Chapter 195 The Emperor's Strangeness
After saying that, he stood up and bowed to Xiao Ling.
"I am not in the capital, so I entrust everything to my elder brother."
Xiao Ling quickly got up and helped the man up, then took out a safety pouch from his pocket and handed it to him.
"Here, a peace bag from Xiyun Temple, specially obtained for you."
Keep it close to your body and never let it out of your sight; it will keep you safe.
Pei Yanchi hung the safety pouch around his neck and grinned at Xiao Ling.
"Thank you, brother."
After saying that, he reached out and hugged Xiao Ling.
Xiao Ling instinctively wanted to push the person away, but she held back.
"Be careful when you're out and about, and take care."
Pei Yanchi released Xiao Ling and looked at him solemnly, saying:
"Okay. Take care, brother."
As Xiao Ling watched Pei Yanchi's departing figure, he suddenly felt a sense of loss.
Those who needed his and the crown prince's protection back then are now able to fight for the country.
Great, that's really great.
Xie Yunyu looked at her husband, who had returned home dejectedly, and asked in bewilderment:
"What's wrong?"
"Sigh... It's nothing. Yanchi is going south with the army to intercept the Crown Prince and keep an eye on Ye Jing."
"What? Are you afraid Ye Jing will betray you?" Xie Yunyu asked.
"Um."
Xie Yunyu thought for a moment and said, "Probably not."
Although he schemed against me back then, I retaliated.
But I feel that he and Chen Jiatao are truly in love. If Chen Jiatao shows no signs of distress, he should be fine too.
Xiao Ling nodded: "That's true, but we still have to be careful."
His betrayal at the last minute will disrupt all our plans.
Two hundred thousand troops are currently waiting along the northern border, while part of the Western Regions army has been led by Ye Jing to join the First Prince.
The forces we can mobilize to block them in the south are already insufficient; if he betrays us… the consequences are beyond our capacity to bear.”
Xie Yunyu asked, "Is Chen Jiatao safe?"
"It looks safe for now, because only our people know where he is."
Xie Yunyu suddenly asked, "What about the palace?"
"Consort Shu has been removed from her post, but she is not saying anything and is currently being held in the Cold Palace."
"Where is Consort Rong?"
"There is no evidence, she is currently under surveillance, and nothing has been done to her."
Xie Yunyu looked at Xiao Ling and said, "Yesterday I lit incense, and Gu Yu and the others used a kind of incense called Jiao Lian."
It was said to be a gift from the palace, and I vaguely remember smelling it there.
I thought about it for a long time before I finally remembered.
That day, when you and I went to the palace to see the Empress Dowager, we met the Third Prince at the gate. He had this fragrance on him.
Xiao Ling frowned and looked at her, asking:
"So, what are you trying to say?"
"I'm wondering if the code name Lotus was originally Consort Rong, but later, when it became inconvenient for her to leave the palace, she gave her identity to the Third Prince?"
Xiao Ling nodded: "That's possible. But it's not certain."
"Have you been keeping an eye on the Third Prince?"
“I did watch over her, but not as closely as Consort Rong did.”
Xie Yunyu thought for a moment and then said, "I suggest we strengthen surveillance of the Third Prince."
Xiao Ling looked at Xie Yunyu, as if waiting for her to continue.
But after waiting a while and seeing that she hadn't said anything more, he spoke up:
"Your reasoning is always like this; sometimes it makes no sense, yet it is very accurate."
"Alright, I'll go to the palace tomorrow and tell the Crown Prince."
Xie Yunyu thought to herself, how can I explain this? Should I talk about the melodramatic short drama from my past life, or some imaginative online novel...?
Xiao Ling returned to the palace and told the Crown Prince, but the Crown Prince said that he had already sent people to keep an eye on the Third Prince's residence.
Lately, wherever the Third Prince goes, he is followed by people.
The 100,000-strong army heading south departs today, while the troops in the north will assemble in five days.
The court was solemn and bustling with activity.
Perhaps the emperor was in a bad mood, for I heard he reprimanded Consort Xian in the palace.
Not only the Consort Xian, but the Empress also went there in the afternoon and was also reprimanded.
The atmosphere in the palace became extremely heavy.
Xie Yunman and Xiao Ling discussed military matters with the Crown Prince.
"Your Highness, our troops are currently concentrated in the south and north, leaving the capital vulnerable. I fear they may be using this as a diversionary tactic."
The Crown Prince nodded: "Yes, Father has also thought of these things."
Arrangements have already been made to transfer the nearest Xingcheng troops, who should arrive in seven days.
Xie Yunman and Xiao Ling breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.
The Xingcheng Army is exceptionally strong, more than capable of protecting the capital or suppressing rebellions.
From the day the army set off, the emperor's temper became extremely bad.
His emotions were unpredictable, and the crown prince was often reprimanded.
Even Xiao Ling, whom he liked the most, was given the cold shoulder by the emperor twice.
Only when the eldest princess was present could the emperor find some peace.
Because the eldest princess wasn't afraid of him, and even dared to glare at him.
The imperial physicians examined the emperor's pulse and concluded that it was due to excessive mental strain caused by his constant worrying. The servants in the palace dared not utter a sound.
On the day the 200,000-strong army from the north set off, the emperor began to experience unprecedented anxiety, unable to sleep through the night.
During the day, he was listless and lacked energy.
For the emperor's sake, the imperial physicians were kept watch in the side hall every night, and the incense in the bedchamber was changed to a calming and sleep-inducing fragrance.
After two consecutive days, the emperor's condition improved slightly.
But from that day on, the emperor's behavior became even more erratic.
I often forget small things, my old habits suddenly change, and my mood becomes more unpredictable.
Xiao Ling and the others were very dissatisfied with the Crown Prince and the Second Prince.
They began to punish them without any reason.
On this day, no one knows what the Crown Prince said to him, but he was punished by making the Crown Prince kneel outside the Imperial Study for an hour.
This has never happened.
Everyone in the palace was astonished.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Ling rushed to see the emperor.
Without saying a word, the emperor made Xiao Ling kneel as well.
As everyone knows, among all the younger generation, the emperor's favorite was Xiao Ling, followed by the crown prince.
Now that Xiao Linglai has been forced to kneel, no one dares to stubbornly step forward and try to persuade His Majesty again.
When the Duke of Jinyang heard this, his brows furrowed like two twisted ropes.
The emperor's unusual behavior puzzled her greatly.
Meanwhile, the two people kneeling outside the imperial study were whispering to each other:
"What have you said that has so angered His Majesty?"
Speaking of which, the crown prince looked at Xiao Ling with an innocent expression and replied:
"I didn't say anything! I don't even know what's going on with me?"
Xiao Ling looked at him in disbelief:
"Are you stupid? You don't even know why you're being punished?"
"But I really didn't say anything..."
The crown prince himself couldn't understand what he had said or done wrong.
Xiao Ling thought for a moment and said in a low voice, "Tell me the details of what happened back then."
"Father asked about the situation in the northern border."
I said that two of Prince Rui's five sons had died, and Xiao Yi was half-dead.
The remaining two are either blind or only good at business, so they are not a threat.
Then my father flew into a rage and made me come out and kneel down.
After hearing the Crown Prince's words, Xiao Ling was also unable to figure out what was going on.
The two fell silent.
Not long after, the Third Prince actually arrived.
Both the Crown Prince and Xiao Ling found it strange, as the Third Prince had been under surveillance ever since Consort Rong was suspected.
The emperor had never summoned them before, so why was he suddenly called here today?
After the Third Prince arrived, he silently passed by the Crown Prince and Xiao Ling and entered the Imperial Study.
The atmosphere inside seemed quite pleasant. The two chatted for a few minutes, and the emperor even invited the third prince to stay for dinner.
This made the Crown Prince and his companion feel even more strange.
An hour later, the two of them, supporting their knees, limped back to the East Palace from the Imperial Study.
The emperor's behavior was so strange that the two of them couldn't figure it out.
News of Xiao Ling's matter quickly reached the manor, and Xie Yunyu pondered it for a long time after hearing it.
I thought I should wait until Xiao Ling comes back and ask him carefully before I say anything.
When Xiao Ling finished his official duties, he returned with a sullen face and a limp. Xie Yunyu quickly went forward to help him sit down.
Then I lifted up his pants to take a look and rubbed the prepared medicated oil on his skin.
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