After the failed attempt to pretend to be dead, the sickly child was favored by the treacherous mini

The Golden Palace suddenly became silent.

All around, only the howling north wind was heard.

Without Shen Jinmo's protection, Xie Nanxing entered the palace alone. He didn't dare to drink the melon at hand, let alone the cup of tea.

"How is Wang Heng's health?"

Xie Nanxing immediately stood up from the chair again and bowed towards Xia Hong, showing his cautiousness and reserve everywhere.

"With the Emperor's blessing, Lord Shen will surely turn danger into safety and recover soon."

Xie Nanxing gave perfunctory answers to the two questions in a row.

Today's reply can be said to be that Xie Nanxing is cautious, or it can be said that Xie Nanxing has a grudge against the person on the throne because of Shen Jinmo.

But Xia Hong forgot that when Shen Jinmo was not by Xie Nanxing's side, he always behaved like this when facing Xia Hong, the king of the country.

The powerless country folk should not seek merit in their actions, but only try not to provoke the wrath of the emperor and put their lives at risk.

All of Xie Nanxing's desperate efforts and undisguised desire to protect each other would only be revealed when it came to Shen Jinmo.

Xia Hong didn't like the feeling of punching cotton, and his eyes showed his impatience:

"I heard that you ordered the guards to deal with all those who followed my orders to punish Wang Heng."

With his knuckles light on the jade table, Xia Hong looked at Xie Nanxing, who was kneeling silently in front of the hall. "Is this how Wang Heng disciplines his roommate?"

The straightforward derogatory tone made Xie Nanxing sound as if she were Shen Jinmo's plaything.

But such slanderous words can no longer hurt Xie Nanxing in the slightest.

Seeing the silence in the hall and seeing that Xia Hong was determined to see what he was thinking after being forced into a corner, Xie Nanxing struggled for a moment, straightened his back and went along with it.

"Your Majesty hopes that Lord Shen will be a loyal subject to you, and Lord Shen's ambition in life is to serve Your Majesty at all times. I am doing this to follow Your Majesty's wishes."

Without any concealment, Xie Nanxing laid out the purpose of the punishment against Shen Jinmo that had lasted for more than a month in the Golden Palace.

Whether the methods used on those clan women and nobles these days were revenge by Xie Nanxing as a second best option when he was unable to provoke Xia Hong, or were the true feelings expressed by Xie Nanxing in order to fulfill Xia Hong's wish, it all depended on Xia Hong's decision.

If Xia Hongruo thinks it is the latter, Xie Nanxing should get away with it.

If Xia Hong thought it was the former, then when Shen Jinmo was seriously injured and unconscious, a commoner acting like this would mean putting his life in Xia Hong's hands.

Xie Nanxing was using his actions to tell Xia Hong that Shen Jinmo was sworn to be loyal to the emperor until death, and although his life, Xie Nanxing's, was worthless, it was at Xia Hong's disposal.

"Is this what Shen Jinmo taught you?"

Xie Nanxing kowtowed again and again: "That's what I feel."

Xie Nanxing is no longer the Xie Nanxing who had just arrived in Luoan. He is Xia Yu’s study partner, he is Wu Cixiu’s disciple personally taught by him, and he is the boss behind the Shuangxing Building.

He has the strength to stand shoulder to shoulder with Shen Jinmo!

The king sitting on the dragon throne looked at Xie Nanxing with a serious look.

Suddenly he recalled the day when Shen Jinmo was poisoned at the Lantern Festival Palace Banquet, and Xie Nanxing's stubbornness in desperately trying to get a result for Shen Jinmo.

Xie Nanxing, who has been in Luoan City for several years, has indeed changed and has learned how to survive in this city of power.

But if you think about it carefully, Xie Nanxing has not changed at all.

He is still the person who would even sacrifice his life for Shen Jinmo.

The fire in the charcoal stove was a little smaller. Eunuch Lin bent down to add new charcoal and personally refilled the tea for the masters.

Xia Hong took two sips of tea, and the clouds on his brows were covered by the broken sun.

Xia Hong decided to let Xie Nanxing live today.

But whether Xie Nanxing can survive tomorrow depends on Xie Nanxing's own choice.

"Nanxing is Xiaojiu's study partner. If Wangheng and Xiaojiu disagree one day, what choice will Nanxing make?"

Xia Hong was asking about the issue of succession to the throne. Xia Yu, the person who was mentioned, was placed on the opposite side of Xia Hong at this moment.

Xia Yu straightened his back and knelt beside Xie Nanxing without saying anything.

Xie Nanxing's back also straightened a little.

As expected, his chain between the old and new imperial powers became the object to be torn apart.

"I am just a commoner. I was favored by Lord Shen and was able to be King Ming's study companion. If it weren't for Lord Shen, I would never have seen King Ming in my life."

Xie Nanxing showed his claws, but Xie Nanxing was not as powerful as Xia Hong imagined.

He knew very well that the reason he could now stand in such a position to meet the king was because of Shen Jinmo's favoritism towards him.

Without Shen Jinmo, Xie Nanxing would become a hungry country bumpkin again.

A country bumpkin who would not affect any court situation.

Therefore, Xie Nanxing's choice has been placed in front of Xia Hong and Xia Yu.

No matter how the world changes, Xie Nanxing will only choose Shen Jinmo.

Xia Hong waved his hand, and Xia Yu and Xie Nanxing were helped up by the eunuchs.

Xia Hong teased, "Xiaojiu, your study partner doesn't need you anymore."

Xia Yu's mouth curved smoothly. "Father always likes to joke with his son like this. It doesn't matter whether Xie Nanxing wants him or not. What matters is whether you and mother want him or not."

"Since ancient times, it has been difficult to be both loyal and filial. As long as I follow my father's orders, I can be both loyal and filial."

Xia Yu will never stand against Xia Hong, he will always be Xia Hong's son.

But no matter what Xie Nanxing said today or what Xia Yu said today, Xia Hong couldn't trust them completely.

While today's incident was exploiting the loyalty of Xia Yu and Xie Nanxing, Xia Hong was more of a way of conveying his current attitude to Xia Yu and Xie Nanxing.

Xia Hong smiled lovingly: "I know my little Jiu is a good child."

As if casually, Xia Hong changed the subject again: "Since ancient times, men who have achieved success and fame should marry beautiful women. When Wang Heng is promoted to a higher position in the future, the continuation of the royal family will definitely not fall on a man like you."

"If one day, Nanxing's existence affects Shen Jinmo's future and prevents him from becoming the person he wants to be, what will Nanxing do?"

Xia Hong never asked Xie Nanxing in a serious manner from beginning to end.

Because Xie Nanxing is not worthy of being a king.

But the moment Xie Nanxing heard this question, all his ease and preparedness vanished in an instant.

With his eyes slightly closed, Xie Nanxing glanced sideways at the rare warm sunshine outside the hall in winter.

A heart, however, is soaked in coldness.

The assumptions and considerations that were once buried deep in my heart have now been brought to the fore by the king of a country.

His commitment to life and death for Shen Jinmo and his unwavering love have now become a deadly scimitar that will stab them each other.

Just because of the loss Xia Hong suffered in Sui Er's death, he subconsciously believed that such stupid people would give up their reason and power for a moment of love.

Not only does Xie Nanxing have to be willing to give up everything for Shen Jinmo, he also has to be willing to give up their love for Shen Jinmo.

"If I were alive, I would hide in the countryside and wish Lord Shen great achievements that will last forever."

"If I die, I will also thank the emperor and Lord Shen for their tolerance over the years, and in the next life I will make a grass knot and hold a ring to repay your kindness."