"Huo Xiaolong! Guess who I just saw?"
Sun Zixi barged into the imperial study with the door open, her cheeks flushed, clearly having just finished watching the excitement, her face full of gossip.
Li Jian stood before Huo Xiaolong's desk, earnestly speaking to him.
"Don't leave Qi Tian lying around like that anymore, Your Majesty. She's still just a child."
"But at my age, I'm already being tossed around like a toy every day."
Long'er didn't care at all. What could she do? Didn't she know her own child? She was so resilient. Even if she lost an arm or a leg, it wouldn't matter. There was still her older sister, so she could treat her.
"Your Majesty, she is your own daughter."
"I know, but she will inherit the Great Yan Dynasty in the future, so it's inevitable that she will encounter some setbacks. Let her get used to it from a young age."
Huo Panlijian fell silent. Everyone else has experienced hardships in life, but you, as her mother, are adding more hardships to her life? You're going to be the first obstacle on your daughter's life path.
I can't change anything, because she's my master.
"Call him Your Majesty," Li Jian said to Sun Zixi.
Sun Zixi and her friends are so familiar with each other since childhood that they can't help but call each other by their full names. They can be more restrained in front of outsiders, but when they are alone, they often call each other by their full names.
"Hmm, Your Majesty, guess who I just saw?"
Long'er thought for a while and answered:
"Our classmates?"
"no!"
"Who is that?"
"I'm looking at my dad."
"Your father?"
"Yes, he went to Beijing this year to report on his work, and his newlywed concubine was standing next to him."
Huo Xiaolong handed a peach to Li Jian and Sun Zixi each, then asked:
"My aunt has been separated from him for so long, why doesn't he marry his first wife? Why is he so happy to marry a concubine?"
"I guess he's scared, he'll probably get divorced again."
Sun Zixi took a bite of the peach and continued:
“I was shopping with my mom and Qingqing, and my brother was carrying our things from behind. Then we bumped into each other.”
"Neither of us was wearing our official robes today, and then my dad came up to greet us."
"He asked me where I was working now, and whether I was being bullied every day as a child without a father, living with my mother."
Upon hearing this, Li Jian chuckled and then gestured for Sun Zixi to continue.
"Then my mother got upset and started arguing with my father. My father's new concubine said that my mother was not a virtuous wife and should put her husband first."
“Let’s not talk about how people around her laughed at her. When Qingqing heard that, she went up and scratched her. That’s how she got scratched.”
"Then what?"
"Then my father tried to arrest us, but in the end, Jiang Tianxin took us away."
Jiang Tianxin was also free, so he led the Imperial Guards on patrols every day. It wasn't the kind of patrol that was carried out in a grand manner; they just dressed in civilian clothes and mingled in the crowd.
"Aren't you going to see your father later? I reckon his job is in jeopardy this time," Long'er asked.
"Official hat? He's only spared because of Sun Zixi."
Li Jian stood up, glanced at Sun Zixi, and continued:
"Your father embezzled public funds, and the evidence is conclusive, but the amount is not large, so he won't die."
"But your father's concubine was bought. Sun Zixi, your father has committed multiple crimes and should be punished accordingly. Back when the Emperor was still the Prince of Zhenbei, he strictly prohibited the buying and selling of people. Tell me, should we spare his life?"
Upon hearing this news, the young woman was somewhat stunned; her father…
I actually really liked her and her brother when I was little.
but……
"Don't ask me, I won't tell you. I'm telling you to spare his life, and you'll listen to me then," Sun Zixi said, pointing at the sharp sword.
“If you speak up, I can spare his life.”
"Aren't you supposed to be impartial and incorruptible? How come you're still using connections?"
"We've known each other for twenty years; this is a bond of friendship."
"Then you can decide for yourself. I'll go home and tell my mother about this. Don't let me set a precedent."
Sun Zixi ran very fast. People in the palace are all very energetic now, and there are no rules about kneeling and paying respects.
"Is her father really greedy for money?" Huo Xiaolong asked.
"Yes, the memorial is still being written, and it should be ready to be submitted the day after tomorrow."
"With such strict accounting in Beining, how could he possibly embezzle funds?"
With a serious expression and a hint of regret, Li Jian said:
“Prefect Sun doesn’t like money much, he likes beautiful women, especially after Aunt Tian divorced him, he prefers those gentle women.”
"The money didn't reach him; it all went through the inner quarters. Therefore, he doesn't deserve to die."
“But over the years, he has bought many women from the inner quarters, holding their indentures, and those women dare not resist.”
Huo Xiaolong nodded. Actually, there was no need to ask Sun Zixi. With witnesses and evidence, Prefect Sun was doomed this time.
Li Jian asked Sun Zixi this question to make her realize her place, especially since he asked it in front of Huo Xiaolong. Long'er hadn't stopped him yet, so this was a combination of kindness and severity.
My Lord is also a man who cherishes past relationships, but you cannot allow the current saint to lose face.
We must do what needs to be done, and handle matters strictly according to procedure.
After all, he is just your father whom you haven't contacted for many years, and everything you have now is given to you by my Lord.
Reputation, status, dreams.
You have all of this because of Huo Xiaolong.
This is Li Jian's scheming; she wants everyone to know that Huo Xiaolong is the best ruler.
Sun Zixi went home and told her brother about it, and the two of them, as children, didn't know what to do.
It was their own mother who came up with the idea.
“My son, pleading is absolutely out of the question. The Emperor is close to us and to you because of our childhood friendship; we grew up together.”
"But favors can only be used once. This time the Emperor spared your father, and your friendship ends here."
“If there is ever a day when favors are needed, I hope that my son will use them for his own sake, not for his sake.”
He doesn't deserve it.
Aunt Qingqing nodded and said from the side:
"Young Master and Miss must think of themselves. Everyone else in the Sun family doesn't matter. The most important thing now is that you two are well, then Madam will be well, and then we will be well."
That's a realistic statement, but that's just how it is.
The Censorate is only showing leniency towards Huo Xiaolong now; they can't push Long'er into the limelight.
Sun Zixi and her brother nodded, preparing to pack up and see their father one last time.
While we're still alive, let's have a good talk.
There's not much emotional depth involved; the main focus is on reminiscing about childhood.
"I feel like he didn't even know he was about to be beheaded."
"We can't behead him, right? Long'er will definitely leave him with a whole body."
"That's possible."
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