Su Xiaoxiao and Wei Ting were closely watching the movements in the pavilion from the big tree.

Because they were far apart and covered by a curtain, the two could neither hear nor see clearly.

We can only judge the progress of the negotiations based on the looming figures.

I don’t know how long it took, it was so long that Su Xiaoxiao felt sleepy.

She yawned and rested her chin on the branch in front of her: "Does my father have so much to say to the Queen Mother?"

Wei Ting promptly placed his palm under her chin, making her feel comfortable.

"My father in the countryside would fight whenever he disagreed with someone. He didn't like to reason with others."

Wei Ting understood his father-in-law very well: "The countryside is the countryside, and the capital is the capital. Dad originally had no way out and could only roll up his sleeves and work. Now his status is different, he has bargaining chips and confidence, and he doesn't want to implicate the whole family, so naturally he will use courtesy before force."

In the countryside, Su Cheng faced nothing more than a few thugs, and whoever had the stronger fist had the upper hand.

Moreover, Su Cheng never took the initiative to pick a fight with those people.

The situation tonight was very different, as the person he was facing was the Queen Mother of a country.

Moreover, to a certain extent, the Queen Mother is not the enemy of the Qin family.

Su Xiaoxiao hummed: "My father has become brave and resourceful. Do you think the Queen Mother will agree?"

Wei Ting said: "It's not that easy to compromise."

The Queen Mother is a strong person.

Rules are rules, and she is not targeting Su Cheng.

Anyone who makes this request will be strongly suppressed by her.

The sound behind the curtain suddenly became louder.

Su Xiaoxiao woke up from her nap and opened her eyes wide: "They are quarreling! They are quarreling! The Queen Mother is angry! Did the negotiations fail? Should we mobilize troops?"

She respected the Queen Mother, but she couldn't let her kill her father.

Wei Ting held her waist to prevent her from falling down in excitement: "Wait a little longer."

A fierce quarrel broke out in the pavilion.

The Queen Mother slapped the stone table and said, "Nonsense! It's just nonsense! What do you think the palace is? Is it the backyard of your Qin family? You can do whatever you want? You can take away whoever you want."

Su Cheng was relatively calm: "No, I didn't intend to take you away, Queen Mother."

Queen Mother: “…”

Eunuch Cheng, who was standing outside the curtain, was sweating profusely for the Duke of Huguo.

Talking to the Queen Mother like this, aren't you afraid of angering her to death...

The Queen Mother was extremely angry, and for a moment she didn't know whether to scold Xiao Shunyang more harshly or the Duke of Huguo more harshly.

"Why do you think I will condone your treason? Who gave you the confidence?"

Su Cheng answered honestly: "My father."

Queen Mother: “…”

"Don't think that Qin Canglan will indulge you just because you are his only son..."

"My father knows."

The Queen Mother was choked to the point of losing coherence.

She glared at Su Cheng fiercely: "Do you really want to take her away?"

Su Cheng: "Yes."

The Queen Mother: "What if I don't allow it?"

Su Cheng: "Then I have no choice but to offend you."

The Queen Mother threatened: "Are you not afraid of death? No matter how powerful you are, you can't defeat thousands of guards."

Su Cheng thought for a moment and said, "I think... you might be more afraid of my death."

Qin Canglan was fighting in bloody battles outside, but his only son was killed by the Queen Mother. Wouldn't Qin Canglan have rebelled on the spot?

The Queen Mother used to think that Su Cheng was just a warrior who grew up in the countryside. He was probably not good at speaking and was brave but not wise.

I realized tonight how wrong I was.

The Queen Mother clenched her fists in anger: "Don't think that you can force me just because Qin Canglan is backing you up!"

Su Cheng didn't say anything, but his attitude said it all.

On the branch, Su Xiaoxiao wanted to throw her eyes into the pavilion: "Wei Ting, why do I feel so murderous inside?"

Wei Ting also felt it.

But he still chose to believe his father-in-law.

My father-in-law can handle it.

Su Xiaoxiao turned around and asked: "Why did you draw your sword?"

A quarter of an hour later, the Queen Mother and Su Cheng came out of the pavilion.

When the two passed by a big tree, Su Xiaoxiao grabbed Wei Ting's collar and buried her head in his arms.

"Come down."

The Queen Mother said indifferently.

Su Xiaoxiao buried herself in Wei Ting's arms, not moving, as if she couldn't see you, you couldn't see me. She kicked Wei Ting's long legs with her little feet and said, "I'm calling you, get off."

Wei Ting: “…”

The Queen Mother and Su Cheng went to Zhaoyang Palace.

Bai Xihe sat on a stone bench in the yard.

It seems calm, but in fact the heart is surging.

Hearing footsteps, she looked towards Su Cheng and the Queen Mother nervously.

The Queen Mother rolled her eyes at Su Cheng so many times along the way that her eyelids were almost twitching.

She said in a deep voice: "The war between the two countries is at a critical juncture. The Empress Dowager is willing to go to Shuiyue Temple to pray for the soldiers of the Great Zhou. Deputy Commander Qin, please escort the Empress Dowager to Shuiyue Temple."

Su Cheng cupped his hands: "I will obey the Queen Mother's order!"

…

The next day, a shocking piece of news shocked the capital.

It is said that at four o'clock in the morning, the Empress Dowager went to Shuiyue Temple to pray for the soldiers of the Great Zhou.

Who would have thought that when passing through a forest, we would encounter a group of bandits.

Deputy Commander Qin led the Imperial Guards in a desperate battle with the bandits.

Little did they know that this group of bandits were the remnants of the White Lotus Sect, who had long harbored grievances against the imperial court. Not only did they use a shady trick to severely injure Deputy Commander Qin, they also threw the Empress Dowager's carriage off a cliff.

The whereabouts of the Empress Dowager is unknown.

But falling from such a high cliff would probably be very dangerous.

When the news reached the Second Prince's Mansion, Xiao Shunyang had just woken up from a hangover.

He had a splitting headache.

When he heard that Bai Xihe was murdered, he punched the table!

"Impossible! The White Lotus Sect's power has long been eradicated. How could there be any remnants?"

The guard said: "Your Highness..."

Xiao Shunyang's face was as stern as iron as he said, "It must be Qin Che! He kidnapped her!"

As he spoke, he stood up and rushed out.

The guards hurriedly stopped him: "Your Highness! You can't go out! Have you forgotten that the Queen Mother has placed you under house arrest? Without the Queen Mother's order, you cannot take a single step out of the mansion!"

Xiao Shunyang clenched his fists tightly, and the veins on his forehead began to pop.

The thought of her being with another man drove him crazy with jealousy.

Xiao Shunyang said coldly: "Give me your clothes."

The guard advised earnestly: "Your Highness, it will be useless even if you go. You are not qualified to search the Protectorate Palace."

The Qin family is at its peak, who has the qualifications to touch the Qin family?

Unless the Queen Mother and the Crown Prince give the order.

But the Queen Mother will not easily make things difficult for the Qin family after taking into account the overall situation.

The prince's backer is the Qin family.

None of them would mess with the Qin family.

Xiao Shunyang slumped down in the chair.

He went through endless struggles in his heart.

After a while, he seemed to have made up his mind, clenched his fists and said slowly: "Give me your clothes."

The guard's expression changed: "Your Highness!"

Xiao Shunyang said lightly: "I'm not going to the Qin family, I'm just going out for a walk."

The guard opened his mouth: "...Yes."

The guards changed clothes with Xiao Shunyang.

The guard stayed in the room pretending to be Xiao Shunyang, while Xiao Shunyang left the mansion quietly.

He came to Wanxian Tower.

The madam yawned and said, "It is not open during the day."

Xiao Shunyang said: "I'm looking for the Fourth Master."

Yesterday was an overloaded update, with more words than the usual three updates. I wrote with great passion, but I saw several comments like "no surprise" and "no expectation", and I fell into deep self-doubt. I reviewed until three in the morning to see if there was a better way to write this chapter. I wrote down every idea in the draft book and found that the updated version was the best one. Based on Su Cheng's growth and current status, he has bargaining chips and the strategy of a general. Between the degree of excitement and the logic of the character setting, I will choose the latter.

Yesterday I also realized that updating too much is sometimes not a good thing. In the future, I will spend more time polishing the plot of each chapter to ensure the quality to the greatest extent.

(End of this chapter)