Nine Chapters of Strange Cases

Chapter 338 Princess and Queen
Snowflakes fell on his face, icy cold, but Zhou Zhao felt a warmth in his heart as he looked at He Tingshi's full head of white hair.

"You like me so much, how can I accept it? I'll be too embarrassed to beat the Right Academy in the grand competition later."

Upon hearing this, He Tingshi immediately flew into a rage.

He glared at her with wide eyes, and walked away angrily, saying, "How could I like you? I have five sons and seventeen grandsons. I get annoyed just looking at kids. How could I possibly like a troublemaker like you?"
"How many times has your Left Wing won? What did you rely on to win? By you, this zombie, or by that drunkard and the firecrackers?"

Zhou Zhao laughed out loud, his voice full of joy.

"Where are your five sons and seventeen grandsons? With a master as powerful as you, they should have already taken over the Court of Justice!"

Upon hearing this, He Tingshi fell silent.

He glanced unhappily at the Marquis of Huaiyang waiting in front, "Their ancestral graves are submerged in water, unable to emit any auspicious smoke. They're all worthless, unlike Zhao Tingwei, who, although he only has one descendant, is a dragon among men, enviable to all."

The Marquis of Huaiyang's cheerful smile froze on his face. When he heard about the corpse coming back to life, the drunkard and the firecrackers, he had already thought that the Court of Justice had lost a left arm, but fortunately he still had a right arm.

Hearing He Tingshi's sarcastic words, he felt that his right arm might not be so secure either.

How should I respond to this?
Just as the Marquis of Huaiyang was in a dilemma, the three of them simultaneously spotted a red figure ahead.

The man was dressed in a bright red robe, like a ball of fire, with two ornate carved begonia hairpins tucked into his forehead, the tassels swaying back and forth.

She had a pair of very beautiful almond-shaped eyes, watery and like black grapes covered in dew.

Zhou Zhao recognized her; she was Princess Anping, the Emperor's most beloved daughter.

Before the three could exchange greetings, the princess spoke first, "Marquis of Huaiyang and this gentleman, please leave first. I have something I'd like to discuss with Zhou Zhao in private."

He Tingshi looked at Zhou Zhao with concern, and seeing that Zhou Zhao looked calm, he said in a voice that only the two of them could hear, "Be careful."

Marquis Huaiyang said nothing until the two figures had become tiny dots.

Princess Anping raised her hand, signaling the palace servants around her to leave.

On the snow-white palace path, only she and Zhou Zhao remained.

"My father is arranging a marriage for me, wanting me to marry Zhao Yizhou, the heir of the Marquis of Huaiyang. But I don't like him; I like Su Changying, the young Marquis of Lu. You should break off the engagement with Su Changying; I want him to be my son-in-law. Do you understand?"
"You want to be an official, don't you? After I marry Su Changying, I'll have my father promote you. You won't have to accuse me of abusing my power then."

Hearing this, Zhou Zhao suddenly became certain that the slight foolishness he had just seen in His Majesty was not an illusion.

Look, wasn't this passed on to Princess Anping perfectly? Not a single bit more, not a single bit less, filling her entire head.

Zhou Zhao thought for a moment, then winked at the princess with a delighted expression.

"Really? Then I'll become the prime minister! What do you think?"

Princess Anping stared wide-eyed in disbelief. She had grown up in the palace and had been favored by the Emperor since childhood. Her life had always been smooth sailing, and whatever she said was always the answer.

No, this time Zhou Zhao agreed to whatever she said, but something feels off.
"You're making outrageous demands. Do you think you can become the prime minister?"

Princess Anping raised her hand, pointing tremblingly at Zhou Zhao, "You did this on purpose?"

Zhou Zhao also tried to open her eyes wide, but her eyes were sharp and couldn't match the princess's no matter how hard she tried. "Ah! Didn't the princess say that as long as the engagement is broken off, one can be promoted at will? His Majesty dotes on the princess so much, he shouldn't refuse, right?"

Princess Anping immediately became anxious. Although she didn't understand court affairs, she knew that the prime minister was second only to the emperor.

Even if she begged her father's leg to be thin, he would never listen to her and make Zhou Zhao the prime minister.

She stomped her foot. "I don't care, I'm going to marry Brother Changying. You can go back and break off the engagement."

Zhou Zhao stared quietly at the little princess before him. His gaze made the princess feel uneasy, and she involuntarily took a step back, pressing herself against the cold wall. Just then, a voice came from not far away, "Anping."

Zhou Zhao looked over at the sound, immediately bowed, and stood by the roadside to pay his respects, saying, "Your subject Zhou Zhao greets the Empress."

The Empress's palanquin gradually approached and stopped in front of Zhou Zhao. "No need for formalities. Anping is just a child, don't take it to heart, Lord Zhou. When you and Changying get married, have Ahuang ask for a cup of wedding wine on my behalf. Thanks to you for taking care of Ahuang."

Without getting out of the sedan chair or waiting for Zhou Zhao's reply, she sent someone to pull Princess Anping away and braved the wind and snow to head towards the palace where His Majesty was.

Zhou Zhao stood respectfully by the roadside until the sedan chair had completely disappeared, then he thoughtfully raised his eyes and looked at a corner of the palace.

Could the person who killed Zhou Yan be one of the Empress's men?

Although she did show some consideration for Ah Huang, he was not her biological son. She had risen from humble beginnings alongside His Majesty, and if she were the Empress, she would never have swallowed her anger and relinquished the Crown Prince's position. A furious mother would kill anyone who stood in her way.

She entered the palace today and spoke with His Majesty.

Princess Anping then arrived.

The Empress also arrived.

Princess Anping is the third prince's biological sister. She's lurking here, truly naive enough to want to snatch Su Changying from her.

Was the Empress's timely appearance truly just a chance encounter?

Zhou Zhao didn't dwell on it. She walked briskly towards the palace gate. As the saying goes, if someone gets in her way, she'll kill them; if a ghost blocks her way, she'll kill it. She wasn't afraid of the murderer coming closer; she was afraid the murderer wouldn't dare to come.

The carriage of the Marquis of Huaiyang was no longer outside the palace gate.

Zhou Zhao spotted Su Changying holding an umbrella in the snow at a glance.

"Is Zhao Zhao cold? Marquis Huaiyang and He Tingshi saw that I came to greet you, so they went back first."

A hint of joy flashed in Zhou Zhao's eyes, but then she saw the familiar red under the umbrella and immediately became displeased. "Brother Changying, how can you be so useless? I offered you the position of Prime Minister, but Princess Anping refused!"

Seeing Zhou Zhao's unusually angry expression, Su Changying's heart melted completely.

He reached out and gently brushed the snowflakes off Zhou Zhao's head, then held the umbrella over her head.

"Does Zhao Zhao intend to abandon me after seducing me? That won't do. Su Changying's wife can only be Zhou Zhao."

Zhou Zhao already knew that the princess was being unreasonable, so she couldn't blame Su Changying, but she still couldn't help but blush when she heard these words.

"I won't abandon you," Zhou Zhao muttered softly.

"What?" Su Changying didn't hear clearly and turned her head to ask.

Zhou Zhao shook his head. "It's nothing. Once we find out who killed my brother, we'll get married."

Su Changying stiffened, staring intently at Zhou Zhao. "Okay."

Zhou Zhao blushed under his gaze, turned around and stood behind Su Changying. She raised her hand and jumped up, and Su Changying immediately crouched down and leaned forward, letting Zhou Zhao jump onto his back. It was as if the two of them had done this action countless times before.

Zhou Zhao put one arm around Su Changying's neck and took the umbrella with the other.

Su Changying straightened up, gently lifted her up with both hands, and walked towards the direction of the Court of Justice through the snow.

“Fool Su Changying,” Zhou Zhao said softly.

A fool who would trade his life for another.