Zhao Chong frowned upon hearing this and said, "Forget about the heavens and the underworld. Even Madam Lu doesn't agree with you marrying into the Lu family. Lu Ze can disregard filial piety, but if you really implicate Duke Lu's mansion, do you think Ze'er will still marry you?"

Zhao Chong looked at Qi Yuning and asked, "Do you think Lu Ze will sacrifice his future for you?"

Qi Yuning frowned and retreated to the tombstone of Old Prince Qi. She looked at Zhao Chong and said, "Your Highness, I have something else to do. I'll take my leave now!"

Zhao Chong looked at Qi Yuning's back and smiled softly.

He is only one step away from holding power, and only one step away from marrying Qi Yuning as his concubine. Qi Yuning will be his in the end.

After Qi Yuning left the Qi family cemetery, he did not take a carriage, but rode directly back to the palace. He then ordered the palace servants to tightly close the main gate and the side gates, and no one except Lu Ze was allowed to enter.

Qi Yuning thought for a moment, then turned to Lichun and said, "Hurry up and go to Hudong Mountain and tell General Ren to lead her troops down the mountain to the palace."

Lichun replied, "Yes."

Shuangjiang saw Qi Yuning and asked worriedly, "Should we go find Master Lu?"

Qi Yuning said, "Send a secret guard to tell him to be careful of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

Frost responded and then said, "Princess, why don't you go to North City as well? I saw the way the Crown Prince looked at you just now..."

Qi Yuning frowned and said, "The wedding is imminent. If I leave Shengjing City for Beicheng, I would be disobeying the emperor's order and giving the Crown Prince an excuse to deal with our Qi family. I believe that since the Crown Prince has just taken over the throne, he will not really tear his face off and attack the Qi Palace."

Qi Yuning warned Shuangjiang again, "You must be extremely careful when you go out these days. Find another Persian merchant and accidentally tell the Qin family that His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin is engaged in the opium business."

Frost replied, "Yes."

Qi Yuning drank a cup of warm tea, and then he suppressed his panic and focused on reading the account book.

Afternoon.

Qi Yuning hadn't slept well for two days and was a little sleepy. She wanted to take a nap, but when she closed her eyes, she looked like the prince in the Qi family cemetery. She was afraid that Lingling would cry, so she just got up.

When it got dark, Ren Yao brought a dozen soldiers to the palace.

"Princess, what happened?"

Qi Yuning saw that Ren Yao had brought only her trusted aides, so she said, "Aunt Ren, the current emperor was deceived by the crown prince and became obsessed with cultivating a body that would allow him to live a thousand years longer. Now the crown prince is in charge of the court. His Highness now has ulterior motives towards me, so I need to use my troops to protect myself."

Ren Yao said worriedly, "In that case, we should escort the princess to North City first."

Qi Yuning said calmly, "Even if I want to go to North City, I have to marry Lu Ze first, otherwise I will be guilty of disobeying the imperial decree."

Xiaoman whispered beside him, "Princess, perhaps you can also become a monk..."

Gu Yu nodded and said, "The Lu family's previous ordination has ruined your reputation. Why don't you become a nun and go to the temple in the north city? Even if you have committed the crime of disobeying the imperial order, you have already become a nun."

Qi Yuning said, "Lu Yun relies on his mother being a princess. He believes that he will not bring trouble to the Princess's Mansion and Duke Lu's Mansion after he becomes a monk. I can't do that."

Ren Yao sighed and said, "Then I will hide two hundred elite soldiers in the palace, and I will station five hundred cavalry in several farms outside the city to provide support. If the princess wants to leave the city, these five hundred cavalry will escort her to the north city. The rest will remain on Tiger Cave Mountain. If anything happens, we can send a signal. What do you think?"

Qi Yuning nodded and said, "Okay, thank you Aunt Ren."

Ren Yao said: "Don't worry, Princess, with the protection of Prince Qi and your parents in heaven, you will definitely be able to turn danger into safety.

As night fell, there was silence.

After dinner, Qi Yuning thought about what Zhao Chong had said in the mausoleum. If the Lu family encountered trouble, what would Lu Ze do? Qi Yuning didn't dare to imagine that in Lu Ze's mind, he could rival the entire Lu Guogong Mansion.

But if Lu Ze really chose Duke Lu's Mansion, she would not be able to feel no loss.

…

In the imperial mausoleum.

In Prince Duan’s courtyard.

Seeing the crying little Zhao Jie in front of him, Lu Ze comforted him, "Lingling really wanted to come over, but she's sick and can't go out these days. She specifically asked me to bring you a kite she made herself."

Little Zhao Jie raised his eyes and said, "I want Lingling to play with me. I want Lingling!"

Lu Baozhu listened to Lu Ze's words and said, "Lingling is sick? Why didn't you tell me earlier? If I had known she was sick, I wouldn't have come to the imperial mausoleum."

Zhao Jie sniffed and said, "Cousin, can I go see Lingling?"

Lu Ze shook his head and said, "Lingling is very sick, don't let her infect you."

Zhao Jie said with red eyes: "Lingling promised me to come and play with me."

Seeing Zhao Jie crying, Lu Baozhu didn't have the same patience as she had with Lingling. She said angrily, "Why are you crying? You're a real man. You're crying because Lingling isn't there to play with you!"

Lu Ze glared at Lu Baozhu and asked, "Have you finished copying the Book of Rites ten times?"

Lu Baozhu: “…”

Lu Ze comforted Zhao Jie and said, "Don't cry. When Lingling recovers, I will definitely come to play with you."

Zhao Jie could only nod and say, "Okay, I'll wait for Lingling."

Lu Ze and Lu Baozhu left the courtyard of Prince Duan's mansion. Lu Baozhu said to Lu Ze, "Lingling is sick? How come I didn't know?"

Lu Ze said, "It's not a serious illness."

Lu Baozhu looked at Lu Ze in front of her and said, "Brother, you seem a little strange lately."

Lu Ze said, "Don't think too much."

Lu Baozhu whispered, "My uncle the Crown Prince is regent, and my grandfather is in seclusion cultivating. Did something happen? I've read in history books that whenever an emperor covets immortality, the court will be in chaos."

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