Chapter 81 081 He loved her, and felt even more sorry for her.

In the Phoenix Palace, the Empress sat upright in a round-backed chair with her eyes closed. As she listened to the approaching footsteps, she slowly opened her eyes. The sunlight gradually brightened, and darkness enveloped her for a moment.

"how?"

“Two quarters past the hour of Xu.”

The Empress breathed a sigh of relief, and the panic in her heart gradually subsided. She couldn't afford to lose her composure; it was just an imperial marriage, which didn't prove anything. Besides, the person who was most panicked right now was someone else.

For some unknown reason, the Empress, holding onto the armrest of her chair, let out a sinister smile.

"What about the one from Qichun Palace?"

The maid bowed deeply. "Granny Luo went out of the palace twice. The Great Buddha Temple donated three thousand taels of incense money. Qichun Palace is closed all day and refuses all visitors. The fragrance of sandalwood can be smelled throughout the palace."

"idiot!"

"Consort Liu could not sleep at night and could only pray for peace of mind before the Buddha."

In the Second Prince's residence, the Second Prince sat at the head of the table, his face dark as he looked down at the two rows of strategists seated below him. He swept his gaze over them one by one, and those who were once eloquent and persuasive were now reduced to a silence so profound that you could hear a pin drop, with no one uttering a single word.

The difficult road has come to an end, but the Second Prince doesn't believe it!

"Gentlemen, the situation is dire and urgent. I hope you will speak frankly and express your opinions."

The advisors below looked at each other, none of them speaking first.

The second prince's face turned completely cold, his gentle features now tinged with gloom, making him look quite terrifying.

One of the advisors spoke up, "In my opinion, the previous plan was better."

"Easier said than done! Now that Meng Qingshan has this relationship with the Fourth Prince, it won't be so easy for us to win him over."

"No matter what the relationship is, so what? A good bird chooses a good tree to perch on. What can the Fourth Prince give Meng Qingshan, while the Second Prince can help him rise to prominence?"

"One should always be wary of others. The fact that Huang Pu escaped unscathed this time also shows that the Emperor values ​​him highly."

"The rift between us runs deep, what good would it do to give him a second chance!"

"Huang Pu is the most revered teacher of all scholars in the land. Every official and noble in the court has some connection with him. If he harbors ill intentions, it would be too easy for him to lend a hand to the Fourth Prince!"

Hearing the argument below, the Second Prince, recalling his previous slander against Huang Pu, felt extremely irritated and rebuked, "Ignore the Fourth Prince for now."

Luo Mingzhi, an advisor to the Second Prince's left and a confidant of the Second Prince, knew that the Second Prince had previously coerced Meng Qingshan and was afraid that he would lose face by speaking in a low voice now, so he changed the subject and said, "We must be wary of the Fourth Prince, but for now, our situation is still that of the First Prince."

"It is not easy to catch the eldest prince's mistakes."

Everyone fell silent for a moment. The eldest prince acted as he pleased and made mistakes, but they were not easy to catch. The reason was that the empress was more skilled and plotted behind the scenes, while Emperor Mingkang was exceptionally lenient.

This is the key!

"Children grow up and become independent of their mothers; besides, even the most careful plan can have a flaw."

The strategist sitting on the outermost side glanced at the Second Prince, stammered a couple of times, and then shut his mouth when he saw that no one was paying attention. He came from Chuzhou and had passed the imperial examination. He was originally assigned to be a county magistrate in a remote and impoverished area, but he never expected to have the opportunity to become a strategist.

When he first entered the Second Prince's residence, he was cautious in everything he did, listening more and speaking less.

"Yi Si, have you made any discoveries?"

Yi Si was surprised that his actions had been discovered. Seeing all eyes on him, he nervously got up, stepped forward, and said, "My hometown, Chuzhou, was once full of pottery workshops and boats sailing every day. When you walked on the road, you could hear the crisp sound of kilns being opened and porcelain being produced. Even the imperial celadon came from the Chuzhou official kiln."

Someone scoffed.

Yi Si's cheeks flushed slightly as he continued, "But since ten years ago, the Chuzhou kilns have been plagued by one accident after another, and trade has become scarce. Now, only the Chuzhou official kiln maintains the reputation of the century-old porcelain capital."

Luo Mingzhi pondered for a moment and then asked, "Have you noticed anything amiss?"

"As a commoner, I am not allowed to approach the official kilns. I do not know the specifics, but it is said among the people that the official kilns do not produce porcelain or other wares."

Upon hearing this, the room fell silent; even breathing ceased.

The prefect of Chuzhou was named Cai Kechang, and the current empress is also surnamed Cai.

The second prince leaned forward, staring into Yi Si's eyes and demanding, "Is it really true?"

Yi Si truly did not know.

The Second Prince withdrew and immediately ordered, "Mingzhi, you personally lead a group to Chuzhou, and keep a low profile."

Luo Mingzhi clasped his hands in a fist salute, indicating that he was about to leave.

If this comes true, and the Empress harbors malicious intentions, he doesn't believe his father will still be lenient!

The next day, the autumn air was crisp and clear. Qingli had just coaxed her grandfather into drinking a bowl of white fungus and lotus seed soup. The lotus seeds were freshly picked and were good for clearing the lungs, reducing internal heat, promoting saliva production, and relieving coughs, making it perfect for her grandfather at this time.

Qingli thought of the root of her grandfather's problem and suddenly felt a surge of anger, all because of Meng Qingshan. The imperial decree for marriage had been issued, but he had vanished as if he had disappeared from the face of the earth. She waited until the third watch of the night last night, but he did not come. She could not bear it any longer and finally fell asleep.

He's always very attentive when there's nothing going on, but when you need to ask him what's going on, he just can't seem to get it right.

"Grandfather!" Ling Shuyao jumped off the carriage, ran to the inner courtyard, and shouted happily.

Qingli put down her bowl and saw that her grandfather was sleeping soundly. She immediately went out of the room and gestured for silence.

"Shh..."

Ling Shuyao understood, withdrew her leg that was about to step forward, and beckoned her over.

The two held hands tightly. Ling Shuyao wrapped her arms around her and swayed gently, her lips curving into a smile and her eyes filled with laughter as she looked at her.

Qingli couldn't help but laugh, "What, don't you recognize me?"

"I can't get enough of you just because I know you." Ling Shuyao said coquettishly, "Fate is so wonderful. From the first time we met, I liked you for no reason. It turns out that it was destined by heaven that we are sisters."

Qingli was incredibly soft-hearted. The two sisters entered the house laughing and chatting endlessly.

After hearing about her experiences over the years, Ling Shuyao slammed her hand on the table and started cursing. By the end, her eyes were filled with tears. She pressed her hand to her cheek and said with heartache, "So you haven't had a good life."

Is it bad? Qingli had mostly forgotten that this was how everyone around her lived when she was young, and she didn't think it was bad. Later, Meng Qingshan started earning money and lived a better life than most people. The Duan family and the Dingxi Prince's Mansion struggled to survive, but they held onto hope. Although it was tough, they didn't give up.

She had faced many twists and turns along the way, and in the past she was reluctant to look back for fear of losing her will. But now, looking back, she is not discouraged by adversity and uses her mind to overcome circumstances. She deserves everything she has now.

"Meng Qingshan actually has the nerve to propose to you? I refuse!"

Ling Shuyao made a move to go to the palace to ask Emperor Mingkang to withdraw the imperial edict, but Qingli calmed her down, saying, "Sit down first."

"The Emperor's decree of marriage is not simple and complicated. It is not easy for my grandfather and aunt, who are both inside and outside the palace. We must not cause any trouble."

Ling Shuyao sat down angrily, cursed again, and then looked at her suspiciously.

"You... like Meng Qingshan, don't you?"

Qingli paused, then raised her voice and scolded, "We're talking about serious matters."

Ling Shuyao, as if she had discovered something new, leaned forward and stared at her, "This is also important!"

When Ling Shuyao bluntly revealed her thoughts, Qingli's heart trembled. From the moment she received the imperial decree, she had been busy comforting her grandfather, analyzing the pros and cons with him, and waiting for Meng Qingshan to come and ask her clearly. She never had time to ask herself what she really thought.

Besides, Meng Qingshan hasn't even said anything yet, so why is she in such a hurry!

Qingli blushed and glanced at Ling Shuyao. No matter how Ling Shuyao tried to argue, she refused to answer.

After the two bickered for a while, Ling Shuyao gave in, leaned lightly on her shoulder, and said seriously, "In my opinion, Meng Qingshan is cold-blooded, ruthless, and disregards rules. He is not a good match for you. But he is considerate and meticulous in taking care of your every need."

“Sometimes I think, cousin, you are a lush and resilient grass, enduring wind and rain, I would envy you, rely on you, and feel at ease. But Meng Qingshan doesn’t think that way. When the wind comes, he wants to shield you from the wind; when the rain falls, he wants to shelter you from the rain; when the sky is clear, he steps aside to let you bask in the sunlight. He also helps you get rid of insects and weeds from time to time, and he does it tirelessly.”

"He feels sorry for you, but I envy you, cousin."

Qingli's already turbulent heart was stirred up by Ling Shuyao's words, a turbulent and intense wave that seared her nerves and stirred her breath, before finally calming down after a long time.

With a soft exclamation, she slowly said, "I know."

She knew; she had known for a long time.

As a result, her decisiveness became hesitant, her anger became gentle, and even her resentment was silently put aside. She took a step back and half a step forward again and again, going around in circles.

Ling Shuyao sat up straight and said solemnly, "Cousin, you will be happy."

Qingli tapped the tip of her nose. "You can do it too."

The second princess's wedding is in mid-August, less than half a month away. The princess's mansion has a deep courtyard, which is grand and bright, decorated with red silk and double happiness characters, making it exceptionally festive. Normally, the princess is not allowed to leave the palace when the wedding is approaching, but this time Emperor Mingkang has given her special permission.

Ling Shuyao was feeling very bored in the palace and was looking forward to this opportunity to speak privately. "The eldest princess has been ill these days. The imperial physician has been summoned twice. I heard that she is like a lost soul and is not eating or drinking."

Is the rumor true?

Ling Shuyao nodded and whispered something in her ear. Now, even Qingli had to admire the princess's audacity. But judging from her previous behavior, she should have been preparing for a marriage alliance. How could she have done something like this?

"That's really strange."

"When Consort De was crying and begging the Empress that she had been framed, the eldest princess just stared at her, it was creepy." Ling Shuyao shuddered, then suddenly remembered something else, "Strange things have been happening in the palace lately. Consort Liu has started burning incense and praying to Buddha. The whole palace is filled with the scent of sandalwood. Father Emperor scolded her a couple of times, but Consort Liu still does as she pleases."

This is really strange.

Granny Qiu announced from outside, "Miss, Princess, Master has woken up."

Ling Shuyao exclaimed, "Let's go down, we'll be right there."

Qingli pulled Ling Shuyao back and said, "Grandfather is in a bad mood, there are some things he can't say."

Ling Shuyao pulled out her sleeve and teased, "Don't worry, I know what's important. When Grandpa is cursing, I'll curse along with him."

Qingli gave a bitter smile and sighed inwardly, thinking that if he didn't show up again, he deserved all the scolding.

Meng Qingshan felt a tightness in his back as he entered the black market. His face was half-covered by a black cloth, and the gray of dusk made the room dark and gloomy. Yet, his eyes were fierce and ruthless as he stared at the activity in the shop across the street. Behind him, dozens of imperial guards, dressed in black and wearing black headscarves, stood ready to strike.

It's here!