Chapter 23

TRANSLATED BY MYPEN_22

The people of the Great Abyss dynasty were open and women were allowed to go out on the streets. Although princesses are different from other women, it is not unprecedented for them to leave the palace. Last month, a princess who was a favourite of the Emperor Chongzheng asked for permission to leave the palace.

    She wanted to ask Yan Shi to come and see her, but changed her mind. She wanted to see his residence with her own eyes and see how he was getting on, so that she could rest assured.

    The emperor agreed and rewarded her and the concubine with many things.

    The Emperor's eyes swept over to Hua Ling, who had been standing straight up since Yang's mother and daughter were dragged off, seemingly without even blinking. The expression on his face was dull, and his face, which already bore a bit of naive expression, now looked even sillier.

    The Emperor sighed lightly in his heart. The last time he had seen him, he had felt that he was a bit silly and had thought that he was born that way. Who would have thought that he had been deliberately raised to look like this? The emperor felt a little pity for Hua Ling, his heart softened a little and his tone unconsciously softened: "What's wrong with you, Your Highness?"

    Hua Ling woke up as if from a dream, and looked at Emperor Chong Zhuan, his dazed face gradually emerged with a touch of sadness, and she spoke with a crying voice: "Father, this son wants to cry ..."

    This expression and voice is really heartbreaking, Emperor Chongzheng was made to feel a little uncomfortable by him. Some of the ladies were already holding handkerchiefs, wiping the tears from the corners of their eyes.

    As soon as Hua Ling stepped into the Nuan Yang Pavilion, an evil wind came over him. He dodged Mute Sister's move with a dodge, and with another smile on his lips, he launched himself towards Mute Sister.

    The two of them fought back and forth, their bodies flying in all directions, for half an hour before closing their moves and settling down.

    "My muscles are itching after so many days without practice." Sister Mute said as she took a cup of tea from the table and drank it down.

    Hua Ling's face was not red and his breath was not panting: "I saw a pile of bricks at the door, Sister, if your body is itchy, go and move the bricks. If that doesn't work, just rub it against that wall and your itch will be cured."

    "Don't tease Sister," Sister Mute scolded with a laugh, "but you've improved your martial arts skills again."

    Hua Ling said without modesty, "That is natural, I am a centuries-old martial arts practitioner."

    Mute Sister ignored his boasting and took another cup of tea and asked, "Has the matter been completed?"

    "Yang's mother and daughter were banished to the Zen Forest Nunnery for three years, Hua Qian Cheng was fined one year's salary, and the Empress was confined to Ganquan Palace for one month." Hua Ling could not stop the smile on his face as he spoke of this.

    Mute Sister was also beaming, "I can't believe that this trip was quite fruitful."

    Hua Ling ordered, "That maid should be rewarded heavily, and send another person to keep an eye on Yang, so that if there is any movement, they will report it immediately."

    Hua Luyao had four personal maids, and one of them was one of the mute sisters. When she learned yesterday that she was going to the palace to enjoy the flowers, Hua Luyao naturally took it very seriously and began to prepare her dress for the palace. The maid mentioned that the late Madam had some very nice jewellery, and at first Hua Luyao was afraid to wear them, but the maid said that even the late Madam had never worn them, so no one could recognise them, and nothing would happen.

    Hua Luyao was then swayed and went to talk to Yang about it. The late wife had some beautiful pieces of jewellery, and Yang agreed to wear them when she thought about it.

    In fact, even if they didn't agree to wear them, the maid would have secretly inserted a tiara in an inconspicuous place on Hua Luyao's head. After this was done, the maid had also long since left the Kang Le Guo Gong Mansion. Even if Yang knew that she had been manipulated, she would not suspect Hua Ling, she would only think that the maid was one of Shu Guifei's people, after all, it was Shu Guifei who had poked her in the face.

    Mute Sister asked again, "Do you need to have someone 'look after' them, mother and daughter?"

    Hua Ling said, "That's not necessary, so as not to alert the snake. Even if we don't interfere, they won't be comfortable there."

    Sister Mute nodded, "It's just that Hua Qiancheng has gotten off lightly this time, I didn't think he would be punished for only one year."

    "He is, after all, the Emperor's favourite, and a very important person in the court. But..." Hua Ling's gaze turned sinister as he said this, "He's just a grasshopper after the autumn, he won't be able to bounce around for long. I haven't forgotten how my mother died."

    When it was getting late, Yan Shi finally returned.

    He entered the Nuan Yang Pavilion, which was silent. Although the Nuan Yang Pavilion was usually silent, it felt different today.

    The Nuan Yang Pavilion was lit up, as bright as daylight. Yan Shi pushed the door in and walked to the inner room, where he saw Hua Ling sitting on the bed like a wooden statue. When he heard his footsteps, he turned his head around blankly and said, "Brother is back."

    His little wife was not quite right, he was always giggling and happy, but today he had changed his nature. He had returned in such a hurry that he hadn't had time to ask Qingji what had happened in the palace today. Could it be that he had been bullied in the palace? It didn't look like it either.

    Yan Shi walked up to him with a few steps and some concern on his face, "Mingting, what's wrong with you? But in the palace ..."

    "Brother, my mother lied to me, she really lied to me ..." Hua Ling looked at Yan Shi standing in front of him and fiercely lunged towards his arms, hugging his waist with both hands and rubbing his face hard against his chest in an attempt to get his lapels off and take more advantage of him. But after a few rubs, it was unsuccessful.

    Yan Shi was a little confused by this sudden move of his, his hands were raised in mid-air for a moment, but he still placed them on Hua Ling's back and patted him gently, "What's wrong?"

    Undeterred, Hua Ling tried again with his face to rub the sash away, still unsuccessfully. Although he was not willing to do so, he did not dare to go too far, for fear that Yan Shi would see it, and now he should be satisfied with such a hug.

    Hua Ling inhaled fiercely on Yan Shi's chest, it smelled so good and was so comfortable. When he exhaled, his upper body trembled slightly, as if he was sobbing in Yan Shi's arms.

    Hua Ling just buried his face in Yan Shi's chest, and with a sobbing voice, he recounted what had happened in the palace today. Of course, making himself look innocent and weak and pitiful.

    Yan Shi really didn't expect that Hua Ling had gone to the palace once and had gotten Yang into the Zen Lin Nunnery. Although Hua Qian Cheng was punished with a year's salary, which did not seem like a serious punishment, in fact, he had gradually lost his holy heart from this moment onwards, which was good news for him.

    Yan Shi did not forget to reassure the young princess, and after half an hour of reassuring him, the young princess broke down into tears and smiled. Yan Shi was even happier when he found out that Hu Jia was coming tomorrow.

    Looking at Yan Shi with a smile in his eyes and face, Hua Ling buried his face in his shoulder and peeked out with a smile.

    "Your Highness, Your Highness, the Duke of State is outside the residence asking for an audience." A concierge came to report.

    The two of them looked at each other, and Yan Shi said, "You can rest here, I will go to see him."

    Hua Ling couldn't let Yan Shi deal with Hua Qiancheng alone, so he tugged at his sleeve with his hand, "Brother. I want to go with you. I... I have to see him sooner or later."

    After a moment's thought, he agreed, and since Hua Qiancheng did not dare to be too aggressive when he was around, he asked someone to invite him into the house.

    Hua Qiancheng hated Hua Ling so much that he gnashed his teeth, but he had to not act like a doting father to visit him.

    Now that he had become the laughing stock of the capital, he could explain that he had no knowledge of Yang's mistreatment of Hua Ling. If he did not come to visit Hua Ling, then there was no guarantee that someone would say that he knew what Yang had done at his instigation.

    Hua Qiancheng said to Hua Ling with a shameful face that he had been deceived by Yang for so many years and had been kept in the dark.

    Hua Ling cried again and asked him to take back his mother's dowry. Hua Qiancheng agreed and after a few more words, he went back.

    Yang was not leaving until tomorrow. If he had really come to apologise, why hadn't he brought his family with him?

    The young princess seemed to be in a much better mood after his tears than when he returned. He had just finished crying, so he didn't let him eat right away, and walked around the house with him for a while before letting him eat.

    At night when he went to bed, Hua Ling pulled his sleeve to keep him from leaving.

    "Brother, there is still a little bit of sadness, just a little bit oh." Fearing that Yan Shi would not believe him, Hua Ling used his thumb and forefinger to show him, "There's still about this little bit. Can you sleep here with me tonight? When I was little, when I was in a bad mood, Mute Sister would sleep with me and tell me stories."

    In the light of the lamp, a layer of sadness floated over the young princess' pretty face, and his big, watery eyes glistened with tears.

    He nodded his head in agreement, as he was just sleeping with him in bed, as if he were a child.

    The two of them covered each other with their own blankets, but Hua Ling was honest enough to stay two fists away from him, not daring to touch him. He was going to tell him a story, but after searching through his head, he promised that all he had read over the years was the Four Books and Five Classics, and there were no stories. So he gave up.

    Without mentioning the two of them, I would like to mention the Queen Mother, who is in seclusion in Ganquan Palace.

    The Empress returned to the palace and threw a fit of rage, breaking everything she could. After venting her anger, she sank into a chair, exhausted, and ordered Wu He to invite King Zhaoge into the palace.

    King Zhaoge came quickly, and on the way he had already explained what had happened.

    When he arrived at Ganquan Palace, looking at the wreckage, King Zhaoge frowned and bowed to the Empress, "Mother, you must be careful with your health, don't hurt yourself because of this."

    When the Empress saw her son coming, her face gradually took on some colour and ordered him to sit down.

    "What do you think, what are we going to do now?"

    King Zhaoge was calm: "Mother, do not confuse yourself. Father has confined you to this Ganquan Palace, but only for the sake of others. You must remember that you are the Queen, the most honourable woman in the whole world."

    The Empress was much calmer as she looked at King Zhaoge, "I am the Empress in exchange for your brother's life."