Qiao Zhao’s hand gripping the chopsticks tightened, her knuckles turning faintly white.

Shao Mingyuan stood up and asked in a deep voice: “What happened?”

“The specific circumstances are unknown. This subordinate was guarding outside the palace gates and saw Young Master Qiao being escorted out by the Jinlin Guards. When I went forward to inquire, those people said nothing.”

Shao Mingyuan nodded, indicating he understood.

Qiao Zhao looked toward Chi Can: “Didn’t Big Brother Chi say that His Majesty summoned Big Brother Qiao to appease and show favor? Why—”

Chi Can put down his chopsticks: “It’s possible that Young Master Qiao did something to anger His Majesty.”

“That shouldn’t be the case.” Qiao Zhao denied this. Seeing both Shao Mingyuan and Chi Can looking at her, she explained: “I’ve observed that Big Brother Qiao is steady and reserved. He wouldn’t provoke the dragon’s wrath through recklessness, unless—”

Speaking to this point, Qiao Zhao’s heart sank.

Unless big brother had some words that he knew shouldn’t be spoken but still had to say to the current emperor, and perhaps big brother had been waiting for today!

“Shixi, I remember today should be Yang Er on duty in the palace, right?” Shao Mingyuan’s expression remained composed as he asked in a deep voice.

Yang Houcheng had recently joined the Imperial Guards, responsible for palace patrol duties.

“Oh, right, today is that boy Yang Er on duty.”

“Go invite Young Master Yang here, quickly.” Shao Mingyuan instructed his guard.

“Yes, sir.”

The personal guard flew out, meeting Yang Houcheng coming from the opposite direction halfway.

The personal guard leaped from horseback like a great eagle spreading its wings, pouncing toward Yang Houcheng.

Yang Houcheng was rushing anxiously toward the Marquis Guanjun’s residence when he was suddenly ambushed, immediately becoming furious: “What blind little beast dares!”

But after exchanging blows, he was dumbfounded: this little beast’s martial arts were incredibly formidable!

“Young Master Yang, our general requests your presence!” The personal guard hastily explained. Taking advantage of Yang Houcheng’s stunned moment, he forcefully threw him onto the horse’s back, then gave the horse’s rump a fierce kick.

The fine horse neighed and galloped away carrying Yang Houcheng.

These trained horses all knew the way, racing like lightning to the gates of the Marquis Guanjun’s residence, where they came to an abrupt stop, directly throwing Yang Houcheng off.

Yang Houcheng nearly vomited, clutching his chest to recover, cursing loudly: “Damn it!”

Was this something humans would do? That personal guard and this horse were both utterly despicable!

Then, Young Master Yang Er fell silent for a moment, finally understanding in his heart why even when he hugged Shao Mingyuan’s thigh and begged pitifully, the man still wouldn’t let him play along.

It turned out he couldn’t even beat Shao Mingyuan’s guard!

This realization made Yang Houcheng quite despondent. If he hadn’t had urgent business with Shao Mingyuan, he probably would have cried himself unconscious right at the gates of the Marquis Guanjun’s residence.

As soon as Yang Houcheng entered, Chi Can raised an eyebrow: “So fast?”

He remembered that the personal guard had only just left.

Yang Houcheng spat out heavily: “Don’t mention it. I was rushing here when I met Tingquan’s guard, and that little bastard directly—”

Realizing this was too embarrassing to say, Young Master Yang Er coughed and said, “He directly let me use his horse.”

“Chongshan, you were on duty today, right?” Shao Mingyuan asked.

“Right, I came here to tell you that your uncle-in-law caused trouble in the palace today.”

“What exactly was the reason?”

“I was patrolling outside, so I don’t understand the detailed circumstances. I just vaguely heard that Young Master Qiao seemed to have presented some account books to His Majesty. After His Majesty read them, he immediately flew into a rage, saying he was slandering court officials, and ordered Young Master Qiao thrown into the imperial prison.”

Account books?

Qiao Zhao’s heart suddenly plummeted.

So, regarding that great fire at home, Big Brother hadn’t told Grandfather Li everything back then?

Did this mean that fire wasn’t an accident, but man-made?

If it was man-made, then big brother must know something, but for some reason kept this secret tightly guarded until today’s imperial audience…

Qiao Zhao couldn’t bring herself to blame her brother for not trusting her or even Grandfather Li. That her brother hadn’t mentioned a word even to Grandfather Li was enough to show that the secret he was hiding must be shocking.

Qiao Zhao looked toward Shao Mingyuan.

So, big brother hadn’t revealed even a single word to Shao Mingyuan either?

Chi Can asked Qiao Zhao’s question: “Tingquan, what account books does your uncle-in-law have?”

Shao Mingyuan’s thick eyebrows knitted tightly: “I’m not clear about it.”

When he brought his uncle-in-law from Minister Kou’s residence, most of their conversations were about past events. He couldn’t help asking about his wife’s past, and his uncle-in-law told many interesting stories about his wife before her marriage.

Only then did he learn that in that fourteenth year when he secretly followed his uncle-in-law to Dafu Temple to engineer a chance encounter with his fiancée, witnessing the scene of his uncle-in-law being pursued by young ladies, at that very time, in an unknown corner, the also-fourteen-year-old Qiao Zhao was secretly watching all of this too.

In that year on that day, they had witnessed the same scene and even had an unconscious moment of eye contact. But he didn’t recognize her, and she didn’t recognize him. They ultimately couldn’t be counted as having met, but rather a silent absence of each other.

The more his uncle-in-law spoke, the fuller his wife’s image became in his mind. However, regarding that great fire at the Qiao family, his uncle-in-law never mentioned a word. When he asked about it, he would deftly change the subject.

He had tactfully stopped asking further, only now realizing that his uncle-in-law’s reluctance to discuss it wasn’t because the pain made him unwilling to remember, but because there were other hidden circumstances.

“That uncle-in-law of yours has his ideas, keeping even you completely in the dark.” Chi Can sneered coldly. “Now look what’s happened – we don’t even know why he was thrown into the imperial prison, catching everyone completely off guard!”

Qiao Zhao’s expression darkened slightly: “Perhaps there were reasons that absolutely couldn’t be revealed.”

Her brother was a person of noble character and integrity. If he wouldn’t say, it meant that the secret had to be kept tightly guarded, never revealing a single word to anyone, whether Shao Mingyuan or the maternal family.

Qiao Zhao didn’t think Qiao Mo had done wrong.

Even without saying anything, letting everyone think the Qiao family’s eldest son had become a wastrel who posed no threat to anyone, her brother had still nearly lost his life at his own maternal grandfather’s house. If it had been revealed that he possessed some account books, he probably wouldn’t have even made it to the capital.

Perhaps the only thing her brother miscalculated was His Majesty’s reaction.

Sure enough, Chi Can continued: “You don’t understand – what my imperial uncle hates most is instability in the court, interfering with his pursuit of immortality. The account books Qiao Mo presented to him must be evidence to accuse a court official. Because of these account books, there might be great upheaval in the court.”

Speaking to this point, Chi Can touched his nose and said in a strange tone: “My imperial uncle thinks everything is fine as it is now – he hates it when things get chaotic.”

Everyone: “…” Such an emperor – may some rebellious minister quickly come and finish him off.

“Forget it, I’ll go inquire about it.” Chi Can frowned.

Being friends with this fellow, Shao Mingyuan, was truly a huge loss – he even had to clean up after his uncle-in-law’s mess. In the future, he’d demand compensation with interest.

Chi Can unconsciously glance at Qiao Zhao.

Mm, he’d ask Shao Mingyuan for more silver so he could marry a wife.