Chapter 358: Reporting to the Emperor, Looking for Witnesses
After Mu Qingyu left, Xiao Xiguang went to Xu Yingying's bedroom.
With a chill all over his body, he got into the bed and hugged Xu Yingying tightly.
"Yingying, no one around me can be trusted..."
Xu Yingying woke up from the cold, but she didn't show any displeasure.
Knowing that Xiao Xiguang looked like this, he must have been angered by Xiao Jingze again.
She got into Xiao Xiguang's arms and hugged him tenderly.
"Your Majesty, don't you still have concubines?
I will always be the most trusted person by the Emperor."
Xiao Xiguang heard these soft words and gave Xu Yingying a hard blow.
After it was over, he hugged her happily.
"I heard that Yingying wanted to help me.
Did you deliberately set up a trap for Su Jinxiu? How is it now? Can you close the net?"
He did not dare to confront Xiao Jingze head-on, and could only hope that Xu Yingying would gain something.
"Hey, I'm useless as a concubine."
Xu Yingying looked helpless and nestled in Xiao Xiguang's arms.
"I told Su Jinxiu about this, but she seemed unmoved.
During this time, I was busy preparing for the New Year's Palace banquet.
I really can’t make up my mind to convince Su Jinxiu, why not wait until next year?”
Xiao Xiguang frowned and shook his head.
"Uncle Huang, I'm afraid I won't be able to wait until the Chinese New Year..."
Xu Yingying bit her lip when she heard what Xiao Xiguang said.
"Since we can't wait until after the new year, then before the new year..."
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The New Year is getting closer and the weather is getting colder.
Princess Changping was detained by the Queen Mother in Huangjue Temple for some time to reflect, and fell ill.
The Queen Mother was afraid that she would be sick during the New Year, so she could only relent and have her sent back to the palace to recuperate.
Lin Zhaozhao, on the other hand, took the opportunity to visit Princess Changping and entered the palace.
This time, Xiao Ning'an really suffered a big loss.
She had been raised in the palace since she was a child. How could she have ever suffered so much? During the time she was detained in the mountains, she had to get up before dawn every day to copy Buddhist scriptures.
I stayed in the Buddhist hall until midnight before I could go back to my room to go to bed. The daily fast food didn't even contain meat or fish.
The bed I slept on was harder than a rock, and the linen clothes I wore made my body ache.
In just a few days, she lost a lot of weight.
But no matter how much she cried and begged her mother to admit her mistakes and repent, her mother would not let her go down the mountain.
If she hadn't gotten this sick this time, I'm afraid the queen mother would have detained her for a while.
She fell ill not long after she stayed there, and I don't know how her mother got used to it over the years.
Xiao Ning'an was extremely happy when she saw Lin Zhaozhao coming to visit her.
He didn't care at all that Lin Zhaozhao had a bad idea when he was detained on the mountain for reflection.
She covered her lips with a veil and coughed a few times.
"Zhaozhao, you are the only one who remembers me.
In the past two days since I came back, Brother Huang and the rest have not come to see me."
The imperial brother is becoming more and more indifferent to her now.
The queen mother even refused to talk to her. She felt so lonely.
Lin Zhaozhao stepped forward and poured a cup of hot tea for Xiao Ning'an and sat beside her intimately.
"I have always wanted to go up the mountain to see the princess, but the princess also knows.
Because last time Su Jinxiu almost had an accident on the mountain, the prince and the queen mother blamed me for the incident.
To be honest with the princess, I was almost taken to the border by my father.
I thought I would never see the princess again in this life.
Unexpectedly, my grandmother suddenly became seriously ill.
I wanted to stay with my grandmother to take care of her illness, so my father left me behind.
During this period, I thought about the princess every day.
Fortunately, the princess is fine.
It’s not in vain that I spent so many days praying before the Buddha.
I am willing to use my own life in exchange..."
"Zhaozhao, don't say that." Xiao Ning'an was moved and held Lin Zhaozhao's hand, tears welling up in his eyes.
"If someone wants to lose his life, it should be Su Jinxiu who loses his life.
A good person like you is not allowed to say such things again.
Tonight, would you like to stay with me in the palace?
I am alone and really scared..."
Lin Zhaozhao was a little embarrassed and looked at the sky outside.
"I'm afraid it won't work. After all, I am a foreign daughter, and it is unreasonable for me to stay in the palace.
Hey, I wish I were Su Jinxiu.
She is now working as an errand in the palace and can come and go as she pleases.
If I were her, I could stay with the princess."
When Xiao Ning'an heard Su Jinxiu's name, he immediately retracted his hand and frowned.
"She is working in the palace now? Who allowed it?
Damn it, I will never let her go..."
Lin Zhaozhao quickly stood up and stopped Xiao Ning'an.
"Princess, don't be angry yet, Su Jinxiu is in the palace now.
That is the person that the Emperor and Concubine Xian want to keep. What will happen if you take Su Jinxiu?
The regent was offended, and the emperor and Concubine Xian were innocently implicated.
Everyone will vent their anger on the princess.
There is no one in the palace to support the princess, so the princess needs to think more clearly.
Don't put yourself in harm's way just because of your anger."
It sounds like every word is worried about Xiao Ning'an, but in fact it's because he is afraid that Xiao Ning'an will cause trouble again.
Lin Zhaozhao naturally had his own plans if she was implicated again.
After listening to Lin Zhaozhao's words, Xiao Ning'an became even more moved.
"Zhaozhao is the best. Don't worry, I will definitely find a way to express this for you..."
The two talked for a while, and Lin Zhaozhao left Xiao Ning'an's bedroom on the pretext of leaving the palace.
Avoiding others, he went straight to the imperial study room.
Xiao Xuguang got the tip and summoned Lin Zhaozhao inside.
"I remember telling Miss Lin that you are not allowed to come to the Imperial Study Room again unless there is something important.
Miss Lin seems to have a bad memory?"
Ever since Lin Zhaozhao said something bad about Concubine Xian last time, Xiao Xiguang has been very cold towards her.
Lin Zhaozhao naturally knew that he was a little impatient, so he immediately stopped talking nonsense.
Walk forward and bow respectfully.
"Zhaozhao has met the emperor and is here this time.
There is indeed a huge secret that needs to be told to the emperor.
Please, Your Majesty, step aside."
Xiao Xiguang became somewhat interested and waved his hand, signaling the eunuchs to retreat.
"Okay, it's time to talk."
Lin Zhaozhao stood up slowly, walked to the table, and said in a low voice.
"Does Your Majesty know that there was a past between Princess Chang'an and my father?"
Xiao Xiguang frowned, as if he didn't like Lin Zhaozhao mentioning the past.
"This is a secret of the royal family. When my father was still alive, he ordered it to be kept secret and no one was allowed to mention it."
He had never met the legendary imperial aunt, but he had heard people in the palace mention it once or twice when he was young.
It is said that the imperial aunt was very beautiful and was quite loved by the imperial grandfather back then.
Because when he was young, the emperor's grandfather went to war in various places and had little care, so he felt guilty.
After the world was peaceful, the emperor's grandfather was the first to make the emperor's aunt the princess of Chang'an.
But later, the emperor's aunt fell seriously ill and passed away.
After that, the father changed all the maids and eunuchs in the palace.
No one ever mentioned this person again, and he didn't know where Lin Zhaozhao found out about him.
Lin Zhaozhao seemed to understand what Xiao Xiguang was thinking and smiled mysteriously.
"At that time, Princess Chang'an was fostered by my grandparents, and she and my father had quite a childhood relationship.
It's a pity that Emperor Ru was too suspicious.
Even though I know that their husband is in love and my concubine is interested in them.
For the sake of the Hou Mansion, my grandmother refused to ask for marriage on my father's behalf.
The princess was so sad that she refused to see my father again..."