"Huh? Who are you?"
A scream suddenly erupted from the side courtyard.
Enraged, Xiao Shiyan jumped off the bed and pointed at the woman on it, shouting, "How dare you climb into my bed!"
He never imagined that the woman he had been intimate with last night was not Su Xuerong, whom he had been longing for, but a complete stranger.
The woman on the bed looked panicked and shy, her eyes reddening as she began to cry: "But last night, His Majesty didn't even allow me to explain before taking my body... Waaah... I'm an innocent woman!"
Xiao Shiyan's face flushed red and then paled as he saw the bloodstains on the bed. Suddenly, he roared, "Feng Bao, get in here!"
Feng Bao rushed in: "Your Majesty."
"You...you look at this! Is this the person I asked you to find?" Xiao Shiyan roared, pointing at the person on the bed with a livid face.
Feng Bao looked towards the bed, and the woman hurriedly wrapped herself in the quilt and lowered her face.
Feng Bao stepped forward in surprise and asked, "Wife, may I ask where you are from?"
Xiao Shiyan was so angry he laughed, and kicked Feng Bao in the leg: "You dare to play dumb! I clearly ordered you to bring Su Shi here, what kind of people did you bring?"
Feng Bao looked aggrieved: "Your Majesty, I am innocent! This old servant did indeed go to Tongzhou Wharf to pick up the person on your orders. It was indeed the lady who was taken off the ship of the Prince of Fenyang..."
Just then, the woman on the bed suddenly said timidly, "Your Majesty, please don't blame this eunuch. I did indeed arrive in Tongzhou on the Prince's ship. I came to find my father, Fang Su. I heard that he has been promoted from Marquis of Ningyuan to Earl of Ningyuan..."
Xiao Shiyan was taken aback, then looked at the woman on the bed: "Are you Fang Su's daughter?"
Fang Ningzhu then revealed her red-rimmed eyes and sobbed, "The Prince of Fenyang specially brought me north this time to send me back to the Fang residence, but I never expected that I would be inexplicably brought here as soon as we landed... Waaah, I've lost my innocence, I don't want to live anymore..."
As she spoke, she banged her head against the bedpost.
Xiao Shiyan hurriedly stepped forward and grabbed her, feeling a sharp pain in his head.
If it were any other palace maid or a stranger, he would have had her disposed of quietly by now.
But she is Fang Su's daughter.
Fang Su is now one of the few court officials who stands against the Xu family and supports him.
If Fang Su were to lose heart at this moment, the few remaining supporters would likely side with the Xu family even more.
Xiao Shiyan looked annoyed and said to Feng Bao, "Hurry up and have someone send some clothes over..."
Since she is Fang Su's daughter and his innocence has been ruined, this matter can only be put on hold for now.
Xiao Shiyan looked at Fang Ningzhu and found that although she was not as beautiful as Su Xuerong, she was still quite attractive and much prettier than the palace maids in his Fu Ning Palace.
Xiao Shiyan thought for a moment and said, "Feng Bao, send her to Yanfu Palace first and explain the situation to the Empress Dowager. I will think of a way to give her a proper title later."
Upon hearing this, Fang Ningzhu finally felt relieved.
Unexpectedly, Xiao Yuan's ultimate goal in having her travel north by passenger ship under the identity of the Su family was to enter Xiao Shiyan's harem.
Once she entered the harem, she had to find ways to protect herself and then seize the opportunity to kill Xu Wanjing.
This is her only way out.
Before leaving, Xiao Yuan reminded her that Xu Wanjing was extremely cruel to the women in the harem.
If she doesn't put in her utmost effort, losing her head is a common occurrence.
Fang Ningzhu had no way out and could only rely on Xiao Shiyan to survive.
Feng Bao took her to Empress Wu and explained the situation.
After Xiao Cheng's death, Empress Wu retired to become Empress Dowager and moved to Yanfu Palace. She lived a secluded life, eating vegetarian food and chanting Buddhist scriptures, and had no interest in the outside world.
Seeing Fang Ningzhu standing in front of her with a flushed face, Empress Wu said expressionlessly, "Now that you are the Emperor's woman, behave yourself."
Fang Ningzhu obediently replied, "Yes, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager."
Empress Wu stared at her for a moment, then sighed: "I can ensure your safety here, but once you leave Yanfu Palace, you'll have to fend for yourself."
Although her son is now the ruler of a country, he has no other women by his side except for Xu Wanjing. The palace maids in his palace are all ugly and pitiful.
Although this young lady is Fang Su's illegitimate daughter, she is very beautiful, and it's time to let her son eat better.
Empress Wu sighed and left, and the timid and cautious look on Fang Ningzhu's face gradually disappeared.
Xiao Shiyan did not attend the morning court session, but went directly to the Imperial Study.
He found that no one was in the imperial study, and upon asking, he learned that Xu Wanjing had not gone to "oversee the country" that morning either.
Surprisingly, this woman didn't cause him any trouble, which was quite strange.
Taking advantage of this lull, he had someone bring Fang Su to him.
Fang Su arrived at the Imperial Study somewhat nervously, unaware of what was going on.
Xiao Yuan watched as Fang Su hesitated several times, making Fang Su increasingly uneasy.
"Your Majesty, what important matter has brought you here?"
Xiao Shiyan glanced at Feng Bao, who immediately waved his hand, dismissing all the palace servants from the imperial study.
Xiao Shiyan coughed lightly: "Minister Fang, are you aware that your fourth daughter has already arrived in the capital?"
Xiao Shiyan's question was extremely abrupt, and Fang Su was shocked: "Your Majesty, my daughter Ningzhu was originally in Hangzhou with her elder sister. Now that my eldest daughter has passed away due to illness, Ningzhu should have stayed in Hangzhou to handle her funeral arrangements... Could it be that Your Majesty brought Ningzhu to the capital?"
Xiao Shiyan looked somewhat awkward as he said, "It was I who asked my uncle to bring her back to the capital. She is currently in the Empress Dowager's Yanfu Palace... Minister Fang, can you help me think of a way to let her enter the palace legitimately?"
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