Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne

Chapter 1175 - 169: Empress Xie Has Gone Mad

Zhao Yao had already been back in the Swamp Prefecture for a month with Xiao Siyun. During this month, although the young couple lived under the same roof, the number of times they actually saw each other was very few.

As soon as they returned to the Swamp Prefecture, Zhao Yao became so busy he practically vanished. Not to mention Xiao Siyun, even He Lianfang had no idea where he was.

Xiao Siyun, as Princess Han, was also very busy. Although there were no other women in the inner residence of the Prince Han’s household, the entire Prince Han’s household needed her to manage. Fortunately, the steward had always kept the Prince Han’s household in perfect order; after Xiao Siyun took over, she only needed to sort out all the big and small matters of the household, without having to do too much extra.

Even so, just the internal and external affairs of the Prince Han’s household alone were numerous, and some of them were extremely important. If Xiao Siyun had not previously received training and instruction in the palace, she probably wouldn’t be able to manage the affairs of the Prince Han’s household now.

Xiao Siyun spent a full month thoroughly familiarizing herself with everything in the Prince Han’s household and was now able to manage these matters with ease.

"Princess, you’ve worked hard." Xue Yan walked up behind Xiao Siyun and reached out to knead her shoulders.

"This bit of hard work is nothing." Xiao Siyun asked, "Has His Highness come back?"

When Xue Yan heard this question, her hands paused on Xiao Siyun’s shoulders. She then lightly shook her head and said, "No."

Xiao Siyun frowned slightly, a trace of worry on her face. "I don’t know how His Highness is faring out there."

After hesitating for a moment, Xue Yan said, "Princess, could it be that His Highness is deliberately avoiding you and not coming back to the Prince Mansion?" Xue Yan couldn’t be blamed for thinking this way. Ever since they returned to the Swamp Prefecture, Zhao Yao had disappeared, never once showing up in the Prince Han’s household.

Xiao Siyun turned and looked at Xue Yan, her expression a bit strange as she asked, "Why would you suddenly ask that?"

"His Highness just hasn’t come back at all. Aren’t you the least bit worried?" Seeing that Xiao Siyun truly didn’t seem anxious, Xue Yan became anxious on her behalf. "Aren’t you afraid His Highness has another woman outside?"

Xiao Siyun glared at Xue Yan, her tone laced with warning. "Don’t talk nonsense. His Highness is not that kind of person. He really is busy."

"No matter how busy he is, he can’t be so busy that he doesn’t come home for an entire month. This is his own home."

"Haven’t you heard the steward and the guards say that His Highness would often be away from the Prince Mansion for a month or even several months at a time in the past? Even the court officials found it hard to track him down."

"What if they’re lying to you?" Xue Yan felt that the people of the Prince Han’s household were helping Zhao Yao cover things up.

"They’re not. His Highness truly is busy. You’ve been helping me sort out the affairs of the Prince Mansion these past days. You should know there are many matters in the Prince Han’s household." Xiao Siyun sighed. "If a single Prince Mansion already has so many things to deal with, how much more so the imperial court? Besides, His Highness also has to handle affairs outside the court. And he was away from the Swamp Prefecture for over half a year. Now that he’s just returned, there must be a great many things waiting for him."

After hearing this, Xue Yan felt she had overthought it and hastily apologized to Xiao Siyun. "Princess, it was this servant who misunderstood and spoke out of turn."

"His Highness is a prince of the blood. If he liked some woman, he wouldn’t secretly keep her outside; he would bring her into the Prince Mansion."

Xue Yan thought about it and felt that this was indeed the case. This was the Swamp Prefecture, not the capital. In the Swamp Prefecture, Prince Han was like the Emperor himself. He could have any woman he wanted; there was no need to keep one outside in secret.

"I heard from the steward that once His Highness gets busy, he works around the clock, not eating, drinking, or sleeping. I’m worried he’ll wear out his body." Xiao Siyun had wanted to send people to look for Zhao Yao, but no one could find him.

As she spoke, the sound of people greeting Zhao Yao came from outside.

Xue Yan said joyfully, "Princess, His Highness is back."

Xiao Siyun sprang to her feet and hurriedly ran out. Just as she reached the courtyard, she saw Zhao Yao walking toward her. She quickly saluted him. "Greetings, Your Highness."

Zhao Yao stepped forward and helped Xiao Siyun up. "Didn’t I tell you not to salute me?" With that, he took Xiao Siyun’s hand and led her back into the room.

Xue Yan hurried off to prepare tea.

Zhao Yao sat down and also had Xiao Siyun sit.

Xiao Siyun studied Zhao Yao carefully and saw the exhaustion between his brows, which couldn’t help but make her heart ache.

"Your Highness, are you all right?"

At this moment, Xue Yan brought over the tea. "Your Highness, please have some tea."

Zhao Yao reached out to take the cup and tipped his head back, drinking in large gulps. Only after finishing the tea did he answer Xiao Siyun’s earlier question.

"I’m fine; I’ve just been a bit busy these past days." If Tong Xi hadn’t reminded him that he hadn’t returned to the Prince Han’s household for a month, he would have stayed over on the North Mountain. "I’m sorry. As soon as I got back to the Swamp Prefecture, I went out to handle matters and was so busy I never showed my face, leaving you alone in the Prince Han’s household."

"Your Highness, I’m doing very well alone in the Prince Mansion. Everyone here has been taking good care of me. It’s you I worry about. Are you all right out there?" Xiao Siyun looked at Zhao Yao, feeling that he seemed thinner. "Have you not been eating properly? You look like you’ve lost weight."