Hou Xiangxiang happened to run into Huo Xiaolong and Da Nier, who were returning from the Shanggong Bureau. Da Nier had not forgotten her duties as the grassland king and went to see all the places where cloth was woven and carts were made.
“I’ll carry your sister for you; it’s so uncomfortable for you to walk like this.”
Huo Xiaolong reached out and took the two children, the older and younger, into his arms.
The little dumpling smelled sweet and milky, and smiled whenever it saw Long'er, its little hands reaching up to reach her face.
"I want to hug him too," Da Ni'er said, a little envious.
"No, I grabbed mine first."
"Give me a hug in a bit."
Seeing that the two girls were about to argue again, Hou Xiangxiang immediately stopped them.
"One hour each, stop dawdling, let's go, to the Empress's side."
The three strode towards the Empress's palace. At this moment, Wei Shuyi was still desperately pondering her past when she saw three girls swaying and laughing as they walked in.
May Your Majesty the Empress enjoy boundless blessings and peace.
May Your Majesty the Empress enjoy boundless blessings and peace.
"Queen, Ann!"
Da Ni'er has always been like this; she only learns the basics of etiquette.
"How did the three of you get here?" The Queen sat up and asked the three young women.
"Let's take Her Majesty's pulse."
Hou Xiangxiang also had good eyesight; she saw the Empress's somewhat desperate look from the palace gate.
The three girls were not at all estranged. The Prince of Zhenbei sat there ordering food, Da Ni'er sat to the side teasing Xiangxiang, and Xiaohaijie sat directly on the steps to take the Empress's pulse.
"Are you unhappy, Your Majesty?"
"Just a little bit."
"That……"
Hou Xiangxiang directly took the child from Huo Xiaolong's arms and placed it in the Empress's arms, then said...
"That'll make you happy."
"..."
This move completely baffled the Empress. Her parents had just come to ask her sister if she had given her anything. Her blood relatives were treating her like a pawn.
And this group...
These children, whom she had only known for a few years, kept her in their hearts.
Life can be quite ironic at times.
The reason she liked Hou Xiangxiang at the time was that her personality was somewhat like her older sister's.
The way she looked at the Prince of Zhenbei was a mixture of doting and joy.
The Empress had also had this look in her eyes before.
It was merely lending a hand within the palace; even without her, Consort Xiao would have protected them very well.
The Empress raised her hand to adjust Xiangxiang's crown, then smiled gently and nodded, addressing the three of them.
"Come to my bedroom and play. I can take a nap there."
The Empress wanted to hold Pingping and let her sleep for a while, while the three of them played around nearby, creating a pleasant ambient sound.
Wei Shuyi lay on the bed with her eyes closed, her mind replaying the events of the past few years like a revolving lantern.
Looking at Hou Xiangxiang and the Grassland King, who were already fast asleep, she quietly reached her hand into the hidden compartment by her bedside.
—Click
It was a faint sound of a mechanism. The moment the mechanism activated, Huo Xiaolong, who was feigning sleep, heard it, but the girl didn't open her eyes.
The Empress placed the sachet from the hidden compartment into Hou Pingping's swaddling clothes, and then gently patted her into sleep.
Only after the group left the palace did Long'er speak.
"Give Pingping to me."
"What's wrong?"
Huo Xiaolong took the child and began to unwrap the swaddling clothes. Fortunately, they were inside the carriage, so the child was protected from the wind.
"This was slipped in by Her Majesty the Empress at noon today."
"Why aren't you saying anything?" the little girl asked.
"I smelled it and it's not poisonous. I spent the whole afternoon holding that child," Long'er replied.
"What is this?"
"I don't know, let's open it and take a look."
The sachet looks quite old; the color has lost some of its luster, perhaps because its owner often takes it out and rubs it.
After opening the seal, there were several sheets of paper inside.
Huo Xiaolong took out the paper and glanced at it.
The girl blinked and took a deep breath.
"What's this, Long'er?"
Da Ni'er was also looking at Huo Xiaolong with longing eyes.
The girl didn't say anything, only uttered one sentence.
"We'll talk about it when we get home."
The lanterns in the Prince's study were very bright. Whenever people discussed matters here, it felt like they were having a meal. Everyone had snacks and side dishes on their table; all that was missing was a little wine.
Huo Xiaolong sat in the head seat, while Lan Tingche, after reading the letter, remained in a daze for a long time.
"Mom, look, this is what Her Majesty the Empress gave me today. It seems to be physical evidence."
Cen Ang's hand trembled slightly as he reached out to take the letter. After reading it, the woman nodded.
"Yes, this is the letter that Yuwen Xuanhong wrote to... to that Taoist temple outside the city back then."
"Does that mean the case can be overturned?" Long'er asked.
Hua Luan shook her head, then said
"It's not that simple. There's only one letter here, but there also needs to be a reply. Most importantly, there also needs to be a letter from Yuwen Xuanhong confirming his decision to set up the scheme."
"With only this one letter, overturning the verdict is no easy task."
When everyone remained silent, Cen Ang spoke first.
"It doesn't matter where this letter comes from, it just can't be from the Empress. Long'er, keep this letter safe."
Huo Xiaolong nodded, understanding that her mother meant for her to put the letter in the space.
Those inside are all family. I need to let my sisters know the situation. The capital is a dangerous place, and what if some of them aren't smart enough to be fooled again?
But the Empress handed them the letter without saying a word, which made Huo Xiaolong suspicious. So he took Lan Tingche to the palace in the middle of the night.
A young girl dressed in black sat by the Empress's bedside. This wasn't the first time she'd done this, and Wei Shuyi was quite adept at it.
"Your Majesty, why did you give us the letter?"
What do you wish to ask for?
The Empress made things convenient for the three of them in the palace. In exchange, they would sneak the Empress out to play during the New Year, but these were all minor matters.
It was a trivial matter that the emperor would find out.
It doesn't involve the family.
With this letter coming out today, it's clear that the Empress is pressuring Wei Shi to defect to them, so Huo Xiaolong wants to come and find out the truth.
The gentle woman shook her head, looked at the crescent moon outside the window, and said softly.
"I don't know what I want."
"I just didn't want my sister to die in vain."
Just as Huo Xiaolong was about to ask about her sister, Wei Shuyi put her index finger to her lips, signaling her not to ask.
"I don't know anything else, Prince Zhenbei."
"What do you want if you ask me?"
"All I want is for you to let me leave the capital with my sister's ashes after your great undertaking is complete."
"Anywhere is fine, as long as it's not in the capital."
The girl looked serious. She didn't know why the Empress was on their side, but Long'er could grant her request now.
Long'er, dressed in black, nodded and then asked...
"What about the Wei family? What does Her Majesty the Empress wish to do for the Wei family?"
Hearing this, Wei Shuyi felt her blood rush to her head. Thinking of her biological parents, she suppressed her anger for a moment, and then said...
"The Wei family has nothing to do with me. Let things be as they are. Your Highness should not feel pity for the Wei family because of this matter."
"good."
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