Without thinking Si Ning bent and moved closer to the building, his feet light on the ground, careful not to make a sound as he finally got to the side of the building, trying to listen, tiptoeing, moving forward and crouched while he lean forward stretching his neck just to peep around the corner and he was right. It was the Queen Dowager and Xiu Zhicheng that were closer to the building while Lin Fan, some bunch of Eunuch with more than two dozen Servants very far from them.

Si Ning found himself checking Xiu Zhicheng out from head to toe, his heart racing in his chest and he couldn't deny it that the Emperor was indeed a handsome man and the dark robes with golden embroidery made him have a powerful aura surrounding him and his golden diadem fit perfectly on his head, his dark boots dull and neat giving him the appearance that his Servants took good care in dressing him up to be perfect and the thought of this man becoming his husband in few days made Si Ning's cheeks to heat up. He blinked only when the Queen Dowager moved forward and Si Ning pouted wanting to grumble a complaint that she was blocking half of his view which was caused by her large skirt, blocking him from appreciating his future husband.

From the angle Si Ning was then it would be difficult for Lin Fan to notice him because surprisingly there were flowers around to block him from view if not he would be wide open, the flowers made his condition perfect to spy on Queen Dowager and Xiu Zhicheng. Si Ning felt so lucky that flowers were planted around the building when most of the buildings in the palace without gates were bare without trees nor flowers planted around them.

"...I don't care of what you do from now on, I am still against you making Si Ning your Empress since you know how much I hate that family but as long as you can control the Si army then I am fine with that but when you marry him just keep him on a tight leash, I don't want to see him."

Si Ning couldn't believe that after Queen Dowager gave him a condition to marry Xiu Zhicheng and be crowned the Empress, she was still against him which means she would have preferred if he had rejected her proposal so she would be able to frame him.

"Mother forgive me for disobeying your order but you know I can't give Si Ning up and I want Mother to also get along with him." Xiu Zhicheng said calmly.

"And what will you do if I don't?" Queen Dowager seethed.

When Queen Dowager shifted, Si Ning was able to see how red her face was with anger even though he could only see her side view. It made him wonder why she hated his family so much that she even had to tell Xiu Zhicheng to make sure they don't meet.

"Mother you told me as long as I have an heir then I can do whatever I want and Si Ning agreed too. What I want now is for Mother to treat Si Ning well since he will become part of our family." Xiu Zhicheng said softly.

"No Si will be a family of mine." Queen Dowager seethed as she sways, backing away from Xiu Zhicheng's hold when he tried to steady her, she held her head. "Talking about him is giving me a headache." She complained.

It seemed the conversation was over because she started to leave and Si Ning was still staring when Xiu Zhicheng suddenly turned, his gaze toward his direction.

They say curiosity killed the cat and there was nothing more worst at the moment than being spotted so Si Ning ducked in a hurry on reflex to avoid Xiu Zhicheng gaze and his forehead almost collided with Xiu Junjie when he turned if not of the boy fast reflex that made him move backward.

"Junjie-er." Si Ning had certainly forgotten the boy was with him the moment he ran towards the building. He was also glad that Xiu Junjie didn't say a word to startle him if not their position would be given away. Xiao Pei was also standing behind Xiu Junjie.

They all waited without making a sound like they were expecting someone to appear and catch them. Si Ning's heart was beating fast as he tried to rack his brain for an excuse but after waiting for a while and didn't hear any footsteps approaching made Si Ning nod his head to Xiao Pei to check if their position had been compromised or not. Xiao Pei peeped before straightening back up and shook his head.

"Imperial grandmother must hate you a lot, seems your family likes causing trouble in the imperial family." Xiu Junjie whispered to Si Ning as he also peeped from above Si Ning like he did the moment Si Ning crouched to spy.

Si Ning noticed Xiu Junjie's voice was a bit shaky. "Eeeeehh? What did my family do?" Si Ning asked, he was also curious. He heard a Xiu Junjie sighEd in relief which made Si Ning also peep and Xiu Zhicheng wasn't in sight nor the Queen Dowager which means they had left, he didn't bother to check to see if he would be able to see them walking away, he was also relieved they were not caught. He sat down along with Xiu Junjie.

Just to marry Xiu Zhicheng and become the Empress doesn't seem to be the reason he was hated. Queen Dowager already said she hated their family which means she included his mother and Si Nan.

Ge Mengshu had always been on her own, living without causing a problem and Si Nan was still young, attending her lessons while Si Ning had no idea what might have transpired between him and the Queen Dowager in the past but to hate his whole family means the root of the problem was something that had happened a long time ago and maybe when he was still a child and doesn't really understand what was going on which means to know he had to ask his mother but Si Ning rather not to because he doesn't know if it might spark up an unpleasant memory that his mother doesn't want to remember and for the main time he had to find another way to find out.

"Si Ning, are you trying to feign ignorance?" Xiu Junjie raised his brows.

"But I don't know, what my family did" Si Ning replied sincerely.

"Aish... just leave me." Xiu Junjie stood up the moment he saw some of the guards all running back with some bearers with a palanquin.

"But Junjie-er." Si Ning also stood up and started to follow Xiu Junjie who was already walking towards the palanquin. He was a bit glad he wasn't the only one that was tired because Xiu Junjie entered the palanquin the moment they set it down.

"Let's go! bearers lift it up and if you allow Si Ning in you are dead!"

Si Ning was unable to enter when he heard Xiu Junjie's command. "Master are you going to leave your disciple alone?" He complained raising the curtain only for Xiu Junjie to yank it down.

"I said let's go!" Xiu Junjie yelled.

The bearers quickly saluted Si Ning before lifting the palanquin. They turned and started to leave in a hurry but Si Ning wasn't about to give up as he quickly falls beside the palanquin preparing himself to become annoying as possible that Xiu Junjie would end blurting out why his family was being hated by the Queen Dowager.