Chapter 141: I Feel Like I've Seen You Somewhere Before

Zong Taihou was rather puzzled.

She did not like the Consort, and she could not be said to be very fond of Prince Xiao Mingyu either.

So, what was Xiao Mingyu doing here at this time?

Qiutong noticed the Empress Dowager's confusion and tentatively said, "I heard that the Prince recently became betrothed to the Yan Family and will be returning to his fief in Lianzhou in a few days. Perhaps the Prince is here to bid farewell to Your Majesty."

"That may be so."

Zong Taihou nodded slightly, "Then let him come in."

"Yes."

The palace maid passed on the word, and Xiao Mingyu soon strode into the hall.

Before Zong Taihou could ask him why he had come, Xiao Mingyu knelt down, "Grandmother Empress Dowager, your grandson is guilty."

Zong Taihou looked at him and asked, "What is this about, Mingyu? What guilt do you have?"

Xiao Mingyu bowed his head to the floor without rising, "Your grandson did something wrong and nearly implicated the Crown Prince; this is a grave sin. These past few days, your grandson has thought it over and felt truly uneasy in his heart, so he has come to ask for punishment from Grandmother Empress Dowager."

Upon hearing that it concerned Xiao Youlan, Zong Taihou's expression turned serious, "Get up! What exactly happened? Tell me in detail!"

"Yes."

Only then did Xiao Mingyu straighten his body.

Kneeling there, he spoke slowly, "Years ago in the borderlands of Lianzhou, your grandson found an orphan girl and trained her to be an Assassin, specifically to protect your grandson at his side. This orphan girl was quite beautiful and even more ambitious, always wanting to follow your grandson to Fengdu. Previously, your grandson never agreed. It was just that she brought it up too many times, and your grandson, mindful of the effort she spent protecting him, brought her along when your grandson came to Fengdu because my mother, the Consort, was critically ill."

Hearing him get to this point, Zong Taihou already had a rough idea of what was going on.

She frowned, "And then?"

"After arriving in Fengdu, she appeared to still be serving your grandson, but in secret, she had long since made her own plans. Taking advantage of your grandson's lack of preparation, she actually snuck into the Eastern Palace and seduced the Crown Prince..."

Zong Taihou suddenly gripped the armrests of her chair, her eyes full of shock, "What did you say?!"

Xiao Mingyu's expression was sorrowful, "Your grandson dares not hide it; that woman currently at the Crown Prince's side, Nan Xueyin, is precisely the Assassin your grandson trained!"

Zong Taihou gripped the armrests tightly, her fingers turning white.

Her lips trembled, and for a long time, she could not speak.

But it was also at this moment that she finally understood some details.

For instance, how could an ordinary woman not be afraid of such a fierce leopard? Nan Xueyin was actually able to push Xiao Youlan away in time, and even after being pounced on by the leopard, she remained unharmed.

So, she was actually an Assassin!

An Assassin, at Xiao Youlan's side—what a terrifying thing this was.

What's more, this was Xiao Mingyu's Assassin!

Zong Taihou had no way to verify how much of Xiao Mingyu's words just now were true and how much were false; she did not believe that it was really as Xiao Mingyu said, that the Assassin had deliberately snuck into the Eastern Palace to seduce the Crown Prince out of ambition. Perhaps it was Xiao Mingyu who sent her to the Eastern Palace?

Zong Taihou was not unaware that Xiao Mingyu was eyeing the Crown Prince's position.

But regardless, Zong Taihou could be certain that this Nan Xueyin must absolutely not be allowed to remain in the Eastern Palace, and even less so be allowed to remain by Xiao Youlan's side!

Emerging from Baoci Palace, the look of sorrow and panic on Xiao Mingyu's face was swept away, replaced by a cheerful expression.

Bai Chuan, who was waiting by the carriage, saw this and was slightly surprised, "Your Highness, did you receive a reward? You look so happy!"

Xiao Mingyu smiled, "Can't I be happy without a reward?"

Bai Chuan scratched his head.

As expected, one can never fathom the master's thoughts!

To be this happy without any reward or benefit, he really is... transcendent above the secular world!

"Fourth Brother!"

At this moment, Xiao Mingyu heard a familiar voice.

Looking to the side, Xiao Qingling was also about to leave the palace.

"You entered the palace too?"

Xiao Qingling nodded, "Yes, I went to pay my respects to Father Emperor, and Father Emperor kept me for dinner along the way."

Xiao Mingyu smiled, "You haven't been back for a long time; Father Emperor misses you dearly."

Xiao Qingling smiled sheepishly and sized him up thoughtfully, "Fourth Brother, when you got betrothed today, you didn't seem as happy as you are now... What good thing has happened?"

"Nothing, just inexplicably in a great mood." How could Xiao Mingyu tell him that it was because Nan Xueyin would soon leave Xiao Youlan and return to his side!

Xiao Qingling wanted to ask something else, but Xiao Mingyu waved his hand, "Alright, I have matters to attend to, I'm heading back first."

Having said that, he truly boarded the carriage.

Xiao Qingling stood where he was, watching the carriage go further and further away, then turned back to glance at the direction Xiao Mingyu had come from, his gaze carrying a hint of sharpness.

Baoci Palace?

He went to see the Empress Dowager; what did he say?

After dinner, Xiao Youlan went to the study to attend to official business.

Nan Xueyin had nothing to do, so she went to the backyard again.

Jiang Lian'er and Father Jiang were kicking a shuttlecock in the courtyard.

When she was young, Nan Xueyin often played with children her own age in the countryside.

Seeing this now, she couldn't help but watch for a while.

"Miss Nan, do you know how to play this? Would you like to join us?" Jiang Lian'er gathered her courage to ask.

Nan Xueyin pondered for a moment and nodded, "Sure."

When she played with Jiang Lian'er, Father Jiang watched from the side with a smile.

Originally, Nan Xueyin and Jiang Lian'er were taking turns kicking it back and forth. She had good stamina, and just as she was getting into the feel of it, Jiang Lian'er was exhausted, sweating profusely, and called for a stop, "Let's rest, let's rest!"

Nan Xueyin then kicked it by herself for fun.

She had learned many tricks for kicking the shuttlecock when she was young, and to her surprise, she hadn't forgotten them yet; she kicked it quite skillfully, and it was even quite a spectacle to watch.

Father Jiang looked at her for a while, then suddenly said, "Miss Nan, I feel like I have seen you somewhere before."

Nan Xueyin did not stop the motion of kicking the shuttlecock, "Where?"

Father Jiang replied, "Qingzhou."

Nan Xueyin jerked, and failed to catch the shuttlecock.

She was slightly stunned for a moment before bending down to pick up the shuttlecock that had fallen to the ground.

Father Jiang was still reminiscing, "But it wasn't you yourself. I was taming beasts for someone in Qingzhou at that time, and I saw a missing person notice on the side of the road. There was a little girl drawn on it who looked quite a bit like you. It seems her surname was also Nan... There are many people with the surname Nan in the Qingzhou area. Miss Nan, are you also from Qingzhou?"

Jiang Lian'er tilted her head, "But Miss Nan doesn't have a Qingzhou accent when she speaks!"

Nan Xueyin did not speak and continued to kick the shuttlecock.

There were indeed many people with the surname Nan in Qingzhou, and little girls around ten years old all looked the same.

Her parents were both dead, so who would be looking for her?

It was just a coincidence.

Having been at the Duan Prince Mansion for so long, that bit of a Qingzhou accent had naturally been changed long ago.

Although she was truly a native of Qingzhou, she really could not speak the Qingzhou dialect for the time being.

After kicking for a while, a thin layer of sweat had broken out on Nan Xueyin's body.

At this moment, she heard footsteps; someone had come over and was standing not far away watching her, their eyes filled with interest.

She freed a hand to grab the shuttlecock and turned to look over.