"Hey, big brother, I also want to enter the palace to see our little sister," Shi Li said discontentedly, looking at his elder brother.
"Why do so many people need to go? Just focus on your own business."
"Then I won't go see her."
"If you don't go, then go train for me."
"What do I need to train for?" Shi Li retorted.
Shi An turned his head and looked at him, his eyes full of disdain as he sized Shi Li up and down, as if to say, Look at your weak body. Why don't you train?
Shi Li was creeped out by his look and quickly took two steps back.
"Fine, fine, fine. I'll go."
Only then did Shi An shift his gaze, giving Shi Li a chance to catch his breath.
It was so annoying! His elder brother always stopped him from seeing their little sister, but he didn't treat the third brother like this. It really pissed him off, but he couldn't even vent his anger.
Seeing Ze Ze beside him holding back his laughter, Shi An snorted. "What are you laughing at? Wait for me to get changed, then I'll go with you to the palace to see her."
"General Shi, how dare this servant laugh? Please go ahead. This servant will wait for you here," Ze Ze said, quietly taking a breath.
When Shi An came out after getting dressed, he saw his younger brother still standing there, chatting with Ze Ze. He walked over and gave him a hard flick on the head.
Every time he and Shi Li appeared in front of their little sister together, their little sister always preferred to get close to the second brother, which made him feel uncomfortable. So he simply didn't want to appear in front of their little sister with Shi Li. Besides, Shi Li often entered the palace to teach the princes and princesses. Wasn't he afraid he wouldn't be able to see their little sister? The third brother was so taciturn. He didn't even like him, let alone their little sister. He didn't pose any threat to him.
However, the truth was that Shi An always entered the palace after a battle, wearing a hard iron armor. Naturally, Shi Muyuan wouldn't get close to him. Moreover, Shi Li really didn't see their little sister much in the palace. Shi Muyuan was always sleeping, and Ji Ling was still young and needed him to spend more time teaching her.
Shi Li covered his head and glared angrily at his elder brother. "Big brother, what are you doing?"
"What are you still standing here for? Go do your own thing."
Shi Li didn't dare to talk back. He snorted and turned away.
"Take care, Second Young Master Shi," Ze Ze said, bowing while holding back his laughter.
The young masters of the Shi family seemed hard to approach, but he and Xiao Xiao often followed the Empress Dowager. After seeing them many times, they got to know the real temperaments of these young masters. They were really likable.
The eldest young master, Shi An, was a dominant figure on the battlefield and in the court. Everyone knew that he doted on his younger sister, but they didn't know that he actually liked to argue with his younger brothers in private. The second young master was always so angry that he flew into a rage. It was so much fun.
Watching Shi An and Ze Ze's figures fading away, Shi Li whispered "Damn it" under his breath.
The news that Shi An had been brought into the palace by Ze Ze also reached the ears of various major forces, and Huo Qizhou was no exception.
He was discussing a plan with Yan Mo when Sun Ru came to tell him this news.
"This Shi An is really something. You tell me, it's only been a few days since he came back, but he keeps entering the palace. Using the excuse of doting on his sister is a bit too much, isn't it?" Yan Mo said discontentedly.
"What is he going to do in the palace?" Huo Qizhou didn't stop writing.
"It is said that there is a problem with the people in the Empress Dowager's palace. Previously, General Shi quietly replaced the people in Shoukang Palace. Now that there is a problem, he naturally has to go in and take a look," Sun Ru said.
"Hahaha, this fool. He didn't even check properly before sending people in. Isn't he just asking for trouble!" Yan Mo laughed without hiding his ridicule.
"Although Shi An is a martial artist with a hot temper, he is definitely a meticulous person, especially when it comes to the Empress Dowager. There must be a problem here," Huo Qizhou said.
"But there is no news of any assassins in the palace," Yan Mo said in confusion.
Huo Qizhou smiled. "You always make me curious. How on earth did you get the position of the Deputy Minister of the Supreme Court of Judicature?"
"Huo Qizhou, what do you mean? Although I entered the court because of my ancestors' merits, I got this position step by step. Don't you know this?"
"That's why I'm even more curious."
"Fine, Huo Qizhou. You're making fun of me." Yan Mo was so angry that he laughed.
Huo Qizhou ignored him. "If there are any changes on his part, come and report to me immediately."
"Yes, my lord."
When Shi Muyuan noticed that someone was monitoring her, she lost her appetite. She only kept Xiao Xiao by her side and drove all the other palace servants out of the bedroom. She finally felt relieved when Ze Ze came in and told her that Shi An had come. She quickly asked Xiao Xiao to help her get dressed and then walked out.
"I pay my respects to the Empress Dowager."
Noticing the palace servants sweeping the floor nearby, Shi Muyuan didn't joke with Shi An as she usually did. Instead, she led him to the octagonal pavilion beside them.
"What are you doing, sister?" Shi An was a bit confused.
Shi Muyuan lowered her voice and said, "Big brother, you don't know. What if there are spies among them? We must be on guard."
Shi An was amused by Shi Muyuan's cute look and laughed. "Don't worry, little sister. All these people here are on our side."
"I know they are on our side, but someone wrote such a letter this morning."
Shi An clenched his fist. "It was my negligence. The person who gave you the letter should be someone planted by the second grandfather."
"Uncle?"
"Yes. These old guys always want to use you to make the Shi family's status more stable. Their methods are a bit extreme, but they won't harm you. Although they did it for the Shi family, they are old and muddle - headed after all. They have done these wrong things. Big brother apologizes to you on their behalf. When I get back, I'll send the second grandfather back to the old mansion to spend his remaining years in comfort."
"So that's how it is. It really scared me," Shi Muyuan said. She thought her life was in danger again.
After thinking about Shi An's words for a while, Shi Muyuan said, "Big brother, there's no need for you to apologize on their behalf. Just handle this matter properly." So that she wouldn't be so scared.
"Of course."
"I was careless this time. I only thought about replacing the people with our own to protect you, but I let our own people take advantage of the loophole. Later, I'll arrange for people again. I'll only leave some people closer to you to protect you. Later, I'll call them over for you to take a look. Then you'll know who in Shoukang Palace is from our Shi family," Shi An thought for a while and then said.
"Thank you, big brother."
"How are the elders in the family?" In her memory, although these elders always thought about how to hold on to their power every day and she was just a pawn in their hands, they never treated her badly.
"Of course, they are living well in the mansion. They just don't want to admit that they are old."
"I must go back to the mansion to visit them some day."
"What do you want to go back for? With such a grand entourage, the Shi mansion can't hold you."
"Big brother!" Shi Muyuan said coquettishly. But it was true. As the Empress Dowager, there would definitely be many people following and protecting her when she went out of the palace. It would really be troublesome. If she went back secretly, she would definitely be caught and criticized.