Chapter 449: Fighting for Favor
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
The news that the rebels of the White Lotus Society had been captured by Xiao Zhonghua and brought back to the Dali Temple spread to the Eldest Prince’s residence.
Xiao Duye finally understood that he had been tricked by Wei Ting and Qin
Canglan. Originally, he still had a trace of doubt about Guardian He’s words. Now, he completely believed the fact that the Qin and Wei families had long colluded.
“Damn it!”
He slammed his fist on the table.
“Have they all joined Xiao Zhonghua?”
He gritted his teeth.
“Your Highness.” His trusted guard stood beside him and asked worriedly, “Will the White Lotus Society sell Your Highness out?”
Xiao Duye said with a dark expression, “Only Guardian He knows my identity. I’ve always been wearing a mask, and no one else has seen my face. If they really want to sell me out, I shall just deny it.” His trusted guard said, “Guardian He… ”
Xiao Duye said firmly, “He won’t betray me.”
In the torture chamber of the Dali Temple, Guardian He was tied to an iron chair.
Xiao Zhonghua looked at him calmly. “His surname is He. He’s the guardian of the White Lotus Society. I heard that there are a total of eight guardians in the White Lotus Society. I wonder what rank Guardian He is?”
Guardian He snorted disdainfully. “What does it have to do with you?”
Xiao Zhonghua said calmly, “You were betrayed by Big Brother. I’m sure you know this.”
“Haha!” Guardian He laughed mockingly. “Your brother betrayed us and gave you the credit? Third Prince, are you naive or am I stupid?”
Xiao Zhonghua did not look flustered at all. “Because that’s the only way to clear his name and prevent your White Lotus Society from suspecting him. Look, didn’t you fall for it yourself?”
Guardian He’s smile froze.
Xiao Zhonghua coaxed, “As long as you cooperate obediently, I might be able to spare you and your subordinates.”
Guardian He said coldly, “Don’t waste your effort! The people of the White Lotus School are not afraid of death! If you want to kill or torture me, do as you please!”
Xiao Zhonghua looked at him with a sharp gaze. “It’s fine if you’re stubborn. I don’t believe you won’t relent after the torture at the Dali Temple. Or… does my brother have something on you?” Guardian He clenched his fists.
Guardian He clenched his fists.
Su Xiaoxiao woke up late the next day.
The three little fellows had already gone to school, and Su Cheng was cultivating in the courtyard.
Su Xiaoxiao yawned and walked out. “Dad, aren’t you going to the military camp today?”
“I’ll go later!”
Su Cheng was worried about his fat daughter and wanted to stay at home for a while.
Seeing Su Xiaoxiao looking around, he said, “Son-in-law went out.”
Su Xiaoxiao said, “I’m not looking for Wei Ting.”
Su Cheng thought for a moment. “Oh, Dahu and the others went to school, and
Ergou went to the Directorate.”
Su Xiaoxiao was surprised. “Ergou went to class?”
Su Cheng said, “Your brother is fine long ago. Don’t worry about him!”
The truth was that Su Ergou was being pressed by his two cousins for tutoring all day long. He was so tutored that he hurriedly packed his bags and started to go to the Directorate at the first opportunity.
Su Mo’s carriage stopped at the door.
Su Cheng took a look and asked Su Xiaoxiao, “Are you still going to the palace today?”
Su Xiaoxiao said, “Sending medicinal cuisine to the Empress Dowager.”
After a period of recuperation, the Empress Dowager’s complexion had improved a lot, and her legs were stronger. It was precisely because of this that she could not interrupt the treatment. She had to strike while the iron was hot and recuperate her body in one go.
Su Xiaoxiao ate a corn cob and loaded the cooked medicinal cuisine.
When she returned to the house to get the medicine box, she inadvertently caught a glimpse of the swallowtail dart on the table.
“Oh, I forgot to ask Wei Ting if he knows this.”
When Su Xiaoxiao arrived at Yongshou Palace, the Empress Dowager was walking in the courtyard with Eunuch Cheng’s help.
As she walked, she didn’t forget to glance at the door.
Eunuch Cheng saw through it but did not expose it.
After walking back and forth a few times, Su Xiaoxiao finally appeared.
“Empress Dowager, you’re up.”
Su Xiaoxiao walked over with the food box and medicine box.
The little palace maid went forward and helped Su Xiaoxiao carry the first aid kit and food box.
The Empress Dowager said, “Look at the time.”
Su Xiaoxiao nodded. “I woke up late today.”
“I’m not talking about you.” The Empress Dowager sighed. “Forget it, why are you here?”
Su Xiaoxiao said, “I have to come every day.”
“I will take the medicine. You don’t have to watch,” the Empress Dowager said as her gaze swept across the food box. “It’s fine if I don’t eat the medicinal cuisine for a day.”
Su Xiaoxiao smiled. “I’m fine too.’
The Empress Dowager glanced at her and hit the nail on the head. “I think you just don’t want to go to the palace to study.”
Su Xiaoxiao said seriously, “How can that be? I’m concerned about the Empress Dphoenix body.”
The Empress Dowager snorted and turned to enter the bedroom.
“I heard that you saved Hui An.”
“I guess.”
Qin Canglan and Wei Ting also contributed a lot. It was definitely not her alone.
The Empress Dowager sat back on the phoenix bed. Eunuch Cheng opened the food box and the Empress Dowager said, “I’ll eat later.”
“Yes.” Eunuch Cheng covered the food box again.
Su Xiaoxiao took the Empress Dowager’s pulse and took her blood pressure. “You’re recovering well. Persist in taking medicine. You can take more walks like today.”
The Empress Dowager glared at her. “You want to tire me to death!”
Su Xiaoxiao raised her eyebrows. Look, she even had the strength to be fierce.
Eunuch Cheng chuckled.
The Empress Dowager instructed, “You guys retreat first.”
“Yes, Empress Dowager.”
Eunuch Cheng brought the palace servants out.
The Empress Dowager’s expression darkened. “What were you thinking? Don’t you know that the White Lotus Society is a tiger’s den? Dozens of corpses were dug up under the cellar where your brother was hurt. They were all from the White Lotus Society! Don’t tell me you havent heard of them?”
Su Xiaoxiao said, “I’ve heard of them…
The Empress Dowager was even angrier. “Then how dare you infiltrate the
White Lotus Society alone? I think you don’t want to live!”
Su Xiaoxiao blinked. “Empress Dowager, are you concerned about me?”
The Empress Dowager said coldly, “I’m concerned about my few great-grandsons. I didn’t want them to lose their mother at such a young age! And Jingning, that girl almost left the palace to look for you and was stopped by me!”
Su Xiaoxiao said, “Oh.”
The Empress Dowager was speechless.
The Empress Dowager was not an ordinary old lady. She was someone who had experienced the change of the throne. Her husband and son had both become emperors. No one would believe that she was stupid and naive.
She looked at Su Xiaoxiao with a complicated expression. “What are you doing?”
Su Xiaoxiao tucked her in. “I’ll tell you when it’s done.” “Empress Dowager, Liu Sande requests an audience.”
Eunuch Cheng’s report came from outside the door.
“Why is he here?” The Empress Dowager frowned. “Let him in.”
Liu Sande bowed in fear. “Empress Dowager.”
The Empress Dowager said impatiently, “Cut the crap. Why did Consort Xian ask you to come?”
Liu Sande smiled awkwardly. “Consort Xian didn’t ask me to come over. It’s… Princess Hui An.”
As he spoke, he glanced at Su Xiaoxiao. “Princess Hui An isn’t feeling well and wants to invite Physician Su to Qixiang Palace.”
Eunuch Cheng gasped. Good lord, was she fighting with the Empress Dowager for the physician?
In Qixiang Palace, Princess Hui An was wearing a long white dress decorated with blue gauze. She was lively and fairy-like, so beautiful that one could not take their eyes off her.
Of course, her beauty was real, and her arrogant expression was not fake.
She sat on the bed with the blanket covering her waist.
“Princess, shall we do without this jewelry? It’s too much,” the little palace maid said.
After what happened with Little Zhuozi, Consort Xian changed all the palace servants around Hui An. This one was new.
“Mirror,” Princess Hui An said calmly.
Another little palace maid walked forward with a bronze mirror. Princess Hui An took a look and frowned. “Take it apart and change the headband! This is so ugly!”
“Yes.” The two of them were about to tidy her hair when the young eunuch outside suddenly shouted, “Eunuch Liu is back!”
Princess Hui An hurriedly looked at the pile of jewelry on the blanket and urged, “Go, go, go! Hurry up and leave! Take them all away!”
The palace maids hurriedly removed the things.
Princess Hui An adjusted the tassel on her hair and crossed her arms. She raised her chin and said arrogantly, “Have you brought her here? I’m not seeing any ordinary physician. If not for the fact that the physicians at the Imperial Hospital happened to be busy taking the pulses of Father, Mother, and the concubines, I wouldn’t have let a little girl treat my injuries!”
As soon as she finished speaking, there was no movement at the door.
She coughed lightly again. “What are you waiting for? Hurry up and come in. Do you want me to welcome you personally?”
The other party came in.
Princess Hui An saw a beautiful figure from the corner of her eye and looked at the sky. “That’s more like it!”
She extended a noble jade-like hand. “Take my pulse.”
“You look very energetic. There’s no need to take your pulse.”
A demonic voice sounded above Princess Hui An’s head. Princess Hui An was so frightened that her small body trembled and she almost fell off the bed. She stabilized herself and turned her head in disbelief. “Why, why is it you?!”
Princess Jingning said expressionlessly, “Are you disappointed to see me?”
Princess Hui An clenched her fists angrily. “Where’s that girl?”
“She has something on and left the palace.”
Princess Jingning asked Su Xiaoxiao to leave the palace.
Just as Liu Sande finished sending the message, there was news at the palace entrance. The Old Marquis, Matriarch Su, and the others had returned to the capital. Su MO was waiting at the palace entrance.
Princess Jingning happened to come to Yongshou Palace to visit the Empress Dowager, so she asked Su Xiaoxiao to hurry back to reunite with her family.
Princess Hui An jumped up in anger. “Did you do it on purpose?”
Princess Jingning said to solve a big issue with little effort, “Didn’t you just say that you only found a common doctor when there’s no one left in the Imperial Hospital? Coincidentally, Imperial Physician Zhu has finished asking for Mother’s pulse. Why don’t you let him treat you?”
“Ahhh!”
Princess Hui An was furious..