Looking at Tai'an from the full moon

After Concubine Yun and Xiao Zuochen calmed down for a while, they analyzed the current situation.

"Although the emperor and the empress are not on good terms now, their interests do not conflict, so the two are in a cooperative relationship. The emperor has a small group of secret guards behind him, who are responsible for protecting him and killing people for him. In addition, the empress dowager is definitely on the side of the emperor. The trump cards in the empress dowager's hand are those old ministers, whose strength should not be underestimated."

"I have seen one of your father's secret guards, but I don't know how many there are. I have also not seen that secret guard take action, so I don't know his strength."

"I only know that he had four secret guards around him before, but I don't know how strong they are now. The power behind the queen may be Miaojiang."

"Miaojiang!?"

Xiao Zuochen was a little surprised.

"Could it be that because she had been to Miaojiang before, Miaojiang used her to control Taian's information?"

If we were to ask what Queen Baiyu actually has, she actually can't wield a sword at all. The only thing she knows is some conspiracy and intrigue. Why did Miaojiang choose her? Because she's easy to manipulate? Or...

"Could it be that Bai Qingning was poisoned after he went to Miaojiang?"

Concubine Yun shook her head.

"No, if an ordinary person is bewitched, his movement and consciousness will become duller. From your usual contact with the queen, do you think she has difficulty in movement and confusion?"

Xiao Zuochen frowned slightly, he had never noticed this before. No matter when, Bai Qingning always looked arrogant and ready to enter the "battle" state at any time.

"So Bai Qingning was willing to join Miaojiang?"

Concubine Yun shook her head.

“I don’t know about this either. The emperor sent people to investigate Bai Qingning’s time in Miaojiang, but found nothing. So there is no evidence to prove that she was a spy from Miaojiang.

The man next to the queen has never left Tai'an City since he came to Tai'an. The emperor has always sent people to keep an eye on him, but has not found anything unusual between the two of them. In addition, the people in Miaojiang have always listened to the emperor, so the emperor did not notice anything.

Mother doesn't have any evidence to prove that she is colluding with Miaojiang, this is just speculation."

"Since Miaojiang is willing to listen to father, if father needs it, he can just ask Miaojiang to cast a Gu. Why does he have to cooperate with the queen? Unless... unless what he did cannot be known to Miaojiang, nor to us, so he can only choose to cooperate with the queen!"

Concubine Yun nodded.

“I just don’t know what exactly he did.”

"..."

Xiao Zuochen also fell into deep thought. He suddenly realized that he didn't know much about his father. In the past, he only knew that his father favored him more than his elder brother and his legitimate son. But now he found that his father was not what he imagined, and even had many secrets that he couldn't tell anyone.

"By the way, what's going on between you and Prince Qing? And the boy next to you named Chu, his sister is Chu Yiyi, right?"

Xiao Zuochen was a little surprised. His mother never left the house, so how could she know so much?

Concubine Yun looked at his expression, raised the corners of her mouth, and put her hand to support her chin.

"Have I forgotten, my son, that Mr. Ying is mine? So anyone he gives you is mine."

Xiao Zuochen scratched his head in embarrassment. He really had forgotten about this.

Although he was loved by his father in the palace, he was in poor health, and the Queen made things difficult for him, so his life was not easy. Later, Mr. Ying and Yun Wei, who was not very old at the time, appeared and asked him if he was willing to go with them to take him to recuperate. Thinking about it now, Xiao Zuochen remembered that the reason he agreed to leave the palace was because his mother refused to see him, and he agreed in a fit of anger.

Just as Xiao Zuochen was about to tell his mother about his relationship with Prince Qing, Miao'er ran in from outside to report.

"Your Majesty, the Emperor is here and is waiting for you to speak outside the courtyard."

Xiao Zuochen glanced at his mother, wondering if she would let his father in. Concubine Yun just waved her hand, signaling Miao'er to go down first.

"You should go back home first. We can have a long talk together some other day."

Xiao Zuochen bowed and left the room. When he reached the gate of the courtyard, he saw the emperor looking around at the gate. When he saw Xiao Zuochen coming out of the courtyard, his eyes lit up.

"You just met your mother? It seems that she can let me in too!"

Xiao Zuochen bowed to his father and said nothing more, intending to leave the palace directly. But after taking a few steps, he heard his father's angry voice from behind.

"Why? The sons were allowed in, the daughters of officials were allowed in, but we are not allowed in here? Ask your wife to come out and tell me in person!"

After hearing this, Xiao Zuochen smiled, shook his head, and continued walking.

He thought that his eldest brother would be waiting anxiously at the palace gate, but when Xiao Zuochen walked to the palace gate, he happened to see Xiao Zuoqing also walking towards the palace gate from the palace.

"I'm going to see my mother too."

Xiao Zuoqing began to explain.

Xiao Zuochen nodded, and suddenly thought of what Concubine Xian said to him today, "What you think will have an effect." Concubine Xian must have known that his mother would attend the banquet today. But judging from the expressions of his father and the queen in the hall, they should not know about this, so is there any connection between Concubine Xian and his mother?

"What are you thinking about?"

Seeing that he didn't say anything, Xiao Zuoqing asked.

"Nothing, let's go out quickly~"

As soon as they reached the door, they saw Chu Yao peering out from the carriage of Prince Yun's mansion, as if he was looking for something. When he saw them, he was very excited.

"I said you two finally came out. I saw that the others had already left. Why are you two taking so long?"

"Something happened in the palace and delayed you. Are you alone?"

Xiao Zuochen looked around and saw Yun Feng and Yun Qian standing behind the carriage. Yun Qian seemed to not want to be seen by Xiao Zuochen, so she hid behind the carriage and pulled Yun Feng's clothes. Yun Feng looked at his master with a helpless expression.

Xiao Zuochen didn't care about Yun Qian. It seemed that Yun Feng was going to have a wife anyway.

Xiao Zuochen stepped on the carriage, opened the curtain, and just as he was about to step in, he saw Liuli and Teng Sen sitting in the carriage. This... Xiao Zuochen was dumbfounded.

"You two..."

When did these two people get to know each other? Xiao Zuochen Xiao Zuochen remembered that the last time Teng Sen asked him to meet Liuli, he did not tell him Liuli's address, but said that they would meet after Liuli agreed. But now seeing the two sitting face to face like this, it seems that they have known each other for a long time.

"It's not a good thing you did!"

Liuli glared at King Yun angrily, but Xiao Zuochen looked innocent. Teng Sen gave Xiao Zuochen a fist.

"It is indeed all thanks to His Royal Highness Prince Yun. Last time, after I asked for His Royal Highness Prince Yun's opinion, His Royal Highness sent someone to deliver a letter to Liuli. I happened to follow that person and found Liuli's address."

"..."

Xiao Zuochen was speechless. At that time, he thought Teng Sen was a gentleman when he asked him, but now it seems like, bah!

Xiao Zuochen got on the carriage. Yun You, who was standing beside him, was waiting for Prince Qing to get on before removing the steps. At this moment, Xiao Zuoqing, who was standing on the steps, suddenly felt unsteady.

"Eh? Eh!"

Yunyou, who was standing beside him, was so scared that she quickly supported him, telling him not to blame herself if he got broken.

Xiao Zuoqing was supported by Yunyou and was about to thank her when he was stopped by a voice.

"Your Majesty~"

Xiao Zuoqing turned his head and saw that his own carriage was approaching not far away, and Baili Qing's maid was lifting the curtain for her.

"My Lord, today is the Qiqiao Festival. Don't you plan to celebrate with me?"

Baili Qing said this, but there was no gentleness in her tone, and her eyes were fixed on Yunyou.

Yunyou raised her eyebrows and thought to herself, oh no, could this woman have misunderstood again?

But Yunyou's action was seen as a provocation in Baili Qing's eyes.

Xiao Zuoqing stood between the two of them but did not notice the strange atmosphere. He turned and said to Xiao Zuochen.

"I'm going to celebrate with my princess. Let's meet again another day."

Xiao Zuochen nodded, and Xiao Zuoqing finally got on his own carriage.

It seemed that no one noticed Baili Qing's eyes, but Teng Sen on the side secretly raised the corner of his mouth.

"What are you laughing at?"

"Nothing, I just found something interesting."