The Lucky Farmgirl
Chapter 1153 - 1132: Out of Control 2

Chapter 1153: Chapter 1132: Out of Control 2

Yin Huo and Bai Erlang were stopped at the palace gate. Even with the Empress’s pass, they couldn’t get out.

Firstly, because their faces were unfamiliar, and secondly, a birthday banquet was being held inside, so the guards dared not carelessly let people out.

On a normal day, having a pass would have been sufficient, but not today.

So, the two were entangled for a long time and could not leave, and the eunuch that brought them could only take them to the palace gate and did not dare to guarantee anything on behalf of Princess Mingda.

Just as the matter was unresolved, a little palace maid came over with her head down and showed a pass to the guards.

After checking the pass, the guards glanced at Yin Huo and Bai Erlang, then stepped aside to let them out.

Yin Huo and Bai Erlang both looked at the little palace maid, and Bai Erlang directly asked, "Who are you?"

The little palace maid secured the pass and whispered, "Young Masters, you should leave quickly. If you don’t, I’m afraid you won’t be able to escape."

Hearing this, Yin Huo immediately pulled Bai Erlang and left.

Outside the palace gates, there were many horse-drawn carriages parked, with coachmen sitting on their shafts waiting or a few acquainted ones chatting in small groups.

As soon as Bai Erlang and his companion stepped out from the palace gates, everyone involuntarily looked over. Daji, who was waiting from afar, saw this, and he immediately drove his carriage forward, glanced behind them, and asked uncertainly, "Master Tang, where are Young Master and Miss Man?"

Bai Erlang helped Yin Huo onto the carriage, then swiftly climbed on himself, and whispered, "Daji, head home quickly."

Daji’s gaze sharpened, he glanced at the palace gates one more time, turned the horse’s head, and snapped the whip in the air, urging the horse to run faster.

Down the entire imperial city avenue, theirs was the only carriage speeding, so Daji drove without concern, speeding up the horses. Once they left the imperial city and started through the streets with pedestrians, he slowed down slightly, but still moved quickly, shouting to clear a path, and continued all the way back to Changqing Alley.

Before the carriage had fully stopped, Bai Erlang lifted the curtain and jumped out as soon as the horse neighed to a halt, then pushed open the main door and dashed inside.

Yin Huo just managed to lift the curtain, catching a glimpse of his figure from behind.

Bai Erlang ran all the way to the back courtyard where Mr. Zhuang and Old Madam Liu were playing chess—unable to do anything else as they were worried about their children.

Bai Erlang burst into the backyard, startling Mr. Zhuang and Old Madam Liu, who asked, "Erlang, why are you back?"

Tears suddenly streamed down Bai Erlang’s face. He threw himself on the ground, kneeling, while wiping his tears and said, "Teacher, Old Ancestress, they’ve gone to file a complaint. Manbao told me to tell you today is a very good day. Court officials and even the patriarchs of noble families are all present."

Old Madam Liu’s face turned pale, and her hands trembled, "But, but today is the Empress Dowager’s birthday. What happened to you all in the palace?"

Mr. Zhuang quickly figured things out, calculating the time from the palace to Changqing Alley, and interrupted Old Madam Liu, "Old Madam, now is not the time to investigate the cause. Hesitation breeds chaos. We should go to them."

Old Madam Liu was momentarily indecisive.

She had pondered and hoped for this moment for twelve years, but faced with the critical moment, she felt afraid. Bai Shan was still in the palace; he was still there...

"Old Madam," Mr. Zhuang called loudly, bringing her back to focus, then lowered his voice, "Shanbao and Manbao are both in the palace, the arrow is already on the bowstring, if not released, it will rebound."

Old Madam Liu snapped back to reality, bit her teeth, and turned to say, "I’ll go right now."

Mr. Zhuang thought for a moment, then said, "Old Madam, please wait, I’ll come with you."

Bai Erlang, still stunned and wiping his tears, asked, "Where are you two going?"

Mr. Zhuang reached out and patted his head, "We’re going to find assistance for Manbao and the others. You did very well. Now, just stay at home and don’t wander around. Understand?"

Bai Erlang obediently nodded.

Mr. Zhuang and Old Madam Liu hurried outside, and happened to pass Yin Huo. They didn’t have time to talk to him, giving him a nod before leaving.

Yin Huo bowed and stepped aside, continuing his search for Bai Erlang in the backyard.

Upon arriving in the backyard, he found Bai Erlang sitting on the ground crying. He approached and pulled him up, "The ground is so cold, if you must cry, at least find a better place."

Bai Erlang let himself be pulled up and seated on a stool. He cried out, "I don’t know how Bai Shan and the others are doing."

Yin Huo asked, "What are they supposed to do?"

Bai Erlang gave him a glance. After today, what should be known and what should not would come to light, so there was nothing left to hide.

He said, "They are going to accuse the Prince of Yizhou. The Prince of Yizhou is planning a rebellion."

Yin Huo blinked, "What does that have to do with them?"

"The Prince of Yizhou even killed his uncle, killed Manbao’s parents. The Emperor ordered them to present a royal indictment."

Yin Huo’s mouth gaped open, "The Emperor knows too?"

Bai Erlang nodded.

Yin Huo furrowed his brows, "If the Emperor already knows, why does he still order them to present the indictment?"

Bai Erlang said, "Bai Shan and the others mentioned it’s for the sake of reputation. The Emperor’s ascension to the throne was contentious, and in order to reverse this impression after taking the throne, he treated his few remaining brothers very well. If he were to kill the Prince of Yizhou now, others might not think the Prince was rebellious but instead believe he cannot tolerate his own kin."

Yin Huo: ...

Bai Erlang, wiping away his tears, said, "It’s all my fault. We planned to first make Bai Shan and Manbao famous, and only then present the indictment after their reputations were established. We didn’t expect today to happen so abruptly, I have no idea how Bai Shan and the others are doing."

Bai Shan and the others are still kneeling on the ground, but not many people are paying attention to them now. At this moment, everyone is busy poring over the two booklets passed down by the Emperor.

The Prince of Yizhou is also kneeling; he is deep in thought, and despite his extreme hatred for Bai Shan and Zhou Man, he doesn’t even glance at them.

Seeing that no one is paying attention to them, Bai Shan turns his head to look at Manbao and takes a handkerchief from his bosom to wipe the blood droplets from her face.

Li Yunfeng’s whip had barbs, which is why the lashing was so severe. Bai Shan did not dare touch the wound, so he just wiped the bloodstains beside it.

Manbao asked in a low voice, "Are you alright?"

Bai Shan shook his head.

The Emperor sitting above took in everything in the hall and cleared his throat, "What do my ministers think after reading?"

As the head of all officials, Ji Xiang then represented all the officials to question Bai Shan and Zhou Man, "Where did you get this evidence?"

Bai Shan said, "In the mountains. Uncle Zhou and his wife hid these things in the mountains when they fled for their lives, and we went in and found them."

"Earlier, Young Master Bai mentioned he also knew the location of the private army evidently raised by the Prince of Yizhou?"

Bai Shan looked back at the Prince of Yizhou and said, "That’s correct."

Ji Xiang asked, "Where is it?"

Bai Shan did not speak.

Ji Xiang then smiled and asked, "Why the hesitation? With all the scholars and warriors of the court present, if Young Master Bai doesn’t speak now, then when will he?"

The Emperor was very curious as well, because he knew about it from Tang Zhihe’s investigation, but his own people took over afterward, and he remembered Bai Shan shouldn’t know about it.

Bai Shan said, "I know someone who knows where it is."

As he spoke, the sound of drumming came from afar; everyone in the hall was taken aback and turned their heads to look outside. A guard came in to report, "Your Majesty, someone has beaten the announcement drum."