Zhao Yanluo’s face flushed as his thoughts were read, "Your Majesty, this commoner dares not!"
"There is nothing you, Young Marquis Zhao, dare not do. However, I cannot openly assist the Young Prince of Nanping. You know this, Young Marquis Zhao."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Yanluo trembled all over. The Empress was saying she was willing to help the Young Prince of Nanping.
"Your Majesty, you..."
Xue Xingyue said, "I cannot help the Young Prince of Nanping as the Empress of Xingjiu Kingdom, but I can help him as an ordinary person."
Zhao Yanluo was a little confused. How could she rescue the Young Prince of Nanping without acting as the Empress? That would mean directly confronting the Emperor of Qi.
"Young Marquis Zhao, if I were to help the Young Prince of Nanping as the Empress of Xingjiu Kingdom, what do you think the Emperor of Qi would think?"
Zhao Yanluo was startled and quickly understood. If the Empress acted as the monarch of Xingjiu Kingdom, it would likely only hasten the Young Prince of Nanping's demise.
After all, the alliance between the God of War of Qi and the Empress of Xingjiu Kingdom would be a considerable headache for the Emperor of Qi.
This was because the Young Prince of Nanping was not one of their own.
Who could guarantee he harbored no ill intentions?
"Your Majesty, then you must take this servant with you, otherwise, this servant will not be at ease," Wu Hen said.
Looking at Wu Hen's determined eyes, Xue Xingyue could only nod, "Alright, I'll do as you say."
Wu Hen asked, "Your Majesty, to whom will the palace affairs be entrusted? Duke Meng?"
Xue Xingyue replied, "It can only be him."
Meng Jiangming was stunned when he heard that the Young Prince of Nanping was Ji Wuran, never expecting that his friend from the past would be the one to betray him. The feeling was indescribable.
However, he knew he couldn't blame others; he was simply outmatched.
"Your Majesty, entrust it to this humble servant, and you can rest assured!" Meng Jiangming said.
"Good, but I must also have a contingency. If we are discovered, I'll be counting on Duke Meng to pick me up," Xue Xingyue said.
Meng Jiangming knelt on the ground, "Your Majesty, rest assured, this servant will not disappoint."
After making some arrangements, Xue Xingyue, accompanied by Wu Hen and Zhao Yanluo, embarked on the journey to Zhen Wuguan.
Zhao Yanluo hadn't expected the Empress to bring him along, wondering if this meant his luck was good or bad.
Zhen Wuguan
Ji Residence
Madam Ji was filled with sorrow. Ever since she had forced Marquis Ji An to reveal the truth that day, she had been consumed by grief. She never imagined that her child was dead, and the person who had called her mother for ten years was not her child.
Yet, he resembled her child so much. Even though she knew that person bore no resemblance to Wuran in any way, she stubbornly believed that person was her child.
Marquis Ji An could not bear it and had not returned to the residence for several days.
Madam Ji wept uncontrollably, and the maids beside her were at a loss. If this continued, Madam Ji would likely be the first to collapse.
"Zhao Yanluo requests an audience with Marquis Ji An," Zhao Yanluo called out loudly as he knocked on the door.
The gatekeeper heard the sound and came out. Recognizing Zhao Yanluo, whom he knew from accompanying Ji Wuran in and out of Marquis Ji An's mansion, he greeted him.
"Young Marquis Zhao, what wind brings you from the capital?"
Zhao Yanluo smiled upon hearing this, "Is Marquis Ji An in?"
The gatekeeper's face fell. "Young Marquis Zhao, you wouldn't know, but my master hasn't returned to the residence in a long time."
"If the master isn't returning, won't Madam mind?" In Xue Xingyue's impression, Marquis Ji An was a typical henpecked husband.
The gatekeeper saw a woman daring to speak in front of Young Marquis Zhao, clearly his companion. He did not dare to be disrespectful and replied, "Miss, you may not know, but the master is hiding from Madam."
"What exactly happened?" Zhao Yanluo was also curious.
The gatekeeper shook his head, "This junior doesn't know either."
"Do you know where your master might have gone?" the woman asked.
The gatekeeper hesitated. Zhao Yanluo grinned and took out silver from his waist, handing it to the servant, "Speak up. Will this young marquis treat you poorly?"
The servant smiled, "Young Marquis is generous. This junior believes the master might have gone to Yanxiang."
Some distance from the Ji residence, Wu Hen couldn't help but ask, "Where is Yanxiang?"
Zhao Yanluo's face turned red. Xue Xingyue said, "A brothel!"
Zhao Yanluo's expression became even more awkward. "Your Majesty, perhaps you shouldn't go."
"Call me June," Xue Xingyue said.
Zhao Yanluo twitched his lips.
Yanxiang
Marquis Ji An had drunk quite a bit. The attendant beside him tried to dissuade him, but Marquis Ji An shook his head, "Don't try to dissuade me. Just let this marquis drink a few more cups."
"Master, my madam has a new girl. Would you like to see her?"
"My master is here to drink, not to see girls. Hurry and leave!" The attendant shooed the madam away.
The madam, with her plump body, squeezed through the doorway. "Master, are you afraid of the tigress at home? Don't worry, once you experience tenderness, you'll forget all your unhappiness."
"Alright, bring me a girl."
The attendant heard this and quickly said, "Master, you can't do this! Aren't you afraid Madam will skin you alive?"
"Oh, the master's wife is truly formidable," the madam clicked her tongue twice.
Marquis Ji An slammed the table and pointed at the attendant, "Do I need you to blabber? Madam, send over the best girl."
After an unknown period, Marquis Ji An saw a young girl enter. She was indeed of the highest caliber, with an elegant and graceful figure. Looking up, her countenance was pure and peerless, her eyes clear to the depths, as if they could evaporate his drunkenness.
However, wait. This young girl looked so much like the Empress.
The girl approached gracefully, holding a pot of wine. She walked directly to Marquis Ji An and poured the wine from the pot onto his face. Marquis Ji An suddenly sobered up, looking at the girl, "You..."
"Marquis Ji An, have you been well!"
The cool voice was like a basin of cold water, sobering Marquis Ji An from the inside out.