Just now, as he was eating noodles and looked up, he saw a galloping horse. Although there were few people on the street in the morning, he didn't quite approve of riding a horse at full speed on the main street. Sure enough, the next moment, a child ran out onto the road.
The rider on the horse pulled the reins and straightened up to prevent the unfortunate incident from happening. And then he saw her.
The young girl's eyes widened in panic. Her somewhat cold-looking face softened a bit in the sunlight, looking a bit cute.
Shi An felt that something was off the more he thought about it. He slapped his head and ignored this feeling.
...
As soon as the Yao couple saw her, they asked about Yao Kun's whereabouts. Shi Muyuan knew that something big was wrong. They must be coming for her.
Shi Muyuan was sweating nervously. She didn't expect things to happen so quickly. She had no idea what to say. Before she could even open her mouth, Ze Ze came to report that many ministers were asking to see her.
Sure enough, bad news travels fast.
"How come they all come to find me?" Shi Muyuan whispered to Xiao Xiao.
"Empress Dowager, the news that you left the palace privately has almost spread all over Changjing City."
"Did anyone come to the Shoukang Palace yesterday?"
"No one came."
Shi Muyuan felt a vague sense of fear. Who on earth deliberately spread this news?
"Empress Dowager, may I ask where our Kun'er is? I've come today to take her back. It's not good for her to stay in the palace like this all the time. Kun'er has a bad temper and might cause you trouble."
Shi Muyuan looked at the couple and didn't know how to answer for a moment. Just when the Yao couple were about to lose their patience, they heard her say, "It's okay. Although the young girl is a bit willful, she's not a bad kid. As the Empress Dowager, I'm not that petty." Shi Muyuan forced a calm smile.
But judging from the expressions of the couple, she knew that her acting skills were still too poor. Shi Muyuan deeply felt that she needed more practice.
"How could this be appropriate? Thank you, Empress Dowager, for your kindness. Since that's the case, I'd like to see Kun'er and have a few words with her."
Madam Yao quietly pulled Yao Yunnian and stepped forward. She bowed respectfully to Shi Muyuan.
How could Shi Muyuan refuse when a mother wanted to have a private conversation with her daughter?
How could she handle this situation!
Shi Muyuan suddenly felt a great deal of pressure. Xiao Xiao also felt that the atmosphere in the hall was a bit strange.
Shi Muyuan opened her mouth several times but couldn't come up with a single word. Yao Yunnian was even more convinced of the rumors outside. Just as he was about to continue asking questions, the little eunuch outside the hall announced in a loud voice, "The National Teacher has arrived."
Finally, he's here!
Shi Muyuan didn't have much hope at first. After all, their relationship was far from good. She was taking a gamble, betting on their deal, betting that the National Teacher definitely didn't want to see the unstable court become even worse because of her.
The elegant National Teacher walked slowly into the hall. His brocade robe was as white as the bright moon. His black hair was half-tied up with a jade hairpin on top of his head, and a white ribbon was wrapped around it. The remaining ribbon and his black hair cascaded down his back. There was also a figure following behind the National Teacher.
"Greetings to the Empress Dowager."
As soon as Huo Qizhou finished speaking, the person behind him rushed to Shi Muyuan's side.
It was Yao Kun.
"National Teacher, please rise."
"National Teacher."
"General Yao, Madam Yao, good morning. You came so early to see the Empress Dowager. Is there something you need?"
The couple was still in a daze from Yao Kun's sudden appearance.
"Ah, this..."
"I miss my daughter. I asked the general to take me into the palace to see her." Madam Yao forced a smile awkwardly.
"In that case, it's my fault. I thought Miss Yao was good at martial arts, so I asked her to help me with something."
"Ah, I see. Hahaha. It's Kun'er's good fortune to be able to help the National Teacher." Yao Yunnian wiped the sweat off his forehead and forced a smile awkwardly.
Shi Muyuan felt guilty. She decided to give the couple a way out to avoid feeling restless. "Since Kun'er is back, Madam Yao, if you have anything to say to Kun'er, go ahead. It's not convenient for you to talk with me here."
"Thank you, Empress Dowager." Madam Yao couldn't wait to leave. She almost felt that the Empress Dowager was about to get angry. Fortunately, the National Teacher came. Now she had definitely offended the Shi family.
She must persuade Yao Kun to go back to the mansion today. What if the Empress Dowager took her anger out on her daughter!
General Yao and Madam Yao bowed and led Yao Kun away.
But Shi Muyuan still remembered that some ministers in the court were making a fuss to see her and ask for the truth.
The problem was that this incident was real. How could she dare to go?
As soon as the Yao family left, Shi Muyuan immediately jumped up from the Empress Dowager's seat and ran in front of Huo Qizhou. "Is Yao Kun's injury okay? Why did she come?" She had lost so much blood. How could she recover so quickly?
"I still have some painkillers used in the army. I gave them to Miss Yao."
"What! Is it okay for her to run out like this?"
Huo Qizhou obviously didn't like her being so noisy. He pursed his lips tightly. "Miss Yao volunteered. This is the fastest and most effective way to solve the problem. Otherwise, how were you going to answer those questions just now?"
Before entering the palace, the people around Ji Heng had sent someone to ask him what to do with these ministers. They were making a ruckus in the main hall and insisted on calling the Empress Dowager out.
The people in the palace also sent news that the Yao family had already gone to the Shoukang Palace. He immediately turned to Yan Mo's house. Fortunately, the person was already awake and followed him into the palace without hesitation.
This surprised Huo Qizhou a bit.
Shi Muyuan also noticed that although Yao Kun's speed when she came in front of her was fast, it was far from her usual speed. She felt extremely heartache.
But she knew that this was not the time to feel heartache. She gathered her emotions and expressed her thoughts.
"I think someone must be trying to make trouble for me." Shi Muyuan said to Huo Qizhou.
"Yes. Did you just realize this? The biggest weakness of the Shi family is you. It was not easy to attack you when you were in the palace. Who would have thought that you would go out by yourself."
Shi Muyuan blushed with embarrassment at his words. "But I really went out secretly. The only people in the palace who knew about it were Xiao Xiao and Ze Ze. Besides them, Ji Heng and the others, I haven't had any contact with anyone else in the palace. They definitely wouldn't have leaked the news. I never revealed my identity outside the palace either. Yao Kun is not a talkative person, so it's even more impossible for her to know. And Yan Mo didn't recognize me either when I was outside!" She tried hard to recall some details from yesterday.
"Then how did you know about this opera troupe in the palace?" Huo Qizhou sensed something was wrong.
"I heard about it from Concubine Rui."
Huo Qizhou raised his eyebrows. He obviously found it strange. Everyone in the palace knew that Shi Muyuan and Concubine Rui didn't get along well. They would always argue when they met. It was just that Shi Muyuan didn't argue with her as much as before. In the past, they would have a big fight.