C66

Last night, when Xiao Jiu'an left the city, his movements were very quiet, and not many people knew about it. However, today, when he had returned to the city, he let the Yanbei Army lead the way. This made a huge ripples throughout the capital.

"Tell me, what exactly is Prince Yanbei thinking?"

"I always feel like he's playing a very big game. Every step he takes has a profound meaning to it."

Countless people were guessing that there was some deep meaning behind Xiao Jiu'an's actions, but even if they lost their minds, they would not be able to understand. Xiao Jiu'an did not appear the night before and the day before. He was not scheming anything, it was just that at that time, even though he was the poison was resolved enough, the remaining poison had yet to be detoxified.

As for today's high-profile entrance to the city, it was naturally because of his detoxification, requiring him to show his face to intimidate everyone.

Countless people wanted to know the reason, but no one had the guts to come knocking and ask him. But there was only one other person who could — His Majesty!

Nothing unexpected happened, and when Xiao Jiu'an arrived at Prince Yanbei's Mansion, the Emperor's men immediately delivered the order for Xiao Jiu'an to enter the palace.

Yesterday, Xiao Jiu'an had been able to refuse to enter the palace on the basis that he had just been poisoned, that he had lain down for too long, and that his four limbs were stiff so he was unable to get out of the bed.

After entering the residence and changing his clothes, he tidied himself up a little and then followed the Imperial Guards, who had issued the decree, into the palace.

Prince Yanbei held a large army in his hands and guarded the North of Yanbei all year round. He had fought no less than a hundred battles against the Southern Wilderness and Beichen, and seventy percent of the previous generations of Prince Yanbei had died fighting on the battlefield for Revelation. Xiao Jiu’an was a hero, and no matter how much the Emperor hated Xiao Jiu'an, he still had to show him some face.

The Emperor had been waiting for him in the Procedural Hall since a long time ago. The moment Xiao Jiu'an entered, without waiting for him to kneel down and greet him, the Emperor spoke first, "There's no need for Jiu'an to be courteous."

Xiao Jiu'an was not polite and bowed slightly as he sat down on the side. Unlike the ordinary ministers who were acted restrained because the Emperor was in front of them, Xiao Jiu'an was extremely natural, calmly sitting as if it were his own home.

It must be said that the ministers of the court only dared to sit with half his butt on a chair when in front of the Emperor. Suddenly seeing this Xiao Jiu'an, who was "not an outsider", the Emperor did not feel weird, nor did he feel close to him. He just felt that he was not only provoking his authority, but that Xiao Jiu'an was intentionally provoking his authority as the Emperor.

He was the Emperor. He did not need others to treat him as an ordinary person, nor did he need the closeness of his minsters. He wanted his ministers to submit and the people to obey. Xiao Jiu'an, this kind of person whose entire body being went against the will of the world, made him want to ruin him.

However, the Emperor clearly understood that as long as Xiao Jiu'an held the Yanbei Army in his hands, even if he did not like Xiao Jiu'an, he would not be able to display it outright.

"Jiu'an, I saw Yunkai yesterday and heard from her that your poison has been cured. However, because you have been lying in bed for so long, and because you have been unconscious for so long, you were temporarily unable to get out of bed. Last night, you rushed out of the city. Can your body withstand it?" The Emperor asked with a look of concern, but his words were just a trap.

He did not have the strength to enter the Imperial Palace yesterday, but he had the ability to lead his troops out of the city to fight in the night.

Of course, this was not the most repulsive thing that the Emperor said. The most repulsive thing was the Emperor's way of addressing Ji Yunkai. Ji Yunkai was currently Prince Yanbei's Wife, but the Emperor was still "affectionately" calling her by her name. What would her husband, Xiao Jiu'an, think?

In this world, there was no man that liked to wear a green hat on his head, not even if the man who gave him the green hat was the Emperor.

Xiao Jiu'an raised his eyebrows slightly, glanced at the Emperor, and said in an indifferent tone, "Many thanks to the Emperor for your concern, but this official can still hold on."

"What happened last night?" Seeing that Xiao Jiu'an did not answer directly, the Emperor did not pursue the matter further, but only asked him about what happened last night.

"On the day of this official's wedding, this official met with an assassin. Although the people from the Nine-Gates Commander arrived in time, Shiqing was captured by the assassin." Everything was already in the past, he was fine now, he did not need to hide the matter of Xiao Shiqing being taken away from the Emperor.

"The night before yesterday, Shiqing was captured?" The Emperor asked in shock, a trace of regret flashing through his eyes.

Xiao Jiu'an was unconscious due to poisoning, Xiao Shiqing was captured, and the Yanbei Army became headless. This was a very good chance to strike, but he just had to miss it. He missed the best chance to take down the Yanbei Army, and all of this was Ji Yunkai's fault.

If Ji Yunkai had not cured Xiao Jiu'an's poison, and if the Yanbei Army did not have a leader, he could have smoothly taken over the Yanbei Army without any problems.

Damn, Ji Yunkai, this woman is truly annoying!

The Emperor had thought that he had concealed it well, but he did not know that his ambition and vexation were already exposed in front of Xiao Jiu'an. Xiao Jiu'an lowered his gaze and lowered his long eyelashes, covering the ridicule in his eyes.

"Shiqing was taken away by someone, and they wanted me to use Prince Yanbei's Wife to exchange for her, I only have this little sister, so I had no choice but to let the doctor's use their fierce medicine on me, so that I could stand up and save them." Xiao Jiu'an explained why he disobeyed the decree yesterday and could not enter the palace, without leaving a trace.

As for whether the Emperor believed him or not, that was not important at all. He could just give an explanation, but right now, the Emperor did not have the ability to use this matter to punish him with the crime of deceiving the Emperor.

As for what would happen in the future, if there were any evidence and it fell into the hands of the Emperor, it did not matter whether or not the crime was worth his life. If he lost to the Emperor, he could be charged with anything the Emperor wanted.

"Did the doctor give you a strong drug? Will it harm your body?" This is the main concern of the Emperor. Xiao Jiu'an exchanging Ji Yunkai for Xiao Shiqing, in the eyes of the Emperor, is an extremely small matter.

"Since my lifespan is in jeopardy, the doctor said to rest more and exercise less force in the next three years." Saying a lie would require countless of lies to round it up, but for Xiao Jiu'an, who was a part of the Imperial Court, it was not difficult at all.

What's more, he was not lying at all. Although the poison had been detoxified, he was still severely injured. It was true that his lifespan was in danger, and he would need to rest up for a while.

Xiao Jiu'an's words were watertight and the Emperor did not have any evidence in his hands. He could not prove that Xiao Jiu'an's words were fake and he could only sullenly give up on the plan.

However, the Emperor's words of giving up on Xiao Jiu'an did not mean that he had given up on disgusting Xiao Jiu'an. Without asking about Xiao Jiu'an business, the Emperor once again mentioned Ji Yunkai.

"Jiu'an, how is Yunkai? I heard she came back in a carriage. She was timid and would always be by Our side whenever it was dark in the past. She had to be held by Us wherever she went; otherwise, she wouldn't take a single step. Did you scare her when you took her out of town in the middle of the night?" The Emperor's tone was intimate and natural. He had a smile on his face the entire time, as if he was reminiscing. But, it was as if he was showing off his intimacy with Ji Yunkai.

If it was only that, Xiao Jiu'an would not really mind, but after the Emperor finished speaking, he added another sentence....