Chapter 718: Make Sure They All Remember

Lu Qi looked at Snow Tuan's back and couldn't help exclaiming, "That cat is really clever; everything the miss raises is just like her."

Tuan Tuan grinned happily.

Outside Hua Rong Hall, dozens of Imperial Guard, a few steps apart, made the area around the hall impassable.

Suddenly, from the shadow in the western corner came a crisp "Wah‑la" sound.

It was the sound of a flowerpot shattering.

Several Imperial Guard suddenly turned back: "What was that?"

"West side! Hurry and check!"

The nearby Imperial Guard drew their side swords and ran toward the west.

But before they arrived, a muffled "Clang" came from the east.

"Quick moves! Someone's on the east too! Go!"

The Imperial Guard on the east ran over.

A moment later, another crisp sound from the south.

The Imperial Guard grew a bit panicked:

"An assassin!"

"There are many! Quickly! Search separately!"

Dozens of Imperial Guard kept shifting here and there, and the once orderly encirclement instantly developed countless gaps.

Xiao Er and Lu Qi timed it, swiftly ran to an empty wall, flipped and leapt onto the roof.

Xiao Er glanced at the overall layout of Hua Rong Hall, crouched and ran toward the main hall.

He whispered, "Miss, which side of the main hall is the ladies' sleeping chambers?"

Tuan Tuan thought and said, "East side!"

Lu Qi praised, "Miss, you now recognize east, south, west, north so well."

Tuan Tuan giggled, "Because the Empress always said that if the East Annex Hall is tidied, Imperial Uncle will come!"

Lu Qi: "…"

The three reached the ridge of the East Annex Hall, Lu Qi swiftly pried up a tile and moved it aside, Xiao Er set Tuan Tuan down, and they all looked down together.

They saw several palace lanterns burning in the sleeping chamber, illuminating everything in fine detail.

Outside the hall stood several young eunuchs; inside the hall were four maids in the corners and an old matron with a stern face standing at the table.

Xiao Er frowned, "So many people?"

Consort Rong let her long hair down, sat at the table, grabbed the tea cup and smashed it to the ground: "It's the middle of the night, will you let me sleep?"

"Report to your master! My sleep is disturbed; I must see His Majesty!"

"Empress Dowager," the old matron smiled, "You know what you did; if it weren't for the prince's mercy, you'd be sent to the cold palace."

"Old servant advises you, be more obedient, why provoke the two princes' displeasure again?"

"If you stay quiet, old servant will report to the prince; perhaps you might still get a chance to meet His Majesty."

"If this continues, you won't be fine, and His Majesty will be even worse off."

Consort Rong stood, stared at the old matron's face, unflinching, raised her hand and slapped: "Shut up!"

"The current Emperor is my own child! When will you, old servant, have the nerve to speak to me!"

The old matron staggered from the slap, swayed before steadying, covered her face, her mouth twitched: "Empress Dowager, I accept my guilt."

"Empress Dowager vents her frustration on me, I endure it."

"But whether my words are true or not, you know better than I do."

Consort Rong, angrier, swept everything on the table onto the floor: "Out! Get out of my sight!"

The old matron shook her head: "Please forgive me, Empress Dowager; I dare not leave, the prince ordered, I cannot be away from you for a moment."

"Whether you are pleased or not, whether you beat me or not, I, old servant, can only stay here in Hua Rong Hall with you."

"Bring your masters to me! I want to see them!"

"I want to ask face to face, how could the world justify house‑arresting the Empress Dowager and the Emperor!"

Consort Rong shouted while striding to the dressing table, scattering everything on it onto the floor.

The old matron followed her, never leaving her side.

The four maids stood silently with heads down, as if accustomed to everything before them.

The old matron hummed, "Empress Dowager doesn't like these; tomorrow we'll replace everything in this hall with a different style!"

The four maids answered in unison, "Yes."

Consort Rong's chest rose and fell, she cursed loudly, "What Regent King! Who gave them the title of king?"

"They're just two traitors! Usurpers who stole the nation!"

"Let me out! I want to see the Emperor!"

Xiao Er and Lu Qi exchanged glances; this lady was indeed straightforward, what shall we do?

Tuan Tuan kept nodding, "Consort Rong is great! What a perfect scold!"

She was about to untie the small embroidered pouch at her waist, when she suddenly noticed a strand of snow‑white long hair on her chest clothing.

Ah, it was the one that fell from Snow Tuan earlier!

"It's yours!"

She twirled the cat hair, muttered, "Let those people in the room below fall asleep instantly! Wake up tomorrow morning! Except you, Consort Rong!"

After speaking, she released her hand, and the cat hair fell down.

A faint light flashed, and the cat hair vanished.

The next moment.

The four maidservants and the old granny swayed together, then softly collapsed onto the ground.

"You're just a dog they raised..." Consort Rong was scolding with gusto, just about to turn and slap that old granny, when she suddenly realized the person was gone.

She stared, then looked down at the ground, furrowed her brow, and kicked: "What are you pretending dead for?"

Tuan Tuan hurriedly called out: "Consort Rong! They're all asleep! They'll only wake up tomorrow!"

Consort Rong recognized Tuan Tuan's voice, lifted her head, and looked toward the roof.

Seeing Tuan Tuan's little face, her tears streamed down instantly: "Princess, please go check on Lin Er to see if she's alright."

"See if he's doing well, if he's eating properly..." As she spoke, her throat choked up and she couldn't stop crying.

"But I don't know where he is! Imperial Aunt doesn't know either." Tuan Tuan felt her nose sour: "Consort Rong, please don't cry!"

Consort Rong froze, her face instantly paling: "Even the Grand Princess doesn't know?"

Xiao Er listened to the commotion outside the hall, feeling anxious; if the Imperial Guard saw that it was Xue Tuan causing trouble, they would surely not pursue further, making it hard for the young lady to leave safely.

He hurriedly asked: "My lady, is the feigned-death pill still in the Eleventh Prince's hands?"

"Yes!" Upon hearing about the feigned-death pill, Consort Rong regained her composure and nodded: "I sewed it into Lin Er's favorite cloth tiger."

"They searched the entire Watercloud Pavilion, but found nothing."

Xiao Er's heart eased halfway: "My lady, you're wise. By the way, the Grand Princess asked us to bring you a message."

He quickly relayed the Grand Princess's words in full.

Consort Rong carefully pondered the meaning of the words, and tears fell again.

Lu Qi pricked up his ears; the noise outside the hall was no longer as chaotic as before: "Let's go quickly."

Tuan Tuan waved at Consort Rong: "We're leaving now! Consort Rong, I won't let anything happen to the Eleventh Prince, you can rest assured!"

Consort Rong, tears streaming down her face, nodded and slowly knelt: "Thank you, Princess."

"Please tell the Grand Princess that I have remembered her words."

She gritted her teeth fiercely: "I won't cause trouble anymore; I'll quietly wait for His Majesty to return, then settle accounts with them!"

"Right!" Tuan Tuan raised her little fist: "Make them remember!"

Xiao Er hoisted Tuan Tuan onto his back, and together with Lu Qi, swiftly leapt onto the roof ridge nearest the wall, listening carefully.

The Imperial Guard's sounds came from the opposite direction; the two leapt up together, scaled the high wall, and ran toward the imperial garden.

Tuan Tuan turned her head toward the Splendid Appearance Hall, looking all around for Xue Tuan's silhouette.

Suddenly, her eyes lit up; Xue Tuan's tiny silhouette stood on a high roof ridge, gazing at her.

Tuan Tuan waved her little hand at it, and Xue Tuan let out a loud cry.

"Meow—"

The Imperial Guard's voices faintly came from afar.

"A cat! Could it have been it just now?"

"Idiot! Could a single cat cause such a commotion?"

"It must be assassins! Not just one! Hurry and search!"

Tuan Tuan happily clung tightly to Xiao Er's neck: "Uncle Er, Xue Tuan is amazing, right?"

Xiao Er nodded with a smile: "Exactly!"

"But," Tuan Tuan sighed, "I haven't brought anything good to eat for it."

"Next time," Xiao Er patted her small back, "young lady, you'll have plenty of chances to feed it!"

The three raced to the mouth of the tiger cave; just as they slipped inside, the door hadn't had time to close.

"Boom!"

A muffled boom, like distant thunder muffled by several walls, came through.

Xiao Er listened for a moment: "It sounds like something exploded outside the palace."