011

Half a month later, the carriage arrived at Sheng'an City.

Sheng'an, as the capital of the Yu Dynasty, is the most prosperous and luxurious place. As soon as you enter the city, you can hear the endless noise.

Song Jin looked at the buildings in the city curiously. Every part of them was perfect. In the distance, he saw a towering spire, the colorful light reflected by the glazed tiles was dazzling, and next to it was the imperial palace with red walls and green tiles.

This is what the world of decadence and dissipation looks like.

Cui Huaiji raised his eyelids and looked at her, taking in her surprised and curious expression, and smiled unconsciously: "Butler Zhao will take you to the mansion later. I have to go to the palace. If you need anything, just tell the butler. Everything has been arranged in advance."

Song Jin nodded vigorously, feeling deeply moved.

[Sheng'an is really prosperous. I am amazed every time I see it! ]

[I understand that the Marquis is busy with official business. I will take Qingwu out for a stroll some other day.]

Cui Huaiji lowered his eyes thoughtfully, wondering whether he should send some people to protect her.

When they arrived at the Quling Marquis's Mansion, the servant waiting at the door hurriedly stepped forward to take down the footstool and respectfully welcomed his master back.

As the steward with the longest tenure in the Marquis's mansion, Steward Zhao looked at the young lady getting out of the carriage, his face remained calm, and he welcomed her into the mansion with a smile.

"Miss Song."

Song Jin stopped and looked back. Before she could ask anything, a piece of warm, white jade was suddenly thrown into her arms. It was transparent in texture and was a piece of top-quality jade.

"With this piece of jade, no one will bump into Miss Song."

The curtains were lowered, and Cui Huaiji's face, which looked like the jade Guanyin, disappeared from sight.

Song Jin seemed to understand, but couldn't figure out why this piece of warm jade was called that. But when he pressed his fingertips on the warm jade, he felt a surge of warmth. It was indeed called warm jade.

Butler Zhao behind her saw the warm jade in her hand and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

Isn't this the warm jade that the Empress gave to the Marquis?

*

Butler Zhao took them to the East Garden. According to Cui Huaiji's instructions, the East Garden had the best lighting in the entire mansion, which showed Cui Huaiji's appreciation for her in both explicit and implicit ways.

Song Jin pretended not to understand. It was better to stay away from some things. She didn't dare to get involved in any relationship with Cui Huaiji.

Her courtyard was in the western wing of the East Garden. When she passed by the main courtyard, she vaguely heard the sound of a cat, and the jade slave in her arms suddenly became furious.

"Is this the fox slave that my wife raised?"

Butler Zhao glanced at the beetle slave and muttered in his heart that this woman must be from a wealthy family to be able to afford such a precious beetle slave.

"I didn't raise it," Song Jin said, knowing that he had misunderstood, and stroked Yunu's head to comfort it, "Your Majesty was bored living in Qingzhou, so I found this blue-eyed white cat for you."

So he is the Marquis's fox slave?

Butler Zhao couldn't hide the shock in his eyes.

As far as he knew, the Marquis would never hand over his civet slaves to others for care. Even he and Shi An were handed over to them because there were too many civet slaves in the mansion and the Marquis could not take care of them all.

Those fox slaves are very arrogant and never allow anyone to touch them or set foot on their territory.

This little beetle slave is probably going to be bullied by other beetle slaves.

Butler Zhao smiled faintly and said nothing, leading her to the side courtyard.

Passing through the moon-shaped gate, the familiar layout made the master and servant feel dazed for a moment.

Aren’t they in Sheng’an?

Every blade of grass and every tree in the side yard, even the swing under the locust tree, was exactly the same as the yard she lived in when she was in the Song Mansion.

Qing Wu was stunned: "Madam, are we still in Qingzhou?"

Butler Zhao kept his achievements and fame to himself, saying only, "It was all ordered by the Marquis. He said he was worried that the lady would not be used to living in the Marquis's mansion. The lady can go into the room and take a look. If you are not satisfied with anything, I will immediately have someone make corrections."

Song Jin had a strong premonition that the furnishings in the house would definitely shock her more than those in the yard.

This is indeed the case.

The bookshelves, desks, screens, etc. in the room were all arranged according to her concubine's style; even the bunk bed she was used to sleeping on appeared here.

The only difference is the incense burning in the house.

She was used to using incense thread, which Song Qin had specially gone to the temple to get because she had trouble sleeping.

She didn't know how to react.

Before coming, she knew from Cui Huaiji's inner voice that he would make a grand arrangement, but she didn't know he would arrange it like this, which really surprised her.

It seems that Cui Huaiji has only been to her yard a few times?

"I am very satisfied," Song Jin exhaled, "I'll trouble Butler Zhao. Please ask Butler Zhao to thank the Marquis for me."

Seeing that there was nothing else to do, Butler Zhao planned to leave: "Okay, then I won't disturb you from resting."

"Qing Wu, see Butler Zhao off."

When Yu Nu saw a familiar place, he jumped down early, wagging his tail and sniffing everywhere, as if he was getting familiar with this strange yet familiar place.

Song Jin felt a little complicated: "My Lord, you treat me too well..."

It was so good that she was a little scared. In her previous life, she had already received his kindness of collecting corpses, and now she had to rely on his care. How could she repay him?

"I will definitely save you!"

Even if it costs my life.

*

Chaowu Palace.

Cui Yuying pulled him to play chess, and the two of them exchanged moves back and forth, advancing and retreating in moderation.

Yilan brewed tea and presented it, then stood quietly beside the queen.

"I heard that you brought a young lady back from Qingzhou. I wonder what it was about that young lady that caught your eye?"

Cui Huaiji stared at the black chess piece between his fingers nonchalantly. He was very calm about what she mentioned about Song Jin. He calmly placed a piece and then said slowly: "She just brought it here by chance. She came to Sheng'an for serious business."

People had been sent to find out Song Jin's background a long time ago. Cui Yuyao knew about the engagement between her and the Seventh Prince. When the Seventh Prince came to the palace to ask His Majesty for the imperial edict, she thought about stopping him. Later, she thought that it would be too ridiculous if a merchant girl could shake the prince's position.

She suddenly frowned, held the white piece in her hand for a moment, then put it back on the board.

"Fuji, this has happened so many times, why won't you give way to me?"

He chuckled, reached out to pick up the teacup and took a sip: "I'm not His Majesty."

Cui Yuhuai glared at him angrily and asked the maid to clear the chessboard: "Here we go again. Yilan, please leave the palace and go to the Marquis' Mansion to invite Miss Song."

"yes."

Hearing this, Cui Huaiji raised his eyebrows, glanced at Yilan's leaving figure, and said, "Sister, you are well-informed. I will arrange for someone to stay here."

Cui Yuying looked at him and said, "I'm afraid everyone in Sheng'an knows this, right?"

Too.

He lowered his eyes, and suddenly became curious about how the little fox slave would survive in Sheng'an, even though he said he would help her.

"There is one more thing." Cui Yuying raised her hand to dismiss the palace maids. "The selection of the Crown Princess is imminent. Not long ago, Qingqing had a conflict with the daughter of the Minister of Revenue. You know Qingqing's personality. I always feel that something is wrong with this matter. Send someone to investigate carefully."

Yang Chaoxue?

Cui Huaiji's eyes dimmed; this was not the first time this name appeared before him.

"What did you see here, sister?"

"No, that's not the case. It was Qingqing who came back and said she didn't want that girl to be her sister-in-law. She said the prince liked that girl. I didn't have any opinion about this Miss Yang before, but now that this has happened, I have to think carefully."

Cui Huaiji raised his eyes to look at her: "Sister, Yang Chaoxue has contacts with the Seventh Prince."

“…”

Cui Yuhuai remained silent, lowered her eyes to admire the newly painted cardamom on her nails, and suddenly she smiled faintly, "Really? I didn't even know there was this layer."

"It seems that this Miss Yang has some tricks up her sleeve."

*

Song Jin was suddenly summoned by the Empress. He thought to himself that he had never had any contact with the Empress, so why did he have to meet her? Could it be because of Cui Huaiji?

She was led into the pavilion by Yilan.

Cui Yuyao observed her at first glance and found her to be a pretty young lady with lively and charming eyes and eyebrows, without the slightest trace of timidity or cowardice.

What a pity, he is the Seventh Prince’s man.

"Get up."

She lazily looked away and asked her, "Fu Ji said that it was you who wanted to come to Sheng'an?"

[Fuji? Is it the courtesy name of the Marquis? ]

Song Jin subconsciously looked over, and the other person had a calm expression, not wanting to look at her. She immediately said, "I dare not lie to your Majesty. Song Jin came to Sheng'an to cancel the engagement with the Seventh Prince."

"Oh?" Cui Yuhuai was very interested, but she was in no hurry to reveal anything. "Canceling the engagement with the royal family, have you thought about the consequences?"

[The Empress is so beautiful! Who can tell that she is already in her thirties? She looks exactly like my elder sister! Unfortunately, I am now Xu Nanheng's fiancée, and I am on the opposite side of the Empress.]

[Sister Queen, I am not Xu Nanheng's person! ]

An untimely cough suddenly broke out in the quiet atmosphere.

Cui Huaiji wiped the tea from the corner of his mouth, helplessness flashing in his eyes.

Even when meeting the Queen, he still had the mood to think about all sorts of things. How careless!

Cui Yuying looked at him in confusion: "Fu Ji, what's wrong?"

"Nothing."

[Ah-sister has always been kindhearted. As long as the little liar slave doesn't act clever, I might be able to help you break off the engagement.]

Song Jin rolled his eyes and immediately understood what he meant.

Are you asking her to surrender?

"Your Majesty," she said with tears in her eyes, her words full of sorrow, "I think very clearly that I am not destined to be with the Seventh Prince. Ever since this engagement, I have lived in fear in Qingzhou. There are too many people in Sheng'an who are not used to me being the prince's consort."

"I don't want to die, but I can't bear the title of the prince's consort. I am willing to bear any price, whether it means canceling the engagement or breaking off the engagement!"

Cui Yuhuai looked at him, and he whispered, "Before coming to Sheng'an, someone wanted to kill Miss Song in the name of the Seventh Prince."

Therefore, what she said was not false.

The Qingzhou Song family's business accounted for one-third of Sheng'an City. As the mother of the crown prince, Cui Yuying naturally did not want the Song family to marry the seventh prince.

But breaking off an engagement is not easy.

After thinking it over for a while, Cui Yuhuai came to a conclusion: "I will talk to His Majesty about this matter. Now that Miss Song has come to Sheng'an, she doesn't have to worry about her life anymore."

"It just so happened that the Seventh Prince returned to his residence yesterday. He was seriously injured. Miss Song is still his fiancée, so she should go and visit him."

Song Jin was of course extremely unwilling, but the Empress had given the order, so she had no choice but to refuse.

"yes."

[Who wants to go see him? Maybe Yang Chaoxue will be there to serve him... No, if Yang Chaoxue is there, wouldn't my fiancée be disgusting to death?]

Song Jin suddenly wanted to go. She couldn't beat Yang Chaoxue now, but she could still annoy him a little.

Cui Huaiji looked at her with seductive eyes and couldn't help but smile slightly.

Kind of cute.

After Yilan took the person away, Cui Yuying turned around to look at him. Seeing the silly smile on his face, she instantly felt disgusted.

"I was wondering why you were willing to help her. Do you think you have a crush on her? No wonder you are willing to get involved in such a troublesome matter."

Cui Huaiji did not comment.

It looks good, but not that kind of thing.

Cui Yuying looked at the joy in his eyes and the more she looked, the more she felt that this Miss Song had really captured her brother's heart, so she really had to help him.

"Well, is there a young lady you like? It's just an engagement. I can cancel it."

Cui Huaiji raised his hands and bowed: "Thank you, Your Majesty."

"It won't be too late to bring your Miss Song to thank you someday."