The Prime Minister's Darling
Chapter 1175 - 1175 569 Overbearing Little Wind (Second Update)

Chapter 1175: 569 Overbearing Little Wind (Second Update) Chapter 1175: 569 Overbearing Little Wind (Second Update) The three of them stepped into the Sleeping Palace.

Throughout this time, Princess Ning An also looked at Princess Xinyang strangely several times, clearly feeling that Princess Xinyang was somewhat off.

However, since Princess Ning An and Princess Xinyang were not close before their respective marriages, and even less so after, being unfamiliar meant there were no grounds for suspicion.

Inside the Sleeping Palace were many palace maids on duty. Princess Xinyang called over Eunuch Wei and said, “You take everyone away first, I want to spend some time alone with my royal brother, and also with Princess Ning An.”

“Ah, yes,” Eunuch Wei suppressed the chill in his heart, and sneakily glanced at the hair on Princess Xinyang’s hand.

My goodness!

There really was hair!

He then pretended to drop the token on the ground, and while crouching down to pick it up, he took a glance at the adam’s apple under Princess Xinyang’s canopy hat.

O heavens!

The adam’s apple was also real!

He had never scrutinized Princess Xinyang closely before, and today was an odd coincidence; the places he should not have looked were all exposed.

Suddenly, he felt a bit sorry for Marquis Xuanping…

Eunuch Wei took the palace maids away.

The room was left with only the slumbering emperor and the two princesses.

“Whew, I am exhausted,” Princess Xinyang let go of Princess Ning An’s hand and found a chair to sit down before she haughtily ordered, “Little Yuyu, pour tea for me.”

The maid called Little Yuyu ignored her completely, walking straight to the side of the Dragon Bed and grasped the emperor’s wrist.

“What are you doing?” Princess Ning An caught the maid’s wrist.

Princess Xinyang’s face changed and she stood up abruptly.

Daring to grab her wrist, aren’t you afraid she’ll slap you flying with one slap!

The maid looked indifferently at Princess Ning An’s hand, and for some reason, Princess Ning An found the gaze eerily familiar, while also somewhat chilling.

“Alright, Little Yuyu, there’s nothing for you here; go prepare a pot of tea,” Princess Xinyang subtly separated their hands and shielded the maid behind her, gesturing at her from behind.

She was then slapped on the back of her hand by the maid.

…and it strangely hurt.

Princess Xinyang smiled and once again took Princess Ning An’s hand…or rather, wrist, and said softly, “Let’s sit over there and have a good chat.”

Princess Ning An asked, “Weren’t you here to see our royal brother?”

Princess Xinyang cheerfully replied, “Of course, what I mean is you sit there and wait for me. I’ll chat with you after I’ve seen our brother.”

Princess Ning An gave Princess Xinyang a suspicious look. After all, they were not familiar, and she was not sure if this had been Princess Xinyang’s behavior over the years. She didn’t say anything and sat down on a chair over there.

And the maid who had been ordered to prepare tea also found a chair to sit down.

Princess Ning An: “…”

Aren’t you supposed to prepare tea?

“Oh my poor Emperor, how did you get injured so severely?” Princess Xinyang pulled out a handkerchief, slid it under the netting to wipe away non-existent tears, then waved at the maid, “Little Yuyu, come watch over the Emperor. If he wakes up, call for me. I have some private words to share with sister Ning An.”

The maid gave her a sidelong glance.

The act is over, huh?

The maid approached the bed.

Princess Xinyang sobbed, “Take good care of the Emperor.”

Maid: “…”

Princess Xinyang came to Princess Ning An’s side, looking profoundly sad as she asked, “Sister Ning An, please tell me, what exactly happened these past days?”

Princess Ning An looked towards the Dragon Bed, “I…”

Princess Xinyang blocked her with her broad body, “You talk; I am listening.”

Princess Ning An furrowed her brows but nevertheless recounted the recent “events,” which were nothing but the emperor being attacked by assassins and slipping into a coma after a blow to the head.

“The hour is getting late; I should return to care for Xian’ér,” said Princess Ning An as she stood up.

“I will escort you,” Princess Xinyang said.

“There’s no need,” Princess Ning An declined.

But Princess Xinyang insisted on escorting her, and as they were pulling and tugging, Princess Ning An’s skirt was stepped on by Princess Xinyang, causing her to lurch forward.

Yet somehow, Princess Xinyang, who was originally behind her, flashed in front of her and caught her steadily, “Are you alright? Sister!”

“I’m fine,” Princess Ning An straightened up, “Thank you, sister.”

Princess Xinyang apologized, “Sorry, I stepped on your skirt.”

Princess Ning An said, “It’s alright.”

Princess Xinyang sighed, “I better not trouble you any further. You hurry back and take care of Xian’ér. I will come visit you once I am free.”

“All right.”

After Princess Ning An finished speaking, she turned and left. She had already stepped over the threshold before she turned back to look at Princess Xinyang with a complex and puzzled look in her eyes.

Once Princess Ning An was definitely out of earshot,

Princess Xinyang swiftly removed her hat, revealing a face full of spots that was strange to behold.

But where was Xinyang?

It was actually Gu Chengfeng.

“Finally, I can stand up straight.” Gu Chengfeng straightened his body, and his skirt instantly became much shorter!

He was taller than Princess Xinyang, so in order not to give himself away, he had been bending his legs the whole time, and now his calves and Achilles’ tendons were sore!

“How did it go?”

The little maid turned her head and asked her.

The little maid was, of course, not a little maid at all, but Gu Jiao.

Gu Jiao was wearing a skin mask, so she couldn’t make any exaggerated expressions, or else the mask would fall off.

Gu Chengfeng didn’t wear it because he needed to talk and express rich emotions. If a piece of facial skin accidentally fell out from inside, he thought the sight would be quite frightening.

The spots on his face were painted on.

“Have I ever failed in taking action? Look what this is?” He asked proudly, raising his eyebrows, stretching out his hand, opening his palm, and revealing a bronze key.

This was what he had just pilfered from Princess Ning An.

Eunuch Qin didn’t follow Empress Dowager Zhuang out of the palace for a very important reason: he had to stay to investigate the matter she had charged him with.

After Princess Ning An returned to the palace, she made a trip to the Nunnery. At first, Empress Dowager Zhuang thought she was just missing her deceased mother and didn’t pay much attention, but later she suspected that the Empress Ji had left something for Princess Ning An before her death.

Eunuch Qin searched and searched, almost going bald, and finally discovered a clue.

“It seems to be a key,” Eunuch Qin wrote in his letter.

Along with the letter, Xiaojiu brought back to Bishui Alley the imperial edict that appointed Princess Ning An as regent.

Thus, the strategy for Princess Xinyang to act as the regent was devised.

Xiao Hen had considered canceling the regency outright, but given Princess Ning An’s character, she might just issue another edict appointing herself as regent.

So, it was better to occupy the position of regent after all.

Why Princess Xinyang? One, Gu Chengfeng had seen her and heard her voice, so playing her wouldn’t be stressful, and two, she possessed the gold whip bestowed by the late emperor. If someone questioned him, Gu Chengfeng could carry the whip to the Jinluan Hall.

Looking at the key, Gu Chengfeng wondered, “What do you think… what kind of key is this? Anything left to her daughter by Empress Ji must be of great use. Could it be a key to a treasury? Or maybe a treasure hoard, the kind that rivals the wealth of entire countries!”

“Or perhaps, an armory!”

Men and women have different hobbies. Women like jewelry, while men prefer weapons. In Gu Chengfeng’s view, an armory was even more exciting than a hoard of gold and silver treasures.

Gu Jiao said, “Guess all you want.”

It didn’t cost anything to guess, after all.

Gu Chengfeng waved his hand dismissively, “Forget it, I’m done guessing. Let’s quickly make a copy of it, I’ll have to return it to her later.”

“Mhmm.” Gu Jiao took out a piece of dough wrapped in cloth from her wide sleeve, pressed the key into it to make an impression, then handed it to him, “Done. You can now give it back to her.”

Gu Chengfeng put away the key, “Is His Majesty alright?”

Gu Jiao put the dough back into her sleeve, “He suffered a severe head injury and was poisoned with another dose of medicine; his condition isn’t too good.”

“Can he wake up?” Gu Chengfeng asked.

“I don’t know,” Gu Jiao replied.

Gu Chengfeng sighed, “It may not be appropriate to say this, but why do I feel like His Majesty kind of had it coming?”

The emperor, who couldn’t wake up but could hear everything clearly, “…”

Gu Chengfeng continued his lethal critique, “It’s His Majesty’s own fault for not favoring those he should and not trusting those he should. It’s a complete waste of his eyesight!”

Gu Jiao was taking the emperor’s blood pressure; she noticed the changes on the sphygmomanometer.

Gu Chengfeng, fully exerting his aura, said, “In my opinion, Princess Ning An didn’t hit him hard enough with that inkstone. She should have stabbed him another ten or eight times, make him bedridden for seven or eight years to see if he learns his lesson!”

The emperor’s blood pressure skyrocketed!

Gu Jiao looked back, giving Gu Chengfeng a sympathetic glance.

Gu Chengfeng grabbed a piece of fruit and took a big bite, then crossed his legs and looked at Gu Jiao, “What are you looking at me for?”

Gu Jiao withdrew her gaze, looking at the almost exploding sphygmomanometer, and calmly put it away.

Then she walked over to Gu Chengfeng, patted his shoulder, and put the hat back on him, “Once we’re done with this job, find somewhere to hide for a while. And another thing.”

She looked down at his clothing, “This here, it’s crooked.”

When Eunuch Wei entered the Sleeping Palace carrying a pot of freshly brewed tea, he saw Princess Xinyang with her head lowered, continuously rubbing her chest vigourosly.

Eunuch Wei was petrified on the spot!