The little heroine investigates a mysterious case

Not to mention that Zhao Xuan took Gu Zhanghua to have breakfast.

At this time in Qilan Palace, Xiao Aiyue was in a good mood. She sat in front of the dressing table, and Luluo was giving her a head massage. Xiao Aiyue closed her eyes and enjoyed it.

The other maids stood on both sides, not daring to make a sound. They all knew that whenever Luluo gave the empress a massage, it was the most comfortable and relaxing moment for the empress. If anyone made any noise and disturbed the empress, the empress would be expelled from the palace at the worst, or fined and beaten with a stick at the least.

Luoluo was enjoying the moment, too. Her massage technique was so refined she didn't even need to think. While she was massaging the Empress, her mind was on something else. What else could it be? Of course, to this day, she still regretted it constantly. Why had she gone to such lengths, this master-servant affair, messing things up? Letting that little girl, Qing'e, take advantage!

The Empress went to the Xian Prince's Mansion and came back to nag her. She might have ignored everything else, but she cared about how Qing'e was doing there. The Empress said Qing'e was having a wonderful time. Her little face was round like a big apple, and her skin was so moisturized you could squeeze water out of it! She was as lively and energetic as a little monkey, so full of energy!

But what about herself?

The maid who would replace Qing'e hadn't been chosen yet, so she could only silently endure the Empress's unpredictable temper. Lately, she'd been having palpitations, often waking up in the middle of the night. Her complexion was unsightly, and she couldn't face anyone without applying thick powder. Sigh, Luluo sighed inwardly.

There was complete silence in the bedroom, and one could hear a pin drop. Luluo was lost in thought, sighing, when suddenly she heard the empress giggling.

Luoluo was so scared that her hands were shaking, and her first reaction was to kneel down and apologize.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me..."

Although Luoluo couldn't tell if it was because her hand was shaking that she hurt the queen's scalp, but admitting her mistake directly was the right thing to do! On the point of confession and leniency, the queen could still do it.

The other maids were also frightened by Xiao Aiyue's sudden laughter. Seeing Luoluo kneeling down, they didn't know whether Luoluo had made a mistake or for some other reason, so they subconsciously followed Luoluo's example and knelt down and apologized in unison: "Your Majesty, please forgive me!"

Xiao Aiyue was completely confused.

"What are you doing? Get up!"

Seeing that Xiao Aiyue was full of joy, Luoluo knew there was no sign of punishment, so she stood up, and the other maids followed her.

Luoluo asked hurriedly: "My Lady, are you still pressing it?"

Xiao Aiyue smiled and waved her hands: "You are tired too, take a rest!"

Luoluo agreed and began to tidy up the dressing table. Then she heard the Queen ask her, "Guess what I just thought of? What made me so happy?"

Luoluo was already accustomed to this routine. Since the empress asked this, she had to hand over the ladder and act as a supporting role, so she just opened her mouth and did it.

"How dare I guess what's on your mind, Your Majesty? If you're happy to tell me, I'm all ears!"

Xiao Aiyue didn't say anything immediately, but waved to all the palace maids in the bedroom to gather around her, and then she spoke with a look of longing.

"Let me tell you! You don't know! My daughter-in-law, the virtuous princess, loves everything she eats! She's in great shape! You can tell she's fertile! I was just thinking, in a year or two, she'll definitely give me a big, fat grandson! Oh no, maybe even two! Twins! Or a boy and a girl! Just thinking about it makes me happy! Do you think my wish will come true?!"

Luoluo was the first to flatter her: "Of course! Your Majesty always makes her wishes come true!"

Xiao Aiyue frowned: "Not really, for so many years, I have wanted His Majesty to meet Xiao Wu, but it has not been possible, right?!"

Luluo felt bitter in her heart, but she quickly responded, "Then I wish that everything your Majesty wishes for will come true from today on!"

"Then I would like Your Majesty to meet Xiao Wu today. Is that possible?"

Luluo thought quickly and returned to the original topic: "This is what I think. If the virtuous princess can give birth to a little prince as soon as possible, this will be your majesty's first grandson. They say that grandchildren are closer than grandchildren. If your majesty is happy, perhaps it will come true!"

Xiao Aiyue nodded: "I like to hear that!"

Luoluo quietly clenched her fists. She had gotten away with it! Her life was saved for the day!

Prince Xian’s Mansion.

After breakfast, Zhao Xuan and Gu Zhanghua gathered in the study to continue chatting. It wasn’t really a chat, but more like Gu Zhanghua asking questions and Zhao Xuan answering.

Gu Zhanghua asked, "You said you are still the head of Jiaoyang Valley, Daylily. How do you prove it?"

Zhao Xuan replied, "That's easy. When it's almost lunchtime, I'll take you out and let you meet a few people. They can all serve as my witnesses. Let's put this question aside for now!"

Gu Zhanghua asked again: "Why did you hide these things from me for so long? Why are you telling me now?"

Zhao Xuan immediately raged and complained, "As soon as I arrived in Liyang, I was in trouble. I came here to marry you, but you pushed me onto the True King! I transformed into a little heroine so you could marry me, and I asked you to slit your wrists with a dagger? Did I ask you to die? I finally got married to you, but those ladies in the True King's Palace are picking on me again! They threw me a Hongmen Feast! And your mother, first she used a trick on me and planted Qing'e as an undercover agent in the palace, and then I had to go to great lengths to deal with Qing'e! And then I had to deal with your mother's various questions! These messes are enough to give me a headache, so how could I even have a chance to talk to you properly? And now you're blaming me?"

Zhao Xuan grew increasingly angry as she spoke. Even so, she had still given Gu Zhanghua face. She hadn't even accused him of being a monster yet! He had actually managed to piece together the entire incident based on her lies, leaving her in a state of panic. It was truly tragic!

Gu Zhanghua originally wanted to refute it. If he had not discovered with his own eyes that Tian Shiliu and the little heroine were the same person, would the princess have taken the initiative to admit her true identity?

But when he looked at the girl in front of him, still dressed the same as last night, a floral dress with a big braid behind her head, but now her hair was a little messy, her clothes were wrinkled, and she had two big dark circles under her eyes, he couldn't bear it.

"You stayed up all night watching over me. Didn't you sleep?"

"I'm not sleeping! I was just joking with you, but you were so desperate. How could I not be worried? How could I sleep?"

Gu Zhanghua smiled awkwardly: "I can't help it. The imperial physician said it was a heart disease. Then let me ask you one last question. Whether it's the little heroine or the daylily, what is your purpose in using Tian Shiliu's identity to marry me?"

"Isn't it obvious? Clear Jiaoyang Valley's name, then accept the amnesty and find a way for everyone to survive!"

"One more question..."

"Wasn't that the last one just now?"

"I just remembered..."

"Okay, ask!"

Gu Zhanghua stared at Zhao Xuan and said, "Back in Jiaoyang Valley, why did you transform into a little heroine to save me? Why didn't you just say you were the big boss, Daylily?"

"Are you stupid?! My brothers and sisters tricked you into doing that, forcing you to marry a grown man. Shouldn't I fill the hole for them?! Smooth the mess over?! You wanted to flatten Jiaoyang Valley with a single blow of your sword, and how dare I say I'm the boss?!"

Gu Zhanghua looked at Zhao Xuan with sympathy and made a sincere summary.

“It’s really not easy for you!”

Zhao Xuan folded her arms across her chest and said, "That's right! Do you think I'm just like you, with food and clothes provided for me?"

Gu Zhanghua coughed non-stop after being confronted by Zhao Xuan. After a moment, he remembered something and asked Zhao Xuan, "Didn't you have something to tell me before breakfast? What was it?"

"I would have forgotten if you hadn't mentioned it. I wanted to tell you that the pastry chef Qin Chuyun was talking about was also me!"

Gu Zhanghua was like a curious baby, not understanding why he asked, "Why does the boss want to be a pastry chef?"

Zhao Xuan replied confidently, "Do you understand the importance of earning money to support your family? You really don't! Xian Wangfu isn't short of money! But there are over a hundred people in Jiaoyang Valley. If they don't earn enough to support themselves, are they all going to starve? As the head of the family, shouldn't I set an example?"

Gu Zhanghua was speechless again, but he was already a little used to it.

"I understand. All of this happened because you became the Evil Slayer. Did you have to become that sword given the circumstances? There must be another way, right?"

Zhao Xuan looked at Gu Zhanghua and suddenly let out a long sigh.

"Let me tell you, it's really hard to put yourself in someone else's shoes. It's even harder to put yourself in someone else's shoes!"