The little heroine investigates a mysterious case

Chapter 335 Even eating shit can’t keep up with the heat

Summer weather is like a child's face; in the middle of the night, there was thunder and lightning and a downpour, but by daybreak, the sky was clear and blue.

As the emperor of Xia, Gu Li was busy with state affairs all day long and rarely had the opportunity to leave the palace. However, this time he specially led civil and military officials out of the palace to see off the soldiers and children who were heading to the northern and southern borders.

Looking at the neat rows of carriages before them, the young people's resolute faces...

Gu Li couldn't help but recall that the last time he left the palace was more than ten years ago, when he sent his eldest son, Gu Deming, and Zhao Xiaoman, leading a peace mission to the Yue Kingdom...

Forget the past.

Tears welled up in Gu Li's eyes. He wanted to say a few words of encouragement to these young people, but in the end he just gently patted each of them on the shoulder.

To put it simply in one sentence.

"You're all doing well, you all need to be well, I'm waiting for you to come back..."

When he walked up to Gu Zhanghua, looking at his young son in military uniform, full of spirit, an encouraging smile appeared on his face.

"Good boy, do a good job! Don't blame your mother for not coming to see you off..."

Before he could finish speaking, Gu Zhanghua let out a long sigh of relief.

"What's your expression?"

"Hehe, I think it's better for my mother not to come, so as not to upset her, and I will feel bad too."

Gu Zhanghua chuckled awkwardly.

"See? Your second sister-in-law isn't here either?"

"Oh? Right, why didn't my second brother's wife come to see him off?"

"Silly boy!" Gu Li shook his head helplessly and gave Gu Zhanghua some pointers.

“Your second sister-in-law might not be able to hold back her tears and make your second brother worry. Your mother is the same way. You know, not only have you become more capable these past few years, but your mother has also improved. She doesn’t want to hold you back with tears!”

As Gu Li spoke, she punched Gu Zhanghua's shoulder hard.

"Your mother and I are waiting for your good news!"

Gu Zhanghua felt a little embarrassed. He was most afraid that his mother would pull him and cry in front of everyone, refusing to let him leave. He didn't expect his mother to give him a pleasant surprise.

Take care! Don't bother seeing me out!

?

Inside the Qilan Palace.

As the summer sun rose after the rain, Xiao Aiyue reached out and took Gu Huaien from Ma Zhenzhen's arms.

"Why are you here so early in the morning? Have you had breakfast?"

Gu Huaien was kicking his little legs in Xiao Aiyue's arms. Xiao Aiyue almost dropped the child because she couldn't hold him properly. The wet nurse quickly reached out and supported Gu Huaien, then took him into her arms.

Xiao Aiyue patted her chest, still feeling a bit shaken.

"You've gotten so much heavier in the last few days..."

Ma Zhenzhen nodded and smiled at her wet nurse.

"Thank you for your trouble. Please take him out to play for a while."

"It's not hard work at all, Your Highness is too kind to this old servant."

Xiao Aiyue pointed to a large, open box at her feet, which was filled with many children's toys: rocking horses, kites, and the Nine-Linked Rings...

Xiao Aiyue waved her hand, signaling the two eunuchs to lift the box.

"Go, give them all to Prince Cheng's heir to play with!"

He then turned to look at Ma Zhenzhen, sighed softly, and looked on with longing in his eyes.

“These are all toys that Xiao Wu played with when he was little. I’ve kept them for him and take them out to look at them from time to time… Kids grow up so fast. In the blink of an eye, he’s already married and going to war…”

Ma Zhenzhen reached out and took the food box from the maid, placing it on the table.

"Mother, I was afraid I'd come only to find no one there, but I didn't expect you to feel the same way..."

Ma Zhenzhen didn't continue speaking. She opened the food box, took out the steamed buns, millet porridge, and shredded mustard greens, and placed them on the table one by one.

“I was worried that you, like me, couldn’t eat anything too greasy, so I asked my mother to make you a light breakfast. I hope you can at least have a bite.”

Xiao Aiyue sat at the table and exchanged a knowing glance with Ma Zhenzhen.

"Sit down and keep me company."

"Ugh!"

Ma Zhenzhen agreed, sat down next to Xiao Aiyue, and handed Xiao Aiyue a pair of chopsticks.

"Steamed buns, vegetarian filling."

Xiao Aiyue took the chopsticks and sighed softly.

"Fortunately, my son and I are of one mind. My son... your husband... it's better to eat a light diet. I plan to continue eating vegetarian food even if they don't come back."

Xiao Aiyue picked up a vegetarian bun, took a bite, her eyes slightly red, but she smiled and said...

"good to eat……"

Ma Zhenzhen reached out and grasped Xiao Aiyue's hand, only to find it trembling slightly.

"Mother concubine!"

Her voice was slow but resolute.

"They will definitely return safely, they definitely will!"

?

In front of the city walls of the imperial city.

Huang Shuo listened to the ministers' words of farewell and encouragement in a half-hearted manner, his hand resting on the sword tassel, which Tian Xueyan had made for him and given to him before parting.

return……

I gently kissed him on the cheek!

Huang Shuo touched his face again, and suddenly felt a shadow loom over him. He looked up and saw Xia Di Gu Li standing in front of him, seemingly unable to figure out what he was grinning about.

Just as Huang Shuo was about to kneel down to pay his respects in a panic, Gu Li quickly helped him up.

"My dear in-law, please don't stand on ceremony! We've finally met."

"Always busy, always busy..."

Huang Shuo smiled at Gu Li, a little embarrassed.

"Master Huang, I'm counting on you to take good care of my son this time."

Gu Li spoke earnestly.

"It should, it should!"

"thanks!"

"No thanks, no thanks!"

Huang Shuo was so anxious that sweat was pouring down his forehead. He really wanted to say something meaningful to Xuan'er's father-in-law, the emperor of Xia Kingdom, but his mind was blank.

At this moment, Gu Li had already walked back to the front of the formation. Looking at the upright figures of the departing army, he felt a surge of pride in his heart.

"You are all fine sons of the Xia Kingdom, my most loyal and brave soldiers! This expedition is of extraordinary significance! If we can defend against the Rong and Di tribes in the north and resist the Yue army in the south, we will surely be able to protect the people of my Xia Kingdom, ensuring their families are reunited and that peace lasts forever! Do you all have confidence?"

"Have!"

"Have!"

"Have!"

The soldiers were filled with fervor and shouted in unison.

"Very well! As the emperor, I cannot go to the battlefield with you to fight the enemy. When you return in triumph, I will drink with you to celebrate your victory!"

After Gu Li finished speaking, he reached for the Emperor's Sword at his waist.

With a clang!

The longsword points to the sky!

"Let's go!"

"Thump! Thump thump! Thump thump thump thump!"

On the walls of the imperial city, inspiring war drums resounded!

"Woo..."

The bugle call to battle has sounded!

The soldiers who remained behind stood in neat rows in front of the wall, drawing their longswords and pointing them to the sky, just like Emperor Gu Li of Xia.

With a loud shout: "Triumphant return!"

Everyone shouted in unison, "Victory! Victory! Victory!"

The crowd of onlookers nearby was in high spirits, waving their hands and shouting loudly.

"Triumphant! Triumphant! Triumphant!"

Amidst shouts, Gu Jiancheng, standing at the front of the line, bowed deeply to Gu Li.

"Father! Your son bids farewell!"

After speaking, Gu Jiancheng mounted his horse first, followed by Yang Zilan, Huang Shuo, Xu Hu, and others.

Gu Jiancheng clasped his hands in greeting to Gu Li and the assembled ministers, and said loudly:

"Father! My lords! Please await good news! We will fight bravely and defend our Xia Kingdom, not a single inch of its land will be lost!"

The ministers returned the greetings.

"Your humble servants respectfully congratulate His Highness Prince Cheng on his triumphant return!"

From an inconspicuous spot, Ma Baoguo looked at Gu Jiancheng's tall figure and sighed deeply.

My dear son-in-law, if... I mean if, you can't win, remember to run away quickly, it's not shameful!

Of course, he could only keep these thoughts to himself.

In the end, filled with filial piety, Gu Jiancheng glanced at Gu Li, who nodded to him. Only then did Gu Jiancheng lead his horse toward the city gate.

Gu Zhanghua, Zhao Xuan, Xiao Yixian, Hao Xiong, and others also clasped their fists in greeting to Gu Li and the assembled officials.

Gu Zhanghua said, "Father, esteemed officials, we... are also setting off!"

Gu Li smiled and nodded at Gu Zhanghua, and then Gu Zhanghua and the others turned around and got into the carriage.

But even after the carriage had long since disappeared from sight, Gu Li continued to gaze at the direction in which it had vanished, and did not return to the palace for a long time.

"Drive! Drive! Drive!"

Suddenly, not far away, Gu Jingfeng was seen riding a horse crookedly, swaying back and forth, making people's hearts tremble, as if he was about to fall off the horse at any moment.

"Shut up!"

Gu Jingfeng pulled on the reins, and the horse stumbled!

Fortunately, the Imperial Guards who were guarding him acted swiftly, one of them restraining the maddened horse and the other helping Gu Jingfeng, who had fallen from the horse.

Nestled in the arms of his fellow Imperial Guards, Gu Jingfeng looked around blankly, seeing only his father, the Emperor, disheveled in the wind, and a group of ministers staring at each other in bewilderment.

"Where's my second brother? Where's Xiao Wu? They've already left? Am I too late?"

Gu Jingfeng stamped his feet and beat his chest, letting out a wail of pain.

"Holy crap! What kind of luck is this? I can't even catch the hot shit!"

Upon hearing this, Gu Li was so angry that her nose almost twisted out of shape. She reached out and grabbed Gu Jingfeng's ear, but Gu Jingfeng galloped over on horseback, drenched in sweat, his ears covered in sweat and slippery.

Gu Li actually managed to pull it out of her hand!

Gu Jingfeng's mind raced, and he offered his ear to Gu Li, who grabbed it.

"Father, please have mercy and pull gently!"

Gu Li's evil intentions arose from his courage.

"Come on, come on! Come back to the palace with me, and I'll make sure you get a hot meal!"

"Ouch! Father, you promised to be gentle!"

Gu Jingfeng, with a smug grin, chuckled at Gu Li.

"Hehe, Father, you're out so early. You must not have had breakfast yet. Perfect, I'll have breakfast with you!"

For some reason, as Gu Li looked at her silly son and heard his seemingly unreliable yet heartwarming words, the sadness of parting just now quietly dissipated.

He reached out and put his arm around his son's shoulder.

"Let's go back to the palace with Father Emperor for dinner!"

Then he added, "It's still hot!"