Chu Yan smiled and said, "That's because Princess Qi has high standards. If the young prince can become my son-in-law, I would be more than happy to do so."

Qi Zhiyuan said, "I dare not compete with my cousin the Emperor for the Empress."

Chu Yan smiled and said, "It's not the Queen."

Qi Yuning smiled and said, "Xiaoxiao? Now she is old enough to get married, right?"

Chu Yan said: "Xiaoxiao has always been timid and too quiet and weak, so it is really difficult for her to get married. If she can get a husband like the little prince, I can rest assured."

Qi Yuning said unhappily, "She lost her father when she was only two years old, and had to grow up cautiously in Prince Qi's mansion. Now you say she is timid, quiet, and weak, but you should really blame yourself."

Chu Yan didn't dare to refute.

Qi Yuning went to the mansion that the Chu family had prepared for her family. The mansion was quiet and a good place to live.

Qi Yuning and Xiao Yile took a bath first before reading Lu Ze's letter. Lu Ze's letter was sent by land and was delivered at full speed, so it would naturally arrive in Yangzhou earlier than theirs that went by water.

There were only four words in Lu Ze's letter: "Come back soon". Every word was so powerful that it was obvious that he was angry.

Qi Yuning ignored him for the time being. It was okay to let him be angry for a while.

…

Lu Yiling went to Zheng Xiuxiu's room to visit her little son, held him in her arms and said with a smile: "He looks a bit like Chu Che."

Zheng Xiuxiu smiled faintly and said, "Everyone says he looks like his uncle, but Chu Qing is not happy about it."

"Empress." Zheng Xiuxiu bowed repeatedly when she saw Chu Chi coming in.

Chu Chi said: "No need to be polite, I came to see Brother Shu."

Zheng Xiuxiu held Shuger and greeted Chu Chi. Chu Chi looked at Shuger with a trace of pain in his eyes. If her child had not had a miscarriage, he would have been this big.

Lu Yiling saw the pain in Chu Chi's eyes and asked Zheng Xiuxiu, "Xiuxiu, what fun places are there in Yangzhou City? Can you take us there to relax?"

Zheng Xiuxiu said: "The night view of the Huai River is very beautiful. After you have rested, how about we go for a night cruise on the Huai River?"

"Okay." Lu Yiling responded.

Lu Yiling took a short rest, and then went on a boat trip on the Huai River with Zheng Xiuxiu that night. Qi Yuning did not join the other children in the fun, and let Qi Zhiyuan go with them to protect Lingling.

Zheng Xiuxiu brought Chu Qing with her, and Chu Qing also brought her younger sister Chu Xiaoxiao, who never liked to leave her room.

On the cruise ship, Qi Zhiyuan saw Chu Xiaoxiao and said, "Little mute, it's you. I haven't seen you for a long time. Do you still remember me?"

Chu Xiaoxiao said softly: "My Lord, I am not a mute."

"Cousin, what are you talking about Xiaoxiao? She is not mute!" Lu Yiling said while protecting Chu Xiaoxiao.

Qi Zhiyuan said: "When she was little, she lived in my house and could not speak a word for a long time. I thought she was a little mute."

Chu Xiaoxiao said in shame and anger: "My Lord, I am not dumb."

Lu Yiling said: "Ignore him, he deserves to not be able to find a wife."

Qi Zhiyuan snorted lightly, "Isn't it easy for this little prince to marry a wife? The head of the Chu family said today that he wants me to be his son-in-law."

Chu Qing frowned as he listened, "My young prince, for the sake of my sister's reputation, please be careful with your words!"

Qi Zhiyuan said: "I'm not talking nonsense. It was indeed your father who said that he wanted me to be his son-in-law. I wonder what his daughter looks like?"

Lu Yiling looked at Qi Zhiyuan and said, "Are you really stupid or just pretending to be stupid? I really don't know how you led the soldiers in the five years in Beicheng. This Chu Xiaoxiao is the youngest daughter of the Chu family. You are talking nonsense in front of her. It's really reckless. Not every girl can tolerate your nonsense like me."

Qi Zhiyuan finally reacted and apologized to Chu Xiaoxiao, "I spoke too quickly. Miss Chu, please don't mind."

Chu Xiaoxiao whispered, "Nothing."

Qi Zhiyuan looked at Chu Xiaoxiao and whispered in Lu Yiling's ear: "I think her father was right when he said she was too quiet."

Lu Yiling glared at Qi Zhiyuan, then walked up to Chu Xiaoxiao and said, "Don't bother with my cousin. I'm new to Yangzhou City, so I'll trouble you to take me around Yangzhou City these few days."

Chu Xiaoxiao said in a low voice: "I won't go out either, so I may not be able to take the princess to visit Yangzhou City."

Lu Yiling said: "It's okay, I'll take you around."

After arriving in Yangzhou for a few days, Lu Yiling completely forgot about Lu Han and spent the whole day playing with Qi Zhiyuan, Chu Xiaoxiao and Zheng Xiuxiu. Zheng Xiuxiu had a child, so most of the time it was just the three of them who could go out to play together. They also traveled all over Yangzhou.

Zhao Jie has not been idle these days. He and Chu Qing have checked the people's conditions in Yangzhou City.

Qi Yuning took Lu Zhixiu with him to summon his subordinates in the Yangzhou City area, and acquired a lot of properties in the process. The harvest of this trip was quite rich.

The original plan was to stay in Yangzhou City for half a month before leaving, but we ended up staying there for twenty days and had to leave.

When Chu Chi was about to leave, he was still reluctant to let Ye Li go.

The mother and daughter were talking in the room. Ye Li held Chu Chi's hand tightly and said, "Chi'er, your brother will return to Shengjing City to take up his post in the spring. Mother will also try to recover as soon as possible so that we can reunite in Shengjing City."

Chu Chi said: "Okay."

Ye Li added: "Also, you should get pregnant with a prince as soon as possible to consolidate your position. After all, you have been in the palace as empress for five years. If that doesn't work, you can also let the concubines get pregnant with a prince and bring him to your side to raise."

Chu Chi lowered his head and replied, "Yeah."

Ye Li said: "Your father has chosen two maids for you. You can keep them with you. They may be useful when you are in the palace."

Chu Chi looked at the two beautiful maids behind Ye Li. They were absolutely beautiful and seemed to be only fifteen or sixteen years old. Their looks would make people fall in love with them at first sight.

Ye Li patted Chu Chi's hand and said, "After all, in the royal family, offspring are the most important. Even if it's for Ah Shi's future, you have to have a son as soon as possible."

Chu Chi responded: "Okay."

Ye Li sighed, touched Chu Chi's face and said, "Are you unhappy in the palace? If I had known this, when the princess asked you to enter the palace, mother should have declined."

Chu Chi said: "With Ah Shi here, I have to be happy."

Ye Li looked at his daughter distressedly, sighed and said, "Alas, fortunately, His Majesty still has feelings for you. He is willing to leave state affairs for a few months and accompany you to Yangzhou. You should take advantage of the affection now and get pregnant with a dragon son as soon as possible to gain a firm foothold.

Also, your father wants to match Xiaoxiao with the little prince. Xiaoxiao will go with you to Shengjing City first, and you can help match them up. If the marriage between the Qi and Lu families can be arranged, it will also be beneficial for you in the palace."

Chu Chi said: "Don't embarrass Xiaoxiao, mother, the young prince likes Lingling, I don't want Xiaoxiao to suffer..."

Ye Li sighed and said, "There's no need to force it. I just think that the young prince is a husband worthy of your sister to entrust her life to."

"Qi Da is not a good match. The daughter of a high-ranking family will have to bear the pain alone. Xiao Xiao has a weak personality to begin with, and marrying into a high-ranking family like the Qi Wang Mansion may not be a good thing."

Young Prince Qi is the man that every daughter in Shengjing City wants to marry. He is a royal relative with tremendous power and has hundreds of thousands of soldiers. Chu Xiaoxiao may not be able to control such a man.

What's more, when Chu Xiaoxiao was young, she lived under the care of others in Prince Qi's mansion.

"Your Majesty." Chu Qing's voice came from the door.

Chu Chi was stunned. She wondered how long Zhao Jie had been eavesdropping outside. Ye Li was also a little worried, and the mother and daughter went out one after another.

Zhao Jie said with a gloomy expression: "It's time to go."

Chu Chi said: "Okay."

At the dock, Lu Yiling was still not on board. She looked out into the distance and said, "That stinky Chu Che said in his letter that he would come today, but the ship is about to leave and he hasn't come yet. Now he's the young master of the Chu family and the uncle of the emperor. He's powerful and doesn't even recognize me as his young master."

Qi Zhiyuan listened to Lu Yiling's complaints and said, "You also said that he is now the uncle of the emperor, and you still want him to be your little guard?"

"He said he would be my little guard for life, but he didn't keep his word!"

Ye Li heard this and said, "Lingling, do you want to wait a little longer? Chuche Academy is a bit far from the pier?"

"No more waiting, Nanny, I'm leaving. You should come to Shengjing City as soon as possible. I'll wait for you in Shengjing City."

Ye Li nodded and said, "Yeah."

Lu Yiling boarded the palace boat and saw a young man in a blue round-necked robe riding a horse from afar. The horse ran to the side of the palace boat and started sailing. Chu Che whipped the horse whip and the horse leaped in front of Lu Yiling.

Qi Zhiyuan even protected Lu Yiling behind him.

Chu Che turned over and dismounted, half-knelt in front of Lu Yiling and said, "Princess."

Lu Yiling lowered her eyes to look at Chu Che and said, "You still have a conscience and still know how to come to see me."

Chu Che stood up and was already a head taller than Lu Yiling.

Lu Yiling was full of dissatisfaction and said, "You, how can you be a head taller than me?"

Chu Che touched his head and said, "Ah, maybe the princess didn't eat well."

Qi Zhiyuan laughed and said, "She didn't eat well? She even snatched the steamed bun from your hand to eat at the one-year-old feast. How could she not eat well?"

Lu Yiling stomped on Qi Zhiyuan hard, "Shut up! Chu Che, the boat is sailing away, you should leave. You won't be able to swim back if it's too far away."

Chu Che said: "I will not stay in Yangzhou. I will go back to Shengjing City with the princess. I promised the princess that I would be your bodyguard for life."

Lu Yiling looked at Chu Yanye Li at the dock on the shore, "Do your parents know that you are going to Shengjing City with me?"

Chu Che lay on the deck and shouted, "Dad and Mom, I'm going to Shengjing City."

After saying this, Chu Che said to Lu Yiling: "Now I know."

Lu Yiling smiled faintly and said, "Welcome back, Guard Chu." (End of this chapter)