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Empress Xiao looked at Xiao Heng again, her eyes showing a hint of complexity, "Speaking of which, you guys are also too bold. Learning from Ning"an to forge imperial decrees and even having someone impersonate Princess Xinyang!"
She suddenly remembered that the Princess Xinyang from yesterday was indeed quite strange, speaking in a weird way and even falling to the ground in front of her!
Everyone in the palace witnessed it!
If Xinyang found out, she would skin the lot of them alive!
Empress Xiao felt sorry for them all of a sudden.
Empress Xiao continued, "Moreover, if your mother hadn"t returned in time, how would you have handled the situation in the imperial audience hall this morning?"
Xiao Heng had indeed considered this.
Yesterday, after Gu Jiao and Gu Chengfeng came back from trailing Princess Ning"an, they found that a little bit of golden muslin had been cut off of Gu Chengfeng"s skirt. At that time, they guessed that their ident.i.ties might have been exposed.
Princess Ning"an would definitely expose them, and the sooner, the better.
The most opportune moment would be during "Princess Xinyang"s" first court attendance.
Just as they were contemplating their next move, Princess Xinyang returned.
She came back quietly, without alerting anyone.
It was worth mentioning that Gu Jiao"s disguised ident.i.ty wasn"t fabricated out of thin air. There was indeed a servant girl named Yu’er in the residence on Zhuque Street. The human skin mask Gu Jiao wore was made based on her face.
Obtaining the t.i.tles of both Jinshi and Hanlin official demonstrated a certain level of rigor.
What happened today in front of the court officials was a complete disaster for Princess Ning"an.
Princess Xinyang wasn"t someone to be trifled with. Just because she didn"t scheme didn"t mean she couldn"t; she just didn"t bother.
Empress Xiao couldn"t help but lament how these guys were like newborn calves who were not afraid of tigers. They came up with all kinds of capital crimes punishable by death, yet the one who ended up in the gallows was none other than their mentor.
It was hard to say whether they were lucky or if Ning"an was unlucky.
Empress Xiao sighed and asked, "What do you plan to do next?"
Xiao Heng replied, "There"s still another hidden force. The next step is to eradicate that force all at once."
Empress Xiao pondered for a moment, then asked, "Where did this hidden force come from?"
Xiao Heng paused before answering, "The State of Yan."
Empress Xiao gasped for breath!
Xiao Heng had been honest about almost everything. The only thing he hadn"t mentioned was that that force from the State of Yan was targeting him.
It wasn"t that he didn"t dare to tell Empress Xiao, he just didn"t know how to bring it up.
He was afraid that by mentioning it repeatedly, he would get closer and closer to certain things.
He was also afraid that one day he would leave Princess Xinyang"s side to seek a truth that he shouldn"t be seeking.
He only had one mother, and that was Princess Xinyang.
……
Bishui Alley.
Gu Jiao sat listlessly in the main room, peeling corn. Last night, she was dragged by Long Yi to break charcoal pencils all night. She was now sleepy and tired, with her little head pecking at the corn kernels non-stop.
Gu Chengfeng walked over, sat down in front of her, and waved his hand, "Hey, girl!"
Gu Jiao ignored him and continued pecking at the corn.
She almost pecked onto the table, but Gu Chengfeng hurriedly reached out to support her forehead with the back of his hand.
Gu Jiao closed her eyes and said with disdain, "Your hand is so hard."
Gu Chengfeng: You still complain even when I"m being your pillow! Is it my hand that"s hard or the table?
Gu Jiao sat up straight.
Gu Chengfeng looked at her strangely, "What"s wrong with you?"
"I didn"t sleep well." Gu Jiao yawned, "...and my hands were sore when I got up in the morning."
Gu Chengfeng scoffed and grabbed the corn cob that Gu Jiao had peeled halfway, "Why would a woman"s hands get sore? You"re not a man!"
Gu Jiao asked, "Why can"t women"s hands get sore?"
"Women..." Gu Chengfeng realized halfway through what he was saying. He choked and cleared his throat, "I"m so hungry, I"ll go see if there"s anything to eat in the back!"
With that, he quickly left, forgetting to put back the corn cob.
When Xiao Heng returned from the palace, Gu Jiao was already asleep on the table, a small puddle of saliva forming underneath her head.
Everyone in the family was out, even Gu Xiaobao and Yao shi were not at home, presumably they had gone to watch Grandaunt playing cards again.
Xiao Heng came to Gu Jiao"s side, gently picked her up, took off her outer clothes and shoes, and pulled over the quilt to cover her.
Gu Jiao turned over towards him while he was in the midst of arranging her hair. Suddenly, his hand was pressed beneath Gu Jiao’s cheek.
He felt a soft and delicate touch on his palm.
His heart seemed to have been caressed by something.
He sat down by the bed, not withdrawing his hand.
He looked at her, the corners of his lips unconsciously curling up.
Gu Jiao was sleeping soundly and deeply.
There was a charcoal brazier in the room, so it was very warm inside. Soon she began to feel warm all over, her cheeks turning rosy.
Xiao Heng felt the warmth in his palm. He looked at her face and unconsciously reached out with his other hand to brush away the strands of hair on her face.
Then he slowly lowered his head.
But just as he was about to lean in for a kiss, he suddenly sensed something. He turned his head, only to see a masked face appearing in front of him, with a pair of innocent yet stern eyes widened in confusion, staring at him.
Xiao Heng sat up straight with a whoosh!
Long Yi also straightened up.
Xiao Heng was sitting on the bed, while Long Yi was sitting on Little Jing Kong"s tiny stool.
Xiao Heng"s eyelashes trembled slightly. Thinking about what Long Yi had just seen, his ears turned slightly red, and he said seriously, "You can"t do that."
Long Yi understood.
Xiao Heng continued, "Anyone else can"t do that to her."
Long Yi looked up at the sky and pondered for a moment.
He probably understood.Raz P."s Thoughts
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