Chapter 24

"I came to the capital without summoning"

"It's okay. I just asked why and I am not going to punish you. Is it only you and Jin Tian"

"Yes, only me and Jin Tian. I was Kind of bored so decide to came here and I met with uncle Jiu"

"So, you really came to invite us for your wedding?"

"Of course not. How can I have time for love? I just said so because I saw his majesty's jealousy eyes. He will forbid me from meeting you if I didn't say so" Xiao Feng chuckled.

"You both are still childish' Xiao Feng

Emperor was going to go back after coming to concubine Wei's palace. Concubine Wei cling into the emperor.

"Your majesty! Please wait for few more hours"

"Your maid said that you were unconscious, that's why I came to visit" Emperor glare at the maid.

"If you again dare to lie again you can live without a tongue"

"Please have some mercy" Emperor harshly gets out of concubine Wei's grip and went out.

Empress was going to see Shi Lin out.

"Don't tell empress about it" Weining said to Linlin.

"Hmm"

"What is it?" Empress asked making both startled.

"Empress" Linlin looks at Shi Lin and then to empress.

"Shi Lin is already here. I thought since empress didn't ask him to come, there will be an emergency and he will go back. Seem like he came to meet empress" Linlin said in one breath and Shi Lin furrowed his eyebrows. What is this girl thinking, it was clear she just made up.

"It's okay. I am not that strict like grandfather and after all its brother Shi Lin"

"Yes, I overreacted" Linlin wiped her invisible sweat around her face. Xiao Feng nodded.

"Brother Shi Lin, come to the palace you're free"

"I will. Then I will go now" He caressed her head.

"I will send off Shi Lin" Xiao Feng nodded and they went away.

"What did you mean before? You already saw me enter the palace"

"Shi Lin, Yang is fighting against Wu"

"What? Is it the matter?"

"Try to keep anything related to Yang kingdom. Before empress became the empress, West kingdom's emperor make an engagement with Yang kingdom's crown prince but somehow, no one know about it except empress, Weining and me in Sui kingdom. It's the long story shorter. So, you will keep it a secret right?" Shi Lin nodded.

"Okay. I will. I don't want Xiao Feng to be anxious after all she is pregnant. Wait. So, the father is, it couldn't be right?" Linlin glared at him.

"Shut your mouth. This is the palace. Be cautions" Shi Lin chuckle a few times and broke into laugh.

"Are you crazy?" She asked and she stop in front of the gate. He just waved his hand and exit the palace. They were riding the horse on the street.

"Seem like not only me, great emperor Zheng also lose the game"

"Means?" Jin Tian looks at his master who had a happy face since earlier.

"Linlin didn't reject the fact I brought up. So, Xiao Feng's unborn child is not the emperor's but probably one from the Yang kingdom" Jin Tian gasps.

"But empress was in already in Sui 2 months ago. Young master has been always liked empress" Shi Lin looks at Jin Tian and just chuckled making Jin Tian pity his young master.

"It's probably a trick. The way Linlin said it's clear that Xiao Feng likes that man" Jin Tian nod finally understanding.

"As long as the child is Xiao Feng's, I will be a lovely uncle and as long as the child's father is not Zhu Zheng's I will protect the child with my life"

Back in peony palace empress sat down in her seat.

"What happened?"

"Replying to empress, fourth prince indeed was angry"

"As expected, Weining" Weining went near to the empress.

"Prince Sheng is in my side hall. Don't let anyone enter the side hall" Empress whispered and Weining nodded. Two maids came inside with incense.

"Sis Weining, it's time to change the incense" Weining motion them to go on and after changing they went back after curtsying the empress. Empress stood up.

"I am tired" Weining and empress exchanged a glance and Weining helped empress to chambers while saying,

"Go out, empress is going to take a nap" All maids nodded and went outside and the same time Linlin came inside and Weining and she also exchange a glance and Linlin and to an incense and she slowly nodded. After everyone went away Linlin took out a silver needle and check every incense she smiled seeing needle turning black. She collected out few incenses and went inside the chamber.

"They're indeed in a hurry since empress is pregnant"

"Same old tricks" She said looking at herself through the mirror.

"Empress is wise, this is the fourth time we found poisoning in the 2 days. But isn't it good to have only our people. Why should we take a risk?" Xiao Feng shook her head.

"By doing that how they want to harm me will be more complicated that we may even couldn't guess. Harem has been always like this, for power they could kill anyone"

In the night emperor and the empress was sleeping in their chamber when Weining call from outside.

"Your majesty, empress… Your majesty" Xiao Feng woke up and sit in the bed.

"Come inside" Weining came inside and curtsied.

"Your majesty, it is indeed done by fourth prince. fourth prince's servant got caught" Emperor also wakeup and there was.

"I will take a look"

"I will come too"

"But" Emperor said touching her belly. She held his hand and smiled. Emperor had to agree knowing that he couldn't change her mind. So, he nodded and maids helped them to wear their outer robe and a cloak. Then they both went towards prince Sheng's palace but stop when a soldier ran there.

"Your majesty, empress. He ran away after killing few guards. Ms. Linlin who just came inside followed after him"

"Ask general Liu to directly to go to fourth prince manor and seal the place and bring that bastard to me"

"Yes" He bowed and went away. Emperor and empress went to the front hall as emperor sat down mad and empress sat down while patted his hand.

Liuyang was in front of the fourth prince manor and signal the soldiers. Soldiers brought fourth prince and fourth princess consort also was tagging along.

"How can you do this? Your highness is your majesty's fourth brother" Xiao Li said almost beating Liuyang.

"It's your majesty's order. fourth prince is suspect for a crime" Fourth princess consort just knelt feeling weak in her knees. She wouldn't refuse the idea. She thought it was her husband's doing too.

"I – can I come too?" Liuyang hesitated but nodded anyway.

In a middle of the road, they all was fighting. Few soldiers and few assassins. Linlin saw that fourth prince's man tried to runway while they were fighting as she sent her sword towards him. The sword went through his leg making him fell in the ground. Linlin grab one of assassin's hand and stab him by his own sword to take a sword back and kill others in few moments and went towards the criminal.

"Take him to the palace" Soldiers cupped their hands and bowed and took him back. Linlin took out the sword.

In the palace emperor was furious and empress too as she breathed in and out to calm herself. Everyone was kowtowed except imperial eunuch Huo Hong and Weining. In a moment Liuyang came inside with fourth prince who was looking down and fourth princess consort.

"Xiao Feng, Xiao Feng. Your brother-in-law didn't do any crime. Please let him go" Empress looks at the emperor.

"Fourth brother, are you angry with me for not granting a prince title to little prince? That's why you were too eager and personally sent your closest servant?" Fourth prince was just looking down.

"Huo Hong, tell what is this?" Emperor said pointing the edict that was open in the table.

"Your majesty, gift for fourth prince's son in his first month birthday"

"What type of gift?"

"Prince Title with one street in the north part of capital" Emperor looks at front and took the ink pad and pour it on the edict seal so it will no longer valid. Then throw it towards fourth prince.

"In the imperial family only me, you, 5th brother and 6th brother is remained. So, I decide to let you all go since empress ask me to. Not any emperor let his brothers live after coming to throne. I did it. Why do you plan to kill my son? 5th brother's son?" Fourth prince clenched his hand.

"No, He didn't. Xiao Feng, tell your majesty. He is innocent" Xiao Li said while crawling few steps forward.

"Fourth princess consort, how about this person" Linlin came inside and 2 soldiers was holding fourth prince's servant and they loosen their grip and he fell to the ground. Xiao Li was shocked but still crawled back towards the servant.

"You! You plan it all by yourself, right? Tell, your majesty that his highness didn't do it" The servant looked at their princess consort and kowtowed. This would be the last bargain.

"Yes, your majesty. I planned everything by myself. Your highness doesn't have anything to do with anything"

"See brother-in-law, Xiao Feng. Your highness didn't do anything. It's all planned by him" Xiao Li mentioned their relations to lessen their anger but the thing happen was the opposite of it. Xiao Feng's eyes was burning as she let out a chuckle.

"Sister must be kidding me, when was a servant act on their own without their master's instruction?"

"Please, Xiao Feng. For the sake of me, please"

"Ask your master to be silent. Your majesty hadn't talked yet nor given any instructions. You are here shouting like a shrew" Xiao Li's maid bow down and whisper something.

"Give me a good explanation"

"I don't have anything to say. I got justice for 3rd brother"

"So, 5th brother's child?"

"He was the commander in the northern border war"

"So, you try to kill Sheng'er is because I didn't protect 3rd brother well? And 5th brother's child was because he was the commander in the war?"

"Yes" Xiao Feng's grin grew wider and wider.

"What a good explanation"

"Sister your husband accepted all the crimes that was pointed out. Now how can I help you, even though I wanted" Xiao Feng highlighted it by saying clearly and went towards fourth prince. They were staring at each other. Fourth prince could know by the stare and the grin that Xiao Feng already knows everything.

"Xiao Feng!!!"

"Linlin" Linlin gave the sword to Xiao Feng and guards make fourth prince stand up.

"Take this" Xiao Feng gave the sword to fourth prince. Fourth prince didn't take it but look at Xiao Feng.

"I said take it" Xiao Feng said forcefully putting the sword in his hand.

"Xiao Feng" Xiao Li called out. Fourth prince throw away the sword.

"Are you afraid to kill a grown-up human? No, you're afraid to kill face to face?" Xiao Feng smiled. If someone saw her smile, they would think she is pure girl who don't know about the cruel world. But not only she wasn't, she was talking about killing. "Killing little kids, Shameless"

"Younger sister, please!"