"The King of Nanxun has always been in poor health. According to the spies' report, there have been strange phenomena in the Nanxun Palace. I'm afraid that the princes have begun to plot to seize the throne! But if this happens, it may bring war to the southwestern border of Xichu. This matter is being discussed in the court today! Some ministers even proposed to lead troops to attack Nanxun directly! The emperor is also very troubled by this matter. He can't just send away Beiqi and be busy dealing with Nanxun. By then, it will be the national strength of Xichu that will be depleted!" Seeing Yun Qianmeng lift the forged cloth covering the small table and looking at the dinner she had reserved for herself, Chu Feiyang's brows were filled with joy. The heaviness just now seemed to have eased a lot. Without saying anything, he picked up the chopsticks in front of him and picked up a mouthful of light dish and put it into his mouth!

"Drink some hot soup first! Is the food a little cold? I'll ask them to take it away and heat it up again!" Seeing Chu Feiyang eating elegantly, Yun Qianmeng gently touched the edge of the bowl with her fingertips. Seeing that it was only warm, she was afraid that Chu Feiyang had an upset stomach, so she spoke!

Just as he was about to turn around, Chu Feiyang held him down with one hand. He put down his chopsticks, picked up the soup bowl in front of him, drank the hot soup in one gulp, and then said with a smile, "Sit down and talk to me!"

Seeing Chu Feiyang enjoying his meal so much, Yun Qianmeng nodded and prepared to eat. From time to time, she would serve him some hot dishes and urge him to eat more. However, she was still thinking about what he had just said. She frowned slightly and asked, "Who on earth is so reckless as to come up with the idea of ​​attacking Nanxun? Have they forgotten the painful lesson they learned from that year?"

"Who else could it be! Of course it's General Hu Wei who was defeated in the battle with Nanxun Kingdom!" A cold light flashed in his eyes, and Chu Feiyang's hand that was picking up the food paused slightly, then he spoke slowly with a hint of coldness!

Hearing this, Yun Qianmeng frowned slightly. It seemed that General Hu Wei was truly foolish, actually playing with the fate of the country just to fulfill his own honor and disgrace! Little did he know that this was what King Chu and Chu Feiyang hated the most!

Recalling what Chu Feiyang had said to her after returning from the Northern Qi border, Yun Qianmeng spoke with a hint of suspicion, "Is General Hu Wei planning to withdraw troops from the northern border to attack Nanxun?"

Seeing Yun Qianmeng guessed this instantly, Chu Feiyang couldn't help but raise his lips as he chewed the rice. A faint smile appeared in his eyes, and the action of picking up the food became much more relaxed. "Meng'er still wins my heart!"

Seeing Chu Feiyang still smiling at this time, Yun Qianmeng's heart lifted slightly. If the truth was really as relaxed as Chu Feiyang acted, then he would not have stayed in the palace so late!

The army under General Hu Wei was originally led by Chu Feiyang. It would not be an exaggeration to say that this was Chu Feiyang's personal guard!

If this army is sent to attack Nanxun, I am afraid that with General Huwei's vengeful personality, this army will only fight in the front line, and then help the Western Chu Army in the back, but through Nanxun's hands, all of Chu Feiyang's people will be wiped out. By then, Chu Feiyang's forces will definitely be damaged. I am afraid this is also what Emperor Yugan would like to see!

But Chu Feiyang's army is the soul of Western Chu's northern border. It is precisely because of their defense of Western Chu's northern border that Northern Qi, despite eyeing Western Chu covetously for so many years, has never rashly sent troops to attack! If this team is withdrawn to fight in the south at this time, it will only give Northern Qi an opportunity. At that time, both the north and the south will be attacked by both countries at the same time! Moreover, this team has long adapted to the northern climate. If they are sent south at this time, the soldiers' physical condition will definitely not be able to adjust, which will affect the combat capability of the entire team! Such a loss is probably what Emperor Yugan does not want to see the most!

The two situations are so contradictory, this is probably why Emperor Yugan is so anxious!

Yun Qianmeng quickly analyzed all of this in her mind, then looked at Chu Feiyang calmly. Seeing his relaxed expression, she knew that he must have already filtered the interests involved in everything she could think of!

And precisely because it would threaten the foundation of Western Chu and Emperor Yugan's throne, Emperor Yugan would definitely not approve the request of General Hu Wei and others at this time!

However, if Emperor Yugan were to give up such a good opportunity to eliminate dissidents, I am afraid he would be very unwilling in his heart!

"The person who knows the situation of Nanxun Kingdom best in the court right now is my father. I wonder what his opinion is!" Yun Qianmeng asked with concern. Chu Pei has been in Youzhou for so many years and is the person who knows Nanxun Kingdom best. Moreover, he is one of the heirs to the throne of Chu. If someone said that this incident has nothing to do with Chu Pei, Yun Qianmeng would never believe it!

"He has reported to the emperor and will set off for Youzhou the day after tomorrow!" Putting down his bowl and chopsticks, Chu Feiyang picked up the handkerchief beside him and wiped the corner of his mouth, and replied lightly, but a hint of coldness flashed in his black pupils!

"The emperor is so confident in letting him leave? After all, his father's surname is Chu. If the emperor agrees to General Hu Wei's attack on Nanxun, wouldn't the emperor be afraid..." However, looking at Chu Feiyang like this, Yun Qianmeng couldn't say the doubts in her heart. She always felt that something was going to happen when Chu Pei left this time!

How could Chu Feiyang not understand the meaning of Yun Qianmeng's words?

If Emperor Yu Gan led the Chu family's army to attack Nanxun, even Chu Nanshan, no matter how loyal, would probably be unhappy! Furthermore, Chu Pei was very familiar with Nanxun. Then, the father and son would likely work together to annihilate Emperor Yu Gan's men. In that case, Emperor Yu Gan would lose not only Chu Nanshan, a key minister, but also the army he had worked so hard to recruit. Worse still, he could lose his kingdom!

Taking Yun Qianmeng away from the small table and holding her on his lap, Chu Feiyang spoke in a relaxed tone, "Don't worry, I will take care of the affairs of the court! The emperor also knows that Xie is seriously injured and cannot travel long distances! Originally, frontier officials had to take their families with them when leaving Kyoto, but this time the emperor specially allowed Xie and her children to stay in Beijing to recuperate! He also allowed my father to return to Youzhou alone! With his relatives all in Kyoto, the emperor is sure that my father will not have the intention of rebellion!"

Upon hearing this, Yun Qianmeng couldn't help but admire the suspicion and competition between the king and his ministers. Various factors were taken into consideration before making such a decision!

"Then what should we do now? Or should we remain constant in the face of ever-changing situations and use stillness to overcome movement?" Blinking her bright eyes, Yun Qianmeng smiled lightly and spoke, with a glint of perseverance in her eyes when faced with difficulties!

Seeing her like this, a smile appeared in Chu Feiyang's eyes. However, he had already guessed from Yun Qianmeng's expression that she must be angry for him. Thinking of his wife defending him like this, Chu Feiyang's heart was as warm as honey. He couldn't help but raise his hand and gently scratched Yun Qianmeng's slightly wrinkled nose, smiling and saying, "The tree wants to be still, but the wind does not stop. Let's wait patiently, and we will eventually see the direction of this gust of wind!"

Seeing that he spoke so lightly, Yun Qianmeng wrinkled her nose and snorted twice. She didn't know who it was who had looked so cold when he entered the room just now, but now her mood improved!

Seeing Yun Qianmeng rarely showing her temper, Chu Feiyang lowered his head and chuckled softly. He then put aside the heavy topic and held her in his arms to chat casually, "Are you taking Chu Jie and a few others to Fugui Hall to choose pearl hairpins today?"

Seeing Chu Feiyang asking about this, Yun Qianmeng temporarily put aside Nanxun's affairs and turned to express her own doubts. "I've asked Shopkeeper Meng, and he's never seen a bracelet like that before! I wanted to go to a pawnshop to find someone to identify it, but I didn't expect to run into Grandpa at the Yu Family Pawnshop!"

Speaking of Chu Nanshan, Yun Qianmeng's tone couldn't help but be mixed with a hint of helplessness!

Although Chu Nanshan is a naughty old boy, everything he does seems to be mysterious!

But if you look closely at Chu Nanshan, he has a playful and smiling look on his face, and it is hard to find any clues. Even Yun Qianmeng, who is good at observing other people's expressions and guessing their thoughts, admires Chu Nanshan very much!

Before she could finish her words, Yun Qianmeng noticed a flicker of surprise in Chu Feiyang's eyes when he heard the words 'Yu Family Pawnshop'. Seeing that he didn't interrupt her, she continued, "Grandpa wanted to give me the house and land deeds for the pawnshop! Feiyang, what are your thoughts on this matter?"

If Chu Feiyang was surprised when he heard the name of the pawnshop before, then the news that King Chu generously gave him the 'Yu Family Pawnshop' made him concentrate for a moment!

Seeing Chu Feiyang showing a rare look of surprise, Yun Qianmeng knew that the pawnshop would not be as simple as it seemed. Giving him time to digest the news, Yun Qianmeng calmly picked up the teacup on the table, blew away the tea foam floating on it, and then took a sip gently, narrowing her eyes and enjoying the wonderful feeling of the tea fragrance between her lips and tongue!

"He is quite generous!" But after waiting for a long time, he only heard a few words from Chu Feiyang with a hint of sarcasm!

Yun Qianmeng frowned slightly, and looked at Chu Feiyang with a puzzled look in her eyes, waiting for his next words!

"In West Chu, the 'Yu Family Pawnshop' is extremely famous, but few people know that it is a business under my grandfather's name!" Seeing Yun Qianmeng nestling obediently in his arms, Chu Feiyang knew that she was waiting for his explanation. Only at this time, Yun Qianmeng was the most well-behaved and obedient, listening attentively to things she didn't know like a good student. In contrast to her usual cunning appearance, it also made Chu Feiyang's heart beat!

However, Yun Qianmeng was clearly dissatisfied with his explanation. Seeing the dangerous glint in her eyes, Chu Feiyang immediately continued, "On the surface, the Yu Family Pawnshop is an ordinary pawnshop, but behind it lies the Chu Family's intelligence network! Without the intelligence gathered by the Yu Family Pawnshop, it would be extremely difficult to unexpectedly and fatally strike your opponent in difficult times!"

"But why would grandpa give it to me? Since grandpa founded the pawnshop, it would be best if he was in charge of it personally!" The effort put into such a huge organization is probably unimaginable to ordinary people, but Chu Nanshan gave it all to Yun Qianmeng with ease. It was really shocking!

But Chu Feiyang's next words were even more shocking. He curled his lips into a smile and slowly said, "It wasn't my grandfather who founded the pawnshop! It was my grandmother!"

Even though Yun Qianmeng was unusually calm, she still had to admire the former Princess Chu!

What kind of woman was she who could get all of Chu Nanshan's love and still make Chu Nanshan miss her so much after so many years of her death!

What kind of woman could have single-handedly created such an underground kingdom in this feudal society!

I think the Princess of Chu must be an extremely intelligent and peerless woman!

"I think grandpa may think that you are similar to my grandmother, so he plans to hand over this pawnshop to you!" Looking at Yun Qianmeng's calm expression, Chu Feiyang couldn't help but think of the description of his grandmother by King Chu in front of him. Comparing the two, he felt that Yun Qianmeng and his grandmother were surprisingly similar. They were always so calm in the face of things, and solved the problems around them with their own wisdom. Even when they were in danger, they could still face it calmly. Her calm expression made her opponents unaware that she had made a move, and she handled all the problems without anyone noticing!

I guess grandpa was attracted by Meng'er's characteristics and decided to hand over the pawnshop to her!

"However, there is another possibility! That is, someone has already set their eyes on that pawnshop and wants to snatch it from grandpa!" However, at this moment, Chu Feiyang changed the subject, and his previous tenderness instantly turned into sharpness. A hint of danger flashed in his slightly narrowed eyes, but the hands that were hugging Yun Qianmeng's body were still so gentle!

Feeling his subtle emotional fluctuations, Yun Qianmeng raised her eyes slightly and looked at Chu Feiyang, whose face was slightly cold at this moment, but she already knew in her heart who he was referring to!

Since the Yu Family Pawnshop was so mysterious, I'm afraid only the Chu family knew that the King of Chu was the boss behind it! As Chu Nanshan's son, Chu Pei couldn't possibly be unaware of the existence of this pawnshop!

Moreover, apart from the intelligence network hidden in the pawnshop, as the number one pawnshop in Kyoto, it also makes a fortune every day. I think no one would give up the opportunity to own it!

However, they currently don’t know what Chu Pei and Chu Nanshan talked about when they were alone together recently, and their guesses are only limited to inferences based on the sum of all aspects of the matter!

"Do you want me to accept it?" There are such huge profits hidden behind the 'Yu Family Pawnshop'. If it falls into the hands of someone with ulterior motives, I am afraid it will set off a bloody storm. Yun Qianmeng looked at Chu Feiyang and asked calmly!

"If you like it, you can naturally accept it!" Seeing the mischievous look that flashed across Yun Qianmeng's eyes, Chu Feiyang answered with a smile!

Yun Qianmeng shrugged, frowned slightly and sat on Chu Feiyang's lap, thinking about the problems she might encounter after accepting the offer!

Seeing Yun Qianmeng being as cautious as ever, Chu Feiyang had a faint smile on his face. He liked seeing her working hard for life. It was so real, and she had a vitality that other rich girls who were ignorant of the sufferings of the world did not have!

At this moment, Yun Qianmeng had already made up her mind. She raised her head, her clear eyes and a faint smile met Chu Feiyang's. Then she smiled and told Chu Feiyang her decision in an instant, "Since that's the case, I will accept Grandpa's kindness!"

After seeing how powerful Chu Feiyang was, Yun Qianmeng was very curious about the 'Yu Family Pawnshop'. She wondered how such an intelligence network would be different from the modern one. If conditions permitted, she would be willing to transform this intelligence network to make it more convenient and efficient!

Chu Feiyang hugged her, as if he was holding everything he had. The faint fragrance from her body lingered on his nose, and her low humming and laughing could be heard in his ears from time to time. A sense of satisfaction suddenly filled his chest, making him unwilling to let go of such happiness, but he was also willing to work hard for such happiness!

Chu Pei's decision to leave the capital spread quickly among all the mansions. Just before he left, the Wen family sent Wen Di to see him off!

Compared to Wen Xie, who is now busy as the Prince's Junior Tutor, Wen Di seems much more relaxed, which is why he was assigned here by Old Madam Wen!

The originally silent entrance of the Prince of Chu's Mansion seemed to have a little more atmosphere because of Wen Di's arrival!

"My nephew greets His Highness. May Your Highness live a thousand years!" Compared to the smooth-talking Wen Xie, Wen Di gave off a sense of elegance and nobility. The scholarly air about him made this man, the most admired student in Western Chu after Grand Tutor Wen, appear extremely refined and noble. The elegance in his eyes only made people feel more favorable towards him! He also greeted Chu Nanshan politely when he saw him!

"Why are you here today?" Chu Nanshan smiled faintly when he saw him. Knowing that Wen Di always just greeted him and did not flatter him, he looked at him differently. He felt that among the many descendants of the Wen family, only Wen Di was most similar to the late Master Wen in terms of knowledge and temperament!

"To be honest, Your Highness, I am here to see Lord Chu off from Kyoto on behalf of my elder brother!" Wen Di told the truth. Wen Xie now has to assist the prince and supervise his daily studies. He has to go to the palace before dawn every day. Naturally, he cannot spare time to come and see him off. The Wen family can only send another descendant to come!

Hearing this, Chu Nanshan nodded!

Chu Pei smiled faintly as he walked up to Wen Di and said, "Thank you so much, Brother Wen!"

Wen Di saw Chu Pei coming to talk to him, and looked at Chu Pei in front of him with his eyes lightly, but his voice was still as calm as always, "Master Chu, you are too polite!"

Several people were giving farewell speeches at the gate of Prince Chu's Mansion, when they heard a burst of hurried horse hooves sounds on the bluestone road ahead. The deafening sound seemed to flatten the long street. Accompanied by the morning mist, everyone saw General Hu Wei leading a column of soldiers running straight towards Prince Chu's Mansion!

General Hu Wei, dressed in military uniform, rode his warhorse straight to the gate of Prince Chu's mansion. He then slowly pulled the reins and jumped off the horse. His murderous face softened when he saw who was standing at the gate. He laughed loudly and walked forward, saluted Chu Nanshan and said, "Your humble servant greets His Majesty!"

Compared to the pleasant expression he had shown when facing Wen Di, Chu Nanshan's face suddenly darkened when he saw General Hu Wei. He just replied with a cold, nasal tone, then glanced at General Hu Wei and said coldly, "When did the Chu Palace have such face that a general could come here uninvited?"

Listening to Chu Nanshan's words, General Hu Wei was suddenly filled with anger, but Chu Nanshan's status was high, not to mention himself, even Emperor Yu Gan would be polite to him when he saw him. If he did not give Chu Nanshan face at the gate of the Prince Chu's Mansion, if such a thing were to be publicized, he would be scolded by Emperor Yu Gan at best, and at worst he would be impeached by the censor, which would affect his future!

What's more, Chu Nanshan is an unfathomable person, and the Prince Chu's Palace is as solid as a city. If he rashly offends Chu Nanshan, he might lose his life!

Thinking of this, General Hu Wei immediately restrained the murderous aura he had just deliberately released, softened his expression, and said with a respectful smile, "Your Highness, you are joking! I just returned to the capital from the border a few days ago. The Emperor was worried about Master Chu, so he specially sent me to escort Master Chu back to Youzhou to prevent something like what happened to Madam Chu on the way!"

"What? General, you don't trust me? Or are you very confident in your own skills?" He didn't know that his flattering words were met with ridicule from Chu Nanshan!

But General Hu Wei was no fool. He knew that Chu Nanshan was deliberately saying this to piss him off. He suppressed his anger and smiled faintly, "Your Highness has misunderstood. Kyoto is still somewhat unstable. Your Highness's guards will naturally protect you! As for protecting Lord Chu, that is naturally left to me! This is the Emperor's great favor, which others cannot even ask for!"

Chu Pei's eyes flashed with a sneer when he heard him say this, but his long career in officialdom had taught him how to hide his true thoughts. He smiled faintly as he walked forward. Looking at General Hu Wei, whose eyes were still lingering with dissatisfaction, Chu Pei said politely, "Thank you very much, General! However, I am also traveling with my servants, so it seems that there is no need to trouble you again!"

Anyone with a discerning eye could see that General Hu Wei was a member of Emperor Yugan's faction, and Youzhou was Chu Pei's territory. How could he allow outsiders to enter his territory? Furthermore, General Hu Wei had such malicious intentions!

Seeing that Chu Pei also refused to be escorted away, General Hu Wei's expression, which had finally softened, gradually turned ugly. He felt that the Chu family father and son were truly ungrateful. Did they really think he was willing to escort Chu Pei all the way out of the capital? If it weren't for the emperor's order, he would rather stay in Kyoto!

"Does Lord Chu want to disobey the order? This is the emperor's favor. Please don't disobey the order! This general is also doing his job according to the order. I hope Lord Chu will not make things difficult for me!" Everyone saw that General Hu Wei's face darkened, his eyes shone with a sinister light, and his tone was also cold and hard. "Right now, solving the problem of Nanxun is the top priority. Please don't waste time, Lord Chu. The sooner you set off, the sooner you can return to Youzhou and solve the problems for the emperor!"

Hearing his words, not only did the Chu family feel unhappy, but even Wen Di's eyes flashed with disgust, feeling that General Hu Wei was truly reckless! Both the Emperor and the Empress Dowager respected the King of Chu, but General Hu Wei, relying on the Emperor's favor, actually flaunted his power in front of the King of Chu. If he were to fall into trouble in the future, even if the King of Chu had the magnanimity to let him off the hook, those who tried to curry his favor would surely try their best to exclude and suppress him!

He doesn't even understand such a simple truth. General Hu Wei is really like his appearance, with strong limbs and a simple mind!

"Since Your Excellency is so kind, I'll trouble you!" Chu Pei glanced at the troops brought by General Hu Wei, and saw Wen Di's expression at this moment, so he changed his mind and agreed to this matter. Then he turned to look at Chu Qingyang, who was accompanying the King of Chu to see him off, and instructed him, "Qingyang, you must take good care of your mother and sisters. Don't let the last incident happen again!"

"Yes, father! I will definitely keep your words in mind!" Seeing Chu Pei's expectations of him, Chu Qingyang immediately bowed and answered respectfully!

After getting his son's assurance, Chu Pei nodded, then saluted the King of Chu, got into the carriage, and headed towards the city gate under the escort of General Hu Wei!

"My dear nephew, if you have nothing else, please come into the palace and have a cup of tea before leaving!" Looking at the convoy slowly going away, Chu Nanshan retracted his gaze and spoke to Wen Di with a smile!

"My nephew would rather obey your command! Your Highness, please!" Although Wen Di has never been an official in the court, his manners are very graceful, which shows his family education. It can also be seen that Master Wen is very strict with his descendants in their words and deeds, which is why he has cultivated a family full of scholarly children!

Chu Qingyang also withdrew his gaze and saw that his grandfather had already led Wen Di into the palace. He remembered the instructions his father had given him before leaving last night, so he followed closely and followed the King of Chu and the other two into the side hall for receiving guests!

As Wen Di walked along, he felt that the Prince of Chu's mansion was truly unique, a far cry from the opulent palaces of other princes. The plants and trees planted here looked simple yet warm. While it lacked the beauty of blooming flowers, it felt like spring, full of life! The fact that the Prince of Chu lived to be over sixty years old and remained healthy and brisk, perhaps due to his habit of staying away from women and alcohol, and focusing on maintaining a healthy lifestyle, was perhaps due to his continued focus on health.

"My dear nephew, you seem to be very interested in my garden!" Seeing Wen Di looking around as he walked, Chu Nanshan spoke cheerfully!

Wen Di sighed as he gazed at the lush greenery of the Prince of Chu's mansion. Thinking of the withered flowers in his garden, he couldn't help but sigh, "The prince is indeed foresighted. He knew that flowers would wither easily, so he chose the evergreen pine trees, which would last forever!"

After hearing Wen Di's praise, Chu Nanshan just laughed out loud for a while, and then put away his smile. A warm current flowed in his eyes, and he slowly said, "Every blade of grass and every tree in the Chu Palace was planted by my princess herself! She is the one with the true foresight. I just picked up what was ready!"

Seeing Chu Nanshan like this, Wen Di was greatly surprised! Everyone knew the King of Chu's heroic deeds on the battlefield. Even though his wife had passed away many years ago, he had never remarried. People also believed that the King of Chu was deeply in love with his wife!

But when Wen Di saw Chu Nanshan's expression, he felt deeply that the four words "deep affection and deep feelings" were probably not enough to describe the King of Chu and his wife!

Especially when Wen Di heard the King of Chu say that all the plants and trees in the Chu Palace were planted by the princess herself, he felt a touch of respect for the princess who had passed away many years ago!

"Let's not talk about this anymore. Come on, let's go have a cup of tea. You are a good chess player. You have to play a good game with me today!" But the King of Chu's nostalgia was fleeting. In the blink of an eye, he became the same as before. He couldn't wait to pull Wen Di to the side hall!

－－－－－－Digression－－－－－－

I'm so sad that I didn't finish my 17,000-word task today! I wrote until 2 a.m. last night. I wanted to stay up all night, but I had to catch the 10 a.m. train to visit family, so I had to take a nap. When I woke up, it was already 7 a.m. I'm so sad. I still have 10,000 words to go!

I'll come back in the evening and finish the remaining 10,000 words in two or three days, 5555555555

Can you give me a ticket?

【153】

Xie was injured, so naturally she couldn't get up to see Chu Pei off, so Chu Jie and others stayed with her in the inner room to chat and relieve her boredom!

When Yun Qianmeng came over, she saw Chu Jie, Xie Wanwan, and Xie Yuanyuan sitting by Xie's bed, chatting casually!

"Sister-in-law!" Seeing Yun Qianmeng coming, Chu Jie immediately stood up and went forward to greet her. The expression on her face was much better than during the days when Xie was in a coma. There was a smile between her brows!

"Greetings, cousin-in-law!" Xie Wanwan and Xie Yuanyuan also stood up and saluted. Yun Qianmeng nodded in acknowledgement. Then she walked to the bedside. Seeing Xie's gradually recovering complexion, she bowed slightly and said softly, "Greetings, Second Madam! You look much better today than in the past few days. I believe you'll be fully recovered soon!"

Seeing Yun Qianmeng, Xie's smile widened. She quickly raised her hand and instructed the maids to bring a stool for Yun Qianmeng to sit on. Then she touched the precious jade hairpin in her hair and politely said, "This is all thanks to Meng'er. I was able to recover so quickly, it must be the credit of that "Everything Goes Well" hairpin you asked Jie'er to bring back! However, I'm fine now, but your father-in-law..."

As she spoke, a layer of worry could not help but appear in Xie's eyes. She must have heard the news that General Hu Wei was accompanying Chu Pei to Youzhou, otherwise why would she be so worried!

Yun Qianmeng noticed a hint of worry lingering in her expression, and knew Xie was also concerned about Chu Pei's safety on this journey. She lowered her brows in thought for a moment before slowly speaking. "Father has guards with him, and General Hu Wei is escorting him to Youzhou under the Emperor's orders. I believe the journey will be safe. Right now, Second Mother, the most important thing is to take good care of yourself and not worry about Father!"

Listening to Yun Qianmeng's analysis, Xie's slightly frowned brows couldn't help but relax slightly, a smile gradually appeared in her eyes, and she nodded slightly with a faint smile on the corner of her mouth!

"Sister-in-law's words are the most effective! My cousin and I tried to persuade mother for a long time just now, but she was still very worried. It took just a few words from sister-in-law to put her mind at ease!" Seeing that Xie finally smiled, Chu Jie couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, and immediately praised Yun Qianmeng's strength!

"I'm just telling the truth! Jie'er, please stop teasing me!" Yun Qianmeng smiled faintly and dismissed Chu Jie's compliments!

"Jie'er, Wanwan, Yuanyuan, you all go down and have a rest! I want to chat with your sister-in-law for a while!" Unexpectedly, Xie sent Chu Jie and the other two away, leaving Yun Qianmeng alone. She must have something important to discuss with Yun Qianmeng in private!

Chu Jie and the other two were also obedient. They just bowed and left the inner room with their maids one after another. "I wonder what Second Madam wants to tell Qian Meng!" Seeing that only a few Wu Ji and maids who were serving Xie were left in the inner room, Yun Qian Meng spoke with a little caution in her heart!

Xie, however, just smiled and said nothing. She simply took Yun Ganmeng's right hand and gently stroked the back of her hand before slowly saying, "A few days ago, several ladies from the Wen family came to visit me, and during their casual chat, they brought up the matter of the throne!"

It is said that the prince mentioned this matter to the emperor at the palace banquet during the Lantern Festival. I wonder if it is true or not!

After she finished speaking, Xie opened her eyes with a smile and looked at Yun Qianmeng calmly. There was kindness in her eyes, and it was impossible to read what she was thinking at the moment!

Yun Qianmeng met Xie's gaze without flinching, a kind smile in her eyes. After listening to Xie's words, she nodded calmly and slowly opened her mouth. "It's true!"

Since Xie has brought up several wives of the Wen family, if I deny this matter, I am afraid that someone with ulterior motives will use it to create conflicts. By then, I will have offended the people of the Wen family for no reason, which would be extremely unfair. Moreover, the issue of the throne was raised by the King of Chu in front of Emperor Yugan and all the officials. It is an irrefutable fact. Even if I want to deny it, I can't!

However, what made Yun Qianmeng curious was that since this was a well-known matter, why did Xie want to leave her alone to discuss it?

As soon as Chu Pei left the capital, Xie discussed this matter with him intimately. Was she afraid that Chu Feiyang would seize the throne during Chu Pei's absence and was deliberately lowering her posture to show her favor, or was she testing her attitude towards the throne?

Yun Qianmeng's eyes were like a clear spring, seemingly crystal clear, but it made people feel that the bottom of the spring was as deep as a deep pool. The clearer it was, the more unpredictable it was. This was the thought that suddenly popped up in Xie's mind after looking at Yun Qianmeng!

The woman in front of him was only 28 years old, but the calmness and dignity behind her gentle smile seemed as if she had been through hundreds of battles. This made Xie, who had slightly underestimated her because of her age, become more alert!

After answering Xie's question, Yun Qianmeng stopped talking. There was a gleam in her eyes and a smile on her face. There was no trace of impetuousness on her body. She waited patiently for Xie to speak again!

"Alas, your father is gone, and I don't know when he will come back! The throne will eventually be passed to Feiyang, but since his father is not here, I'm afraid the prince cannot skip over my husband and hand it over to Feiyang!" Xie frowned slightly, looking at Yun Qianmeng who was still silent waiting for her to speak. She was surprised at Yun Qianmeng's patience and determination, but she slowly said these words!

Hearing this, Yun Qianmeng simply smiled faintly. Her beautiful eyes, which had been locked with Xie's, slowly lowered, and she softly replied, "In the palace, the harem is not allowed to interfere in government affairs! As women of the inner court, we naturally have to abide by the palace's rules. Otherwise, if we commit a crime in the future, we're afraid others will take advantage of us! As a female member of the family, Meng'er's only concern is to take care of the affairs of the Chu Xiang Mansion. As for the court affairs that Second Mother mentioned, Meng'er dares not participate in the discussion, let alone make any decisions for her husband! I hope Second Mother will forgive me!"

With these words, Xie was pushed back by both soft and hard tactics, making her want to get angry but unable to find the source. She had to swallow her anger, but was unwilling to do so!

Xie's usually smiling face froze for a moment. When she smiled again, the smile had faded a little. She then changed the subject without leaving a trace. "You're absolutely right. I was worried about your father, and my concern made me confused! I'm sorry to have embarrassed Meng'er!"

Seeing Xie climbing up the ladder, Yun Qianmeng did not point it out. She just nodded and smiled, "Second Mother cares so much about Father. Qianmeng would never dare to laugh at you!"

"In a few days there will be a banquet at the Han Mansion. I am unable to move right now. Your sisters are all unfamiliar faces among the young ladies in Kyoto. I can only let them go with Meng'er so that they can take care of each other. I will feel more at ease. What do you think, Meng'er?" No longer continuing the previous topic, Mrs. Xie talked about some things in the backyard!

Given the status of the Prince of Chu's Mansion, it is naturally the object of everyone's flattery. Now that the Prince of Chu's granddaughter lives in the Prince of Chu's Mansion, the Han Mansion will also pass on the invitation even out of courtesy!

Since Xie had already spoken, Yun Qianmeng naturally had to nod. Otherwise, if she took Yun Yan with her and left Chu Jie and the others behind, it would not only give people a chance to talk, but would also allow those with ulterior motives to take advantage of the opportunity to create conflicts between the Prince of Chu's Mansion and the Prime Minister of Chu's Mansion!

Raising his eyes with a smile, Yun Ganmeng looked at Xie and nodded!

At this time, in the side hall, the King of Chu was fighting with the guest Wen Qiu on the chessboard!

Both sides attacked and seized cities and territories and refused to give in. The black pieces of King Chu and the white pieces of Wen Qiu each occupied half of the territory. No one could guess who would win and who would lose before the end of the game!

The King of Chu's layout was grand and majestic, with the momentum of a veteran in battle. Every step he took could lay the groundwork for the subsequent layout. His shrewd offensive and defensive precautions prevented Wen Di's white pieces from breaking through his defense line!

Although Wen Qiu was a scholar, he had a profound style of playing chess and made steady moves. He did not shrink back because of the murderous aura of the battlefield revealed on the chessboard by the King of Chu, nor did he lose his composure because of the King of Chu's tricky moves. He made moves according to his own ideas, and his seemingly ordinary layout actually had an impregnable defense, which prevented the King of Chu from breaking into his castle for a while. Not only did the white pieces occupy half of the chessboard, but they also had the momentum to swallow up the black pieces!

The two sides were evenly matched and showed no sign of giving in. They were both immersed in the fierce fight. The joy of meeting a worthy opponent brought them to a state of selflessness. The only sound in the entire side hall was the sound of chess pieces falling onto the board!

Chu Qingyang sat silently and watched the game attentively. During the game between the two sides, he learned the dominance of the King of Chu and also carefully noted down the elegance of Wen Di. A game of chess benefited him a lot!

"Oh, you are the smart one. I am convinced!" Seeing Wen Qiu's clever moves that narrowly defeated the King of Chu by a single glance, the King of Chu laughed out loud!

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