"Why not make friends?" Xin Zizhao countered Wei Shuxuan.
"I think this incident of the Phoenix Feather Mirror killings was a plot by people from Qiangfeng State to harm you. I hope you won't make friends with Qiangfeng State. Otherwise, we don't know what means they'll use to harm you next time."
"Regarding this incident of the Phoenix Feather Mirror killings, we don't know if Qiangfeng State did it deliberately or if they were actually unaware. We can't draw a conclusion yet. Moreover, making friends with Qiangfeng State is the hope of our Yulong State. The people on the border don't want to live in constant war either."
Wei Shuxuan looked up at Xin Zizhao's profile. She felt that he seemed a bit different from before. Sensing Wei Shuxuan's intense gaze, Xin Zizhao turned his head and looked at her, asking curiously, "What's wrong with you? Why do you keep looking at me?"
"Nothing... I just feel that you're different from before. Let's not talk about this," Wei Shuxuan shook her head, driving away the unnecessary thoughts in her mind. "I hope you won't make friends with Qiangfeng State."
"Then give me a convincing reason."
"I don't want you to be in danger!" What would I do if something happened to you? However, Wei Shuxuan didn't say the latter part. But even if she didn't say it, Xin Zizhao understood what she meant.
"Xuan'er, I understand what you mean. I know you're doing this for my own good. If it were in the past, I might only think about myself. But now it's different. I have to shoulder the responsibility of the entire Yulong State. Yulong State is my responsibility. I can't ignore the state just because of my personal safety."
Wei Shuxuan also understood Xin Zizhao's responsibility, so she didn't say anything more. But she just felt a bit gloomy in her heart. She was still worried about Xin Zizhao's safety.
The incident of the Phoenix Feather Mirror killings had come to an end. Wei Shuxuan was lying bored on the windowsill of her room, looking at the blue sky. She remembered that Xin Zizhao had told her before that after he finished handling all the political affairs, they would go out of the palace incognito to observe the people's livelihood since Xin Zizhao ascended the throne.
"If Xin Zizhao weren't the emperor of Yulong State, that would be great..." Wei Shuxuan felt a bit helpless, but there was nothing she could do. If Xin Zizhao weren't the emperor, they should be able to roam the world and play everywhere. Xin Zizhao could also accompany her every day.
"Forget it. I'm just thinking about it."
After fantasizing about the most wonderful experience in her mind, Wei Shuxuan returned to reality again. Today, Xin Zizhao had gone to the imperial study to handle the remaining memorials and didn't have time to accompany her.
Wei Shuxuan suddenly remembered that she hadn't been to the Ge Mansion for a long time. Since she returned to the palace from the outside, she hadn't gone out of the palace specifically to visit her adoptive father, adoptive brother, and Sima Yongheng. Xin Zizhao had investigated his background and thought he was very suspicious, so he didn't allow her to bring him into the palace.
"I should have never promised Yongheng that I would take him to live with me," Wei Shuxuan felt a bit annoyed. "Forget it. I'll go out of the palace to the Long'an General's Mansion to visit them today."
Wei Shuxuan asked Chief Eunuch Li to prepare the gifts for the visit and the carriage for going out of the palace. After a stick of incense burned, she got into the carriage with Wei Wei as the coachman.
Soon, they arrived at the Long'an General's Mansion. As soon as Wei Shuxuan appeared at the main gate of the Long'an General's Mansion, she heard the guards outside the gate shouting loudly towards the inside, "My lord, young master, Miss Wei is back! Miss Wei is back!"
Sima Yongheng, who was reading a book in his room, heard a very loud commotion outside. He put down the book in his hand, walked to the window, pushed it open, and saw the person he had been hoping day and night to come and take him away being surrounded by the servants of the general's mansion.
"It's Sister Xuan!" Sima Yongheng was very happy. Sister Xuan had finally come to pick him up.
Ge Long'an and Ge Zian knew that Wei Shuxuan had come, so they quickly put down what they were doing and came to the main hall.
"Adoptive father, Zian, you're here."
Wei Shuxuan was sitting in the main hall drinking tea. She looked up and saw Ge Long'an and Ge Zian coming in from the outside. Following closely behind them was Sima Yongheng, whom she hadn't seen for a long time.
"Sister Xuan, you've finally come!" Sima Yongheng happily ran up to Wei Shuxuan.
"Yongheng, it's been a long time. How have you been recently?" Wei Shuxuan looked at the young man with a smile. After not seeing him for a while, Sima Yongheng seemed to be in good spirits. Zian should have treated him well, right?
"Very well. Brother Zian sent me to school and asked someone to teach me martial arts. I've become a man who can protect Sister Xuan."
"Hahaha, I'm looking forward to it!" Wei Shuxuan was very happy. She just thought that Sima Yongheng should go to school. And as a man, he should also know some self - defense skills, just like Xin Zizhao, who was both civil and military.
"Hey, kid, don't get in the way of me and my adopted daughter enjoying family time!" Ge Long'an was very dissatisfied that Sima Yongheng was getting in the way of his conversation with Wei Shuxuan.
Sometimes, Wei Shuxuan really didn't know what to do with her adoptive father.
"Xuan'er, why did you come? Did that guy Xin Zizhao treat you badly? Don't worry. Tell me the truth. I'll get justice for you!"
"Adoptive father, you're really overthinking. Xin Zizhao didn't bully me. Can't I come to visit you?" Wei Shuxuan smiled. She was quite good at making the old man happy.
Ge Long'an was quite happy after hearing this. "Xuan'er is really getting better at talking. Do you want to stay here for dinner tonight?"
"Sure. I'll stay here for dinner. Anyway, Xin Zizhao doesn't have time to accompany me."
While Ge Long'an went to the kitchen to tell the chef to cook some dishes that Wei Shuxuan liked, Wei Shuxuan took this opportunity to talk to Sima Yongheng about taking him away.
"Yongheng, did Zian sign you up for a school outside?"
"Yes, Sister Xuan. Are you going to take me away this time?" Sima Yongheng looked at Wei Shuxuan excitedly, which made Wei Shuxuan a bit embarrassed.
"Yongheng, listen to me. Because of my husband's issue, I can't take you to my home for the time being. You should know my identity, right?"
Actually, even if Wei Shuxuan didn't say it, Sima Yongheng could guess a bit. "Sister Xuan, are you someone from the palace?"
"Well... you can say so. You know there are a lot of procedures to enter the palace. I haven't got the permission for you to enter the palace yet. Will you be angry with me?"