Mad Queen Leaves the Palace

Dingding quickly changed her clothes and walked briskly towards Xiao Lan's room. Upon entering, she saw Xiao Lan sitting elegantly before her dressing table. Pointing slightly to the exquisite table, she said softly, "There are two white bottles in the drawer. Make sure you take them with you. As for what's inside, I'm sure you know perfectly well. We're going to the Xiao Marquis's residence later for the blood test, and they'll definitely be needed then."

Upon hearing this, Dingding smiled slightly and replied, "Miss, sometimes even I find it quite puzzling. Look at you, clearly just a young lady from a wealthy family confined to her chambers, yet you know far more than I, a martial arts practitioner who once specialized in pharmacology!" In truth, Dingding was fully aware of the contents of the two white bottles Xiao Lan had mentioned. Not long ago, Xiao Lan had explained to her in detail that mixing alum and vinegar separately could cleverly alter the final result of a blood test for kinship. Moreover, to ensure absolute certainty, the young lady had even specifically instructed her to conduct several experiments herself. And the results of each experiment fully proved that this method was indeed effective.

"People should always be knowledgeable and versatile! As the saying goes, 'Among three people walking together, there must be one who can teach me.' Everyone has different areas of expertise. What you know may be an unknown field for me; and the skills I possess may be something you have never explored! Therefore, whether in daily life or in dealing with others, we should always maintain a humble and eager-to-learn attitude." Xiao Lan said these words with a smile and a gentle tone.

Standing to the side, Dingding gazed at Xiao Lan with admiration, secretly thinking: how wonderful it would be if she and her sister could have received a good education from a young age! Unfortunately, even now, Dingding remained unaware of a cruel truth—she should have been born like her sister Dangdang, noble and pampered, like royalty. But fate had played a cruel trick on them; they had been heartlessly abandoned by a heartless person…

Just then, Xiao Lan, along with Dingding, Dangdang, and the rest of the Imperial Guards, headed to the Prefectural Governor's residence in Xiwu Prefecture. Upon their arrival, they found Prefect Liu already waiting for them. Prefect Liu was dressed in a blue robe, black boots, and an ivory hat symbolizing his rank as a fourth-grade official. When he saw Xiao Lan and her party, he immediately stepped forward and respectfully bowed to Xiao Lan, saying, "This humble official, Liu Pengfei, greets Miss Xiao."

The imperial edict from the capital had already reached the distant Xiwu Prefecture by dawn. When Prefect Liu learned of this news, he was filled with surprise and emotion. It turned out that the much-anticipated Miss Xiao had actually received the Emperor's favor! Although she had not yet been formally married to the Fifth Prince, the Emperor had already ordered that all officials along the route treat her with the courtesy due to a prince's consort.

Thinking of this, Prefect Liu secretly rejoiced. He was thankful that he had heeded his advisor's advice last night and treated the guards who had escorted Miss Xiao to a good meal. Otherwise, if he had been even slightly negligent, he would likely be facing considerable trouble right now.

Meanwhile, Xiao Lan saw Prefect Liu, dressed in solemn official robes, come to pay his respects and bow to her. She immediately understood that the Emperor's edict had arrived. However, for Xiao Lan, the situation was actually exactly what she wanted. Her purpose in coming here was to resolve the matter of Lady Jin, and to accomplish this smoothly, she would undoubtedly need Prefect Liu's strong assistance. Furthermore, Prefect Liu's exceptional care for her subordinates the previous night had already left Xiao Lan with a very good impression of him.

So, Xiao Lan smiled and said in a friendly tone, "Your Excellency, you are too kind. The reason I only sent someone to inform you beforehand, instead of visiting you in person, is because I was carrying out an imperial decree. This trip was a secret mission, which caused many inconveniences. I hope Your Excellency will understand." After speaking, Xiao Lan returned Liu Pengfei's bow gracefully. After all, there were still many things he would need to rely on Lord Liu's help with.

With a smile, Liu Pengfei invited Xiao Lan and Yue Jiangchuan into the spacious and bright hall, and warmly invited them to sit down and have some tea. As the two picked up their teacups and took a sip, Dingding quietly asked Xiao Lan for permission. After receiving her permission, she hurriedly left to find Li Yuan, led by the steward of the prefectural governor's mansion.

While waiting for Dingding and Li Yuan's return, Xiao Lan initiated a relaxed and pleasant conversation with Liu Pengfei. After a deeper exchange, Xiao Lan was surprised to discover that this seemingly young man, Lord Liu, was actually about the same age as her father. It turned out that Liu Pengfei was originally from Huizhou Prefecture. Because his aunt had married and moved to the capital and had been unable to bear children, his family decided to have him adopted by her, and he changed his surname to Liu. This is why rumors circulated that he was a member of the Liu family.

Having learned this background information, Xiao Lan naturally exchanged a few polite words. She first expressed keen interest in Liu Pengfei's background, then subtly revealed the true purpose of her visit—to request the prefect's assistance in inviting her grandfather to the prefect's residence for lunch. Moreover, Xiao Lan emphasized that the dinner was expected to last at least two hours. However, she quickly added that she was unaware beforehand that Prefect Liu was hosting the lunch, and also stated that she would not be dining with the prefect and his entourage.

Liu Pengfei asked with a puzzled look, "Why doesn't Miss Xiao dine with the Marquis?"

Miss Xiao frowned slightly, sighed helplessly, and slowly said, "Your Excellency, you are unaware of this! My grandfather's household has a concubine who, relying on having given birth to a child, acts as the mistress of the Marquis's mansion in our Xiwu Prefecture. What's even more outrageous is that she has now instructed her granddaughter to impersonate me! You must know that His Majesty has ordered all prefectures along the route to treat me with the courtesy due to a prince's consort. Therefore, this is no longer just a matter within our Marquis's household, but a blatant disregard for the imperial authority! Although I originally hoped to minimize the impact of this matter, it is truly difficult to handle. After all, that concubine has given birth to several children..." "If my grandfather were to handle the children's affairs, the entire Marquis's mansion would be thrown into chaos, a truly unbearable sight. Therefore, it's better for me to play the villain. Besides, Commander Yue is also here, so it's perfectly legitimate to entrust some matters to the Imperial Guards. However, I hope that you, Prefect, can be tactful in conveying these details to my grandfather. I will leave a copy of the confession obtained yesterday for you. If my grandfather, after reading it, still insists on returning to the Marquis's mansion, you don't need to force him to stay. Just subtly hint to him that when he returns, it will be the Marquis's mansion's end."

After hearing Xiao Lan's words, Liu Pengfei was startled and thought to himself, "This Miss Xiao is indeed a ruthless person!"

It's important to understand that if Marquis Xiao Zhenwei truly allows Xiao Lan to punish Lady Jin, then from that moment on, everyone in Xiwu Prefecture will clearly know that Xiao Lan is the rightful legitimate granddaughter of the Marquis's household. In this way, Marquis Xiao's previous reputation for favoring his concubine over his wife will be definitively confirmed. Moreover, even Lady Jin's children, who have always flaunted their status as legitimate granddaughters of the Marquis's household, will likely all face punishment because of this matter.

However, if Marquis Xiao were to act foolishly and insist on assuming the role of a grandfather, questioning Xiao Lan and fiercely protecting Lady Jin, then Lord Yue of the Imperial Guard would certainly not stand idly by. He would undoubtedly step forward without hesitation, relying on His Majesty's authority to directly attack Marquis Xiao's residence. Even if Marquis Xiao's residence could not be convicted today, what would happen after Xiao Lan returned to the capital? Presumably, Marquis Xiao's residence would then face an even more severe situation.

Thinking of this, Liu Pengfei couldn't help but feel a wave of fear. After all, he had gone through countless hardships to get away from the troublesome capital city, and he really didn't want to needlessly provoke people and trouble from the capital again. After careful consideration, Liu Pengfei finally understood the intricate relationships and the pros and cons involved, so he readily nodded, indicating his willingness to help Xiao Lan find a way to get rid of Xiao Zhenwei.

However, at this moment, Liu Pengfei hesitated slightly before continuing, "Miss Xiao, the Xiao Marquis's residence is ultimately located within the territory of my Xiwu Prefecture, and we will likely encounter each other frequently in the future. So..." He paused here, not finishing his sentence, but his gaze was fixed intently on Xiao Lan, his eyes conveying an unspoken meaning. He clearly believed that someone as intelligent as her would understand his deepest concerns.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Lan showed no displeasure or embarrassment. Instead, she smiled and readily replied, "Your Excellency can rest assured. In this matter, I will at most impose a slight punishment as a warning to others. I will not easily harm anyone."

Hearing Xiao Lan make such a decisive promise, the prefect finally felt relieved, and a relieved smile appeared on his face. Immediately afterward, he didn't dare delay and quickly ordered his men to invite Xiao Zhenwei to the prefect's residence for a chat.

Before long, the servant returned running to report that Marquis Xiao had already set off for the Prefect's residence. Upon receiving this news, Xiao Lan made a decisive move, rising without hesitation to bid farewell to the Prefect. She gracefully led her entourage of Imperial Guards and personal bodyguards, then strode quickly into her carriage and headed towards Marquis Xiao's residence.

Marquis Xiao Zhenwei is now over sixty-five years old. Time waits for no one! His once vigorous figure is no longer what it used to be, and he no longer rides on horseback with the same spiritedness as when he was young. Instead, he travels in a safe and comfortable carriage.

However, on that very day, Prefect Liu, fearing that Xiao Zhenwei would rush back to the Marquis's residence upon receiving news of the incident, directly dispatched a magnificent carriage to welcome the highly respected old Marquis. The Prefect claimed that he hadn't seen Marquis Xiao for a long time and missed him dearly, therefore he had prepared a small banquet to invite Marquis Xiao to a gathering, hoping to take the opportunity to ask him some thorny questions.

Although Xiao Zhenwei had faded from the officialdom, he still harbored a deep interest and attachment to serving in government. Now, a prefect was so humbly and politely inviting him to a banquet, treating him with the respect due to a student—how could he not be overjoyed? Therefore, Xiao Zhenwei made no attempt to refuse and readily accepted. He turned and whispered a few words to Xiao Jin beside him, then led his entourage onto the carriage that had come to fetch them from the prefect's residence. As the wheels slowly turned, the group gradually headed towards the prefect's mansion…

After leaving the prefectural governor's mansion, Xiao Lan deliberately chose a circuitous route to the marquis's residence, completely abandoning the shortcut that was right next door. Her reason for doing so was simple—she feared an unexpected encounter with her troublesome grandfather, Xiao Zhenwei. Along the way, Xiao Lan silently prayed that nothing unexpected would happen.

Finally, they were getting closer to the Xiao Marquis's residence. Xiao Lan took a deep breath and decisively ordered the Imperial Guards and bodyguards accompanying her to quickly form ranks and slowly unfurl the magnificent ceremonial procession. This action immediately attracted the attention of the surrounding people. Passersby who had been hurrying by in the distance stopped to watch, and in no time, many curious people began to gather in their direction.

It must be said that although Xiwu Prefecture is located in Jiangnan, its people are quite fierce. The residents, especially those in the city, are particularly interested in any lively scene. Xiao Lan remembered hearing about this when she was young: a notorious bully in Xiwu Prefecture had beaten his own wife to death in broad daylight! After such a shocking incident, the scene was quickly surrounded by layers upon layers of people. It was said that the yamen runners who arrived later struggled to squeeze through the crowd to handle the matter. At the time, Xiao Lan couldn't help but wonder if the bully hadn't managed to escape because he was crushed by the crowd. Now, thinking about it, it wasn't impossible…