"When did this happen?" Xiao Shao asked with a frown.
Xiao Shao pondered for a moment before replying, "Let her come to the Yi Bao Pavilion."
She had left the Embroidered Uniform Guard and her most respected master to protect the woman her master liked. That woman also had a tenacious heart and an iron fist just like her master. So, although Tian Zhu felt sad, she would not be sad for too long. Because, she was worth it.
Tian Zhu said, "This subordinate boldly guessed Miss's thoughts. I implore Master not to intervene in this matter. Master, please punish me."
"He's a chef that Master invited from outside." Hong Ying said indifferently, "Fourth Miss will be going to the palace in a few days. The pastries in this fu are despicable, please do not dislike them."
Tian Zhu ignored Jin Er and Jin San's hints and continued, "Could it be that Master wishes to have a young lady who does not have the strength to truss a chicken and needs Master's protection? If this is the case, I am afraid that the Jinying fu will not be able to raise such a delicate flower. The fu needs a woman who can stand tall in the storm of swords and spears, not an embroidered pillow! "
Xiao Shao looked at the dispirited and surprised Tian Zhu and said indifferently, "Your loyalty is no longer here. According to convention, you must hand over the waist token." After a moment of silence, he said, "From now on, you only have one master, Jiang Ruan. Protect her well."
"At noon." Jin Er said. Xiao Shao was in the palace handling other matters. He had just left the palace when he caught up. It had already been six hours since Jiang Ruan had been captured, and he did not know what was going on. This time, he was more anxious than usual. Princess He Yi was the Emperor's most beloved daughter. Although she was usually a little mischievous, the father-daughter relationship was solid and unchanging. Jiang Ruan had killed Princess He Yi. This crime was enough to make the Emperor furious and punish Jiang Ruan.
"Disgusting?" He muttered these two words in a low voice. Suddenly, there was an unspeakable anger in his chest. He slammed the table and all the teapots on the table fell to the ground and broke into countless pieces. The guards hidden in the room didn't dare to make a sound. Xuan Li's expression at the moment was too scary.
"Is there any movement on Xiao Shao's side?" Taking a deep breath, Xuan Li calmed his emotions and asked.
"Don't tease me, Aunt." Jiang Dan lowered her head, but a glint of light quickly flashed through her eyes. She asked in a seemingly unintentional manner, "But now that big sister is in prison, father, have you thought of a good way to save her?"
Tian Zhu paused for a moment, then stood up with her head still lowered. Xiao Shao said, "Return the waist tag to Ye Feng."
Jin San received the order and left.
"Master!" Tian Zhu cried out involuntarily. Returning the Embroidered Uniform Guard token to Ye Feng meant that he would be removed from the Embroidered Uniform Guard and would never be able to return.
The servants and old women in the Ruan Ju were all in a state of panic. Once the news of Jiang Ruan's imprisonment had reached them, those who were quick-witted had already turned their backs on her, abandoning their old masters for the new masters.
Thank you for choosing to follow her.
"You mean that This King doesn't even have the ability to protect her?" Xiao Shao narrowed his eyes. This time, he spoke much more slowly, but the coldness it carried was also much heavier than before. Jin Er and Jin San hurriedly signaled to Tian Zhu with their eyes. Xiao Shao was already in a bad mood at the moment, if Tian Zhu spoke, wouldn't it be the same as running into a gun?
"What did she say?" Xiao Shao asked.
Jiang Dan's fingers that were pinching the pastry paused slightly, and her expression changed to one of worry, "Then father's meaning is to wash your hands of this matter?"
Xiao Shao lowered his eyes and thoughtfully looked at his sleeves. Jiang Ruan's temperament was almost crazy when it came to matters of revenge. He had a deep understanding of this. Jiang Ruan did not like others to interfere in these matters, and he was also clear that Tian Zhu was not lying.
"The affairs of the world are impermanent." Hong Ying sighed and looked at Jiang Dan, "However, Fourth Young Miss seems to be blessed. This time, when you enter the palace, you should be able to receive the Emperor's favor. In the future, the glory of the Jiang fu will be tied to you. Perhaps Eldest Young Miss won't even have Fourth Young Miss's future glory. "
Tian Zhu stared blankly and raised her head to look at Xiao Shao. However, she found that Xiao Shao's expression was not one of anger, nor was it the usual indifference that kept people a thousand miles away. Instead, it was a kind of entrustment, another kind of trust and equal respect.
Jin Er and Jin San both frowned. For an Embroidered Uniform Guard, it was a big taboo to interfere in their master's decisions. Tian Zhu's actions were already very excessive, and could even be seen as disrespectful to Xiao Shao. Tian Zhu had been trained by Xiao Shao since she was young, so there was no need to mention her loyalty. Today, such an attitude made them slightly surprised even though they were his colleagues.
In the matters between men and women, Xuan Li had always been invincible and had never met a match. In his eyes, women were nothing more than fools. Jiang Ruan did not have much of a relationship with him, but every time he saw her, he would have a strange feeling in his heart. It was as if this woman had always belonged to him. This kind of possessiveness was completely aroused when Jiang Ruan chose Xiao Shao, and was even willing to go to such an extent for Xiao Shao, causing Xuan Li to recall the events of many years ago.
Jin San hurriedly rushed in from outside, and after sweeping a glance at the surroundings, he said in a low voice, "Tian Zhu wishes to see you."
She lowered her head and knelt down once again. She respectfully kowtowed three times towards Xiao Shao, and said in a powerful and resonant voice, "This subordinate thanks Young Master for his kindness in nurturing me."
"Miss had long anticipated today's matter." Tian Zhu did not wait for Xiao Shao to question her, and continued, "Princess He Yi's death was also arranged by Miss, but Princess He Yi was not killed by Miss. The person who killed Princess He Yi was someone else, and today, someone is slandering her. Miss had already made arrangements, and had long ago instructed this subordinate to deliver a letter to the State Preceptor, Hui Jue. She should have a contingency plan, so Master need not worry too much. "
In the courtyard, Hong Ying was lying on a soft chair, basking in the sun. The autumn afternoon sun was just right, not too hot, not too cold. On the table were some exquisite pastries, and even the tea was specially prepared by Jiang Quan, a tea that was good for the body. The day of giving birth was approaching, and everyone in the fu revered Hong Ying to the extreme.
In just a short span of half a year, she had already been imprisoned for the second time. The previous time was the death of Old Jiang Madame, but that case had not yet been handed over to the Ministry of Justice. Moreover, there were many suspicious points at that time. Now, the person who died was Princess He Yi, and since it was related to the royal family, the case was directly handed over to the Ministry of Justice for trial. Most importantly, there was an important witness in this case, the Fourth Prince, Xuan Lang.
Perhaps this would also make Empress Dowager Yi De unhappy. Although Empress Dowager Yi De did not care about the affairs of the court, it did not mean that she had no weight in the court. Sometimes, Empress Dowager Yi De's attitude could even determine the future career of an official.
Teacher Ba Qi did not restrict his disciples from choosing what to practice. When Xiao Shao entered the sect, Jinying Wang's fu had not yet been in trouble. His temperament was indifferent, and there was nothing that he was particularly interested in. Teacher Ba Qi taught him a little of everything, and it all depended on his luck. Even though he only taught him a little, Xiao Shao's ability to comprehend was astonishing, and he learned everything to the point of perfection. All the martial brothers of Jia Nan Mountain admired Xiao Shao, but Xiao Shao was an extremely arrogant person, and it seemed that he did not care about these worldly things.
Sitting across the table was Jiang Dan. She carefully picked up a piece of pastry and put it in her mouth. She took a small bite and smiled, "This pastry is not bad."
Such a big thing had happened, and it was feared that the entire capital had heard about it by now. Xiao Shao did not move, and it seemed that he did not have much feelings for Jiang Ruan. Xuan Li sneered in his heart. Xiao Shao was a person with eyes at the top of his head. When they were on Jia Nan Mountain, he had been very cold. Ordinary women were infatuated with him, but they did not know that Xiao Shao himself was a heartless person. Jiang Ruan, that stupid woman, since she had rejected him for Xiao Shao's sake, there was no harm in letting her see clearly how ruthless and cold Xiao Shao was. What's more … Xuan Li suddenly smiled lightly. The civil and military officials must have heard about Xiao Shao's marriage proposal to the Emperor. Just a moment ago, he was still proposing marriage to the Emperor, and the next moment, his sweetheart was in prison, yet he did not care. Xiao Shao was already a traitor in the eyes of the court officials, and this time, his reputation would take a nosedive.
Since ancient times, it had been human nature to sail with the wind, and this was especially evident in the Minister's fu.
There were many eyes outside, and Tian Zhu was, after all, Jiang Ruan's maidservant. If she fell into the eyes of someone with ulterior motives, it would be difficult to avoid making a fuss about this matter. Going to the Yi Bao Pavilion would also be a good opportunity to inquire about some information.
Jin Er and Jin San were stunned for the third time today. Tian Zhu had overstepped her boundaries, but Xiao Shao was not the slightest bit angry. Moreover, compared to his previous bad mood, at this moment, he appeared much calmer. Could it be that Master actually liked to be shouted at?
Xiao Shao's expression also seemed to be slightly moved, and he said in a low voice, "Thank you very much."
Xiao Shao turned his horse around, "Let's go to the Ministry of Justice to take a look." He had yet to lift his whip when he heard a voice call out, "Master!"
Xiao Shao glanced at her and said, "Yes."
Xiao Shao had just come out of the palace and had just mounted his horse when he saw Jin Er somersaulting in front of him. His usually frivolous face had a few rare traces of seriousness, "Not good, Master, Miss Jiang has been arrested and sent to prison."
A strange light flashed in Xiao Shao's black eyes. He pursed his lips and lowered his eyes, not saying a word. Jin Er and Jin San, who were standing at the side, were shocked. They had originally thought that Jiang Ruan had asked Tian Zhu to bring a letter, so why did she not say anything? Did Jiang Ruan not have a message for Tian Zhu to send to Xiao Shao?
Naturally, the news of Jiang Ruan being imprisoned had not only reached Xiao Shao's ears, but similarly, when it reached Xuan Li's ears, Xuan Li's expression was even uglier than Xiao Shao's.
"Does Master want to help Miss?" Tian Zhu raised her head and asked.
Xiao Shao's eyes darkened, "What's the matter?"
…
Just like that, even if she was imprisoned, she was still unwilling to marry him, and even said the word 'disgusting'. Xuan Li believed that he had never done anything wrong to Jiang Ruan. There was only one reason why Jiang Ruan was so harsh to him, and that was Xiao Shao.
Xiao Shao looked at the person kneeling before him and raised his eyebrows. He was silent for a long time before saying, "You may rise."
At that time on Jia Nan Mountain, Teacher Ba Qi had accepted ten disciples. Xiao Shao was Teacher Ba Qi's third disciple and ranked third, so he was called Third Shixiong. Xuan Li was ranked eighth, so he had to address Xiao Shao as Shixiong. Xuan Li had been intelligent since he was a child. Among the Emperor's sons, he was the most outstanding. At a young age, he already had an excellent reputation in the court, and the common people also supported him. He was good everywhere. He was used to being number one, but on Jia Nan Mountain, he had hit a brick wall.
Xuan Li had been unwilling to submit to others since he was a child. Every day, he diligently practiced, but it could not compare to Xiao Shao's gentle glances. Youngsters were always competitive and competitive. Moreover, Xiao Shao always treated others coldly. Over the years, Xuan Li was finally dissatisfied. He did not understand that the things that he had to work so hard to obtain, Xiao Shao had obtained them so effortlessly.
"She is a person of my Jinying Wang fu. I will not look on with folded arms, nor will I let her be bullied by anyone." Xiao Shao said lightly, but his tone already carried a chill.
Jin Er and Jin San opened their mouths, and Jin San helplessly closed his eyes. Although Tian Zhu had been loyal in the Jinyi Guard, he had a stubborn temperament. Once he had set his mind on something, he would not change. Looking at his appearance today, he was determined to make Xiao Shao angry. Now, he was happy for a moment, but who knew what punishment he would receive in the future. Could it be that he had stayed with Young Madam for too long, and his courage had also become lawless?
Later, when Jinying Wang fu met with misfortune, Xuan Li was very happy for a while. However, when Jinying Wang fu met with misfortune, Xiao Shao was labeled as the descendant of a rebel, and the Emperor seemed to think highly of him. Xiao Shao could speak bluntly in front of the Emperor, and he did not even need to guess the Emperor's thoughts like he did. Xiao Shao was in charge of three hundred thousand Jinyi Guards, so Xuan Li was somewhat afraid of him. Naturally, he did not dare to express his intentions. For so many years, the calm that he and Xiao Shao usually maintained on the surface seemed to have been broken by Jiang Ruan in one night. Only then did Xuan Li discover that the resentment and jealousy in his heart towards Xiao Shao had not changed for so many years.
"Method, what good method could there be?" Hong Ying picked up the chopping board in front of her and leisurely took a sip before saying, "Such a big matter has happened, if we are not careful, we will implicate the fu. Eldest Miss has committed a huge mistake this time, and your father is already extremely angry. He has discussed it with your second brother for a long time, but they have not been able to come up with a solution. Now that Shu Fei is furious in the palace, and His Majesty has also lost Princess He Yi, Eldest Miss will not be able to escape this calamity. Even if your father were to plead for leniency, wouldn't that make things worse? "
"Master, you cannot." Tian Zhu said, "Young Miss has already made up her mind on this matter. It is best for Master not to interfere in this matter."
Xiao Shao pondered for a moment before saying, "Tell me everything that has happened these past few days."
"Laoye also has the heart but is powerless." Hong Ying looked at her fingertips that had been painted with nail polish. "Eldest Miss is a member of the Jiang fu, so she naturally understands when to make sacrifices. It is not possible to disregard the lives of everyone in the fu for the sake of her alone."
"Young Miss did not say anything." Tian Zhu said.
If the murder was seen by others, and there was a witness, there was an eight or nine out of ten chance that she would not be able to escape the crime. In particular, this was the prince of a country. Almost everyone thought that Jiang Ruan would not be as lucky as the last time, and that the prosperous future of Jiang Xin Zhi and his sister would come to an end. In the end, the Jiang fu could not accommodate them.
He had handed over the person that he valued to her. This was not an order from a master to a subordinate, but an exchange of equal status, a kind of trust.
"These days, this subordinate has been following Young Miss. This subordinate can clearly see that Young Miss is not a pampered girl who needs protection. She is stronger than any woman this subordinate has ever seen. Master is also clear that Young Miss does not like to have others resolve everything for her, especially … when dealing with enemies, Young Miss likes to settle things with her own hands. "
"Yes." The subordinate received the order and left. Xuan Li leaned back in his chair, fiddled with the thumb ring in his hand, and slowly smiled.
The Eighth Highness, who had always been cultured and refined, no longer had that gentle and elegant smile on his face. The muscles on his cheeks twitched slightly due to anger, appearing somewhat strange and contorted.
Tian Zhu's eyes became hot, and tears almost fell from them. She had entered the Embroidered Uniform Guard when she was young. Xiao Shao was the person she respected in her heart, and was her master. The Embroidered Uniform Guard had given her a second life. She had thought that she would be loyal to the Embroidered Uniform Guard for the rest of her life, and shed her last drop of blood for the Embroidered Uniform Guard. However, she did not expect that one day, Xiao Shao would take back her token.
Jin Er and Jin San also froze on the spot. They had originally thought that Xiao Shao was not angry, but in the end, they were wrong. Not only was Xiao Shao angry, he was very angry this time.
In less than the time it took to burn a stick of incense, Xiao Shao was sitting upright in the dark room of the Yi Bao Pavilion. Tian Zhu bowed and knelt on the ground, "Master."
Tian Zhu was Jiang Ruan's personal maidservant. Jin Er and Jin San looked at each other. They were well aware of Jiang Ruan's temperament. She was a person who refused to suffer losses, so it was inevitable that she had not expected today's situation. Perhaps, she had done it on purpose. Tian Zhu's visit at this moment might have been to deliver a message to Jiang Ruan.
"Miss has already made arrangements and plans. This time, the person who will suffer losses will not be Miss, but the other party. If Master truly likes Miss, he should not be controlled by her. Miss is not someone who is willing to be controlled. Miss wants to personally deal with Princess He Yi, as well as the person behind Princess He Yi. If Master wants Miss to become the future Young Madam of Jinying Wangfu, then he should learn to fulfill his wish. "
She actually dared! She actually dared to do this!
"Replying to Your Highness, Xiao Wangye did not make a move." The subordinate replied.
Xiao Shao would suffer so much because of this matter. When Xuan Li thought of this, how could he not be happy? In a short moment, his displeasure was swept away. He said in a clear voice, "Send someone to continue to keep an eye on Jinying Wangfu and see if Xiao Shao has any movements."
… …
"Replying to Master," It was not that Tian Zhu did not hear Xiao Shao's tone. After a brief hesitation, she continued to speak, "Does Master think that Miss has no way to solve this matter? This subordinate will say something that should not be said. Now that the day of Master's departure from the capital is imminent, Master can still protect Miss in the capital, but after Master leaves the capital, do you think that the open spears and hidden arrows will all disappear? Even if Master protects Miss in Jinying Wangfu, it may not be that everything will go smoothly. Now that the people watching Jinying Wangfu are like carps crossing the river, how can Miss's days be relaxed? "
"The Fourth Prince and several palace maids saw Miss Jiang kill Princess He Yi with their own eyes. Later, people came and the evidence was conclusive. Shu Fei was furious and is now begging the Emperor to make a decision. The Empress also has no choice but to first order the people of the Ministry of Justice to lock Miss Jiang up. "
"Yiniang, what are you saying," Jiang Dan smiled humbly, "It is not as easy to live in the Palace as it seems. Didn't something happen to Da Jiejie in the Palace?" Her expression darkened, "I was still hoping that Da Jiejie would take care of me in the Palace. I didn't think that something like this would happen."
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