Transmigrated as the Villainess, She Made the General Blush - Chapter 9

Xiao Wangshu smiled after listening, and casually asked, “How is the young lady of the Pan Family?”

Yichun replied, “Judging by what Young Master Pan said, she should still be unconscious. After all, it’s hard to rescue someone who fell into the water at night. Who knows how long she was soaking in the water.”

Xiao Wangshu nodded and didn’t pursue the matter further.

Pan Jin had already received her lesson. As for the rest, it was the hidden hand behind Pan Jin that remained.

This person would be difficult to deal with, so she would handle it herself, rather than let Fang Qin’er worry about it.

“Sister, Father has summoned you to the study.”

Xiao Fuguang’s voice came from afar, finishing his words before he even entered the room.

“Let me accompany Sister,” Xiao Fuguang continued after entering.

Xiao Wangshu looked up at him, considered for a moment, then stood up and said, “Let’s go.”

—

In the study, Xiao Hong was reviewing memorials.

Stacks of neatly arranged memorial boxes, each one a bright yellow memorial, which should have been placed on the Emperor’s desk, were now before the Prime Minister.

The Emperor was a mere figurehead; the Prime Minister held sole authority over the court.

No wonder the world said that the Xiao Family was full of treacherous ministers, their wolfish ambitions clear for all to see.

Xiao Wangshu observed calmly, her gaze sweeping across the study, but her steps did not pause as she walked straight to Xiao Hong’s desk and bowed.

“Your child greets Father.”

Xiao Hong looked up at her, his voice deep: “Sit.”

After speaking, he lowered his head and continued writing.

“Thank you, Father.” Xiao Wangshu rose and sat to the side, quietly waiting for Xiao Hong’s next words.

Chen Chu glanced up at her, then lowered his head to continue grinding ink.

Only after finishing a line did Xiao Hong look up again, pen in hand, studying Xiao Wangshu for a moment before asking, “Were you involved in the incident of the Pan Family’s daughter falling into the water?”

“Yes,” Xiao Wangshu answered directly and honestly, then added, “My own incident of falling into the water was also related to the young lady of the Pan Family.”

Xiao Hong said nothing after hearing this, only nodded and continued writing.

Xiao Wangshu sat to the side, picking up the teacup offered by a servant.

As she was drinking, she heard Xiao Hong ask again-

“Tomorrow, your mother will take you into the palace to visit your two sisters. In the palace, do you know what you can and cannot do?”

Xiao Wangshu quietly held her teacup, gently scraping the rim with the lid.

The Xiao Family originally had four daughters; excluding the sixth young lady who died young, three remained, all of whom had come of age.

The eldest daughter, Xiao Caiyi, was now the Empress.

The fourth daughter, Xiao Wangshu, was still unmarried, waiting in the boudoir.

The fifth daughter, Xiao Pan’an, was now an Imperial Consort in the palace.

Clearly, both Xiao Caiyi and Xiao Pan’an had been placed in the palace by Xiao Hong to restrain the Emperor.

Although no one in the harem had given birth yet, Imperial Consort Mu Chuxue had been diagnosed as pregnant two months ago, and the Emperor’s officials and the Mu Family were doing their utmost to protect Mu Chuxue’s pregnancy.

If all went well, this would be the Emperor’s first heir.

If this child was a prince, he would be the eldest prince of Great Wei.

But as fate would have it, Xiao Pan’an was also diagnosed as being over a month pregnant just two days ago.

This pregnancy was even more shocking than Mu Chuxue’s.

Whether Mu Chuxue’s child could be born was still uncertain, but if the Xiao Family’s grandchild could not be born, Xiao Hong would not hesitate to make many in the palace pay with their lives.

A young emperor would be much easier to control than the current adult Emperor.

The Xiao Family had waited too long for Xiao Pan’an’s pregnancy.

The message from Xiao Hong was clear enough: if the next Emperor was not a member of the Xiao Family, then he must be the Xiao Family’s grandchild!

After sorting through these thoughts, Xiao Wangshu considered for a moment before answering, “If I remember correctly, the Imperial Guard in the palace are all Father’s men. In the palace, anything Father permits can be done. Anything Father does not permit, cannot be done.”
Hearing such a brazenly rebellious answer, Xiao Hong’s brush hovered in the air for a moment.

Then he put the brush down, looked up at Xiao Wangshu again, and asked, “Then tell me, what things do I allow, and what things do I not allow?”

Xiao Wangshu put down her teacup, looked at Xiao Hong, and replied, “This time entering the palace is still for the imperial heir. Anything that helps the Xiao Family control the imperial heirs can be done. Otherwise, it cannot.”

This was probably what Fang Qin’er had to do every time she entered the palace in the past as well.

There were many women in the harem, but if they wanted to ensure the princes were born only from the daughters of the Xiao Family, some underhanded methods had to be used.

“Truly audacious. Now you dare to say anything, don’t you?”

Although Xiao Hong said this, his tone did not carry much reproach. On the contrary, there was even a hint of indulgence.

“Father’s study is naturally safe. What comes from my mouth enters only Father’s ear.”

As Xiao Wangshu spoke, her gaze swept over Chen Chu and she continued, “There will never be a fourth person who knows.”

Xiao Hong also glanced at Chen Chu along with her. The father and daughter’s gaze made Chen Chu feel nervous.

Chen Chu remained silent, unconsciously tightening his grip on the ink stick as he ground ink.

He hadn’t heard anything. He had heard nothing.

Xiao Hong chuckled softly and said to Xiao Wangshu, “Go back. Previously, when you were unwilling to enter the palace to bear the imperial heir, I listened to you and your mother. But don’t let there be another joke like with Mu Yunze in the future.”

Because of Fang Qin’er, Xiao Hong was still rather indulgent toward Xiao Wangshu.

Now, for the sake of Mu Yunze, Xiao Wangshu hadn’t caused too much of a scene. As long as she stopped in time and cut her losses, this wasn’t really a big deal.

Even if she didn’t enter the harem, in the future she could marry into the household of one of Xiao Hong’s allies and use the marriage to solidify beneficial relationships. That would work too.

“I understand, Father. I’ll take my leave now.”

Xiao Wangshu rose, bowed, and took her leave. Seeing Xiao Hong nod at her, she turned and left the study.

Leaving other matters aside for now, this trip to the palace-if it developed according to the original plot of the book-there were probably some surprises waiting in store for her and her mother in the palace.

—

After leaving Xiao Hong’s study, Xiao Wangshu walked on the path back to her courtyard, recalling the plot of the book in detail, seeming a bit absent-minded.

Xiao Fuguang followed beside her, hesitating for a long while before tentatively asking, “Sister, what’s wrong? Did Father scold you?”

That shouldn’t be the case. It’s just the Pan Family, after all. Father would never scold Sister just for that.

You know, when Mother sent someone to take action, she didn’t even bat an eyelash.

“No, Father didn’t say much. I was just thinking about going into the palace tomorrow,” Xiao Wangshu replied casually.

Xiao Fuguang glanced at her and continued, “Sister, do you not want to go to the palace? If you don’t want to, then don’t go. Mother always went to visit Eldest Sister and Fifth Sister in the palace by herself before. It’s fine if you don’t want to go.”

This time, it was only because Mother saw that Sister seemed a little bored at home, and now that she was old enough, it was a good opportunity for her to learn how to navigate certain situations, so Mother thought to take her into the palace for a look.

If Sister really didn’t want to go, then she didn’t have to. It wasn’t a big deal.

Xiao Wangshu shook her head and said, “I’ll go with Mother. Otherwise, she’ll be bored going to the palace alone.”

“That’s fine, whatever makes Sister happy,” Xiao Fuguang responded from the side.

At this moment, Xiao Pingnan happened to be heading toward the study as well, and came face to face with Xiao Wangshu and Xiao Fuguang.