The officials of the Great Zhou had a huge network of relationships. Some seemingly insignificant minor officials might have some unshakable background in the court.

Xiao Shunyang mobilized so many people, and he was afraid that he would offend all the elders in the court.

Apart from anything else, one of them is Emperor Jingxuan's man.

However, Emperor Jingxuan did not expect that the amount of embezzlement by the other party was so huge.

Indeed, he should be punished——

But is this child——

Emperor Jingxuan sighed, "I know. I have my own ideas on this matter. Your grandmother has been waiting for you for a long time. You should go see her first."

"Yes, Father!"

Xiao Shunyang took his leave.

Emperor Jingxuan sat back in his chair and pinched his tired brows: "Second brother... he is not a child anymore... why is he still so stubborn..."

Eunuch Fu smiled and said, "The Second Prince is upright and hates evil, and cannot tolerate any grain of sand in his eyes."

Emperor Jingxuan said helplessly: "He is just too straightforward! The eldest and the third are secretly forming cliques. Look at him, does he think he has not offended enough people? Even my people -"

Eunuch Fu said: "Perhaps this is what is so precious about the Second Prince. The Second Prince is wholeheartedly devoted to being your son and your subject."

Emperor Jingxuan was in his prime, and no one knew which son got angry first, causing the brats to start competing with each other early on. Why? Did they think he would not live long and were afraid that he would die before he could write a will?

The second brother was the only one who did not fight or compete, and was wholeheartedly working for Emperor Jingxuan.

Emperor Jingxuan only said a few words, but he liked his son in his heart.

"I have to clean up after him again. Among all my sons, I have to clean up his mess the most!"

Eunuch Fu walked forward with a smile and ground ink for Emperor Jingxuan.

Xiao Shunyang went to Yongshou Palace, where the Queen, Concubine Zhao, Princess Jingning and Princess Hui'an were also there.

"Grandmother! Queen Mother!"

He lifted up the hem of his robe and knelt before the two of them.

The Queen Mother said, "Perform a salute to your mother as well."

Xiao Shunyang's mother died early, and his first adoptive mother, Concubine Chen, abused him. After being discovered by the empress dowager, she deposed Concubine Chen. But feeling sorry for the little guy, she brought young Xiao Shunyang to Yongshou Palace and raised him for two years.

Concubine Zhao was his second adoptive mother.

"Mother!" Xiao Shunyang also knelt down to pay his respects to Concubine Zhao.

Concubine Zhao helped him up with tears in her eyes: "You've been gone for so long... I was worried to death..."

The Queen Mother said, "Why are you worried? He is as strong as an ox!"

Everyone in the room laughed.

The two princesses also called him second brother.

Xiao Shunyang smiled and said, "Jingning has grown taller."

"What about me? What about me?" Princess Hui'an asked impatiently.

Competing with Jingning is her life mission.

Xiao Shunyang said frankly: "You haven't grown taller."

Princess Hui'an: "..."

Xiao Shunyang sat beside the Queen Mother, and seeing that her complexion was obviously rosier than in previous years, he could not help but say, "Grandmother's complexion has improved a lot. I wonder which imperial physician has contributed to this."

The Queen Mother said calmly, "She is a little girl from the Qin family, a classmate of your two sisters, and her medical skills are barely passable."

After sitting in Yongshou Palace for a while, the Queen and Concubine Zhao left for something, and it was time for Xiao Shunyang to say goodbye.

He said, "Grandmother, I want to go and pay my respects to the Grand Empress Dowager."

When he was a child, he was a bullied prince. The Empress Dowager helped him several times. In addition, Guo Huan, who often went in and out of Zhaoyang Palace, was also his only playmate in his childhood.

The Queen Mother also knew about this: "Go."

Bai Xihe has been staying in the palace obediently to "cultivate his character" these days, and has not gone out to make trouble, so his life is a bit boring.

Little Yunzi came to the small garden and said to Bai Xihe under the crabapple tree: "Master, the Second Prince wants to see you."

She put down the notebook in her hand and covered it with a copy of the Book of Songs.

Xiao Shunyang came here with Eunuch Cheng.

He is an adult prince, and it is inappropriate for him to come to Zhaoyang Palace alone.

He gazed at Bai Xihe from a distance.

Bai Xihe was wearing a lake blue palace dress and sitting under the blooming Begonia flowers, which made the whole yard of Begonias look pale in comparison.

Of all the beauties in the world, she alone has nine out of ten beauties.

Bai Xihe raised his head slightly, looked at Xiao Shunyang, and asked coldly, "The Second Prince is back. Was your trip to Youzhou difficult?"

Bai Xihe looked toward the blue sky, her graceful profile as delicate as jade.

"I..." Xiao Shunyang hesitated and glanced at Eunuch Cheng behind him.

Eunuch Cheng: I didn’t see it, so I’m not an eyesore.

Xiao Shunyang asked, "Is the Empress Dowager all right?"

Bai Xihe said calmly: "Everything is fine with me."

Xiao Shunyang added: "I heard about Guo Huan's case. I will find out the real culprit behind this."

"Um."

Bai Xihe's attitude was always somewhat distant.

Xiao Shunyang didn't know what to say next.

Eunuch Cheng: Farewell, Your Highness!

Xiao Shunyang didn't move for a long time.

Bai Xihe flipped through the Book of Songs in his hand and asked, "Have you returned home?"

Xiao Shunyang said: "Not yet."

Bai Xihe said, "Go back quickly. Ning'er must miss you very much."

Ning'er, Xiao Shunyang's wife.

Xiao Shunyang lowered his handsome eyebrows and whispered: "...Yes."

Xiao Shunyang left the palace.

Eunuch Cheng returned to Yongshou Palace to report to the Empress Dowager: "... He met the Grand Empress Dowager and chatted for a while. The Grand Empress Dowager asked him to return to the Prince's Mansion to see the Second Prince's Consort."

The Queen Mother said nothing, but picked up the bowl of medicine and drank it expressionlessly.

Su Xiaoxiao left the palace.

Su Mo had something to do today, so Su Mo's driver came to pick her up.

Just as she was about to sit on it, the Guo family's carriage stopped in front of her.

A servant jumped down and bowed respectfully to Su Xiaoxiao: "Excuse me, are you Doctor Su?"

"It's me." Su Xiaoxiao said.

The servant said politely, "My son suddenly has severe abdominal pain. The imperial physician has not helped. Could you please ask Doctor Su to come to the Prime Minister's Mansion and treat my son?"

"Your eldest son?" Su Xiaoxiao asked.

"Yes." replied the servant.

Su Li called her so anxiously, could it be that she finally had a clue? "Okay, I'll go with you."

Su Xiaoxiao said something to the coachman and got on the Guo family's carriage to the Prime Minister's Mansion.

Su Li pretended to be sick in the Prime Minister's Mansion for several days and did not leave the house. He was about to have mushrooms growing on his head.

"Doctor Su, my son is inside."

Came the servant's voice.

Su Li came back to life instantly. He sat up, thought of something, and lay down again with resentment.

"I'll just go in, you wait outside the door."

"yes."

Su Xiaoxiao entered the house.

The servant peeked inside secretly.

Su Xiaoxiao opened a door with one hand and looked at him indifferently.

The servant smiled awkwardly.

Su Xiaoxiao closed the door coldly, and the servant's smile froze.

Su Xiaoxiao came to the bed and whispered, "Tell me, what's the news?"

Su Li pouted depressedly: "What? You asked for news as soon as you came, and you didn't care about me! I'm almost bored here! If I had known earlier, I might as well go to the Imperial College to attend classes!"

Su Xiaoxiao: "Are you sure you can pass the exam?"

Su Li: “…”

Su Li threw a note to Su Xiaoxiao with a dark face: "It was sent by carrier pigeon. It's full of messy codes. I don't know what it says. Take a look for yourself!"

Su Xiaoxiao unfolded the note and looked at it intently: "At midnight, in the gambling house."

Su Li's sick body trembled! No way, you also recognize this? (End of this chapter)