Chapter 104: Poor, weak, innocent

In the Duke's Mansion.

The Duke of Zhenguo lay on the armchair, eating roast chicken with his mouth full of oil.

His poor daughter, how could she find such authentic lychee roast chicken if she left the capital?

The color is golden, with a strong charcoal aroma and a faint lychee fruit flavor.

The Duke of Zhenguo smacked his lips and took a big bite of the greasy chicken leg with melancholy.

"Duke...Duke, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has arrived with His Majesty's reward!"

The old housekeeper dragged his fat body and ran over to report the news.

real? !

The Duke of Zhenguo jumped up instantly, looked left and right while holding the roast chicken, and then reluctantly threw it into the pool outside the window.

He flapped his sleeves to speed up the dissipation of the roast chicken smell, and saw the silvery figure out of the corner of his eye.

The Duke of Zhenguo grabbed the tea bowl and rinsed his mouth, then leaned back into the armchair.

Weak, pitiful, innocent.

"Oh... my mingzhu, my poor child!" The Duke of Zhenguo had already studied how to act out the pain after losing his daughter.

The Duke of Zhenguo was pounding his chest. When Gu Qingheng came in, he saw that he was in great pain.

"My lord."

The Duke of Zhenguo squeezed out two tears, as if he just realized that Gu Qingheng had arrived.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince... Your Highness, this old minister greets you." He struggled to get up, but fell back halfway.

Gu Qingheng reached out to support him: "Since the Duke is ill, there is no need to get up."

When the Duke of Zhenguo was approached closely by him, his first reaction was, "Isn't it possible that I can smell the roast chicken?"

But he secretly observed the other person's expression and thought that there shouldn't be any.

"Your Highness, I am an old minister who is no longer useful. If I had been shot like a hedgehog on the battlefield when I was young, I would have been able to get up. I have to admit that I am old."

Gu Qingheng smiled faintly after hearing this: "Who hasn't grown old one day?"

When the Duke of Zhenguo was young, he was very brave and good at fighting on the battlefield. Even if his life was hanging by a thread, he would still rush to the battlefield to command.

Gu Qingheng lowered his head and let his hair fall on his temples, and there were actually some white hairs on his head.

The Duke of Zhenguo had only one daughter, Zhao Mingzhu, and all his sons were defeated on the battlefield.

He is a loyal minister.

So he said:

"I am the Duke's son-in-law, and also his half-son. As long as the Duke lives, the Duke of Zhenguo and the Eastern Palace will remain first-class relatives."

The Duke of Zhenguo covered his lips and coughed, then nodded with satisfaction: "This is a blessing for this old minister. God is finally looking after this old immortal like me."

The Duke of Zhenguo had been suspicious that he smelled of roasted chicken. He remembered that he had important matters to attend to, so he covered his sleeves and coughed a few times, saying:

"Your Highness, Mingzhu...Alas."

He paused for a moment and said slowly, "It is because my daughter is unlucky that she cannot bear the grace of the heavenly family."

"But Your Highness is in the prime of your life. Please do not delay the important task of raising an heir and expanding your family line just for our sakes. Once the palace's obituary is released, you should also begin the process of appointing a new Crown Princess."

Only when new people come will the old ones be gradually forgotten.

Gu Qingheng listened quietly, his expression difficult to discern, and he simply said, "No rush."

But we are anxious! The Duke of Zhenguo cried out in his heart, his precious daughter is still wandering outside, so pitiful.

At this moment, Zhao Mingzhu sneezed violently several times while holding a spicy crab claw in her mouth, feeling the sea breeze...

After half an incense stick.

Gu Qingheng chatted with the Duke of Zhenguo for a while, then he got up and went to Zhao Mingzhu's boudoir. The servants passing by on the way had serious expressions. It was obvious that the disappearance of the eldest lady had made the entire Duke of Zhenguo's mansion very nervous, and they were afraid of angering their masters.

Gu Qingheng pushed the door open and walked in. The furnishings inside were still the same as before, and there were even some jewelry left on the dressing table from last time.

Zhao Mingzhu was particularly fond of pearls. Her dressing table was filled with pearl combs, small hairpins, bracelets, hairpins and hairpins.

Gu Qingheng picked it up and played with it for a while, then went to the bookshelf and pulled out a book at random.

"Pure Love Cockroach Hot"

For a moment, Gu Qingheng was in a trance and returned to that day, when Zhao Mingzhu was lively and bright.

He didn't tear the cover of the book, put it away and took out another one.

Record of Island Scenery

Turn to the first page: I must go to the sea once before I die, hehehehehe.

This was obviously her favorite book. The corners of the book were curled up due to being touched, but Gu Qingheng patiently turned the pages one by one.

This is a local chronicle, recording all kinds of sea scenery.

There are various annotations by Zhao Mingzhu after almost every chapter.

"nice."

“It looks good.”

…

“It’s beautiful, delicious and fun!”

One could almost imagine her euphoria at the time.

The last page is Spring City. Gu Qingheng remembers that the climate there is pleasant and it is like spring all year round.

Zhao Mingzhu is afraid of the heat, so it is normal for her to like it.

Gu Qingheng took the book away and ran into the Duke of Zhenguo when he went out. The other party seemed to have washed up specially.

When the Duke of Zhenguo saw Gu Qingheng's eyes fall on him, he said:

"I was not dressed properly just now. Please forgive me, Your Highness."

"When did the Duke of Zhenguo become so reserved?"

The two walked outside side by side, and Gu Qingheng said casually.

After hearing this, Zhenguo chuckled and said, "Your Highness is the king, and this old minister should treat you with respect."

The Duke of Zhenguo felt a little tired about this. Why else could he do that?

He has something to hide.

Although he fully supported Zhao Mingzhu's escape, it was only after she really went through that experience that he realized the horror of this move.

If you are not careful, your whole family will end up in the crematorium.

The Duke of Zhenguo sighed in his heart, thinking that he had become much more timid as he got older.

When he and Anda were in cahoots, what was there to be afraid of?

I am not afraid even if the sky falls.

If you have the guts, kill me with one blow!

Gu Qingheng had already reached the door. He motioned for the Duke of Zhenguo to stay.

"The Duke is ill, and my father has ordered me to tell you to rest and not worry about anything else."

The Duke of Zhenguo expressed his gratitude: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace."

After the carriage from the Eastern Palace left, the Duke of Zhenguo sighed, and the old butler beside him said:

"What is the Duke worried about? Hasn't it already been accomplished?"

"Didn't you see him go to Mingzhu's room and take away a book?"

The old housekeeper was even more confused: "It's just a book, why is the Duke sighing?"

The Duke of Zhenguo, holding his hands in his pockets, muttered, "I'm afraid Mingzhu will die when the Crown Prince feels most strongly about her."

If that's the case, it's going to be tricky.

If one day he is unlucky and his crime is exposed, how can Gu Qingheng give up so easily?

In the carriage, Gu Qingheng closed his eyes and pretended to sleep. He suddenly said:

"Does a person's appetite increase after a loss?"

Chang He outside murmured, "Some people probably do. I've heard that some people use food to transfer emotions, so they overeat."

"What is it, Your Highness?"

"Nothing." Gu Qingheng closed his eyes again.