Seeing Baili Yao's attitude of "I'm living here, what can you do to me?", Zou Heng said nothing.

On the contrary, I felt a little secretly pleased.

When Zou Heng realized what he was thinking, he quickly left the courtyard, leaving Baili Yao alone there.

Baili Yao found a room and settled in.

——————

"Master, everything is as you predicted."

"Um"

Qin Jue looked at the courtyard, which was already covered with a layer of snow, and responded faintly.

At this time, news of Lu Hua's death also spread through the palace, along with the news that Wei Linglong, after failing to assassinate the Emperor and Princess, was given a pot of poisoned wine by Qin Jue.

Meanwhile, in the courtyard outside the palace, Zhang Shubo looked at Lu Hua, who had been dead for five days, and the emptiness in his eyes gradually increased.

"If I had gone to see you sooner, would things have turned out differently if we had escaped?"

“Little Hua’er…”

Zhang Shuhao looked up at Lu Hua's face and indeed saw no signs of decay or lividity. The thought in his mind gradually grew stronger.

Zhang Shuhao left the room and went into the study, looking for a book on the bookshelf.

He then took out a book, held it in his hand, and began to read it while standing next to the bookshelf.

The more Zhang Shuhao looked at him, the brighter his eyes became. Finally, Zhang Shuhao casually tossed the book onto the bookshelf and ran out of the study, back to the room where Lu Hua's book was kept.

"Little Hua'er, you're not dead, are you? You're not dead, so why don't you wake up and look at me?"

"I'll have the doctor examine you so you can wake up sooner."

Without hesitation, Zhang Shubo left the courtyard and headed straight to the city to find a doctor.

However, the doctors who came, after seeing Lu Hua lying on the bed and taking her pulse, all said that Lu Hua's collar was dead.

I don't know how many doctors Zhang Shubo consulted, but every single one of them said the same thing.

Finally, Zhang Shuhao kicked the doctor out and sat down next to Lu Hua, just watching her.

——————

Dingkang Marquis's Mansion

"Father, why did you make my brother and me kneel at the door of this room to burn paper money?"

The one asking the question was a ten-year-old girl, while the little boy next to her looked up at Wei Kun with a puzzled expression.

"This is your mother's room. Your mother was murdered."

"ah?"

The little girl looked up at Wei Kun, not quite understanding, while the little boy asked Wei Kun a question.

"Father, what killed Mother?"

Qin Jue

Hearing this, the little boy asked again, "Isn't Qin Jue His Majesty?"

Yes, that's him.

"Remember this, he is the man who killed your mother."

Two ten-year-old children knelt before the brazier, their eyes resolute as they said, "Yes, we will remember this! Avenge our mother! Avenge our mother! Avenge our mother!"

Seeing the two children like this, Wei Kun nodded in relief and then helped them to their feet.

"From now on, I will personally teach you as your father."

The two children exchanged a glance, kowtowed to Wei Kun, straightened their knees, and spoke in a firm and resounding voice.

"Yes, Father!"

Wei Kun then left with two other people, while the fire in the brazier on the ground was still burning with paper money (money given to the dead).

——————

"Sister Chunhe, where did Father go?"

Qin Ruoxi sat on the bed after getting dressed, tilting her head back to look at Chunhe.

"His Majesty has gone to Tinglan Palace. Today is the burial of Consort Hua, and His Majesty must go there."

Okay.

Qin Ruoxi said softly

"Sister Chunhe, I want to leave the palace."

"What is the princess doing outside the palace?"

Chunhe combed Qin Ruoxi's hair and asked...

"I want to buy something for my third brother, Qi Sinan, and Bailizhou."

"This servant will go and inform the Third Eunuch."

Qin Ruoxi nodded in agreement. After Chunhe finished combing Qin Ruoxi's hair, she went to find Sanhezi.

Just as Qin Ruoxi was about to leave the palace, she ran into Qin Jingke, who happened to be passing by.

"Keke, what brings you here?"

"I've brought some good food for my sister."

Qin Jingke picked up the food box in his hand and showed it to Qin Ruoxi. Upon seeing it, Qin Ruoxi immediately jumped off the stool.

"Keke, let's go have breakfast."

Okay~

Qin Jingke looked at Qin Ruoxi, who was only with him, and couldn't be happier.

During the meal, Qin Jingke kept putting food on Qin Ruoxi's plate.

Qin Jingke only put down his chopsticks, which were serving food to Qin Ruoxi, when she was so full she could eat no more and touched her round belly.

The two left the palace together.

"Sister, please take the hand warmer."

"Mmm, thank you, Keke."

Qin Ruoxi took the hand warmer from Qin Jingke and hugged it to her arms.

"Keke, quickly take this hot water bottle (a bag made of special fabric filled with charcoal)."

Okay~

The two people sat in the car and looked outside.

"Keke, the streets are covered in snow now."

"Yes," Qin Jingke nodded in agreement with Qin Ruoxi, resting his head on his hand.

"It's so cold!"

As Qin Ruoxi spoke, she lowered the curtain of the carriage window next to her and closed the carriage window.

When Qin Jingke heard Qin Ruoxi say she was cold, he also lowered the curtain.

Just as he was about to close the window, a gust of wind blew, lifting the curtain by a corner, and Qin Jingke saw a familiar figure.

He immediately lifted the carriage curtain, stuck his head out, and looked outside.

Upon recognizing the figure, Qin Jingke's eyes widened, and he immediately ordered the carriage to stop.

"Commander Zou, stop the carriage."

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!