"This Miss Xie, at such a young age, is quite sothing!"
Ji Youzhi, also realizing this belatedly, began to mumble.
"Indeed, this is interesting. It’s settled. Youze, have soone send a ssage to the Celestial Prison. Without My permission, no one is allowed to visit or release the prisoner—not even the Empress Dowager!"
The young Emperor was completely excited and imdiately left his desk. "Let’s go! We’ll change clothes and go outside the Palace to watch a play!" With that, he called his personal eunuch, Xiaoyuanzi. "Xiaoyuanzi, quick, bring a set of plain clothes to change into!"
"Your Majesty," Ji Youze calmly called out to the young Emperor, pointing at the pile of morials on the imperial desk. "Your incognito tour of the south has already delayed many state affairs."
Upon hearing this, the young Emperor’s expression stiffened. "Youze, are you defying your sovereign? Do you wish for to punish you?"
Ji Youze t the young Emperor’s intentionally fierce gaze without any expression. "Do you wish to beco a tyrant?"
Damn it, how did I ever choose this rebellious subject to be My study companion in the first place? Could I go back ten years and send him back to the south?
"Your Majesty, if you quicken your pace, you might be able to finish reading these morials before lunch. That way, you can go to the theatre after your al."
The young Emperor... fell silent, picked up his vermilion brush, and began reading the morials.
Ji Youzhi and Ji Youze quietly exited Yangxin Palace.
"Eighth Brother! He is the Emperor, after all. If he takes offense at what you did, how will you manage then?"
Serving the Emperor is like accompanying a tiger!
Eighth Brother should understand this principle better than I do!
Ji Youze glanced at Yangxin Palace and shook his head. "If it were any other monarch, he would likely have grown suspicious by this age."
"Yes! He’s not young anymore and has been ruling personally for many years. Emperors are inherently suspicious. If his suspicions fall upon you, will you still want to live?"
Ji Youze didn’t speak; he just looked up at the sky. Seeing his brother like this, Ji Youzhi felt utterly helpless.
"You’re looking at the sky again! Ever since you cajoled into coming to the Capital City, you look at the sky whenever you don’t want your expression to give you away.
Tell , am I still your brother or not?
Why can’t you share your thoughts with ?
Am I going to harm you or sothing?"
Ji Youze remained silent, still looking at the sky. Ji Youzhi, truly at a loss, left in a huff.
...
「Xie Family」
Xie Pan’Er and Xiaosuisui alighted from the carriage. The two maids following the carriage hurriedly kept pace. The group entered a small courtyard at the westernmost end of the Xie Family estate. As soon as the courtyard gate opened, they were assailed by a strong, damp, musty odor.
This was the most dilapidated courtyard in the Xie Family compound, even worse than the quarters of the lowest-ranking servants.
Yet Xie Pan’Er’s parents had been living here for over a decade.
"Father! Mother! I’m back."
The figures of the Luo Family and Xie Wulang were missing from the courtyard, so Xie Pan’Er called out loudly.
A RUMBLE RUMBLE sound ca, the sound of a wheelchair. Xiaosuisui was most familiar with this sound.
She turned her head towards the sound. A man, appearing about the sa age as her maternal uncle but much thinner and with a scruffy beard, sat in the wheelchair.
"Ba... HIC... back?"
The man’s voice was slurred, and the reek of alcohol wafted from his mouth. Xiaosuisui, sowhat sensitive to the strong sll of liquor, covered her nose with her small hand.
"Father! Why are you drinking again? The Princess is visiting our ho! Please pay your respects to Her Highness quickly!"
Seeing her father so drunk and dishevelled, and acting so improperly in front of the Princess, Xie Pan’Er was terrified.
"Who... Pri... Princess?"
"Yes! The Princess is at our ho! You must sober up and pay respects to Her Highness!"
Looking at her father’s drunken, slovenly state, Xie Pan’Er’s heart ached with bitterness.
"The... Princess... was she finally... rescued by... the Grand General?"
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