"Did something happen between you and those court officials?" Wei Shuxuan tilted her head slightly. Her raven - black hair cascaded down her shoulders. The sunlight filtered through the window and cast a thin layer of gold on her smooth, black tresses.
Xin Zizhao saw Wei Shuxuan looking lazy after waking up. His heart skipped a beat, and all the anger he had felt during the morning court session vanished in an instant. He quickly walked to her side, sat on the edge of the bed, and pulled Wei Shuxuan into his arms. "It's okay. As long as you're by my side, this is nothing serious."
"Did they make things difficult for you?" Wei Shuxuan had been leaning obediently in Xin Zizhao's arms, but then she looked up at the profile of the man holding her.
"Mostly, it's because Minister Zhang and Grand Scholar Jin have been inciting those officials who were already dissatisfied with me. That's why what happened during the morning court session took place. But it's okay. I can handle it myself. Don't worry."
After saying that, he gently kissed the top of Wei Shuxuan's hair. Although Xin Zizhao said not to worry, she couldn't help but feel concerned. As the emperor of a country, Xin Zizhao not only had to rule the nation but also deal with those court officials. Many of them were dissatisfied with his background. He had grown up outside the palace and had no prior experience with palace affairs. They wondered why he should be the emperor of the Yu Long Kingdom.
"Zizhao, although I believe you can handle them, I'm afraid they might do something excessive to you."
"It won't happen. As long as I'm still the emperor, they won't dare to lay a hand on me..." However, he couldn't rule out the possibility that they might join forces with Prince Eleventh to dethrone him. But he decided not to tell Shuxuan this. He added this thought silently in his heart.
"I hope it's really like that..." What she feared most was that it wasn't. Wei Shuxuan wasn't stupid. She could figure this out with a little thought. She just pretended not to know so as not to make Xin Zizhao worry about her.
The wound on Xin Yeheng's face wasn't serious. It was just that at that time, Xin Shang had knocked out the silver needle controlling his mind. That was why he was so clear - headed now. He was really grateful to Xin Shang for protecting the master. Otherwise, he wouldn't be awake now.
"Your Highness, Minister Zhang and Grand Scholar Jin are outside asking for an audience."
A little maid trotted over to report to Xin Yeheng. Xin Yeheng remembered these two people. They wanted to join forces with him to stage a coup. Anyway, for now, he would just go along with their wishes. If he didn't cooperate, he didn't know what they might come up with to deal with Xin Zizhao and Wei Shuxuan.
"Let them in."
"Greetings to Prince Eleventh!"
"Rise. Please be seated, both of you." After seeing them sitting down, Xin Yeheng clenched his fists. "I wonder what you two want to see me about?"
"Of course, it's about our plan to overthrow Xin Zizhao. It was really satisfying to see him suffer during the morning court session today!" Minister Zhang was really a dull - witted person.
"Shut up! Don't talk like that in front of His Highness!" Grand Scholar Jin told Minister Zhang to stop talking quickly. He was quite smart.
"Your Highness and we are on the same side. He surely won't blame me for my words, right, Your Highness?" Minister Zhang threw the question to Xin Yeheng.
Xin Yeheng smiled calmly. His hands on his thighs were slightly clenched into fists. "Naturally. I also want to pull that arrogant Xin Zizhao off the throne. I wonder if you two have any good suggestions?"
"Of course, we do!" Minister Zhang smiled at Grand Scholar Jin and then turned to look at Xin Yeheng.
Grand Scholar Jin was a bit helpless. He still didn't fully trust this Prince Eleventh. After all, he had just returned to the royal family, and his background hadn't been fully investigated. This Minister Zhang was so eager to rope him in for cooperation. What if they were betrayed in the end? They would be finished.
Maybe due to family inheritance, Xin Yeheng had some talent in observing people's expressions. He immediately saw Grand Scholar Jin's concerns. "Grand Scholar Jin, do you know the saying 'Don't use someone you suspect, and don't suspect someone you use'? If you suspect me, you don't have to cooperate with me. However, even if you don't cooperate with me, I have other partners. They will help me take the throne of the Yu Long Kingdom."
".....Good, good, good. Your Highness is really brave!" Xin Yeheng's few words completely won Minister Zhang's trust. Grand Scholar Jin carefully observed Xin Yeheng's expression. It didn't seem like he was lying.
"I wonder if Your Highness could tell us who your partners are?" Compared with Minister Zhang, Grand Scholar Jin was much calmer.
"Ah, I can't tell you yet. If I do, they'll blame me. They are already secretly sneaking into the palace to meet me. So, you two don't have to worry."
Since Xin Yeheng dared to say such things to them, Grand Scholar Jin believed this young man. He quickly showed a smile. "Good. I trust you. Let's discuss how to cooperate..."
After seeing off Minister Zhang and Grand Scholar Jin, Xin Yeheng finally let out a sigh of relief. He was a bit glad that Qi Ha'er wasn't here today. He only knew that Qi Ha'er had gone out, but he didn't know where. He didn't dare to send someone to follow. If Qi Ha'er found out, things would be even more troublesome, and they would definitely develop in a direction he couldn't control.
"Right, I have to send a warning to Xin Zizhao and Sister Xuan..." Xin Yeheng quickly walked towards the study. He opened his hand and found that his palm was full of sweat. This showed how nervous he had been just now, but he still had to pretend to be calm on his face so that Minister Zhang and Grand Scholar Jin wouldn't notice.
In the Feng He Hall.
"Why didn't you go to the imperial study today?" Wei Shuxuan asked curiously as she lay in Xin Zizhao's arms.
"I just didn't want to go. Anyway, they don't want me to be the emperor, right?" Xin Zizhao said indifferently.
"It would be better if you weren't the emperor. Then you could always be with me."
"I know what you're up to."
Xin Zizhao pinched Wei Shuxuan's face and smiled. Suddenly, a cat jumped down from the eaves. As soon as Wei Shuxuan saw the cat, she got excited. "Wow, it's a cat!"
She quickly got up from Xin Zizhao's arms and picked up the agile tabby cat. "It's so cute. Xin Zizhao, look. This cat is so cute!"
Xin Zizhao stood up. His eyes weren't on the cat but on its abdomen. There seemed to be something there.