Time travel, quick transmigration

Seeing Jiang He's sly smile, Xiao Huanling also lowered his brows and smiled gently.

"Go on, stop chattering and making a ruckus here."

Upon hearing this, Jiang He pouted unconvinced.

"I'm leaving then. Honestly, who was I nagging about for? Wasn't it because I cared about you? Good deeds don't always get rewarded!"

Jiang He muttered a few words to himself before taking the basin of water, cloth, and scissors that Xiao Huanling had used to clean his wounds and leaving.

Before leaving, she glared at Xiao Huanling, who had handsome brows and a cold expression.

At this moment, Xiao Huanling was preoccupied with Shi Yan's reply. He got up from the mahogany chair and walked to the window, looking at the sky where a few birds occasionally flew by and a few white clouds drifted by.

"What kind of expression will you have when you see my letter? What kind of mood will you be in? I know I shouldn't cause you any trouble, and I shouldn't have spoken so frankly about the feelings hidden deep in my heart, but I can't control my heart. Now that you know I'm in love with you, I'm even less willing to hide or suppress my feelings for you. Don't worry, as long as you're willing to respond to me, as long as you're willing to leave with me, I'll take you away no matter what difficulties I face."

He knew all too well how to win over and win people's hearts. In the past few years, since he took over the Jinwu Guard, the entire Jinwu Guard had followed his lead. This time in Luoyang, he had several thousand more guards under his command, and of course he wanted to seize the opportunity to turn these guards into his own people.

He is no longer the Xiao Huanling who had nothing before. Now he has the ability to protect his loved ones and the strength to fight against imperial power for them.

"I would go even if it meant facing a million people, as long as it's for you."

Thinking of this, Xiao Huanling seemed to have gained confidence that she would eventually be able to stay with the one she loved.

Inside the Nanxun Palace, Shi Yan had just seen Cang Yu off when Xiao Die, who was guarding the gate outside, caught sight of Gao Lishi walking towards the inner palace with two eunuchs. She got up and went inside to announce his arrival.

"Your Highness, Eunuch Gao is here."

Xiaodie secretly breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that the eagle on the wooden frame was no longer there.

Upon hearing this, Shi Yan turned to look at Xiao Die.

"You're here, there's no need to be so nervous."

Xiao Die nodded in agreement and went out to greet Gao Lishi.

"Your Highness, this servant greets you."

As soon as Gao Lishi entered the room, he bowed to Shi Yan with a beaming smile.

Shi Yan nodded to indicate that he didn't need to be so polite, and then smiled slightly.

"Why does Eunuch Gao have time to come to my palace when he's not accompanying His Majesty?"

As she spoke, she walked to the plum vase on the table to the side and stopped. She then took the scissors that Xiaodie handed her and trimmed the excess branches and leaves of a crabapple blossom in the vase.

"It looks much better this way."

Gao Lishi glanced at the plum vase containing a pink and white peony, a pale yellow peony, a purple peony, and a budding begonia, and looked at Shi Yan with some confusion.

Shi Yan handed the scissors back to Xiao Die and smiled sweetly at Gao Lishi.

Why didn't Xiaodie serve tea to Eunuch Gao?

Xiaodie immediately replied upon hearing this.

"Slave, go now."

Gao Lishi came here on business. Besides, although he considered himself the emperor's most trusted confidant, he dared not act arrogantly in front of the imperial concubine.

"Your Highness, you are too kind. This servant is truly unworthy of such praise."

"Look, when I saw you, I almost forgot about the important matter."

"Your Highness, General Xiao was ordered to go to Luoyang a few days ago to suppress the rebellion. Today, His Majesty received news from Luoyang that General Xiao had successfully quelled the rebellion. His Majesty is overjoyed and has decreed that a banquet be held at Hua'e Xianghui Tower for dinner. His Majesty is thinking of you, so he sent me here personally to inform you that you must go to Hua'e Xianghui Tower to join His Majesty for the banquet."

After Gao Lishi finished speaking, he looked at Shi Yan with a smile, waiting for her instructions.

Shi Yan was also very happy to hear the news of Xiao Huanling's victory from Gao Lishi. She was not too opposed to Li Longji's plan to hold a banquet at Hua'e Xianghui Tower. In short, everything was going well for Xiao Huanling, which was the best thing in her heart. She had no sympathy for Qianji Pavilion for trying to take her life several times. It was understandable for Li Longji, as the emperor of a country, to celebrate the merits of his ministers. However, she felt that it was inappropriate for Li Longji to start celebrating before the main character had even returned.

Who were the guests invited to the banquet?

Shi Yan asked casually, but Gao Lishi gave her a fawning smile as if presenting a treasure.

"Your Highness, you may not know this from within the palace, but your elder brother is highly regarded by His Majesty in the previous court. Oh dear, look at my mouth, I should now address Your Highness's brother as Imperial Brother-in-Law. Since returning from the hunting trip at Mount Li, Imperial Brother-in-Law has gained favor with His Majesty. Not only has he handled the tasks assigned by His Majesty with excellence, but he also went to great lengths and spent a fortune to send people from afar to search for his calligraphy works, which he had finally acquired. Yesterday, Imperial Brother-in-Law presented His Majesty with a piece of Wang Xianzhi's calligraphy that he had finally managed to obtain, and His Majesty was immediately captivated by it. I haven't seen His Majesty so happy in a long time."

"Your Highness the Imperial Concubine is deeply favored by His Majesty, and now the Imperial Uncle is also able to share His Majesty's burdens and is trusted by His Majesty. This is a great blessing for Your Highness's family. This servant congratulates you."

Shi Yan chuckled inwardly, but her face remained perfectly normal.

"I understand that I have troubled you to make this trip, Eunuch Gao. I will be present at the banquet tonight. Please convey to His Majesty that I thank him for always thinking of me."

Gao Lishi smiled, bowed, and prepared to leave.

Seeing this, Shi Yan told Gao Lishi to stay and then had Xiao Die bring a brocade box and hand it to Gao Lishi.

Gao Lishi reached out and took it, looking at Shi Yan with a troubled expression.

Shi Yan noticed his hesitation and smiled as she offered some words of advice.

"Eunuch Gao, this is just a small token of my gratitude for your continued care and support. If you don't accept it, I won't be able to trouble you any further."

Gao Lishi glanced at the exquisite brocade box, feeling its weight, and knew that what was inside was no ordinary item. He was somewhat tempted. After hearing Shi Yan's words, he found it even more difficult to refuse.

"Since Your Highness is so kind, I will accept it. I thank Your Highness."

Shi Yan smiled and gestured for Xiao Die to hand the two bulging purses to the eunuch behind Gao Lishi.

The two eunuchs were Gao Lishi's most trusted men. At first, they dared not reach out, but only after seeing Gao Lishi give the order did they take the purse from Xiaodie's hand.

After receiving their reward, the three bid farewell to Shi Yan and left happily.

After Gao Lishi and his men left, Shi Yan sat down on the small couch by the window, looking displeased.

Shi Yan knew all too well Yang Guozhong's determination to climb the social ladder and his thirst for power. She had also learned of Yang Guozhong's sycophantic methods of pleasing Li Longji from history books and television dramas. Knowing that Yang Guozhong had indeed succeeded in becoming one of Li Longji's favored officials through his own abilities, Shi Yan was not surprised at all. History would proceed according to its predetermined course; even if she had tried to stop it, history would still return to its rightful place. She did not want the glorious Tang Dynasty to be destroyed by treacherous ministers, incompetent emperors, and rebellious foreign tribes. She had already intervened and tried to stop it, but what was destined to happen would still happen, and she would not do anything futile.

The outbreak of the An Lushan Rebellion was not caused by Yang Guifei. The course of events was the result of Li Longji's indulgence in pleasure and his favoritism towards treacherous officials.

The moon wanes when it is full, and water overflows when it is full. The change of dynasties has been a normal occurrence since ancient times, but it is the common people who suffer.