"That day, I helped you catch butterflies. Weren't you very happy?"

Chu Yaoyao curled her lips when she thought of the situation in the Princess's Mansion.

[I was just showing support, okay?]

But she soon stopped worrying because her mother was going to take her out of the palace!

Hearing that they were going to the General's Mansion, the two brothers were about to leave, when suddenly a loud shout came from outside: "The imperial edict has arrived--"

In the end, this trip to the general's mansion did not take place.

Chu Yaoyao stared blankly at the imperial edict held in her mother's hand.

My mother was named Imperial Concubine! She also has a title!

Qi Yuan, it sounds pretty nice.

Chu Yaoyao bared her tiny teeth and laughed happily.

Su Maowen smiled and walked forward, "My Lady, the Emperor said that when the Imperial Observatory selects an auspicious date, your enthronement ceremony will be held together with that of the princess."

Concubine Shu clenched the imperial edict in her hand slightly, "Then my father..."

Hearing this, Su Maowen's smile deepened, "The title of Zhenxi Marquis was conferred by the Emperor himself, and it is hereditary for generations!"

After all the palace maids left, Concubine Shu was surprised and a little worried.

The Li family is now a big tree that attracts the wind. If they are not careful, they may...

She looked at the little ball beside her that could be knocked down with just one finger, and her worry grew even more.

Qiyuan, the hope of Daqi? These two words are too heavy for a two-year-old child.

"Third brother!"

After the palace servant who delivered the imperial edict left, Chu Yao didn't know what he was thinking about, and ran out with his head down.

When Chu You noticed it, he only saw a back.

…

Sky Prison Xiao Yuankai bent his knees and pressed them against his stomach, his body curled up and hunched, his stomach growling continuously.

Looking at the dirty steamed buns on the ground, he swallowed his saliva, but this seemed to make him even hungrier, and he felt dizzy with nausea.

He turned his head away and stopped looking, thinking: When his father rescues him, he will definitely go to Wan Tao Lou and order a table full of delicacies from land and sea for a feast! "Gugugu..."

He rubbed his stomach, his eyes involuntarily looking at the steamed buns, and then he forced himself to look away.

He licked his lips which were a little cracked due to lack of water.

Wait a moment, the jailer will be here to deliver the meal soon.

As he thought, a noise came from far away and got closer. He looked over expectantly.

"Dinner is ready, dinner is ready!"

Several jailers carried baskets and wooden barrels and served food to the prisoners one by one.

When he arrived at the door of Xiao Yuankai's cell, the jailer was about to hand the steamed bun in, but the person next to him stopped him and said in a sarcastic tone: "This person is a royal relative, he doesn't like our coarse grains, please don't waste the food anymore."

Hearing this, Xiao Yuankai's face turned fierce and he stared at the man fiercely.

The jailer who was speaking was frightened by his look and subconsciously lowered his head, but when he thought that he was now a prisoner, he became much bolder and immediately shouted:

"You've already been thrown into jail, and you're still acting like a rich young master?!"

After saying that, several people left with their food.

Xiao Yuankai stared at their backs, his eyes spitting fire, and he wished he could burn a few holes in the jailer's body.

After staring for a while, he walked unsteadily to the wall and squatted down again.

So hungry.

Looking at the dry steamed bun in the corner, the hunger in his stomach was like a small hook, drilling out of his mouth.

Suddenly, he ran over, picked up the steamed bun, patted it, and stuffed it directly into his mouth without caring that it was dirty.

Suddenly, he heard footsteps. He looked over and saw several royal guards walking towards him with a man, followed by two jailers.

Thinking of the jailer's ridicule just now, Xiao Yuankai didn't want to be laughed at by them, so he stuffed the remaining steamed bun into his mouth in one breath. He choked and rolled his eyes. He finally swallowed it with great difficulty.

"Master Zheng?!"

When Xiao Yuankai found out that the person who came was an acquaintance, he stood up excitedly.

"Did my father ask you to rescue me? Why didn't he come in?"

As he spoke, he stretched his neck to look behind him.

Zheng Fang just glanced at him lightly and ignored him.

It was not until Zheng Fang was locked up in a cell that Xiao Yuankai realized something was wrong.

What's going on?

Zheng Fang is my father's confidant, and he holds a high position of power. My father will never give up on him easily.

Now that he has been arrested, is it really as Zhao Wencheng said?

His father was already overwhelmed, so he sacrificed the pawn to save the king? What about him? What should he do? At this moment, Xiao Yuankai was completely panicked.

The cell door was suddenly opened and several officers walked in.

"Are you Xiao Yuankai?"

Xiao Yuankai took a few steps back, "Who are you? Are you here to let me out?"

Hearing this, the officer laughed and pointed at him, "You are still daydreaming here."

"What's the meaning?"

The other party didn't say anything else, but just arrested him, put shackles on him, and then locked his hands and feet with chains.

"Let me go! I am the son of the Shangshu, and my sister is the virtuous concubine. How dare you do this to me!"

"Master Xiao, don't be anxious. Aren't we just sending you out?"

Seeing their contemptuous looks, Xiao Yuankai's heart began to beat fast.

"Where are you going?"

The officer sneered at him and said, "Go to the execution ground!"

"impossible!"

Xiao Yuankai struggled and shouted, "You must have made a mistake, my father is..."

A jailer interrupted him impatiently and picked his ear with his little finger.

"Your father is the Minister of War Xiao Wentao, and your sister is the virtuous concubine. Don't say more, my ears are about to get calluses!"

"The Emperor has issued an order to chop off your father and son!"

"Impossible, this can't be true..." Xiao Yuankai's face was pale and he stood there in a daze.

"You have collaborated with the enemy and betrayed your country, framed loyal officials, and killed innocent people. You and your son deserve to be put to death!"

The officer gave him a strong push and Xiao Yuankai was forced to move forward.

On the way to the execution ground, people gathered on both sides of the street, pointing and talking at him.

"Is this the son of the treacherous minister?"

"His father colluded with the enemy country and framed General Li. He took human life lightly. Neither father nor son is a good person!"

A vegetable-selling lady threw rotten vegetable leaves at Xiao Yuankai.

The onlookers seemed to have received a signal and threw rotten eggs, dirt, etc. at him.

Xiao Yuankai had no way to dodge and could only endure it. After being hit several times, he just held his head and cried.

When he arrived at the execution ground, he saw a familiar figure who looked as disheveled as he was.

"Father!"

Xiao Yuankai's eyes were filled with tears, and his voice was choked with sobs, "What on earth is going on?"

Raising his hand to brush away the sand on his head, Xiao Wentao sighed, "Yuan Kai, our Xiao family has been defeated."

"how so?!"

Even though I had heard it from the jailers and officials a long time ago.

He even had some vague guesses in his mind.

But he always had a glimmer of hope.

He fantasized that his father would appear at the critical moment and rescue him.

But at this moment, those few light words completely shattered his hopes.

Seeing his expression, Xiao Wentao was filled with grief and wanted to pat his shoulder to comfort him, but as soon as he stretched out his hand, Xiao Yuankai dodged and his hand fell into empty air.

Xiao Yuankai looked at him resentfully.

"Why did you collaborate with the enemy? Why did you want to rebel? It's all your fault! Now that the Xiao family is ruined, even I will be beheaded. Are you satisfied now?"

(End of this chapter)