Night descended upon the imperial city, a blanket of plain white like snow covering everything.
Eunuch Qi came in and draped a thin blanket over Xiao Yu, who had fallen asleep leaning against her.
“Your Highness, go attend to your duties,” Eunuch Qi said in a low voice. “I’m here.”
Chu Zhao didn’t decline. She gently stroked Xiao Yu’s head, let him lie in Eunuch Qi’s arms, then rose and walked out.
Outside, quite a few officials and noble ladies knelt in attendance. There was no need to wail at night, but keeping vigil like this was also exhausting—physically tiring and mentally draining.
Hearing footsteps, the officials and noble ladies all raised their heads and saw the young girl walking out.
Over these past few days, they had become familiar with this young girl. Although not yet formally enthroned, the Chu daughter appeared wherever the Imperial Grand Prince was.
She was also very busy.
Deng Yi met with her, Eunuch Qi met with her, Xie Yanfang met with her—
By comparison, the Imperial Grand Prince only knelt before the Emperor’s coffin with nothing to do. A six-year-old child naturally had nothing to do, so this Empress would inevitably act on the Imperial Grand Prince’s behalf, and in the future—
The young girl certainly felt the gazes from all around, but she looked neither left nor right, walking slowly forward. Behind her followed a girl dressed as a palace maid but whose bearing and expression were nothing like one.
She was about the same age as Chu Zhao. Compared to Chu Zhao’s focused forward gaze, this girl would immediately stare back at anyone who looked over, her almond eyes flashing with fierce light.
Other palace maids kept their hands and heads lowered, but she raised her chin with both hands resting at her waist, as if ready to draw a blade at any moment—
Although they didn’t believe this girl would truly dare attack, it was better to avoid trouble. The officials and noble ladies all withdrew their gazes.
Chu Zhao walked to the entrance of the great hall. The summer night breeze wasn’t particularly refreshing, but it allowed one to expel a breath of stale air.
“Where’s Uncle Zhong?” Chu Zhao asked Xiao Man in a low voice.
Xiao Man raised her chin looking at the sky: “How would I know? I’ve been following you the whole time.”
That night, once they had the Dragon Might Army, Uncle Zhong had assigned Xiao Man’s group other tasks, to remain at Chu Garden. However, Xiao Man had disagreed with staying behind herself.
“—General.” The girl ground out two words through clenched teeth. “Told me to watch over her.”
Uncle Zhong had glared at the girl, probably also feeling that the General’s orders couldn’t be violated, and finally agreed.
Xiao Man had been following her constantly, day and night never leaving, just with a rather poor attitude and rarely speaking.
However, having witnessed this girl’s capabilities, and it could be said this girl was truly their and Xiao Yu’s lifesaver, neither Chu Zhao nor A’Le found it strange, nor would they truly treat the girl as a guard to order around.
A’Le tried every means to please her and make her happy.
Although Xiao Man seemed difficult to please, she was actually easy to get along with. She didn’t talk much, just occasionally would stare at Chu Zhao, scrutinizing her, seemingly lost in thought—
Chu Zhao smiled at Xiao Man’s response and didn’t press further, summoning an imperial guard and giving a few instructions. The guard hurried off. Chu Zhao turned her head to see Xiao Man secretly scrutinizing her again. Their gazes collided, and Xiao Man turned to look at the sky.
“Xiao Man, do you dislike my father?” Chu Zhao asked with a smile.
She asked quite directly. Xiao Man turned her head and looked at Chu Zhao: “Yes.”
Chu Zhao didn’t get angry. Her gaze toward her became even gentler as she asked: “Are your parents still alive?”
Xiao Man’s expression immediately became very fierce. She squeezed three words through her teeth: “They’re not.”
Just as expected. Chu Zhao said softly: “So you’re all family members of fallen soldiers.”
If that was the case, their dislike of Father and poor attitude toward Uncle Zhong were both understandable.
“After all, it could be said my father caused you to lose your family.”
As a general and commander, one had to send soldiers to fight, and fighting always resulted in deaths. Soldiers were all people with families.
Chu Zhao knew that in Luocheng there was a place where families of fallen soldiers gathered—elderly parents, young children. Father had specially allocated military funds to care for them and helped them find livelihoods.
But no matter how much care was provided, they had still lost family. Especially the children—they must harbor resentment in their hearts.
Hearing Chu Zhao say this, Xiao Man’s expression became somewhat strange. She suddenly smiled, then her expression returned to gloom.
“That’s right,” she said. “It was your father who made us lose our family.”
Chu Zhao was about to say something when Zhong Changrong strode over. Seeing the two talking, he immediately stared at Xiao Man with vigilance.
“Don’t talk nonsense,” were his first words of warning.
Xiao Man snorted and turned her head to look at the sky.
Chu Zhao quickly reassured Zhong Changrong: “We weren’t saying anything. Miss Xiao Man doesn’t like talking much. I was asking if she’s used to the palace.”
Zhong Changrong scrutinized Xiao Man with a glare and said: “What’s there to get used to or not? If she can get used to military camps, naturally she can get used to the palace.”
This statement was also rather odd. It seemed that back in the border commandery, Xiao Man and the others didn’t hide their dissatisfaction with Father. Of course, dissatisfaction aside, they still acted decisively and reliably, otherwise Uncle Zhong wouldn’t have let Xiao Man stay by her side.
Chu Zhao pulled Zhong Changrong aside, no longer dwelling on this topic.
“Uncle Zhong, did you send news to Father’s side?” she asked.
Since that night, everyone had been very busy. Deng Yi and Xie Yanfang were busy investigating the court, while Uncle Zhong held the safety of the entire capital in his hands.
After Xie Yanfang returned, the city gates opened, and they also had to inspect and reorganize the Capital Garrison. Even with the Dragon Might Army, Zhong Changrong was overwhelmed with busyness. Fortunately Xie Yanlai was guarding the imperial city, otherwise he truly couldn’t be in multiple places at once—but wait, why say fortunately there was Xie Yanlai?
That boy wasn’t reliable either!
Zhong Changrong pulled back his wandering thoughts and took a deep breath. Of course, no matter how busy, with such a momentous event, he had sent news to the General at the first opportunity.
“I told the General that this resignation definitely can’t go through,” he said in a low voice.