The princess is killing like crazy again

When the victorious army returned to the capital, the people naturally lined the streets to welcome them.

Xiao Yurong was sure that Cui Ci Ning loved her, or hated her endlessly, but it didn't matter anymore.

Because all the feelings she had with Cui Ci Ning were related to her aggressive ambitions.

Only in blood and fire can they perhaps speak of love.

Anyway, she couldn't go to Yinzhou with Cui Ci Ning, and Cui Ci Ning would never bring her the golden comb that he promised her.

She always had more important things to do.

Looking at his brothers who had been waiting at the city gate for a long time, Xiao Yurong smiled and dismounted.

Xiao Yuxie and several of his brothers, following the orders of their king and father, went to the city gate early to welcome their sister whom they had not seen for a long time.

Xiao Yuxie first took Xiao Yurong's hand, looked him up and down, and carefully examined him for a long time to see if he was seriously injured.

Several brothers surrounded Xiao Yurong and asked a lot of questions.

Xiao Yurong was unable to answer, and Li Yaozhi had to chime in.

"You've lost weight and don't look very good. Are you sick again?" Xiao Yuxie frowned.

Xiao Yurong happened to have a curtain wrapped around his hand, which made Xiao Yuxie frown even tighter, "How did he get hurt?"

"Okay, brother, let's go back quickly. The emperor is still waiting for our report." Xiao Yurong said.

Seeing his sister looking tired, Xiao Yuxie stopped.

After entering the imperial city, Xiao Yurong and Li Yaozhi brought several deputy generals to report to Emperor Xiao.

Emperor Xiao said hello repeatedly.

It was so hard to see his daughter come back, and she had experienced the separation of life and death after her disappearance. No matter what Xiao Yurong said, Emperor Xiao would agree.

He gave a lot of rewards. Even when Xiao Yurong said she wanted to open a school for girls, many officials opposed it, but Emperor Xiao still agreed.

Emperor Xiao now grants all requests of Xiao Yurong.

Xiao Yurong pointed at Yi Yan who was in shackles and said that he wanted to accept him as his advisor.

Emperor Xiao was only slightly hesitant and agreed.

The officials privately discussed that Emperor Xiao's favor towards Xiao Yurong was excessive, and that the princess was so favored that she was meddling in government affairs and acting lawless.

After the morning court session ended, all the officials walked out of the palace, sighing.

"Your Majesty has indulged Princess Zhaoyang to the point where it is beyond reproach. This is truly a disaster for our dynasty."

"As a young girl, you can't help but pamper her. Besides, your majesty was very sad when the princess went missing, and now she is finally back, so it's natural that she will be pampered."

"But Her Highness Zhaoyang is too unreasonable. She wants even prisoners of war to be her advisors? She is just a princess, what kind of advisors does she need? She also wants to open a girls' school. It is totally unheard of!"

"You feel disgusted when you see the princess's rudeness, but when His Majesty sees it, he will only feel pity and love."

"When the ministers of the previous dynasty saw the princess, they all hoped that she would make mistakes, so the emperor would naturally take care of her."

"Do you know what the rumors are? It doesn't matter if the spelling of 'Nong Zhang' is wrong. A daughter is always loved more than a son."

"Hush - you dare to say that? Use your head carefully, and be careful not to be heard by the Mirror Department. The Fuyang Guards are now all-powerful."

"That's right. How dare you say that? Fuyang Guards chopped off officials' heads just like chopping vegetables. They relied on Princess Zhaoyang to act lawless. How dare you say that?"

After waiting for a long time for the morning court to end, Emperor Xiao dismissed his attendants and left only Xiao Yurong behind, and took her to look at her for a long time.

"It's good that my son is back, and it's good that he comes back safely." Emperor Xiao's eyes were moist.

"I am an unfilial child and have frightened your father." Xiao Yurong smiled, "Look, I have returned safely, don't worry about me, your father."

Emperor Xiao knocked her on the head, "Why didn't you stay by my side? Instead, you had to go out to quell the rebellion, and now you've come back with injuries for no reason."

Emperor Xiao's condition has not improved in the past two years, and he looks more haggard than when Xiao Yurong left.

He started coughing after just a few words.

"Father, you must take good care of your body." Xiao Yurong repeatedly warned, "You have been taking this medicine, why is it not getting better? You need to change the prescription."

She frowned, "Those quack doctors in the Imperial Hospital are really nothing. Are they just for free? It was the same before. They used the same old tricks and almost killed my adviser. It would have been better to change them earlier."

Emperor Xiao shook his head helplessly, "It's an old illness, it's normal that it can't be cured."

Xiao Yurong thought again, "Didn't the letter mention that a new baby was born in the palace? I'm going to have a younger brother and sister too, where are they? Let me see them quickly."

"You finally come back, but instead of thinking about you, your old father, you only think about your younger brothers and sisters?" Emperor Xiao was unhappy.

Xiao Yurong immediately hugged Emperor Xiao's arm, "How can this be possible? I am asking this question because I feel sorry for my father. I love him because I love him."

It only took a few words for Emperor Xiao to be coaxed, "You are the one with the sharp tongue."

"He's a younger brother. I named him Yuan, hoping that you would return to the court as soon as possible and reunite with me." He said.

Xiao Yurong was stunned. Even though the time was different, it was still that child.

However, the present was different from the past. Since Emperor Xiao was still alive and the chaos had not yet begun, she did not need to take Xiao Yuyuan over alone and raise him as her adopted son.

Emperor Xiao said, "But there will be plenty of days to meet in the future, so there is no need to rush. You just came back, you must be tired, your illness and injury are not healed yet, go back and rest quickly."

He originally wanted to let Xiao Yurong live in the palace, but thinking that Xiao Yurong would probably also have to take care of affairs in the mansion, he had no choice but to let her go.

Emperor Xiao still kept Xiao Yurong to have lunch, and then held Xiao Yurong and gave him instructions for a long time before he was willing to let him go.

Along the way out of the palace, Xiao Yurong was greeted with concern by her brothers, and she responded to them one by one.

Thinking that Xiao Yurong should recuperate and rest as soon as possible, Xiao Yuxie did not ask any more questions.

As soon as he walked out of the palace, he saw Huo Zhao who had been waiting for a long time.

Seeing Huo Zhao's ugly face, Xiao Yurong felt frightened and looked at Xiao Yuxie for help.

After all, she had promised Huo Zhao not to go into battle, but then she not only went into battle herself, but also disappeared.

Xiao Yuxie turned a deaf ear to him and said, "Rongrong, your uncle has been worried about you for a long time. Please try to persuade him."

Huo Zhao meant to send Xiao Yurong back home, and Xiao Yuxie actually sent Xiao Yurong to the Huo family's carriage.

Xiao Yurong smiled at Huo Zhao: "Uncle..."

"Didn't you promise me that you wouldn't go into battle?" Huo Zhao asked.

"I really didn't plan to go into battle, but..." Xiao Yurong glanced at Huo Zhao's expression, "It was just that the Cui family army was defeated, and three of their direct descendants were harmed. The situation was unfavorable, so I went into battle."

"This is simply nonsense!" Huo Zhao said angrily, "Do you think the battlefield is a joke? Cui has already fallen into the trap and failed, and you still dare to go up? Do you think you have lived too long?"

Xiao Yurong immediately pursed his lips, "Uncle? What does that mean? I just came back, I'm sick and injured, I rode as fast as I could just to see uncle earlier, but uncle still beats and scolds me and treats me coldly."

"How could I ever hit or scold you? When have I ever hit or scolded you?" Huo Zhao frowned.

When he looked over, Xiao Yurong was already crying with her head down.

Huo Zhao was stunned, and subconsciously pressed Xiao Yurong's wrist again, then raised his hand to touch the corner of Xiao Yurong's eyes.

Feeling the moisture at the corner of her eyes, Huo Zhao retracted his hand as if pricked by something, and his fingertips twitched.

Xiao Yurong just lowered her head and cried in silence.

"Okay." Huo Zhao hesitantly reached out his hand and hugged Xiao Yurong, "Don't cry anymore, I'm just... too anxious and too scared."

He hugged Xiao Yurong and comforted her like he did when they were children, stroking her from her hair along her spine, "Okay, don't cry."

When he was a teenager, he held Xiao Yurong in his arms and coaxed the child to grow up.

This is the child he has watched grow up and the child he has raised.

But at that time Xiao Yurong disappeared, no one could find her, and everyone thought she was dead.

Everyone told Huo Zhao to accept their condolences.

Because they all knew that Huo Zhao had no children, they all felt that Huo Zhao treated his sister's two children as his own, and especially loved Xiao Yurong, whom he had raised.

Condolences?

There is only one Xiao Yurong in this world, and he is only Xiao Yurong. How can he mourn?

Everyone looked sad during those days. They all said that this was a blow to Huo's family and damaged their dignity.

Not only did the Chule Dynasty lose a princess, the Huo family lost a princess, but he also lost his beloved child.

Everyone said it was like losing an arm, but he felt it was much more than that.

It broke our hearts.

Fortunately, Xiao Yurong came back, returned to him, and lived well.

As for the fact that he fell in love with Xiao Yurong, no one knew how, when, or where it came from.

But he loved Xiao Yurong without any confusion or pride. This was the truth of the matter.

He loved so much that he didn't even know how to love anymore.

"Why are you crying?" Huo Zhao asked, "Mingming..."

He never wanted to say a harsh word to Xiao Yurong, but Xiao Yurong happened to cry.

"I just..." Xiao Yurong choked up a little, "I just feel sad."

She was wondering what Huo Zhao was thinking when he died in his previous life?

What was Huo Zhao thinking when he was intercepted and killed at Liangjie Mountain when he came to help?

Are you blaming her for her willfulness in dragging the Xiao and Huo families into the quagmire?

Or is she worried about what will happen to her after she dies?

“……”Huo Zhao was silent.

He just tried to comfort Xiao Yurong awkwardly: "Don't cry anymore, I...I'll take you to eat Peony Pastry, okay?"

Xiao Yurong almost burst into laughter, "Uncle, do you still think of me as a child?"

Huo Zhao paused and rubbed her head, "Stop teasing your uncle."

"I know you were very worried when I was missing. Now that I'm back, you don't have to worry anymore." Xiao Yurong said solemnly, "I've grown up a long time ago."

"I know that too." Huo Zhao sighed softly, his eyes sad, like a dissipated glimmer of light, "I have always known that."

Xiao Yurong hugged Huo Zhao's arm and said, "I want to go back to the Huo family."

Huo Zhao paused, "The Huo family?"

"What? Does young Marquis Huo not welcome me?" Xiao Yurong pouted.

"You are disrespectful." Huo Zhao knocked on her head. "You can go back if you want. After all... Huo Mansion is your home too."

Xiao Yurong smiled: "My father invited me to have dinner, but my uncle didn't even let me stay overnight."

Huo Zhao shook his head. "The Huo Mansion even has a separate courtyard for you, and you were not allowed to stay overnight."

When they arrived at the Huo Mansion, the table was filled with Xiao Yurong's favorite dishes. It was not an exaggeration to call it a full banquet.

Xiao Yurong hesitated when picking up his chopsticks.

For aristocratic families, fame is indeed a disaster, and their gold and jade are for appreciation.

No wonder the legendary Dugu Ying attacked and killed all the nobles without leaving a single one alive.

Even so, the Huo family is still relatively restrained.

After all, there are so many clans, and Huo Zhao is not that interested in power and jewelry.

He took these and kept them at home only because Xiao Yurong liked them and the family needed them.

"These are all your favorite foods, why don't you pick up your chopsticks?" Huo Zhao asked when he saw her hesitation.

Xiao Yurong picked up a piece of honey roasted pigeon with chopsticks and put it into his mouth. "When it comes to beets, the chefs in the palace are not as good as the chefs of the Huo family."

Huo Zhao raised the corners of his lips. "You have poached all the imperial chefs in the palace who are good at cooking to the princess's residence. There are no good chefs left."

"That's true." Xiao Yurong wrinkled his nose.

Huo Zhao was not a person who paid much attention to his appetite, and he did not like sweets at all. The chefs in the Huo family who made sweet dishes were all prepared for Xiao Yurong.

"You should eat lighter meals recently. Your injuries and illnesses haven't healed yet." Huo Zhao frowned when he mentioned this. "From childhood to adulthood, you didn't take care of your body."

"Don't blame me, uncle." Xiao Yurong stuffed the five-flavor apricot cheese goose into his mouth, and put another piece into Huo Zhao's bowl, "Eat."

Whenever Huo Zhao said a few more words, Xiao Yurong would shut him up with food.

Huo Zhao sighed softly.

After the meal, the servants brought fruit and tea.

Golden Land Tea with Thousand Leaf Cherry.

"The situation in the court is complicated now, and His Majesty has many suspicions about your brother." Huo Zhao said.

Xiao Yurong frowned, "Father has long intended for my elder brother to be the successor, to be crowned the Crown Prince, and to rule the Eastern Palace. Why is it now..."

After all, Xiao Yuxie was chosen as the crown prince very early on, and his position was so stable that no other prince could compare to him.

Even if they are suppressed now, it is impossible for them to lose power overnight.

"It's just the nature of an emperor." Huo Zhao looked calm. "On the contrary, the Third Prince has been supported by His Majesty and is now in high spirits. There are also many ministers in the court who stand on his side."

"Third brother..." Xiao Yurong seemed to be thinking about something.

Among the brothers, except Xiao Yuyuan who is now a toddler, the rest are capable of competing.

It’s just that my second brother has no interest in court affairs and only loves poetry and literature.

The fifth brother Xiao Yucheng only focused on military strategy.

Only the eldest brother Xiao Yuxie and the third brother Xiao Yusheng were left.

Xiao Yuxie was the crown prince designated since childhood. He was not only the eldest son, but also the legitimate son.

The position is stable and the prestige has been accumulated for a long time.

Originally, Xiao Yusheng was not someone who wanted to fight for anything, but now that he had been put in this position by Emperor Xiao, he had to fight even if he didn't want to.

Could it be that they were about to start a war among themselves? Xiao Yurong closed his eyes and sighed.

"There's no point in thinking too much. Your injury hasn't healed and you're still sick. You'd better rest early." Huo Zhao said.

He stood up and said, "Yu'er, I'll take you back to the yard."

"Okay." Xiao Yurong followed him out.

Huo Zhao took the night light from the attendant and said, "No need to follow me."

The attendants stood respectfully to one side, with their heads lowered.