The princess regretted it.

Chapter 406: Beating and Testing

The emperor's eyes narrowed slightly, and after a moment of silence, his voice softened. "Jiaoyu, you are the eldest sister, and you must take good care of the fourth brother from now on. However, you should know that as a princess, you must be cautious in your words and actions. There are some things you can give, and some you cannot; there are some people you can get close to, and some you should stay away from."

These words were like a fine needle, gently piercing Jiaoyu's heart. She suddenly looked up, her eyes slightly red. "Your son... Your son has taken note. From now on, I will be careful with my words and actions and will never cause trouble for my father."

The emperor looked at her red eyes and finally said nothing harsh. He just waved his hand and said, "It's snowing hard outside. You should go back early. Jin'an, stay here and come with me to see Concubine Chun later."

Jiaoyu stood up in response, bowing, the pearls on her temples swaying gently as she saluted. The moment she turned and stepped out of the palace, a gust of wind and snow lashed her face with chill, but the chill in her heart was even colder than the wind and snow. Her father's words were clearly instructions, but every one of them was a warning. And at the end, her father had specifically left Jin'an alone. They were both daughters, yet he treated her so differently! Was it just because she wasn't born of a legitimate wife?

She gazed at the courtyard, blanketed in snow. The blue bricks, the columns, the stone lions at the steps were all cloaked in white, leaving not a trace of the past. A wave of sadness suddenly washed over her: how similar was this scene to her current situation? Once upon a time, on these same snowy days, she and Jin'an would build snowmen in the Imperial Gardens, her mother would stand in the corridor, smiling and offering hand warmers, and her grandfather would send for fresh tea from Jiangnan... But all that prosperity and bustle had now become a glaring whiteness before her eyes.

The mother's sad voice rang in my ears, "There is no family affection in the royal family!" Then I thought of what my grandfather said in the letter, "To serve the emperor is like serving a tiger. When the emperor's achievements are too great and threaten the ruler, even if the emperor wants the subject to die, the subject must die." - Since my father has abandoned me, why should I still cling to this illusory warmth!

Jiaoyu's eyes instantly turned cold. She straightened her back and slowly walked out of the courtyard. The maids waiting outside the palace with her hurriedly followed in small, quick steps. After they were gone, Hanshuang stopped her greeting and looked warily at Jiaoyu's back. She could sense the chilling aura that had emanated from her earlier.

Inside the palace, Jin An watched Jiao Yu and the others disappear into the snowstorm before turning to the emperor and softly asking, "Father, may I go see Concubine Chun now?"

The emperor looked at her helplessly and said, "It's not appropriate for you to see her now. Wait for some time!" After saying that, his expression suddenly became serious and said, "Have you found out anything about Concubine Chun's difficult delivery?" The emperor naturally understood the intention of Jin'an's previous answer, so he left her alone to ask her.

"Your Majesty," Jin An calmed down upon seeing his father's reaction and replied seriously, "Xiaoxiang, a maid from Lanxin Palace, is a suspect, but she's missing. Eunuch Fuquan and the Imperial Guards are investigating. Those who interacted closely with Xiaoxiang have been detained and are currently under investigation. It may take some time, though."

"Good!" The emperor tapped his fingertips heavily on the table, his expression darkening. To have done this so cleanly, it was obvious this was a long-planned operation. "I want to see who dares to act so presumptuously!" He paused for a moment, then looked up at Jin An, his gaze as deep as a lake. "Do you have any suspicions?"

"This..." Jin An frowned slightly, as if considering something. "Father, I dare not speak without solid evidence. I feel that until the truth is revealed, no one in the harem can escape suspicion."

"For example, Jiaoyu?" the emperor suddenly asked in a deep voice, his eyes still dark and unclear, unable to tell his joy or anger.

Jin An's fingers curled slightly, then returned to normal. He hesitated, "My sister is a bit spoiled these days, but I think with her intelligence, she wouldn't tamper with something so conspicuous as a gift. That would leave them vulnerable."

The emperor did not say anything when he heard this, but just looked at Jin An intently, as if he wanted to see through something.

Jin An met his scrutiny with a clear and frank gaze, a hint of just the right amount of bewilderment. "Am I wrong, son? Did your Majesty discover anything?"

The emperor withdrew his gaze, picked up the teacup and took a sip. The warm tea seemed to have not yet warmed his voice. "Just now, I saw your fourth brother in his cradle, and suddenly I remembered what you looked like when you were little."

He dodged Jin An's question, his tone tinged with a hint of melancholy. "When you and your sister were born, you were both pink and tender, so adorable. Later, when you grew up, Jiaoyu always loved to take you to play in the Imperial Garden, picking flowers and catching butterflies. Back then, the relationship between you two sisters was truly wonderful."

The emperor stopped talking here and didn't continue. He just waved his hand and said, "Forget it, you should go back too! It looks like the snow is just as you said. I'm afraid it won't stop for a while. It's freezing cold, so you have to take care of yourself."

The emperor stood up, and Jin An quickly followed suit. The emperor then continued, "As for the brocade, I will personally ask Imperial Physician Fang for his findings. You don't have to worry about it. I don't think it's a big deal. Imperial Physician Fang also said before that he's just not sure where the fragrance came from. Perhaps it was accidentally contaminated with the scent of flowers and plants."

Upon hearing this, Jin An understood what her father meant. He didn't want her to interfere in the investigation. The unfinished stories about her childhood were merely a warning to her not to frame her sister.

She tactfully did not say anything further on the matter, but bowed her head respectfully and said, "Your Highness understands. I thank you for your concern, Father. But the defense of Lanxin Palace right now...?"

The emperor's eyes darkened. "I have made arrangements. I will not allow anyone to take advantage of them." He flicked his sleeves, turned, and strode out of the hall. "I still have some official business to attend to. Please come with me."

"Yes!" Jin An replied respectfully, turning and following him. Looking at the fine dust of snow kicked up by the hem of the dragon robe sweeping across the threshold, he suddenly remembered the soft sound of the pearls colliding when Jiaoyu turned around—that sound was like the prelude to something shattering.

The snow in this palace can hide footprints, but it can't cover the cracks in people's hearts. Those undercurrents hidden beneath the snow will sooner or later transform into a muddy patch on a warm, sunny day. Gazing at that still-straight figure, Jin An's mind raced. If that day ever came, what would be the outcome of her father's hopes? Would he be heartbroken? Could he endure it?