Xue Xingyue did not return directly to the palace, but decided to go back to the Princess's Mansion first. As soon as she alighted from the carriage, Feng Tian came forward, "Your Highness, Young Master Meng wishes to see you, what do you think..."
"Wants to see me?" Xue Xingyue looked up at Feng Tian and asked.
Feng Tian nodded and said, "Yes."
"Where is Young Master Meng?" Xue Xingyue asked.
Feng Tian replied, "Replying to Your Highness, Young Master Meng and the Ningguo Duke's wife are still in the palace, under guard by the Imperial Guards."
Xue Xingyue was startled and asked, "Who gave the order?"
"Replying to Your Highness, it was His Majesty." Feng Tian said.
"Feng Wu, accompany me to the palace." Saying this, Xue Xingyue turned, mounted her horse, and left.
Feng Wu followed closely.
The Imperial Palace
"Shaoyao, go and see if there are still people guarding outside," Jiang Shi instructed the maid beside her.
Shaoyao withdrew upon hearing this.
Jiang Shi looked at Meng Jiangming, who was sitting on a chair without making a sound, and said, "I don't know why, but my heart has been uneasy. Jiangming, do you think something has happened?"
Meng Jiangming looked up at her and comforted Jiang Shi, saying, "Mother, don't overthink it. If something had happened, we wouldn't be sitting here."
"But my heart is extremely uneasy," Jiang Shi said with a sigh.
"Mother, don't worry. I have already sent someone to invite Princess Xingyue. I believe Princess Xingyue is already on her way." Meng Jiangming said.
"You went to invite Princess Xingyue?" Jiang Shi asked.
Meng Jiangming nodded.
Jiang Shi heard this and said, "Just after the incident with you and Xiuyi, you are still going to Princess Xingyue. Will Princess Xingyue come?"
Meng Jiangming was taken aback, and he didn't have much confidence.
He wasn't sure if Princess Xingyue would come.
After what happened between him and Xiuyi, could Princess Xingyue still help him without any reservations?
He was unsure, uncertain, and didn't know.
"Madam, Madam, this is bad..." Shaoyao hurried in from outside the door.
Jiang Shi stood up from her chair entirely, staring intently at Shaoyao, and asked, "What happened?"
Shaoyao said, "Your servant just heard those imperial guards say that Master was summoned by His Majesty, and His Majesty was furious. After Master came out, his forehead was bleeding a lot..."
"What?" Jiang Shi was not well. She ignored Shaoyao's subsequent words and rushed out.
Meng Jiangming saw this, chased after Jiang Shi, and shouted, "Mother, don't be impulsive, Mother..."
Jiang Shi rushed to the door, but before she could step out, her path was blocked by the swords of two imperial guards. Jiang Shi did not retreat, but instead stepped forward, saying, "Move aside, I want to go out too."
The imperial guard saw this, bowed, and said, "Madam, His Majesty has not ordered the lifting of the command here. Please forgive this subordinate for not allowing Madam to leave."
"I said move aside," Jiang Shi said angrily.
"Madam, I apologize, please go back and be patient..."
Before the imperial guard could finish speaking, Jiang Shi pushed aside the guard's sword and said angrily, "I said move aside."
The imperial guard's gaze turned cold, his sword was drawn, and he said coldly, "Madam, please do not make things difficult for this subordinate. If you insist on going out, then do not blame this subordinate for being impolite. It would not be good to injure Madam."
Jiang Shi heard this, stood there without retreating, looked at the imperial guard, and sneered, "How impolite? Are you going to kill me?"
The imperial guard lowered his head and said, "This subordinate dares not!"
"Move aside." Jiang Shi rushed forward again.
The imperial guard said coldly, "Madam, I'm sorry."
The sword was drawn, and the long sword was placed across Jiang Shi's neck, its chill seeping into her.
Jiang Shi did not flinch, but instead took another step closer. The imperial guard frowned, but did not retract the sword in his hand, saying, "Madam, please do not force this subordinate."
"Move aside..." Jiang Shi said word by word.
"This subordinate cannot obey!" the imperial guard said coldly.
Meng Jiangming, who had been chasing after her, saw a sword across Jiang Shi's neck and was instantly furious. He rushed forward, pushed aside the imperial guard, pulled Jiang Shi back, and shielded her behind him, saying angrily, "Let me tell you, I am still the Young Master, my father is still the Ningguo Duke, and my mother is still the Ningguo Duke's wife. You have no right to insult my mother like this."
The imperial guard heard this and said coldly, "Young Master, please calm your anger. It was not this subordinate who made the first move, but Madam refused to step back, and this subordinate..."
"What right do you have to speak to me like this, retreat," Meng Jiangming said angrily.
The imperial guard's gaze turned cold, and he said, "Young Master, this subordinate cannot obey."
Meng Jiangming heard this and let out a cold snort, "Young Master, I remember you were once my father's subordinate, weren't you?"
The imperial guard trembled all over.
Meng Jiangming continued, "What? You've become successful now, and you don't even recognize your former master?"
"Young Master, please calm your anger. This subordinate has orders, please forgive this subordinate!"
"Forgive? Unforgivable. Move aside!" Meng Jiangming said angrily.
"Young Master, this subordinate cannot obey, please be patient..."
"Young Master, I have lost my patience." Saying this, Meng Jiangming rushed forward.
The imperial guard struck Meng Jiangming's chest with a palm. Meng Jiangming had no martial arts, and after being struck, he staggered back several steps. When he finally stabilized himself, he felt a sweet taste in his mouth and spat out a mouthful of blood.
Jiang Shi saw this and was greatly alarmed, "Jiangming, what's wrong? Why are you spitting blood?"
Meng Jiangming heard this, looked at Jiang Shi, and said, "Mother, don't worry, I'm fine."
He looked up at the imperial guard who had struck him and said coldly, word by word, "I will remember today's events."
"Young Master, please forgive me, I am merely acting on orders!"
"Acting on orders? Whose orders? Whose business?"
A clear and cold voice came. Meng Jiangming subconsciously looked up towards the source of the sound.
He saw the striking red attire, embroidered with gold thread, making her whole person noble and radiant.
Like a phoenix reborn from ashes.
Her clear and bright eyes made her peerlessly beautiful face even more dazzling and radiant.
She walked over slowly, like a goddess from on high, noble and inviolable, radiant and incomparable.
Jiang Shi saw this and was almost moved to tears of joy, "Princess, you're finally here."
Xue Xingyue walked over, helped Jiang Shi, and said, "Madam, you must have been frightened."
Jiang Shi shook her head, "I'm fine, Jiangming he..."
Feng Wu had already taken Meng Jiangming's pulse. After a while, she said, "Princess, his meridians are somewhat damaged, but luckily it is not serious."
Xue Xingyue heard this, raised her eyes, and looked coldly at the imperial guard, "Who made the move?"
An imperial guard stepped forward, knelt on one knee, "Princess Xingyue, it was this subordinate, but this subordinate was also in a difficult position. The Young Master insisted on going out, and this subordinate was acting on orders..."
Xue Xingyue interrupted him before he could finish, and said coldly, "When my imperial brother issued the order, did he say that if they tried to go out, they should be killed without mercy?"