Unruly Phoenix Xiaoyao

Chapter 23: The Dragon Guards to be buried alive by imperial decree

"If I say the testamentary edict was faked, will the empress dowager be condemned to death?" Ning Xiaoyao's eyes fired up. If it was that simple to defeat one of her enemies, wouldn't she be able to live happily in this world afterwards?

"Do you have proof?" Big Boss Black raised his head and slanted his eyes at Ning Xiaoyao. Why couldn't this ninny understand the situation?

"The testamentary edict should have the emperor's stamp, you know," Yellow Great Immortal said.

"What's the emperor's stamp?" Ning Xiaoyao asked.

"The I," Big Boss Black said. "Do you know what that is?"

This, Ning Xiaoyao actually knew. She'd heard old people say how the imperial jade seal was the emperor's stamp. An emperor without the Imperial Jade Seal gained an unrighteous name and unfavorable words. "The Imperial Jade Seal's with the empress dowager?" Ning Xiaoyao exclaimed. Did she have any respect left as the emperor?

"That woman, Empress Dowager Xie, is planning to hold court behind a screen[1. hold court behind a screen (垂帘听政) - chuilian tingzheng, to sit behind a screen and receive ministerial reports, usually done by an empress regent in the imperial court, who was supposed to be concealed from the sight of ministers at audience.] on the day of the assembly," Big Boss Black drove another knife into Ning Xiaoyao's heart. "Your own mother's going to be a female emperor, ah, miaow."

Ning Xiaoyao didn't know what 'holding court behind a screen' meant, but as an otherworlder, she understood the implications of a 'female emperor.' In other words, she was to squat at the wall while Empress Dowager Xie sat on the dragon throne. No wonder that woman got rid of her daughter in the end!

By now, the gyrfalcon had gotten impatient listening from the side. "So His Majesty can't save my master?" he whined plaintively.

Ning Xiaoyao swore she saw tears stream out from the gyrfalcon's eyes. "Don't be afraid," she waved a hand. If she could save Supreme Commander Lou from the execution platform, then she could save the gyrfalcon's master, too.

"What do you plan on doing then?" Yellow Great Immortal asked.

Ning Xiaoyao scratched her palms before saying outrageously, "What's there to fear? If the empress dowager doesn't let them go, I'll just die. Once I'm dead, how will she keep being the empress dowager? Hehe." If that little brother of hers could be emperor now, would that father and mother pair be in a such a rush to make her emperor instead? Thinking up to here, Ning Xiaoyao felt reassured by the reality of the situation.

"S-so shameless." Yellow Great Immortal hadn't been surprised that Ning Xiaoyao knew animal speech, but he was shocked now.

"Hm hm," Ning Xiaoyao humphed, and told the gyrfalcon, "Lead the way, we're going to save your master."

Big Boss Black and Yellow Great Immortal exchanged glances before following after her. They had to see what would happen.

--

Currently, Lou Zigui was sitting with his back leaning against a chair in an audience hall with difficulty. He looked gloomily at a youth covered in blood and said, "You're Shadowrain?[2. Shadowrain (影雨) - Ying Yu. Ying means "shadow," Yu means "rain."]"

Fang Tang brought out a chair, while two generals on either side of the youth helped him sit down.

"You came to look for His Majesty?" Lou Zigui asked. The youth stared at him.

"If it wasn't for us, you'd be dead outside the Imperial Palace by now," Fang Tang said. "You think this is a place you can charge in casually?"

A few generals coughed lightly. It seemed that they'd charged right on in when it was daylight. Lou Zigui stared at the badly mangled chest of the youth and told a general at his side, "Call for Imperial Physician Gao."