"Hmm... were these bandits specially brought by the people of Xiyue, or were they temporarily recruited in our Jingyuan? If it's the latter, then this matter is probably not so simple..." the Empress Dowager said slowly and calmly.
Qin Xiaolin, standing to the side, frowned slightly and fell into deep thought.
After a moment, he spoke up: "In my humble opinion, the best course of action is to quickly send people to investigate the whereabouts of these people here, and who they associate with in their daily lives. In this way, we may be able to find some clues."
The Empress Dowager nodded in agreement: "What you say is very true. I will entrust this matter to you. Make sure you get to the bottom of it. Also, send someone to inform the Emperor that the palace defenses must be strengthened to prevent any further unforeseen events."
Qin Xiaolin accepted the order and went down to his post, secretly pondering how to proceed with the investigation.
"Miss Mengyun, you just mentioned that the Fifth Princess is about to marry the grandson of the Chief Minister of your Western Yue. What is the Eldest Princess's attitude towards this?"
After all, the emotional entanglements within the palace are intricate and complex, making them difficult to fathom!
Li Xi narrowed her eyes slightly, seemingly quite interested in the subtle relationship involved.
Xiao Lian's real name is Mo Lian, and she is the fifth princess of the Western Yue Kingdom.
Coincidentally, the name "Xiao Lian" was chosen by Lan'er.
However, Princess Mo Lian's fate was quite bumpy. Although her birth mother was deeply loved by the Emperor of Xiyue, she unfortunately passed away within two short years after giving birth to the fifth princess.
The emperor was devastated by the departure of his beloved concubine, but at the same time he felt pity for his young daughter who had lost her mother. So he took Princess Mo Lian under his wing from childhood and taught her with great care.
His actions aroused the dissatisfaction of the other concubines towards the Fifth Princess.
However, the emperor was busy with state affairs all day long and was ultimately unable to give Princess Mo Lian the warmth and companionship that an ordinary family would provide.
In the deep inner palace, Princess Mo Lian gradually grew up. She was quiet and reserved, not good at speaking, but had a sensitive and intelligent heart.
She loved reading, especially books that told folk tales and legends, which filled her with curiosity and longing for the outside world.
So, the Fifth Princess's eyes lit up and a plan came to mind. Taking advantage of the end of the lively palace banquet, she cleverly avoided everyone's eyes and ears and carefully followed others out of the palace gate.
This "other person" was none other than Zhang Qian, the eldest grandson of the chief tutor, who had long been aware of the princess's presence.
The princess was able to leave the palace so smoothly thanks to his help in arranging everything behind the scenes...
Things unfolded just like in a storybook.
The two fell in love with each other and were perfectly compatible.
Although the emperor punished the princess for going out without permission, he also knew in his heart that he had failed his daughter over the years.
In addition, Zhang Qian is handsome and has a charming demeanor, making him a true young talent.
Therefore, they readily agreed to their marriage and granted them a betrothal.
When spring arrives next year and the flowers bloom, that will be the time for them to tie the knot.
It happened to be Emperor Jingyuan's birthday, and the eldest princess suggested that the fifth princess accompany her to Jingyuan. The fifth princess was also eager to go out and have some fun.
Who would have thought that the Fifth Princess would encounter such a thing on her way here?
Sitting to the side, Xiao Lian was also moved by her own experience, but no matter how hard she tried to recall, she could not remember those things that had happened.
With a look of guilt and helplessness on his face, he looked at Mengyun apologetically and said, "I'm sorry, I really can't remember anything at all..."
At this moment, Xiao Lian was filled with contradictions and confusion. She was very distressed about losing her memory, and at the same time, she felt deeply guilty for not being able to respond to Meng Yun.
“Princess, look at your health, you’re much better now! It must have been that accident that really traumatized you, which is why you can’t remember anything from before. But you don’t need to worry too much, things will eventually come to light.” Meng Zhelan gently patted the back of her hand and comforted her softly.
“Yes, Lan’er is right. But what to do about the princess’s future is the most troublesome issue.” Li Xi frowned.
This is indeed a difficult matter.
The princess has lost her memory. If she returns to the embassy and goes back to Western Vietnam with them, she will likely face further persecution.
After all, the true intentions of the Western Yue prince and princess are still unclear, which is truly unsettling.
The others couldn't bear it either; the princess had lived there for some time. Everyone considered her family and naturally didn't want to see her hurt again.
“What you say is all reasonable, but the princess’s disappearance is no ordinary matter. If others find out that the princess is here, it will likely cause a lot of suspicion and misunderstanding!” The Empress Dowager was well aware of the friction between Xiyue and Jingyuan.
She worried that those with ulterior motives would use this as an opportunity to launch an attack on the imperial court.
After all, intrigue and backstabbing are commonplace in the palace, and members of the royal family are the focus of attention for all parties.
Once the princess's whereabouts are revealed, those with ulterior motives will surely seize this opportunity to create trouble and bring turmoil to the country.
Therefore, the Empress Dowager had to handle this matter carefully, ensuring the princess's safety while also maintaining the stability of the court.
But if the princess is allowed to return to the embassy, she may face further danger.
This was indeed a difficult matter, and everyone understood the Empress Dowager's concerns.
It is said that the emperor of Xiyue was unaware that the princess had been abducted.
After a moment's thought, Li Xi spoke up: "Your Majesty, how about this? Let the princess stay by your side. We can arrange it like this..."
After listening, everyone agreed that it was feasible.
"Princess, what do you think?" Meng Zhelan wanted to know her thoughts. Although she had lost her memory, she still wanted to respect her opinion.
"I... I think it's okay," Xiao Lian finally spoke, her voice trembling slightly, but she understood that everyone was thinking of her best interests.
While living as an ordinary person wouldn't be bad, her identity doesn't allow her to act as she pleases. Besides, she used to have family, though some didn't want her to be around.
Now that everything was arranged, Li Xi took Meng Zhelan and Ling'er to 'Xinju'.
After resting for several hours, Wan Yue finally came to his senses.
He was sitting in the courtyard tending to the flowers and plants, which was his specialty.
"Grandpa, I'm back! I brought you some nice things!" Li Xi excitedly ran into the yard.
Although she was not related to Wan Yue by blood, she could genuinely feel Wan Yue's care for her.
If her maternal grandfather were still alive in her past life, he would probably be just as kind and approachable.
The Listening Wind Courtyard was bustling with activity today; even the gyrfalcon had flown back and was waiting for Li Xi to feed it. "You fat bird, I thought you'd been roasted."
Ling'er and the kitchen staff prepared several tables of delicious dishes.
As dusk fell, the courtyard was brightly lit, and everyone raised their glasses in a joyful toast.
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