Besides, this was the first time that she mustered up the courage to confront her father. It would be too shameful to admit defeat in such embarrassment. In the future, the concubines and sisters in the palace would inevitably make sarcastic remarks.
This situation still needs to be contained.
Xiao Ling straightened her waist silently, her knees already feeling bone-piercing pain.
"The Emperor has arrived——"
Wang De's voice was sharp and he shouted from a distance.
When Xiao Ling saw his father coming, he straightened his waist even more.
Emperor Zhou Yuan saw her kneeling straight from a distance, her waist-length hair almost completely wet. He hurried forward and Xiao Ling slowly raised her head and looked at him with tearful eyes.
Her face was pale and she was petite, as if a slightly stronger wind could blow her away. The rain wet the broken hair on her forehead, and raindrops fell on her face and neck. She looked around with tearful eyes.
Emperor Yuan's white mouth shrank, and he cried clearly, "Father..."
As the favorite princess of Emperor Zhou Yuan, had Xiao Ling ever suffered such a crime?
Emperor Zhou Yuan naturally knew it too.
Seeing his precious daughter in such pitiful condition, Emperor Zhou Yuan felt heartbroken and distressed.
"Oh, my little spirit, why are you looking like this? I didn't tell you to go back as soon as you realized your mistake. Why are you here in the wind and rain?"
Xiao Ling looked up at him, her voice trembling, "I know my mistake, so I am willing to be punished."
As soon as he finished speaking, a big teardrop fell down his cheek, which was so lovable.
"You..." Emperor Zhou Yuan swallowed his words as soon as they came to his lips.
Where did she know she was wrong?
Xiao Ling stopped looking at him and just coughed.
"Cough, cough, cough... It's windy outside. Father, it's better to go back early and don't get cold..."
Xiao Ling secretly glanced at Wang De behind Emperor Zhou Yuan, and after understanding the look Wang De gave her, she sobbed again: "It's all my fault for annoying my father. I deserve some punishment...cough...cough
Ahem... I'd like to trouble my father to help my son send a message to the emperor's grandmother, telling her that I'm afraid I won't be able to visit her today."
Only then did Emperor Zhou Yuan remember that he was here under orders. Thinking that the old man was still waiting for Xiao Ling, he sighed helplessly.
"That's all, I'm not as stubborn as you, so I'll let this matter go. There won't be a next time."
Xiao Ling immediately looked up at him happily and said, "Father, you keep your word."
Looking at the tears that had not dried on her face and the smile that instantly raised at the corner of her mouth, Emperor Zhou Yuan smiled fondly: "You... I didn't rush to Cining Palace because I got caught in the rain today. Why don't you go back and have a good time?"
Rest."
Emperor Zhou Yuan looked at Yun An again and said, "Take good care of the fifth princess. When you get back, make some ginger soup for her to get rid of the cold."
"yes."
Xiao Ling's legs had lost all feeling, and it was all thanks to Yun An's strength that he supported her all the way back to Qianling Palace.
Sure enough, Xiao Ling got wind-cold that night.
It must be because she has hardly received any punishment in these years, and she has never been exposed to such heavy rain. Even after using Dr. He's prescription, she did not get better for several days.
Xiao Ling had been feeling groggy all day and had a severe headache.
"Princess, it's been several days and your fever still hasn't gone away."
Mo'er brought the soup and medicine and fed it carefully.
Xiao Ling's face was abnormally rosy, but her lips had no color at all. She lifted herself up listlessly, her throat hurting, "Hey, this is the first time after all. I will have experience next time, and I will never let myself go."
It’s such a mess.”
"By the way, why don't you see Yun An today?" Xiao Ling weakly stretched his head and looked out the window.
The decoctions prescribed by Dr. He these days were all prepared by Yun An himself, and he would watch her drink them every meal every day. Why was he missing today?
"Princess Le'an heard that you were ill, so she specially bought some candied fruits that you like from outside the palace. Guard Yun went to the palace gate to get you candied fruits."
Hearing that there were candied fruits to eat, Xiao Ling finally smiled and said, "Surely, Sili treated me the best and specially bought me candied fruits. Unlike some people who... didn't even say hello."
Her tone gradually became lower, she took the medicine bowl from Mo'er's hand, frowned and drank the medicine in one gulp.
"It's too bitter. When will my candied fruit arrive?"
Xiao Ling's brows were knitted into knots, and his expressionless face was wrinkled into a ball, but he finally had some energy.
Mo'er looked outside through the window and asked doubtfully: "Yes, Guard Yun has been gone for some time, why hasn't he come back yet?"
Hearing this, a hint of worry appeared on Xiao Ling's face.
"Go and see what's going on." Xiao Ling ordered.
After Mo'er left the house, Xiao Ling felt really dizzy, so she lay down again and went to sleep.
I don’t know how long I slept, but I could only hear Mo’er hurriedly entering the room and saying:
"Princess, princess, something happened!"
Xiao Ling's eyelids were so heavy that he could hardly open them, and he asked confusedly: "What's the matter?"
Mo'er was so anxious that she almost cried, "Princess, something happened to Guard Yun!"
"What's going on?" Xiao Ling immediately opened his eyes, stood up and asked.
"I just went out to look for Guard Yun, but I bumped into Concubine Zhang in the imperial garden, punishing Guard Yun. I came back to see you immediately. Princess, do I need to ask the Queen Mother to make the decision?" Mo'er was so anxious that she burst into tears.
Lose.
Concubine Rong left early. Although Xiao Ling was favored by Emperor Zhou Yuan, there were many jackals, tigers and leopards in the harem staring at her and Xiao Yu, so they suffered less in recent years. It was only in recent years that the two brothers and sisters finally became more "domineering".
Lest cats and dogs come to take a bite.
There are many maids in the Qianling Palace, and the only ones she can truly trust are Mo'er, who has followed her since childhood, and Yun An, who has been ordered to protect her.
The three of them have relied on each other for these years, and now that something happened to Yun'an, Mo'er is also very worried.
Xiao Lingqiang pushed himself up and got out of bed, "The emperor's grandmother has just recovered from her serious illness and is worried. I won't bother her with this kind of thing. Please change my clothes quickly."
Mo'er was worried about Xiao Ling's health and wanted to dissuade her, but then she thought about how she had just seen Yun An in the Imperial Garden, so she didn't care to say anything more and neatly changed Xiao Ling's clothes.
When Mo'er hurried to the Imperial Garden with Xiao Ling's support, Xiao Ling became furious when she saw the situation in front of her.
Yun An fell to the ground and pushed himself up with both hands. Just as he was about to get up, a heavy whip suddenly fell and hit him hard on the back. The veins in his hands popped out. He pushed himself up, but was stepped on by the person behind him.
The skin was torn on the back.
"It's true that he is her dog. His temper is as tough as hers, but what I hate the most is how fearless you are." Concubine Zhang said this and secretly exerted force on her feet. Yun An didn't beg for mercy and remained silent.
He silently protected the candied fruit he took back in his arms.
"Scream, scream."
"Aren't you her dog? Why are you silent now?"
"Or have you learned the art of flattering your master?"
Concubine Zhang exerted all her strength under her feet, and more blood flowed out of Yun An's back.
"stop!"
Xiao Ling's voice was so weak that it had no energy, but the anger in his words frightened everyone.
Xiao Ling walked forward quickly with an angry look on her face, and Concubine Zhang retracted her legs with a guilty conscience.
"Zhang Guifei, who gave you the courage to touch this princess!" Xiao Ling got closer and saw clearly the injuries on Yun An's back, and became even more angry.
Concubine Zhang had never thought that Xiao Ling would be so angry. She was slightly surprised, and then she reacted and said sternly: "Hey, isn't this Xiao Ling? Although you are very protective of your shortcomings, you must discipline your slaves when they do something wrong, otherwise they will see it in their eyes."
I don’t have you as my master here, I’m just helping you out by the way, so there’s no need to say thank you.”
Concubine Zhang glanced at the servant beside her, and one of the servants whipped Yun An hard with a short whip.
Xiao Ling immediately stepped forward to block it, but was still a step too late. She looked at Yun An in surprise as he stood in front of her.
"Pa--" The whip hit Yun An hard on the back. Xiao Ling looked at Yun An from close range and his brows suddenly furrowed, and there was a thin layer of sweat on his forehead.
"Yun'an." She called worriedly.
"Don't be angry, I'm fine." Yun An endured the pain and said.
"Mo'er, take good care of Yun'an."
Xiao Ling left Yun An in the care of Mo'er. She glanced at everyone, and finally her eyes fell on the person who had just taken action.
"My princess, when will it be your cats and dogs' turn to teach me a lesson?"
Xiao Ling stepped forward and approached, making the man shrink back in fear.
Suddenly, Xiao Ling reached out and grabbed the whip from the slave's hand, and without saying a word, whipped him, causing the slave to fall to the ground in pain.
She turned around to look at Concubine Zhang and walked slowly away.
Concubine Zhang did not expect that she would take action. She stared at the whip in Xiao Ling's hand in panic and threatened: "Xiao Ling, you, you, what are you going to do? If you hurt me, the emperor will not let you go!
"
Seeing this, Lu Yin, Zhang Guifei's maid, stepped forward to stand in front of Zhang Guifei, pretending to be calm and said: "Fifth princess, this is the imperial garden, please be careful! Today it was just the guard who contradicted the empress, so the empress gave me a small punishment."
"Pa—" Xiao Ling whipped the whip in her hand, and a blood mark instantly appeared on Lu Yin's face.
"Xiao Ling, are you crazy? Lu Yin and I are brothers, how dare you ruin her appearance?" Zhang Guifei scolded, and quickly checked Lu Yin's injuries, but Lu Yin had covered her face and started crying.
Xiao Ling glanced at the people in front of her coldly, "Zhang Guifei's ability to discipline her slaves is really outstanding. She actually trained her dogs to the point where they are disgusted by humans and ghosts. Today they have annoyed me, so I will give you some advice for the time being."
It’s a small punishment, let them live, if there is another time, there’s no telling if they will have the chance to bark like this.”
"Xiao Ling, don't bully others too much!"
Xiao Ling smiled scornfully, "Although a dog can't spit out ivory, what the imperial concubine said just now is absolutely right. I have always protected my shortcomings. Therefore, if someone who doesn't have eyes scares me, I will
I will definitely pay it back tenfold and a hundredfold.”
She said this lightly, but everyone present was stunned, including Yun An and Mo'er.
Having been in the palace for many years, she has always kept a low profile and never made enemies easily. Today, she actually contradicted Concubine Zhang like this for Yun'an.
"Xiao Ling, are you crazy? How dare you humiliate and threaten me? I must go to the emperor for comment." Concubine Zhang was shocked by Xiao Ling's actions just now, and she was a little timid to say anything harsh at this time.