"Get up quickly." The Empress Dowager personally helped Prince Yong up and patted his shoulder, which was not covered in dust. "It's good that you're safe and sound. Come, come home with me."

She was proud; her son was more capable than those wretched men's sons, and had outshone them all. She was smug.

Only those who are parents themselves can truly understand the hearts of parents everywhere. Prince Yong now understands that the Empress Dowager worries about him just as he worries about Zhao Shu. She needs to see the person standing alive and well in front of her to feel a little at ease. Even when the person is standing alive and well in front of her, she still can't help but overthink things.

There are always worries on one's mind.

After Prince Yong stood up, Zhang Chu and Peng Rui immediately began arranging accommodations and transportation for his entourage.

The procession was too large and had too many people, so the Empress Dowager ordered Peng Rui to be in full charge of the procession's accommodations and transportation. The inspection tour of the country had only covered the south and Xiliang, and the north had not yet been visited. It was expected that they would set off after New Year's Eve.

With the Empress Dowager's arrangements in place, Zhao Shu naturally had no way to interfere. After dismounting, she followed Prince Yong and entered the palace with the Empress Dowager. She had no time to pay attention to Huo Danlan, Sun Yun, and the others.

The family of three, spanning three generations, walked slowly along the palace path. The Empress Dowager asked, "Was it all alright?" Hearing the servants' reports a thousand times was not as reassuring as hearing her own son say it from his own mouth.

Zhao Shu also listened intently, and heard Prince Yong say, "Everything went smoothly, please rest assured, Mother. I have also been to the south, Xiliang, and several border areas. The Emperor's grace shines upon all, and the barbarians have been educated. Your Majesty has done an excellent job."

Even though Prince Yong dared to say such things, the Empress Dowager smiled, a smile different from her usual one. It was a mother's smile of affection for her son, filled with love, satisfaction, joy, heartache, and undisguised pride. At the same time, she was also secretly worried that her youngest son's good reputation would make her eldest son wary. Such emotions lingered in her heart.

"Very well, then I can rest assured. When we arrive in Xiliang, will the twelfth prince bully you?" Of all the princes of Dayong, only Prince Jing has caught the Empress Dowager's eye.

Prince Yong smiled easily, “Between brothers, there’s no such thing as bullying or not. Mother, rest assured, my twelfth brother is still as kind to me as ever. He even asked me to pass on his regards to you, Mother.”

Zhao Shu keenly noticed that Prince Yong's expression was not natural when he said these words, but he concealed it very well, and the Empress Dowager did not look at his face and did not notice anything unusual.

However, the Empress Dowager clearly didn't believe it. "Greetings to me? Hmph, how many times have I told you, Prince Jing is a difficult person to deal with. Don't believe his lies. Over the years, I've tried to find fault with him and his mother at every turn, but I haven't succeeded even once." After fighting for decades, she finally became Empress Dowager, and everyone thought she had won, but she still felt she hadn't won. The punishment for those vile people wasn't enough, especially for Prince Jing and his mother. She wouldn't be able to die in peace until she saw Prince Jing and his mother fall.

Having said that, the Empress Dowager realized that Zhao Shu was still there, so she stopped talking and changed the subject. "Go and take a bath and change your clothes. I had Jin Xi make your favorite dishes. A-Jun, go too, and take your father to Hanzhang Palace." She seemed to be implying something. "I'm going to see the Crown Prince. Hearing that his nineteenth uncle has returned, he's so happy he can't stop smiling."

"Yes, granddaughter obeys." Zhao Shu listened obediently, her adorable appearance making the Empress Dowager think that her granddaughter must be bewitched.

Xiao Guozi followed along, and Chu Chun and the others barely caught up. Uncle Fu and Mo Qin followed far behind. Bi Qiao and Granny Zhuang also arrived. The group went to Hanzhang Palace in a grand procession.

Hanzhang Hall is a western hall, and it is the second largest hall in the imperial palace after Fengxin Hall. It is not far away, but it still takes about 15 minutes to walk there.

"Father, is Twelfth Uncle the murderer who harmed my elder brother, the Crown Prince?" Zhao Shu suddenly asked in a low voice.

Prince Yong was startled. He glanced around and flicked her nose, saying, "Children don't understand, so don't say it."

“It’s obvious that you just told Grandmother that Twelfth Uncle still treats you the same as before, which means you have ulterior motives. Crown Prince’s leg was crippled in Xiliang, and Twelfth Uncle must be the one who harmed Crown Prince.” She suppressed her surging anger and tried to make her tone sound calm.

Surrounded by her people and speaking softly, Zhao Shu wasn't afraid of being overheard. Suppressing the surging anger in her chest, she chatted casually with Prince Yong about the matter. Logically, she should let her father rest for a while before discussing it, but the Crown Prince would definitely come out soon. Rather than making everyone uncomfortable, it was better to lay everything out in the open and face the bloody reality so that she could remain calm or avoid showing pity and provoking the Crown Prince. Especially since her father was not as tactful as others, he needed to be careful. That was probably what her grandmother meant.

“You,” Prince Yong glanced at Chu Chun and the others, noticing that they were all following obediently behind, and said in a low voice, “Don’t make wild guesses; there’s no evidence.”

This means it's confirmed that it was Prince Jing who deposed the crown prince, but there's no evidence. Hmph, many things don't need evidence. Judging from my memories of my past life, Prince Jing was exceptionally powerful, far surpassing other princes, but he was ultimately destroyed.

As they spoke, they arrived at Hanzhang Hall, where they encountered someone unexpected yet also expected.

"Your Highness, Ah Jun." Jiang Yue stood in front of the Han Zhang Palace and bowed gracefully.

Chu Chun and the others looked at each other, exchanged glances, and then retreated to their own positions to keep watch, lest anyone come and see them. Judging from the way the prince and the princess acted, they didn't seem to like this relative very much.

In a few moments, Chu Chun and the others dispersed. Jiang Yue was also alone. At this time, she was wearing a moon-white brocade dress embroidered with a moon, and a sky-blue cloak with cloud patterns and white fox fur trim.

Holding a hand warmer in her hands, she noticed that Zhao Shu was not holding a hand warmer, so she handed it to her, saying, "Auntie, are you cold? Auntie will give you the hand warmer."

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