good season

After much thought, Zhao Shiqing decided to tell her sister about Zhu Yu.

Of course, she would not tell Zhao Yunnuan that this was told to Xiao Zhen by an old man with a white beard. If she said that, her sister would definitely doubt Xiao Zhen's character.

How dare Xiao Zhen, in broad daylight, lie to deceive a decent girl? What is his intention?

When Zhao Shiqing thought of this, he couldn't help but burst out laughing.

My sister wouldn't believe it, but she did.

It's not because she is gullible, but because she believes there must be miracles in this world.

For example, Xiao Zhen dreamed that Zhong Ziyang wanted to kill him, but in fact, Zhong Ziyang was not a good person and deserved to die.

For example, who would believe that she was rescued from the corpse pit by wild dogs, except for her relatives who knew that she could speak animal language?
Therefore, when Xiao Zhen hesitantly told Zhao Shiqing about the Zhu Yu incident that day, Zhao Shiqing believed it from the beginning, and she even helped Xiao Zhen find excuses, such as the old man with white beard.

But if she told the truth, Zhao Shiqing didn't have the confidence that Zhao Yunnuan would believe her, so she decided to try another approach.

"Sister, it's Zhu Yu. He has the support of Concubine Li. Now my second brother is under house arrest. Zhu Yu can't see anyone and can't bully my second brother for the time being, but that doesn't mean he won't do it in the future."

"The Crown Prince is now in a weak position. The Third Prince has Imperial Concubine Qiao inside and his father-in-law Feng Ke outside. The power behind the Crown Prince cannot be underestimated. Now we know that there is Deng Qian. If we can find Deng Qian from Cui Rong, the Third Prince's party will find him sooner or later."

"Once that time comes, do you think Concubine Qiao will join forces with Concubine Li?"

Zhao Yunnuan thought about it and nodded: "It's possible."

Zhao Shiqing continued, "Speaking of Imperial Concubine Qiao, we have to talk about the old princess in our palace. The old princess has been exchanging letters with Imperial Concubine Qiao for more than a day or two. Now she is trapped in Suining Palace and must be feeling uncomfortable. How to solve the current predicament depends on two people, one is my second brother, and the other is you, my sister."

"If we let the second brother return to Liangdi, what can we do?"

Zhao Yunnuan frowned slightly and said without thinking, "Of course we should exchange a hostage. But even if my elder brother gets married after the new year and gives birth to a prince next year, it will take at least five years before we can send the prince to the capital. Mother, you won't even want to wait five years, right?"

"Yes, there are ready-made people, why should we wait? We can obviously get twice the result with half the effort, why should we wait?" Zhao Shiqing said.

Zhao Yunnuan stared at her blankly, as if he wanted to see something in her eyes.

Suddenly, the corners of her mouth moved, and she smiled bitterly: "She wouldn't want to marry me to the capital, would she? Yes, only in this way can she achieve twice the result with half the effort, and there will be one less thorn in the eye in the palace. She doesn't know Sister Meng's temper, and maybe she wants to tame her daughter-in-law and show off her power as a mother-in-law in front of Sister Meng.

With Concubine Qiao whispering in the emperor's ear, the emperor granted the marriage, and I had to marry.

My elder brother and I have a deep brotherly love. He will not abandon me. Using me as a hostage can still restrain him. The day I am married to the capital will be the day when Axuan returns to Liang."

Having said this, the two sisters felt a chill in their hearts at the same time.

The man in Suining Palace was capable of exchanging a disliked daughter for a beloved son.

Zhao Yunnuan thought about what Zhao Shiqing had just said, and asked, "Do you suspect that Concubine Qiao will ask the emperor to arrange a marriage between me and Zhu Yu?"

Zhao Shiqing said, "Zhu Yu is the nephew of Concubine Li. Concubine Li dotes on him. Even if Zhu Yu has committed many evil deeds, Concubine Li can protect him and keep him away from any harm. With the Zhu family's status, marrying the Princess of Prince Liang is a good match. By arranging a marriage for you, you can not only contain the Prince Liang's Mansion, but also let you hand over your guards, and from now on you will be trapped in the small world of the backyard. Sister, you can fight in the battlefield, and you are as brave as men. But in the backyard, you have to deal with your mother-in-law, sisters-in-law, Zhu Yu's women, and even Concubine Li, your aunt. Sister, can you handle the secrets in the backyard with ease?"

The room was silent, so silent that they could hear each other's breathing.

After an unknown amount of time, Zhao Yunnuan slowly shook his head: "I'm afraid I can't handle the things in the backyard."

She smiled and continued, "I can deal with Nie Qionghua not because I am more resourceful than her, but because of power. In the palace, I have more power than her. I can command the support of hundreds, even if I have to arrest someone in Suining Palace. But I can't do it in other places."

Zhao Yunnuan plucked a plum blossom from the vase, the smile on his face faded, and a cold light flashed in his eyes: "Besides, I also know a thing or two about Zhu Yu and his deeds."

Yes, Zhao Yunnuan knew Zhu Yu and her reputation in the capital, but she also knew that once the emperor granted the marriage, no matter how unbearable Zhu Yu was and no matter how unwilling she was, she would have to accept it for the sake of Liangdi, the Liang Palace, and her brothers and sisters. Even if there was a bottomless abyss ahead, she would have to jump in.

This is her duty as the eldest princess of Liangdi. She has enjoyed the glory brought by her status since birth, so she has the responsibility to sacrifice her marriage and even her life for Liangdi and the Liang Palace!

The plum blossom was crushed in Zhao Yunnuan's hands. She let go and the broken petals fell from her palm.

Zhao Shiqing remembered what Xiao Zhen said. According to that "old man with white beard", her sister died at the hands of the women in the back house.

Zhao Shiqing didn't know what kind of plan would catch her smart and capable sister off guard, but she believed that it could be done.

My father is wise and Nie is stupid. Can't Nie also kill someone with someone else's knife right under my father's nose?

The Prince of Liang’s mansion was airtight and my father was surrounded by many experts, yet didn’t he die at the hands of three maids and old women?

Therefore, she wanted to resolve the foreseeable danger in advance like Xiao Zhen did. Xiao Zhen could kill Zhong Ziyang in advance, and she could also kill Zhu Yu in advance. No, she wanted to make sure that the Baoqing Marquisate that killed her sister would never bar its fangs again!

"Sister, there is one thing I haven't told you. After the New Year, I will go to the capital with grandpa."

Sisters are connected by heart. Zhao Shiqing only said that she was going to the capital, and Zhao Yunnuan knew what she was going to do.

"Little sister, this matter has nothing to do with you. I will handle it myself."

Zhao Shiqing: "Sister, how are you going to solve this? For the past three years, you, like my elder brother, have not been able to travel far. Once the three-year mourning period is over, the imperial decree for marriage may arrive. By then, will you go and solve this yourself?
Or do you want to marry Zhu Yu and then kill him?

Sister, as long as the imperial decree for the marriage is issued, even if Zhu Yu dies, the emperor or Concubine Li will have enough reasons to ask you to obey the order and come to the capital to be a widow for Zhu Yu. What's more, there is an old princess in our house, and she will definitely support this matter with both hands and feet.

So, sister, we have to get rid of this marriage before the mourning period ends."

Zhao Yunnuan's eyes were filled with surprise. "Little sister, have you heard any news that confirms that the emperor has made this decision?"

All of this was just speculation among the sisters, but the youngest sister seemed to have already confirmed it.

Zhao Shiqing secretly stuck out her tongue. She could not change her bad habit of speaking. She let it slip while she was talking. Look, now her sister is getting suspicious. What a stinky mouth!

Forget it, I pay tribute to Xiao Zhen, she is just dreaming.

"Sister, I have a secret. I will only tell you. Don't tell anyone else, not even my brother." Zhao Yunnuan: "Okay, I won't tell you."

Zhao Shiqing looked around seriously. As soon as the sisters were about to have a private conversation, all the maids left, even Lingbo went out. In the room, besides the sisters, Xiao Yao was the only living thing.

At this time, Xiao Yao was concentrating on dealing with the tassels on the chair cover.

Zhao Shiqing exaggeratedly made a relieved expression and lowered her voice and said, "Sister, I had a dream. In the dream, my eldest brother didn't make it back to Liang alive. You were betrothed to Zhu Yu and died in the backyard. My second brother inherited the throne, but not long after, he fell to his death from taking Wushisan. The lineage of the Prince of Liang had no one to inherit it, and the emperor took back the red book and iron certificate. From then on, there was no more Prince of Liang's Palace."

With a clang, Zhao Yunnuan kicked over the chair and stood up: "Big brother and Axuan are both dead? I'm dead too? What about you, are you also..."

This time it was Zhao Shiqing's turn to be stunned. Yes, where was she? Where did she go?
Oops, she forgot to ask Xiao Zhen!

No, her life was saved by the dog, but Xiao Zhen should be credited with the primary credit for allowing her to come to Liangdi.

Xiao Zhen knew that Zhong Ziyang wanted to kill him because of his dream. He met her on the way to find Zhong Ziyang. Therefore, Xiao Zhen in the dream should not have known about Zhong Ziyang when he was eight years old. He did not go to Baifeng City, so he would not have handed her over to the black-hearted doctor.
In other words, she might not have come to Liangdi at all, and was taken back to the palace by her father!

Facing her sister's worried gaze, Zhao Shiqing hurriedly said, "In my dream, I was in Wu. In my dream, I didn't come to the Prince of Liang's Mansion."

Zhao Yunnuan breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, her younger sister was not implicated. Among the four siblings, one finally survived.

"What about the others? Who will inherit the throne in the dream, the crown prince or the third prince?"

Zhao Shiqing: How would I know? Xiao Zhen didn’t say.

So, one lie needs to be covered up by countless lies.

The ancients never lied to me.

As to whether this sentence was said by ancient people, Zhao Shiqing doesn't care.

She shook her head: "The emperor is not dead yet, so I woke up."

Zhao Yunnuan: "He's lucky to have lived that long."

Zhao Shiqing.
But it was obvious that her sister believed her.

Influenced by two generations of kings of Dayong, everyone from the princes and nobles to the common people said that they did not believe in the supernatural, but they did not reject the idea of becoming an immortal. As for dreams and the story of a white-bearded old immortal, whether it was true or false depended entirely on who said it.

For example, if Nie Qionghua had told the same dream, Zhao Shiqing would have thought she was talking nonsense and cursing Prince Liang's Mansion, but if it was Zhao Shiqing who told it, Zhao Yunnuan would believe it unconditionally.

Zhao Shiqing felt relieved, and she said to Zhao Yunnuan, "Sister, I just wanted to go to the capital to have a look, just in case I could find a bargain, right?"

Zhao Yunnuan: "Picking up a bargain? What bargain?"

Zhao Shiqing: "Zhu Yu was left alone and accidentally fell into a manure pit and drowned. Isn't this just picking up a bargain?"

Zhao Yunnuan: "Then I don't want you to go to the capital. This is too risky."

Zhao Shiqing leaned against her like a boneless person, rubbing his furry head against her neck, breathing weakly: "Sister, then send me some experts~"

The last line of the sentence was drawn out, Zhao Yunnuan couldn't help but hold her in his arms, patted her back, and said softly: "Sister can send someone to follow you, but..."

Zhao Yunnuan didn't know what to say next. Should she say that she didn't want her younger sister to take risks for her? Her younger sister must have a lot of things to say to her. Should she say that she was worried that her younger sister was too young to do big things? But it was her younger sister who brought the elder brother back last time.

"Promise me that you will just go over and take a look, and get some information. Also, if we really want to take action against Zhu Yu, you can't do it yourself. I will send a team to go with you."

Zhao Shiqing suddenly perked up and stopped being so bored, revealing a bright smile showing eight teeth.

In fact, a big part of the reason why Zhao Yunnuan agreed so readily was because of Zhen Wuduo.

Because Zhen Wuduo would go to Beijing with Zhao Shiqing, the playboys in the capital would be able to find out about the Zhen family, and of course Zhao Yunnuan and Zhao Tinghan would be able to find out too.

What's more, the Beijing dandies can only be judged through Zhen Gui, while the Zhao brothers and sisters are face to face with Zhen Wuduo.

Who is Zhen Wuduo?
The cruel and merciless pirate king!

Who is Zhao Shiqing?
She is Zhen Wuduo's beloved granddaughter!
Through the contact over the past few days, Zhao Yunnuan also realized that if they really started fighting, even if Zhao Shiqing's skin was broken, Zhen Wuduo would be able to skin her alive.

Zhao Yunnuan was happy for her younger sister. Although her parents had passed away, she still had a grandfather who loved her.

The decision to go to the capital was happily made.

After Zhao Shiqing found a clear path, he accompanied Zhen Wuduo and happily returned to Baihe Mountain.

Shen Guanyue, Shen Wangxing, and Loach had already returned to Baihe Mountain before the welcoming banquet.

It’s not that they all don’t want to visit the palace, but Shen Guanyue doesn’t dare. His face is too eye-catching. He is worried about being recognized, and even more worried about being remembered.

If he didn't come, he would take Shen Wangxing back to Baihe Mountain. As for Niu Qiu, he really wanted to go back to Baihe Mountain because he missed Xiaobao.

In the small team, only Xiuxiu lived in the palace with Zhao Shiqing and Lingbo.

Hearing that Zhao Shiqing was learning skills from Xiuxiu, regardless of whether it was a formal apprenticeship or not, and regardless of how well his younger sister learned, Zhao Yunnuan gave Xiuxiu a generous gift as a gift for becoming a disciple.

Seeing that the gift was too expensive, Xiuxiu was so scared that she didn't dare to accept it.

Zhao Shiqing smiled and said, "It's okay, it's okay. Every time I learn a skill from someone, my father will give me a generous gift."

As a daughter of the royal family, she learned all the things that a lady from a noble family should learn, including music, chess, calligraphy, painting, weaving and embroidery. Every time she learned something, she had a new master. Of course, the only one who formally became her apprentice was Murong Linlang.

On this day, Zhao Shiqing and his party said goodbye to Zhao Yunnuan. Zhao Shiqing went to the royal mausoleum alone, chatted with his father for a while, said goodbye to Zhao Tinghan, and reunited with Zhen Wuduo and others, and returned to Baihe Mountain together. (End of this chapter)