Chapter 582: Too Much
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
After traveling for so long, logically speaking, Yu Niaoniao should be very tired, but she was focused on the case.
She didn’t sit long before she stood up, wanting to go to the Justice Department to see the charred corpse and figure out his background.
Xiao Juan stopped her.
“There’s no need to go to the Justice Department. I’ve already ordered someone to move the charred corpse to the Langjun Imperial Palace.”
Yu Niaoniao was very surprised. It was not an ordinary piece of evidence. It was a charred body. Why would someone move the body into their house? Wasn’t he afraid that Granny Xiu Yan would be frightened?
Yu Niaoniao asked the question in her heart.
“Why did you move the charred corpse into the house for no reason?”
Xiao Juan originally did not want to tell Niaoniao about the change in the Justice Department lest she worried for nothing.
But at this point, she would find out sooner or later. Instead of letting others spout nonsense at her, he might as well take the initiative to explain the matter to her.
Xiao Juan quickly prepared a script in his heart and finished what had happened in the Justice Department in a few words. His tone was flat as if this was no big deal.
However, Yu Niaoniao was furious.
“Shen Zhuo is too much!”
At first, she thought that Shen Zhuo wanted to divide the power, but he wanted to take the entire Justice Department for himself.
This method was equivalent to not giving Xiao Juan a way out at all!
If Shen Zhuo was standing in front of her now, she would definitely not be able to control her hands and rush forward to give him a hard time!
Xiao Juan comforted her. “Since he wants the Justice Department, I’ll just give it to him. Later, we’ll leave the Imperial Capital with our men and go to Liaodong County to join Prince Min and Tang Guixi. Liaodong County is far from here. Shen Zhuo’s hand can’t reach there. At that time, we can live our lives in peace behind closed doors.”
Yu Niaoniao was coaxed by him until her anger dissipated a little.
“It’s not as easy as you make it sound.”
Shen Zhuo could not even accommodate a Justice Department, let alone such a huge Liaodong County. In the future, he would definitely think of a way to deal with Tang Guixi and Prince Min, just like how he was dealing with Xiao Juan now.
Xiao Juan said, “There is always a way out. There will always be a way.”
Then, he brought Niaoniao to the place where the charred corpse was stored.
This was originally a guest room. Because no one had lived here for a long time, it had been idle. Now that a guest had finally lived in it, it was a charred nameless corpse.
Yu Niaoniao studied the charred corpse for a long time, but she still could not figure out anything.
She could only call Lo Pingsha over and they studied it together.
Xiao Juan still had to enter the palace to meet the emperor, so he could only leave first.
After entering the palace, Xiao Juan saw the old emperor.
The old emperor looked in good spirits. He could even sit up. His face still had a rosy sheen.
He smiled and asked, “You’ve been out for so long. Did you go anywhere good?”
Xiao Juan replied concisely, “I accompanied Niaoniao back to Bashu County to pay respects to her mother and stepfather. At the same time, I went elsewhere to shop.”
The old emperor sighed. “I really envy you, young people. You can go wherever you want, unlike me, who can only be trapped in this palace and can’t go anywhere.”
Xiao Juan said, “You look much better. You should recover soon. In the future, it won’t be a problem for you to go anywhere.”
Clearly pleased, the old emperor laughed.
“Haha, ever since I ate the Grand Duke meat, I do feel much better. Looks like the rumors are not groundless. That Grand Duke meat really has the miraculous effect of reviving the dead!”
At this point, he turned to look at Wei Huai’en and praised him happily.
“It’s all thanks to Wei Liao. If he hadn’t helped me find the Grand Duke from afar, my condition wouldn’t have improved.”
Wei Huai’en replied expertly, “Wei Liao was just following your decree. This is what he should do. Your condition improved because you’re the Son of Heaven and are blessed by the heavens.”
These words were clearly to curry favor but the old emperor fell for it.
He felt even more carefree.
“Don’t worry, I won’t mistreat Wei Liao. I’ve already ordered someone to draft a decree to confer Wei Liao as General Huaiyuan and give him a residence.”
Wei Huai’en immediately knelt on both knees and kowtowed to thank the emperor for his adopted son.
General Huaiyuan was a third-grade subordinate. Although it was only a fake title, it meant that Wei Liao already had a place in the court. In addition, he was still young, so his future was limitless.
The old emperor said some unimportant matters again and did not mention anything about the changes in the Justice Department.
It didn’t take long for him to feel tired. He closed his eyes and wanted to rest.
Xiao Juan tactfully retreated.
He calmed the internal strife of the Eastern Expedition Army and destroyed Princess Ni Yang’s scheme. He saved many innocent people and made so many contributions, but he could only be rewarded with some gold, silver, and jewelry.
Wei Liao could be conferred the title of general just by helping the old emperor find Grand Duke meat.
Anyone would feel unbalanced by such favoritism.
Xiao Juan naturally felt uncomfortable.
But soon he threw this matter aside.
In any case, he was already prepared to take Niaoniao far away. The old emperor could use whoever he wanted. Everything had nothing to do with him.
In the Langjun Imperial Palace.
Seeing that the Princess Consort and Lo Pingsha had been staying in the guest room and did not come out, Granny Xiu Yan was worried that the Princess Consort was so busy that she would not even bother to eat lunch. She had no choice but to look for them with the food box.
She had no choice but to look for them with the food box.
When Granny Xiu Yan walked into the guest room and saw the charred corpse on the bed, she was shocked and almost dropped the food box in her hand. Yu Niaoniao hurriedly pulled over the white cloth to cover the charred corpse.
“Nanny, don’t be afraid. This is just an ordinary corpse.”
Granny Xiu Yan placed the food box on the table and stroked her heart, looking like she had lingering fears.
It wasn’t that she hadn’t seen a dead person before, but she had never seen a charred one. It was terrifying.
She tried not to look at the charred body on the bed. “No matter how busy you are,” she advised, “don’t forget to eat.”
Yu Niaoniao said, “Got it.”
She and Lo Pingsha washed their hands and sat down at the table. They picked up their bowls and chopsticks and prepared to eat.
Yu Niaoniao asked casually.
“Have you eaten, Granny?”
Granny Xiu Yan said that she had eaten as she scooped rice for them.
Yu Niaoniao took the bowl and suddenly remembered that Granny had lived in the palace for many years. She should know a lot, so she asked. “Did Granny know that the Empress Dowager had a sister?”
Granny Xiu Yan thought about it carefully and really remembered.
“I’ve heard someone mention that the Empress Dowager has an elder sister.
Back then, the two sisters were both in the selection range.
Initially, everyone thought that her sister would be chosen. They did not expect her to be the one chosen in the end.”
Yu Niaoniao hurriedly asked, “Why do you think she should be the chosen one? Is there anything extraordinary about her?”
Granny Xiu Yan tried harder to remember and gradually remembered some details.
“The elder sister’s looks are even more outstanding. I heard that she’s the most beautiful girl in that batch. In terms of looks, no one could compare to her. In addition, she was the eldest daughter of the Deng family, and her background was impeccable. Most importantly, Imperial Concubine Meng likes her very much and praises her endlessly..”