I want to be innocent, but they don't allow me

Li Linger glanced at the corpse on the ground, walked back to the horse, and said to Ying Yu in a calm tone:

"Xiaoyu, take them back. Don't let anyone else know about this for now."

After saying that, he turned over and jumped onto the horse's back.

Xu Youzhi hurried forward, opened her arms, and blocked Li Linger's way, with a slightly anxious look on her face.

"The news from Jing'an City and the imperial edict of enthronement will be delivered to the palace within three days. If you leave now, what will you do then?"

Li Linger saw Xu Youzhi suddenly rushing forward, stretched out her hand to pull the reins, frowned slightly, and her tone was not without annoyance.

"That's why I'm going to find someone! Get out of the way!"

Xu Youzhi refused to give in, her expression was solemn and her tone was firm.

"Ling'er, don't forget your identity. If you're not here, who will make the decisions in the palace?"

"It's not that you're the one who makes the decisions anyway, I just..."

Before she finished speaking, Li Ling'er realized that her behavior was a little inappropriate and quickly stopped what she was about to say.

He pulled the reins and turned away.

When Xu Youzhi heard Li Ling'er's words, she didn't know how to start talking for a moment.

At this time, Li Ling'er's voice came to everyone.

"Xiao Yu, take the people to clean up this place, and the others can follow me back first."

Hearing this, everyone had different expressions, but no one said anything.

With the clatter of horse hooves, they soon returned to the palace.

In the main hall of the palace, Li Ling'er, Xu Youzhi, and Ying Yu were all seated. Unexpectedly, Xiao Zhao was also standing obediently behind Xu Youzhi. Apparently, she could also participate in the current decision-making in the palace.

"It looks like he should have gone south. Xiaoyu, send out all the troops in the mansion, as well as the government office and the city defense, to see if we can find him back within three days."

Li Linger was the first to break the silence. She frowned and thought for a long time before asking Ying Yu.

"No, this matter cannot be made public so that everyone knows about it. If we can't find the person within three days, and no one accepts the order, it will become a handle to attack the Prince of Yan's Mansion."

Without waiting for Ying Yu to answer, Xu Youzhi spoke first and opposed Li Linger's approach.

Li Linger looked at Xu Youzhi in confusion and said uncertainly:

"Isn't that a play that your majesty and father put on to deal with the Lin family?"

Xu Youzhi shook her head.

"Whether it's an act or not, the princess's identity cannot be changed. Even if His Majesty doesn't say anything, those noble families will never let the eldest son or Xiao Wu inherit the title."

Xu Youzhi looked at Li Linger meaningfully, with a sly look in her eyes.

"Ling'er, you are a girl, and the Second Young Master is still the only one who can inherit the title of King of Yan."

As she spoke, as if she had thought of something, the corners of Xu Youzhi's mouth curled up slightly, a smile appeared on her face, and her tone became relaxed.

"Or you can quickly write a letter to the prince and ask him to take in a few concubines. Try your best to give you a few brothers and sisters. Then you won't have to worry about that anymore."

Hearing this, Li Ling'er's face immediately turned red. She glanced at everyone like a thief, and seeing that everyone was laughing secretly, she glared at Xu Youzhi fiercely, thinking,

"How can a daughter persuade her father to take a concubine?"

Xu Youzhi saw that her words had eased the atmosphere, so she stopped teasing Li Linger, stretched out her tone, and looked at everyone.

"Actually, there is another way."

Hearing this, everyone looked at Xu Youzhi. Three pairs of beautiful eyes stared at her without blinking, afraid of missing something.

"What can you do? Tell me. I'm so anxious."

Seeing that Xu Youzhi was still keeping the secret at this time, Li Linger could no longer sit still and started to urge her.

Xu Youzhi tilted her head and looked at Li Linger with a sly smile on her face.

"Why not just find someone to pretend to be you?"

"no!"

As soon as he finished speaking, two voices rejected it in unison. They were Li Ling'er and Xiao Zhao.

Xiao Zhao knew that she shouldn't speak, so as soon as she opened her mouth, she raised her hand to cover her mouth and looked at Li Ling'er with confusion.

Li Ling'er also turned her gaze to Xiao Zhao. When their eyes met, the scene suddenly became quiet.

"What are you afraid of? It's just an imperial edict. You don't even need to meet the person who delivered it. You just need to claim to be sick and stay in bed and express your gratitude."

After hearing this, the two turned to look at Xu Youzhi. Li Linger frowned and thought for a moment, then asked uncertainly:

"Is this okay?"

Xu Youzhi burst out laughing, her tone teasing,

"Is it possible or not? Sister Ling'er still unclear?"

The rest of the people naturally had no idea what these two were talking about, and Ying Yu didn't care at all. Her mission was just to find Li Mu. Now that things had been decided, she was ready to leave.

Xiao Zhao seemed to be thinking about something.

At this time, Xu Youzhi continued:

"Xiao Zhao has been with the Second Young Master day and night for a while now, so he should know him best."

Hearing this, Xiao Zhao's face turned red and she lowered her head shyly, not daring to look at the reactions of the crowd. However, she heard Xu Youzhi continue:

"Xiao Zhao, once we've chosen the person, we'll leave it to you. Don't let us down."

Hearing this, Xiao Zhao's face turned pale and he thought,

"What do you mean, Miss Youzhi?"

After struggling for a long time, he finally said:

"Xiao Zhao doesn't want to. Xiao Zhao won't serve any man other than you."

After saying this, Xiao Zhao seemed to have used up all his strength, and he was like a deflated ball, barely able to stand steadily.

Xu Youzhi looked at Xiao Zhao in surprise and was about to speak when she heard Li Ling'er say:

"If Xiao Zhao doesn't want to, don't force him. Not many people have seen him anyway. He can just cough a few times. There's no need to go through so much trouble."

Xiao Zhao looked at Li Ling'er with gratitude as if he had been pardoned. With his body half bent, he was also helped up by Xu Youzhi.

Xu Youzhi raised her hand to smooth the hair on her forehead, looking like she was enjoying a good show. She glanced at Li Ling'er, then turned her head to glance at Xiao Zhao, thinking,

"He's already treating me like his wife, and he's starting to protect me."

"Who said we have to find a man? Xiao Zhao, how has Miss Su been these past two days?"

Xiao Zhao was stunned for a moment, then his eyes lit up, and he immediately thought of Su Yuwei, and replied with some heartache:

"I couldn't eat well, I couldn't sleep well, I tried to go to the Master several times, but I stopped him every time."

Xu Youzhi turned her gaze to Li Ling'er, indicating that she should make the decision.

Li Linger thought for a moment, squinted her eyes and looked at Xu Youzhi, a smile appearing on the corner of her mouth.

Xu Youzhi felt a little creepy when she saw Li Ling'er's expression. Before she could ask any questions, she heard Li Ling'er say seriously:

"From today on, Youzhi, you will live in my second brother's courtyard."

He stood up, walked to Xu Youzhi, patted her shoulder, and whispered:

"You are my second brother's child bride anyway, so no one is more suitable than you."

After saying that, he left the main hall without looking back.

Xu Youzhi looked at Li Ling'er's back as she left, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously curled up in a charming arc.