Chapter 254: The Subtle Heartbeat

  Liu sighed, "I also had this feeling only after entering the palace this time. Ruo Er's impulsive temper can't survive in the imperial palace at all. I had hoped that with the support of the Empress Dowager, we could live in peace, but who knew... Look at the Seventh Prince, he has the Emperor's backing, yet it was all for nothing. This time, it's clear that the ones trying to harm the Seventh Prince are the group around the Fourth Princess, unfortunately, there is no evidence, and the Emperor can't do anything about it."

  "Which is why someone like Seventh Young Miss, who's clever and can get along with everyone, would be a good fit. She's only been in the palace for a few days and already gets along famously with the Fourth Princess."

  Liu snorted in disdain, "She's only good at fawning and flattering, if you want to go far, it's not just about relying on her little tricks!"

  The banquet in the imperial palace has dispersed.

  The night is quiet and peaceful, with fragrance of flowers floating in the air. The bright moon hides behind the floating clouds, covering up its cold and lonely light.

  Several crystal palace lanterns hung under the flying corridor, and the bright light poured onto the Han white jade steps, setting off a wave of clear frost.

  Inside the crystal palace, light and shadow reappear, with beautifully dressed girls gathering in a group, their clothes fragrant, their hair adorned, and their sleeves fluttering.

  However, these are just superficial feelings.

  It wasn't until they walked closer that they discovered the atmosphere at the banquet was quite solemn.

  The girl in the lead was as white as porcelain, delicate and lovely, but now her face had a flush of red, and her autumn water-like eyes were full of resentment.

  "He actually let him escape and got us severely scolded by the Emperor, how detestable!" She was none other than Qi Autumn, the Fourth Princess who wanted to harm the Seventh Prince.

  The Seventh Princess in yellow immediately echoed her: "Yes, Fourth Sister! As expected of a lowly born person's descendant, she actually dares to escape!"

  Lin Xingyan on the side heard that he was speechless, why didn't they escape, did they go to die? What logic.

  The fifth princess in red skirt said: "I heard that Father Emperor has recently found someone to secretly teach him martial arts, so he was able to grab the railing just now and didn't fall off."

  "The Emperor only knows how to protect that despicable mother and son!" The Fourth Princess was even more furious, slamming her hand on the table and gritting her teeth: "This time he's lucky, but next time I absolutely won't let him escape!"

  "Fourth sister, let's be more careful recently. Father Emperor is already very dissatisfied with us. If we really get him killed, we'll also suffer the consequences."

  "Who said I wanted him dead? I just want to teach them a lesson!"

  Lin Xing said with a sneer, "If he falls from that high building, even if he doesn't die, he'll be crippled for sure?"

  They are indeed a group of dragon and phoenix children who have been pampered since childhood, with vicious minds but no real skills, only knowing how to play some childish tricks, although they can harm people to death, the result is that they end up sacrificing themselves.

  She was secretly laughing, but her face showed a kind expression. She gently spoke to the Fourth Princess, "Fourth Princess, if you trust me, I have a plan that can teach Seventh Prince a lesson without getting scolded by the Emperor."

  "Really?" The fourth princess's eyes lit up, although she looked down on this "replacement" daughter of the sixth child, but as long as she had a way to get rid of the seventh prince, she would be willing to lift her up.

  "Naturally, if the Fourth Princess is willing to believe it." Lin Xing's lips curled up slightly, looking very confident.

  The fourth princess took the bait and asked: "What's the plan?"

  Lin Xingyan raised the corner of his lips again and leaned in close to the Fourth Princess's ear, whispering something.

  The fourth princess listened with her eyes growing wider and wider. When she finished speaking, she exclaimed in shock: "Is this really possible?"

  "What's impossible?" Lin Xingyan raised an eyebrow, "As long as Your Highness the Fourth Princess is willing to take action, I guarantee that it will be successful."

  "Alas..."

  "Hush." Lin Xing interrupted her, "Be careful of walls having ears, this matter cannot be revealed easily before it is successful."

  The other princesses looked at each other in confusion and couldn't help but ask: "What's the plan?"

  Lin Xing smiled and said, "The extended meaning of 'killing with a borrowed knife'."

  They were even more bewildered, but Lin Xingyan refused to say any more, only saying: "The several princesses just need to watch, and after the matter is settled, they will naturally understand."

  The fourth princess bit her lip, seemingly hesitant.

  Lin Xing did not force her, "This is just a small girl's plan to solve the troubles of the Fourth Princess. Whether or not to use it depends on the Fourth Princess' decision. However, I want to advise the Fourth Princess that being indecisive will ultimately lead to becoming a fugitive."

  The fourth princess fell silent for a moment, then clenched her fists and said resolutely: "Alright! I'll do as you say! If it really works out, I'll treat you as the real Sixth Princess and give you the respect and recognition you want!"

  Lin Xingyun raised an eyebrow, neither confirming nor denying.

  If she really succeeded, why would she need the support of the Fourth Princess, Guangtong Imperial Concubine and Jing Imperial Concubine, and they would be eternally grateful to her.

  Some things aren't unthinkable, but rather unattempted.

  If it doesn't work out... then it has nothing to do with her.

  Xiao Qi stayed by Xiao Ming's side until the sky was bright and Xiao Ming slowly woke up.

  He was still a bit dazed, and as he slowly opened his eyes, he saw the person sitting beside his bed and subconsciously called out, "Jingyu..."

  He was taken aback for a moment, then reacted and laughed: "You've only met him once, and you're calling him so intimately?"

  Xiao Ming heard this familiar voice, and was also stunned. Because his consciousness was still a bit dizzy, he was stunned for half a day before coming to himself. "Big brother? How did you end up here?"

  Xiao Qi shrugged and teased him, "It was that Jing Yu from your mouth who informed me to come."

  Xiao Mingjun's face turned red, his ears were also a bit swollen, and he stuttered: "I, she, not, just because she saved me."

  The smile on Xiao Xi's lips grew even wider. "I didn't expect that your first time out in six years, you'd run into someone you like! How wonderful!"

  Xiao Ming heard the joke in his words, her face turned even redder, but she didn't retort.

  Xiao Xi's smile gradually faded, staring at Xiao Ming, and slowly said: "However, you got into so much trouble on your first trip out, almost losing your own life. Shouldn't I be congratulating you?"

  Xiao Ming's body trembled slightly, and he looked down with some guilt, "Big brother, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cause trouble..."

  "Why did you deliberately let those people beat you? I know you secretly ran away to prove yourself and didn't want my protection, but with your skills, there's no way you should have been beaten like that. Yet you were beaten so badly that you even had to rely on a woman to save you!"

  Xiao Ming lowered his eyes and refused to answer.

  Xiao Ming, I won't beat around the bush with you. Tell me, why did you deliberately let yourself get beaten up? I think if I'm not mistaken, if no one had saved you just now, you would have revealed your identity yourself. At that time, the entire Drunken Flower House would have been affected. You want to target Drunken Flower House, you want it to shut down completely, don't you?

  Xiao Ming lowered his head even further and still refused to answer.

  Xiao Xi didn't force him anymore, she just quietly looked at him until he was willing to speak.

  Finally, after a long time had passed, Xiao Ming said in a low voice: "I... I saw the Second Prince with Mo Shuang together."

  "What?" The unexpected answer left Xiao Qi momentarily unable to react.

  Xiao Ming fell silent for a moment, before blurting out: "I went to find Mo Fang, but I heard she was with the Second Prince. I don't understand how this can be, isn't Mo Fang supposed to be with Big Brother? Isn't she only allowed to be with Big Brother? How could the people at Drunken Flower Pavilion let her meet another man? I'm so angry on your behalf, that's why..."

  "Would you rather sacrifice yourself in this way to seek justice for me?" Xiao Qi took over, his voice already somewhat hoarse.

  He had thought of countless possibilities on his way here, thinking that Xiao Ming might be doing it for personal gain, thinking that Xiao Ming might be handling some unknown matters for the Marquis of Xiao, and even wondering if Xiao Ming was trying to frame him, but he never thought it would be for this reason.

  In his view, it was extremely boring and unthinkable for this reason.

  Because in his concept, doing anything must weigh the pros and cons, calculate the value brought by this thing, if the input is not enough to bring the maximum return, he will not do it.

  Ke Xiao Ming, just for the sake of seeking justice for him, was willing to sacrifice his own body.

  "Are you drunk to the point where your brain is also flooded? Even if you want to give the Drunken Flower House a show, you can't make fun of yourself." Xiao Qi's face was cold, his words were cold and cutting, but his eyes held an unmistakable concern.

  Xiao Ming lowered his head in embarrassment and muttered: "Actually, I didn't plan to do this at first. It was just a moment of anger, and I couldn't control my mouth, so I made a few sarcastic remarks. Later, it turned out that there really wasn't any silver on me, so I decided to go along with the situation."

  Xiao Qi's face was covered in black lines, "You really haven't died from stupidity."

  Xiao Ming raised an eyebrow, "But Father said I'm smarter than you, so..."

  Xiao Qi: "......"

  Xiao Ming smiled again, completely gone was the half-dead look from last night. "But this beating is actually worth it, I believe that in the future, the Drunken Blossom Building will not have a peaceful day, and when the time comes, Mo Feng won't have anywhere to go, big brother can take her home!"

  Xiao Yi gazed at Xiao Ming's face with a radiant and genuine smile, and couldn't help but feel the urge to punch him.

  It seems that Xu Xiuren and Xiao Ming can't talk to each other anymore, the more they talk, the more crooked it gets!

  "When did you start being a matchmaker?"

  "It's never like that!" Xiao Ming innocently blinked his eyes, and after reacting to the meaning of Xiao Qi's words, he explained: "That's because you're my older brother, so I..."

  "I have nothing to do with Mo Fang!" Xiao Qi interrupted him, his eyebrows furrowed, his expression quite serious. "I've told you many times before, I and Mo Fang are just ordinary friends, at most we can be considered as cooperative relationship, otherwise, there's nothing."

  Don't even mention what Xiao Ming said last time, he and Mo Feng haven't even held hands before, what are you blindly matching them up for?!

  This month, the guaranteed updates will be increased, and additional updates will be added at a suitable time. The owed updates from before, including the Shi Pian and Fen Hong updates, will be gradually made up for. During the New Year period, only single updates are possible, which will be posted at 7 pm every night.