"Your Highness, as it's already late at night, I hope I can stay in the Fenghe Palace for the night."
"Do you think I'll grant your request?" Xin Zizhao picked up the medical book on the table again.
"Xin Zizhao, what are you doing? It's so late now, and you still won't let him stay in the palace? He just wants to stay for one night!" Wei Shuxuan couldn't help complaining.
"When did your relationship get so good?" Xin Zizhao's words sounded a bit jealous.
"Not bad. Because Zi'an is a nice guy!"
Wasn't he a nice guy? Xin Zizhao silently retorted in his heart.
"Come on, Xin Zizhao. Just give me face and agree to it."
Xin Zizhao waved his hand, as if he had agreed to Wei Shuxuan. Then he told Grand Eunuch Li, who was waiting on one side, "Grand Eunuch Li, arrange a guest room for General Ge."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Grand Eunuch Li led Ge Zian to the west wing. Ge Zian looked at the distance between the wing and the main hall and smiled. "Grand Eunuch, you've really arranged me in such a far - away wing."
"General Ge, please don't take it amiss. The east wing of the Fenghe Palace is still being cleaned and can't be occupied for the time being. It's not that I did it on purpose."
Grand Eunuch Li's answer was very appropriate. Ge Zian didn't blame him. He knew that without the superior's order, Grand Eunuch Li wouldn't have arranged it like this.
"I have no other intention. Grand Eunuch, don't worry."
"Then please rest well, General Ge. I'll take my leave first."
After Grand Eunuch Li left, Ge Zian planned to go to the east wing to find Wei Shuxuan and tell her what he had just discovered in Xiang'er's room. Unexpectedly, he met Xin Zizhao on the way. Xin Zizhao gave him a cold look. "Why aren't you resting in your own room? What do you want here?"
Actually, Ge Zian didn't expect to be discovered by Xin Zizhao. After all, it was already the Ugly Hour (1 - 3 a.m.). Who would still be awake at such a late hour? But Xin Zizhao was just such an exception.
"... Greetings to the Fifth Prince!" Ge Zian immediately bowed to Xin Zizhao. "I just... couldn't get used to the bed, so I came out for a walk and would go back to sleep later."
"Can a walk take you from the west wing to the east wing?" Xin Zizhao seized this point and kept asking Ge Zian.
"It's just an ordinary walk. I didn't expect it either." Ge Zian smiled. "Your Highness, may I ask you a question?"
"Ask."
"Why do you dislike me so much?"
Before Xin Zizhao could answer, they heard Wei Shuxuan open her room door. She looked very angry, with her hair in a mess. "You two are so noisy! Why don't you go back to your own rooms and go to sleep right away!"
Then she slammed the door shut. Obviously, their conversation had woken up Wei Shuxuan, and she was so angry that she had issued an order to evict them. How dare they stay there? They had no choice but to go back to their own rooms to rest.
The next day, when Xin Zizhao was having breakfast in the Fenghe Palace, Grand Eunuch Li trotted over. "Your Highness, Wen'er, the maid beside His Majesty, said that His Majesty wants to see you."
"I see. I'll go there soon."
After Grand Eunuch Li stepped back, Wei Shuxuan asked Xin Zizhao, "Your father has summoned you. Why don't you go there quickly?"
"I've already said that I'll go soon."
Xin Zizhao was especially... irritable today.
Wei Shuxuan's intuition told her that it was better for her not to provoke him.
After breakfast, Xin Zizhao left the Fenghe Palace and headed for the Lingxiao Palace.
While Xin Zizhao was away from the Fenghe Palace, Ge Zian told Wei Shuxuan what he had seen Xiang'er do in the Lingxiao Palace. Wei Shuxuan rested her chin on her hand. "Why does that Xiang'er record His Majesty's diet, sleep, and behavior?"
"Xiang'er is monitoring His Majesty's every move."
"Are you saying that this Xiang'er is related to the murders in the palace?" Wei Shuxuan squinted her eyes, her mind working rapidly.
"I didn't say that, but it's definitely not simple. Just like the fire in His Majesty's bedroom last night. Although the cause of the fire hasn't been investigated yet, I think it's related to the recent murders in the palace."
In the Lingxiao Palace, Emperor Jin Zheng held Xin Zizhao's hand tightly and spoke weakly. "I... I'm really sorry for you. I've made you suffer so much since childhood. It's all my fault. I deeply loved your mother, but..."
Emperor Jin Zheng's hesitation made Xin Zizhao couldn't help but hold his hand tighter. Emperor Jin Zheng gently patted the back of Xin Zizhao's hand with his other hand. "I know my own body very well. I'm afraid I won't live to see Zizhao's coming - of - age ceremony!"
"Father, you won't. Your son will do everything possible to treat you. And your illness can be cured with long - term conditioning."
"Don't comfort me..." Emperor Jin Zheng felt a bit tired after saying a few more words. "I've already told the Inner Palace Affairs Office that on the day of your coming - of - age ceremony, no matter what happens, I'll definitely hold the ceremony for you as scheduled. No one can change my mind."
Xin Zizhao really wanted to tell Emperor Jin Zheng not to force himself, but seeing the persistence in his eyes, he stopped persuading him. "Your son will obey your imperial edict."
After taking Emperor Jin Zheng's pulse, Xin Zizhao went to boil medicine. After Emperor Jin Zheng took the medicine, he left the Lingxiao Palace.
Wei Shuxuan finally started to investigate the concubines who were closest to Emperor Jin Zheng.
Through collecting information, Wei Shuxuan knew that the concubines who were very close to Emperor Jin Zheng were the Queen, Concubine Jie, and Noble Lady Tong. And Concubine Jie was the princess sent by the Qiangfeng Kingdom for a marriage alliance.
"Wow, this Concubine Jie seems a bit troublesome."
Wei Shuxuan had heard Ge Zian talk about Concubine Jie before. If it weren't for Concubine Jie's whispering in Emperor Jin Zheng's ear, the Wei family wouldn't have been exiled for no reason, and the Wei Shuxuan in this world wouldn't have ended up in such a situation.
Seeing Wei Shuxuan looking depressed, Ge Zian asked her curiously, "Xuan'er, what's wrong? You seem very emotional."
"... I'm just sighing that there's another troublesome thing. You know who this Concubine Jie is."
"Yes, the princess of the Qiangfeng Kingdom. I hate this woman. Do you think it's possible that she did it?"
"Well... I don't think it's certain. We still need to investigate thoroughly. Everything should be based on evidence."