The little heroine investigates a mysterious case

Zhao Xuan can guarantee that the story she made up this time is more logical and the details are more realistic than the previous ones. She thinks the heroine in the story should be her master herself. Her master was a chivalrous man in the past and must have saved many people in distress. Now that her master is dead, she wants her master to live on in her story, which can also be used to express her grief for her master.

When Zhao Xuan thought of her master, she felt so sad that she wanted to cry. Xiao Aiyue was staring at Zhao Xuan's face, mistakenly thinking that Zhao Xuan was so aggrieved that she was about to cry, but she still didn't quite believe it.

"Is this true? This is too absurd! Why would a mysterious and unrelated master have a connection with a forsaken child like you? Why would he go to such lengths to rescue you and even teach you martial arts? And even let you fly?"

"Mom!" Gu Zhanghua stepped forward and took his mother's hand. "I also found it strange when I heard Shi Liu say that at first, but after thinking about it, it's not impossible. Oh, Shi Liu told me that her mother knew some kung fu back then, and her family ran a martial arts school. Because she was beautiful, she was forcibly taken into the palace and became a concubine of the Yue Emperor. But not long after, she was neglected by the Yue Emperor. So, the female warrior who taught Shi Liu kung fu is very likely her mother's good sister or a relative..."

"That's understandable..."

Xiao Aiyue became anxious again when she saw the red, swollen pigeon egg-sized bump on her son's forehead.

"Tian Shiliu, you really impressed me! You're so great at flying, right? But you can't kick my son into the water with one kick, right?!"

Zhao Xuan looked at Gu Zhanghua in confusion: "I kicked you? How come I didn't know?"

"I don't blame you!" Gu Zhanghua explained to Zhao Xuan with a smile, "When I saw Qiqi stuck in the crevice, I was extremely anxious. I saw you were anxious too, and I immediately wanted to take action! I thought you were going to wade across the river, but the water was so deep. I was afraid you would fall in, so I quickly pulled you up. But I didn't catch you, and you flew up, kicking me in the head. I know you didn't mean to do that, it was just a misunderstanding. It's... it's all my fault!"

Zhao Xuan looked at Gu Zhanghua in amazement.

"Is it really me who kicked him? Are you not lying?"

Xiao Aiyue stepped briskly to stand between Gu Zhanghua and Zhao Xuan, pointing at Zhao Xuan's nose, and angrily said, "Are you still pretending to be stupid?! I think you are here with bad intentions! The first time my son met you, you stabbed him. Only a few days after you got married? And you kicked him again! Are you done yet? Tell me! Who ordered you here? What's your intention?!"

Gu Zhanghua quickly got between his mother and Zhao Xuan, protecting Zhao Xuan and pleading with his mother, "Mom, please spare Shi Liu for my sake! It really was a misunderstanding! Shi Liu really wanted to save Qi Qi! It was a completely unintentional mistake!"

After saying that, he turned and looked at Zhao Xuan.

"Everyone saw it. You kicked me, but I felt... embarrassed, so I didn't tell you. Besides, if you hadn't saved Qiqi, she would have died! Compared to Qiqi's life, one kick is nothing! Two kicks! Three kicks! Any number of kicks will do!!"

Xiao Aiyue really couldn't continue listening. Thinking about her son being kicked by Tian Shiliu, she felt like crying but had no tears. How could her son actually accept it?

As expected, the sweetness of young people these days is incredibly bizarre, something she, a member of the older generation, couldn't handle. With her son's backing, any further attempts to teach Tian Shiliu a lesson would be a waste of time! The victim denied being assaulted, and the abused even goaded the attackers into beating them! She rushed to support her son and seek justice for him, but he single-mindedly sided with his wife. Where's her pride?!

Xiao Aiyue decided to go home immediately. She didn't want to see Tian Shiliu again in the short term, and she didn't want to see her son either!

As soon as Xiao Aiyue was sent away, Chunlan entered the Prince Xian's Mansion in a sedan chair. The sedan chair was carried all the way to the yard in front of the new house before it stopped.

Chunlan lifted the curtain of the sedan chair and helped out a woman in her forties. Her face was pale and she was gasping for breath.

Chunlan reported to the bedroom: "Princess, I've brought the person here!"

Zhao Xuan was taking a nap in the room. She had just explained everything to Concubine Shu. If Xiao Wu hadn't been there to help her, she would have almost been unable to justify herself. But she never expected that she would accidentally hurt Xiao Wu!

Zhao Xuan recalled that when she was a child, Xiaowu often got bruised and battered because of her. Could it be that it was because Xiaowu wanted to help her first?

Zhao Xuan was thinking about something, and when she heard Chunlan's voice, she stood up and looked at Qing'e who was quietly embroidering in the room and accompanying her.

"Qing'e, come with me."

Qing'e hurriedly put down the work in her hands and followed Zhao Xuan into the yard.

As soon as Qing'e saw the woman's appearance, she screamed and covered her mouth, then burst into tears and ran forward to hug the woman.

"Mother! Mother...why...why are you here?"

The woman stroked Qing'e's hair and said softly, "It was the princess. The princess sent someone to take me into the palace..."

Qing'e looked up at Zhao Xuan with tears in her eyes.

"princess?"

Zhao Xuan smiled and said, "I know you are filial. Although your mother has been ill for many days, the palace rules are strict and you cannot leave the palace to serve her at any time. I will send Chunlan to bring your mother to live in the palace. In the future, you will take care of your mother in your free time. I will ask the imperial physician to treat your mother."

"This...how can this be allowed?" Qing'e said hurriedly, "This is against palace rules..."

"Rules are made by people. This is the rule in my Xianwang Mansion. Only in this way can you do your work with peace of mind."

After Zhao Xuan finished speaking, she looked at Chunlan and instructed, "Take the old lady to rest first. Qing'e and I still have something to say."

Chunlan took the order and left with the woman.

Only then did Zhao Xuan walk up to Qing'e, hold her hand, and look at her sincerely.

"Qing'e, to be honest, I did this for selfish reasons. I know you're Empress Shufei's person, and I originally just wanted to see if there was any way I could use you for my own benefit. But now I don't think so. I truly regard you as a good sister. You also know my background. I don't understand many rules and etiquette, and I have some inappropriate ways in my interactions with others. I need you to be by my side and give me advice at any time..."

Qing'e was immediately panicked: "Princess, this... this is too humiliating for me, how can I dare to..."

Zhao Xuan said sincerely, "You've been with the Empress for so many years, so of course you know she's not easy to serve. But the fact that you've become her personal maid and earned her immense trust means you must have something extraordinary. There's no need to be modest, it's just..."

Qing'e has always been good at reading people's expressions. Seeing that Zhao Xuan was in trouble, she immediately expressed her loyalty.

"Princess, if you have any difficulties, please feel free to tell me. I will do my best to help you!"

"It's just...oh well, forget it!"

Zhao Xuan was so picky about her words that she almost swallowed her tongue. She decided to solve the problem directly.

"Qing'e! Let me be frank. Every family has its own problems, but the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law is not easy to deal with, whether it's among ordinary people or in the imperial palace! Qing'e, you see, the Empress scolded me again today. If you can just have some pity on me, I'll help you treat your mother's illness, and you can help me say more good things about me in front of the Empress! Okay? Don't worry, I won't let you betray the Empress! I promise, I swear!"

Seeing Zhao Xuan raise her hand to swear, Qing'e quickly grabbed her arm and said, "This is nothing! I didn't understand the princess before I came to the Xianwang Mansion, but after spending the past few days with her, I really feel that the princess handles things very appropriately. Although based on my previous experience, it is indeed a bit erratic, but it's not a big deal. Her starting point is good. Don't worry, princess, Qing'e will definitely help you!"

"Really? You agreed so quickly? Don't you want to think it over carefully?"

Qing'e thought to herself, "You've already taken my mother to the palace as a hostage, so what else do I have to consider? But the princess is a good person. Everyone in the palace likes her, and the prince also likes her. With everyone in the palace united, what could go wrong? I can't just make up a story and go to Concubine Shu to complain about the princess, right?!"

"Don't worry, Princess. I've really thought it through!"

Zhao Xuan finally sighed, "Just think it over! I'm really worried that you'll go to the Empress and tell tales about me. That would be terrible for me!"

Qing'e scolded, "Princess, you are such a fool! Do you really have to be so clear?"

Zhao Xuan pointed to her head and said, "I don't want to do that either, but I don't want to have a knife hanging over my head every day!"

"Princess, you're going too far! Am I that scary?!"