The Heroine Fell Deeply For Her [Quick Transmigration] 137p1

Chapter 137: Taken Home by the Princess Part 25 (1)

Taking a few steps closer, Tao Ning saw the dark circles under Qin Yang’s eyes, she had ridden a fast horse all the way here, the dust of the journey still clinging to her.

The reason for her arrival couldn’t be explained in a few words, so Qin Yang simply said, “I’ll get straight to the point, we’re not returning to the capital, nor staying in Dongping, we’re going to Yongzhou.”

Tao Ning: “Yongzhou?”

Why Yongzhou out of the blue?

Qin Yang was about to explain when a voice came from outside: “Junior Minister An, are you there? An edict from the palace, please come out and receive it.”

Qin Yang could only say, “Go ahead, I’ll wait for you here, I’ll tell you when you return.”

Before the voice called out again, Tao Ning agreed and went out.

After receiving the edict, she read it carefully.

The content was simple, stating that a strange case had occurred in Guang’an County, Yongzhou Prefecture. A woman in red had appeared after the Zhongyuan Festival, running through the streets every night, wailing like a ghost, causing distress among the common people. The Junior Minister of the Dali Temple, An Ning, who happened to be in the vicinity, was ordered to investigate.

While Tao Ning didn’t fully understand the meaning, she realized Qin Yang had business in Yongzhou, but couldn’t go openly, using Tao Ning’s identity as a cover.

And this matter was serious enough for Qin Yang to personally intervene.

But the remnants of the previous dynasty had been dealt with, the remaining threat insignificant, so what could be so urgent?

Tao Ning suddenly remembered that Yongzhou Prefecture was the fief of Prince Yong, a descendant of the late emperor’s brother, and technically Chongxi and Qin Yang’s cousin.

So, having Tao Ning investigate a case in Yongzhou was a way to conceal Qin Yang’s true purpose.

This probably involved the imperial family, something ordinary officials couldn’t handle.

Shi Qing was puzzled. They were about to return to the capital, why was another edict sending them to Yongzhou?

She read the edict aloud: “…Thoroughly investigate the ‘Woman in Red’ case, without fail?”

Tao Ning declared, “Pack your things, we’re leaving for Yongzhou in two days.”

The prefect and magistrate hurried after her: “Junior Minister, what about the remnants of the previous dynasty?”

Tao Ning had intended to personally escort them back, but now, with this new assignment, she had to investigate another case.

She hadn’t decided yet, but she said, “I’ll make arrangements.”

With that, she turned and went back to her room, and Shi Qing, assuming she was packing, also returned to her room.

The prefect, turning around, found both Dali Temple officials gone.

He scratched his head, his face full of worry. His superior was already in prison, so he could only order his men to keep a close watch on the prisoners, ensuring nothing went wrong in Dongping, lest he be held responsible.

Qin Yang was indeed waiting for her in the room. The sky was gradually darkening, but she hadn’t lit any lamps, sitting quietly by the bed, only standing up when she heard the door open.

“It’s so dark, why didn’t you light a lamp? What if you tripped?” Tao Ning said, then realized Qin Yang shouldn’t be here, and if she lit a lamp, the rumors of hauntings wouldn’t be limited to Guang’an County.

“You must be tired, sit down and rest.”

Pushing Tao Ning onto a chair, she pulled out a fire starter from her bag, blew on it, and lit a lamp: “Are you hungry? They’ll bring dinner soon, but it’s just simple fare.”

Qin Yang, dressed in plain clothes, her eyes shining in the lamplight, asked, “Aren’t you going to ask why I’m here?”

“We can talk after dinner.” Tao Ning’s tone was slightly dissatisfied. “Why didn’t you ask if I missed you? Have we become so distant after just a month apart, only talking about work, not feelings?”

Qin Yang: “…”

Knowing Tao Ning’s personality, never caring about hidden motives, there was no need to ask such a question.

Qin Yang’s shoulders relaxed slightly, and she opened her arms: “I missed you, hug me.”

It was rare for the princess to ask for a hug, and Tao Ning, slightly surprised, quickly brushed off the dust from her clothes and embraced Qin Yang.

Holding her close, smelling the faint scent of sandalwood, Tao Ning said shyly, “I was a bit busy today, went to the dungeon, if I had known you were coming, I would have changed into clean clothes.”

Qin Yang buried her face in Tao Ning’s embrace, chuckling softly: “I’ve been traveling all day too, it’s fine, we’re both dirty.”

Tao Ning noticed Qin Yang wasn’t in a good mood, the recent letters not revealing anything, she didn’t know what was troubling her, too focused on expressing their affection.

This wasn’t good, not good at all.

Tao Ning decided to try a different approach, a more direct and effective way to cheer her up. She leaned down and kissed Qin Yang’s dry, chapped lips.

Qin Yang was initially surprised, then relaxed, her arms wrapping around Tao Ning’s neck, tilting her chin slightly to deepen the kiss.

They were deeply in love, wanting to be together all the time, and after being apart for over a month, it was like a reunion after a long separation, a spark igniting a flame.

A knock came on the door, and a maid from the magistrate’s residence said, “Junior Minister, I’ve brought your dinner.”

The room remained silent, no response, and the maid frowned, puzzled, calling out again, “Junior Minister?”

With a clang, the door opened, revealing a figure standing there, her lips slightly pursed, her collar slightly disheveled.

Everyone appreciated beauty, and the maid, working in the magistrate’s residence, had never seen such a delicate and refined beauty. She assumed everyone in the capital was like this, then remembered that the previous magistrate, also from the capital, didn’t have this unique aura and appearance.

She had thought she was immune after serving Tao Ning for days, but now, seeing her slightly flushed face and rapid breathing, she felt a flicker of attraction, quickly averting her gaze.

It was Tao Ning, her eyes lowered, extending a hand: “Give me the food, you may leave.”

The portion provided by the magistrate’s residence was enough for two.

“Yes.” The maid handed over the food box, and the door closed again, leaving her puzzled.

She muttered softly, “Was the Junior Minister’s mouth slightly swollen just now? Could she be getting sick?”

Unable to understand, the maid shook her head, touching her slightly warm face, and left.

In the capital, within the palace.

Chongxi pushed away the stack of memorials on his desk, his face grim, and walked out, his steps hurried, his expression full of impatience.

An attendant eunuch hurried after him: “Your Majesty, just instruct us, there’s no need for you to trouble yourself.”

Chongxi: “I’m tired, I want to take a nap, are you going to nap for me?”

The eunuch immediately apologized: “I wouldn’t dare, Your Majesty.”

Chongxi snorted and walked out without looking back at the desk.

He couldn’t understand those documents, expecting him to read so many was simply unreasonable.

The eunuch followed, his face troubled: “Your Majesty, the Grand Council…”

Chongxi complained, “Those useless fools in the Grand Council, sending me all these documents, Elder Sister never made me read these directly, nor did she lecture me endlessly. I just played with a bird for a while, and she accused me of neglecting my duties.”

Speaking of this, he became even more annoyed: “He was the one who brought the bird, and he even dared to kill it in front of me, what does that mean? Is he threatening me?”

In his youth, Chongxi wasn’t raised to be a future emperor, he was supposed to be a carefree prince, but the late emperor’s three sons all died, leaving only him.

He was hastily named crown prince at eleven, and before the late emperor could pave the way for him, he passed away, and Chongxi ascended the throne at barely twelve.

Guided by the Princess Regent, he accepted the people’s worship.

The eunuch remained silent, not daring to say that this was the princess’s intention, to have the emperor handle state affairs himself.

As Chongxi grew older, and the mourning period ended, it was time for him to choose an empress.

The princess intended to relinquish power, entrusting everything to the emperor.

And to avoid any accusations of interference, she had left the capital and should have arrived at her destination by now, not returning anytime soon.

The court officials thought that with the princess gone, His Majesty would finally rule.

But unexpectedly, after the princess abandoned her duties, the emperor followed suit, refusing to listen to anyone’s persuasion.

He had only read for less than an hour before complaining about the tea being too cold, the ink too light, then throwing down his brush, claiming he was tired and wanted to nap.

The eunuch could only escort him back to the Yangxin Palace and attend to him as he slept.

After sleeping for an unknown amount of time, Chongxi woke up in a cold sweat from a nightmare, sitting up and calling out, “Someone!”

“Your Majesty.” The eunuch wearing a three-peaked crown spoke in a deep voice, unlike a castrated eunuch.

Chongxi turned his head, calming down: “It’s you, Chen You. Light the lamps.”

Chen You obeyed, then knelt down again, his heavy kowtow startling Chongxi from his thoughts: “Your Majesty, do you still refuse to acknowledge what you saw?”

Chongxi: “Whether Prince Yong is plotting a rebellion has nothing to do with Elder Sister, she’ll explain it to me when she returns.”

Chen You: “Your Majesty, are you still so lenient towards the Princess Regent? If she’s innocent, why did she send people to assassinate this humble monk?”

He pulled up his sleeve, revealing a bandaged wound: “Fortunately, I managed to fake my death by jumping into a well, otherwise I wouldn’t be here today to reveal her crimes to Your Majesty.”

Beneath the bloodstained bandages was a deep sword wound.

It was inflicted by a guard from the princess’s residence, and it was a relatively minor injury, the ones hidden beneath his clothes were much more severe.

He was grateful it wasn’t Guard Li who attacked him, otherwise he would be dead.

Chongxi looked away: “I know you’ve been wronged.”

Chen You, tears welling up in his eyes, kowtowed again: “No, Your Majesty, I’m not the one who’s been wronged, you are.”

Chongxi looked puzzled: “How have I been wronged?”

Chen You wiped his tears, his voice full of loyalty: “You are the rightful ruler, yet you live under the Princess Regent’s control. Do you know how many of your attendants are her spies?”

“My father was wrongly accused by the princess, forced to leave the capital, his greatest concern being Your Majesty! He even mentioned you on his deathbed!”

Chen You was the youngest son of Chief Councilor Chen. After his family’s downfall, his older brothers were all dismissed from their positions, never to serve again, and even he, a promising scholar, was forbidden from taking the imperial examination, the Chen family’s path to power completely blocked.

Hearing his father’s dying words, he was even more convinced of his father’s innocence, blaming the princess for his father’s unjust death.

It was clearly because the princess, fearing his father’s influence as a senior official, wanted absolute power, her ambitions hidden beneath her gentle facade.

His older brothers, dismissed from their positions, didn’t dare seek justice for their father, but Chen You did. He not only dared, but he also returned to the capital, becoming a monk at Huguo Temple, waiting for an opportunity to approach the emperor.

Chongxi, seeing him crying inconsolably, thought, Those countless treasures, mountains of gold and silver, and endless scrolls of calligraphy and paintings, couldn’t have been stuffed into your family’s treasury in the middle of the night, could they?

He was losing interest: “Chen You, I pity your father, my former tutor, and I’ll tolerate your words, but don’t let me hear you slandering my elder sister again.”

Chen You suddenly looked up: “Then Your Majesty’s wedding next year, are you willing to marry the empress chosen by the Princess Regent and continue to be controlled by her?”

“…” Chongxi sat back down on the bed. “But Elder Sister is only doing this for my own good.”

Chen You continued, “But what if the Princess Regent is guilty? How can a criminal be entrusted with guiding the emperor?”