Chapter 493: You Still Dare to Mention Her?

Eunuch Gao hastily reached out his hand, supporting Noble Consort De as she slowly stepped out of the Phoenix Palanquin.

Chen Wang and Qing Wang led the officials in kneeling and paying respects: "Empress Dowager, peace!"

Noble Consort De said softly: "Everyone, rise."

Having said that, she slowly walked to the Jade Carriage; Eunuch Gao hurried forward and lifted the curtain.

Tuan Tuan tightly closed her eyes, her little face flushed red from sleep.

Noble Consort De softly called: "Your Majesty? Your Majesty?"

After several calls, Tuan Tuan finally slowly opened her eyes, a bit dazed, her little mouth murmuring: "Where am I? Big brother?"

Noble Consort De felt anxious in her heart, knowing that a child just waking up is prone to slip of the tongue, she hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, the time is almost up; do not miss the auspicious moment of the great ceremony."

The great ceremony!

Tuan Tuan sat up with a start, collected herself, and looked up at Noble Consort De.

Noble Consort De gave her a slight nod: "Your Majesty, all the officials have arrived; please proceed, Your Majesty."

Tuan Tuan was fully awake.

I am now twelve, I am the Emperor!

She adjusted her hair crown and robes, then stepped out.

Chen Wang and Qing Wang led the officials in kneeling again: "Welcome Your Majesty! Long live Your Majesty, long long live!"

Tuan Tuan glanced at them, humph, bad egg! She rolled her eyes and said nothing.

No one dared to raise their heads; Noble Consort De hurriedly said: "Everyone, rise."

Chen Wang and Qing Wang led the rise: "Please, Your Majesty and Empress Dowager, proceed to the changing platform."

Two light ceremonial sedan chairs had already been waiting at the side.

Noble Consort De supported Tuan Tuan as they entered one of them, whispering in her ear: "First go change clothes."

Change again? What a hassle!

Tuan Tuan nodded.

Noble Consort De entered the other ceremonial sedan chair.

The two ceremonial sedan chairs arrived at the entrance of a temporarily erected canopy tent.

Tuan Tuan alighted from the sedan chair; Eunuch Gao hurried forward to support her.

Tuan Tuan frowned: "You smell awful; stay away from me."

The nearby little eunuchs, seeing Eunuch Gao's face red with embarrassment, all lowered their lips and tried not to laugh.

Eunuch Gao helplessly said: "Your Majesty is right; this old servant will go change clothes now."

Noble Consort De came over: "Go ahead; I will watch Your Majesty change clothes."

Eunuch Gao helplessly performed the salute and withdrew.

Entering the great tent, another set of heavy ceremonial robes for the Emperor's Heavenly Sacrifice had already been prepared inside.

Noble Consort De had just relaxed when a eunuch hurried in, holding a tray with a yellow scroll: "Please, Your Majesty, review the Heavenly Sacrifice memorial text!"

Noble Consort De nodded: "Put it down."

While the eunuchs were dressing her, Tuan Tuan worriedly furrowed her brows.

Noble Consort De stared at her expression, utterly puzzled, walked to her side, and reached out to adjust her clothing.

Seeing the Empress Dowager personally doing this, the eunuchs hurriedly retreated several steps.

Noble Consort De leaned close to Tuan Tuan's ear: "What's wrong?"

Tuan Tuan whispered: "I don't know how to read!"

Noble Consort De was shocked and turned pale.

At the same moment, inside the Chengxi Hall where the Seventh Prince resided.

Lu Qi had already hidden inside before dawn, lurking under the bed.

Xiao Ze paced slowly inside the room, glanced up, and thought: at this hour, the Heavenly Sacrifice grand ceremony should be about to start.

He shook his head, utterly puzzled: why must they act at this time?

Forget it.

He lazily said: "You all retreat; I'm tired and want to sleep a while."

"Yes."

The palace maids and eunuchs responded in unison, all retreated and closed the door.

Xiao Ze walked to the bedside, sat down, and lightly tapped the bed frame.

Lu Qi crawled out, produced a set of eunuch's clothing, and handed it to him.

Xiao Ze quickly changed into the clothes and removed the hair crown.

He then placed the clothes and hair crown on a pillow, stuffed them into the quilt, and covered it well.

He glanced at Lu Qi: "Let's go."

Lu Qi nodded, leapt out the window, and moments later the outside erupted into chaos.

"Assassin!"

"Quick! Go see the Seventh Prince!"

The eunuchs and palace maids outside rushed into the room, ran to the bedside: "Seventh Prince! Assassin!"

The person on the bed had their back to them, completely still.

"Sorry," a eunuch stepped forward and violently lifted the quilt, exclaiming in shock: "Where is the person?"

Xiao Ze hid behind the door, taking advantage of everyone's attention on the bed, lowered his head and slipped out.

Inside the palace all was chaos; the eunuchs and palace maids fled in all directions, and he quickly blended into the crowd.

The Imperial Guard outside rushed in all at once: "Where is the Seventh Prince?"

"No, we don't know! When we came in, the bed was already like this."

The Imperial Guard glanced at the pillow on the bed, dressed in clothes and a hair crown.

"Oh no! The Seventh Prince has escaped!"

"Quick! Chase after him! Where should we go?"

"He definitely ran out of the Palace! Quick! Chase outside the Palace!"

The Imperial Guard inside and outside Chengxi Hall, without a word, all rushed out, flying along the palace road toward the exit of the Palace.

Xiao Ze quietly came to the base of the southern wall; Lu Qi emerged from behind the hiding rockery; the two exchanged a glance, leapt up, and vaulted over the wall.

Entering the secret passage in the dry well of the Cold Palace, Lu Qi lit a fire striker.

Xiao Ze let out a breath, clasped his fists toward Lu Qi, and said, "Thank you!"

Lu Qi had no time to return the salute, turned and led the way: "Quick! We still need to go to Fangfei Garden."

"Fangfei Garden?" Xiao Ze puzzled, "Isn't that the separate garden granted to Tuan Tuan by the Eldest Princess?"

He suddenly realized: "Tuan Tuan also came? Where is she?"

Lu Qi replied: "The young lady is at the Heavenly Sacrifice Grand Ceremony."

Xiao Ze was so startled his foot slipped: "What is she doing at the ceremony?"

"The young lady plans to rescue the Emperor and his mother together with you; we already rescued the Emperor this morning, and the young lady went to the ceremony disguised as the Emperor."

Xiao Ze's head buzzed, his vision went dark, and he leaned against the stone wall, stopping his steps.

Lu Qi looked back at him and urged: "Go, we can't stop! After the young lady rescues Noble Consort De over there, she will also rush to Fangfei Garden."

Xiao Ze steadied his mind: "Let's go!"

Lu Qi hurriedly continued forward.

The more Xiao Ze thought, the more his anger rose; he gritted his teeth and asked: "Which of Tuan Tuan's brothers is here?"

The Eldest Young Master is here.

Xiao Ze clenched his fists: "Xiao, Ning, Yuan!"

Are you crazy? You actually let Tuan Tuan do something like this?

If anything happens to her, I'll break your leg!

The two walked out of the secret passage, entered the stone chamber, and Xiao Ningyuan came forward to meet them.

He sized Xiao Ze up from head to bottom, recalling what his sister had said about himself, and smiled: "Seventh Prince, this outfit of yours is truly interesting; it really ought to be shown to Tuan Tuan..."

Tuan Tuan? You still dare to mention her?

Xiao Ze's eyes turned red; he could no longer hold back, threw a punch that landed on Xiao Ningyuan's face: "You still dare to mention her? How can you be her older brother?"