"I accidentally heard her talking to Concubine Qi about this matter in the Royal Garden that day."
"Empress Dowager had all the flowers that Concubine Rui liked uprooted. Concubine Rui never liked the Royal Garden. Why would she go there?"
"Really?"
"This was personally done by Empress Dowager."
"Could she have said it deliberately for me to hear?"
"It's not impossible."
"But how did she know I would be there?"
"The palace is full of people. It's not difficult to find out where Empress Dowager is."
Shi Muyuan fell into deep thought. "But how did she know what happened outside the palace? She tricked me out, perhaps to let everyone know that I had sneaked out. Did she know there was something wrong with that troupe? How did she know those people would capture me and injure Yao Kun and spread the news?"
The news spread too quickly. It was as if everything had been calculated.
"The news also came from outside the palace. There must be some connection." Huo Qizhou also felt that something was amiss. Everything was too logical.
"Didn't you capture someone yesterday? Did you find out anything?" Shi Muyuan said anxiously. She did not like this feeling. She must capture the person and give them a good thrashing to relieve the pent-up anger in her heart.
She, Shi Muyuan, did not provoke anyone. Why did they keep causing trouble for her? She was not so easy to handle.
Moreover, Yao Kun was injured this time. A gentleman would not leave a feud unavenged!
"Yan Mo interrogated the person last night and found out that it was related to the Flower Blossom Pavilion." He had not found out anything about his things yet. Shi Muyuan was involved too. He needed to give Shi An an explanation. Thus, Huo Qizhou did not hide much from her. After all, they were on the same boat.
"Are you guys going to investigate the Flower Blossom Pavilion? When are you going? Bring me along."
"Empress Dowager, those ministers are waiting to ask you for the truth. Are you thinking of leaving the palace again?"
"I, I also want to investigate the case!" Shi Muyuan straightened her back.
"Someone will naturally investigate the case. Empress Dowager should stay in the palace to recuperate. Otherwise, something might go wrong. There is no Miss Yao this time. Empress Dowager should solve the problem in front of you first!"
A joke. She definitely could not solve it!
Shi Muyuan looked at the empty main hall, took a deep breath, and suddenly hugged Huo Qizhou's thigh. "Master National Teacher, I know there is a grudge between us. Please do not take it to heart. Please forgive me. Please!"
A real man could bend and stretch. As long as the green mountains remained, there would always be firewood!
Under the current circumstances, even if she came up with some solution with her little brain, she could not implement it. Thus, she had to hug thighs!
Huo Qizhou did not expect her to do such a thing. The person who was always cold and aloof was also flustered. He wanted to pull his leg out, but he could not.
"Empress Dowager, please mind your words and actions! How can you do such a thing in public?" Huo Qizhou said angrily.
"There is no one here. I did not do anything. I just want Master National Teacher to help me!"
"Empress Dowager is like a hooligan. If the court officials saw this, they would attack us. The Shi family will be finished!"
"You are threatening me again. You threatened me like this yesterday. Now, it's good. Yao Kun is injured. They are all looking for me. You are safe and sound. I am not convinced!" Shi Muyuan hugged even tighter.
"Even if you did not meet me yesterday, the matter of you leaving the palace secretly would still be exposed." Huo Qizhou's face was as black as ink.
"Can it be the same? Can you say that yesterday's matter has nothing to do with you!" The woman said as she shed tears.
Huo Qizhou saw the fluorescent light in the corner of her eyes. Her small mouth was pouting. It was as if she was about to cry. Huo Qizhou suppressed his anger and stopped struggling. "Let go first. What is this appearance?"
Feeling his gritted teeth, Shi Muyuan shivered but still retorted with a hard mouth. "I will not let go. You must promise to help me first."
Huo Qizhou touched his eyebrows. "I am responsible for yesterday's matter. I will naturally help Empress Dowager."
"Really?"
"Really!"
"Then okay." Only then did Shi Muyuan let go of his leg and stand up. "I knew Master National Teacher was a good person!"
Huo Qizhou ignored her. He disgustedly patted the place she touched and left her far away.
Shi Muyuan was still rather proud. Although the process was not very glorious, at least she won.
When Ji Ling and Ji Huang came, they saw Master National Teacher walking out of the Palace of Gathered Elegance. His face was covered in clouds. It was really scary.
Ji Ling was worried about Shi Muyuan. When she lifted her skirt and ran in, Shi Muyuan still had a proud smile on her face. She did not look like someone who had quarreled with Huo Qizhou at all.
"Paying respects to Imperial Grandmother."
"Paying respects to Imperial Grandmother."
The two little kids said in unison.
"Why did Ling'er and Huang'er come?" Shi Muyuan happily carried Ji Ling and brought Ji Huang into the inner hall.
"I heard from the palace maid that Imperial Grandmother secretly left the palace yesterday. Big Brother Emperor is now surrounded by those ministers in the imperial study. I came with Second Brother Emperor to see you." Ji Ling said sweetly.
"Imperial Grandmother, did you really leave the palace yesterday? Is it fun outside the palace?" Ji Huang blinked his big eyes and looked very expectant.
"Imperial Grandmother was lazy and slept in the Palace of Gathered Elegance for a day yesterday. How could I have run out? Someone is talking nonsense."
"Oh, is that so!" Ji Huang's expectant little eyes immediately dimmed.
"Does Huang'er want to go out of the palace to play?"
"Yes, I heard that there are many interesting things outside the palace."
"Huang'er is still too young. It is not safe to go out of the palace. When you grow older, you can go out by yourself."
"Really?"
"Naturally. There are many things outside the palace. Although they are not as exquisite as those in the palace."
Shi Muyuan touched his little head. But why did the women in the harem have to be locked up here for a lifetime!
Suddenly, she remembered the few hairpins she had specially selected that day. She did not know where they had fallen. It was really a pity that the money she had spent that day had all gone to waste.
...
Many ministers were waiting for Shi Muyuan's arrival in the imperial study. Ji Heng was sitting in front of the dragon desk. His small fists were clenched tightly, but he still did not have any deterrence.
When someone announced Huo Qizhou's name, those people showed a strange expression.
Ji Heng also heaved a sigh of relief. Although this scene was not what he wanted to see, it was better than being in a stalemate like this.
"Greetings, Your Majesty." Huo Qizhou bowed to Ji Heng.
"Exempted from the courtesy."
"What are you guys doing?" He asked after looking around.
"Replying to Master National Teacher, we are doing this for the country's future. We hope that Empress Dowager can come out and give us ministers an answer."
"I did not know that Imperial Grandmother leaving the palace was related to the country's future!" Ji Heng said angrily.
"For what reason did Empress Dowager leave the palace secretly? General Yao's daughter was also injured because of this." A minister said neither humbly nor arrogantly.
They did not dare to say it directly, but it was obvious that they suspected the Shi family.