Her Power and Favor Span the World

Chapter 61

When Yuan Qingling arrived at the Qian Kun Palace, the Retired Emperor was actually half-sitting up, cracking melon seeds.

In addition to Eunuch Chang in the hall, there was another person, a man dressed in black with a sword, graying sideburns, somewhat aged. When he saw Yuan Qingling come in, his gaze swept over her, and it was as cold as lightning.

The Retired Emperor cracked melon seeds and said, "You can leave now."

The man in black bowed with his hands clasped and withdrew.

His footsteps were very light. Even if one stared closely, it seemed his heels did not touch the ground. In just a moment, he had disappeared from the hall.

"What are you looking at? He is my secret guard. Have you settled your business?" The Retired Emperor glanced at her lazily and asked casually. His spirit seemed quite good.

Yuan Qingling suddenly had the feeling that this old fellow really knew everything, including who had instructed Xi Mama.

The old fellow looked at her with a sinister smile.

Yuan Qingling's scalp tingled. She had not guessed wrong. The old fellow knew everything.

"Eunuch Chang, I have something to say to the Retired Emperor privately. Please go out for a moment." Yuan Qingling felt she could not pretend to be muddle-headed. She must ask clearly.

Eunuch Chang was very tactful and immediately went out.

The Retired Emperor was still cracking melon seeds, looking a bit smug. "What do you want to ask? I may not answer you."

"Who switched the medicine?" Yuan Qingling leaned in and asked, "You know, don't you?"

"I know!" he replied without even lifting his eyelids. "Xiao Luo Zi."

"Don't play games with me..."

"Insolent!" The Retired Emperor bellowed, "Who do you think you're talking to?"

Yuan Qingling lowered her eyes, swallowing the grievances in her belly. "I'm sorry, I was wrong."

The Retired Emperor harrumphed and continued cracking melon seeds, speaking frankly, "That's right, I know."

Yuan Qingling looked at him in surprise. So everyone was considerate of his feelings, yet he knew everything clearly? If he knew clearly, why did he still allow Xi Mama to serve him in the hall? Was he not afraid she would poison him again?

"Can't see through?" The Retired Emperor snorted and spit out the shell.

"You are most wise." Yuan Qingling admitted defeat.

The Retired Emperor looked at her and motioned, "Come here!"

Yuan Qingling hurried over and waited eagerly for him to speak.

But the Retired Emperor handed her a pile of melon seeds, "Shell these!"

Yuan Qingling was frustrated, but could only help shell them for him.

With each melon seed placed in his palm, he was in no hurry to eat them. After she had shelled ten or eight seeds, he grabbed them and put them in his mouth, chewing twice, and said in disgust, "Not as tasty when you don't shell them yourself."

Yuan Qingling said, "Eating melon seeds isn't really about the seeds. It's just enjoying the cracking process."

"Good that you understand!" The Retired Emperor said lightly, "So why ask so much? Just slowly peel it open yourself and examine it slowly."

Alright, he was trying to indoctrinate her in various ways.

"You don't need to continue attending to me in the palace. Take your Prince Chu and get back to the Prince Chu's Residence. When I want to see you, I will naturally summon you." The Retired Emperor clapped his hands with a lazy look, half-reclining.

Thinking of returning to the Prince Chu's Residence, Yuan Qingling felt depressed, her whole spirit dampened.

"Not happy?" The Retired Emperor observed her and asked.

"Nothing to be happy about."

The Retired Emperor laughed. "Is it about Fifth Prince taking a concubine? It was Consort Xian's idea. You don't seem to care much about Fifth Prince anyway, just go along with it. Why make a fuss?"

He knew about this too? It seems the concubine matter had already been proposed.

"It's not about that. To me, that's not a big deal." If anything, it was a good thing. "Xi Mama is going to leave the palace with me. You know that, right?"

"I know!"

He knew? This was just decided. Someone had reported to him so quickly? Who was so swift? Yuan Qingling couldn't help but think of the man in black just now. He was probably the Retired Emperor's eyes and ears.

"Be a little nicer to her. Although I am disappointed in her, I do not resent her." The Retired Emperor lowered his eyes and wiped his hands, and said.

With his noble status, someone had plotted to kill him, yet he did not resent her and told Yuan Qingling to be good to her. How strange.

In the study's annex in the imperial palace, Prince Sun knew Yuwen Hao was recuperating in the palace but did not know his injuries were so serious. Seeing Yuwen Hao lying in bed without a trace of energy, Prince Sun's head, round as a rubber ball, bristled with anger until his hair nearly stood on end. His face was purple. "Who's the bastard that did this? I want to chop him into meat sauce."

As he cursed, he grabbed a handful of the honeyed snacks sent for Yuwen Hao's medicine and stuffed them into his mouth, chomping angrily.

Yuwen Hao was very calm. He tilted his head towards the snacks and said, "There are some pastries over there, sent by Eunuch Chang."

He didn't say they were for Yuan Qingling. His heart was very restless as he kept looking outside.

Tang Yang brought the pastries over and placed them in front of Prince Sun. Prince Sun waved his hand. "Can't eat these. Pastries make you fat... These were sent by Eunuch Chang? Made by the imperial kitchen? They look exquisite. I'll try one."

He took one, and Tang Yang moved to take the plate away. Prince Sun grabbed his hand. "What are you doing? Leave them here. Tang Yang, you look so petty. Eat yours!"

Tang Yang smiled and said, "Prince, I'm afraid you'll get too full."

"When have I ever gotten too full?" Prince Sun glared with his round eyes.

"Yes, yes!" When have you not gotten too full?

Yuwen Hao's heart was very chaotic. He wanted Prince Sun to finish eating and leave. He really had no energy to discuss delicacies with him. "Let him eat. Let him eat his fill. He can take a walk later to digest the food."

Prince Sun ate the pastries and said, "That reminds me, I just came from seeing Father. He scolded me badly. Father is still fuming. Your wife went in. I wonder if Father will berate her too."

Yuwen Hao propped himself up. "Father is very angry?"

"Yes, I don't know why he's so furious. I just went in to greet him and he rebuked me, said I don't attend to proper business and only know how to eat and drink all day. It's really unfair. He wants me to work at the Jingzhao Prefecture. I'm not cut out to handle cases. So I recommended you."

"Jingzhao Prefecture?" Yuwen Hao laughed helplessly. "Why did you recommend me? To be a police chief?"

"The Prefect of Jingzhao!"

"What?" Yuwen Hao was shocked. "Father appointed you as the Prefect of Jingzhao?"

Jingzhao Prefecture, the regional government of the capital region, oversees taxes and levies, obverses the common folk, manages the judiciary and prisons, and supervises officials. Its power is shocking. Father actually wanted to appoint Second Prince as the Prefect of Jingzhao?

He immediately realized that Father didn't intend to appoint Second Prince. He wanted to select someone from the princes to serve as Vice Prefect of Jingzhao.

The Prefect of Jingzhao was definitely not a cushy role; strictly speaking, it was an role that offended people. But for Father to select a candidate from among his sons, the princes, it was a cushy role to them. Father wanted to test this person.

In the past, the Vice Prefect of Jingzhao was often held by a prince. The Retired Emperor in his reign changed this practice and boldly appointed outsiders. For the imperial clan and relatives, it also played a supervisory role. After all, if not held by a prince, there would be fewer personal favors involved.

Yuwen Hao was shocked. What was Father trying to do? Once this news got out, the covert struggles would surely erupt into open conflict.

"Second brother, how could you recommend me to Father?" Yuwen Hao resented Prince Sun in his heart. Father already distrusted him, and Second Brother readily recommended him. What would Father think? He must have suspected long ago that Yuwen Hao had ambitions.