Three days have passed, and Zhao Shu has not made any moves. She spends her days playing cards with Zhou Hanyan and Xiao Guozi at the mansion. Sometimes Sun Yun will also come over, and the three women together make for a lively scene.

Affairs in the imperial court can change in an instant. In three days, Xie Yun failed to persuade the Crown Prince, who was successfully confined to the Eastern Palace.

“Four twos,” Sun Yun said.

"Ouch, I lost again. Sister Jun, you shouldn't have pressed down on my face just now." Zhou Hanyan felt sorry for her face.

Banshu brought over the brush and ink, and Sun Yun raised an eyebrow and smiled. He drew a circle on Zhou Hanyan's face with the brush, which made a pair of panda eyes.

On the other hand, Zhao Shu's face was also covered in graffiti, and of course, Sun Yun's face wasn't clean either.

The three of them had already been playing Dou Dizhu (a card game) for two hours late, yet they seemed oblivious to their worries.

After playing for another quarter of an hour, as it was getting late, Sun Yun headed home. Zhao Shu and Zhou Hanyan went to have dinner, but before the dishes were served, people from the Qiu family arrived.

It was Qiu Tong who arrived. She was older than Zhao Shu and had excellent upbringing. She looked very composed and dignified, and always had a proper smile on her face. When she saw Zhao Shu, she first presented her with a gift.

Looking at the double-sided embroidery that Qiu Tong had sent, Zhao Shuduan said, "Sister Qiu is so skillful. I could never embroider such exquisite embroidery."

"When I'm bored, I can only do some needlework to pass the time. It's just a trivial skill, nothing compared to how well you manage Sanguzhai and Chunyuan. Please don't take offense at my sudden rambling, Princess." She was preoccupied and spoke politely, somewhat absentmindedly, but she forced herself to be energetic, afraid of being impolite.

Qiu Chengshi held a significant position in the court, and he shared the same ideals as Wei Tingsi, making him a capable minister under Wei Tingsi's protection. Qiu Tong herself was also a woman of excellent character. Zhao Shu didn't beat around the bush and said, "It's getting late, sister, you must be hungry. If you don't mind, how about having a meal at my residence? You don't need to call me Princess, just call me A-Jun."

Qiu Tong nodded, and said shyly, "I'm really a little hungry, so I won't be polite, sister."

"Tell Xing'er to serve the dishes quickly," Zhao Shu said.

Xing'er was quick; having seen Qiu Tong many times, she made some more rice tofu, not worrying that it wouldn't be enough.

Unlike other mansions, Prince Yong's mansion follows the path of increasing revenue and reducing expenditure. Since Zhao Shu is the only one in the mansion, Xing'er only cooks enough food for her, ensuring that there is absolutely no waste.

"The chefs at your residence are really good. There are many dishes that I have never tried before." Qiu Tong was originally preoccupied and had eaten some snacks before coming, so she shouldn't have been able to eat too much. However, Xing'er's cooking skills were so good that she ate more than she usually could.

She dares not compare to others, but when it comes to cooking, Zhao Shu dares to say without any shame that Xing'er is second to none. This girl is too talented. She only needs to describe the food she has eaten in modern times to her, and she can figure out the recipe. She is truly a talent.

“It’s delicious, so please eat more, sister. There’s nothing else, but this meal is enough to fill you up.”

Qiu Tang patted his stomach, "I'm already full, but my mouth still wants to eat. I'm sorry to have made you laugh, Ah Jun."

"How about we go digest our food first, and then come back to eat?" Zhao Shu beckoned and instructed the maids below to serve her mouthwash.

"Okay." During the meal, Qiu Tong became less reserved.

After having dinner, the two strolled slowly around Sendai-in Temple to aid digestion.

"Such a beautiful courtyard, why doesn't Ah Jun host a tea party or poetry gathering or something, so that we can have the honor of coming here and feast our eyes?" She was amazed by the size of the Prince Yong's mansion and the exquisite decorations and architecture inside.

"I'm afraid I won't be able to get anyone to come, and then I'll be the one who's embarrassed," Zhao Shu admitted frankly, adding a self-deprecating laugh after saying that.

Qiu Tong shook her head. "I don't know about others, but my sister will definitely be the first to arrive."

"Thank you for thinking so highly of me, sister." Zhao Shu said sincerely, and she truly was grateful for her opinion.

Qiu Tong's smile faded. "If you're like this, and you're still worried that people will look down on you, what am I supposed to do in the future?"

"Here you are. You don't come here without a reason." Qiu Tong was finally getting down to business. Zhao Shu patted her hand. "Lord Qiu holds a very high position, and the Qiu family is a scholarly and illustrious family. What do you have to worry about, sister?"

"Ah Jun, you don't know, do you? My father just said that the imperial decree for our marriage will be issued tomorrow." After she finished speaking, there was an unyielding melancholy in her eyes.

Zhao Shu was startled, but quickly understood that the Empress had finally made up her mind to use her maternal relatives to protect the Crown Prince.

"Brother Crown Prince is kind and affectionate, and also very handsome. Could it be that you have someone else in your heart, sister?"

"No." She quickly shook her head. "No, I just felt that Her Majesty the Empress had handled things poorly." When she spoke of the Crown Prince, two blushes appeared on her cheeks, indicating that she was extremely satisfied with him.

Zhao Shu frowned. What had the Empress done in the time before she received the latest information?

"What's wrong with the Empress?"

Qiu Tong suddenly grabbed her arm, pleading, "Ah Jun, please help the Crown Prince."

"Of course I'll help," Zhao Shu nodded.

"The Empress actually suggested that the Empress Dowager go to the Xinhuguo Temple to pray for the country. Ah Jun, doing this will ruin the Crown Prince!" Her face was full of anxiety, and it was clear that she was genuinely concerned for the Crown Prince.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Shu's heart sank to the bottom. She never expected the Empress to be so foolish. She had thought the Empress had made progress, but alas, she was too impatient.

All those years of the Empress Dowager's protection of her were wasted, and all the Crown Prince's hard work was wasted as well.

"Did Lord Qiu say that?" She still couldn't quite believe it.

Qiu Tong nodded. "Father just came out of the palace. He said that the Emperor probably refused to grant the marriage, and the Empress had no choice but to choose between the two. She chose the Crown Prince."

This was Emperor Mingde's style; he often resorted to any means to achieve his goals.

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