Evening, at Lizheng Hall.

It's raining outside, but the lights are on inside the hall. Let's have some more wine.

Xie Zhou didn't drink; he was thinking about his father's reaction when he told him about Qinglin Mountain.

Di Chang, having drunk some wine, was in a good mood: "Your Majesty's idea is truly excellent. There are many farmers near Hualin Garden, and even without a famine, they would surely enjoy eating elm seeds in the spring. Regardless of whether this is feasible or not, at least she genuinely intends to think about it."

Although the King of Wu boasted of being a wise ruler, everyone knew the truth: he was merely powerful.

Lady Pei's attack was very ruthless.

A palace attendant came over; he had something to report.

Di Shan sat to one side drinking, thinking to himself, "The Empress is so much fun."

She simply didn't want to send gifts to the Wu royal family.

The King of Wu was so wealthy that sending him ordinary gifts would be beneath him.

How much should be given to him each year? The national treasury should give him ten percent. It would be strange if he stopped sending money.

If the Empress were to gift a tree, would the King of Wu dare to complain?

The Crown Prince's palace will save a lot of money. How much silver will it cost to raise seedlings?

Di Shan guaranteed that the saplings would grow healthy and strong, a good omen to behold. Moreover, it wasn't just one type of sapling; he could deliver them anywhere.

The eunuch whispered, "Gong Fengyi's younger brother has been found; there's a story behind it."

Xie Zhou did not remember his ceremony.

Di Shan listened attentively; it must be a significant matter.

The eunuch said, "Gong Zhi is thirteen years old this year. He looks very much like Gong Fengyi and is therefore very handsome. His stepmother sold him for two hundred taels of silver."

Di Shan thought it was a lot. Twenty or thirty taels of silver was a lot for ordinary people in the capital. Two hundred taels of silver was a lot for ordinary people.

The eunuch said, "The one who bought him is Dong Jinling, the younger sister of Empress Dong. Dong Jinling married Xue Song's third son and has been a widow in Shou'an County for many years."

Di Shan asked His Highness, "Is Xue Song still unwilling to retire?"

Xie Zhou nodded; with this matter, he should give up.

It seems that this was started by the Pei family again.

Although the Dong family or Xue Song are both very troublesome, it's good to bump into them by chance.

The eunuch whispered, "Gong Zhi is a formidable man; he escaped. Dong Jinling ordered his men to capture him, but we rescued him. Gong Zhi said that Dong Jinling bought many handsome young men to dress as beautiful women and raise them as girls. Some of them were even sent to Princess Pingyang, and she was planning to send more when she selects women this year."

The rain was quite heavy outside, and the wind whispered.

The lights inside were quite bright, reflecting a somber atmosphere.

The eunuch asked in a low voice, "Now, Your Highness, what should we do? Should we confront them directly, or wait until the concubines arrive? Gong Zhi wants to make a scene when the concubines arrive."

Xie Zhou laughed: "You really aren't afraid of death."

The eunuch said, "He hated his stepmother. Even before he entered the family, he instigated his father to sell his sister and drive his mother to her death. He also had some evidence."

Xie Zhou discussed with his uncle: "If they really have the ability, there's no need for them to die like this. Let's end this matter with Dong Jinling?"

Di Chang nodded.

The eunuch understood. Consort Gong was connected to the Crown Prince, and this matter would become complicated later.

Anyway, the Dong family can't be killed in one go, but if the emperor knew, he would be disgusted.

Xie Zhou said, "Let's talk about training assassins."

The eunuch nodded. An assassin is better than a gigolo.

Besides, calling him an assassin might not be wrong. Would Empress Dong or the Dong family have dared to do that? Wouldn't the charge of plotting regicide be enough?

The eunuch asked His Highness, "How should we speak to Consort Gong?"

Xie Zhou kindly suggested, "We'll talk about it after we're done. You can discuss it with Qing'e Palace."

As for whether Qing'e will tell Gong Fengyi, that's up to her.

The eunuchs were no longer surprised by His Highness's attitude towards the Empress. After all, the Emperor always treated the Empress exceptionally well.

Di Chang remembered something else: "Isn't the county magistrate of Shou'an County from the Qian family? Let's take him with us."

The eunuch understood: "Qian's cousin is the Empress's maternal uncle."

It's bound to be related to the Eastern Palace anyway, so mentioning the Crown Princess is nothing.

Let's see if the Dong and Pei families can recover.

The eunuch whispered, "County Magistrate Qian is quite bold; it wasn't Dong Jinling who directly intervened."

Who would directly intervene in something like this? There are plenty of people to handle it.

Once Magistrate Qian rushed forward and realized he had encountered the legitimate daughter of the Duke of Rong and the Empress's younger sister, it would be too late to back out.

Coincidentally, news also came back from Changhe County.

The eunuch had something important to tell His Highness: "Miss Chang has invited Wei Ge, the former courtesan of the Rose Garden."

Xie Zhou was furious!

He said that Chang Ziyu had learned the ways of a slut so well because she must have studied under a famous teacher.

Di Chang had doubts about His Highness, but he was speechless about the Pei family girl.

The eunuch said, "Nominally it's about perfumery, but actually it's all about various..."

Xie Zhou couldn't bring himself to say it. Chang Ziyu must be studying a special kind of incense.

She was able to talk to Prince Jing on the same wavelength; she must have learned that from the courtesan.

Perhaps Prince Jing, and many others, were mocking him behind his back? Xie Zhou's face darkened.

Di Chang advised His Highness, "Don't you know now?"

Xie Zhou didn't tell his uncle that he had already been deceived by the Chang family once. He lost too badly.

The eunuch continued to report his news: "When Miss Chang was three years old, Ma's niece, a confidante of the Li family, came to visit and took Miss Chang to the county town to raise her with great care. Later, they also hired a famous teacher. Miss Chang rarely returned to Baishi Village. The people of Baishi Village were not familiar with her, but they generally knew that the eldest daughter of the Chang family had been chosen by someone and would have a bright future."

By the way, the eunuch took out several portraits and handed them over.

Xie Zhou took it and looked at it.

Di Shan looked at the little girl's picture and said, "She looks a lot like the Empress, especially her chin."

They're chubby and look very cute.

Xie Zhou couldn't remember what happened to her afterward, but the Pei family intentionally distanced themselves from the Chang family, and this young girl didn't have a good ending.

The eunuch said, "The eldest son of the Chang family is twenty years old this year. He was engaged to a good family, but the engagement was later broken off. The second son is ten years old, and the youngest daughter is six years old."

Di Shan cursed, "Chang Ziyu is a real scoundrel!"

But Xie Zhou was not satisfied: "What else did you find?"

The eunuch whispered, "Continue the investigation."

Xie Zhou nodded.

Di Shan said, "Isn't there news about Feng Nu from the Pei family?"

Xie Zhou's eyes were extremely deep: "I don't know the source of this information."

Di Shan nodded. "Your Highness is determined to get to the bottom of this."

Perhaps a golden phoenix is ​​about to fly out of the Chang family's mountain valley, so the Pei family took their daughter to someone else's nest, hoping that she would become a golden phoenix?

Di Shan sneered: "Chang Ziyu doesn't stay at the Chang family home properly, she's not a genuine country girl."

Di Chang thought to himself, "That girl in Qing'e Palace seems to have lived in the countryside. So, in the end, it's still the village girl who gets the favor. I wonder what the Pei family will think?"

Di Shan asked His Highness, "What does Her Majesty intend to do after discussing this matter with Di Baose?"

Xie Zhou thought to himself, "I shall go and ask her."

Di Chang nodded. Qing'e Palace must have known what was going on and made it clear that the couple was of one mind.

The Pei family and Chang Ziyu are both minor matters.

Di Shan asked curiously, "Why did Your Majesty choose to speak through Di Baose?"

Xie Zhou's eyelids twitched.

Di Chang looked at him. "Women's business?"

If that's true, then Your Highness should probably pray for good fortune.

Xie Zhou was deeply distressed. He poured wine for the king!

Di Shan poured him some more, and when it was gone, he told the eunuch to bring more.

Xie Zhou drank one cup after another, and before he knew it, he was completely drunk.

His eyes were still shining, like the bright eyes of a moth looking at him.