Nong Nu Jiao

Cen Yunfan slowly turned to the side, but did not face her directly.

"Little sister, what's the matter?"

Yan Chenghui walked up and looked at the two of them.

Why?

Cen Lingyi stepped forward and carefully examined Cen Yunfan, whose temperament had changed drastically.

"Why? Why?"

Cen Yunfan pretended not to know.

"You know what I'm asking you! Why did you impersonate me and assassinate him?"

Cen Lingyi raised her finger and pointed at Yan Chenghui.

Cen Yunfan fell silent.

Silence is an admission.

"Say something!"

Cen Lingyi couldn't contain herself and raised her voice.

Because of Cen Yunfan's dagger, how many misunderstandings arose between her and Yan Chenghui? How much torment and suffering did she endure?

Yan Chenghui didn't mind, but she still wanted to get to the bottom of it.

The three remained locked in a stalemate.

"I told him to go."

Cen Qingshan walked out of the house.

"father……"

Cen Lingyi turned around and stared at him in astonishment.

Cen Yunfan lowered his head.

Yan Chenghui also turned around to look at Cen Qingshan.

"His Highness's heart is with you. Without this dagger, how could he give up on you? If he doesn't give up on you, and you continue to entangle him, how can he secure his position as Crown Prince?"

Cen Qingshan stood under the corridor, his gaze calm and his expression composed.

"But……"

Cen Lingyi's voice trembled; she never imagined that the truth was like this.

But Third Brother must not stab Yan Chenghui in the heart; if it's even slightly off-center, it will kill him!

"Little sister, you've forgotten what I was best at when I was learning martial arts," Cen Yunfan said in a low voice. "The spot where I stabbed His Highness the Crown Prince was near his heart, a spot that wouldn't be fatal. Because at that time, you were in the hands of the Second Prince, and I saw you from afar outside the city walls, with Lu Huaiyou guarding your side."

Cen Lingyi vaguely remembered that when she left the Jiaofangsi (a government-run entertainment institution) and walked with Lu Huaiyou, it was raining heavily outside the city gate, but Lu Huaiyou insisted that she get off the carriage, saying that he wanted to say goodbye to the capital.

She got off the carriage, her clothes soaked by the heavy rain. At that moment, she thought, "Let this be my final farewell to Yan Chenghui."

It turns out there was a hidden story behind this; it was at that moment that her third brother saw her.

The second prince used her to threaten his third brother.

Her third brother knew that she and Yan Chenghui were deeply in love, and since he had grown up with Yan Chenghui, he naturally refused to go.

The person who ultimately made the decision was my father.

My third brother loved studying acupoints and acupoints on the human body when he was a child, and he also liked playing with throwing knives, so he naturally knew which parts of the body a knife could be stuck in without being fatal.

In this way, the Second Prince can be considered to have given an explanation.

Ultimately, her third brother was still trying to protect her.

"Third brother..."

Cen Lingyi understood the crux of the matter and was already in tears.

She stepped forward and took Cen Yunfan's hand with a guilty expression.

She was just blaming her third brother, and in that situation, it was her third brother who was in the most difficult position.

"Little sister, don't be sad, it's all over now."

Cen Yunfan pulled her into his arms and gently patted her back.

"Um."

Cen Lingyi nodded vigorously.

"Is my third brother married?"

She took a step back, looked at him, and asked.

Cen Yunfan shook his head.

"My third brother said that he would not get married until Father's name was cleared."

The fourth sister came out at some point and said something.

"Go back and sit down to talk. Your fourth and fifth sisters are both married, and their husbands are on their way."

Cui Jinshu said from the doorway.

The group returned to the flower hall.

After a thorough investigation, Cen Lingyi found that the entire family was present, and there were even a few extra children.

The only person missing was Cen Wanrou's birth mother, Aunt Liu.

Back then, she sold herself to save Cen Wanrou.

Now, no one knows where they have ended up or whether they are still alive.

Cen Wanrou couldn't help but hug Cen Chiyao and cry.

Everyone comforted her.

"Second sister, don't worry, I'll arrange for someone to find Aunt Liu for you."

Yan Chenghui, who had been listening quietly all along, finally spoke up.

"His Highness the Crown Prince has spoken, so Second Sister can rest assured."

Cen Yunfan said.

Cen Wanrou wiped away her tears and nodded, "Thank you, Your Highness."

"Look at His Highness the Crown Prince," the fourth sister whispered with a laugh in the fifth sister's ear, "the way the second sister calls him is so easy."

"Second Sister is older than His Highness, so it's easier for her to address you. She probably doesn't know if she can bring herself to call us both that."

Fifth Sister also covered her mouth and laughed.

Father-in-law, Mother-in-law.

Yan Chenghui suddenly stood up and bowed.

Everyone in the flower hall quieted down and looked at him.

Cen Qingshan and Cui Jinshu sat up straight.

Yan Chenghui and Cen Lingyi reached out their hands.

Cen Lingyi walked over and let him take her hand.

"Jiaojiao and I are planning to get married sometime soon. Would you two, elders, be willing to accept our marriage?"

Yan Chenghui was unusually shy, and the tips of his ears turned red.

Cen Lingyi blushed, and when she saw her fourth and fifth sisters winking at her, she couldn't help but laugh.

"You've already called him father-in-law and mother-in-law, how could we not allow it?"

Cen Qingshan joked.

Everyone laughed.

"What date are you planning to set?"

Cen Qingshan inquired.

"My father-in-law and mother-in-law agreed, and I will go back and ask the Imperial Astronomical Bureau to choose the nearest auspicious day."

Yan Chenghui spoke with a straight face.

"Look how anxious he is."

His fourth and fifth sisters teased him again.

"Please don't make fun of us, my two sisters. Jiaojiao and I have already wasted many years."

Yan Chenghui turned to look at Cen Lingyi, a blush of embarrassment spreading across his face.

He adored Jiaojiao.

However, he was naturally taciturn and had never tried to express his feelings in front of so many people before, so he was naturally a little embarrassed.

Cen Lingyi grasped his hand in return, gently shook it, and a smile welled up in her eyes.

*

The auspicious day chosen by the Imperial Observatory was the day after the Mid-Autumn Festival, the sixteenth day of the eighth lunar month, which is still more than two months away.

Yan Chenghui originally wanted to move the wedding date forward a few days, but since it was the Crown Prince's wedding, even though he had made thorough preparations beforehand, there were still many things that needed to be meticulously prepared.

The Ministry of Rites meant that the earliest they could get there was August.

Yan Chenghui reluctantly agreed.

Everything is being prepared in an orderly manner.

Cen Lingyi moved back to the Cen residence with Yan Huaijiao, spending her days by her parents' side, enjoying a carefree and leisurely life.

"This was made by your maternal grandfather and your eldest uncle when I was a child."

Cen Lingyi led Xiao Huaijiao in the courtyard, swinging on the swing under the wisteria tree, filled with emotion.

I still remember the time she played under this tree; now her children are all grown up.

Cen Lingzhi's two children were also there, along with Cen Chiyao. The four children played together, and although Yan Huaijiao was a bit cold, she didn't seem out of place.

"Jiaojiao".

Yan Chenghui rushed here immediately after court.

"You're back."

Cen Lingyi turned to look at him, and a smile appeared on her face.

"Father."

Yan Huaijiao called out.

"Uncle."

"uncle."

The children greeted them one after another.

Yan Chenghui nodded slightly: "You guys have fun."

He waved to Cen Lingyi.

Cen Lingyi noticed his expression; it seemed like something was wrong.

"Lingzhi, take good care of them."

Cen Lingyi gave a word of advice and walked towards Yan Chenghui.

"What's wrong?"

Yan Chenghui pulled her aside and lowered his voice, saying, "Mother Consort hasn't eaten since yesterday. Father Emperor's intention is for you to come to the palace again."

"His Majesty wants me to go and keep my aunt company?"

Cen Lingyi felt a pang in her heart upon hearing this.

These days, she has gone to the palace several times, but the Imperial Concubine is still the same as before, still able to eat a few bites every day.

Why are you suddenly not eating?

"It was as if he wanted to tell you something, but he seemed hesitant and didn't tell me."

Yan Chenghui shook his head.

"Let's go."

Cen Lingyi naturally felt obligated to do so.

*

The Ninghe Palace was filled with the smell of medicine.

The inner hall was still dimly lit, and Xiao Yulou lay in the bed curtains, his complexion even worse than before.

She kept her eyes closed and remained motionless.

This time, I didn't even want to open my eyes.

"Mother..."

Cen Lingyi took her hand and called to her.

Xiao Yulou's eyelashes twitched slightly, but she did not open her eyes.

Cen Lingyi felt her fingers gently scratch her palm.

She didn't understand what this meant, and looked back at Yan Chenghui and Emperor Shengwu, feeling helpless and at a loss.

"Come with me."

Emperor Shengwu stared at Xiao Yulou for a while, then suddenly spoke.

Cen Lingyi walked side by side with Yan Chenghui as they exited the main hall.

Emperor Shengwu stood on the veranda outside the house, gazing into the distance, lost in thought, and remained silent.

Cen Lingyi and Yan Chenghui did not dare to speak first, so they stood silently behind him.

After a long while, Emperor Shengwu turned around, looking dejected and hesitant to speak.

Cen Lingyi pursed her lips and quietly nudged Yan Chenghui.

"Your Majesty, we are listening attentively."

Yan Chenghui spoke.

Emperor Shengwu leaned on a pillar in the corridor, finding it quite difficult to speak.

"Otherwise, Xiao Liu, go and talk to your mother and ask Cen Qingshan to come to the palace to see her."

He finally spoke.

From the moment he snatched Xiao Yulou, he never intended for Xiao Yulou and Cen Qingshan to meet again.

However, Xiao Yulou is now in this state, and countless imperial physicians and doctors from outside have been consulted, but they all just shake their heads, saying it's a mental illness that needs a cure.

Isn't Cen Qingshan the cure for Xiao Yulou's heart?

He really wanted to kill Cen Qingshan, and he would rather die than see Cen Qingshan and Xiao Yulou meet.

But he could die himself; he couldn't just stand by and watch Xiao Yulou die.

He tried; he was an emperor, rich beyond measure, and could have any kind of woman he wanted.

His harem had many women, some plump and some slender, too numerous to count.

But he still couldn't do it.

Those women were all beautiful in their own way, but none of them were Xiao Yulou, and none of them could replace her.

He was willing to make this sacrifice in order to save Xiao Yulou's life.

"His Majesty……"

Upon hearing his words, Cen Lingyi was first taken aback, then felt a wave of fear.

She recalled things from the past.

Because of his father's past with the Imperial Concubine, and because Emperor Shengwu was in the wrong, he was able to wrong his father for so many years out of jealousy.

If Father really meets with the Imperial Concubine, what will Emperor Shengwu do?

She dared not think.

It wasn't that she didn't care about the Imperial Concubine, but she also had to think about her family.

Especially since my parents had finally returned from Hexi and had only been at peace for a few days.

This is...

"Rest assured, I will no longer target your father." Emperor Shengwu saw through her thoughts: "I was foolish in the past. Now, I only hope that the Imperial Concubine can recover."

He can't think about it.

He once thought that as an emperor, he had everything and could lose everything except power and the country.

He doesn't think so now.

If Xiao Yulou really goes, what use is it for him to sit on that high throne?

Cen Lingyi hesitated but still agreed—she didn't really want to agree, but Emperor Shengwu had already spoken, so how could she have a choice?