Palace maid Shuoning

(One)

The main hall of the Huo family mansion.

Grand Tutor Huo and Madam Huo stood stunned in the hall, their gazes falling on the four-year-old girl standing between Huo Xiao and Huo Shanshan.

The two elders exchanged a glance. Grand Tutor Huo composed himself and asked in a low voice, "Whose child is this?"

Huo Shanshan smiled, and just as she opened her mouth, she said, "Father, Mother, this is my brother..."

Before she could finish speaking, Madam Huo could no longer contain her anger and immediately took off one of her embroidered shoes and threw it straight at Huo Xiao!

Huo Xiao reacted quickly, dodging to the side and hurriedly called out, "Mother! Please let Shanshan finish what she has to say!"

Madam Huo was furious. She turned around, pulled a feather duster from the bottle, and lunged at Huo Xiao with it.

Huo Xiao hurriedly ran around the round table in the hall, explaining as he ran, "Mother, listen to me..."

His words were interrupted again by Madam Huo's sharp voice. She chased after him in circles, her voice trembling with anger:

"You, Huo Xiao! I've been wondering why you've been so reluctant to discuss marriage. Turns out you've been secretly raising a child outside!"

"You're really something, managing to do something this big without saying a word! Are you trying to drive me crazy?!"

Grand Tutor Huo stood anxiously to the side, wringing his hands as he watched the mother and son chasing each other around the table. He quickly advised, "Oh, Madam, this is a joyous occasion!"

In a corner of the hall, Huo Shanshan held Ya Ya's hand and watched the farce unfold before her.

Ya Ya tilted her little face up and tugged at Huo Shanshan's sleeve angrily:

"You big liar! You clearly said you had lots of candy at home, where's the candy?"

Huo Shanshan gripped Ya Ya's little hand tightly, her heart skipping a beat at the scene unfolding in the hall. She muttered to herself:

"Forget about candy, my brother is probably going to get a good beating tonight."

Ya Ya snorted and strode over to Huo Xiao with her short legs, spreading her little arms in front of him.

She tilted her little face up and shouted crisply at Madam Huo, whose anger had not yet subsided, "Don't you dare hit my Father Huo!"

Huo Xiao froze, inwardly cursing his bad luck. That "Father Huo" was truly adding fuel to the fire!

Mrs. Huo's hand, holding the feather duster, hovered in mid-air, about to bring it down, when her gaze fell on the small figure in front of her.

With rosy cheeks, bright black eyes, and an innocent, childlike charm, she was incredibly endearing.

Mrs. Huo raised the feather duster, and the anger in her chest immediately subsided by more than half.

Grand Tutor Huo hurried forward, squatted down to examine Ya Ya closely, and became increasingly delighted with his gaze. He stroked his beard and smiled, saying:

"Wonderful! The features of those eyebrows and eyes bear a striking resemblance to Xiao'er's when he was young!"

Madam Huo also squatted down, her tone softening as she gently asked, "Little girl, what's your name?"

Ya Ya frowned, not answering, but turning to look up at Huo Xiao, and angrily shouted:

"You big liar! I want to go home! I want to find my mother! Where's the candy you promised?!"

Grand Tutor Huo then bent down and hugged Ya Ya, asking gently, "Tell Grandpa, what else would you like to eat?"

Mrs. Huo gently stroked Ya Ya's head. After the two elders sat down, their eyes were full of affection, and they pinched Ya Ya's soft cheeks.

Ya Ya frowned and slapped the hand away.

Madam Huo, on the contrary, couldn't stop smiling: "Oh my, this temperament is exactly like your father's when he was a child! Tell Grandma where your mother lives, and we'll go and bring her over."

Ya Ya frowned and answered, "My eldest father is a prince, my mother is my eldest father's wife, and my father is Lord Xie."

As soon as he finished speaking, the two elders widened their eyes and opened their mouths so wide that they could practically fit an egg in them, and turned to look at Huo Xiao in unison.

Huo Xiao immediately sensed something was wrong.

As expected, Madam Huo's other embroidered shoe flew through the air, followed by a furious roar that echoed throughout the hall: "Huo Xiao!"

Huo Xiao immediately turned and rushed out of the hall, shouting, "Huo Shanshan, come and explain to Father and Mother! I'm staying at Dali Temple tonight!"

Before the words were even finished, the person had already vanished without a trace.

Huo Xiao strode out of the Huo residence, Zhan Qing following closely behind, his face solemn, and spoke in a low voice:

"My lord, you knew all along that the Second Miss was determined to bring that little maid back to the manor, so why didn't you stop her?"

Huo Xiao lowered his eyes and sighed softly, without answering immediately.

He had been weighing the options in his mind for a long time.

Jiang Shuo is single-handedly managing the overall situation of the Prince's Mansion, while the turmoil on Bao Zhong's side is still ongoing and fraught with hidden dangers. No matter where Ya Ya is, it is ultimately not a foolproof plan.

While this action was certainly motivated by a desire to protect the young children, it also carried a selfish motive.

The parents had been pressuring them to get married for years, and the sudden arrival of this child was a welcome distraction for them.

On a deeper level, by using Ya Ya's comings and goings, he could legitimately enter and leave the Prince's mansion and discuss matters with Jiang Shuo Ning without appearing too abrupt.

Seeing his silence, Zhan Qing continued her report:

"Sir, we are scheduled to go to Cao Family Village outside the city tomorrow. Our spies have been lying in wait for several days. Should we proceed as planned?"

Huo Xiao raised his eyes, his expression instantly shifting from calm to cold. He pulled himself out of his thoughts and gave a deep, resonant order:

"The matter of Caojiazhuang is temporarily put on hold. There is another important matter. You should immediately send someone to inform Xia Kun and convey my message that we will meet tomorrow at Wanji Restaurant, in the Peony Hall on the second floor."

"Understood, sir." Zhan Qing bowed and accepted the order.

(two)

Bao Zhong returned to the Xie residence, his steps steady, and went straight into the study.

He closed the door tightly behind him, bolted it, turned around and walked to the bookshelf against the wall, his fingertips gently turning the celadon vase on the shelf.

With a soft click, the bookshelf slid open, revealing the dark entrance to the hidden chamber.

As soon as he stepped inside, the bookshelves behind him automatically returned to their positions, fitting perfectly without revealing the slightest flaw.

The secret passage was deep and narrow, with a slightly heavy atmosphere. He walked quickly along the passage and soon saw five burly men resting on the spot, lying down on the ground.

Only Song Tie's snoring was deafening, exceptionally clear in the quiet secret passage.

Baozhong bent down and gently patted his shoulder.

The deafening snoring suddenly stopped.

Song Tie suddenly opened his eyes, his sleepiness instantly vanishing. He stood up and bowed softly, saying, "Master Xie?"

Bao Zhong squatted down, raised his hand to help him up, and said in a calm and gentle tone, "I apologize for disturbing you so late at night."

Song Tie grinned, completely unconcerned: "It's alright. Is Master Xie here to check on the progress of the secret passage?"

Bao Zhong nodded, his gaze calm, and went straight to the point: "Song Tie, I have a question for you."

As he spoke, his fingertips touched the loose soil on the ground, sketching out the layout of the streets and clearly marking the distance between the Xie residence and the Jingchen Prince's residence.

"From here to the backyard of Prince Jingchen's Mansion, it's three streets away. If a new secret passage were to be dug directly there, how long would it take?"

Song Tie stared down at the sketch on the ground, his brows furrowing slightly. He measured the distance with his fingers, pondered for a moment, and replied in a low voice:

"Master Xie, the distance of three streets is not short, the underground soil is mixed, and we also have to avoid the official canals and foundations. If we dig day and night in shifts, it will take at least twenty days to be safe."

Bao Zhong's fingertips remained on the sketch, his expression calm, and he spoke slowly:

"Twenty days is too long. You should try to shorten the construction period as much as possible, and remember to keep the noise to a minimum. You must not disturb the night patrol officers or the surrounding residents."

Song Tie immediately clasped his hands in agreement: "Understood! I will redeploy manpower, open more excavation faces, and strive to complete the project ahead of schedule, while keeping the noise level down throughout the entire process."

Bao Zhong nodded, his gaze fixed on the depths of the secret passage, his tone growing even more somber:

"This matter is top secret. Everyone present must keep quiet. If it is leaked, all our previous efforts will be in vain, and it will also implicate the Prince's Mansion."

Song Tie's expression turned serious, and he said solemnly, "I will remember this and will not make any mistakes."

Bao Zhong withdrew from the hidden chamber, and the bookshelves slowly returned to their places. He sat alone in the study, lost in thought.

A sudden wavering arose in his heart, and he silently questioned himself whether he was on the right path.

Ahead, he saw Huo Xiao and Jiang Shuoning walking side by side in the market, the two holding candied hawthorns and chatting leisurely.

This harmonious scene made it impossible for him to calm the bitterness that had been suppressed in his chest for so long.

He began to hope that the court intrigue would be resolved soon, so that he could return to Jiang Shuoning's side openly and legitimately.

Even if everything had to be scrapped and started all over again, he was willing to try one more time.

But he felt inexplicably anxious, and he had a vague premonition that, given time, Huo Xiao might actually win Jiang Shuoning's heart.

Thinking of this, Baozhong suddenly stood up.

The crown prince has already become suspicious of him, and the situation cannot be delayed any longer.

He must act according to Huo Xiao's plan as soon as possible, but no matter what, he must ensure Huo Xiao's safety and prevent anything from happening to him.

He had just stepped out of the study when the maid Ping'er hurriedly stepped forward to report, whispering:

"My lord, Ya Ya is staying at the Huo residence tonight. It was Consort Jiang who sent someone to tell you not to worry, as things will be arranged properly over there."

Upon hearing this, Bao Zhong frowned slightly, a sense of doubt arising in his heart.

Why would Ya Ya go to the Huo residence when she was perfectly fine?