As soon as she opened her eyes, she was forcibly carried back to the East Palace by the paranoid pri

The sun has warmed up a little and there are no more traces of snow. Yuncheng has been very lively recently, with envoys from various countries coming to congratulate. In four days, a grand banquet will be held in the palace to celebrate the new year and bid farewell to the old.

He Yue's foot injury had healed completely, but she still did not start greeting again. She was impatient to see those women who seemed respectful on the surface but could hide eight hundred ulterior motives in their words. She just ordered them not to starve them of food and supplies.

Over time, rumors spread that the Crown Princess was cold and aloof.

With her eyelashes half closed, she leaned on the table by the window and read a storybook. She was wearing a long brocade skirt embroidered with gold threads and had her hair tied up in a bun with a few leaves on the side. She looked elegant and beautiful.

The door creaked open, and Madam Lu led Xiao Taozi and Xiao Lizi in. She bowed and said, "Crown Princess, Xiao Taozi and Xiao Lizi have recovered and are back on duty."

He Yue put down the script in her hand and turned sideways to look at Xiao Taozi and Xiao Lizi who were kneeling on the ground. Both of them had lost a lot of weight, especially Xiao Lizi, whose originally lovely and round face had lost a lot of flesh.

"Why is Xiaolizi so thin?" He Yue frowned slightly and stretched out his white right hand.

Xiao Lizi moved her knees and pressed her thin face against He Yue's palm. Her eyes were red and soon she started to cry. She cried, "I miss the Crown Princess so much, Crown Princess!"

She seemed to be frightened, speaking incoherently, and reached out to gently tug at the corner of He Yue's gold-embroidered clothes.

"The steel whip hit my legs, and there was blood... blood all over them! They held me down, and I watched helplessly!"

Xiao Lizi gestured with her hands randomly, "The steel whip immediately tore off a piece of my flesh. It really hurts and scares me!"

"I have been kneeling for three days, and I have been worried about the safety of the Crown Princess. If something happens to the Crown Princess, what should I do? I would rather die than let you be in any danger!"

Xiao Lizi is already young, and her crying at this moment will only make people feel pity, not to mention that she is He Yue's most beloved maid, so this is why Nanny Lu asked Xiao Lizi to act pitifully. Xiao Taozi is an old person in the palace, with a calm temperament, and is not suitable for such behavior.

He Yue wiped the cold tears from Xiao Lizi's face with her soft fingertips, and said in a gentle and guilty voice, "You have suffered. It is me who has implicated you."

She frowned slightly, feeling depressed. No matter whether Xiao Lizi was crying for real or pretending, it was a fact that they were severely punished. Whether she was acting pitiful or was really wronged, she couldn't help feeling guilty.

But this is all she can do. He Yue does not regret her past actions. If she were to be completely soft-hearted, the life of any palace maid in the East Palace could become a rope to bind her.

Madam Lu quickly took over the conversation, "Crown Princess, what you said is wrong. It makes me feel heartbroken. It's all the fault of those damn robbers!"

Xiao Taozi, who had been silent the whole time, also responded sincerely, "It has nothing to do with the Crown Princess. It was our fault in the first place. It is a special favor from His Royal Highness that I can see the Crown Princess again today. I am filled with gratitude!"

How could this be a special favor? If Empress He had not intervened, they would have died together with Bai Huixian and Xia Suling. If they were still alive after being whipped with steel whips, they would have been subjected to the torture of slow slicing!

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was really angry at that time. If He Yue had not been found in time, they would have surely died.

"Don't cry, your crying makes me feel soft-hearted." He Yue spread out her other hand, and the maid next to her put a silk handkerchief on it.

He Yue leaned forward and gently wiped away the tears on her face with a handkerchief. Her voice was gentle, "Do you need to rest for a few more days? It would be good to recuperate a little more."

Xiao Lizi stopped crying, shook her head, and said with a sob, "I want to serve the Crown Princess and don't want to rest anymore."

This was said sincerely, but who wants to do the job of serving? They are just afraid that as time goes on, the position of the head palace maid will be replaced by someone else, and then they will have nowhere to cry. It is better to take advantage of the Crown Princess's soft heart to gain a little more favor.

"Stand up, why are you still kneeling?" He Yue put the handkerchief in Xiao Lizi's hand and said gently.

"Thank you, Princess." Xiao Taozi and Xiao Lizi stood up, holding up their skirts. Xiao Lizi wiped away the remaining tears on her face with a handkerchief.

"Meow~meow~"

Xiaoliu walked in slowly from the door with his short legs, followed by the palace maids who served him.

The palace maid held Xiao Liu in her arms, lifted up his paw, wiped it carefully with a wet cotton towel, and then wiped it again with a dry towel.

Xiao Liu did not resist. After the palace maid finished wiping, it jumped onto the couch, shook its tail gently, and placed it on He Yue's wrist.

He Yue picked up Xiao Liu with both hands, her beautiful eyes showing doting, "Where have you been, Xiao Liu? You came back so late."

"Meow, meow." Xiao Liu called twice, as if answering He Yue's question.

The maid bowed and replied, "Master Cat went to the Fu Garden of the East Palace and the Mengzhu Pond today."

Xiao Liu used to be well-behaved and obedient in the animal hospital, but now he seems to know that he has a backer, and he keeps making trouble. Not only did he trample on several precious flowers in the Fuhua Garden, he also fished out a fish in the Mengzhu Pond.

But the eunuch Xiao Guanzi who was passing by saw that she was nervous, and said nonchalantly, "The meaning of the existence of these flowers and fish is to make the master happy. If this cat can make the Crown Princess feel fond of it, then it is now the little master. Everything depends on the Crown Princess's mood."

Xiao Liu was extremely obedient in front of He Yue. He collapsed in He Yue's arms, revealing his soft belly, which He Yue rubbed with a faint smile.

Xiao Lizi flattered with a smile on her face, "Is this the new cat? It's so cute."

He Yue held it and nodded, "Yes, Xiaoliu is indeed cute."

At least she didn't have to guess what the cat was thinking; it completely relied on her and tried to please her.

After saying that, He Yue sighed with some hesitation. Her appearance was gorgeous and elegant. Her beauty was transplanted from the countryside to the East Palace by Ning Rushong, and it became more and more prosperous.

"How is Xia Suling?" He Yue hesitated for a moment and finally asked.

Madam Lu stared at the ground with a frown on her face. "I heard that Lord Bai's first wife had a serious illness. After she recovered, Lord Bai imprisoned her in a remote courtyard in the mansion."

Xiao Taozi used a pair of delicate tongs to stir the burning charcoal in the hall, making it burn more vigorously. She said in a veiled tone, "It is Madam Bai who deserves the punishment. It is she who caused you, the Crown Princess, to suffer an undeserved disaster."

Bai Huixian has two wives, but on the surface, everyone only recognizes Li Xiaoshu as Mrs. Bai, so Xiao Taozi simply calls Xia Suling Mrs. Bai.

He Yue suddenly closed her eyes and said calmly, "It was an unprovoked disaster. She is just an innocent and pitiful person."

If Xia Suling was caught, she would have suffered, but He Yue took her place, and Xia Suling was still punished. In fact, Xia Suling was the most innocent person here. The reason the robbers wanted to catch her was because Bai Hui seemed to have committed a crime.

"I want to see Xia Suling." He Yue put Xiao Liu in Xiao Lizi's arms and said slowly, "Go and pass on my order to summon Xia Suling to the Biyuan."

He Yue knew Li Xiaoshu. She was not very broad-minded and was afraid that Xia Suling would not have an easy life, so she wanted to help.