"This..." Although the master had ordered her not to come easily except in case of urgent matters.
After seeing her master part on bad terms with the emperor, Qingcao was a bit worried about her master's mood. So, after night fell, she handed over all her tasks to other maids, changed into night clothes, and came to find her master.
Now that Su Wan'er asked, she realized that she seemed to have violated her master's order.
But since she had already come, could she still go back now?
Clearing her throat lightly, Qingcao had no choice but to forge ahead bravely: "Actually, I thought you were in a bad mood, so I came to check on you, master."
"Was it that obvious?" Su Wan'er thought she had hidden her emotions quite well, but she didn't expect Qingcao to notice. Fang Xi and the others didn't notice at all.
Qingcao glanced at her and then said to her, "Master, your expression wasn't that obvious. It's just that I'm too familiar with you. Don't forget, I've been following you since I was five years old."
Only then did Su Wan'er heave a sigh of relief. So it wasn't that her self - control was insufficient, but because they were too familiar?
In that case, it didn't matter much. As long as outsiders couldn't tell, there would be no problem.
"Master, are you troubled by something?" Seeing her master admit it, Qingcao continued to ask. She hoped she could help her master solve the problem.
Su Wan'er sighed and asked her, "Qingcao, you've been by the emperor's side recently. Have you noticed any abnormalities about the emperor?"
Qingcao recalled for a while and finally shook her head helplessly: "No. The emperor has been living as usual recently. There's nothing different. The only thing that could be considered different is that he looks at the moonlight every day recently, as if he's calculating something."
"Master, you're so concerned about the emperor. Have you discovered something extraordinary about him?" Qingcao asked Su Wan'er.
Su Wan'er also shook her head: "No." But it was precisely because there was nothing that she was particularly concerned.
He was now occupying her body, and she didn't want this to cause any harm to her own body.
Qingcao sighed and suggested to Su Wan'er, "Master, since you're so concerned about the emperor, why not mobilize the secret guards?"
"That's right!" Su Wan'er slapped her palm. How could she forget about this? Didn't she still have secret guards in the palace that she hadn't used? If Si Junlin refused to tell her, then she would find out by herself.
"Qingcao, make arrangements and let the secret guards investigate what happened to the emperor back then." Su Wan'er ordered.
"Yes, master." After bowing, Qingcao retreated.
After Su Wan'er solved a major concern in her heart, she felt much more relaxed, and she processed the memorials even faster.
However, Su Wan'er's relaxed mood didn't last long.
Early the next morning, just as she sat on the dragon throne, an urgent report from the southern border was delivered.
"Greetings to the emperor. This is an urgent report from the southern border." The messenger respectfully presented a well - sealed secret letter.
Su Wan'er took the secret letter from Fang Xi's hand and examined it carefully for a few moments.
Su Wan'er originally thought there was a military emergency in the southern border and looked at it with great concern. Who would have thought that it was actually a letter proposing a marriage alliance.
It turned out that the daughter of the king of the southern border had just come of age and intended to come to the Central Plains to find a good family for marriage alliance to strengthen the friendly relations between the two countries.
Su Wan'er put the marriage - alliance letter aside separately, planning to discuss it with Si Junlin in the harem later to see how he had handled such situations in the past.
Just as she put down the marriage - alliance letter, the messenger respectfully said to her, "Your Majesty, please reply to this matter as soon as possible. The southern - border princess who is here for the marriage alliance has already arrived at the border. If it's not handled promptly, there's a risk of being seen as showing disrespect."
Su Wan'er frowned. Was this person forcing her to make a decision immediately?
She said coldly, "This matter is of great importance. Naturally, I need to think it over carefully. You may step back first."
After the emperor gave the order, the messenger had no choice but to leave.
Su Wan'er also knew that matters at the border were of great importance to the country's peace and stability. So, after the court session ended, she didn't dare to be negligent and went straight to Si Junlin's palace.
Si Junlin had just finished practicing martial arts and taking a bath. As soon as Su Wan'er pushed open the door, she saw Qingcao tying up Si Junlin's hair.
When Qingcao saw Su Wan'er come in, she was about to bow.
Su Wan'er stepped forward, stopped Qingcao's action, reached out and took Si Junlin's long hair, and began to comb it slowly.
Si Junlin had been closing his eyes all the time and didn't know at all that the person tying his hair behind him had changed.
"All done." Su Wan'er said after she had tied up his long hair.
Si Junlin was startled and quickly opened his eyes. When he saw it was Su Wan'er, he slowly let out a sigh of relief.
"How did you know to come?" Si Junlin asked puzzledly.
Su Wan'er put down the sandalwood comb and asked with a bit of amusement, "What? Can't I come?"
Si Junlin turned to face her: "It's not that. It's just... Did you encounter any problems in the morning court?"
Su Wan'er sighed: "It seems I still can't hide it from you."
Si Junlin looked at her as if she were an idiot: "You rushed to my place right after the court session. You wouldn't be in such a hurry if you didn't encounter something in the court."
Su Wan'er chuckled and took out the marriage - alliance letter mysteriously from her sleeve: "Take a look. This is what I got in the morning court today."
Seeing her mysterious look, Si Junlin thought it was something extraordinary. But when she took it out, he was disappointed.
"So it's a marriage - alliance letter."
Su Wan'er looked at him in bewilderment: "What? Are you disappointed that the harem can be expanded?"
"Do you really think the southern - border princess is really here for the marriage alliance?" Si Junlin said disdainfully.
Su Wan'er blinked her eyes and said with a puzzled look on her face, "Isn't she?"
Si Junlin smiled helplessly: "It would be good if it were really so. Don't forget, there's still a person from the southern border in our palace."
Su Wan'er asked in surprise, "You mean she's coming for that girl?"
Si Junlin nodded: "It's very likely. After all, the southern - border saintess is the most important existence for the southern border."
"But didn't she say she wasn't the southern - border saintess?" Su Wan'er thought for a while and said.
Si Junlin glanced at her indifferently, his eyes full of mockery.