A long gale blew.
Under the cover of the night, the carriage galloped all the way on the street and drove into the palace gate. The waiting palace servants had been waiting at the gate early. Lan Miao jumped off the carriage and didn't even bother to salute. She hurriedly followed the servants in. Wen Hongxin and his younger brother had no choice but to follow quickly.
Xue'er had an accident in the palace.
Lan Miao was extremely anxious.
As the head of the Wen family, Wen Hongxin had to come to handle the follow - up matters and find out what had happened. As for Wen Yuanning, he had his own ulterior motives for coming.
Lan Miao didn't care about much. All she cared about was Xue'er's safety.
Even though she was strong, she shed tears several times on the way.
After the palace servant led her into Changxin Palace, Eunuch Anhe, who served the emperor, was already waiting under the drooping - flower gate. Knowing that Lan Miao must be extremely anxious, after the leading servant withdrew, he comforted Lan Miao.
"Lady Lan, don't be too anxious. His Majesty caught Miss Wen in time. Miss Wen is not seriously injured and has already woken up. Lady Lan can go to the back of the hall to see Miss Wen first."
Hearing this, Lan Miao let out a sigh of relief.
It's good that she's okay.
However, after recalling what Anhe had said, her heart tightened again. His Majesty caught Xue'er? What on earth was going on?
One thing after another happened tonight. The annoyance was like an endless tide, wrapping around her mood and surging non - stop.
Anhe then shifted his gaze to the two Wen brothers following behind Lan Miao.
"As for Lord Wen and Lord Wen the younger, you may wait in the main hall for His Majesty's disposal."
"Even His Majesty was alarmed?"
Wen Hongxin exclaimed in surprise. He had thought that if something happened to Xue'er, at most it would alarm the Empress Dowager and Princess Yujia. He didn't expect that His Majesty himself would be involved. What on earth was the situation tonight?
Anhe let out a soft laugh.
He didn't say more, thinking that they would know everything once they entered the hall.
Lan Miao remained silent and quickly followed the palace servants of Changxin Palace in. She walked around the side of the main hall and entered the inner hall. Before she came, she didn't even have the mood to tidy up her makeup. She had a bare face and was wearing a simple cloth dress. The white skirt trailed on the smooth ground as she walked quickly.
Inside the hall, Emperor Jingxiang was sitting upright on the throne.
Through the diamond - patterned window on the right, Emperor Jingxiang saw Lan Miao hurrying towards the back of the hall at a glance. Her side profile was delicate and beautiful, and her slightly exposed neck was as slender and fair as jade. Even when walking in a hurry, her manner was natural and elegant.
The tear stains on her face hadn't dried yet, which instead added a kind of pathetic beauty to her.
She stared straight ahead and had no time to care about the people around her.
She didn't know that in such a solemn and silent atmosphere, when everyone was lowering their heads nervously, the emperor was staring boldly at her hazy side profile until she walked past this section of the road and completely disappeared from his sight.
The emperor withdrew his gaze and gently curved his lips.
Anhe noticed this smile. He wondered if His Majesty was in a good mood even after such an incident that damaged the royal family's reputation.
---
Inside the inner hall of Changxin Palace.
Led by the palace servant, Lan Miao came to the couch where Xue'er was resting. This place was closest to the library where the accident happened. The emperor simply carried Xue'er here for the imperial physician to examine. The other people in the library had also been brought to Changxin Palace.
The candlelight flickered, and the night was deep.
The sporadic moonlight skipped through the diamond - patterned window and shone on the layers of curtains. Xue'er was lying on the bed, talking to Princess Yujia. There was still a smile on her face, which made Lan Miao feel heart - aching.
"Xue'er."
Lan Miao quickly walked towards the couch.
"Mother."
Xue'er was overjoyed.
Lan Miao first saluted Princess Yujia. Even though Yujia was young, she knew that she shouldn't disturb the mother - daughter reunion at this time. Yujia waved her hand, indicating that the salute was unnecessary, and then led the palace servants out of the inner hall.
Only the mother and daughter were left in the hall.
Without outsiders, in front of her dearest mother, Xue'er no longer had to pretend to be strong. She threw herself into Lan Miao's arms. After smelling the fragrant smell on Lan Miao, she finally felt at ease.
Even though Lan Miao had heard from the imperial physician that Xue'er was fine, only overly frightened, she still carefully checked Xue'er's body for any external injuries.
"Xue'er, does anywhere still hurt? Tell mother. Don't hide it, okay?"
Lan Miao's eyes turned red again.
Xue'er shook her head. Her chubby cheeks hadn't regained their color yet. Hearing Lan Miao's concerned words, she couldn't help crying softly. She thought she had been doing well here, but still made her mother worry.
"Mother, I'm okay. His Majesty caught me. I wasn't hurt much. I was even worried that His Majesty might get injured..."
There were tears in Xue'er's eyes, but she still tried to smile.
Lan Miao gently wiped the tears from her eyes with a handkerchief and curved the corners of her eyes. "Silly girl, His Majesty is also okay. But you really owe your safety this time to His Majesty..."
She hesitated to say more and looked up at the cold moonlight outside the window.
Was there really a divine will in the dark?
"Mother, I want to thank His Majesty. He saved me. I don't think he's as fierce as he looks."
Xue'er's big, bright eyes were full of innocence.
The second half of the sentence almost made Lan Miao laugh, but at this moment, she wanted to figure out another thing. She said seriously to Xue'er, "Xue'er, do you still remember how you fell? Was it... someone who pushed you?"
Xue'er looked into Lan Miao's eyes for a while and then nodded seriously.
"Well... but I didn't see the person's face. I only seemed to see that the person was wearing the clothes of the students in our academy." Xue'er recalled carefully. After a while, she blinked her shrewd eyes and said with a soft smile, "But, mother, I'll secretly tell you a secret."
Lan Miao opened her eyes curiously.
Xue'er leaned over and whispered something mysteriously in her ear.
?!
Xue'er was quite... smart.
Since the person had left a flaw, it would be easy to identify him. Lan Miao thought that no matter what, she must get justice for Xue'er. They didn't cause trouble, but they weren't afraid of it either.
The two of them talked a lot of intimate things.
Lan Miao stroked Xue'er's little head and then her cheek. She pressed her forehead against Xue'er's and said, "Xue'er, do you want to stay in the palace? Do you like it here?"
"I... of course I like to be with mother the most."
Xue'er burrowed into Lan Miao's arms. This cute and coquettish look made Lan Miao's heart tremble. But soon Xue'er continued, "I also like Yujia very much. I like listening to the masters' lectures and the sound of the guqin. Master Yu, who teaches the guqin, said that I can start learning the guqin in two years. Mother, can you play the guqin?"
Lan Miao forced a smile. "No. Xue'er, will you play it for mother after you learn it?"
"Okay."
Xue'er's voice was very obedient.
She admitted that at the moment when she heard that Xue'er had fallen from the building, she had a selfish thought. She wanted to take Xue'er away no matter what and not let her stay in this palace where she might lose her life at any time. But after hearing Xue'er's words, she felt that she was too selfish.
Xue'er liked it here.
She had talent and good luck. She shouldn't be buried in the marquis's mansion.
Lan Miao took a deep breath, kissed Xue'er's little cheek, and tucked her back into the quilt. "Xue'er, you rest well first. Mother will go and see what's going on outside."
"Okay."
Lan Miao lowered the curtain and watched Xue'er slowly close her eyes.
She turned around, pushed open the door, and went out. The palace servants waiting outside had been waiting for a long time. The leading one was Jiang He, who served the Empress Dowager.