Prince Jin was full of expectations for the baby in Jiang Changning's belly. Although he was busy with government affairs at the court, he insisted on coming back every day to have dinner with Jiang Changning and read the Art of War to the child.
But on this day, it was almost the hour of Xu and the person had not returned yet. Jiang Changning couldn't help feeling a little worried. He held his waist and slowly walked towards the gate of the courtyard.
As soon as he arrived at the gate of the courtyard, he saw someone coming over there with a lantern. He squinted and saw that it was Prince Jin who had returned. Jiang Changning breathed a sigh of relief.
Prince Jin also saw the person standing at the gate, and hurriedly quickened his pace and walked in front of Jiang Changning, "I'm sorry, I came back late and made you worried."
Jiang Changning smiled and said, "I'm glad that the prince is back. There's a lot of work to do in the government office. Has the prince not had his meal yet?"
"Are you waiting for me while hungry?" Prince Jin frowned.
"With Nanny Feng here, will she let me starve?" Jiang Changning asked back in a reproachful manner.
King Jin smiled and took her hand, "Come eat with me later."
"Zhuangzi sent noodles." Jiang Changning smiled, "Your Majesty, do you know what noodles are?"
"Noodles are what the common people call it. In the Agricultural Book, it is called wheat bottle grass. It grows in wheat fields or on grass slopes in wasteland. Its leaves and young stems are plump, tender, sweet and delicious."
Prince Jin raised his eyebrows, "Princess Jin, am I right?"
"Your Highness, you are absolutely right about being well-read." Jiang Changning said with a sweet smile.
"I answered correctly. How should the princess reward me?"
"Reward Your Majesty with a plate of stir-fried noodles."
"I accepted it with reluctance."
Seeing the couple walking in chatting and laughing, Nanny Feng lowered her head and smiled. The rumors about the princess outside were not credible.
The princess was neither weak and incompetent nor arrogant and domineering. She also did not take advantage of her favor to bully others and torture the concubines in the palace.
After the couple had a simple dinner, Prince Jin accompanied Jiang Changning for a walk in the yard as usual, "You have been much more diligent since you got pregnant."
"I've always been diligent, okay?" Jiang Changning pouted.
"Yes, yes, you have always been very diligent." King Jin agreed.
Jiang Changning glanced at him sideways, "Your Highness, haven't you heard the saying that women are weak by nature, but strong as mothers?"
"I haven't heard of it, but I know that mothers love their children the most. The love they give to their children during the ten months of pregnancy is too great to be repaid in three lifetimes."
"Children are a mother's life. If anyone dares to hurt my children, I will fight him to the death." Jiang Changning said harshly.
King Jin's eyes suddenly became sharp, "Ningning, but did someone do something?"
"I caught a maid who tried to sneak into the kitchen and add abortion pills into my meal." Jiang Changning sneered.
Except for Chunlai and a few others, all the servants in Rujing Courtyard were servants of the Jiang family and were loyal to her. As soon as that man sneaked in, he was targeted.
In order to catch her in the act, they deliberately let her into the small kitchen, and she was caught just when she was pouring medicine powder into the stew pot.
"Where is the person now?" Prince Jin's face turned pale. He had cleared out several batches of spies in the palace, but he didn't expect that there would still be some who slipped through the net.
"He is locked up in the Congji Courtyard of the mansion, and Qiushou is interrogating him."
"You should have told me this as soon as I got back."
"Let me tell you, you still have the mind to eat dinner, and I will feel bad if you let my child's father starve."
"The child's mother is so considerate." Prince Jin leaned over and kissed her on the forehead.
"Your Highness, this is outside." Jiang Changning blushed slightly.
"You're already a mother, yet you're still so shy."
Jiang Changning was about to say something when a gust of wind blew over and made her sneeze.
It's still a bit cold in Beijing after nightfall in February.
"Cloak." King Jin said loudly.
Xiulan, who was following not far behind, hurried over and presented the cloak with both hands.
Prince Jin carefully put a cloak on her and said, "It's windy, let's go back to the room."
"Okay." Jiang Changning followed him back obediently.
Jiang Changning yawned when he heard this. "My Lord, if it's a boy, it's fine. But if it's a girl, do you really want her to lead troops to fight and become a female general?"
"Princess Pingyang Zhao can gather the heroes of Guanzhong, mobilize Sizhu to raise an army, and lead the women's army to achieve great things. My daughter can do it too."
Jiang Changning smiled, "Okay, I'll listen to you, Your Majesty."
The wish is beautiful, but it cannot be realized. There are hundreds of princesses in history, but there is only one Princess Pingyang Zhao.
The King of Jin continued to read the military book: "Whenever the enemy has a plan, we should attack it and make it fail and surrender. The law says: 'The best strategy is to defeat the enemy's plan.'"
His voice was pleasant, but Jiang Changning found the Art of War boring. He yawned continuously and insisted on listening to three chapters. "Your Highness, I'm sleepy."
"Someone come." King Jin closed the military book and called someone in to help Jiang Changning wash up.
After Jiang Changning went to bed, he quietly left the bedroom and took Chang Youzhong out of Rujing Courtyard and went to Congji Courtyard.
Qiu Shou was still interrogating the maid. She was already covered with bruises, but she still refused to confess.
Prince Jin came in and said, "No need to torture her. She is so stubborn. I think everyone in her family is controlled by someone behind the scenes. She risked her life to protect her family."
The maid tried hard to raise her drooping head and glanced at Prince Jin.
The King of Jin said in a deep voice: "As the wild geese leave their voices behind, so too do people leave their names behind. Since you are not alone, I will definitely be able to find your family and send you to the underworld to reunite."
The maid sneered and lowered her head.
"Use the letter to promote her and send her on her way." Prince Jin said calmly.
"Yes, Your Highness." Qiu Shou and another man untied the maid from the rack and tied her to a bench.
Then, he took mulberry paper and a basin of water, soaked the mulberry paper, and covered the maid's face with it.
The maid's breathing suddenly became rapid.
After the second layer of paper was put on, the maid clenched her fists and began to struggle.
When she covered her neck with the third layer of paper, the veins on her neck started to bulge.
Qiu Shou glanced at King Jin, and King Jin raised his finger, indicating to continue.
When the fourth layer was put on, the maid's body kept twisting.
Prince Jin nodded slightly, Qiu Shou took away all four pieces of paper, and the maid gasped for breath.
"How does it feel to be on the verge of death?" asked King Jin with a smile.
"You, you are a devil." The maid said in a voice as soft as a mosquito.
"Autumn harvest, no need to hold back." Prince Jin said coldly.
"No, no, I confess." the maid said hurriedly.
I thought death was an easy thing, but dying by being promoted to an official position is so painful.
"Bitch." Qiu Shou cursed in a low voice.
"Who is it?" asked the King of Jin.
"Yes, it's the Queen Mother."
"I don't believe it."
"Your Highness, please have someone go to the house where I live. There is a hollow floor tile behind the door. There is a box inside. The box contains a badge that says I work for Fushou Palace."
After speaking such a long speech, the maid was exhausted and panting heavily.
"Chang Youzhong, you go there." King Jin ordered.
"Yes, Your Majesty." Chang Youzhong took the order and left.
(End of this chapter)