As night fell, the long day finally came to an end. Although the banquet at the Zhenguo Palace was in constant state, it finally ended without any danger. After sending off the last group of guests, the whole family could finally sit down and take a breath.
As the commander of the imperial guards, Su Jincheng assisted his father in entertaining guests for the day during the day, and had to go on duty in the palace at night.
It happened that Song Jingxing also wanted to return to the palace, so the young Duke Song Xian ordered Su Jincheng to go with him. Qian warned and urged that the prince must be returned to the palace safely.
Su Jincheng responded with a dull face, and got on the prince's royal carriage after Song Jingxing's repeated invitations.
In the car, Song Jingxing once again congratulated their family on their reunion and asked some questions about the head of Jinping County.
Su Jincheng answered all questions, but never took the initiative to find a topic. Along the way, he always sat upright without even changing his expression.
If he hadn't known his nature, Song Jingxing would have almost mistakenly thought that he didn't welcome his sister home.
After entering the palace, Su Jincheng went to the Qiande Palace of the Holy Emperor to be on duty, while Song Jingxing went to the Kunning Palace of the Empress.
The lights in Kunning Palace were bright, and the current queen, Meng Zhishu, was having dinner served by a group of maids.
Empress Meng is the eldest daughter of the current Prime Minister Meng Weidao. When she was young, she was well-known in the capital for her dignity and virtue, as well as her ability and political integrity. When she married the Holy Emperor, her father was just a censor, and she was just a small nobleman. The reason why the father and daughter are now so powerful is due to her extraordinary scheming and decisive and ruthless methods.
Seeing her son come in, Queen Meng put down her chopsticks, picked up the brocade handkerchief and wiped the corners of her mouth, and asked with a smile: "The prince is back. I went to the Duke's Mansion for a banquet today. Did it go well?"
Song Jingxing stepped forward, bowed, and replied respectfully: "If you go back to your mother, everything goes well."
"Yes." Queen Meng nodded and asked, "Have you met the Lord of Jinping County?"
"See you." Song Jingxing said.
"How is he? Is it to your liking?" Queen Meng asked bluntly.
"..." Song Jingxing looked at the servants in the hall and smiled sarcastically, "The Queen Mother is asking this question. I am here to congratulate you, not on a blind date..."
"Why not? I just asked you to go on a blind date." Queen Meng said, "If it weren't for this, I can't send anyone I want, so why bother to go there in person."
"But Queen Mother..."
"I don't want to hear it." Empress Meng raised her hand to interrupt him, motioning for everyone to step back, and then said, "You are already twenty years old this year, but the choice of the crown princess has been undecided. The ministers of the previous dynasty have already decided for I have discussed this matter with your father many times. The reason why I have been delaying it for you is because I want to choose a family that can help you. The strength of the Zhenguo Palace is as strong as your maternal grandfather’s family. The Lord of Jinping County is the only girl in the Zhenguo Palace. If you can marry her as the crown princess, your future position will be guaranteed, do you know?"
"Mother, are you worried too much?" Song Jingxing asked, "Father, I only have one son. Even if I marry a country girl, the wife will be a sure bet!"
"That's not necessarily the case." Empress Meng said, "Your father is in the prime of his life. No matter how strict my precautions are, I can't guarantee that no more princes will be born in the palace in the future. Therefore, we must make things foolproof so that we can sit back and relax." ”
Song Jingxing: "..."
Seeing that he stopped talking, Queen Meng took a sip of tea and said: "Since you have no objection, I will arrange for someone to go to the Zhenguo Duke's Mansion to propose marriage as soon as possible. Also, I don't want to talk about marrying a country girl again in the future. You hear it in your mouth.”
"..." Song Jingxing's eyes dimmed and he lowered his head and said, "But it depends on the mother's arrangement."
Queen Meng was then satisfied and praised him with a smile: "Good boy."
"..." Song Jingxing opened his mouth but stopped talking.
"What do you want to say?" Queen Meng asked.
"My son, my son fell in love with a girl at the banquet today and wants to bring her into the East Palace to serve her..." Song Jingxing hesitated.
"What kind of girl?" Queen Meng immediately became alert.
"She's just a girl." Song Jingxing said, "The girl who serves the Fourth Miss in Dingyuan Marquis Mansion. I find her very agreeable."
"Oh." Queen Meng looked him up and down with sharp eyes and said calmly, "The most important thing right now is to marry the Crown Princess. This kind of trivial matter is not worth mentioning. When the Crown Princess's affairs are revealed, you can do whatever you want."
"Yes." Song Jingxing was noticed by his mother that he was covered in cold sweat, and he saluted, "My mother will continue to eat, and I will leave first."
"Yes." Queen Meng agreed and watched him leave thoughtfully. Then she ordered the eunuch Wang Lu beside her, "Tomorrow, ask someone to find out what happened to that girl."
"My servant has taken note of it." Wang Lu bowed and responded.
At this time, in the Zhenguo Duke's Mansion, the young lady Sheng Qingyun was also ordering her confidants to secretly investigate the origins of Xiu'er, the girl next to the fourth lady of the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion.
Sheng Qingyun himself couldn't tell what was going on. Ever since he met the Xiuer girl at the banquet and listened to Mrs. Wang's nonsense, he had been restless all day. Even the joy of finding his daughter seemed to be diluted.
Her baby girl has come back, and of course she won't believe Mrs. Wang's nonsense. She just wants to understand why her heart will beat whenever that girl smiles casually.
It had been twelve years since she lost her daughter. During these twelve years, she had seen countless girls, but no girl had ever made her feel this way.
She wanted to know what was going on.
At the same time, Qin also secretly summoned her secret guard Feng Qi.
Chang Fu was ordered to inquire about the person who tipped off Xie Nanfeng. After asking around, he found out that it was Xie Nanfeng who came to the door himself. The reason was that Sheng Qingluan was going to offer incense at Fanyin Temple tomorrow and specifically asked Xie Nanfeng to come over and invite Xiu'er to accompany her.
Therefore, Xie Nanfeng accidentally saved Xiu'er.
The dead girl was destined to die, so she had nothing to say, but there were so many servants in the General's Mansion, but Sheng Qingluan asked Xiu'er to accompany her. She didn't know what other shameful deeds these two people were going to do.
But now, she no longer cares about their activities, she only wants Xiuer's life.
Therefore, she gave Feng Qi a death order. Xiuer must die before dark tomorrow. If Xiuer does not die, Feng Qi will kill himself.
Xie Nanjia didn't know that she was being cared about by so many people at the same time. She just wanted to see the sunrise soon so that she could see her mother as soon as possible.
Today, she accomplished two things, helped Zhao Lanzhi fulfill her wish, and exposed Qin Wanru's fake pregnancy.
She knew that Qin was completely angered now, and she might face many dangers next.
But she doesn't care, she just wants to anger Qin at all costs, because the angrier a person is, the more flaws there are, and the more flaws there are, the easier it is to break through.
She has been waiting for revenge for more than half a year, and she doesn't want to wait any longer.
Speaking of which, Zhao Lanzhi's transformation today really impressed her. When people are pushed to a certain extent, they will burst out with extraordinary energy. She knew that her vision was not wrong, as long as she tried her best to help Zhao Lanzhi win. When she reaches a good home, Zhao Lanzhi will definitely become a powerful helper for her, and she will also be the aunt that the young master can rely on most in the future.
According to the old lady, she had a good chat with Zhou Yuncheng, and before leaving, she asked Zhou Yuncheng to bring the princess Anping special snacks made by the Hou Mansion.
The old lady is indeed an old lady. With only two boxes of snacks, Princess Anping has no way to escape and has to respond to the matter. As for how she and Princess Anping will fight next, it depends on their respective abilities. The truth is fulfilled.
However, Xie Nanjia believes that as long as Zhou Yuncheng's heart is with Zhao Lanzhi, Princess Anping will definitely be defeated in the end.
This is what the saying goes.
When he was thinking this, Xie Nanjia didn't know that Princess Anping was pointing at Mr. Zhou's nose and furious: "If you want to marry that concubine, you have to step over your mother!"
Zhou Yuncheng couldn't sleep a wink all night long. Early the next morning, he grabbed Cheng Zhiye and went to find Zhao Jingyu together to brainstorm a way to persuade his mother.
Cheng Zhiye was very puzzled by Zhou Yuncheng's sudden infatuation. He couldn't understand how Master Zhou, who had always traveled freely in Fang Cong, became "good" in the blink of an eye.
"What's so good about Miss Zhao Si that she has influenced a swinger like you?" he asked Zhou Yuncheng curiously.
Zhou Yuncheng couldn't explain it, so he thought for a long time and said: "Maybe it's love at first sight!"
"Shit!" Cheng Zhiye revealed the secret with one word, "I think you are fed up with your mother and sisters being domineering and want to find someone soft and weak to handle."
"No, there are no weak girls in the capital. I have never been tempted before." Zhou Yuncheng said, "I really can't tell what happened. That day she bumped into my arms and then acted like a little girl. Running away like a rabbit, my soul is gone.”
"Huh?" Zhao Jingyu was slightly stunned when he heard him talking about the little rabbit, and suddenly realized, "The little rabbit who has been making trouble for so long is my fourth sister. I still take you to see my little nephew's rabbit. How stupid of me."
Zhou Yuncheng: "..."
"But I'm warning you, don't think that my fourth sister is easy to bully just because she's weak. If you dare to bully her, I'll be the first to break your legs." Zhao Jingyu glared fiercely.
Zhou Yuncheng said hurriedly: "I wish I could worship her as a Bodhisattva, how could I bully her?"
Cheng Zhiye's eyes lit up: "Speaking of Bodhisattva, why don't you go to Fanyin Temple to find an old monk and ask him to give you and the fourth lady a horoscope, and make your marriage more mysterious. What about a thousand-year romance in the past and present, your mother is the best If you believe that, maybe you agree?"
"Hey, that's a good idea." Zhou Yuncheng slapped his thigh and pulled the two of them out, "Let's go, let's go now without further ado."
Zhao Jingyu broke away from his hand and said lazily: "It's freezing cold. I want you to go, but I won't go. I have so much free time, I might as well sleep in my cage."
"Hey, you..." Zhou Yuncheng said anxiously, "The old monk has the best relationship with you, what if you don't go?"
"Why should I go? Who has ever seen an elder brother helping an outsider to coax his sister?" Zhao Jingyu made up her mind not to go and turned around to go to the inner room.
At this time, Huangfu came running in like a gust of wind from outside, leaned down and whispered in his ear: "Second Young Master, I was picked up by Young Master Nanfeng. He said he wanted to accompany the general's wife to burn incense at Fanyin Temple."
"Huh?" Zhao Jingyu blinked, turned around and hugged Zhou Yuncheng's shoulders, "Forget it, I see how pitiful you are, so I'll go with you, but later you have to drink the jar that your father treasured. Steal the fairy wine for me."
Zhou Yuncheng was overjoyed and said with tears of gratitude: "Good brother, I knew you wouldn't leave me alone!"
(End of chapter)