Princess Shouguang got up, closed all the doors and windows, and ordered that no one should approach.

The princess was taken aback by her daughter's serious demeanor.

After her daughter sat back down beside her, the princess asked, "What are you going to do?"

"I have something very important to me, so important that it is a matter of life and death. I dare not entrust it to anyone but someone I can absolutely trust."

The princess thought about it carefully: "Not only must they be trustworthy, but they must also be capable and quick-witted, right?"

Princess Shouguang nodded.

"There is one, but he is not in the Prince's Palace. Years ago, when I was traveling, I saved someone's life. He said he would always remember this kindness and told me to just let him know if I needed anything. Later, he shaved his head and became a monk in Lingtai Temple in the south of the city."

“Just three years ago, your father was suspected by the emperor. It was that man’s idea that resolved the crisis and ensured the safety of my royal family. So I think he would be very willing to help.”

Princess Shouguang told the princess about the things she wanted to investigate, but she didn't mention the possible relationship between her and the girl named Ye Qiao. She just wanted to find out if the girl actually existed, what she looked like, and why she stayed in that village.

The princess did not inquire about the reason, but agreed to everything. Finally, she looked at her daughter with a guilty expression on her face.

“My son, your mother has always wondered if marrying you off to the Jiang family was a mistake.”

"Seeing you like this makes your mother very sad."

“At the time, you admired Jiang Zhongmao, but you didn’t force it. In the end, it was the Jiang family that took the initiative to propose marriage. Who knew that Jiang Zhongmao wanted to marry Lady Wei at the same time? Originally, the Prince Lu’s Mansion could have tolerated this, but you said you didn’t care.”

"If only Mother had stopped you back then, you wouldn't have suffered so much and ended up in this state."

The princess was even angrier at herself, realizing she shouldn't have raised her daughter to be such a gentle, naive girl, completely lacking in fighting skills, like a fish on a chopping board.

Later, when we tried to intervene, our daughter was already living with the Jiang family. What could we do?

"Mother, this is my destiny."

Princess Shouguang took out a large stack of things from her sleeve and handed them to the princess.

"This is the dowry my mother gave me when I married into the Jiang family. The most valuable deeds to the estate and the house are all here. I would like to ask my mother to keep them for me for the time being, and I will come back to get them when the time comes."

“If I don’t come to collect them, Mother, keep these house deeds and land deeds and don’t give them to anyone. They originally belonged to Mother.”

If Princess Shouguang had previously left Princess Lu bewildered by the order to investigate Mei Village, Princess Lu was immediately alert upon seeing Princess Shouguang's actions.

"Awen, what happened? Didn't you say that all this dowry was for Shuxue's dowry? Shuxue's wedding with the Zhong family is coming up soon, but you left such important things with me."

"What exactly happened?"

"Mother, please don't ask any more questions. I have my reasons for making this decision."

Princess Shouguang gripped the princess's hand tightly. Seeing the white hair on the princess's head, she felt a pang of sadness: "Mother, you must keep everything I've done here today a secret. I'm indeed having a hard time in the Jiang family, otherwise I wouldn't have bothered you."

My daughter is not even forty years old yet, and she may pass away before me.

Princess Consort Lu felt a pang of sorrow, but her tone was firm: "Mother can't help you much, but I will do my best to do what I can to help my son."

As soon as Princess Shouguang returned to the Prince's residence, someone immediately reported the matter to Lady Wei.

This was just a routine report of whereabouts, so Wei asked a question casually.

"It's just that her days are numbered. She wanted to take one last look at her mother's family. When she left Prince Lu's residence, her face was still streaked with tears," the servant said.