Chapter 98: Father and Daughter in the Imperial Prisons
The yamen attendants that ran into Yu Xiaoxiao didn’t even have time to retaliate. They only sensed someone stepping in front of them before their vision went black.
After knocking all of the attendants unconscious, Yu Xiaoxiao threw their fallen lanterns over the wall, then jumped back up to announced, “It’s fine now, I’ve knocked them all out.”
Xianzong looked at the yamen attendants sprawling on the ground and felt that it was a good thing they weren’t discovered. Then he reacted and cried, “Zhen is the emperor. Why would Zhen be afraid of them finding out our whereabouts?”
Yu Xiaoxiao thought it over before she said, “What’s the use of asking that now that I’ve smacked them unconscious?”
“Then,” Xianzong said, “Then what are we going to do now?”
Yu Xiaoxiao hauled Xianzong up by the collar, causing him to holler, “Zhen doesn’t want to jump off a wall–”
At the foot of the wall, Yu Xiaoxiao looked askance at the useless fatuous ruler by her side. Xianzong stomped on the grass a few times before feeling full-blooded from standing on the ground. He was about to blow his top at Yu Xiaoxiao. How could she take an emperor to do such dangerous things? But she was still his daughter in the end, so Xianzong endured and tried to talk sense.
“Linglong, a noble gentleman avoids lingering beneath perilous walls.1 How could you bring imperial father to do such dangerous things?”
“What ‘lingering beneath perilous walls?’” Yu Xiaoxiao asked.
“Zhen found renowned scholars since your youth to teach you books,” Xianzong said with a heavy face. “Linglong, even if you’re Zhen’s own daughter, you can’t deceive your sovereign!”
“What rubbish is that,” Yu Xiaoxiao muttered to herself. No matter how many books the cruel female emperor read, it had nothing to do with her bringing Xianzong to the imperial emperor. Right now she even had trouble just reading letters.
Xianzong struggled in her grasp. “You, release Zhen!”
Yu Xiaoxiao was completely unaffected as she hauled Xianzong into the prisons. Once inside, he stopped thrashing and yelling. After all, the emperor couldn’t ruin his image in front of so many prisoners inside.
“Your Majesty?” Xiao Zhuang was the first to see Yu Xiaoxiao and her new companion.
“This servant greets Your Majesty, may the sovereign live tens of thousands of years,” Xiao Wei was the first to fall on his knees and pay respects.
Zhao Beicheng was still sitting there blankly as Xianzong came closer and closer. Yu Xiaoxiao hauled her father into the cell before releasing him onto the ground. Xianzong straightened out his robes before giving a dignified look around his surroundings. “What happened to the door?” he asked. How could an imperial prison cell be lacking its jail bars?
By now, Xiao Zhuang had fallen to his knees as well and was shoulder-to-shoulder with Xiao Wei. He glanced at the princess but didn’t dare to speak.
Yu Xiaoxiao pointed at Zhao Beicheng and said, “Why are you bothering with some door when there’s a real live person sitting right there?”
Xianzong looked at Zhao Beicheng, who seemed utterly wretched with his prisoner’s garb, swollen face, and blood by his lip. Even his own father would have trouble recognizing him now. Xianzong knitted his brows and asked, “You were only hit a dozen times. How did you end up like this?”
Xiao Zhuang shrank back involuntarily. As if a dozen whacks wasn’t enough already?
Zhao Beicheng only stared at Xianzong. “It really is Your Majesty?”
Yu Xiaoxiao told Xianzong, “He was too sad because he was wronged, so he’s somewhat lost his wits. Imperial father, don’t taken offense.”
Xianzong said, “What did Zhen wrong him on?”
Yu Xiaoxiao replied, “I was the one who took Little Sixth out of the palace, ah.”
Xianzong whirled his head towards Zhao Beicheng. Although this fellow wasn’t as handsome as Gu Xinglang, he still had well-formed features and was even a little taller than the other man. Rubbing his chin, Xianzong wondered, “So this is the type you like. For the sake of Zhao Beicheng, you’re even willing to shoulder crimes in his place?”
“Whaa?” Now it was Yu Xiaoxiao’s turn to be shocked.
“Are you going to ask imperial father to restore his original post next?” Xianzong asked.
“Can your women here marry more than once?” Yu Xiaoxiao asked back. She clearly heard that women who fooled around in this world were doomed to die. Why did it sound like the fatuous ruler said she could marry another man?
“R-ridiculous!” Xianzong stomped his foot. “A woman with more than one marriage? Wait until Gu Xinglang dies and that’s more like it!”
Yu Xiaoxiao grew incensed as well. She looked at Xianzong expressionlessly and said, “My family’s Little Gu is living perfectly well, so why are you cursing him to die?”
Xianzong grew vicious. “Zhen is the emperor. Zhen can have whoever We want to die.”
Yu Xiaoxiao curled her hands into fists. Looks like there’s no hope for this fatuous ruler. If this keeps on, I might as well make him die first, ah.
Xianzong had no idea that his life was in danger as he spoke. “Look at how you’ve changed since marrying Gu Xinglang.”
Xiao Wei sprang up from the floor and skillfully separated the duo. If they kept talking, their Majesty might end up as the first emperor in history to be slapped to the ground by his daughter.
Yu Xiaoxiao took a deep breath and told herself to take care of business first before dealing with this wretch. She kicked Zhao Beicheng once and said, “Say something, ah. Tell my father about your injustice.”
Zhao Beicheng could only stammer as he stared at Xianzong. “Y-Your Majesty, the prin–the princess and this subject have no love affair.”
Oh my God, Xiao Wei wanted to kick that bastard to death.
Yu Xiaoxiao rolled her eyes at Eldest Young Master Zhao. “Drop that, I’m not interested in your type.”
Xiao Wei told Yu Xiaoxiao, “Princess, let’s talk about proper matters.” If they kept getting sidetracked like this, when would they ever leave the prisons?
After his reminder, Yu Xiaoxiao finally said once more, “Little Sixth was brought out of the palace by me.”
Xianzong replied, “What were you doing running into the palace at the middle of the night to see your sixth brother instead of sleeping?”
Yu Xiaoxiao said, “Little Sixth was going to go to Zhuri, so shouldn’t you take him to see Jing Mo? Don’t worry, Jing Mo agreed to take care of Little Sixth, so he’ll be fine.”
“You brought your sixth brother to see Jing Mo in the middle of the night?” Xianzong asked. Is Gu Xinglang alright? He’s not angered to death yet, is he? Has there ever been a married woman who runs to other men’s rooms at night?
Yu Xiaoxiao nodded.
Xianzong lost his temper. “Where are your wifely virtues?!”
Yu Xiaoxiao had heard Wang momo mention things like “wifely virtues,” but her reply was full of disdain. “Are you afraid that I’ll lose my chastity? How is that even possible? Can Jing Mo beat me in a fight?” It’s more probable that I force myself on him!
“No, Zhen was, I,” Xianzong was at a loss for words.
Xiao Wei and Xiao Zhuang felt pained. Why did they have to hear things like this?
“You should let him go,” Yu Xiaoxiao urged Xianzong impatiently.
“If Zhen releases him, who’s to shoulder this crime?” Xianzong asked.
“What now, you want to lock me up?” Yu Xiaoxiao asked.
Xiao Wei told Xianzong in a quiet voice, “Your Majesty, it was the princess who broke down these jail cell walls.” In other words, he was saying that there was no prison capable of locking their princess up.
Xianzong felt dejected before he told Zhao Beicheng, “It was Zhen who blamed you wrongly. You can go home.”
Zhao Beicheng was still sitting on the floor in a daze. In other words, I’m fine now?
“My son!”
At this moment, a man’s hoarse cries came from the entrance of the prisons.
Yu Xiaoxiao lowered her head to give Zhao Beicheng a sympathetic look. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to help, but that Prime Minister Zhao had come crying for his son on his own.
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