Chapter 947: The Young Empress (80)

After being sent to Ling Temple, Xiao Jin had originally thought he would eventually find an opportunity to escape.

Even if he could not flee on his own, he could still secretly have someone deliver a message to Su Qing.

After all these years, even if Su Qing had not succeeded in his ambitions, rescuing him should have been effortless, shouldn't it?

Using every means available, he finally managed to find someone to send the message. Unfortunately, half a year passed without a single response from Su Qing.

Su Qing had indeed received Xiao Jin's letter.

He merely glanced at it before tossing it into the fire.

Rescue Xiao Jin?

How could he possibly save him?

He had spent countless years struggling in Qi Kingdom precisely to seize control of it.

Bringing Xiao Jin back to Qi Kingdom would only be creating trouble for himself.

According to the intelligence he had received, even Su Qing had not expected Xiao Jin to personally poison Tang Nuoyue. Poisoning her was one thing, but getting caught in the act? That was nothing like the Xiao Jin he had known back then.

Besides, the old emperor probably had no desire to see such a disgraceful son return.

A smile hung on Su Qing's lips as he quietly planned his next move.

"Consort."

A voice came from outside the room.

The calculating smile on Su Qing's face instantly disappeared. He smoothed out the wrinkles in his robe and rose to open the door. Seeing the two figures outside, one large and one small, he asked gently, "Princess, what brings you here?"

"Earlier, I heard people say Father Emperor wanted to bring Sixth Brother back and had intended to let you handle it. Is there any news from Sixth Brother?"

Xiao Yun, the only princess of Qi Kingdom, possessed a noble status and had always been on good terms with Xiao Jin. Since she was the sole princess, all of her brothers doted on her and indulged her in everything.

Their struggles for the throne had never involved Xiao Yun. Thus, she maintained good relationships with every one of them.

Xiao Jin had been sent to Western Saint Kingdom many years ago. Upon hearing that he might return, she naturally felt concerned.

Su Qing hesitated briefly before replying, "Originally, Father Emperor did intend to bring Sixth Brother back, but later he changed his mind."

"Does Consort know why?" Xiao Yun asked, her delicate brows furrowing. "Sixth Brother has spent so many years in Western Saint Kingdom. He lost any chance of competing with the others long ago. Why is Father Emperor still unwilling to bring him home? Besides, what happened back then wasn't entirely Sixth Brother's fault."

As she spoke, she thought of the increasingly fierce struggles among her brothers in recent years. To avoid implicating her, they all kept their distance, never meeting her in private, afraid she might become entangled.

And then she had watched them, one after another, suffer misfortune, each side ending up wounded.

Sometimes she truly wanted to ask them—

For the sake of a single throne, why had blood brothers come to such a point?

"If the Princess is still worried, I'll secretly send people to check on Sixth Brother," Su Qing said softly. "As long as he's living well in Western Saint Kingdom, perhaps not returning is actually for the best. Don't you think so?"

Thinking of the current state of affairs, Xiao Yun sighed.

"You're right. If he came back, he probably wouldn't have a peaceful day. I just... haven't seen Sixth Brother for so long. I miss him."

"The wind outside is strong. Let me escort the Princess back."

Xiao Yun nodded and held the hand of the little radish beside her—the youngest son she shared with her consort.

Thinking about it, she might truly be the luckiest person in Qi Kingdom.

Her father, mother, and brothers all cherished her. She had a husband so considerate and attentive, and both a son and a daughter.

Aside from having to witness her brothers fighting endlessly over the throne, everything in her life was wonderful.

She just wondered—

When would all of this finally come to an end?