Chapter 598 The Secret of Xinyang (Second Update)
That's really awkward.
The one who felt awkward was Princess Xinyang; someone as shameless as Marquis Xuanping wouldn't feel embarrassed at all.
He was just completely bewildered.
Princess Xinyang still had two lines of tears that had not yet dried on her face, and Marquis Xuanping was even more bewildered: "I'm not dead yet, is it really necessary to cry like this?"
The important thing is whether you're dead or not.
I, Princess Qin Fengwan of Xinyang, would never shed a single tear for you, Marquis Xuanping!
Also, what was the questioning tone you used when you said "Qin Fengwan" just now?
They dared to treat me so skillfully without even knowing who I was—
Princess Xinyang couldn't keep her complaints to herself.
"What are you doing here? When did you return to the capital?"
Princess Xinyang was unaware of the plans made the previous night.
"My son brought me back," Marquis Xuanping said frankly.
He spoke of Xiao Heng in a relaxed tone, which meant that Xiao Heng was alright. The wound medicine in the room and the basin of bloody water that the maid had just brought out must have belonged to Marquis Xuanping.
Princess Xinyang breathed a sigh of relief.
It's good that my son is alright.
As for men, it doesn't matter.
Princess Xinyang wiped away her tears, raised her chin slightly, and said like a proud peacock, "Once you've recovered from your injuries, go back to your manor."
Marquis Xuanping looked at her with a puzzled expression: "Qin Fengwan, it seems like you were the one who threw yourself into my arms just now. Can you stop taking advantage of me every time and then pretending to be disgusted afterward?"
Princess Xinyang's almond-shaped eyes widened: "I..."
Marquis Xuanping said earnestly, "I can forgive you for acting like this during our consummation, and I'll believe you for now that you've taken the wrong medicine. But surely you haven't taken the wrong medicine today?"
Princess Xinyang choked for a moment: "That's because you were lying on Aheng's bed, and I mistook you for him!"
Marquis Xuanping rested his arm behind his head, staring intently at her, as if pondering the truth of her words.
After a long pause, he shook his head seriously: "Qin Fengwan, I don't believe it."
Princess Xinyang: "...!!"
This man's thick skin has been a habit for a long time. Princess Xinyang felt that if she were to argue with him, the one who would end up being the one who died of anger would not be the one with the thick skin.
Princess Xinyang ignored him and turned to leave the courtyard.
Xiao Heng had just come out of Gu Jiao's room, intending to bring Gu Jiao to treat the Marquis of Xuanping's injuries, when he saw something was wrong and quickly pulled his wife back into the room.
"stop!"
Princess Xinyang shouted sternly.
Xiao Heng shuddered, pushed Gu Jiao into the room, and closed the door with both hands.
Gu Jiao peeked her head out from under the door: "What's wrong?"
Xiao Heng quickly shielded her with his body and whispered, "Go inside quickly!"
Gu Jiao blinked strangely: "Oh."
Xiao Heng closed the door for Gu Jiao, then turned around and walked towards his mother with a smile: "Good morning, Mother."
Princess Xinyang said irritably, "What do you mean, 'early'? What's going on?"
Xiao Heng recounted what happened last night: "...The injuries were too severe, so I brought them back to have Jiao Jiao take a look."
Princess Xinyang said coldly, "Why didn't you tell me about such an important plan sooner? You really are closer to your father!"
Xiao Heng: Why are you jealous?
This is a setup; the fewer people who know about it, the more realistic the scenario will appear, and the more likely it will lure Grand Tutor Zhuang and the people of Yan into the trap.
Are you that angry with me?
"I'm not angry with you, I'm just..."
Xiao Heng looked at her intently, hoping she would continue.
She said nothing.
It's hard to talk about.
Thinking of how she had cried her heart out while holding Xiao Ji, Princess Xinyang wished she could just smother herself with a brick!
"Really!"
Princess Xinyang blushed with embarrassment and left in a huff.
Xiao Heng touched his chin strangely: "What's... what's wrong with my mother's reaction?"
...
The commotion last night was quite significant. News of Marquis Xuanping leading a large army of masked warriors back to the capital gradually spread throughout the city. This army was originally Marquis Xuanping's secret force, which had never been deployed during the campaign in the southern islands. Its sudden appearance in the capital naturally caused quite a stir.
The emperor summoned Marquis Xuanping to the palace. Since Princess Xinyang was now acting as regent and was also Marquis Xuanping's wife, she was also summoned to Huaqing Palace by the emperor.
Marquis Xuanping entered the palace in a wheelchair, as instructed by Doctor Gu, and could not be disobeyed.
The other carriage went out to make purchases, leaving only one carriage. Since Marquis Xuanping could not ride a horse, he had to share a carriage with Princess Xinyang.
Princess Xinyang invited Yu Jin to sit down as well: "Open all the windows and lift the curtains."
Marquis Xuanping glanced at her but said nothing.
After disembarking from the carriage, Marquis Xuanping said to Princess Xinyang, "Chang Jing went to arrest someone but hasn't returned. Would you mind pushing the cart?"
Princess Xinyang refused to push him away and instead had a eunuch push him inside.
Marquis Xuanping first reported on the battle situation in the southern islands. All the pirates had been wiped out. Not only that, Marquis Xuanping also fought all the way at sea, expanding the sea area of Zhao Kingdom by more than a hundred miles.
Today, on Emerald Island, the furthest island in the south, the banners of the Zhao Kingdom flutter in the wind.
This was an unexpected delight.
To be honest, the emperor had previously discussed with Eunuch Wei why the war in the south had started first but had not ended for so long. Who would have thought that Marquis Xuanping would take it upon himself to conquer all the islands and turn them into Zhao Kingdom's territory?
The emperor could easily picture Marquis Xuanping wielding a large sword, one foot on the mast, gazing arrogantly at the people on the island: "Surrender and you will not be killed!"
"Are you alright?" the emperor asked.
"It's a minor injury," said Marquis Xuanping.
The emperor's gaze swept over Marquis Xuanping and Princess Xinyang: "By the way, how did you two end up entering the palace together?"
Marquis Xuanping said casually, "Oh, I stayed at the princess's place last night—"
Everyone was startled.
You rest with the princess, the two of you—
Princess Xinyang quickly changed the subject: "Your Majesty! Grand Tutor Zhuang is colluding with the people of Yan!"
"Is this really true?" The emperor's attention was successfully diverted.
Grand Tutor Zhuang's crimes were too numerous to list and could not be explained in a few words. Fortunately, Xiao Heng had already written down his crimes in a memorial overnight, and Princess Xinyang presented the memorial directly to the emperor.
The emperor has learned from Empress Xiao that Xiao Liulang is Xiao Heng, and that his birth mother was a female slave from the Yan Kingdom. However, judging from the repeated attempts by the Yan people to kill Xiao Heng, it is likely that the female slave from the Yan Kingdom has other secrets.
The emperor asked, "That General Nangong is named Nangong Li? Where is he?"
Marquis Xuanping said, "Chang Jing went to pursue them, and his men did capture a few prisoners alive. Will Your Majesty interrogate them personally, or shall I do it?"
"You shall conduct the interrogation," the emperor said.
Marquis Xuanping nodded, then, as if remembering something, added, "Aheng said he'd spare Grand Tutor Zhuang's life, and the rest is up to him."
Grand Tutor Zhuang has committed so many crimes that he deserves to die a hundred times over, but since Marquis Xuanping has personally made this request, the emperor will not refuse him this favor.
However, Grand Tutor Zhuang's official position was completely lost, and the glory of the Zhuang family was about to be destroyed.
"Then let's confiscate his property and exile him." The emperor looked at the contents of Xiao Heng's memorial and said, "The blank imperial edict of the late emperor was destroyed by Zhuang Yuheng. He has made a great contribution, so let's spare him punishment."
Princess Xinyang said, "That child has changed since he met Aheng."
"The main reason is that our son was well-educated. This is what they mean by 'one is influenced by one's surroundings.'" Marquis Xuanping rarely used such a literary phrase.
Princess Xinyang, unusually, didn't dwell on the phrase "we".
The emperor was captivated. Are you two really going to such lengths to praise your son?
"The Empress misses you very much. Go to Kunning Palace to see her in a little while," the Emperor said to Marquis Xuanping.
"yes."
After leaving Huaqing Palace, Princess Xinyang planned to leave the palace.
Marquis Xuanping, sitting in his wheelchair, called out to her, "Aren't you going to see Xiao Qi?"
Qin Chuyu was poisoned, and although he has recovered, he is still undergoing recuperation.
Just as Empress Xiao disliked Princess Xinyang, she still loved her son Xiao Heng very much, Princess Xinyang also loved Qin Chuyu very much.
Princess Xinyang thought about it and decided that going with Marquis Xuanping was better than going alone, at least she wouldn't have to face Empress Xiao.
The two, along with Yu Jin and a eunuch pushing a wheelchair, went to Kunning Palace.
When Empress Xiao saw that her brother was in a wheelchair, she thought he was crippled and couldn't help but burst into tears.
Princess Xinyang thought of Empress Dowager Zhuang. Both of them entered the palace to become empresses, but Zhuang Jinse was no longer Zhuang Jinse, while Xiao Shuyu could always remain the girl she was before her marriage.
Is this what it means to have someone back you up and protect you?
Empress Xiao cried so hard she could barely breathe, tears and snot streaming down her face, acting willfully and capriciously.
Marquis Xuanping, sitting in his wheelchair, leaned back in disgust: "Xiao Shuyu, you're so ugly!"
Marquis Xuanping has decided to ignore his younger sister; she's always been such a crybaby since she was little!
He had someone take him to see Qin Chuyu.
Empress Xiao stopped crying instantly upon hearing that her brother was gone.
"Why aren't you crying anymore?" Princess Xinyang asked.
Empress Xiao said, "Why should I cry? My brother is gone. Do you want me to cry for you?"
Princess Xinyang thought for a moment and said, "You and your brother have a very good relationship."
Empress Xiao said casually, "Of course! I only have one brother, and he only has one sister! When we were little, if anyone dared to bully me, I would tell my brother, and he would beat them up!"
Princess Xinyang asked, "If the person who bullies you is very, very powerful, would your brother beat him up too?"
Empress Xiao replied without hesitation, "Go ahead and beat him! When we were kids, he didn't always win against others, but he would still stand up for me."
This is her brother, who would rather be covered in blood himself than let his sister suffer the slightest grievance.
Even if he can't beat his opponent, he'll still take a bite out of them. He wants to warn everyone that no one can bully the people he, Xiao Ji, is protecting!
Lunch was eaten in the palace.
Marquis Xuanping couldn't stomach the imperial meals that looked exquisite but were neither substantial nor flavorful.
Empress Xiao had the kitchen prepare a table of flavorful home-style dishes.
Thanks to Marquis Xuanping, Qin Chuyu finally didn't have to drink porridge today. He sat down at the table and looked at the sumptuous dishes, his mouth watering.
In front of Princess Xinyang was a plate of brightly colored braised pork tendon with scallions.
After Marquis Xuanping sat down, he talked to Empress Xiao while casually moving the braised pork tendon with scallions and placing a plate of vegetarian delicacies in front of him in front of her.
Empress Xiao suddenly remembered that Princess Xinyang seemed to have started eating vegetarian food in the past few years.
"By the way," Empress Xiao said to Marquis Xuanping when they were almost finished eating, "Princess Liang and her family will be coming to the capital in a few days."
Princess Xinyang paused, her hand holding the bowl and chopsticks still.
"The old Princess Consort Liang?" Marquis Xuanping asked. "The one who is His Majesty's ninth aunt?"
Empress Xiao smiled and said, "Brother, do you still remember her?"
Marquis Xuanping said, "I don't have a deep impression of her, but the old King Liang remembers her a little."
The late Emperor's ninth uncle, eight years his senior, had grown up like brothers. During the late Emperor's struggle for the throne, the late Emperor had contributed significantly, for which he was deeply grateful and held in high regard. Even the Dragon Shadow Guards were brought back from the Yan Kingdom by him.
"Is he still in good health?" asked Marquis Xuanping.
Empress Xiao shook her head solemnly: "It is said that he is not well. He did not come from his fiefdom for the autumn sacrifice to heaven this time, but only sent the old Princess Liang with her children. Ninth Uncle is kind-hearted and loves the people like his own children. He has done a lot of good things for the people in his fiefdom. I hope he can live a long life."
As she spoke, Empress Xiao looked at Princess Xinyang and said, “Speaking of which, Uncle Jiu and Aunt Jiu doted on Princess Xinyang very much. They even brought her to live in their mansion for a while. Aunt Jiu would praise Princess Xinyang to everyone she met, saying that it was a pity that Princess Xinyang was not her daughter, and that she dreamed of having such a beautiful daughter.”
Princess Xinyang's face turned deathly pale.
Marquis Xuanping noticed her unusual behavior and turned to ask her, "What's wrong?"
Princess Xinyang composed herself and said, "It's nothing. I'm full. I have something to attend to, so I'll be leaving now."
After she finished speaking, she put down her chopsticks, got up, and walked out.
Empress Xiao stared at her displeased retreating figure, utterly bewildered: "Did I say something wrong?"
Marquis Xuanping gave Princess Xinyang a deep look and said, "I'm full too. I'll come to see you and Xiaoqi another day."
"Hey! How much have you eaten?!"
Empress Xiao frowned in confusion, "What's wrong with one or two of them?"
"Qin Fengwan!"
At the palace gate, Marquis Xuanping called out to Princess Xinyang.
Princess Xinyang stood in front of the carriage, her pale face turned to the side, and said, "I can't ride in the same carriage as you. Ask the Empress to send you another carriage."
Marquis Xuanping stared at her intently: "Isn't it enough to just open the window and lift the curtain?"
Princess Xinyang clenched her fingers, her eyes reddening, and said in a trembling voice, "It's not possible now."
Marquis Xuanping pushed her wheelchair toward her.
She suddenly crouched down, covered her head, and screamed, "Don't come any closer!"
Marquis Xuanping drew closer to her, frowning as he looked at her: "Qin Fengwan, Qin Fengwan?"
Princess Xinyang's vision went black, and she fainted.
(End of this chapter)
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