Special Thanks to these patrons for their support!
S T E L L A R C L O U D
[Celeste S.] [Christine G.-L.]
O R A N G E S T A R
[Fazzienaz] [K.Rom] [Reece P.] [Suong D.] [Ziana K.-P.]
Y E L L O W S T A R
[Chlaudette P.] [Gwyneth T.] [Manon] [Pa.s.serby] [Xena]
G O L D S T A R
[Lord_Wolve] [Nanashi D. Y.] [Nevy] [Roxanne C.]
R A I N B O W S T A R
[Allie] [BritnaeM] [Debra W] [Kiiayame] [Peggy F.]
T H E S U N
[Ava C.] [Caroline] [Galetron] [Kaylee3150] [kuroneko_chan] [Lily J.]
[Malinkat] [Mich.e.l.le K.] [onepiece] [Scorpion Princess] [Smurfinbatik] [Sophia W.]
Also, many thanks to everyone who bought me coffee (*≧∀≦*)
Old Chief said, "Speak, what"s going on?"
Gu Changqing glanced at Xiao Heng and opened his mouth, "There"s something wrong with Heavenly Music House. Do you have any information from the Ministry of Justice?"
"Yes." Xiao Heng was more straightforward with Gu Changqing than with Minister Xing. Apart from the fact that Mo Qianxue mistook him for someone else, he practically laid everything bare, including the Young Owner of Heavenly Music House.
He didn"t mention that it was Mo Qianxue who informed him about the Young Owner.
Gu Changqing simply thought that Xiao Heng found out through the Ministry of Justice.
Gu Changqing fell silent. He really hadn"t expected such a shocking thing, "I thought it was just a rumor... What is the purpose of Heavenly Music House?"
Xiao Heng thought carefully and said, "Their ultimate goal is unclear, but it seems that JiaoJiao somehow got in the way of their Young Owner, so Heavenly Music House is targeting JiaoJiao."
Gu Changqing"s expression suddenly turned icy!
Xiao Heng added, "But Heavenly Music House miscalculated this time. The person they sent is unable to harm JiaoJiao. For now, there"s no need to worry about her."
Gu Changqing"s gaze remained cold, "What can I do to help?"
Xiao Heng said, "Investigate the background of Heavenly Music House"s Young Owner——every detail about their past, everyone they know, everything they have done. The more detailed, the better. And it needs to be done covertly, without anyone noticing."
Gu Changqing pondered for a moment before saying, "I will tell His Majesty that I will leave the capital to console the families of the deceased soldiers from the Gu Family Army."
Old Chief nodded approvingly. It was a good reason.
After Gu Changqing left, Old Chief said to Xiao Heng, "Is there something else you haven"t said?"
Old Chief knew Xiao Heng too well. Others couldn"t see through Xiao Heng"s emotions, but he wouldn"t be easily fooled.
After all, Xiao Heng"s cunning was taught by him.
"That group of people might have arrived."
"That group of people?" Old Chief furrowed his silvery white eyebrows, trying hard to remember who Xiao Heng was referring to by "that group of people."
After frowning for a while, he spoke, "Do you mean... those people from the State of Yan?"
Xiao Heng nodded slowly.
He had never stood in the way of the Heavenly Music House’s Young Owner. If he were the Young Owner of Heavenly Music House, he would definitely prioritize subduing him. If subduing him proved impossible, then it still wasn’t too late to kill him.
Someone else must be after his life.
While many envied the current position he had reached, very few had the courage to make a move against him and also had capability to catch the attention of Heavenly Music House.
It could be said that in the entire State of Zhao, almost no such person existed.
It was true that Grand Preceptor Zhuang wouldn"t hesitate to harm him, but he lacked the courage to challenge Empress Dowager Zhuang"s bottom line.
At most, Grand Preceptor Zhuang would use his political influence to suppress him.
Those weaker than Grand Preceptor Zhuang wouldn’t be able to catch Heavenly Music House"s interest, and those who did had nothing against Xiao Heng.
After careful consideration, only one possibility remained.
Old Chief sighed, "Ah, I finally understand why Princess Xinyang would rather let you wander among the common people, ignoring and neglecting you, than bring you back to the capital."
The power of the upper states wasn’t something an ordinary person could resist.
They hid seamlessly, yet Xiao Heng"s presence was still detected by them.
Old Chief said with emphasis, "Princess Xinyang has been absent from the capital for some time. Be cautious."
Xiao Heng replied, "They currently don"t have the courage to make a move against me within the city." Otherwise, they wouldn"t have set up such a big trap to lure him out of the capital.
There was one question Old Chief couldn"t figure out, "The upper states’ forces want to kill you, yet they don"t dare to do it openly. What are they afraid of? Marquis Xuanping? The State of Zhao’s imperial family?"
Old Chief a.n.a.lyzed the situation and noticed that that group of people had become increasingly cautious. Initially, when a.s.sa.s.sinating Xiao Heng"s birth mother, they dared to infiltrate Marquis Xuanping Estate. Over a decade later, when trying to kill Xiao Heng, they only dared to use Ning w.a.n.g"s hands.
Then currently, they didn"t even dare to act rashly within the capital.
There had to be some reason for this.
Old Chief pondered, "I always feel like your biological mother is not an ordinary slave."
Xiao Heng had long let go of this concern. Whose blood flowed in his veins didn"t matter. To JiaoJiao and his family, he was just Xiao Heng.
He wasn"t concerned about his own circ.u.mstances. He said, "What"s important now is to deal with the big trouble from Heavenly Music House."
After some hesitation, Old Chief asked, "Have you told Zhuang Jinse about Heavenly Music House? What"s her stance? Is she leaning towards JiaoJiao, or towards that person?"
……
The next day, as the sky was getting light, Princess Ning"an got up early.
She first went to Huangfu Xian"s room. He was still asleep. She looked at the injuries on his cheeks and hands, took out the jinchuang medicine from the drawer, and applied it to him. The jinchuang medicine seemed a bit different from the one she had given him before, but she didn"t pay much attention.
Then she went to Renshou Palace to pay her respects to Empress Dowager Zhuang and have breakfast with her.
Empress Dowager Zhuang no longer had to attend the early court sessions and had quite a bit of leisure time.
While Empress Dowager Zhuang was freshening up, Princess Ning"an waited quietly in the bedchamber.
Before long, someone from the Imperial Household Department came and handed a tray covered with silk to Eunuch Qin.
Eunuch Qin then took the tray into Empress Dowager Zhuang"s bedchamber.
"What is this?" Princess Ning"an asked softly.
"It"s something sent by the Imperial Household Department." Eunuch Qin answered.
"Let me see." Princess Ning"an uncovered the silk covering the tray.
To her surprise, inside the tray was a purple-gold imperial token engraved with the words "Grand Princess Protector." Next to the token was a phoenix crown made of purple gold.
"Is this... the token and phoenix crown of the Grand Princess Protector?" Princess Ning"an was astonished by the exquisite items.
Not just anyone could have the t.i.tle of ‘Grand Princess Protector’, and it could be said that there was no princess in the current dynasty who could bear such a t.i.tle.
And now, Princess Ning"an was about to be granted the t.i.tle of Grand Princess Protector.
How could Ning"an not be delighted?
All the calmness she had cultivated on the border disappeared at this moment. Excited, she reached out, picked up the phoenix crown, and put it on her head. Then she grabbed the token from the tray and turned to look at herself in the bronze mirror.
However, before she could see her grand appearance, a figure in a majestic blue phoenix robe walked over.
And then the figure forcefully removed the phoenix crown from her head!
Everything happened too quickly. Princess Ning"an, sitting in the chair, had her body and hair violently tugged, and her previously delicate hairstyle was completely disheveled.
Empress Dowager Zhuang showed no mercy in her eyes.
Empress Dowager Zhuang looked down at her with a powerful aura, "These are things Aijia prepared for JiaoJiao. Who gave you the audacity to touch them?"
Princess Ning"an, in disarray and disbelief, looked at Empress Dowager Zhuang who had suddenly appeared. She didn"t know whether to be surprised by Empress Dowager Zhuang"s sudden emergence or by the words she just uttered.
Just yesterday... How did things turn out like this today?
This att.i.tude really caught Ning"an off guard.
Shocked and hurt, Ning"an looked at Empress Dowager Zhuang and uttered, "Imperial mother?"
Empress Dowager Zhuang took away the Grand Princess Protector’s token from her hand next, saying coldly, "Don"t call Aijia imperial mother. You are not worthy!"Raz P."s Thoughts
To read advance GSPW chapters! Updates 7x a week (daily).
You can read up to 30 advance chapters in our patreon so you should go check it out. ^^
No patreon but want to support us? Then,
OR if you can"t support us in money, you can always support us emotionally -just hope into . Hehehe~