Chapter 33: He Xiang Xiang’s Unexpected Adventure

As He Shun’s expression turned gloomy, Tie Zhu reassured him, “Don’t worry, Uncle. I’ll ask a friend in the nearby counties to help me investigate. We might find some news.”

“Thanks, Tie Zhu,” He Shun said gratefully.

Tie Zhu smiled and continued, “However, Uncle, I think I understand what you mean now. You’re talking about the person you found in the village near Xie Shui Town, right?”

He Shun nodded.

Tie Zhu’s expression turned serious as he calculated the possibilities. “Uncle, I think it’s best if you let him go. We can’t take any chances.”

“What do you mean?” He Shun asked, his voice filled with concern.

Tie Zhu explained his thoughts, “One month ago, Emperor Wei ordered the extermination of the Song clan, who were plotting to overthrow the government. They were a powerful clan that had been loyal to the imperial family for generations, but they had become too powerful and had started to conspire against the emperor. The emperor had to take action to eliminate them, and their entire clan was destroyed.”

He Shun’s face turned pale as he listened to Tie Zhu’s explanation.

Tie Zhu continued, “Now, Uncle, I think Ah Xun might be one of the Song clan’s survivors who managed to escape. If you keep him around, it could put your niece He Miao in danger.”

He Shun’s eyes widened in shock as he realized the implications. He couldn’t bear to see his niece suffer the consequences of keeping Ah Xun around.

“Please, Tie Zhu. Help me keep this a secret. Don’t tell anyone about Ah Xun’s true identity. Let’s pretend I never told you about this,” He Shun pleaded with a sincere expression.

Tie Zhu nodded, “Don’t worry, Uncle. I’ll keep your secret. But please, for your sake and your niece’s sake, be careful around Ah Xun. You don’t know what he’s capable of.”

He Shun nodded, looking worried.

**He Xiang Xiang’s Unexpected Adventure**

Meanwhile, He Xiang Xiang had been wandering around the streets, searching for food. She had eaten some sugar apples earlier, but she was still hungry. As she turned a corner, she saw a sign that read “Will’s Restaurant” and her eyes grew wide with excitement. She had heard about the restaurant’s delicious East Palace meat, and she was determined to try it.

She ran towards the restaurant, but was stopped by the door guards. “This restaurant is not open today,” they said.

He Xiang Xiang was not satisfied. “What do you mean? I can see people inside. The staff is busy, and the boss is there. I can smell the East Palace meat. Why can’t we come in?”

The restaurant owner came out to apologize. “I’m sorry, young lady. We have special guests coming today, and our restaurant is not open to the public. Please leave and come back another day.”

He Xiang Xiang was not pleased. “I’ve come from far away, just to eat this East Palace meat. I won’t leave until I get it. You can’t just treat me like this. I have connections with the authorities, and I’ll report you to the magistrate. I’ll even go to the capital to lodge a complaint!”

The restaurant owner was worried that He Xiang Xiang might cause a scene and disturb the guests, so he tried to calm her down. “Please, young lady, don’t be like that. We’ll make it up to you another time.”

He Xiang Xiang was not satisfied, but the restaurant owner eventually managed to persuade her to leave.

As she stood outside, she overheard a conversation between the restaurant owner and one of the guards. The guard mentioned that the emperor himself was dining upstairs, and He Xiang Xiang’s eyes widened in surprise. Suddenly, she was grabbed by the guard and brought upstairs to meet the emperor.

The emperor smiled at her and invited her to sit down. “You’re the young lady who’s been causing a commotion downstairs, aren’t you? I heard you’ve come from far away just to eat our East Palace meat.”

He Xiang Xiang nodded enthusiastically, and the emperor continued, “Please, have some food. It’s on me.”

He Xiang Xiang’s eyes grew wide as she saw the delicious meal spread out before her. She was about to start eating when she noticed that something was off. “Wait a minute, this doesn’t seem right. Is this meat poisoned?”

The emperor smiled and waved his hand. “Don’t worry, it’s safe. We’ve had it tested by our chefs.”

He Xiang Xiang’s eyes widened in surprise as she realized that the emperor was trying to reassure her. She had no idea what was going on, but she was too hungry to care. She started eating, her eyes fixed on the delicious food.