Chapter 116 Who exactly is in Kyoto?
Xiao Xuanyou, dressed in dark casual clothes, frowned deeply as he looked at the two people blocking the doorway.
What does this mean?
Dark Moon and Shadow exchanged a glance, a hint of struggle flashing across their faces, but they still stood firmly at the door. "Your Highness, please forgive us, you really cannot come in."
Xiao Xuanyou's originally mild face flashed with impatience, "You've become bolder since leaving the Eastern Palace, you even dare to stop me."
"Your subordinate deserves to die!" Dark Moon and Shadow cried out in fear.
The training they received from childhood is ingrained in their bones. Before their brains can even process it, muscle memory makes them instinctively kneel down and beg for forgiveness.
Even so, they still blocked Xiao Xuanyou's path.
Xiao Xuanyou appears gentle and easy to talk to, but having held a high position for a long time, he is inherently a strong-willed person who does not tolerate any arguments.
His phoenix eyes lowered slightly, his lips tightened, and his voice was cold, "I think you really don't want to live anymore."
He moved with lightning speed, instantly grabbing both of their necks.
Ruying and Anyue were pale, but dared not resist at all. They could only let their hands hang down, allowing the slender, jade-like hand on their necks to tighten more and more, and the air in their chests to disappear completely.
"Whose orders are you following?" His phoenix eyes were sharp as ice, as if the next second, their necks would be broken in his hands.
Just then, a soft voice came from behind, “They act on my orders. If Your Highness is angry, you can simply order my daughter to be executed. Why involve innocent people?”
Xiao Xuanyou loosened his grip.
Despite falling to the ground, Ruying and Anyue remained kneeling, heads bowed and trembling.
Xiao Xuanyou turned around and saw Jiang Zhi standing at the door.
Her long hair was loosely tied up, her outer garment was draped over her shoulders, and her face showed undisguised fatigue as she frowned at him.
Xiao Xuanyou glanced at An Yue and Ru Ying, then at Jiang Zhi, and suddenly chuckled, “That’s right, you are now her subordinates, so naturally you should obey her orders wholeheartedly. Go down, you don’t need to be summoned by me anymore, just do your best to protect Miss Jiang.”
Dark Moon and Shadow felt as if they had been granted a pardon, and immediately kowtowed heavily, but dared not go down, and looked at Jiang Zhi.
They only withdrew immediately after Jiang Zhi nodded to them.
Xiao Xuanyou sneered, "They are indeed loyal to you."
"I must thank Your Highness for sending them to me."
“You certainly know how to win people’s hearts,” Xiao Xuanyou said, clearly unconvinced. “Was the Prince of Xiang’s heir won over by you in the same way?”
Jiang Zhi sighed.
She knew that Xiao Xuanyou would not let this matter pass easily.
"Your Highness, this is not the place to talk. Why don't you come with me to the study?"
If someone saw Xiao Xuanyou at her mansion gate in the middle of the night, she would never have a peaceful life.
Xiao Xuanyou snorted, but still followed her into the study.
Qingxing, still half asleep, brought tea. Jiang Zhi then instructed her not to leave, but to wait outside the study, lest Xiao Xuanyou go crazy again in the middle of the night.
"Your Highness, is there any past conflict between you and the Prince of Xiang?" Jiang Zhi asked him.
Otherwise, it's impossible to explain why he would test me.
Xiao Xuanyou was puzzled. "I've known him since we were very young. He's naturally indifferent to fame and fortune, rarely argues with others, and has never had any conflicts with me."
He walked to the desk and saw that the Buddhist scriptures being copied on the table were actually the Zhao Cheng Jin Zang, which had been lost since the previous dynasty.
He knew that the original copy of this scripture came from the Prince of Xiang's residence, and that the Princess of Xiang was devoted to Buddhism, so the answer to whom Jiang Zhi copied it was self-evident.
"First it was Shen Ci'an, then Xiao Yunheng. Didn't I tell you not to let other men get close to you? Why don't you listen to me?"
Jiang Zhi glanced at him. "I suspect that the Crown Prince of Xiang is testing our relationship, but I don't know what his purpose is. Is Your Highness sure you want to question me over such a trivial matter?"
Xiao Xuanyou was taken aback by her words, and his expression turned somewhat unpleasant. He also felt that since this matter involved Chanyi, they should indeed be more careful to prevent the tragedy in the dream from actually happening.
He thought for a moment and said, "Alright, let's not talk about this for now. I'll send someone to keep an eye on the Prince of Xiang's residence and see what kind of tricks he's up to."
He added, "I came here today to remind you about the Third Prince."
Xiao Xuanyou stepped forward and trapped Jiang Zhi between him and the desk. The scent of ambergris filled the study as if it were real. "Yan Wenhong has confessed to all the crimes. Lu Yuan can't get him to talk. The Zhongqin Earl's Mansion has the imperial edict passed down from his ancestors, and many ministers from the Third Prince's faction in the court are pleading for him."
Xiao Xuanyou's expression turned cold. "In the end, His Majesty only sent Lu Yuan to confiscate the Zhongqin Earl's mansion. All the male members were exiled to the northern border, and the female members were sent to the brothel."
Jiang Zhi was not surprised when she heard this.
In the previous life, the Zhongqin Earl's Mansion was also raided because of this incident, and the outcome now is almost the same.
"Thank you for informing me of this matter, Your Highness."
Xiao Xuanyou pulled her hand over, his fingertips caressing her palm, a tender yet undeniably forceful touch.
This has always been his habit.
He treated her like a pet, and every time they met, he would either pull her onto his lap or touch her inappropriately.
Jiang Zhi tried to back away, but her lower back hit the cold, hard edge of the desk, leaving her with no way to avoid it.
But Xiao Xuanyou continued, "Xiao Chengjin was so preoccupied with Yan Wenhong's troop hoarding case a few days ago that he had no time to spare. But once this crisis is over, he will definitely take revenge on the instigator—that is, you."
His voice was heavy. “Your situation is not optimistic. For your safety, I think I should send you out of the capital first and let you stay there for a few years until the political situation stabilizes before bringing you back.”
He pulled her close, making her body more responsive to him. "What do you think?"
Jiang Zhi was startled.
Although he was ostensibly seeking her opinion, she knew Xiao Xuanyou's character well and knew that once he spoke, he had already made a decision and would not easily change it.
But Jiang Zhi didn't want to leave the capital.
If she were to be sent away by Xiao Xuanyou like this, all her words and actions would be under his watchful eye, and she would only become more passive.
Moreover, if the Third Prince really wanted her dead, was she supposed to hide and run away, becoming someone who couldn't see the light of day?
Her current situation is much better than in her previous life. If she still needs to rely on Xiao Xuanyou's protection to survive, then wouldn't she have wasted this second life?
"Thank you for your kind offer, Your Highness, but I still wish to remain in the capital."
"I remember your mother died early, your relationship with your father wasn't close, and you didn't have any close friends. I'd like to know—"
Xiao Xuanyou reached out and lifted her chin, his phoenix eyes looking down at her intently. "Why do you insist on staying in the capital? Who exactly is in the capital?"
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