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S T E L L A R C L O U D
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T H E S U N
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The reason for such speculation was that Xiao Liulang told Old Chief that Princess Xinyang also possessed the Dragon Shadow Guards. Regardless of the late Emperor's motives for granting Princess Xinyang the Dragon Shadow Guards, it at least indicated one thing: Princess Xinyang held great importance in the late Emperor's eyes.
In fact, if Old Chief hadn’t learned Princess Xinyang's possession of the Dragon Shadow Guards from Xiao Liulang, Old Chief might not have known the depth of the relationship between the father and daughter.
Princess Xinyang's biological mother was Imperial Concubine Yu, who passed away when she was thirteen years old. By that time, Princess Xinyang was already old enough that there was no need for adoption or being placed under someone else's care.
The late Emperor didn’t show her any special favor just because she lost her mother, nor did he treat her differently from the many other princesses in the palace…
Old Chief shook his head.
It seemed there were many things he still didn’t know.
Gu Changqing and Princess Xinyang were not of the same generation, so he wasn’t well-informed about the situation at that time and didn’t have as much thoughts as Old Chief.
He only believed that the late Emperor had always cherished this daughter, but he simply knew nothing.
Considering the current situation, he pondered and said, "Princess Xinyang is not in the capital, but it is not too far either. We can arrive in a few days if we spur the horse to full speed..."
"But she may not see you." Old Chief said.
Gu Changqing fell silent.
He understood that Old Chief's words were not unfounded.
Ever since Little Marquis's death in the fire at the Imperial Academy, Princess Xinyang had been overwhelmed with grief and was beside herself. Eventually, she left the capital, the place of her sorrow, along with her trusted servants.
She refused to see anyone associated with the capital.
It was understandable when you think about it. The blow of losing her own son was too great for her. She didn't want to be reminded of those painful memories, nor did she want to come into contact with anyone who might remind her of the sorrowful past in the capital.
"We still have to give it a try." Gu Changqing said.
Old Chief did not refute. Neither of them was foolish.
On the surface, the simplest and most straightforward method would be to steal back the imperial decree. However, as long as the Dragon Shadow Guards remained in the hands of Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing, they would not be able to succeed.
Perhaps even if they learned the contents of the imperial decree, they still wouldn't be able to obtain it. But as the saying went, ‘Know yourself, know your enemy, and you will be victorious in a hundred battles.’ Once they understand the content of the imperial decree, they would understand Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing's trump card.
Gu Changqing said, "Princess Xinyang is living near Mount Fengdu, right? It just so happens that I recently had to make a trip there. I should pay Princess Xinyang a visit by the way."
"What are you going to Mount Fengdu for?" Old Chief asked out of concern.
"Grandfather asked me to go." Gu Changqing replied.
It was probably related to that secret army, but his grandfather didn't provide many details.
It was strange though. Last time, his grandfather seemed to be entrusting him with matters and even gave him and his brothers all the tokens. However, the next day, he took them all back.
Old Chief's mood suddenly sank as he said, "If you go to Mount Fengdu, please offer an incense to an old friend of mine on my behalf."
"Alright." Gu Changqing didn't ask who the old friend was or what the relationship was between him and this old friend. He only requested the address of the grave site and then left.
As he reached the door, he unexpectedly encountered Xiao Liulang.
He didn't know how long Xiao Liulang had been there or how much he overheard, but after all, he wasn't an outsider, so there was no need to hide it from him.
Gu Changqing nodded and greeted him.
Xiao Liulang also nodded and returned the greeting.
After Gu Changqing left the courtyard, Old Chief also stepped out. He looked at the thin and lonely figure of Xiao Liulang under the moonlight, opened his mouth, and suddenly didn't know how to start.
After a while, he sighed with shame, "We need to see Princess Xinyang about something... I'm sorry, I should have informed you beforehand. I shouldn't have involved Princess Xinyang like this."
Although he said that, if given another chance, even if Xiao Liulang tried to stop him, he would still tell Gu Changqing, hoping that Gu Changqing could get an answer from Princess Xinyang.
It wasn’t only to bring down Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing but also for Xiao Liulang's safety.
Xiao Liulang was already involved in the situation, and as long as Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing remained, he couldn't eliminate the danger.
"But why..."
"Master, it's getting late. You should rest."
Old Chief's and Xiao Liulang's voices almost sounded at the same time. Well, technically Old Chief spoke first, but Xiao Liulang continued his sentence after just a word.
The seamless interruption made it difficult to tell whether Xiao Liulang intentionally interrupted or if it was just a coincidence.
Old Chief paused for a moment before nodding, "Alright, I'm almost done here. You should also rest. You've had a tiring day going to the countryside. Go to sleep early."
Normally, following their usual practice and their relationship, Old Chief would inquire about what Xiao Liulang had accomplished during his trip to the countryside. After all, for an official of the Hanlin Academy, it was often these ‘achievements’ that played a significant role in promotion.
But when the conversation reached this point, both of them knew that the topic should end.
Xiao Liulang returned next door.
Liu Quan walked over from the corridor, "Master."
"Ah." Old Chief let out a sigh, "Why is he so stubborn?"
Liu Quan already knew Xiao Liulang's identity, but he didn't quite understand Old Chief's words, "Why does Master say so?"
Old Chief waved his hand. "Never mind, it's nothing."
……
After returning to his own house, Xiao Liulang went straight into the study. He closed the door without lighting a lamp, standing alone in the vast darkness of the night.
He understood what his master wanted to ask.
‘Why didn't you tell Princess Xinyang that you had returned?’
Not telling Marquis Xuanping could be somewhat understandable. After all, their father-son relationship wasn't close in the first place, and it wasn’t unusual for there to be some strange rejection and friction between men, especially between a rebellious teenager and a promiscuous father. It wouldn't be surprising even if they became enemies.
But what about Princess Xinyang?
The mother who held him dear, what wrong had she done? What crime had she committed? How could it come to this!
Before, Old Chief thought he wouldn't go to her because he was worried that his affairs would cause too much trouble and burden her.
But she had the Dragon Shadow Guards in her hands. Who could harm her?
Why are you doing this, Ah Heng? Why!
Gu Jiao went to the kitchen to heat some water and prepare a late-night snack. She wanted to see if the men in the family had returned.
As she passed by the study, the door was closed, and there was no light shining through. Without much thought, she walked past.
But after taking a couple of steps, Gu Jiao turned back.
It was an instinct.
Instead of knocking on the door as usual, she gently pushed it open and walked in.
The dim candlelight from the corridor seeped in, allowing her to see the figure at the desk, seemingly shrouded in immense sadness.
Raz P.'s Thoughts
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