The rumor about the girl with the Phoenix destiny spread widely, shocking the entire Duke Zhenguo's Mansion. Everyone in the mansion smelled the scent of impending storm, and gathered in the old lady's room with trepidation to discuss countermeasures.
The old lady's attitude towards Xie Nanjia had just changed, but after this incident, she couldn't help but complain about Sheng Qingyun, saying that she shouldn't have taken the child back so rashly.
The ladies of the other three rooms also had complaints, thinking that the mansion shouldn't go to so much trouble for an adopted daughter. If the prince wants to marry, let him marry her. There's no benefit in going against the royal family, not to mention that now there's suddenly a rumor about a girl with the fate of a phoenix. If she's a phoenix, who else can she marry if not the son or grandson of the dragon? Do they have to drag the entire family into misfortune
Sheng Qingyun was confused for a moment when a happy marriage suddenly ran into trouble. Although she did not agree with her sisters-in-law's opinions, she could not come up with a better solution. She could only sit there with a sad brow and listen to her sisters-in-law's complaints and panics, hoping that her husband would come back from the palace as soon as possible so that she could ask him what the emperor's attitude was.
She thought, fortunately she had the foresight not to let Xiu'er come along, otherwise Xiu'er would definitely be sad to hear her grandmother and aunts talking like this.
She was overthinking. Xie Nanjia was not sad at all, nor did she have time to be sad. Since she heard the rumor, she didn't even have time to be shocked. Her first reaction was to lock herself in the room and think of a solution.
Although she didn't know the whole story, she could guess that it was the Queen and the Crown Prince who were behind it, because Abbot Wuchen was not so stupid as to make such a secret public. He might not even have told Zhao Jingyu, but only the Emperor.
Therefore, this rumor should have spread from the palace. As for how it was spread, it was most likely that the Queen had planted spies around the Emperor. After getting the news, she asked the Emperor to grant the Crown Prince a marriage, but was rejected. So she simply cut off the source of the problem and used the power of public opinion to completely cut off her and Zhao Jingyu's retreat.
If Zhao Jingyu really dared to marry the daughter of the Phoenix who could conquer the world, it would confirm the rebellious intentions of the Dingyuan Marquisate, and if he was not careful, the whole family would be executed.
Therefore, even if Zhao Jingyu still insisted on marrying her, the Zhao family would definitely use all their strength to stop this marriage. As the backbone of the family, Marquis Dingyuan naturally could not sacrifice the entire family for the sake of one person.
As for herself, bearing the title of the daughter of the Phoenix, she had no other choice but to marry into the Eastern Palace.
The Queen Mother made a brilliant move. If she was not involved, she would have been unable to help but applaud the Queen Mother.
But she happened to be the person involved, and faced with this sinister trick that could destroy her life, she just wanted to curse.
Even though she was scolded, she had no intention of giving in. The Queen had her own tricks, and she also had her own trump card. If things really came to that, she neither mind nor was afraid to compete with the Queen.
Right now her father and uncle-in-law are both in the palace, and things have not yet been concluded. All she has to do is wait patiently for the banquet in the palace to end and see what news her uncle-in-law will bring back.
As for the discussion over there by the old lady, she knew what the situation was without having to think about it, so she had no interest in being a target. If she had that much time, she would rather find a way to meet Zhao Jingyu.
It’s a pity that the old lady had already ordered the door to be closed to visitors to prevent outsiders from inquiring about the news, so even if Zhao Jingyu came, he couldn’t get in.
After much thought, she decided to write a letter to Zhao Jingyu.
"But the old lady has ordered that no one is allowed to enter or leave, so the letter may not be delivered!" Liusu said worriedly.
"Didn't the Second Young Master arrange someone to work at the gatehouse? Otherwise, you can go and ask first. If it can be delivered, I will write it. If not, forget it." Xie Nanjia said.
"Okay, I'll go ask right now." Liusu agreed and hurried away.
Biluo was accompanying Xie Nanjia in the room, and asked worriedly, "Miss, do you think the Second Young Master has a solution?"
"I can't say for sure, but I think he will try his best to find a solution." Xie Nanjia sat at the desk, spread out the letter paper, pressed it with a jade ruler, and took the ink stick and slowly ground it in the inkstone with water.
"Of course." Biluo said, "Second Master likes you to death, he will definitely not give up easily."
"Like him to death?" Xie Nanjia couldn't help but laugh. "Not to the point of loving him to death, that's too exaggerated."
"That's not an exaggeration at all." Biluo said, "When the Second Young Master asked us to come and serve you, he told us in person that Miss Xiu'er is my life, and you must take good care of her for me."
"Really?" Xie Nanjia raised her eyebrows slightly. Even though she knew that the man was good at talking, she still felt sweet in her heart, as if she had drunk a big mouthful of honey.
Seeing her laughing so happily, Biluo hesitated and said, "But Miss, what if you still have to marry the prince in the end?"
Xie Nanjia was feeling sweet, and Yan Mo said casually: "No, if you want me to marry the prince, it's only possible if your second son is the prince."
"Is this true?" Someone walked in from outside while talking.
"Of course it's true." Xie Nanjia saw the red skirt from the corner of her eye and thought it was Liu Su who had returned. She didn't look closely and asked without turning her head, "Have you asked? Can you give it to me?"
"What to give?" the man asked.
"Xin, are you stupid?" Xie Nanjia said, and suddenly he smelled a familiar fragrance. He quickly put down the ink stick and turned around. When he saw the person clearly, he was stupid.
The pretty girl in front of me, wearing a light red skirt, a small green jacket and two buns, was actually Zhao Jingyu.
"How about it, do I look good?" Zhao Jingyu twisted his slender waist that made women envy and hate him, bent his peach blossom eyes, pinched his throat and asked with a smile.
"You..." Xie Nanjia stood up, opened his mouth in surprise, not knowing what to say.
What's wrong with this guy? Where did he come from? And where did he get such a well-fitting maid's outfit
"What? You lost your soul as soon as you saw me?" Zhao Jingyu walked up to her gracefully, pulled her into his arms, and pressed her tightly against his chest.
"Ah, what are you doing?" Xie Nanjia pushed him hurriedly, her heart pounding.
"Don't move, let me hold you for a while." Zhao Jingyu whispered, "I'm almost mad as hell, I feel better once I see you."
"..." Xie Nanjia's heart softened, she stopped struggling, and calmed down in his arms.
Biluo had left without knowing when.
The room was quiet. Zhao Jingyu crouched down, rubbed his head against her shoulder, and said depressedly, "My life is so difficult. It's as easy as drinking cold water for others to get a wife. Why is it so difficult for me?"
Xie Nanjia chuckled: "Maybe it's because other people's wives are too ordinary!"
"..." Zhao Jingyu also laughed, "Are you praising yourself for being excellent?"
"Not only is he excellent, he's also an outlier." Xie Nanjia joked, "You've made a fortune this time."
Zhao Jingyu laughed out loud, and all his worries disappeared in an instant.
Seeing him laughing so happily, Xie Nanjia suddenly felt that all those troubles were nothing.
The two separated and sat down on the chairs. Xie Nanjia asked:
"Did Abbot Wuchen tell you that I was the daughter of the Phoenix?"
"No." Zhao Jingyu shook his head. "The old monk is really abominable. He actually told the emperor secretly without telling me and caused me so much trouble."
He wanted to say that he had known about this as early as last year, but after thinking it over he decided not to say it, for fear that Xie Nanjia would misunderstand that he had other intentions towards her.
"You can't blame Abbot Wuchen." Xie Nanjia said, "To be honest, it was the Emperor's own carelessness that caused him to not realize that there was the Empress's spy around him."
"How do you know it's the queen?" Zhao Jingyu asked in surprise.
"No one else dares to make a fuss about this except her." Xie Nanjia said confidently, "If I'm not mistaken, Prime Minister Meng should unite his followers and make a suggestion to the emperor at today's banquet for all officials to let the daughter of Phoenix enter the East Palace."
"..." Zhao Jingyu widened his eyes in surprise, "You can guess this?"
"Am I right?" Xie Nanjia asked, staring into his eyes.
"Yeah." Zhao Jingyu nodded and told her what happened at the banquet. "I just got the news, so I hurried to tell you."
Xie Nanjia originally thought that the Queen's party had a sure win, but she didn't expect that her father and Minister An would save the situation for her at the critical moment, which really surprised and delighted her.
"It seems that my biological father is the most reliable." She blurted out excitedly without realizing her mistake.
Zhao Jingyu looked at her steadily, with a complicated expression and mixed feelings.
"What's wrong?" Xie Nanjia asked.
"Nothing." Zhao Jingyu shook his head, "I suddenly want to drink the pigeon soup you made."
Xie Nanjia: “…”
What time is it, and he is still thinking about eating
"Could it be that you also live in poverty like Minister An and have never eaten good food?" She teased with a smile.
Zhao Jingyu also laughed: "That Minister An, who looks so gentle and refined, actually would be so aggressive. I never expected that."
"I didn't expect that either." Xie Nanjia sighed, "It was just a piece of cake for me to save his wife, but I didn't expect him to risk offending the queen to speak for me."
"If someone gives you a peach, I will give you a jade in return. I will repay him when I have the chance in the future." Zhao Jingyu said.
"So how should we respond next?" Xie Nanjia asked.
"This matter is extraordinary and may change at any time. What we can do now is to adapt to the situation and deal with it as it happens. Let's wait and see what the result of the Imperial Observatory will be tomorrow!" Zhao Jingyu said, "I know your feelings and I have a bottom line in my heart. I will marry you even if it costs my life."
"Bah, bah, bah, stop talking nonsense. Your life is gone, do you want me to marry and be a widow?" Xie Nanjia scolded.
Zhao Jingyu was very pleased to see that she was so nervous about him, and grabbed her hand across the tea table: "Don't worry, I haven't bullied you yet, and I won't let myself die early."
Xie Nanjiateng's face flushed immediately, and he quickly broke free from his hand, urging him to leave: "My mother will come to see me later, and it would be bad if she saw us."
"Okay, I'll go first. Don't worry, eat well and sleep well, I'll take care of everything!" Zhao Jingyu stood up reluctantly, suddenly held her head and kissed her on her red lips. While she was in a daze, he turned around and strode away.
Xie Nanjia covered her mouth and watched him walk towards the door with a hot face and a pounding heart.
Suddenly, Liusu and Biluo shouted outside: "Madam, you are here!"
Xie Nanjia was almost frightened to death. She wanted to call Zhao Jingyu and ask him to hide first, but it was too late. Zhao Jingyu creaked open the door.
"Oh, why is there another one inside?" Sheng Qingyun's voice was slightly surprised.
Zhao Jingyu was also frightened. She bowed her head and knelt down, then said in a pinched voice, "Greetings, Madam!"
"Well, go out. I want to talk to your young lady for a while." Sheng Qingyun had something on his mind and didn't look at him closely. He waved his hand and let him go out.
Zhao Jingyu agreed, held his breath, walked out the door, and walked away in a flash.
"Huh?" Sheng Qingyun felt something was wrong and was about to look back when Xie Nanjia came over and took her arm, saying earnestly, "Mom, come in and sit down."
"Okay." Sheng Qingyun retracted his gaze, thinking, "Why don't I remember there is such a tall girl in your courtyard? She has a really good figure."
Xie Nanjia: “…”
(End of this chapter)