Unruly Phoenix Xiaoyao

Chapter 26: Elite troops loyal to His Majesty Ning

Another burst of night winds rose, lifting the handkerchief from Empress Dowager Xie's hands. Under the eyes of everyone present, it was blown into a lantern stand about half a man tall, where the linen came in contact with the flames and was reduced to ashes. Ning Xiaoyao grinned. This was good, death of the principal witness had destroyed the evidence. Empress Dowager Xie stood up from the ground to stare at Ning Xiaoyao.

Ning Xiaoyao knew that the empress dowager wanted to bite her death this very moment, but she wasn't afraid. If she really had the guts, she should turn into a zombie first, and then bite her!

Lou Zigui was still standing with support from two generals as he spoke in a low voice. "It looks like Your Majesty fulfilled the last wish of the dead and took back the testamentary edict."

Fang Tang and the rest were still speechless. This was the first time they'd discovered their Supreme Commander had the potential to tell tall tales. The ministers and officials exchanged glances. Everything that had happened here had turned into a joke between the imperial mother and son!

"Imperial Father only left Zhen this one reminder of him," Ning Xiaoyao was a typical example of someone who showed off their cleverness even after gaining an advantage. "You should have held on tighter to the imperial edict, it would've made a good keepsake. None of the ministers got to see it, so what if they accuse Zhen of making up lies to cheat them now?"

"These subjects don't dare," the ministers and officials hastened to kneel again. Who would dare to accuse the emperor of lying?

Empress Dowager Xie tasted blood in her mouth as she forced a smile. "Such a thing, Your Majesty should've told This Dowager sooner."

Ning Xiaoyao said, "Oh, Imperial Father's death caused Zhen too much sorrow. My brain was no good, so I forgot to mention it."

Empress Dowager Xie narrowly avoided spitting a faceful of blood at Ning Xiaoyao. Were these still human words?!

"It's all right, you can all leave now," Ning Xiaoyao told the gathered officials. "You're all still loitering around, do you want Zhen to invite you out for dinner?"

None of the ministers or officials knew how to reply Ning Xiaoyao's words. If they said His Majesty was joking, he still looked serious when he spoke. If His Majesty wasn't joking, which one of them dared to ask him to treat them? Weren't they sick of living then?

"You really want me to treat you guys to a meal?" Ning Xiaoyao glared. She still hadn't eaten anything yet! The gyrfalcon was too lazy to peck Ning Xiaoyao again for using "me." There was no helping His Majesty.

A shrewder minister reacted quickly enough to pay his respects. "This subject takes his leave."

One after the other, the ministers and officials took their leave. Whether or not the royal court would fall into the Xie father and daughter's hands seemed up to debate again. Now that Lou Zigui was standing on His Majesty's side, there would probably be another ugly faceoff at the assembly in three days' time.

Empress Dowager Xie allowed Lai mama to support her out the doors of the Hall of Punishment. When Lou Zigui died from poison three days later, she'd like to see how Ning Xiaoyao could make any waves with just these three to four hundred Dragon Guards. Ning Xiaoyao didn't speak as she watched Empress Dowager Xie leave, but ran into the courtyard to loosen the Dragon Guard's bonds.

"Go help," Lou Zigui told Fang Tang and the rest while he sat down on a flight of steps beneath the eaves.

When Ning Xiaoyao reached the Dragon Guards, she finally realized why none of them had spoken up. All of their mouths had been gagged with cloth. The gyrfalcon gave a cry and flew to the youth kneeling at the head of the crowd. He nuzzled his head affectionately against the man's face. Ning Xiaoyao felt a little stifled at the sight. This gyrfalcon had abandoned her so naturally; didn't he feel any reluctance at all? Was he casting her aside after using her? (Author: Can you think of something useful instead?)