The little heroine investigates a mysterious case

Empress Dowager Nie pulled Zhao Xuan to sit on her other side, and nodded to Gu Zhanghua, who then sat down next to Zhao Xuan.

A palace maid hurried forward to add tea to Tian Shang.

Empress Dowager Nie took Zhao Xuan's hand, placed it in her palm, patted it, and sighed.

"Who says she isn't? When I first brought her out of the palace, she was as thin as a stick of firewood. I wanted to keep her by my side and take good care of her, but she was sent away to marry after only two days."

Empress Dowager Nie looked at Zhao Xuan with a loving face, then turned and leaned over to speak to Tian Shang.

"I haven't had time to teach her etiquette yet, and I was always worried that she might make a mistake on the way, or that she might misbehave and be disliked by her husband after she gets married. Fortunately, she is back home safely for the New Year.

Her husband seems so gentle and loving. Our little pomegranate is truly blessed after all the hard work.

Tian Shang picked up the teacup and took a sip. He put it down and smiled, but the smile did not reach his eyes.

"So that's what you think. No wonder. I remember you found Shi Liu in the Ye Ting when she was five years old. But after that, due to your status, it was inconvenient for you to move around in the Ye Ting, and you never met Shi Liu again."

Tian Shang lowered his eyes, undercurrents surging in them. He took a deep breath and continued.

"It was not until she was recommended for marriage by you according to my plan that you saw her for the second time."

The Queen Mother's face turned a little ugly when she heard this.

"Your Majesty, are you blaming me for not caring for Shi Liu?"

Tian Shang suddenly looked at Zhao Xuan. Zhao Xuan sat there obediently with her head lowered, not responding at all.

She knew in her heart that Tian Shang was telling her that the reason she could fool the Queen Mother was not because of her great ability, but because the Queen Mother could find a loophole.

I have only seen two sides of a pomegranate in my life, so how can I tell the real one from the fake one?

"I don't mean to blame my mother. I just think Shi Liu is really lucky. I have a brother like her who sneaks to visit her in the palace from time to time and brings her some food and daily necessities."

Tian Shang said this and looked at Zhao Xuan meaningfully.

"Royal sister, do you still remember what your favorite food is?"

Zhao Xuan had to look up at Tian Shang, and there was a dagger hidden in Tian Shang's eyes.

She was just about to go out of her way to make up a food, but Tian Shang waved his hand and continued without waiting for her to answer.

"Of course you don't remember, so don't answer!"

Zhao Xuan simply shut up. Tian Shang's words and actions showed that she was not Tian Shiliu, but he did not say it explicitly because he was in front of the empress dowager.

Tian Shang smiled faintly at Empress Dowager Nie.

"I wanted to accompany my mother to entertain Shi Liu, but now I have important matters to attend to. I'll trouble you to accompany me."

Tian Shang stood up and looked at Zhao Xuan again, his voice sounding particularly kind.

"After you finish lunch with Mother, Ninth Brother will be waiting for you in the Imperial Study. How about we catch up on the past?"

Zhao Xuan stood up and bowed to Tian Shang.

"Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty. Shi Liu will not be negligent and will go there in person to speak with Your Majesty when the time comes!"

"Okay! Okay!"

Tian Shang turned and walked towards the entrance of the hall, bursting into laughter along the way.

Empress Dowager Nie smiled sweetly, held Zhao Xuan's hand tightly, and said angrily:

"This child, perhaps he is too happy to see his sister come home. You don't have to rush for a while. Eat slowly and spend more time talking to me. His Majesty won't mind."

"I know."

Zhao Xuan answered obediently.

Nanny Feng walked quickly into the hall and said to Empress Dowager Nie.

"Your Majesty, it's time for lunch."

Empress Dowager Nie stood up and walked towards the side hall with Zhao Xuan by her hand, followed closely by Gu Zhanghua.

There was a large table in the side hall, which was already filled with various dishes. The three of them sat down one by one.

Nanny Feng stepped forward to serve food to everyone, but was stopped by Empress Dowager Nie, who took the initiative to put a piece of food into Zhao Xuan's bowl.

"You've never had anything good to eat since you were a kid. Today, we're serving special dishes from the Kingdom of Yue. Come and try this honey-glazed barbecued pork. Is it delicious?"

Then she called Gu Zhanghua.

"My dear son-in-law, you should eat quickly too. You two should eat more. There is no need to follow any rules."

Zhao Xuan got up early in the morning, dressed up, and only drank a bowl of porridge. At this time, her stomach was already rumbling with hunger. When she heard Empress Dowager Nie say that there was no need to follow the rules, she immediately let go and ate with big mouthfuls of porridge with relish.

Empress Dowager Nie watched and laughed.

"Seeing you eating so deliciously, I'm also hungry!"

Nanny Feng was serving on the side. She saw that Empress Dowager Nie ate one more bowl of rice than usual, and even drank a bowl of soup, which she usually didn't like very much. She looked at Zhao Xuan and Gu Zhanghua with even greater favor.

Zhao Xuan really wanted to be nice to Empress Dowager Nie. If it weren't for Empress Dowager Nie's care, Tian Shiliu would never have survived the marriage to the Kingdom of Yue. She wanted to show her filial piety to the Empress Dowager on behalf of the deceased Tian Shiliu.

Gu Zhanghua and Zhao Xuan were in perfect sync and knew what Zhao Xuan meant. Gu Zhanghua had no intention of playing around, but instead, he and Zhao Xuan talked about interesting things that happened in Xia Country during the meal, which made the Queen Mother smile and blush.

?

The official residence of the Ministry of Rites.

In just one month, I was in a state of constant fear and anxiety. I almost became skinny and had nightmares every day. It felt like there was a knife hanging over my head, and I didn't know when it would cut off my neck.

On this day, the envoy was holding a roll of documents in a daze, and a servant walked up to him.

"Sir, His Majesty has sent someone to question you. Please wait in the front hall."

As he slid off the chair and under the desk, his back was soaked with sweat and cold sweat was oozing out of his pores on his head. He almost wet his pants.

The servant hurried forward to help the envoy up and brushed the dust off his official uniform.

"Sir, what's the matter with you? The gentleman who came seemed very kind."

The servant's eyes suddenly lit up, and he smiled flatteringly at the envoy, saying, "The last time His Majesty summoned you, he not only promoted you but also gave you many rewards."

"Sir, could it be that His Majesty is going to honor you again? You are truly blessed!"

The envoy walked towards the front hall tremblingly, thinking that what was coming would eventually come. He had already known yesterday that the princess and her husband were staying in the Honglu Temple, and that His Majesty would summon them this morning.

Calculating the time, it is almost noon now. His Majesty should have met the princess. If His Majesty and the princess had a good chat, why would he send someone to question him?

It must be nothing good!

The envoy closed his eyes, a hint of death appeared on his face, but he still turned his head to look at the servant and whispered something.

"Lend your auspicious words."

The envoy, supported by a servant, managed to walk to the front hall. Without even seeing the person who came, his legs went weak and he fell to his knees, kowtowed.

"Long live your majesty!"

Wang Huai was stunned for a moment, then quickly stood up and stepped aside, without beating around the bush and asked the envoy directly.

"No need for such grand formalities. Your Majesty sent me here to ask you, when you were the chief envoy escorting Princess Pomegranate to the Kingdom of Yue for a marriage alliance, whether you can confirm that it was the princess herself who married the virtuous king."

The envoy prostrated himself on the ground, not daring to look up. He thought that His Majesty was indeed suspicious of the princess's identity, but was unsure and had come to him to verify it.

The envoy seemed to smell a glimmer of hope and decided to hold on for as long as possible.

"I am absolutely certain that the one marrying the virtuous king of Xia is Princess Tian Shiliu herself!"

When Wang Huai heard the envoy's certainty, he was a little unsure. Perhaps something happened after Princess Pomegranate got married, so she was replaced?

"Go and bring the other four deputy envoys here. I want to question them one by one."

The envoy just wanted to lie down. All his strength had been drained from his body and he was unable to get up. Seeing this, the servant hurried forward and dragged the envoy up.

The envoy staggered out of the front hall with the help of a servant.

Wang Huai waited for a whole incense stick before the chief envoy and four deputy envoys came to the front hall and knelt on the ground one by one.

Wang Huai asked each one one by one, and the answers of each deputy envoy were exactly the same as those of the chief envoy.

Wang Huai twirled his beard and nodded with satisfaction. The ministers of Yue State really respected His Majesty as a god. They felt honored to ask him a question!

Wang Huai walked out of the front hall quickly and hurried back to the palace to report to Tian Shang.

When the five kneeling people saw Wang Huai leave, their faces turned pale and they collapsed to the ground. Their trouser legs were wet and there was a puddle of water under each of their buttocks.

You guessed it right, the five envoys and deputy envoys were so scared that they peed their pants!