After returning to Prince Qi’s Mansion.

When Lingling saw Lu Ze in his official robes, she ran to him and asked him to hold her: "Daddy, sleep with me today."

Lu Ze glanced at Qi Yu'an and whispered to Ling Ling, "Not today, let's wait until next time."

Lingling hugged Lu Ze's neck tightly and said, "No, Lingling wants to sleep with Daddy today!"

Lu Ze touched Lingling's little head helplessly.

Seeing that Qi Yu'an and his sister looked unhappy, Ah Ping handed Qi Yu'an a cup of warm tea and asked, "My Lord, what happened?"

Qi Yu'an didn't want Ah Ping to know about these things, so he said, "It's not a big deal."

Qi Yuning said coldly: "I really don't know why Your Majesty wants to protect the King of Shu. If the King of Shu succeeded, it would be his kingdom that would be taken away!"

Lu Ze said: "The King of Shu is your majesty's first son. Before the prince was born, your majesty had thought of making the King of Shu the crown prince. He had planned to make him the crown prince after he got married, but the prince was born before that.

Fourteen years ago, the King of Shu took the wrong path and colluded with Beimo because he was just one step away from the position of crown prince and was unwilling to accept it. Therefore, Your Majesty feels guilty towards the King of Shu."

"Your Majesty feels guilty towards the King of Shu, but what about my parents?" Qi Yuning looked into Lu Ze's eyes and said, "Are the lives of the Zhao family the most important? We, the Qi Family Army, are loyal to Your Majesty, not to the fool..."

Before Qi Yuning could finish her words, Lu Ze covered her lips and said, "Be careful, walls have ears. I know you are very angry, but some words cannot be undone once they are spoken."

Qi Yuning looked into Lu Ze's eyes and gradually calmed down.

Qi Yu'an said: "Ningning, I will not watch the murderer who killed our parents go unpunished. Please be patient for a few days."

No one had much appetite for dinner, except Lingling, who knew nothing and ate happily.

After dinner, Lingling learned that Lu Ze was leaving, so she pulled Lu Ze back and stopped him from leaving.

"Daddy, don't leave. Daddy wants to be with Mommy and Lingling!"

Lingling said seriously, "Lingling misses daddy so much, daddy won't leave!"

Lu Ze glanced at Qi Yu'an in embarrassment, but Qi Yu'an just snorted and turned away.

Qi Yuning said to Lingling: "Lingling, if uncle is at home, daddy can't stay with you. He can only tell you the story and then leave."

Lingling lay in Lu Ze's arms and said, "Then Lingling doesn't like uncle anymore!"

Lu Ze said to Lingling, "Be good, it won't be long before our family of three can live together legitimately. Once the matter of the King of Shu is settled, Daddy will ask His Majesty for permission to marry you, so that Lingling and your mother can return home and live together."

Qi Yuning was not in the mood to discuss her arranged marriage with Lu Ze. Compared with her own marriage, her brother's marriage was more important.

Ping has been pregnant for almost four months and her belly is slightly showing. She must get married in February.

It is no small matter for Prince Qi to marry a concubine. To hold a grand wedding in just a few days is also very time-consuming.

Qi Yuning read through all the letters sent from shops all over the country that night. Most of them were about wishing a happy new year. Fortunately, she went to North City during the Chinese New Year and did not miss any important events.

After Lu Ze coaxed Lingling to sleep, he saw Qi Yuning still processing letters. He walked over to her and said, "You must have been tired on the journey back. Go to sleep first."

Qi Yuning raised her eyes and said, "I'll go to bed after I finish dealing with the letters."

Lu Ze said, "Tomorrow morning, my brother Prince Qi and I will try every possible means to get the King of Shu to sentence you to death by slicing."

Lu Ze emphasized the word "lingchi". He knew very well that the death penalty alone could not make up for the hatred in Qi Yuning's heart.

Qi Yuning put down the letter in his hand and said, "I wasn't called Qi Yuning before."

Lu Ze said: "I remember your name has been Yuning since you were a child."

Qi Yuning said slowly: "When I was a child, my name was Yuning. The character "Yu" is the same as my brother's character "Yu", which means peace and tranquility in the world. It is not the word "Yu" in Chinese.

I changed my name when I was three years old. I said, "It would be great to be an emperor. Everyone should listen to Your Majesty. It would be great if I could be the emperor too."

It was a child's innocent remark, but my grandfather changed the word "宇" to "语" (language) out of loyalty.

My grandfather has always been loyal to Your Majesty. Even when he held military power and fought hard to build the country, he still adhered to the word "loyalty".

But now, Your Majesty is actually protecting his own son. I wonder if my grandfather would regret his loyalty in heaven?"

Lu Ze gently hugged Qi Yuning and said, "Your Majesty said that the King of Shu's destination will be decided at the court tomorrow morning, which is no longer partial to the King of Shu.

At the morning court session, the Crown Prince and Qin's cronies would definitely not allow the King of Shu to remain alive. His Majesty has actually compromised. After all, he is his biological son, so it is not easy to execute him decisively.

Have a good sleep, and when you wake up, there will be good news tomorrow morning."

Qi Yuning nodded and said, "Well, be careful on your way back."

After Lu Ze left, Qi Yuning walked to the bedside, looked at the sleeping Xiao Lingling, and reached out to touch Lingling's little face.

When she was young, did her mother touch her face like this?

Qi Yuning took out the picture of their family that Lu Ze had drawn last time and gently stroked the mother in the picture. "Mom and Dad, I will do whatever it takes to avenge you."

Qi Yuning didn't sleep much that night. Early in the morning she put on gorgeous brocade and went outside the palace gate.

Qi Yuning waited outside for a long time, until noon, when officials began to come out of the palace one after another.

Qi Yuning watched as two eunuchs carried out a corpse covered with a white cloth. She stepped forward and saw Lu Ze following behind them.

Lu Ze walked quickly to Qi Yuning and asked, "It's so cold, why are you wearing so little?"

Qi Yuning looked at the corpse and said, "Did the King of Shu die so easily?"

Lu Ze said, "Your Majesty gave me a cup of poisoned wine. I'm sorry, I broke my promise to you and didn't let the King of Shu suffer the pain of slow slicing."

Qi Yuning didn't see Qi Yu'an come out for a long time and asked, "Where is my brother? His Majesty won't be angry and want to punish my brother, right?"

Lu Ze said, "That's not the case. After the court session, His Majesty asked Brother Qi to stay and ask about his marriage. Brother Qi asked His Majesty to grant Miss A Ping as the Princess of Qi, but His Majesty was unwilling."

"Unwilling?" Qi Yuning asked, "Why not? Is it because of the King of Shu? But the King of Shu deserves his punishment. Letting him live for fourteen more years is already a bargain for him!"

Qi Yuning ignored Lu Ze and went to the Zichen Palace, where the Crown Prince, Uncle Qin, and Queen Qin were all there.

Qi Yuning entered and bowed, saying, "Yuning greets His Majesty, Your Majesty, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

When Emperor Shi Yuan saw Qi Yuning, he said, "Yuning, please persuade your elder brother. The status of the Princess of Qi is very important. How can you let a girl who grew up in the mountains be the Princess of Qi? Even though she is pregnant, it is a blessing for her to be a concubine."

Qi Yu'an bowed and said, "Your Majesty, although Ah Ping is of humble origin, she is a good woman. I will not marry anyone but you."

Queen Qin advised: "Yu'an, before his death, your grandfather entrusted me and His Majesty to take care of you and your sister. If His Majesty and I let you marry a woman of low status as your princess, I am afraid you will not be able to face your grandfather in the future.

Even if you like Miss A Ping, making her a concubine is the limit. She is really not fit to be the Princess of Qi."