Chapter 165. Chapter 165. I'll make sure he never returns. ...
The emperor recognized the person standing at the door of the imperial study and suddenly stood up.
"Qiluo, is Qiluo back?"
"Father." Xiao Qiluo walked over quickly, and the father and daughter stopped when they were only a step apart, looking at each other.
Tears welled up in their eyes.
Xiao Qiluo saw her father's white hair.
The emperor also noticed Xiao Qiluo's gaunt face.
They both looked at each other with heartache.
Xiao Qiluo knelt before the emperor, "Father, I am unfilial and should not have caused you worry."
"Get up quickly, get up quickly." The emperor hurriedly helped the person up.
"How did you lose so much weight?"
Xiao Qiluo smiled bitterly, "It's my own fault."
If she hadn't insisted on marrying Cui Fang, she wouldn't be in this state now. In truth, it was all her own doing.
"Did Cui Fang bully you? That bastard."
Xiao Qiluo looked at her father, who seemed unaware of everything Cui Fang had done.
"Father, are you alright?"
"I am fine."
The emperor nodded, asked Xiao Qiluo to sit down, and then had Eunuch Gao serve her her favorite snacks.
He hadn't seen his daughter for a long time; she was his only child. How could he not miss her? It was a rare moment when father and daughter could sit together peacefully without arguing.
No one mentioned Cui Fang; the father and daughter would argue whenever he was mentioned.
But if he were to inquire about his daughter's situation, he would inevitably have to mention that person, and for a moment the emperor didn't know how to begin.
Xiao Qiluo was also pondering how to get her father to revoke the rights he had bestowed upon Cui Fang, and how to get him to accept her as the crown prince.
The father and daughter remained silent until the emperor finally spoke.
"Qiluo, how have you been lately?"
“Father, I have argued with you many times in the past because of Cui Fang, and I know I was wrong.”
"You..." The emperor looked at Xiao Qiluo, his expression somewhat shocked.
He didn't think much of Cui Fang, who dared to give his daughter attitude. If Qi Luo hadn't liked that scoundrel, she would have dealt with him long ago.
In the past, the daughter always defended Cui Fang. If he said anything bad about Cui Fang, it would cause an argument. Now, the daughter is admitting her mistake because of what happened in the past.
The emperor stood up, looked at Xiao Qiluo, and couldn't help but ask, "Is it because Cui Fang treated you badly?"
“Father, I have figured it out. Cui Fang is not that important to me. It was wrong of me to argue with you about him so many times in the past.”
The more Xiao Qiluo said this, the more the emperor felt that she had suffered a great injustice.
She must have been heartbroken by Cui Fang to say such things.
Upon hearing this, Eunuch Gao glanced around before approaching. "Your Majesty, this old servant has something to say, but I don't know if I should."
The emperor glanced at Eunuch Gao and said, "Speak."
"This old servant has heard that the Prince Consort keeps a woman outside, not only staying there every day, but also showing her off in public. I heard that the woman calls herself the Prince Consort's wife."
"Absurd!" The emperor slammed his hand on the table.
He used to think Cui Fang was bold enough to show his daughter a bad attitude, but he never expected that as the emperor's son-in-law, he would dare to flaunt other women in public. Was this a slap in the face to the royal family?
As he spoke, the emperor glanced at Xiao Qiluo out of the corner of his eye and saw that her expression was normal, as if she had known all along.
"Qiluo, you know about this?"
“I know. Cui Fang even specifically warned me to marry that woman as a secondary wife, to treat her well, to give her half of my dowry, and to make her my equal in the future. He also told me to give her the management of the princess’s residence.”
Not only did Eunuch Gao find these words absurd, but the emperor was so angry he almost fainted.
"Did Cui Fang say this himself?"
"yes."
"Outrageous! He's utterly outrageous! What does he think the princess's residence is?"
The emperor was furious, his gaze towards Eunuch Gao filled with anger. "Since you knew, why didn't you say so sooner?"
Eunuch Gao immediately knelt down, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. You instructed that there was no need to tell you anything about the princess and her husband. This old servant is guilty, please punish me, Your Majesty."
The Emperor looked at Xiao Qiluo, his lips moved, but he didn't know what to say for a moment. Eunuch Gao was his attendant, and upon hearing this, he should have reported it to him. However, the relationship between father and daughter had become too strained at the time, and the Emperor had personally told him that he was not allowed to reveal a single word about Princess Qiluo to him in the future.
Even if he intervened, Xiao Qiluo wouldn't appreciate it and would instead blame him for meddling too much.
After their argument, the emperor was indeed somewhat disheartened. He didn't see his daughter for a while, and ultimately couldn't bring himself to beg for reconciliation. He thought that if his daughter suffered, she would eventually remember him as her father.
Xiang Bei couldn't help but complain to the system, "This plot has a lot of problems. Such a big thing, and they managed to keep it from the emperor. It's like everyone has lost their intelligence."
The system was still checking the data, and upon hearing this, it simply said, "Abusive novels only focus on the abuse; they have absolutely no logic."
When things don't go according to plan, you'll find something's amiss when you look back.
"Father, I have thought it through. I'm sorry to have worried you."
The emperor was relieved that his daughter's argument with him this time wasn't because of her husband's return. However, upon learning of this, the emperor was now contemplating beheading Cui Fang.
You can tell that his daughter is not the same as when she came back before.
The emperor was still somewhat uneasy. Cui Fang had gone too far. If Qi Luo continued to act as if she were going to die for him, the emperor would knock her unconscious, lock her up, and kill Cui Fang.
Thinking this, the emperor glanced at Xiao Qiluo, who simply walked over calmly and added some tea to her tea.
"I heard you were sick outside. Have you been taking your medicine properly?"
Yes, of course.
Xiao Qiluo didn't believe it and turned to look at Eunuch Gao.
"His Majesty found the medicine bitter and threw it away," Eunuch Gao said boldly.
"Go and brew another dose of medicine, and I will personally watch Father Emperor drink it."
"Yes, this old servant will go right away." Eunuch Gao quickly withdrew.
The emperor was somewhat helpless, but he couldn't very well scold his daughter.
He had assumed that his daughter wouldn't suffer any hardship living in the princess's residence, since the empress had arranged for her to be by her side. However, when she returned this time, she was accompanied by an unfamiliar maid.
"Qiluo, can you tell Father what happened?"
Xiao Qiluo looked at her father, but ultimately didn't say anything.
The things she did were so shocking that even she herself was horrified when she thought about them. Her father was in poor health and it was not appropriate for him to have any strong emotions of shock or anger.
"It's nothing, I can handle it myself, Father, you don't need to worry about me."
The more she acted this way, the more the emperor felt that his daughter had suffered a tremendous injustice.
If he wasn't allowed to ask, then he would investigate himself.
When Eunuch Gao returned with the decocted medicine, Xiao Qiluo, remembering her mother's instruction to investigate a physician in the Imperial Hospital, did not immediately hand the medicine to her father.
She asked her mother to check it and, after confirming that there was no problem, presented it to her father.
After the emperor finished drinking his medicine and had Eunuch Gao and his men leave, Xiao Qiluo finally spoke, "Father, can Cui Fang's power be taken back?"
To be honest, Cui Fang hadn't attended court for several days, and hadn't even submitted a request for leave.
The emperor rubbed his head. He should have used this incident to vent his anger, but he had simply ignored it. How strange.
Regarding Cui Fang's situation, not only was his daughter acting strangely, but he himself seemed a bit off.
Previously, when he saw that Qi Luo could only be with Cui Fang, he even thought about cultivating Cui Fang properly and even linking him to the throne. Thinking of the thoughts he had had, the emperor frowned even more.
This is absolutely absurd.
"Since I can give, I can naturally accept."
Cui Fang is so audacious, even if we were to kill him, it wouldn't be a big deal.
Xiao Qiluo nodded and then asked, "Does Father have a candidate for heir?"
The emperor looked at Xiao Qiluo and sighed, "Even you've heard the rumors?"
The emperor did say a few words about his daughter. These court officials all had their own preferred candidates, and although they hadn't made their choices public, there were quite a few undercurrents of activity behind the scenes.
He only had one daughter, and the members of the royal family had long been eager to seize the position, secretly forming factions and vying for it.
The emperor knew all this in his heart, but ultimately he didn't show it as readily as he thought.
"Those people think they're so clever, they really think I'm a fool."
Xiao Qiluo looked at the emperor and, judging from his tone, knew that her father was not satisfied with the candidates.
After her mother passed away, there was no one else in the harem. Some ministers petitioned the emperor to have more children, but he did not agree. Several of her uncles also tried to dissuade her, which suggests that she had already begun to think about the throne.
Perhaps those people thought that since their father had only one daughter, they could fight for the throne and it would fall into their hands.
Even Xiao Qiluo herself never imagined that one day she would have such ambitions.
She looked at the emperor and asked, "Father, what do you think of your son?"
The emperor did not speak, but simply looked at Xiao Qiluo.
From childhood to adulthood, Xiao Qiluo had never shown any ambition for the throne. His first thought was whether someone had sent Xiao Qiluo to test his intentions.
This "someone" naturally refers to Cui Fang.
Only Cui Fang in this world could make his daughter like this.
Xiao Qiluo did not shy away from the emperor's scrutiny. "Father, this is my own thought. I am your only child, and no one is more suitable for this position than me."
The emperor did not speak, but he did not outright reject Xiao Qiluo's proposal either.
"Qiluo, are you serious?"
"Father, please give me a chance. I will not let you down."
The emperor fell silent, even seriously considering this possibility.
Those members of the imperial clan were indeed his brothers, but in their youth, they had fought each other openly and secretly. If the throne were to be passed on to their children, he would always feel resentful.
After he leaves, how could those people possibly treat his daughter well?
Qiluo was his daughter and his only child.
Passing the throne to her doesn't seem like a bad idea.
However, Xiao Qiluo's past actions caused too much of a stir. If this were to be decided now, the court officials' memorials of opposition would likely overwhelm his study.
Even he himself didn't quite trust Xiao Qiluo's words. Having seen her go on hunger strikes and even attempt suicide for Cui Fang, the emperor was worried that she might have come for Cui Fang's sake.
Despite the obvious skepticism in her father's eyes, Xiao Qiluo remained silent, feeling somewhat helpless. She had pleaded with her father countless times for Cui Fang's sake, exhausting every method imaginable; it was only natural that her words were now being questioned.
Fortunately, her father still loved her.
"Father, I don't know what to say now. Just watch, I will personally cut off Cui Fang's head to prove to you that I will not do those foolish things again."
"Have you really figured it out?"
Xiao Qiluo nodded vigorously, "It is true, but I cannot tell you directly right now, Father. Please wait patiently for a few days."
Although the emperor hesitated for a moment, he still loved his daughter dearly and eventually nodded slowly.
“If you can really do it, I’m not against it.”
It does sound unbelievable that a woman could ascend the throne, but he was unwilling to pass the throne to someone else, so he figured it would be better to give it to his daughter.
"Qiluo, I will not reveal this matter to anyone for the time being. I hope you will not disappoint me."
Xiao Qiluo respectfully performed a courtly salute to the emperor, saying, "Father, please wait and see."
With the father and daughter in agreement, Xiang Bei breathed a sigh of relief.
With the emperor's support, and with the heroine's continued efforts, the path ahead should be smooth.
"Master, you'll inevitably have to argue with the court officials, so you should train Qiluo in speaking skills."
"Alright, I'll go find the materials now."
The most difficult situation is with the male lead. The world consciousness has given him too much of a cheat code, making him extremely difficult to deal with. Even she managed to block him.
The more this happened, the less Xiang Bei admitted defeat.
Xiao Qiluo wouldn't be crushed by this; she felt she could always find a way to deal with Cui Fang.
The father and daughter talked for a while, and the tense atmosphere of the past finally disappeared.
"By the way, Father, I also wanted to ask you for a few blacksmiths and carpenters this time. I have a great need for them."
"I'll have Gao Yi take you to see them later. Just tell me who you need." The emperor nodded.
He didn't ask his daughter what she wanted to do.
Anyway, if my daughter wants it, I'll give it to her.
Moreover, the emperor actually agreed with Xiao Qiluo's statement; he could not guarantee that his nephews would treat his daughter well after his death.
It would be different if Qiluo were to ascend the throne herself as emperor.
"What are your plans regarding Cui Fang?"
"Your subject has his own plans, so please rest assured that I will never do anything foolish for him again."
The emperor nodded, even more pleased.
"Father, that guard's token..." Xiao Qiluo said, holding out her hand shyly.
She had refused it herself in the first place, and now she was asking her father for it again, which made her feel a little embarrassed.
The emperor chuckled and placed a black iron token in her hand. "Don't lose it again this time. We went to great lengths to retrieve it."
Xiao Qiluo nodded emphatically.
"This sword was given to me by your grandmother, Qiluo. Now, this sword is also given to you by your father."
Looking at the sword handed to her by her father, Xiao Qiluo was still somewhat surprised. She had heard that when her grandmother was young, she had obtained a piece of rare iron, and the craftsmen had spent a lot of effort forging it into a sword, which her grandmother then gave to her father.
The hilt of this sword is engraved with intricate patterns, and the blade is sharp enough to cut through iron like mud. It gleams with a cold, icy light in the sunlight.
This was the Empress Dowager's favorite sword, and it is said that she was never able to find the same kind of iron again.
There are rumors that this strange iron fell from the sky and is extremely rare.
Xiao Qiluo took the sword, and the father and daughter exchanged glances. Although they did not speak, they both understood each other's meaning.
"Father, it's been a long time since I've returned. I'd like to travel around."
"Why be so polite when you're at home? Just come if you want."
Xiao Qiluo wandered around for a while, and finding nothing changed in the palace, she then went to the Imperial Hospital.
The Imperial Medical Academy is very close to the palace; walking there is not a problem.
The Empress Dowager asked her to inquire about a man named Deng Ran in the Imperial Medical Academy, but the people in the Imperial Medical Academy told her that Deng Ran had resigned from his post and returned to his hometown three days ago.
"Where is his hometown?"
"I do not know."
Xiao Qiluo found it too coincidental; she had just inquired about this person after hearing her mother's words, and he had already resigned from his official post.
Unable to find out anything, Xiao Qiluo took the sword given to her by her father and, with the help of two carpenters and blacksmiths, returned to the princess's residence.
Unexpectedly, Cui Fang sneaked into the princess's residence that very night.
After being stopped at the gates of the princess's residence several times, Cui Fang finally remembered his identity as a general and used his martial arts skills to sneak into the princess's residence.
As soon as he entered the mansion, he was spotted by the secret guards, who then reported it to Xiao Qiluo.
Xiao Qiluo did not make a decision immediately, but looked up at the sky.
If the Empress Dowager hasn't come up with a solution yet, have the guards drive the person out first.
Xiang Bei pressed the system button. "System, is it ready yet? Didn't you say it would be approved in a day?"
Just now, the main system's approval has arrived. The world consciousness of the small world is operating in a serious violation of the rules. The higher-ups have granted the system special privileges to enhance the female protagonist's aura, and the system will have to readjust the data again.
Xiang Bei almost pressed the complaint button until it was full. When it should be reliable, these systems are completely unreliable, which is very disappointing to her.
"Almost there, just a little longer. Loading, it'll be done soon."
The system's cat paws were already leaving afterimages on the keyboard.
"Host, it's done!" the system's voice followed.
After the data was matched and Xiao Qiluo's information was entered into the system, Xiang Bei grabbed the light ring and threw it at Xiao Qiluo.
Don't be afraid, your mother will help you.
She threw the female lead halo onto Xiao Qiluo, instantly boosting the original halo to 200%.
Xiao Qiluo clutched her chest, feeling her heart pounding rapidly, as if something was being suppressed.
It's done!
She looked at the words floating before her eyes, then at the guard, and said, "No need to stop him, let him in."
The guards quickly disappeared, and Xiao Qiluo sat in the main seat. Beside her was the sword her father had given her.
With her fingers resting on the sword, Xiao Qiluo looked towards the doorway. She had been practicing swordsmanship with Master Jiu these past few days, and today, no matter what, she was determined to ensure that Cui would not return alive.
Cui Fang entered without any hindrance and did not encounter anyone else in the princess's residence. He did not think much of it and did not even hide after entering the residence, but swaggered around in the courtyard.
He carefully considered the purpose of his visit and decided to let his mother persuade Xiao Qiluo first. He knew that Xiao Qiluo was most afraid of his mother, and he planned to say a few words on Xiao Qiluo's behalf after his mother scolded her. This would make Xiao Qiluo trust him more.
That's how I've always manipulated her.
After making his plans in his mind, Cui Fang went to the main courtyard.
Unexpectedly, the person who saw it was Xiao Qiluo.
"What are you doing here with Mother so late at night? It's you again!"
Xiao Qiluo hadn't expected that Cui Fang wasn't sneaking in; after entering, he dared to be so arrogant.
Upon seeing Cui Fang, her heart raced, her cheeks flushed, and she was startled to find that feeling returning.
Don't be afraid; he can no longer threaten you. Don't let lingering emotions affect you. Look at the man in front of you carefully; there's nothing about him worth your time.
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