After that, it was much easier to send Princess Hui'an away.

"Let's all go back."

He alone is enough to escort them, plus a coachman from the Duke of Protectorate's Mansion.

"Master, is this really okay?" asked the driver.

Qin Canglan glared at him: "What do you know? Sending troops once is very expensive!"

Do you think the soldiers came out to blast the streets for nothing?

No military pay can be issued!

Princess Hui'an returned to the palace safely.

In the imperial study, Emperor Jingxuan breathed a sigh of relief. Concubine Xian had not slept all night, crying uncontrollably as she hugged her lost and found daughter.

"Huian...Damn Huian..."

In the palace, concubines were not allowed to call themselves "mother", nor were they allowed to let princes and princesses call them "mother". They had only one mother, and that was the queen.

But at this moment, no one seemed to care about this.

No matter how Concubine Xian establishes her character in the harem, her love for her two children is genuine.

"How did you become like this? Have you been bullied?" Empress Xian held her daughter's disheveled face with messy hair in her hands, and countless ominous guesses flashed through her mind.

Hui An said tiredly, "Mother, I'm tired. Can we talk about it tomorrow?"

She was such a complainer, but now she couldn't utter a word. It was obvious that she was really exhausted.

Concubine Xian hurriedly said, "Okay, okay! Mother will take you back to rest. Your Majesty..."

Emperor Jingxuan nodded.

He also had many questions to ask Hui'an, but he couldn't bear to see Hui'an so tired.

Eunuch Fu had a sedan prepared to send Concubine Xian and Princess Hui'an back to Qixiang Palace.

Emperor Jingxuan looked at Qin Canglan, who was wearing the divine general's armor, and sighed, "Thank you, my dear Qin, for saving my Huian."

Qin Canglan cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, this is not my credit."

Emperor Jingxuan: "Oh?"

Qin Canglan said sternly, "It was my granddaughter who sneaked into the tiger's den alone and rescued the princess. I just went to help her."

Emperor Jingxuan looked at him suspiciously: "Your granddaughter?"

Qin Canglan said, "That's right. Your Majesty can ask Princess Hui'an about the details tomorrow when she wakes up."

Emperor Jingxuan would naturally ask, but since Qin Canglan could say so much, it was probably true.

"I thought...she was a doctor."

Qin Canglan smiled and said, "This girl has been brave since she was young, and she learned some martial arts from her father in the countryside."

Although he spoke modestly, he could not hide the pride in his eyes.

Whenever Qin Canglan thought of his precious granddaughter's calmness in the face of danger when he shot the traitor with a spear, he felt an endless sense of pride in his chest.

I’m afraid that even men in this world don’t have such courage as her.

She is worthy of being Qin Canglan’s granddaughter!

Emperor Jingxuan did not continue the topic and asked, "Can you find out who was responsible for today's incident?"

Qin Canglan said in a normal tone: "Ah, the Third Prince went to check."

A small courtyard in the back hill.

The guards of the Third Prince's Mansion were tying up the White Lotus rebels who were lying on the ground.

Xiao Chonghua walked towards Wei Ting under the peach tree.

Wei Ting was enjoying his wine. When he saw him coming, he curled his lips and said, "The White Lotus Sect makes excellent wine, if nothing else. When you interrogate them, remember to get the recipe."

In front of others, Xiao Chonghua was the gentle and kind third prince, but in front of Wei Ting, there was no need for him to pretend.

After all, they had killed several times.

"Are you sure you want to hand these people over to me?" Xiao Chonghua asked.

Wei Ting said: "What else? Should I ask you to come over and drink with me?"

Xiao Chonghua looked at Wei Ting meaningfully, said nothing more, and turned to investigate the scene.

Yuchi Xiu stood under the peach tree, holding a sword in his arms, and said with a pout: "Are you addicted to being a hands-off shopkeeper? Why did you call Xiao Chonghua over?"

Wei Ting said calmly: "Isn't it good for someone else to investigate the case? Why do you have to rack your brains on your own?"

Yuchi Xiu sneered: "I think you are just lazy! Xiaohu is just imitating you!"

Lazy baby, making trouble every day!

But how old is Xiaohu and how old are you?

I don’t even know how to teach you something good!

On the way back in the carriage, Chang Ping asked in confusion: "Your Highness, could Wei Ting have some conspiracy? He would give away such a great contribution and give it to the Third Prince for free? Would he be so kind?"

"It's not out of kindness." Xiao Chonghua said, "A tree that stands out in the forest will be destroyed by the wind. The Wei and Qin families have been too popular recently. Su Cheng's succession to the military power has already displeased my father. Now the Qin and Wei families have married... my father is even more afraid of him. At this critical juncture, it is right to retreat bravely."

Speaking of this, Changping felt quite indignant for her own prince.

Originally, the eldest daughter of the Qin family was your highness's fiancée, but your majesty arranged for her to be married to Wei Ting. What kind of thing is this? Xiao Chonghua thought of the day in the Golden Palace when Emperor Jingxuan was choked and his face turned red and his neck became thick. He closed his eyes slightly and said, "This matter has passed. There is no need to mention it again."

"Yes." Changping responded sullenly.

Thinking of something, Chang Ping said again, "Your Highness, I heard that the eldest prince also went to see Princess Hui'an tonight. Why didn't Wei Ting give him the credit?"

He confronted Wei Ting head-on without causing any harm to others.

Wei Ting never cared about himself.

Chang Ping scratched his head: "But if this happens, His Highness will hate you even more."

Xiao Chonghua said calmly: "Letting me bear some of my elder brother's hostility was one of Wei Ting's purposes."

Chang Ping frowned: "Then Your Highness still——"

Xiao Chonghua held the warm teacup in his hand and said nonchalantly, "My elder brother and I were meant to compete for that position, and it doesn't matter whether Wei Ting is helping or not. We each get what we need and accept our fate."

…

When Wei Ting arrived home, everyone in the family had gone to bed, and only Su Xiaoxiao was still busy sorting the medicinal herbs.

Wei Ting went to help her and told her about the takedown of the White Lotus Sect's hideout.

"More than twenty believers, including three shadow guards and one guardian."

This was the first time that the imperial court caught a rebel at the level of a law protector, and the achievement was huge.

Xiao Chonghua took credit for this, and Xiao Duye must have been furious.

Su Xiaoxiao thinks this is a good idea.

It not only hit Xiao Duye, but also prevented Jing Yi from being caught in the middle.

"Is the court going to officially wipe out the White Lotus Sect this time?" she asked.

Wei Ting hummed and said, "In the past, the imperial court never paid much attention to Jianghu organizations and sects. However, the White Lotus Sect's repeated provocative actions have angered Emperor Jingxuan. Next, the imperial court will officially launch a crackdown on the White Lotus Sect."

Su Xiaoxiao said: "There seem to be quite a few White Lotus followers among the people."

Wei Ting nodded: "That's right. This is not something that can be done overnight. It is really difficult to distinguish between ordinary believers and those with ulterior motives."

Therefore, let’s give such a difficult credit to Xiao Chonghua!

Su Xiaoxiao continued, "You said... Was this action done by the White Lotus Sect or by the traitor in the Wei family?"

"You suspect the traitor is from the White Lotus Sect?" Wei Ting thought thoughtfully, "I don't rule out this possibility."

Wei family.

It was a dark and windy night.

Two furtive figures quietly approached the second entrance, and just as they were about to step out, they were bumped into by the oncoming people.

"Third sister-in-law? Fifth sister-in-law? Where are you two going in the middle of the night, dressed like this?"

Chu asked strangely.

Jiang pulled down the black cloth covering her face awkwardly: "Sister-in-law, our faces are covered like this, how did you still recognize us?"

Chu glared at the two of them and said, "Even if you two were turned into ashes, I would recognize you!"

Chen scratched his head stupidly.

"We want to look for my seventh brother's wife." Chen confessed honestly.

Chu sighed, "The person has already returned, there is no need to look for him."

Chen: “Oh.”

Jiang asked, "But sister-in-law, you came back from outside so late, did you go out to do something important?"

Mrs. Chu said, "Mom suddenly felt a little uncomfortable at night, so I went to the pharmacy to get some medicine. You came at the right time, come with me to see Mom."

Jiang was stunned: "Ah..."

Looking at the eldest sister-in-law who was walking over, Jiang's face wrinkled: "Third sister-in-law, can I say that I have a stomachache?"

Chen looked at her worriedly: "Do you have a stomachache?"

"No... I am..." Jiang stamped her feet in deep resentment, "I don't want to go to my mother's..."

"Why?" Chen didn't understand.

Jiang whispered, "Don't you think... Mother is a little scary? Every time I go to her place, I feel uneasy. She doesn't like us to disturb her. Haven't you seen that she always looks unhappy?"

"Is there?" Chen looked confused.

Jiang looked at her thick-skinned sister-in-law and resigned herself to pulling off the black cloth on her head. "Well, forget it. You won't understand even if I tell you. Go see your mother."

The three of them went to Mrs. Wei's yard.

The peaches in the yard are in great shape and emit an enticing peach fragrance.

Mrs. Wei sat at the head of the bed and coughed softly.

Chu came to the bedside, poured a cup of warm water and handed it to her: "I have asked the kitchen to boil the medicine, mother, drink some water first."

Madam Wei took a sip and said calmly, "It's not a serious illness, there's no need to take medicine, you can go back."

Jiang asked in confusion: "Mom, what's wrong with you?"

They came to visit during the day, and clearly Zi Niang was fine at that time.

Madam Wei said weakly, "I have a headache and a cough. Maybe I got startled by the wind when I was pruning the peach branches this afternoon."

Chu looked around and asked, "Is Ping'er not back yet? Why don't I ask Chunhong to come and take care of you for a few days?"

Madam Wei lowered her eyes and said, "No need. I'm not used to being taken care of by others."

(End of this chapter)