The Farm Girl's Charismatic Fortune-Chapter 313 - 309 Following the Emperor’s Will

The Empress Dowager had not seen Ruo Xuan for a long time, so she had Ruo Xuan stay overnight in the palace, specifically in Cining Palace.

Ruo Xuan played in the palace for the day, and only left the palace on the day the spring examinations began.

Xuanyuan Que accompanied Ruo Xuan out of the palace, and she invited him to go on an outing beyond the city walls.

The Empress Dowager, feeling uneasy, insisted that the Crown Prince accompany the two of them.

Today being the day of the spring examinations, the streets of the Capital City were on heightened alert, with guards stationed every hundred meters, and patrolling troops could be encountered from time to time.

The street in front of the Imperial Examination Court was even more strictly guarded, with guards every ten meters to prevent any sudden incidents.

The candidates for the examination were Advanced Scholars from all over the country, resulting in not many family members coming to see them off; of course, this was also because in different places of the Capital City, gathering near the Imperial Examination Court was not permitted—only the candidates themselves could enter the street of the Imperial Examination Court.

Ruo Xuan had long made sure her father and second uncle were well taken care of, so she was not worried at all and cheerfully ran outside the city to capture that so-called master.

The news of Xuanyuan Que and the Crown Prince leaving the city together reached Empress Su immediately.

With both the Empress Dowager and Xuanyuan Que recently returning, the Empress did not dare to use her spies in the palace to inquire into affairs concerning the Crown Prince and Xuanyuan Que.

The Empress Dowager was extremely formidable; anyone daring to investigate would certainly be rooted out, which the Empress had been taught several times over.

The spies in the shadows were nails she had painstakingly placed over the course of several years, reserved for critical moments, and she definitely would not use them rashly.

Therefore, the news she received was a bit delayed.

The Empress felt a sense of unease in her heart.

Years ago, in Shaxi County, the valiant General Residence was struck by divine retribution for practicing sorcery, and at the time, Xuanyuan Que and Ruo Xuan were also there.

She couldn’t help wondering if Jia Shijie had slipped up somewhere. Could it be that the Crown Prince had discovered something?

Although it seemed unlikely to her, if divine retribution hadn’t struck, the affair of the valiant General Residence would have never come to light.

It was because they were overly malevolent that even the heavens could not stand to watch.

But this time, it was merely a matter of sharing fortune and exchanging luck for a mere month, not at all a heinous act of claiming lives.

Xuan Fuzi had assured her that it would not draw divine punishment, nor would there be any celestial anomalies to arouse suspicion.

After all, an Imperial Scholar is a student of the Emperor; it is the Emperor who decides who obtains the title.

As a couple, she is the Empress and has the right to decide who becomes an Imperial Scholar.

In doing so, he considered it in harmony with the Emperor’s intent.

Otherwise, neither the Empress nor Su Guozhang would take such a risk.

The tragic fate of the valiant General Residence was still fresh in mind.

But the Empress was still worried about the Crown Prince and Xuanyuan Que and said, "Which direction did the two of them head when leaving the city? Find out for me, quickly!"

"The people by the city gate said they heard Princess Wuyou say she wanted to go to the riverside in the eastern outskirts for an outing, and they saw the carriage heading east," replied the little eunuch.

East? But Xuan Fuzi is in the west.

Upon hearing this, the Empress felt somewhat relieved, but she was still slightly anxious and said, "Send a message to my father, tell him the Crown Prince and the Ninth Prince have left the city."

"Understood." The little eunuch, who worked in procurement for the Imperial Kitchen, respectfully took the command and departed.

The Empress looked out at the sky.

Just by looking at the weather, one could tell it was going to be a clear day without the slightest chance of sudden change.

Just as the Emperor was in the prime of his life, it was impossible for him to age overnight.

Her imperial sons were still young; it was but a matter of time before she nurtured capable men for them.

And the weather, indeed, was perfect for an outing.

A mishap during such an outing, wouldn’t that be quite normal?

The Empress crushed a bunny-shaped pastry in her hand but then thought better of it.

Performing the ritual today would only court troubles.

～

At this moment, Xuanyuan Que and Ruo Xuan were riding horses by the river.

The Crown Prince was worried about Ruo Xuan riding alone, so she had to share a horse with the Divine Lord Xuanyuan. fгeewёbnoѵel.cσm

When the Divine Lord Xuanyuan rode a horse, he simply let it stroll around at leisure, which was not fun at all.

Ruo Xuan turned to the Crown Prince, "Brother Crown Prince, may I ride with you, and you take me for a run? Is that okay?"

"Of course," the Crown Prince answered with a smile.

Xuanbao was energetic, and her royal brother Xuan preferred quietude; even Xuanbao couldn’t stand it anymore.

However, horse racing wasn’t as fun as racing horses, and he wished for his imperial brother to be more lively, so he asked, "Xiaojiu, would you like to race horses with your imperial brother? I’ll ride with Xuanbao and compete alongside you."

As he spoke, he rode his horse over to his brother’s side, extending his hand to take Ruo Xuan.

Ruo Xuan also reached out for the Crown Prince to hold her.

Xuanyuan Que slapped her hand away, "I’ll take her and compete with our imperial brother."

Then he asked Ruo Xuan, "Who do you think will win, our imperial brother or me?"

Ruo Xuan immediately sat up properly, "Crown Prince brother, I’ll share the horse with Brother Xuanyuan and compete with you."

Who would win between the Crown Prince and Divine Lord Xuanyuan?

Without a doubt, of course, Divine Lord Xuanyuan would win!

That’s why she didn’t want to go over to the Crown Prince. She didn’t want to lose; she only liked to win.

The Crown Prince hadn’t expected his imperial brother to actually agree to compete with him and said excitedly, "Alright! We’ll use this spot as the starting point, and that big tree in the distance as the finish line. Whoever runs back to the starting point fastest wins."

Xuanyuan Que nodded his head in agreement.

The Shopkeeper would act as the referee.

With a wave of the Shopkeeper’s hand, the two horses sped off rapidly.

In the distance, the family of four sent by the Shaxi County Lord pretended to dig wild vegetables, but in reality, they were monitoring the Crown Prince and Xuanyuan Que.

The weather was good today, and there were many commoners out of the city digging wild vegetables, which wouldn’t arouse suspicion.

The family of four saw the Crown Prince and the Ninth Prince playing a horse race here, and one of them went back to report.

The other three continued their surveillance.

Xuanyuan Que rode his horse swiftly, paying attention only to the path ahead, ignoring everyone else.

Ruo Xuan turned her head and glanced at the person leaving in the distance, then shook her head.

Was it useful to monitor them?

For other matters, perhaps not, but when it came to meting out heavenly justice, even if she wasn’t present, she could still accomplish that.

Just as Xuanyuan Que had ridden his horse around the big tree and made a turn, facing west, Ruo Xuan asked, "Brother Xuanyuan, is it time yet?"

Xuanyuan nodded, "Mhm."

Ruo Xuan then pinched a Fairy Technique, aiming precisely at a certain direction in the west.

After a while, a bolt of lightning descended from the distant sky.

Then a "boom" echoed loudly, startling everyone on the street to look up.

Another bolt of lightning followed, a long lightning strike, as if the sky had split in two!

"Boom!"

People inside and outside the city boiled over with fear, screaming as they ran to take shelter inside their houses.

"A thunderbolt out of the blue!"

"How could there be a thunderbolt in clear skies?"

"Someone must be doing something that defies the heavens and reason!"

"My God, that lightning was terrifying!"

"Divine punishment, someone must be enduring divine punishment!"

...

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

The Emperor was originally in the Imperial Study discussing matters with his ministers when he heard the noise and rushed out in a hurry, seeing one bolt of lightning after another falling in the west.

His expression changed, "Yang Xiao, take some men immediately to see where the lightning struck!"

Yang Xiao was the leader of the Imperial Guards and an Imperial Bodyguard, who immediately took the order and went.

Kunning Palace

The Empress, not in her right mind, had been resting with closed eyes on a chaise longue, but rolled off of it when she heard the thunder.

The palace maids were frightened and hurried forward to help her up.

The Empress pushed them away and looked out the window. Even though the sunlight was shining, she asked in terror, "Did you hear the thunder just now?"