Looking at Xiao Yanzi, who was so different from before, devoid of her former liveliness and spirit, An Ke couldn't help but sigh for her. Although she was somewhat reckless and sometimes spoke without thinking, she was basically being used as a pawn.
"Get up." Anke glanced at Xingxing, and Xingxing immediately told Xiaoyanzi to sit down next to her.
Little Swallow, however, felt somewhat uneasy. She clutched her sleeves, her head bowed, wondering what connection she had with this princess, and what she should say to her.
"Did you send the things Xingxing asked you to give to Consort Xiang?" Anke glanced at Xingxing, took a sip of tea, and then asked.
Xingxing naturally knew what her princess meant and immediately agreed, "It was originally going to be sent there, but I heard that Princess Ziwei was talking to Consort Xiang, so it was not convenient to disturb her. Therefore, I gave it to Consort Xiang's maid, Jinlingzi."
Anke nodded, then said with a sudden realization, "Oh, I see." After saying that, she looked down at Xiaoyanzi.
Xiao Yanzi's pupils suddenly contracted, and she unconsciously clenched her fingers, her eyebrows furrowing slightly, as if she couldn't understand why Ziwei had asked her that question when she left.
What did Ziwei say back then? Oh, right, she said she was going to visit Father Emperor at the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Ziwei, Ziwei, why did you lie to me? Xiaoyanzi's eyes were filled with disbelief and sorrow.
"Did Ziwei go to watch the execution yesterday, Little Swallow?" An Ke asked casually, placing her teacup on the low table beside her.
Upon hearing An Ke's voice, Xiao Yanzi immediately snapped out of her daze, but then hesitated, unsure of what to say. After a moment's hesitation, as if she had made up her mind, she said, "Princess has gone, but only to see her off."
Xiao Yanzi didn't want to cover for Ziwei, but it was useless for her to do so. The officials present could see everything clearly. How could they judge that Ziwei hadn't gone based on just her one-sided account? If the truth came out later, it would only be detrimental to the two of them.
Having gone through so much, Little Swallow has grown up and knows what she should and shouldn't do.
An Ke smiled calmly and asked abruptly, "The palace maids all leave the palace at the age of 25, right? What are your plans after you leave the palace?" An Ke seemed to be asking a question casually, as if she were asking if she had eaten lunch.
Xiao Yanzi didn't know what her plans were after leaving the palace. Ziwei couldn't marry Erkang now, and presumably the Emperor would bestow a marriage upon her to a minister in the future. She didn't want to go with her to the palace.
As for Liu Qing and Liu Hong? When Xiao Yanzi witnessed the execution last time, she also went out of the palace with them and overheard a few words of discussion about how the Huibinlou restaurant, which was doing very well and was thriving, suddenly became deserted overnight.
Little Swallow didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
"I haven't thought it through yet. At worst, I'll just go back to my old profession," Xiao Yanzi said dejectedly. After all, she had left the palace and had no one to rely on. She didn't know what else to do, except for performing, which she was quite familiar with.
"Do you have any relatives?" An Ke chatted with Xiao Yanzi in a leisurely manner. Xiao Yanzi didn't know what was wrong with this princess today.
"No, I have no father or mother." Xiao Yanzi smiled bitterly. In this vast world, there was nowhere for her to belong. Liu Qing and Liu Hong, who used to live with her in the tenement, had already left the capital.
And her sworn sister Ziwei doesn't seem to need her anymore. It's alright, she's still all alone anyway; she can just go back to her old way of life. Xiao Yanzi could only silently comfort herself with this thought.
"Come with me." An Ke stood up, walked up to Xiao Yanzi, said this to her, and then led her toward the prison.
Little Swallow was completely bewildered, wondering where Anke was taking her. But when they arrived at the prison, Little Swallow was somewhat taken aback. Was the princess going to lock her up in jail?
Little Swallow's mind raced for a moment, but she dared not speak rashly.
As they approached the cell where Xiao Jian was being held, An Ke turned to Xiao Yanzi, who was about to bump into her, and asked, "Do you see that person? Do you know him?"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yanzi looked up and saw Xiao Jian, whom she had met a few times before. Seeing him now locked up in prison, Xiao Yanzi didn't know how to ask him anything.
"I know him. May I ask him what he did wrong?" Xiao Yanzi said softly, so softly that An Ke probably wouldn't have heard her if An Ke hadn't been so good at hearing.
“King regicide.” An Ke uttered these two words that made Xiao Yanzi’s heart tighten. “He was a member of the White Lotus Sect.”
Xiao Yanzi opened her mouth for a moment, but didn't know what to say. She asked in return, "What does the princess mean today? Does she suspect that I have some kind of relationship with him?" There was no light left in Xiao Yanzi's eyes, as if she had already resigned herself to her fate.
"Oh? You didn't know?" An Ke was also speechless. She really hadn't expected that Xiao Yanzi wouldn't know.
Xiao Yanzi knew about such a serious matter as regicide, but why didn't she inquire about what exactly happened? Even if she didn't inquire, didn't Ziwei tell her?
After all, Ziwei had sent Jin Suo out to inquire that day, and An Ke had already noticed her every move.
An Ke suddenly understood. No wonder Ziwei chose Fu Erkang so quickly. It turned out that in Ziwei's eyes, Xiao Jian and Xiao Yanzi were siblings who conspired to harm Fu Erkang.
That explains why Ziwei went straight to Baoyue Tower with Jinsuo without even pretending today. Since she had already made up her mind, she naturally wouldn't have any connection with Xiaoyanzi anymore. And naturally, she couldn't discuss matters like revenge with Xiaoyanzi.
An Ke sneered, not expecting that this sisterly affection was only manifested in Xiao Yanzi.
"Go ahead, he'll tell you everything." An Ke sent Xiao Yanzi to visit Xiao Jian.
Although Xiao Yanzi was somewhat puzzled, she still walked over to Xiao Jian. For some reason, she felt a strange sense of dependence when she saw Xiao Jian.
Naturally, Anke was also worried, so when the two of them had finished talking, Anke quietly appeared outside their cell.
The two were now standing there, one crying and the other trying to comfort her. Xiao Yanzi was in tears, while Xiao Jian was heartbroken. For the first time, he resented himself so much for being prejudiced and failing to investigate what happened back then because of his heartache. Now, it was all because of her younger sister who was left alone in the world.
Xiao Jian was feeling bitter inside, but with a dry throat, he kept advising Xiao Yanzi not to be too sad.
Out of the corner of his eye, Xiao Jian noticed someone approaching outside the cell. He stopped talking, gently wiped away the tears on his sister's face, composed himself, and then looked up.
But then he discovered it was Princess Yong'an, who had uncovered his plot. Xiao Jian naturally knew that whoever could let Xiao Yanzi into the prison so easily must be extraordinary. It couldn't possibly be Princess Ziwei; she must be someone of noble status. He never expected it to be her.
After realizing what had happened, Xiao Jian clasped his hands in thanks and bowed deeply for the first time, saying, "Thank you, Princess Yong'an, for allowing Xiao Yanzi to see me before my execution."
Looking at Xiao Jian, who spoke even such polite words with such unyielding pride, I was reminded of Xiao Zhihang, whom even the Imperial Uncle had admired. Truly worthy of being the son of the greatest hero of Jiangnan, he did indeed possess some of his father's brilliance.
"No need, I'm not here to listen to you two talk about your sibling affection." An Ke raised her hand to politely decline Xiao Jian's words, after all, she was not one to accept flattery.
If the next sentence were to say that his sister was all alone and asking her to take care of her, that would be shooting himself in the foot. Anke couldn't be that kind.
A hint of embarrassment flashed across Xiao Jian's face, but he still clasped his hands in a fist and bowed to An Ke. "It's my fault. Over the years, I haven't been able to investigate the cause of my parents' deaths properly. I blindly blamed the Emperor and did so many things I shouldn't have done. Xiao Jian is utterly ashamed."
“That’s true. After all, the Emperor has worked hard day and night, serving the people diligently. If you were to commit regicide, you would probably be condemned for eternity in the annals of history.” An Ke glanced at the chair Xingxing had brought her, took a step back, and sat down directly in the chair.
"Yes, it's all Xiao Jian's fault. Please, Your Highness, have mercy on my sister." For the first time, Xiao Jian's eyes reddened, but not for himself.
An Ke was somewhat puzzled. "Oh? Let Xiao Yanzi go?" An Ke spoke these words very slowly.
Xiao Jian had initially thought it was time for Xiao Yanzi to reunite with him, but after hearing An Ke's words, it seemed she wasn't planning to let Xiao Yanzi go either, which was why she had pleaded. Now, hearing An Ke's words, Xiao Jian's heart leaped into his throat.
It's one thing for him to die alone now, as he deserves it, but how innocent is his sister? In her early years, she was forced to come to Beijing after her parents passed away, and later she was adopted by a nun. She then performed with Liu Qing and Liu Hong, met Ziwei, and was forced to get involved in the intrigues of the palace.
Seeing that the person who had slandered and killed his father had been brought to justice, Xiao Jian had nothing to regret. But he still felt some guilt towards Xiao Yanzi, whom he hadn't seen for so many years and who he hadn't fulfilled his responsibilities as an older brother for even a day.
If Xiao Yanzi were implicated because of his affairs, he would truly have no face to face his parents.
Xiao Jian's clasped hands slowly fell to his sides, his eyes filled with pain as he glanced at Xiao Yanzi beside him. It was as if the two siblings were saying goodbye to each other.
An Keke was unwilling to watch them put on some brother-sister drama in this prison. "It's not me who wants to harm Xiao Yanzi now. Since you plotted the regicide, you must have made quite a few meticulous arrangements. Fu Erkang must have been part of your plan. After all, if it weren't for him, you probably wouldn't have been able to enter the palace with the wedding procession."
An Ke glanced up at Xiao Jian, and that one glance sent a chill down his spine. It was the first time he'd ever felt a woman could be so intelligent, and so terrifying. How did she know his plans?
It's no use saying anything now. If it can save his sister, he'll admit to any crime. "Yes, it was me who instigated him. Saying that he wasn't favored by the Emperor was because of the Emperor's incompetence and foolishness."
Little Swallow stared at Xiao Jian in disbelief, her hand, which had been resting on his arm, slowly sliding down. Little Swallow felt that everything before her was as terrifying as a dream.
He had just learned that she wasn't an orphan, but now he had to watch helplessly as his only relative passed away. He also learned from her that he had sown discord between the emperor and his ministers, indirectly causing Er Kang's death.
All of this terrified Xiao Yanzi, as if she were in an ice cellar, her whole body chilled to the bone.
“You managed to turn Fu Erkang to the enemy, that’s quite an achievement. But there’s good news and bad news.” An Ke raised an eyebrow, looking at the two people in front of her.
Xiao Jian had kept his eyes closed when he said those words, afraid of seeing the sadness and disappointment in Xiao Yanzi's eyes. But upon hearing An Ke's words, he suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze filled with hope.
"The bad news is that Ziwei probably already holds a grudge against Xiaoyanzi." An Ke's estimate was already 100% certain.
Little Swallow quickly shook her head. Although she knew that Ziwei was now at odds with her, she couldn't believe that Ziwei would hold a grudge against her. After all, they were sworn sisters.
Xiao Jian nodded in agreement; he had naturally considered these things as well. However, he had been blinded by his desire for revenge at the time. Now, looking at the dazed and confused Xiao Yanzi beside him, he didn't know what to do.
"The good news is that even if she wanted revenge, it wouldn't be of any use," An Ke said confidently, after all, she couldn't just stand by and watch Ziwei kill the emperor.
Bringing Xiao Yanzi to meet him now is merely to sow discord between her and Ziwei, so that when Ziwei murders the emperor, Xiao Yanzi won't become a tool in her hands.
"Stop shaking your head. Let me tell you clearly, Ziwei has known for a long time that Xiao Jian is your brother. But why didn't she tell you? Because in her heart, it was you and your sister who conspired to kill Fu Erkang." An Ke directly exposed this false affection. "Didn't you already know? If she hadn't developed a rift with you, shouldn't it have been you and her visiting Hanxiang today?"
Xiao Yanzi was a little afraid to listen to what An Ke was going to say next. "As for you, she probably won't harm you right now. After all, she's such an obedient and useful knife, why would she give you up?"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Jian immediately knelt on both knees, begging the princess to allow his sister to live to old age before leaving the palace. In his entire life, Xiao Jian had only ever knelt before heaven, earth, his parents, and his uncles and aunts; he had never knelt before anyone else. Now, facing execution, he was deeply worried about his sister.
An Ke simply told him to stand up, then gave Xiao Yanzi a few pointers. Whether she could understand them or not depended on whether her words today were in vain.
Anyway, Anke will make two preparations, so it doesn't matter whether Xiaoyanzi does it or not.
An Ke left an incense stick for the brother and sister to say their final goodbyes. After all, Xiao Jian's execution was scheduled for tomorrow.
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