The princess is killing like crazy again

After Liu Pinjue left, Xiao Yurong also realized that time was running out. After thinking for a moment, he called out, "Cui Cui."

"Princess." Cuicui came in immediately from outside the door.

"Prepare the horses and go to Li's house." Xiao Yurong said.

She asked Li Yaozhi to collect evidence of corruption and abuse of power, and she almost forgot that the Li family, a den of tyrants, had never liked her.

Although Li Yaozhi's actions are flawless, it's best not to make any mistakes.

When the carriage arrived at the gate of Li's house, Xiao Yurong was helped off the carriage by Cuicui.

There was chaos in the mansion, and it was not the first time that Xiao Yurong came without informing them.

The fifth generation of Li family's prime minister Xiao was upright and prudent, and was famous for his respect for etiquette and morality. Prime Minister Li did not welcome this rebellious princess, who often came uninvited.

However, as a descendant of a noble family, one still has to observe sufficient outward courtesy.

"Why is Princess Zhaoyang here? There was no announcement." The Prime Minister's wife sighed, "Go and welcome her in quickly, and have someone call Yao Zhi over."

The Prime Minister shook his head and said, "Come with me to greet the princess. I'm afraid she's here to look for Yao Zhi."

Xiao Yurong entered and exited the mansion as if it was an empty place, and passed through the winding corridors with ease.

The prime minister and his wife, along with a group of Li family members, welcomed the princess in the courtyard. They did so even though they had come so many times.

Xiao Yurong also mentioned that it was unnecessary, but they went ahead and welcomed him, observing the rigid etiquette.

If she had informed them in advance, the scene would have been more grand. But with such a sudden arrival, there would be fewer people, but as many as possible would still come.

"No need to be so polite." Xiao Yurong said.

"Princess, what brings you to my humble abode?" asked the Prime Minister.

Xiao Yurong looked at Li Yaozhi, who was standing behind the prime minister on the right. The other party was looking at him with a smile in his eyes.

Xiao Yurong curled the corners of his lips, "Of course I came to find Shao Yan."

The Prime Minister's wife couldn't smile at Xiao Yurong, but she still forced a smile, "Since the princess is here to look for you, Yao Zhi, you will be the one to accompany her."

"Yes." Li Yaozhi bowed and spread his hands towards Xiao Yurong, "Your Highness, please."

Looking at the backs of Xiao Yurong and Li Yaozhi walking together, Li Yaozhi was still smiling and looking down as everyone knew, half a step behind Xiao Yurong. The Prime Minister's wife felt a lump in her throat and was depressed.

"Your Majesty and the Eastern Palace have been pressuring Yao Zhi to marry the princess. Yao Zhi is the future clan leader, the most talented and promising child of this generation. He should marry a gentle and virtuous girl from an aristocratic family, not..." The Prime Minister's wife began to misrepresent her words.

"Silence." The Prime Minister reminded in a low voice, "Your Majesty has been ill for a long time, and his health is getting worse day by day. Among the many princes, the Eastern Palace is the most stable. Princess Rong...what do you think Yao Zhi thinks?"

The prime minister's wife said, "Yao Zhi has been a companion to the princess since he was young. The princess is naughty and Yao Zhi is always punished. My son has worked hard, how can he be willing to suffer like this every day for the next ten years?"

The prime minister sighed, "Although you and I are unwilling to let Yao Zhi marry the princess, Yao Zhi has his own ideas. I have seen his appearance, and the rumors in the streets are not groundless."

As long as Li Yaozhi stayed there, everyone else would subconsciously classify him as Xiao Yurong's side.

The children of aristocratic families represent their family in everything they say and do, so it is natural that Li Yaozhi's meaning would be misinterpreted by those with ulterior motives as a gesture from the family.

The Li family was too close to the royal family, which brought many benefits, but also great risks. After all, the emperors came and went, but the family remained unchanged. In troubled times, who could say what was right?

"Although we can influence your majesty's thoughts, if your majesty is really determined, we have no choice but to do it. This is what happened with the study-along incident back then." The prime minister shook his head.

Li Yaozhi led Xiao Yurong into his own courtyard. The Li family's mansion was magnificent with carved beams and painted rafters.

His courtyard was elegantly maintained, with tall bamboos bringing in the fragrant breeze and gurgling water. When one walked into the inner room, the whole room was filled with fragrance.

"Your Highness, please take a seat." Li Yaozhi gestured.

Xiao Yurong sat down and saw the chess game on the table. He glanced at it for a few more seconds and asked casually, "Have you collected all the evidence?"

Li Yaozhi smiled, took out a box and handed it to Xiao Yurong, "Your Highness, please take a look."

"Yeah." Xiao Yurong glanced at him briefly, "Shao Yan does things perfectly, so I'm naturally relieved."

It seems that some of the above are true, some are exaggerated, and some are unprovoked disasters.

However, Li Yaozhi would not arbitrarily accuse anyone, as those on the list had done evil and had long been resented by others.

Li Yaozhi made tea for Xiao Yurong, "There is nothing in Shaoyan's room that can entertain Your Highness, so it is inevitably boring. Your Highness, please forgive me."

"Li has a collection of tens of thousands of books, and you still say it's boring?" Xiao Yurong said with a smile.

"Although there are many rare copies, they are still not as good as those of the Wang and Liu families." Li Yaozhi said.

In terms of book collection alone, the Wang family is the richest in the world, and the Liu family is a family of scholars, so they do have a lot of books.

Xiao Yurong tapped the box twice with his fingertips. "Shao Yan, what do you think I will do after I get the military power?"

"Intelligence is the most important." Li Yaozhi handed the tea to Xiao Yurong, "Your Highness wants to have a dedicated intelligence organization."

"Shao Yan knows me." Xiao Yurong took the tea, curled his lips, and looked out the window. "The peonies outside are almost withered, but the peonies in the Li Mansion are still blooming. I remember that the Prime Minister's wife didn't like peonies. She always said that the peonies in the courtyard were weird and out of character."

Li Yaozhi smiled and lowered his eyes, his expression difficult to read, "Mother doesn't like it, but I like it."

"I also like the rich and beautiful peonies, but they lack interest." Xiao Yurong said meaningfully, "If one day peonies can bloom all over this vast land, and belong to me, and be appreciated by me, that would be interesting."

"The peony is the true beauty of the country. Your Highness is worthy of it." Li Yaozhi's smile did not even change.

It was really strange. In his previous life, Li Yaozhi had helped to change the dynasty for the sake of his family, but why did he seem to put her above everything else? Xiao Yurong felt mixed emotions.

She stared at Li Yaozhi for a long while and asked, "Even if I have a heart for the world?"

A princess who has no real power can say such absurd words. Anyone else would laugh at her wishful thinking, but Li Yaozhi remained calm.

No matter when, Li Yaozhi seemed to believe her.

Li Yaozhi bowed deeply and said solemnly: "If your Highness wishes, Shaoyan is willing to help you to secure your throne."

In the brief silence, Xiao Yurong stroked the delicate gilded carved vine pattern on the box with his fingertips and smiled: "You and I have known each other since childhood and have walked together until now. I sincerely hope that it will be like this in the future."

"If Your Highness doesn't abandon me, Shao Yan will do his best to serve you without hesitation." Li Yaozhi raised his eyes and smiled.

Xiao Yurong presented the box to Emperor Xiao the next day. The charges were so shocking that Emperor Xiao was so angry that he smashed the teacup on the spot.

There are too many people involved, so the question is who to send to do it. Although it will establish prestige if this matter is accomplished, it will also offend many people.

Xiao Yurong promptly proposed that he was willing to help Emperor Xiao solve his problems, but was met with a skeptical and hesitant look from Emperor Xiao.

Among the many princes and princesses, Xiao Yurong was the most favored.

As the only daughter of Emperor Xiao, Xiao Yurong was well aware that Emperor Xiao loved and indulged her. Although she knew there were bottom lines and conditions, this five percent of sincerity was enough for the royal family.

"Father, I am the only loyal subject in this Chule clan." Xiao Yurong knelt beside Emperor Xiao's lap and shook his legs.

Emperor Xiao glanced at her with a headache, "According to what you said, in such a big country like Chule, there is no one who is loyal to the emperor and patriotic?"

Xiao Yurong curled his lips and said bluntly: "Of course there are, but no one is more loyal to the emperor than me."

"Tell me, what do you want?" asked Emperor Xiao. How could he not know Xiao Yurong's character?

"I want military power." Xiao Yurong's eyes were open, with a dark fire burning in them. "I want to be in power."

Emperor Xiao's eyes darkened. "Power? Zhaoyang, for all these years, your father has given you everything you wanted. In the past, you were obsessed with romance, and even if you wanted power, it was only for pleasure. Now you want authority, and real power, why?"

Xiao Yurong had fiefdoms, fiefdoms, and honors. Her life was as brilliant and splendid as oil boiling in a raging fire and as colorful as brocade, gorgeous, grand, and abundant.

She could live a good life even if she did nothing, but she insisted on entering the world of fame and fortune.

Her life was the most noisy, but her death was quiet. How could she be willing to accept this?

"Father, my brothers are your children, and I am also your child. We are both of royal blood. Why can they do it but I can't?" Xiao Yurong looked up at Emperor Xiao.

Emperor Xiao looked at Xiao Yurong's face intently. Everyone loved her beautiful figure. This headstrong daughter of his had a face that was three points similar to that of the late empress.

He and the late queen were a young couple, supporting each other and having a son and a daughter. However, the late queen died of hemorrhage after giving birth to Xiao Yurong.

In these years, after Xiao Yurong, no more princes or princesses were born, and no empress dowager was born.

Xiao Yurong is the only princess who was raised by the emperor since the change of the Chule Dynasty. Because the princess lost her mother at a young age, Emperor Xiao was unwilling to give her to someone else to raise.

So she was the person closest to the emperor and the emperor's most favorite child.

Seeing that Emperor Xiao seemed to be looking at someone through her eyes and was hesitant to give an answer, Xiao Yurong paused and asked, "Father, do you really love Mother? Or do you feel guilty for ruining her health in the palace?"

"Where did you hear that?" Emperor Xiao's expression turned stern.

"I'm not a child anymore, father. If you pay attention, you will hear what I'm saying." Xiao Yurong looked at his father.

She said, "I heard that my mother loved riding horses and hunting. She was the most strong-willed and outspoken among the noble ladies. She married my father when she was young, but she wasted her mind and body in the spy world day after day. She was already exhausted when she was pregnant with me."

Emperor Xiao was dazed for a moment as he looked at Xiao Yurong, remembering the words his late wife said to him before she died, holding his hand.

"Let's name our child Rong. Rongrong... no matter what she wants to do, don't stop her."

"I have been married to you for more than ten years, Xie'er... You said he was the eldest son, carrying Chu Le's hopes, and that the war would cease and the world would be peaceful and prosperous, so he was named Xie."

"The empire, the people's livelihood, the throne, honor... You have too many things in your heart. You are the emperor and I am the empress. We are no longer the same as we were in the past."

"You know I'm not interested in this, but I still came here to accompany you, willingly being trapped in the deep palace walls. After I leave, you'll be left alone... ahem... promise me, you and I will stay here together as a young couple, and I'm going to die, so you promise me..."

"Rongrong, just let her live a worry-free life and not let her be trapped by your Xiao family..."

Crying blood.

Emperor Xiao closed his eyes and said, "Okay."

Xiao Yurong was stunned, "Father?"

"Go ahead and do it. If you don't go, you will be overly worried and depressed like before." Emperor Xiao raised his hand and touched Xiao Yurong's temples. "Your mother doesn't want you to be trapped either."

Interfering eyes were filled with tears. Xiao Yurong blinked and leaned down on Emperor Xiao's knees, feeling somewhat sad. "Father."

"If the royal family had enough power and majesty to control the clans below, there would be no need for such great efforts. But the royal family is weak, and it will be extremely difficult for you to take this path." Emperor Xiao said.

Xiao Yurong said, "Even if this is the case, I am happy with it."

As expected, Emperor Xiao announced the matter in the court the next day.

Originally, Xiao Yurong's appearance in the court had caused many ministers to look at each other in bewilderment and whisper to each other. When Emperor Xiao instructed Xiao Yurong to conduct the task of confiscating the property of several ministers, this stirred up even more waves.

There was an uproar everywhere, and someone stepped forward to say that this was inappropriate.

"I also think that this is inappropriate." Xiao Yurong said with a smile.

Seeing that Xiao Yurong was being modest, the ministers who opposed the idea thought that she was retreating, so they immediately took advantage of the situation and advised Emperor Xiao to think twice before acting.

Who would have thought that Xiao Yurong would continue to say leisurely: "This is a big deal. It just so happens that the Jinwu Guards and Qianniu Guards seem to be neglecting their management. Why don't you hand them all over to me? In the future, we will all be called Fuyang Guards."

This is simply outrageous! Xiao Yurong shocked everyone.

"Your Majesty!" The courtiers shouted, "Princess Zhaoyang's actions are unreasonable and outrageous!"

Xiao Yurong was originally standing in the front row of the ministers, standing shoulder to shoulder with Xiao Yuxie. Now he turned around and faced the ministers.

She asked, "This is really strange. I am clearly serving the king, so why are you all trying to stop me? May I ask, what is wrong with this?"

The ministers who had been shouting the loudest just now looked at each other in bewilderment. Finally, one of them stepped forward and said loudly: "Women should be chaste, docile, and support their husbands and raise their children. How can they sit in the court and discuss state affairs? Not to mention controlling military power!"

"Chaste, quiet and docile? Ha." Xiao Yurong sneered.

"Rongrong." Xiao Yuxie whispered behind her.

Xiao Yurong calmed down a little, "Then, sir, what do you think I should do?"

The minister said: "The princess enjoys the support of the whole country, and her duty is to marry into a foreign country or a foreign alliance."

"The princes also enjoy the support of the whole country, why don't they go to marry? We are both supported, why can the princes be appointed as officials and prime ministers, with beautiful wives and concubines, while the princesses have to live in the deep palace for a long time and then marry?" Xiao Yurong asked, "Why do the royal brothers have a choice, but I don't?"

"You!" The minister was speechless, puffing his beard and glaring, "How can men and women be compared?"

"Why not?" Xiao Yurong snorted coldly, "The competent ones will take over."