Xue Wenjie said, "Regarding news of your mother's clan."
Yan Zhao frowned, "Does Your Highness have news?"
"That depends on how Young Master Yan cooperates with this Prince," Xue Wenjie looked at him meaningfully.
"I will do my best," Yan Zhao said slowly.
Xue Wenjie laughed heartily, stepped forward, and patted his shoulder, "Young Master Yan is a smart man, and this Prince prefers talking to smart people."
"Thank you for the praise, Your Highness," Yan Zhao said coldly.
Imperial Garden
Xue Zining propped her chin, gazing at the hundred flowers in the garden. Beside her, Hua Yunjin couldn't help but whisper, "Your Majesty, Hua Yunxuan says that you haven't trained them since they entered the palace."
She raised her eyes and looked at Hua Yunjin, "Yunjin, guess who I met with Yan Zhao?"
Hua Yunjin was startled and asked, "Who?"
"Xue Wenjie."
Hua Yunjin's gaze shifted, "Why is the Regent King there?"
Xue Zining sat up straight, "Every move here could reach Xue Wenjie's ears. How would I dare to act rashly?"
"Your Majesty, did you reveal any actions in Yan Palace?" Although the Empress did not tell him of any past grievances with Yan Zhao, he knew that the Empress held animosity towards Yan Zhao.
A very deep one.
Yan Zhao was a person openly placed by the Regent King. If the Empress revealed any actions, it would be detrimental to their subsequent plans.
"Probably not." Only Yan Zhao could see her changes, but she wasn't worried about Yan Zhao speaking. Even if he did, who would believe him?
After all, having Yan Zhao stay in Zhaoyuan Palace for three consecutive days had already given others the wrong impression.
Hua Yunjin nodded, suddenly recalling something, and continued, "Your Majesty, as per your instructions, I sent someone to Xiling Pass. They sent back news yesterday."
Upon hearing this, Xue Zining's body stiffened. She asked, "How?"
"As you suspected, the Gu family army is now leaderless. A副将 is currently maintaining the Gu family army."
Xue Zining's gaze flickered. She clenched her loosened hand, "Shaofu, her indeed..."
In her previous life, she was trapped in Zhaoyuan Palace by Xue Zining. She had sent Feng Wu to Xiling Pass to inform Gu Yunhan to rescue her. Unfortunately, Feng Wu never returned, and Gu Yunhan did not bring the Gu family army to rescue her.
Later, Xue Zixuan told her that the Gu family army had already sworn allegiance to him.
And Feng Wu, as Feng Yin, had a fatal weakness, was cruelly murdered by Xue Zixuan, and could not return to deliver the message in time.
Feng Yin was loyal to the imperial power and could not harm anyone from the royal family.
Otherwise, they could be killed by members of the royal family.
This was also why everyone envied Feng Yin and desired Feng Yin, yet no royal person feared Feng Yin.
Because they needed to uphold a promise and could not harm members of the royal family.
"Shaofu, she is Gu Yunhan?" Hua Yunjin also understood what Xue Zining had left unsaid.
Xue Zining tightly clenched her five fingers, "I cannot just sit and wait any longer. I must resolve Xue Wenjie as soon as possible."
To avoid prolonged complications, Xue Wenjie had too much contact with Xue Zixuan, and it was inevitable that Xue Zixuan would develop the idea of seizing the throne.
"Imperial Sister..."
A childish voice sounded. Xue Zining looked up and saw a small figure running towards her.
"Little Prince, please slow down..."
Xue Zixuan was followed by palace attendants. Xue Zixuan looked up and saw the girl in bright red, tears streaming down his face, he threw himself into the girl's arms, "Imperial Sister..."
The impact of Xue Zixuan's embrace caused Xue Zining's expression to subtly change. She was still unaccustomed to Xue Zixuan's closeness, but with so many palace attendants watching, she could not push him away.
Stiffly, her arms embraced Xue Zixuan, and she tried to keep her voice gentle, "Zixuan, what's wrong?"
Xue Zixuan lifted his head from the familiar embrace, looked at the familiar face, shook his head, his eyes filled with tears, "Zixuan is fine. I just had a dream about Imperial Sister, and I missed Imperial Sister."
A gentle hand stroked his head, "Silly Zixuan, you see Imperial Sister every day, and you still miss her?"
Xue Zixuan's tears flowed profusely, "Imperial Sister, Zixuan really misses you."
Xue Zining was slightly stunned. Xue Zixuan, weeping at this moment, reminded her of her childhood.
That little Zixuan, standing by Father Emperor's bedside, crying and asking, "Imperial Sister, what's wrong with Father Emperor?"
This was real, these tears were real.
But she didn't dare to believe it. She turned her face away, "Zixuan, you are grown up now. You are not allowed to cry like you did when you were little."
Hearing this, Xue Zixuan wiped away his tears and nodded, "Zixuan listens to Imperial Sister."
"Imperial Consort, please slow down..."
Xue Zining looked up and saw Consort Chao hurrying towards them. Seeing Xue Zixuan unharmed, she let out a sigh of relief. Upon seeing Xue Zixuan's tear-streaked face, her heart tightened.
"Little Prince, why did you run here? Does it make the Palace Mistress worry so much?"
Wu Lian, the head palace maid beside Consort Chao, quickly stepped forward and pulled Xue Zixuan to Consort Chao's side.
Consort Chao hugged Xue Zixuan tightly, "Zixuan, you must not run around like this. Don't you know how worried this Palace Mistress is?"
Xue Zixuan pushed Consort Chao away and said, "I was looking for Imperial Sister to play with. Mother Consort's worry is unnecessary."
Consort Chao was stunned. This was the first time Xue Zixuan had spoken to her like this.
Before Consort Chao could speak, Xue Zixuan interrupted her, "Mother Consort, Imperial Sister is still here."
Only then did Consort Chao remember that Xue Zining was here. She looked up at the girl sitting in the pavilion and gave a perfunctory bow, "Your Majesty, forgive me, I did not notice you."
"Ignorance is not to be blamed," Xue Zining did not care whether Consort Chao bowed to her or not.
"Why don't you kowtow to Imperial Sister?" Xue Zixuan kicked the knee of the head palace maid, Wu Lian.
Although Xue Zixuan was small, his strength was not insignificant. Wu Lian felt a sharp pain in her knee and involuntarily knelt on the ground.
"This servant greets Your Majesty," Wu Lian said, enduring the pain.
"Get up!" Xue Zining said indifferently.
Wu Lian stood up. This was the first time she had knelt and kowtowed to this girl. Previously, as the head palace maid of Chaoyang Palace, no one could make her kowtow. Even towards the Empress, it was merely a curtsy.
Today, she had lost face.
Wu Lian looked at Xue Zixuan, hiding the resentment in her eyes.
Xue Zining, observing from the sidelines, remembered that in her previous life, this Wu Lian later became Xue Wenjie's concubine. However, after Xue Wenjie's death, Wu Lian was sent to the army as a prostitute and tortured to death.
"Imperial Sister, Zixuan shall take his leave now!" Xue Zixuan gently tugged Consort Chao, "Mother Consort, let's go back!"
Consort Chao did not want to stay here any longer and nodded, "Okay."
After Consort Chao and Xue Zixuan left, Xue Zining said, "What do you think of Wu Lian?"
Hua Yunjin walked out from behind the rockery. He had been hiding behind the rockery when Xue Zixuan ran this way.
"She harbors dissatisfaction," Hua Yunjin said pointedly.
"We can use this," Xue Zining said.
Hearing this, Hua Yunjin's eyes lit up, "To create a rift between the Regent King and Chaoyang Palace?"