Chapter 128 I didn’t expect that you would sweep the ground in vain
Fengyi Palace
"Rui'er, why are you here so late? Do you have something to do with mother?"
Xiao Jingrui looked at the queen sitting on the phoenix chair and thought for a long time before saying, "Mother, I have something to ask you. Please send your attendants away."
The queen had a bad feeling when she saw her son's expression. Although the emperor had ordered everything to be restored to normal, she still felt uneasy.
"You guys go out first and guard the door. No one is allowed to come in."
Seeing that all the palace people had left, the queen came down and stretched out her hand to touch Xiao Jingrui, but she was unexpectedly avoided.
"Mother, I have something to ask you, and I hope you can tell me the truth."
The Queen nodded and said, "You tell me, as long as Mother knows, I will not hide it from you."
"Mother, am I the Emperor's son?"
"Why do you ask this suddenly?" Xiao Jingrui felt his heart sink when he saw the queen's evasive eyes.
"Mother, I'm not afraid to tell you that my father is secretly investigating my background. If I am your son, then everything is fine. But if not... have you considered the consequences?"
The Queen sat back on the Phoenix Chair, her heart pounding. After a long while...
"You are indeed not the emperor's son."
Xiao Jingrui's heart was completely dead: "So, it is really as Princess Zhan said, I am the son of the Heavenly Master?"
The Queen nodded: "Yes, you are indeed the child of me and the Heavenly Master."
Having said this, the queen took a deep breath, her eyes unfocused as if she was recalling something.
"At that time, your father was just a prince, and the least favored prince in the court. But the late emperor still arranged for me to marry your father. No one ever asked me if I was willing."
"I went on a hunger strike at home and protested. Your grandfather was even on the verge of giving in and wanting to help me, but when he found out I was in love with the Heavenly Master, he slapped me hard... In the end, for the sake of family honor, I got into the bridal sedan."
"I know that the Heavenly Master and I have no feelings for each other. He might not even know who I am. It's just that I unilaterally fell in love with him from a distance when we met on a prayer day."
"The year I married your father, the Heavenly Master got drunk at the New Year's Palace Banquet. I refused to give up and stopped him on the way back to the Guantian Palace..."
"Actually, I didn't really have any plans at the time. I knew I was already married, and I just wanted to put an end to my relationship and tell him how I felt. But I didn't expect that after that, I would have you."
"I met him a few times over the next few years. I knew he was a Celestial Master, and I knew there was no chance of anything happening between us. But I was still deeply involved in it, until your father discovered something last time. That's when..."
"Rui'er, it's your mother who has wronged you. It's your mother who is too selfish. So, Rui'er, don't worry about Prince Zhan and his wife for now. Your succession to the throne is the most important thing right now."
Xiao Jingrui rubbed his brows tiredly: "Princess Zhan now knows that I am not my father's son. If my father dies, do you think they will let me succeed to the throne smoothly?"
"Don't forget how our father ascended the throne, who poisoned Prince Zhan, and Princess Zhan. They left Kyoto this time not to go to Wuming Mountain, but to rescue Bu Huaicang's family. So they must know that it was me who secretly contacted Beining..."
Xiao Jingrui glanced at the Queen and said, "It's getting late. I'll go back first."
The queen gritted her teeth as she watched Xiao Jingrui leave: "Rui'er, if you have any difficulties, you can... go find him."
Xiao Jingrui paused and walked out without looking back.
Did he hate it? How could he not? He could clearly be the legitimate crown prince, but now… if this were to get to know, not only would he lose his chance at the throne, but he wouldn't even be able to keep his life.
He needs to think about it carefully.
…
A few days later, after killing countless people along the way, Bu Ruo and his group finally returned to Kyoto.
Bu Ruo did not send the people back to the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion directly, but followed them back to Prince Zhan's Mansion.
"Father and Mother, you and brother will stay in the palace for a while. After the prince has explained everything to the emperor, you can go back. After all, everyone in the Great Zhou knows that you died in battle. Now that you have returned safely, you must ask for some benefits."
At this time, Jin Congcong jumped off the carriage with a broom and frowned: "Ruo'er, why do I feel that there is something strange around the palace? It's like someone is watching us, but there is no one here."
Bu Ruo walked in holding her mother's hand and said with a smile: "Wow~ I didn't expect that you didn't sweep the floor in vain. You can even sense that someone is watching outside the door. Not bad."
"Jin Congcong, since you are so suitable for sweeping the floor, all the cleaning work in this palace will be yours from now on."
Seeing Jin Congcong trying to resist, Bu Ruo glanced at him with a smile and said, "Being a housekeeper can earn more than asking the housekeeper to do odd jobs for you all day long."
"I'll do it! I'll do it well! I promise that the entire palace will be spotless after I clean it. Otherwise... otherwise... otherwise, you can assign me more work. Anyway, you can't deduct my wages."
Bu Ruo: ...
After the morning court session the next day, Xiao Yulan and Bu Ruo entered the palace. The prince was so frightened upon hearing the news that he went back as soon as he left the palace.
"Ninth Prince, are you back? How was your journey?"
Xiao Yulan pulled Bu Ruo to sit on the chair and looked at the emperor with a smile: "Is it good or not, my brother will not know?"
The emperor coughed lightly and picked up the teacup: "My royal brother, you are joking. What do you want to see me about?"
Xiao Yulan looked at the emperor sarcastically: "The reason why my brother and the princess came here this time is because of General Bu's family. General Bu and his family did not die in the battle, but were captured by the people of the Beining border tribe."
The Emperor pretended to be surprised. "My brother, are you serious? If so, I will immediately send troops to rescue General Bu and his family. General Bu and his family have defended the borders of our Great Zhou for generations. We cannot allow them to fall into the hands of Beining and suffer humiliation."
Bu Ruo looked at the emperor who was pretending to be serious and wanted to scratch his face. "Don't worry, Your Majesty. The prince and I have rescued my parents and brothers. But when we were rescuing them, we heard a piece of news..."
"The reason they were able to kidnap my parents and two brothers back then was because someone from the Great Zhou gave them a border map, which put my father in a difficult position. Does the emperor know about this?"
The Emperor looked at the two in shock. "Is what Princess Zhan said true? If someone really gave the border map to Beining, that would be treason. I will definitely send someone to find this person and give you an explanation."
Xiao Yulan snorted softly, "Brother, there's no rush to investigate. But the most urgent thing is to think about how to comfort General Bu's family. General Bu and his family of four have been in that tribe for two years. They need comfort both physically and mentally."
emperor:……
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