After coming out of the cold palace, Ji Lingxue changed direction and planned to go around the imperial garden to the palace gate. If she was lucky enough to meet the carriage of the adult parked at the palace gate, she would be able to leave happily.
As soon as Ji Lingxue walked into the imperial garden, she realized something was wrong. She seemed to have walked into a formation, otherwise how could she have gone around in a circle and ended up in the same place.
Ji Lingxue looked up at the sun above her head, encouraged herself, changed direction and continued moving forward.
After walking around the rockery, Ji Lingxue wiped the sweat from her forehead and said, "Finally I got out!"
"Your Majesty!" Ji Lingxue had just finished exhaling when her heart tightened. She actually ran into Xiao Yichen. She tilted her head to look at the source of the voice and crouched down to hide in the low bushes on the side.
At this moment, Xiao Yichen and Bai Mo were walking side by side.
Bai Mo said: "Your Majesty, you must rest well for your injury. Don't overwork yourself, as it will be detrimental to the recovery of your wound."
Xiao Yichen smiled indifferently and said, "With a miracle doctor like you here, why would I be afraid that this minor wound won't heal?"
Ji Lingxue: Xiao Yichen was actually injured. Seeing how he walked with a breeze, it seemed that it was only superficial.
Bai Mo said: "Your Majesty, I heard that Xiao Yimo is still imprisoned in the Sky Prison by you?"
Xiao Yichen hummed. At that time, he was angry about Ji Lingxue's death and implicated Xiao Yimo. Although he forced him to abdicate, Xiao Yimo had been quite good to him over the years. Many of the old officials in the court were from Xiao Yimo's faction and had asked him where Xiao Yimo was. As a benevolent emperor, he was unwilling to bear the crime of killing his brother and seizing the throne.
Xiao Yichen turned his head to look at Bai Mo, with a smile on his face, "Unless you came to the palace today not to see me for a follow-up visit, but also to be Xiao Yimo's lobbyist?"
Bai Mo's face was full of grievance. He cupped his hands and said, "Look at you. You are so suspicious even after becoming an emperor. I just want to advise you not to kill anymore. The death of the uncle and the former queen is enough to calm you down. Xiao Yimo was benevolent and kind during his reign. He was also a good emperor."
Xiao Yichen waved his hand: "I know all this, you don't need to tell me. Although he is in prison, I have taken good care of him, and his food, clothing and other expenses are the same as before." It's just that he doesn't see the sun anymore. He hasn't figured out how to deal with him yet, so he leaves it like this for now.
Bai Mo patted Xiao Yichen's shoulder and said, "I'm relieved that you think so."
The two of them walked through a grove of flowers. Bai Mo patted Luo Hua on the shoulder and changed the subject, "Your Majesty, nothing special happened last night, right?" He blinked as he spoke, his face full of gossip.
Xiao Yichen tilted his head and looked at Bai Mo, and asked with a smile: "What special thing happened last night?"
Bai Mo hurriedly shook his head. He just wanted to know whether Xiao Yichen knew that Zhixue was Ji Lingxue. Zhihao lost the person, so Yuchi Ruge would naturally make a fuss in front of Xiao Yichen. He just didn't know whether the person who kidnapped Ji Lingxue in the end was Xiao Yichen's man. He was so curious and wanted to know.
Xiao Yichen coughed and said, "I asked Chi Feng to arrest Yuchi Gongru last night. Something bad will happen to that guy once he enters the capital."
Bai Mo said "oh", this was not the gossip he wanted to know, he felt a little disappointed, "That Yuchi Gongru is very cunning, now the Prime Minister has personally stepped in, I wonder if he has been caught?"
Xiao Yichen spread his hands and answered sincerely: "No, Chi Feng is like this. If you ask him to catch a fish, he will find a fishing net with holes in it."
The voices of the two gradually faded away. Ji Lingxue curled her lips, hunched over and walked forward quickly. After a few steps, a pair of embroidered shoes suddenly appeared in front of her. Looking up from the toes of the shoes, Ji Lingxue smiled and greeted, "Auntie in charge, you are also basking in the sun. What a coincidence!"
The housekeeper twirled the whip in her hand and looked at Ji Lingxue with a wry smile, "You little girl, you were hiding here and being lazy, making it so hard for me to find you!" As soon as she finished speaking, the whip arrived as expected.
Ji Lingxue quickly covered her face and dodged, "Aunt, please spare me!" and ran away quickly.
"Stop, you little girl, you dare to run!" The housekeeper chased after her with a whip in hand.
Ji Lingxue twitched her lips. The housekeeper must be in menopause. She has such a bad temper! If she doesn't run faster, she will lose a layer of skin. It's really Xiao Yichen who just passed by here. How come he can't catch up with him when he needs help
Ji Lingxue opened her mouth and wanted to call out Xiao Yichen's full name, but then she changed her mind and thought that he was the emperor now, and if she called him by his full name she would be rubbed in the spine, and might even cost half her life, so forget it, she might as well save herself!
Ji Lingxue dodged and entered the formation again. She easily avoided the whip and smiled triumphantly. The next moment, her feet were empty. She only had time to let out a brief "ah" before her body fell into darkness.
Ji Lingxue rubbed her arms and legs that were hurt from the fall, and looked up at where she fell. The mechanism there had been restored, and it was dark above her head.
Ji Lingxue: "Why is there a secret passage here?"
It is not uncommon to hear that there are secret passages in the imperial palace. Emperors of all dynasties set them up specifically for self-protection. But no one knows where these secret passages lead to
Ji Lingxue walked slowly forward, feeling the wall of the cave. The secret passage was very narrow and could only allow one person to pass through. Being in the dark would inevitably make people panic.
Ji Lingxue gritted her teeth and covered her chest. Fortunately, she soon reached the end. In the light, she saw a small secret cell. There was a man sitting in the cell. It was Xiao Yimo, the person Xiao Yichen had just mentioned that he didn't know how to deal with.
Hearing the footsteps, Xiao Yimo raised his head and looked at Ji Lingxue in surprise, "You're not dead?!"
Although he was in prison, Xiao Yimo did not look haggard. His hair was combed meticulously and his clothes were neat. Although he was wearing cloth, he had the demeanor of an emperor in his bones, which made people admire him at a glance.
Ji Lingxue smiled and said, "Your Majesty, why are you here?" From what Xiao Yichen said just now, shouldn't he be locked up in the Sky Prison
Xiao Yimo showed a sardonic smile at the corner of his mouth: "Sister-in-law, you are really good at tricks. My royal brother is so loyal and righteous that he rushed to the throne for his beloved. In an instant, he seized my kingdom, and made me separated from my wife and children, and imprisoned."
Ji Lingxue looked around and didn't see any guards, which made her feel confused.
Xiao Yimo said: "You don't need to look for me, I am the only one here... Hehe, I am no longer the emperor, I should not call myself "I" anymore."
Ji Lingxue asked: "Do you know where the exit is?"
Xiao Yimo looked at Ji Lingxue with a strange expression. He still remembered that he and Ji Lingxue were good friends back then, eating, drinking and having fun together. Even now, things have changed, but Ji Lingxue still has the same personality as before.
"How did you get in?" Since she didn't come to laugh at him or visit him, how did she get in
Ji Lingxue shrugged, "He accidentally got caught in a trap and fell down."
Xiao Yimo twitched his lips, and then he realized that Ji Lingxue was dressed as a palace maid. Her clothes were a little dirty and torn, and she didn't look like she was lying.
Xiao Yimo said again: "Why are you dressed like this? I heard that my royal brother will grant you the title of queen and unlimited favor after he ascends the throne." But the scene before him was not quite the same as what he had heard.
Ji Lingxue said: "It's a long story. I was brought into the palace by someone. I actually didn't want to stay here at all."
Xiao Yimo's eyes flashed, "If you can let me out, how about I take you out of the palace?"
Ji Lingxue nodded, "Okay!" She pulled out a hairpin from her head and inserted it into the keyhole. With a flick, the iron lock opened with a click. Xiao Yimo rushed out of the iron door in ecstasy.
Xiao Yimo laughed twice, raised his hands and grabbed Ji Lingxue's neck, his eyes gradually becoming fierce.
Ji Lingxue widened her eyes. Xiao Yimo's kung fu was also very good. She was like a rabbit with teeth pulled out of a tiger's mouth. She was restrained by his big hands, having difficulty breathing and her hands and feet were weak.
Xiao Yimo said: "I'm sorry, I lied to you. Rather than leaving the palace with you, I want to kill you and Xiao Yichen and avenge my wife and children. Only then can the country belong to me!"
Ji Lingxue felt as if her neck was about to be strangled by the other party, and the feeling of suffocation made her brain go blank. How could Xiao Yimo become like this now? He was completely different from the image ambassador of security of her elder brother in her memory. Was it because of the Queen's death
Ji Lingxue spoke with difficulty: "Xiao Yichen did not kill your wife and children. The imperial concubine is now in the cold palace. The little prince and princess have been granted fiefdoms and have someone to take care of their food and daily life... Xiao Yimo, believe me, what I said is true."
Xiao Yimo's sanity seemed to have finally returned. His hands loosened slightly, and fresh air rushed in, making Ji Lingxue, who was almost suffocated, burst into tears.
Xiao Yimo asked: "Really?"
Ji Lingxue nodded vigorously, "Really, I swear, you will know as soon as you go out."
Xiao Yimo nodded, "Very good, you come out of the palace with me."
In the imperial study, the housekeeper knelt in front of Xiao Yichen with her head lowered and her hands and feet weak, trying to make her voice sound calmer, "Your Majesty..."
Xiao Yichen picked up a painting and said to the housekeeper, "Have you seen the woman in the painting?"
The housekeeper raised her head and looked at the painting in Xiao Yimo's hand. Her pupils suddenly shrank and she nodded vigorously, saying, "Yes, I have seen it. I have seen the woman in the painting."
Xiao Yichen nodded, "Very good, then bring this woman to see me now."
The housekeeper's jaw almost dropped to the ground. She heard that the emperor was loyal in love and only had a special affection for the deceased queen, but the truth did not seem to be the case
The housekeeper complained in her heart for a moment, "To answer the emperor's question, the girl in the painting is a new maid in the imperial kitchen. She disappeared after working for half a day this morning."
Xiao Yichen suddenly stood up and approached the housekeeper, frightening her so much that her legs went limp and trembled. "She's missing. Have you looked for her? Why didn't anyone report it to me?"
The housekeeper was so frightened that she almost flew away in a cold sweat. "Just now, I saw her slacking off in the imperial garden. I was about to teach her a lesson, but she ran away so fast that I couldn't catch up with her. Then, I was called by the eunuch to see the emperor."
Xiao Yichen's figure flashed, and the housekeeper only felt a strong wind blowing on her face. When she looked again, Xiao Yichen was no longer there.
Xiao Yichen stood in front of the bluestone where Ji Lingxue had set up the mechanism. He bent down to pick up a few strands of hair from the ground, and looked at the sunlight. Xiao Yichen murmured, "It can't be such a coincidence!" He stomped his foot, and the tightly fitted bluestone split apart, revealing a narrow path.
(End of this chapter)