Zhao Zhe's eyes were fierce, but the princess's expression was provocative.

"Your Majesty, if you dare to make your lust for Prince Rui's son public, I will completely relinquish Lingyun Prefecture." The eldest princess's expression was frantic. "We share the same blood. I merely fell in love with a hero, while you, on the other hand, have always coveted your cousin. Can you still say that I have disgraced the royal family?"

Hearing the princess's frantic words, Zhao Zhe had an urge to immediately cover her mouth. This matter absolutely could not be known to anyone, otherwise, the country would be in jeopardy!

"Your Majesty, be careful what you say!" Zhao Zhe said through gritted teeth.

"Even if Ling Yunzhou despises me, I don't care if the marriage is arranged by imperial decree," the eldest princess said stubbornly. "If he disobeys the decree, Your Majesty might as well kill him. A general who disobeys the imperial edict will cause endless trouble!"

Zhao Zhe looked at the eldest princess and felt a little heavy-hearted. The eldest princess was probably crazy!

Lingyunzhou has rendered meritorious service in supporting the emperor. Without the support of Lingyunzhou and the Prince Rui's Mansion, the throne might not have been his. And now, the eldest princess actually wants him to issue an imperial decree to grant a marriage.

"Your Majesty, allow me to think this over carefully." Ling Yunzhou is not cunning, but he is diligent in battle and a talented general! Zhao Zhe does not want to lose Ling Yunzhou.

"Your Majesty, then I await your decree!" The eldest princess turned and left triumphantly.

Zhao Zhe had already dismissed his attendants and began to ponder the matter. The Eldest Princess's infatuation with Ling Yunzhou had bordered on madness; she even dared to use this to threaten him. But if things really went as she wished, how could he guarantee she wouldn't tell Ling Yunzhou everything? She was so infatuated with him…

Ling Yunzhou and Xiao Yi were close friends. Zhao Zhe felt a surge of anger. In this world, only the dead don't reveal secrets, but that was his own sister, who shared the same parents!

If only my elder sister had forgotten everything...

"Someone, summon Imperial Physician Xuan Ke!" Zhao Zhe called out after having an idea.

Tao Wanniang waited for several days, but the Princess did not come. Instead, Shishi came looking for her!

Shishi, dressed in plain clothes, looked much more haggard than she had been for several months. She went straight to the restaurant to see Tao Wanniang.

Tao Wan Niang would not have wanted to see Shi Shi if she wasn't worried about disturbing the guests' meal. Even though she did see her, it was in the backyard.

"Speak, what do you want from me?"

Shishi knelt down with a thud, her eyes filled with tears.

"Mother, I can't find Brother Dapeng. Please tell me where he is. I truly love Brother Dapeng. Please grant us our wish!" Shishi pleaded tearfully.

"I don't know if you think people are stupid, but Da Peng already knows that you drugged Xiao Yun. What, do you still have the nerve to stay here?" Tao Wanniang said bluntly.

“My sister is gone. Even with all my mistakes, I can’t make up for them. I can only stay by Dapeng’s side and spend my whole life repaying him,” Shishi sobbed. “Mother, please tell me, where is Dapeng?”

"Have you been over there?" Tao Wanniang couldn't help but ask. She guessed that Shishi had gone over there and found no one there, which made her certain that Zhou Xiaoyun was not there.

“I don’t want to interfere in your affairs with Ling Dapeng, but since Dapeng has abandoned you, you should go back to where you came from. Why do you have to keep chasing after him?” Tao Wanniang really didn’t think Ling Dapeng had the charm to make Shishi willingly follow him without any status or identity.

Shishi remained kneeling, clutching her stomach, and choked out, "Mother, I'm carrying Dapeng's child. I can't live without him!"

Tao Wanniang raised an eyebrow. Really? This Ling Dapeng is quite fertile! But looking at his flat stomach, she couldn't say for sure if it was Shishi's self-inflicted injury.

"Shishi, you know your place, don't you? A concubine is just a concubine. You come from a humble background and can never become the principal wife. Even if Xiaoyun is gone, you can't take her place."

“I truly love Brother Dapeng. I don’t ask for any title or status. Now that I have a child, it’s even more impossible for me to leave Brother Dapeng. Even if Brother Dapeng resents me, I will try my best to earn his forgiveness.”

Even though Shishi cried so movingly, Tao Wanniang remained indifferent, watching Shishi as if she were watching a play.

“Zhou Xiaoyun and the child are not dead. Since you have already admitted to drugging her, even if you regret it now, I know, Dapeng knows, Xiaoyun herself knows, and there is also the doctor who treated her.” Tao Wanniang said calmly, “Do you think it is okay to report this to the authorities?”

Shishi was shocked and looked up at Tao Wanniang. Zhou Xiaoyun and the child were both alright.

"If you report this to the authorities, what kind of punishment do you think you will receive?"

"But, but I'm pregnant..." Shishi's momentum weakened, and she stammered.

“Dapeng doesn’t lack children, and I don’t lack grandchildren. If you really go back to Dapeng’s side, I won’t interfere with how Xiaoyun wants to deal with you or take revenge,” Tao Wanniang said. “You can think about it yourself. Don’t disturb me while I’m doing my work. Go!”

Shishi was somewhat shocked; she couldn't sense any warmth in Tao Wanniang's words. Had she given so much only to end up with nothing?

Shishi collapsed to the ground, laughing bitterly, "Don't you have any shame? You're the manager of Zhaixing Tower, and Brother Dapeng is the second young master of the General's Mansion. Aren't you afraid of being ridiculed for treating me like this?"

"Who do you think is shameless?" Tao Wanniang said sarcastically. "I don't know when you started targeting Dapeng, but if you insist on staying by Dapeng's side, then what you've done will be exposed. This child, once it's born, is the child. What do you think?"

Shishi looked up at Tao Wanniang, got up from the ground, and asked angrily, "Why? Just because I'm a courtesan? You look down on me like that?"

“It’s not that we look down on you. We’ve come from the countryside to farm. If it were before, you would have looked down on us,” Tao Wanniang replied. “Go back and think it over. Once you’ve decided what to do, come back to me.”

"What about the baby in my belly? Don't you care at all?" Shishi still tried to struggle.

"It's not mine, why should I care?" Tao Wanniang looked at Shishi with a somewhat bewildered expression. "Also, your belly doesn't look like you're pregnant. I won't say whether it's true or not, young lady, go back and think carefully about what you really want."

Shishi's face turned deathly pale. She bit her lip, and in the end, she said nothing, lowered her head, and walked away.

"Mother, how do you know she's not pregnant with Dapeng's child?" Wang Hongyu came to find Tao Wan's mother and happened to overhear the whole thing. After Shishi left, Wang Hongyu asked curiously.

“Dapeng has been in the city with Xiaoyun for over a month. If she’s pregnant, she must be almost two months along, though she might not be showing yet. But I’m just bluffing her!” Tao Wanniang said. “If she’s sensible enough, I’ll give her some compensation, after all, she’s been serving Dapeng good food and drink for so long.” Tao Wanniang said calmly, leaving it to Shishi to decide in the end!