Although Grand Tutor Song said those words, Song Wenyue knew that he did not want her to become the Princess Consort of Yong, as this would damage his neutral image in the Emperor's eyes.

Grand Tutor Song also summoned Song Yaozhu and immediately asked her, "How did you guess that your elder brother bought the exam questions?"

Grand Tutor Song's cloudy eyes were very sharp. Song Yaozhu knew that her sweet words would not work on him, so she calmly bowed and straightened her back to look at him.

Grand Tutor Song paused, feeling a sense of being looked down upon because he was sitting while the other was standing.

That look was the arrogance of someone in a superior position, and it actually appeared on his granddaughter!

With no one else in the room, Song Yaozhu spoke frankly: "My brother has been behaving very strangely. I just traced the source of his abnormal behavior back to figure it out."

Grand Tutor Song frowned. If what she said was true, then she was indeed intelligent and quick-witted. But why didn't she show it before she got married?

Could it be that she's hiding her true abilities?

Was everything before just a scheme to manipulate them and successfully marry into the royal family?

Grand Tutor Song was taken aback by this thought. If that were the case, then the Song family had truly lost a promising talent!

"Let's not talk about that. Just tell me, do you have any way to help your brother get through this difficult time?"

Song Yaozhu was displeased by his tone. How dare he order her around?

“Grandfather could even risk his reputation by pleading with the Emperor.”

Grand Tutor Song was furious. He only sought her out to discuss things because he didn't want to lose face!

"Song Yaozhu, you must know you are a member of the Song family! Now that the family is in trouble, we share the same fate, and you should help your family!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Song Yaozhu picked up a handkerchief and began to wipe the corners of her eyes.

"Why is my life so tragic! First, I was lost by my mother, then I was forced to marry into the royal family, and my husband is no good! Waaah, and now my elder brother is in trouble too! Waaah!"

Grand Tutor Song was annoyed by her crying and knew that she didn't want to help, so he could only ask her to leave first.

Once outside, Caijin handed her a fresh handkerchief to wipe her eyes, saying with heartache, "Your Highness is so pitiful. When are we going back to the palace? We won't have to put up with this humiliation here anymore!"

Song Yaozhu chuckled and poked her head. She hadn't even finished looking at the accounts yet, how could she go back so soon! The Song family's accounts were quite interesting!

She returned to the Lin family's courtyard, where Song Wenyue was keeping the Lin family company.

"Sister, please come and persuade Mother!" Song Wenyue's voice was full of self-reproach.

Even without looking, Song Yaozhu knew that this brat must have told Madam Lin about Song Qingyuan and Song Hanzhi. Madam Lin cried so hard she almost fainted.

Then Song Wenyue said, "Mother, you don't need to worry too much about my two elder brothers. I have already spoken with Grandfather. After I marry Prince Yong, I can ask the Imperial Concubine and the others to protect our family! At that time, I will ask Prince Yong to do me a favor and make sure that my two elder brothers' reputations are not damaged!"

That was the original purpose.

Song Yaozhu sat down calmly, her tone tinged with surprise, and said, "My sister is actually going to such lengths for the family!"

"As a member of the family, I can't just stand by and watch my two brothers suffer." As she said this, she subtly took a jab at Song Yaozhu.

Song Yaozhu didn't mind; this kind of mess was like dog shit—whoever got involved would stink. She just wanted to stay far away from it.

"Fourth sister! You truly make me ashamed! Since you have such a heart, how can I do nothing? Tomorrow I will send a letter to the palace to sound out the Imperial Concubine's opinion!"

Song Wenyue was overjoyed, but in front of Madam Lin, she dared not show her joy and pretended to cry.

The next day, Song Yaozhu went out as she had said. But she didn't go into the palace. Instead, she had her carriage parked at the palace gate, changed to another carriage midway, and went to drink tea and watch a play with Yongle Shen Qingyu.

"Is your father busy lately?" Song Yaozhu asked Yongle seemingly casually.

Yongle blinked. "I don't know. How would I know if he's busy or not?"

"......"

Well, what a waste that her father treated her so well.

Shen Qingyu understood Song Yaozhu's underlying meaning: if Prince Xuan, who was in charge of the Dali Temple, was busy recently, it meant a major case had occurred. If he wasn't busy, then the capital was peaceful.

“Princess, there is a saying: ‘The tree may wish to be still, but the wind will not cease; the child may wish to care for his parents, but they will no longer be there.’ You are not young anymore, and there will come a time for you to marry. When that time comes, the Prince and Princess will be lonely without children to dote on them.”

Yongle loved listening to Shen Qingyu speak. After hearing her say that, he suddenly felt that he hadn't cared about his father and was indeed a bit unfilial.

"Alright, I'll take good care of my father when I get back today!"

After the three of them had tea and listened to the opera, as they were about to part, Shen Qingyu looked at Song Yaozhu and said, "Please take care of yourself in the days to come, Your Highness. If I can break free from these shackles, I will obey Your Highness's every command."

Song Yaozhu waved her hand, "You're welcome. I'll be waiting for you to report to me."

Upon hearing her words, Shen Qingyu suddenly grinned, a smile so bright and captivating that it was unforgettable.

Song Yaozhu sighed, "What a beautiful girl. It's a pity Fang Wencai is blind."

She turned to get into her own carriage, but suddenly someone grabbed her from behind, covered her mouth and nose, and dragged her into another carriage!

Without hesitation, Song Yaozhu pulled out the gold hairpin from her hair and stabbed it into the lower abdomen of the person behind her. Xie Liwei was caught off guard, released his hand covering her mouth and nose, and pressed down on her wrist holding the hairpin.

"Is the princess trying to murder her husband?"

Song Yaozhu was quite frightened, and as a result, she lost her temper.

"Whose husband would sneak around like a dog to a prince? I think he's more like an adulterer!"

Xie Liwei chuckled. Because of his earlier act of dragging her onto the carriage, Song Yaozhu was sitting on his lap with her back pressed against his chest.

He laughed, and the sound seemed to travel from his chest to her back, climb up her tailbone, and finally reach her ears, making her ear canal tingle and even raising goosebumps on her back.

"What are you doing! In broad daylight, you scared me to death!" Song Yaozhu got off his lap and sat opposite him to straighten her clothes.

"Come into the city and see how carefree my good queen is."

Enjoying tea and watching a play – how leisurely!

Song Yaozhu glanced at him and said, "Are you bored?"

Of course, he couldn't just sit idly by. Although Xie Liwei straightened his attitude and said to her, "His Majesty secretly ordered the arrest of the Xie family and imprisoned them. I am now a fugitive."

Song Yaozhu suddenly looked at him, her eyes turning sharp.

"Father, cousin, clan chief, and the others have all been arrested?"

Xie Liwei nodded. "The officials going to Chenliu have already set off."

Seeing his calm tone, Song Yaozhu knew that this was something they had expected. But even if it was part of the plan, how could things not go wrong when someone deliberately handed over a handle to Yuwen Wuji?

Yuwen Wuji had long wanted to get rid of the Xie family, but he had no excuse. Now that they had handed him a handle, he was overjoyed!

"Xie Liwei, you've gone too far! How could you gamble with Father's safety!" Song Yaozhu's tone was icy, as if she were about to break ties with him.

Xie Liwei's gaze fell on Song Yaozhu, as if he could see right through her.

His tone was serious, leaving no room for Song Yaozhu to refute: "Those are my father, brothers, and clan elders. Your Highness has gone too far."