this person was talented and must have a story behind him, and he also wanted to befriend him.
The four of them hit it off and entered Huibinlou. Liu Qing and Liu Hong were overjoyed to see Xiao Yanzi and the others and greeted them with a large table of dishes.
They were talking when several Hui people came downstairs, and the tables in the lobby were gone.
Liu Qing and Liu Hong were at their wits' end. The main problem was that these Hui people hadn't uttered a single word since the day they entered the Huibinlou restaurant. They just kept babbling in Hui language, which the brother and sister couldn't understand.
Later, he simply gestured to them and casually tossed them the money. They were customers; he couldn't be rude to them.
While Liu Hong was trying to come up with a solution, Xiao Yanzi suggested that they could come and sit together.
Meng Dan had the same idea. There were Hui people in the capital, and one of them happened to be a servant from Meng Dan's former, still-living family. He was momentarily surprised when he saw Meng Dan.
He also told Meng Dan about the recent events in the capital, and Meng Dan learned about the Emperor's adopted daughter, Princess Huanzhu, from him.
Thinking of using her as a breakthrough point, and having heard that Princess Huanzhu and the Mongolian princess had recently been sparring in the street, Meng Dan figured this princess must also be skilled in martial arts, since he just happened to have no opportunity to get close to anyone in the palace.
Just when you're about to doze off, someone brings you a pillow—and here comes Princess Huanzhu, who has escaped from the palace on her own. It seems even the heavens are smiling upon her and Hanxiang.
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