Chapter 369 Is it really you?

Zhao Wanqing's expression froze, and she hurriedly looked away.

"Why is Your Highness suddenly asking about something that happened five years ago? Did something happen?"

Shen Xu stared intently at her.

"It's nothing, I just suddenly remembered that was the first time we met."

"Don't tell me, Wanqing, you don't remember what happened back then?"

Zhao Wanqing felt flustered and forced a smile.

"Of course not, I've always remembered it, it's just that Your Highness suddenly remembered it, and I didn't realize it at first."

"Oh? Is that so?"

Zhao Wanqing glanced at Shen Xu's ambiguous smile and felt even more flustered.

He quickly replied, "Your Highness was wearing a gray robe that day. As for the wound..."

She pointed to her back and thighs.

"Your Highness's injuries are mainly on your back and legs, there are... many wounds... from being kicked."

When they found Chen Xu, his wounds had already been bandaged.

After bringing him home, his mother asked a doctor to examine him.

She only vaguely remembered her mother saying that the wounds were on her back and legs, but she had never seen them.

After listening to her, Shen Xu raised an eyebrow and suddenly asked, "Wan Qing, was it really you who saved me, applied medicine to my wounds, and bandaged them back then?"

Zhao Wanqing's face turned pale, but she forced herself not to show any fear.

"Of course it's me, Your Highness. Why do you ask that?"

Shen Xu's smile faded slightly.

"It's nothing, I was just asking."

"I need to get back to Bianjing. You can do as you please."

After saying that, he turned and left in a hurry.

As Zhao Wanqing watched his retreating figure, her straight back slumped instantly, and she panicked.

The Crown Prince was not asking this casually.

Did he find out that the person who saved her back then was Li Nanke?

Zhao Wanqing's expression shifted uncertainly as she whispered instructions to her personal maid.

"Quickly, pack your things immediately, let's head back to Bianjing."

Five days later, Zhao Wanqing arrived in Bianjing, travel-worn. As soon as she entered her home, she immediately went to discuss the matter with Song Hui.

"Mother, His Highness the Crown Prince probably already knows that the person who saved him back then was Li Nanke."

She recounted the events of that day when Shen Xu interrogated her.

She exclaimed in panic, "What will we do if the Crown Prince really finds out? Will I even lose my position as a concubine?"

Song Hui glared at her, annoyed.

"Is this really something to make you so flustered?"

Zhao Wanqing's eyes widened. "This is no small matter."

Song Hui snorted, "If it were before, it certainly wouldn't be a small matter, but things are different now."

You've been so focused on getting there that you don't even realize it yet.

The whole of Bianjing is now abuzz with the news that Prince Xuan, Shen Cong, eloped with Li Nanke, but they were caught in a landslide in Ruzhou and both died!

Zhao Wanqing was so shocked she almost jumped up.

"Really?"

"Of course it's true. It's all over Bianjing right now."

Even if Li Nanke and Prince Xuan hadn't died, with this stigma of eloping, she could forget about becoming the Crown Princess.

Song Hui's face was full of smugness as she lowered her voice and said, "His Highness the Crown Prince has personally confirmed this matter after returning to the capital."

It is said that he did indeed encounter Prince Xuan and Li Nanke in Ruzhou, and that the matter of their elopement was a rumor spread secretly by the Xue family.

Your mother secretly added fuel to the fire, which is why the rumors spread so quickly.

You can rest assured and wait patiently for the Crown Prince to ascend the throne and bring you to the palace.

Zhao Wanqing nodded, then looked up in surprise.

"Ascension to the throne?"

Shh, keep your voice down, or someone might hear you.

Song Hui scolded in a low voice.

Zhao Wanqing looked around, leaned forward, and whispered, "His Majesty...?"

Song Hui nodded.

"His Majesty returned to the capital yesterday, and I heard that he was carried directly into the Daqing Hall."

Your father went to the Left Chancellor to sound him out; His Majesty probably won't last more than half a month.

The Xue family is already secretly preparing for the crown prince's ascension to the throne. You should just focus on preparing to enter the palace as a concubine.

Zhao Wanqing was somewhat disappointed.

"So, the Empress's position belongs to Xue Rui?"

She was somewhat unwilling to accept it.

Song Hui was also very unwilling.

Having been reborn, she wholeheartedly hopes that her daughter can become empress, and as the empress's mother, all the noblewomen in the capital have to defer to her.

but.......

Song Hui sighed, "The current situation is beyond our control. Your father said that our family is no match for the Xue family."

Therefore, you can only temporarily accept the rank of concubine. Once you enter the palace, you must win over His Highness's heart.

If you give birth to the eldest son before Xue Rui, Xue Rui's position as empress will be unstable.

If your son becomes the crown prince someday, hehe, who will dare to look down on our family?

Song Hui held Zhao Wanqing's hand.

"Therefore, we need to take a long-term view and not rush things."

Look at your mother, I was also suppressed by Song Yi a few years ago, and I was unhappy.

"And now? Heh, my daughter is about to enter the palace as a concubine, while she can only weep and wail over that little bitch Li Nanke's funeral."

Zhao Wanqing nodded.

"I understand, Mother."

"Alright, go and rest. Mother needs to go out for a bit."

"Where did Mother go?"

"Of course I'm going to the Marquis of Anping's residence. My dear niece has died, as her aunt, how can I not go and offer my condolences?"

The Marquis of Anping's residence was shrouded in an atmosphere of sorrow.

Song Yi's eyes were swollen like peaches, and her voice was hoarse beyond recognition.

"Is Master Huang ready?"

Tao's mother nodded, "Master Huang has led twenty skilled young men and is already on his way to Ruzhou."

Master Huang said that with him there, no matter the dangers, he would definitely find the girl.

Li Yichen held her hand, his grape-like eyes, almost identical to Li Nanke's, filled with sadness.

"Mother, my sister isn't dead, right? Waaah, I don't want my sister to die."

Ah Chen wants his sister back. Mother, I want my sister back.

"Ah Chen".

Song Yi held her son, and tears welled up in her eyes again.

Li Mu slumped down, clutching his head in his hands, and muttered, "No, it can't be."

Our Ke'er is always smart, she'll definitely be fine.

"No, I can't just sit at home and wait. I have to go find Ke'er myself."

He jumped up and ran outside.

"My husband."

Song Yi hugged him around the waist. "A decree has just been issued from the palace. No official of the fifth rank or above may leave the capital without the decree."

"If you leave the capital now, our whole family will die."

Li Mu stomped his feet in frustration.

"Are we just supposed to sit at home and wait for news?"

At this moment, the steward came in to report, "My lord, madam, Madam Zhao has arrived."

"Madam Zhao?"

Song Yi was stunned for a moment before realizing that the housekeeper was talking about Song Hui.

What is she doing here?

"Of course I've come to visit you, my sister."

Song Hui walked in with a smile, waving her handkerchief. Her gaze fell on Song Yi's eyes, which were swollen like peaches, and her smile grew even wider.

Then he sighed dramatically.

“I understand my sister’s grief. After all, she is her own child. But raising a daughter who eloped with someone else and died on the way has brought shame to the whole family.”

If you ask me, a daughter like that, once she's gone, is gone. There's no need to be too sad!