Shang Changge: "Impressive."

Shang Xuanzhi said proudly, "Right?"

"In the first half of the year, I only earned fifty coins from telling a thousand fortunes, but during this period I also told a thousand fortunes, and I earned a full one hundred coins!"

A huge question mark appeared on Shang Changge's noble and aloof face, as if she thought she had misheard: "How many divinations?"

Shang Xuanzhi: "A thousand hexagrams!"

"I've made progress! It proves I'm quite perceptive."

When spring comes, I'll go back to the mountain to see my master and teach him a lesson that truly means "a scholar should be looked at with new eyes after three days' absence!"

Shang Changge took a sip of fine wine, not wanting to dampen the children's confidence, and glanced at Shang Rui and Shang Ye, who were being fawned over by everyone.

Looking at Shang Xuanzhi, who was endlessly praising himself, I became more curious. After the child finished praising himself, I asked him:

"Xuanzhi, why don't you go play with your third and fourth brothers? Why do you come to this desolate place of mine?"

Shang Xuanzhi was the son of Consort De, who was the daughter of the Minister of War.

The Minister of War is an upright and incorruptible man who has remained neutral in the struggle for the throne to this day.

Shang Xuanzhi sat down next to Shang Changge, picked up a jujube from the fruit platter on the table, popped it into his mouth, and whispered to her:

"To tell you the truth, my mother doesn't allow me to play with my third brother. As for my fourth brother, he has a rather strange temper, and I'm actually a little afraid of him."

Shang Changge whispered, "What's strange about it?"

Shang Xuanzhi: "Hmm..." Shang Xuanzhi couldn't find a good adjective for a moment, stroking his chin and looking around with his eyes darting back and forth.

Out of the corner of his eye, the young man caught sight of Emperor Mingde on his high throne, and he slammed his hand into his palm like a small hammer.

"Fourth Brother looks just like Father! Among all of us brothers and sisters, I think Fourth Brother is the most like Father!"

Shang Changge: "Is that so?" Her slender, fair fingers stroked the glittering gemstones on the gold-inlaid wine vessel, lost in thought.

Shang Xuanzhi: "Mmm-hmm!"

After nodding like a chick pecking at rice, the young man popped a sweet winter date into his mouth while secretly glancing at his elder sister beside him.

His mother instructed him to tell his elder sister that his maternal grandfather favored his elder brother, the Crown Prince, and he devised a way to do so.

I just don't know if my elder sister understood what I meant. She should have, right? He made it so obvious.

Shang Changge understood, of course; she also understood something else.

Shang Ye, who seems to be used as a tool and a pawn by Emperor Mingde, should not be underestimated. She will probably have to put in a lot more effort to sow discord among them.

The palace was brightly lit, and most parts of the capital city were also brightly lit.

The Ghost Market was dark and eerie, devoid of laughter and chatter, and no one made a loud noise; it was a completely different world from the outside.

Grandma Hua was busy tonight and didn't set up her stall herself. Instead, a young man dressed in black and wearing a straw hat, along with his daughter, came in her place.

My daughter doesn't like dressing up as monsters or ghosts, so today her little face was covered in medicine and made all black and dirty.

After seeing the guests off and putting the money in his purse, he tugged at the hem of the young man's black robe:

“Brother Jing, we’ve earned a lot of silver notes again. When we pack up, we’ll take some more money to Uncle Big Beard. He’ll definitely be able to help you find your sister.”

Jing Xiuming paused in his work arranging the porcelain bottle, a fleeting emotion flashing in his eyes: "No need, it's already been found."

The little girl's eyes widened, her dark, grape-like eyes filled with disbelief. After a long while, she finally reacted and repeated blankly:

"Have you found your sister?"

"Child, is this true?" It was Granny Hua who had finished her work.

Jing Xiuming: "Hmm."

Granny Hua nodded repeatedly, happy for her apprentice: "That's wonderful, that's wonderful..."

Nannan: "Brother, what does sister look like? Is she as pretty as you...?"

Compared to the excitement of the two, Jing Xiuming's reaction was very calm. He gently pressed the girl's fluffy head with his palm.

Under the bright red firelight, the sickly white skin on his hands appeared even more unusually pale: "There's nothing to say."

Looking at Granny Hua, a hint of respect appeared on her face: "Master, is the medicinal bath ready?"

Grandma Hua came to her senses and sighed, "It's all ready, go upstairs and soak in the water. This old woman and I are fine here."

Jing Xiuming did not refuse and left alone.

Nannan reached for Grandma Flower's rough but warm hand, tilted her head as she watched Jing Xiuming's departing figure, not understanding:

"Grandma, why is Brother Jing still unhappy even though he found his sister? Is it because he has to take a medicinal bath? Does taking a medicinal bath hurt a lot?"

"Grandma, who turned Brother Jing into a poisoner? How could that person be so wicked?"

Under the dim light of the ghost market, Granny Hua listened to her young apprentice's naive words, her wrinkled face filled with sorrow and regret.

It's her fault, it's her fault. She owes this child so much.

The next day, it was sunny.

Shang Changge drank a bit too much of the grape wine that was presented as tribute from the Western Regions last night, and he's a little tipsy.

It took a lot of time to change out of my palace clothes and jewelry after returning, and it was already past midnight when I finally went to bed after taking a bath.

I can't get up early in the morning, I simply can't get up.

Especially when she thought about the freezing cold outside, Shang Changge was even more reluctant to leave her warm bed and couldn't get up.

Qingyao: "Princess."

Shang Changge: ...

Qingyao: "Princess."

Shang Changge: ...

Qingyao knew that her princess had already woken up but just didn't want to pay attention to her. She also knew that disturbing someone's peaceful sleep was annoying, but there was nothing she could do.

"Princess, someone from the palace has come to summon you to the palace."

…………

Half an hour later, Shang Changge, whose resentment was stronger than that of a ghost, entered the palace to see the Empress.

Phoenix Palace.

The Empress remained as elegant and dignified as ever, and was even more radiant than before.

After drinking the beauty-enhancing soup, she frowned displeased as she looked at Shang Changge, whose face was full of resentment:

What kind of face is that?

Shang Changge was filled with resentment, and his lazy voice was devoid of energy, but his main message was sincerity: "A face that hasn't woken up yet."

The Empress looked displeased. In the past, she would have adopted a motherly demeanor and lectured people, but today she unusually did not.

He looked closely at his daughter; her appearance was unchanged, just like before. The only difference was that she had become a little smarter after the assassination attempt.

However, in the capital city, there are countless noble ladies who are more intelligent than Changge.

She really couldn't understand how Xiao Ji, who had always been cold and indifferent, could suddenly change his mind and fall in love with Chang Ge, and even be so deeply infatuated with her.

Shang Changge took a sip of tea to refresh herself and said bluntly, "Mother, why are you staring at me like that? Is my face not clean?"

Empress: ...

The Empress remarked that Shang Changge's speech was improper before getting down to business.

"Xiao Ji wants to marry you as soon as possible, and he has come to me for help."

Shang Changge: ?

Ignoring Shang Changge's reaction, the Empress continued speaking, finishing what she hadn't finished:

"I gave him an idea: to ask his father to return to the capital and use Xiao Jinian's age as an example to plead with your father for his consent."

"General Xiao once saved your father's life on the battlefield, so this matter is likely to succeed."

The reason I summoned you to the palace today is to inform you that after General Xiao returns to the capital, you must take the initiative to pay him a visit with gifts…

The Empress gave a long explanation, basically saying that the young man's brother needed the Xiao family's help and that he shouldn't put on airs with General Xiao.

"And..." The Empress glanced at Shang Changge's flat stomach and beckoned Rong Mama to bring the prepared tonics to Qingyao.

"There are several rare and nourishing medicinal herbs inside, as well as a prescription and several medicinal diet recipes."

After you get married, have someone prepare the medicine for you according to the prescription, and you should conceive soon.

Shang Changge:………

Listen to me, thank you.