Chapter 314: The Concubine Does Not Harm the Country, She Only Wants to Harm the Imperial Master (XVIII)

The weather has been gradually getting cooler in recent days. There are no stars or moon at night, and the sky seems to be covered by thick dark clouds, which makes people feel a little breathless.

Xiao Zhuzi ran into the house and caught a glimpse of the young man standing by the window enjoying the breeze. He couldn't help but frown: "Brother Yu, it's been cold lately and it looks like it's going to rain soon. You should close the window, right?"

Yu Huo came to his senses and subconsciously looked up at the inky black night sky above his head, then closed the window as he was told.

"Have you packed everything?"

Xiao Zhuzi nodded quickly and said, "I have also received the recent gifts from the ladies of the various palaces and the gifts from the king. They have all been packed into boxes. When the weather clears tomorrow, we can set off for the newly built Imperial Master's Mansion."

Speaking of which, the two of them have been living in the palace for nearly a month. During this period, Xiao Zhuzi was influenced by the surrounding environment, and his rustic accent has almost disappeared. He can speak Mandarin fluently.

Perhaps it was because he felt too stuffy living in the palace. The moment Xiao Zhuzi heard that the Imperial Master's Mansion was repaired, the smile on his face never stopped, and even his steps were brisk.

Because of the pampered life for more than a month, Xiao Zhuzi's dark face has become much whiter and tenderer. Although it still looks dark, at least it is not as dark as before when he went out in the middle of the night and could not be seen without showing his teeth.

Strictly speaking, this skin color is a little darker than wheat, just like the tanning that modern people do for their skin. In addition, his back is no longer hunched, and he has more flesh on his body, which makes him more and more attractive.

I watched him run to the table, pick up the kettle, and take several long gulps before wiping the corner of his mouth with his sleeve. He smiled and asked, "By the way, Brother Yu, I just saw a lot of palace maids and eunuchs lined up, carrying large red lacquered boxes on their shoulders as they passed by the door of our side hall. What are they doing?"

When Yu Huo heard this, his mood, which had just been adjusted with great difficulty, became depressed again, just like the weather outside.

Seeing that he looked unhappy, Xiao Zhuzi approached him, not knowing why: "Brother Yu, are you unhappy?"

Yu Huo tilted his head and sighed, "Those palace servants were carrying the Second Princess's dowry."

"The second princess is only twelve years old and she's going to get married?" Xiao Zhuzi has been in the palace for more than a month, following Yu Huo to tell fortunes and bless the ladies everywhere. While making money, he also got to know the people in the palace.

He knew the Second Princess' age, and that she was getting married earlier than most people in his village. He couldn't help but sigh, "Don't opera scripts say that princesses of the royal family stay for two more years? Why did the King marry the Second Princess off so early? Whose family did he promise her to?"

Yu Huo lowered his eyes to hide the mockery in them: "No, the princess is going to marry a foreign prince."

"Marriage to a foreign country?!" Xiao Zhuzi was a little surprised: "Marriage to where?"

"Ukrainian Country."

This name is very familiar to Xiaozhuzi. Isn’t the country bordering Sishui Pass the Wu Kingdom?

He almost hated the bandits in the Wu Kingdom. It would be fine if the king didn't fight back, but why would he send a princess to marry them?

“Why?”

Thinking of this, he changed his cheerful expression and looked as if he was furious.

Yu Huo glanced at him expressionlessly, and Xiao Zhuzi instantly quieted down, but he still looked a little aggrieved, and was muttering to himself, no one knew what he was saying.

Yu Huo shrugged. "Since we were defeated at Sishui Pass, the king was afraid that the fall of Sishui Pass would affect the Central Plains and the capital, so he agreed."

"Then, what about Sishui Pass now..." Xiao Zhuzi's eyes were full of anxiety. Although he didn't have many relatives at home, it was his hometown after all, and there were so many fellow villagers.

"How are Aunt Zhang, Goudan, and Shuanzi?"

Yu Huo shook his head helplessly: "I don't know. We are so far away, how can we know?"

Xiao Zhuzi seemed to have been drained of his strength, and his shoulders drooped in an instant.

After a long while, a thunderclap suddenly sounded outside the door. The huge roar shook Xiao Zhuzi back to his senses and asked with difficulty: "The Wu Kingdom has bullied us, and we still want to send a princess over? It really doesn't make sense..."

Rain was dripping outside the window, and the white noise faintly covered the volume of the people talking in the house, but Yu Huo still heard it clearly.

I could clearly hear his unwillingness and his confusion.

But the truth is that it is based on the strength of the fist.

Yu Huo pursed her lips and swallowed the words back, but her long eyelashes trembled slightly, opening a lazy and subtle arc.

Lightning flashed through the thin window paper, illuminating the room with a pale white hue.

He looked at the numb expression on Xiao Zhuzi's face, and inexplicably became more patient. He said softly, "Three days ago, the Emperor of Wu sent a letter saying that his fourth prince had come of age and there was no suitable candidate in the country, so he wanted Princess Daning to marry into the Wu Kingdom.

The king left the prime minister aside and only invited a few officials close to him into the imperial study for a chat. In less than an hour, he had decided on the candidate for the marriage.

I heard that the Prime Minister knelt outside the palace gate for a whole day after receiving the news yesterday, but was never summoned by Your Majesty. He left in despair until sunset.

Seeing this, those officials who advocated war fell silent...”

He spoke slowly and carefully. After hearing this, Xiao Zhuzi clenched his fists and fell into a long silence.

The rain outside the window had begun to get heavier at some point, with raindrops as big as beans falling down with a crackling sound, as if they were going to smash a hole in the ground, like some kind of warning.

At the same time, a subtle and strange sound, masked by the sound of falling rain, was heard outside the door.

It seemed like someone was arguing, and the voices sounded quite familiar...

He walked quickly forward and opened the door. Rain fell obliquely into the room, instantly soaking half of his clothes.

Through the thick rain, he saw the queen, dressed in tight clothes, being held tightly by a little palace maid.

The rain was dripping down their clothes, soaking them through.

Yu Huo picked up two umbrellas, held one up for himself, and walked into the rain alone under Xiao Zhuzi's puzzled gaze.

As they got closer, the sounds of their quarrel became clearer.

"Empress, the Prime Minister knelt all day yesterday and failed to win back the emperor's heart. What's the point of you going there?

After all, that's Concubine Yi's own daughter, not yours, Your Majesty. If she truly loves her daughter, why doesn't she mediate on her own? Why bother involving you?

Why do you insist on getting involved in this mess? Isn't this annoying His Majesty?"

The little palace maid's face turned pale from being washed by the rain, but she refused to let go.

Xiang Zhige saw her grim expression and feared that he might hurt her, so he didn't dare to struggle. Standing in the rain, he anxiously said, "No matter whose daughter she is, if Daning really marries the princess like this, what will the other border nations think?

Don't say His Majesty dislikes me. His Majesty has never liked me. If he wants to dislike me, then let him dislike me!"

The maid was frightened by her desperate look and relaxed her grip: "My Lady, be careful with your words!"

Once he let go, it would be difficult to catch him again. Xiang Zhige nimbly took a step back: "Don't be so cautious. I don't want to suffer this humiliation!"

After saying that, she glanced at the young man who was coming with an umbrella. When their eyes met, she turned around and ran away without a trace.

The little palace maid was anxious to chase after him, but the next second, a figure blocked her way, and at the same time, an oil-paper umbrella covered her head from the rain and fog.

She looked at him stupidly: "Master Imperial Master?"

Yu Huo hummed lightly, put the umbrella into Ying'er's hand, and gently comforted her: "Let her go, your queen is a donkey, she is stubborn..."