In the back hall, the brothers and sisters sat drinking tea.

Qin Zhaoyue glanced at them; her third and fourth sisters seemed to be keeping their composure.

She had just lost her temper in the main hall, but when she turned her head, you couldn't tell at all; she appeared gentle and smiling.

This is called tactical outburst, and it actually makes a pretty good point.

"Does Sixth Sister like the cooking skills of the chef in my household?"

Qin Zhaoyue shrugged. "I'm not picky. Anything that tastes good is fine with me."

"Come often if you like it."

"You're so generous. I thought you were giving me the chef for free."

Qin Zhaowan covered her mouth and chuckled, "Now that you're all grown up, you'll be able to play with your younger siblings."

"Hmph," Xiao Jiu sneered, "That's right, three thousand taels for one round of play."

Qin Zhaowan:......

Qin Zhaoshu: ...

This was the first time they had heard about it, and they always felt... that it was something Sixth Sister would do.

Qin Zhaoyue's expression was completely calm. "So what? Did I force you to give it to me? Don't I have to spend money to keep those guards?"

Speaking of this, the Fourth Princess, Qin Zhaoshu, suddenly interjected.

"I have heard that the Empress sent a group of Azure Phoenix Guards to my sixth sister, and I heard that there is also a centurion among them?"

Because of Qin Zhaoyue's unusual behavior, her real contributions during the disaster relief efforts were suppressed.

His Majesty issued a gag order, which was limited to only a very small number of people.

Apart from Qin Zhaoqiong, little was known about the other imperial heirs, including the fifth prince who was traveling with them.

It is not unusual to bestow rewards upon the Qilin Guards; everyone has been given additional personnel when they leave the palace to establish their own residences. However, the Qingluan Guards are the palace's personal guards.

Rewarding one or two people for meritorious service is reasonable, but to reward thirteen people at once, including a centurion, is an unprecedented favor.

Qin Zhaoyue looked straight at her fourth sister who had asked the question, and the others were probably wondering about the same thing.

"If any of you were swept away by the floodwaters of the breached dam for half an hour and then survived two assassination attempts, I believe His Majesty would bestow a reward upon you."

It certainly didn't take half an hour, but that didn't stop her from lying at all.

"Survived two assassination attempts?"

Leaving aside the three minor ones, both Qin Zhaowan and Qin Zhaoshu had read the memorials regarding this disaster relief and flood control.

"Sixth Sister, I remember there was an assassination attempt in Longmen County. Is there another one?"

Qin Zhaoyue understood.

The second attempt didn't really count as an assassination; in Bailu County, the other party had only briefly encountered Liu Yan.

Seeing that the two imperial sisters didn't make any connection, it seems that His Majesty has been very strict in blocking information about Bailu County.

That's good...

"I experienced it once, and my elder sister experienced it once, so that's twice, isn't it?"

is that so?

Qin Zhaowan had some doubts, but her sixth sister's expression was extremely calm, as if she was hiding something.

At this moment, Xiao Jiu tugged at Qin Zhaoyue's sleeve, "Sixth Sister, is it dangerous?"

Qin Zhaoyue turned her head, "Zhaolong, do you know what a dam breach is?"

"I know, as the Master taught: a thousand-mile dike can be breached by an ant hole."

"Hmm, can you imagine what it would be like if the dam were to collapse right in front of you, ten feet away?"

Everyone fell silent, some imagining the scene, others already feeling sorry for Lao Liu.

"At the time, the guards were all around, but they were scattered by the first wave of the flood."

They tried desperately to grab me, but failed. I was swept away very, very far, and miraculously survived.

It's basically true, but it slightly overlooks her own abilities.

As Qin Zhaoyue calmly described the terrifying scene, Xiao Jiu silently gripped her clothes.

Seeing the worry in the eyes of this mischievous child, he couldn't help but pat her little head.

Sigh... I knew this kid was a bit clever, but he's still too naive.

Even with all that foreshadowing, did you not see that your third and fourth sisters didn't fully believe it?

"Sixth Sister..."

Xiao Qi and Xiao Ba also tensed up, looking nervous.

They may still be young and not yet deeply concerned about the struggle for the throne and the position of heir. Although their relationship is not close, their blood ties remain.

"Relax, I'm back safe and sound."

Qin Zhaoyue sat crookedly, patted Xiao Jiu's clenched fist, and then played with it in her hand.

Small as a feather, with skin as smooth as cream and delicate as if boneless, in short, it won't lose money for three years... Oh my!

"Zhaoyue," the fourth sister, who had been relatively quiet all day, asked, "Do you have any guesses about the assassin?"

Even the fourth brother doesn't know the details, it seems that the official intelligence hasn't even mentioned the existence of "warlocks".

Qin Zhaoyue shrugged. "Who knows? After all, I was just an afterthought. The real target was my elder sister."

The room fell silent at the mention of this.

Qin Zhaoqiong's experience was overwhelming. Not to mention his military achievements, he was the only imperial heir with genuine military merits.

His experience in disaster relief and flood control has added practical and political experience, which can be said to have left his younger brothers and sisters far behind, with only his second brother barely able to catch up.

The time it takes for an incense stick to burn passes in the blink of an eye, and Qin Zhaowan and Qin Zhaoshu go to meet with the talented women.

Qin Zhaoyue didn't join in the fun and stayed in the back hall.

Once the conversation started, the three little ones became very interested in the disaster relief trip and kept pestering her to tell them stories.

In the side hall, the first person to be interviewed was Zheng Huiyin.

The Duke's mansion holds immense weight, and if they can win her over first, it will set a very good example.

Zheng Huiyin curtsied respectfully, her manner impeccable.

Having kept a low profile for some time, this young lady seems to have matured a lot.

"Miss Zheng, what are your thoughts on registering for the imperial examination?"

Qin Zhaoshu was the first to speak, his face gentle and his speech slow and measured, giving off a sense of calm as he spoke in a gentle and measured tone.

"Your Highness, you are probably aware of my situation. The Duke's mansion... is not a place where I can make decisions."

"I heard that Miss Zheng has already started discussing marriage?"

Zheng Huiyin didn't show it on her face, and she was somewhat prepared, but she still subconsciously clenched her fists upon hearing this.

"So what?"

The tone of voice remained flat, but Qin Zhaoshu still caught the subtle difference; the sense of estrangement was even stronger.

"Have you ever thought that you could live a completely different life?"

If you are willing to participate in the provincial examination, although it is not guaranteed that you will pass, the possibility is very high.

Miss Zheng, are you really willing to become a tool for a political marriage?

Will she confine her abundant talent to her chambers, devoting herself to being a devoted wife and mother?

Zheng Huiyin lowered her head, making it impossible to see her expression.

After a long while, a suppressed laugh suddenly broke the silence.

When she looked up again, a self-deprecating smile played on her lips. "I'm willing..."