"We've investigated clearly. The emperor has already had the junior eunuch in charge of the stables flogged to death."
"No, how could it be just this simple..." The Fourth Princess couldn't believe that this matter was so straightforward.
"This matter ends here." Qin Junxing gave the Fourth Princess a warning look and made the decision without any room for argument. "Ask the people from the Eastern Palace to send you back to the palace."
After saying that, he looked at Xie Fengran. "I'll send you back. I have something to discuss with you."
The Fourth Princess: "..." No, are you two not even bothering to hide it from others now?
Immediately protesting, she said, "Cousin, I disagree. I want... You should still send me!". Meeting Qin Junxing's murderous look, the Fourth Princess's toughness lasted for only a moment, and she left her Sister Xie behind.
She scurried away and let the guards from the Eastern Palace send her back.
With the annoying person gone, Qin Junxing nodded in satisfaction. "Leave your family's carriage here to send your younger sister back home. But I'm afraid she doesn't want to go back so soon."
Qin Junxing nodded his chin in a certain direction. Xie Fengran followed his gaze and saw Xie Yunxi chatting merrily with a young master in a dark - blue brocade robe.
Her face immediately darkened. She gritted her teeth and suppressed the urge to call out. Then she turned around and walked outside.
"If you're angry, I can send someone to warn that person and make him stay away from your younger sister?"
"Thanks, but no need!" Xie Fengran wasn't that kind - hearted. Instead, she asked, "Who is that person?"
"He's the illegitimate son of the Prince of Jin."
In Xie Fengran's mind, the title of the Prince of Jin—"the lustful prince"—appeared. She curled her lips and secretly became vigilant. She'd have to tell Zhuye to keep an eye on things later to prevent anything out of control!
"You're still young, but you've got a lot to worry about!" Qin Junxing teased. Sure enough, he saw the girl turn around angrily. He quickly suppressed his smile and said, "Ranran, I really do have something important."
After saying that, he leaned closer to Xie Fengran's ear and whispered, "It's about the Bloodthirsty Guards!"
Xie Fengran's eyes flickered, but she didn't say a word. She followed Qin Junxing out.
"Hey, what are you doing? Stay away!"
When the two were almost at the door, a hunched eunuch was craning his neck and peeping in their direction. He was stopped by the guards.
Hearing the commotion, Xie Fengran looked over curiously. It was just an ordinary cleaning eunuch. Maybe because of nervousness, his whole body was trembling.
Xie Fengran took a look and then looked away, so she didn't see the eunuch's tear - filled and hopeful eyes.
Qin Junxing saw this strange scene clearly. He gave Qing Ye a look. Qing Ye fell half a step behind the two of them and led people to drive the eunuch away.
Xie Fengran didn't take this little episode to heart and got into the carriage.
Qin Junxing also got in. Xie Fengran moved aside and asked, "Has the prince found a way to make the Bloodthirsty Guards truly mine?"
"I've got some clues!" Qin Junxing's gaze swept over her once. He leaned back and said softly, "I have a gu master from the Southern Border under my command. He said that each leader of the Bloodthirsty Guards should have been planted with a kind of gu."
"Gu?" Xie Fengran frowned. She had only read about this in strange tales from the Jianghu. Could there really be such a thing in the world?
"There are many things in this world that you don't know about, but it doesn't mean they don't exist. If each leader of the Bloodthirsty Guards is controlled by gu, then the method to control the Bloodthirsty Guards must be in the Marquis's Mansion. So..."
"Thanks, I know what to do!"
Qin Junxing was interrupted. He shook his head and said with a smile, "Why are you in such a hurry? Lord Xie passed away in a hurry. The old madam may not know. You can just observe slowly. Anyway, the Bloodthirsty Guards are in your hands now, and that leader is still young. There's no rush!"
There was indeed no rush, but it was still an uncertain factor. Grandma had been guarding against her recently, and she didn't know where to start.
Xie Fengran was thinking slowly and didn't notice that the light in front of her was gradually dimming.
It wasn't until there was no sound in the carriage and the faint sound of breathing came to her ears that she suddenly looked up. "Ouch!"
Xie Fengran covered her forehead and glared at the culprit. "Why are you so close to me?"
Qin Junxing didn't expect the girl to look up suddenly. He rubbed his chin and said confidently, "Ranran is so beautiful that she makes me yearn for her!"
"..." It was the first time she had seen someone so boldly justify peeping.
Especially since this person had an extremely thick skin. Xie Fengran had no choice but to glare at him. She leaned back and suddenly asked, "Who on earth was behind today's incident?"
Qin Junxing's hand that was rubbing his chin paused. He said with a half - smile, "Ranran doesn't seem to believe what the emperor did?"
"Killing to cover up the truth. I'm not that stupid." Xie Fengran gently rubbed her forehead and said sullenly, "If I'm not mistaken, this matter must have been done by the Third Princess. To cover up his daughter's shame, the emperor definitely won't let this matter be publicized."
There was one more thing she didn't say. The Third Princess was raised under the knee of the imperial concubine. If the crown prince could make the emperor dislike the Third Princess, then the empress would also benefit. Now that the crown prince hadn't returned, it was probably because he had hit a wall in front of the emperor.
The smile on Qin Junxing's lips gradually widened. Suddenly, he reached out and touched Xie Fengran's forehead. He leaned over and looked carefully.
On the fair and delicate skin of the young girl, there was a red mark. He gently blew on it. "This way it won't hurt."
After saying that, he leaned back and said slowly, "Ranran only guessed part of it. The emperor doesn't really care about just the Third Princess. What the emperor really minds is the Wang family!"
Xie Fengran was stunned by his series of actions. She couldn't even get angry. She gritted her teeth slightly and angrily asked, "What about the Wang family?"
Qin Junxing was in a very good mood. "In the court now, it seems that the old ministers left by Emperor Dezong are confronting the emperor's faction. In fact, those old ministers no longer pose any threat to the emperor. But most of the people in the emperor's faction are from the Wang family. So, who is the Wang family?"
"The Wang family? The empress's natal family!"
"Exactly, the imperial in - laws!" Qin Junxing sneered sarcastically. "The emperor is indecisive. Otherwise, he wouldn't have taken so many years on the throne to reduce the influence of Emperor Dezong on the court. Now that the emperor is supporting the women's academy, he may not have the intention of elevating the status of the imperial concubine. But what Master Wang did today was undoubtedly slapping the emperor in the face. How could the emperor not have any grudges in his heart?"
So that was it!
Xie Fengran suddenly understood. "Coupled with the fact that the crown prince stood up for me, that's why the emperor just glossed over it and had a junior eunuch flogged to death?"
"Ranran is smart." Qin Junxing was in a very good mood. He quietly inched closer to the little girl. Seeing that she didn't react, he inched closer again.
When he finally got in front of her, his big hand secretly touched the little girl's fair and tender hand on her lap.
Just as he was about to hold it, he suddenly heard a cold voice. "Qin Junxing, take your claw away!"