After reading my mind, Daddy, why don't you smile?

If the information was leaked, Emperor Jianxi would have punished Zhao Ying as well.

But what happened that made Emperor Jianxi willing to punish these two people?

The only possibility is...something happened to Queen Hyomin.

Queen Hyomin is already dead, what kind of trouble can she stir up? !

Shangguan Shu suddenly remembered Zhao Ying's reaction that night and what she said that night...

"...I wanted to tell the truth, but no one believed me. Until now, the identity I was so proud of has also..."

Also...how about it?

That night, Zhao Ying looked desperate as if her family was going to be destroyed and her home was confiscated... She wanted him to divorce her and didn't even want Yue'er anymore.

She was also threatened by Zhao Yao.

Shangguan Shu felt a tightness in his chest and didn't dare to think about it anymore.

But the facts were already in front of him.

Could it be that Zhao Ying is not a dragon seed...

Empress Xiaomin betrayed Emperor Jianxi, so Emperor Jianxi was furious and ordered people to kidnap Zhao Ying and Zhao Cong.

Shangguan Shu stroked the jade pendant around his waist, his brows furrowed, his eyes filled with anxiety.

The current situation...Emperor Jianxi has not yet issued an order to execute Zhao Ying, which means that there is no evidence yet!

If there is no evidence, there is still time!

He would never let anything happen to Zhao Ying!

Tomorrow... he will go into the palace first to feel out the situation.

……

Outside the Yangxin Palace, Zhao Ying's shoulders trembled as he listened to the violent storm in the palace.

Soon, Zhao Cong walked out of the Yangxin Palace with a red and swollen face.

Zhao Ying was puzzled. Why did his father let Zhao Cong come out standing?

Is my father really old?

Can’t fight anymore?

If you can't beat him, you can ask the guards to beat him...

Zhao Cong walked up to Zhao Ying and complained with a face full of resentment, "Ying'er, how did I offend you? Why do you want to hurt me like this?"

"Didn't we agree not to tell? Why did you tell Father?"

Zhao Ying felt wronged, how could she say anything...

But Zhao Ying couldn't tell Zhao Cong that Yue'er's thoughts were heard.

Zhao Ying had no choice but to lie again, "Brother, it wasn't me who said that. It was...your Runzhi who said that."

Zhao Cong's eyes widened when he heard this. "How did he know?"

"It was... it was... one of his subordinates who was transferred to Quzhou. And just by chance, he was going to open up wasteland in the woods of the Quzhou plateau, and then he discovered the queen mother!"

"Then, the news was passed on!"

Zhao Cong was furious after hearing this. "Tsk, what happened to Runzhi? Why didn't he tell me first? I could have been prepared!"

Zhao Ying said coldly: "Who knows..."

"I'm going to settle the score with him now!"

Zhao Cong couldn't stand Shangguan Shu's betrayal in particular. Zhao Ying let Zhao Cong go. She was not worried that Shangguan Shu would deny it. Anyway, even if Zhao Cong knew that it was her who said it, he would not dare to come back to the palace to find her.

Looking at this situation, she has to kneel down!

Unexpectedly, Zhao Cong took two steps and came back.

He was dejected, like a bunch of rice ears in a valley. "Forget it. Even if I go to find Runzhi, what will happen? I've already said it and I've been beaten..."

Zhao Ying was speechless. "I find that you two are really affectionate and loyal."

Zhao Cong raised his chin with some pride, which made him look particularly funny with the two clear palm prints on his face. "Of course, I am not like you, who abandoned you after having sex with you. I grew up with Runzhi, so I have a deep friendship with him!"

Zhao Ying responded with a disgusted expression.

Seeing that Zhao Cong was not severely punished and did not have to kneel, Zhao Ying was angry and annoyed, "Move away! You are stepping on my shadow!"

Zhao Cong had been Zhao Ying's brother for many years, but he still couldn't tell that Zhao Ying was angry. He sighed and said, "Ying'er, even though I walked out of the Yangxin Palace in one piece, but... my father sent me to Quzhou to bring back my mother, saying that if I couldn't bring her back," Zhao Cong made a face as if he was about to cry, "he would abolish me..."

Zhao Ying felt relieved...

Zhao Cong sniffed, "My father also said that he kept my legs so that I could bring my mother back, otherwise I would have broken them long ago..."

"That's it. I still owe you a beating..."

Before leaving, Zhao Cong said, "Ying'er, you'll be blessed!"

Zhao Ying: ...

Zhao Ying knelt outside the Palace of Tranquil Longevity for a whole night.

Zhao Ying's face turned pale and her legs were frozen.

When has she ever suffered such a crime?

Emperor Jianxi was really angry, and he didn't even look at Zhao Ying when he passed by on his way to court.

This scene happened to be seen by Concubine Shu who came to watch the fun.

Concubine Shu's heart was filled with emotions. She finally saw Zhao Ying fall out of favor in her lifetime!

If Yao'er hadn't been poisoned and unconscious, she really wanted to bring her to see it!

……

When Shangguan Shu arrived, Emperor Jianxi had just returned to the Yangxin Palace after court session.

He is not an official now, so he cannot go to the court to make a petition.

From a distance, he saw a slender and graceful figure kneeling at the door.

The news that Zhao Ying was punished to kneel spread throughout the Forbidden City.

Many people talked about him on the way here.

There are so many things, but I still can't piece together a single truth.

Even his spies in the palace didn't know.

But he didn't care.

His heart and eyes were filled with only concern... She knelt all night.

It’s the dead of winter.

No wonder people always say that the heart of an emperor is hard to predict. Even if Zhao Ying is not his majesty's daughter, he has loved her for many years after all. How could he be so cruel to her?

Shangguan Shu clenched his fists tightly, making a creaking sound.

He somewhat regretted not coming earlier.

But he couldn't come earlier.

He waited for Emperor Jianxi's order to Zhao Ying. If he didn't issue an order, it meant that it was not what he thought. If he issued an order to kill him... he was not afraid either, because he had a million troops in his hands...

But, Zhao Ying suffered such a punishment after all.

Even if he didn't love her, he never let her suffer like this!

She had just recovered from typhoid fever...

Shangguan Shu suppressed the rage in his heart and walked towards the Yangxin Palace with an expressionless face.

When passing by Zhao Ying, he felt her glance at him and then lowered her head.

Logically, this was a good opportunity for him to ask for a favor in return...

but……

Shangguan Shu quickened his pace.

He entered the Hall of Mental Cultivation and paid his respects.

Emperor Jianxi looked up as usual and said, "Runzhi is here..."

Shangguan Shu exchanged a few pleasantries as if nothing had happened, then turned to Zhao Ying, "Your Majesty, my wife has been kneeling outside all night... I kneel down and ask Your Majesty to tell me the reason."

Not Princess Chengqian, but his wife.

Zhao Ying, even if you are not a princess, you are still my wife, and I will not let anyone hurt you!

Shangguan Shu lowered his determined brows.

It would have been fine if Shangguan Shu hadn't mentioned it, but once he did, Emperor Jianxi became angry again.

He waved his hand towards Shangguan Shu, "This matter has nothing to do with you, don't beg for mercy for that rebellious girl!"

Shangguan Shu paid close attention to Emperor Jianxi's wording. Rebellious daughter... That meant that Emperor Jianxi still acknowledged that Zhao Ying was his child, which was not what he thought.

But in this case, Zhao Ying must have committed a huge mistake, causing His Majesty, who had always loved her, to call her a "rebellious girl"!

Shangguan Shu's eyes moved slightly, he was really puzzled.

He replied, "Your Majesty is wrong. Your Highness is my wife, and husband and wife should share the joys and sorrows. Now that Your Highness has been punished, if I turn a deaf ear and ignore it, how can I be a man? How can I be worthy of being the princess's husband?!"

Emperor Jianxi listened to Shangguan Shu's speech and sneered.

Boy, my wife was taken away by your wife. If I don't punish her, how can I be worthy of being Hyomin's husband? !