Lu Baozhu saw a pair of men's boots made of black brocade and inlaid with rubies beside the bed. She widened her eyes and said, "Qi Yuning, you really have a hidden man? You, you, you..."
Lu Baozhu was shocked. "How could you do such a fickle thing in front of Lingling?"
Lu Baozhu sighed and said, "Alas, I will help you keep it a secret from my brother. You'd better break up with the man as soon as possible. Otherwise, if my eldest brother finds out, you won't be able to be my sister-in-law anymore! You won't be able to serve me, your sister-in-law!"
Qi Yuning chuckled as she listened to Lu Baozhu's nonsense, "You really are the best sister in Dasheng."
Lu Baozhu said, "That's right. Hurry up and get Lingling up. I've prepared a bunch of exquisite pastries today. I'd like to take Lingling out for an outing."
"And what does a wild man like you look like? With my brother's looks, how can you be interested in another wild man?"
As Lu Baozhu spoke, she took advantage of Lichun's inattention and stepped forward to lift the bed curtain...
Seeing Lu Ze inside with a sullen look on his face, Lu Baozhu screamed, "Ah!"
Lu Baozhu said repeatedly: "Qi Yuning, I have something to do, so I'll leave first. I won't stay with you for long. Tell Aunt Lingling that I'll take her out to play next time!"
"stop!"
Lu Ze said sternly.
Lu Baozhu didn't dare to move another step. Lu Ze said as he put on his boots, "Lu Baozhu! Do you have any manners left for a princess? Breaking into someone else's house and calling them a "wild man"—is that the manners you should have as the daughter of a Duke's mansion? Have you forgotten the rules the Duke's mansion taught you?"
Lu Baozhu murmured softly, "You were pregnant before marriage, and you even went to someone else's girl's room before marriage. Do you have the upbringing of a Duke?"
"Lu Baozhu!"
Lu Baozhu was so frightened by Lu Ze's voice that she dared not say anything and just listened to his lecture obediently.
Lu Ze walked up to Lu Baozhu and said, "Don't trespass into the palace without permission in the future. If you trespass without reporting it, you will be beaten to death by the palace guards. You deserve it!"
Lu Baozhu whispered, "I understand."
Lu Ze angrily said, "You're so old, yet you're still calling him a wild man and covering up for him. Where's your education? Do you have any shame?"
Lu Baozhu whispered, "I don't like studying."
Lu Ze frowned and said, "I have to find you a scholar as your husband, and let your husband teach you the rules in the future!"
"No!" Lu Baozhu cried out, "I don't want to marry a scholar, and I won't allow my husband to teach me the rules when I get married!"
Lu Ze said, "Since you don't want to marry a scholar, go home and copy the Book of Rites ten times."
Lu Baozhu pouted and dared not resist, so she had to go back to the princess's mansion to copy the Book of Rites.
Seeing Lu Baozhu leaving, Qi Yuning smiled softly at Lu Ze and said, "Lu Baozhu is afraid of you."
Lu Ze said helplessly, "She's only two years younger than me, but she behaves like someone twelve years younger. She's acting like a child."
"It's a good thing for a child to be willful. After all, your family allows her to be willful."
Qi Yuning chuckled and said, "Hurry up and leave. Don't let Lin Jiang and Qin Feng wait anxiously."
After Lu Ze left, Qi Yuning asked Lichun to prepare some things for visiting the grave and went to the Qi family cemetery.
Qi Yuning had just arrived at his grandfather's grave when he saw the prince in a purple python robe there.
Just as Qi Yuning was about to leave, the prince called out to her, "Yuning."
Qi Yuning had no choice but to step forward and bow, saying, "Greetings to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."
Zhao Chong looked at the wariness in Qi Yuning's eyes and said, "Are you still being distant to me because of Prince Qi's marriage and me mistakenly entering your room after drinking?"
Qi Yuning looked up at Zhao Chong and said, "I have long forgotten about this matter."
Zhao Chong chuckled and said, "Really? You don't look like you've forgotten it long ago. I was indeed drunk that day and didn't mean to enter your room. I've regretted it all these days and feel that I have insulted your innocence..."
Qi Yuning said, "Your Highness, you are too kind."
Zhao Chong leaned over and lit the paper money, saying, "My father specifically ordered me to come here to pay my respects to Old Prince Qi. Do you still remember Old Prince Qi?"
Qi Yuning had a vague impression of his parents, but a deep impression of his grandfather. After his parents, his grandfather's hair turned white overnight. When he conquered the Northern Desert and returned to the court, he was still alive and gave Qi Yuning and Qi Yu'an many instructions.
The two siblings are where they are today thanks to their grandfather's last words.
Zhao Chong looked at Qi Yuning and said, "Yuning, Old Prince Qi is a good general of Dasheng. I have always admired him."
Qi Yuning placed the offerings in the wooden box in front of the grave, took out a handkerchief and wiped the tombstone of Prince Qi. "Grandfather is indeed admirable."
Zhao Chong said, "I've thought about it for a long time about entering your boudoir that day. It was indeed my fault. I want to make it up to you. Although the Crown Princess has been decided, the Crown Princess has not yet been decided...
Yuning, I want to make you the Crown Prince's concubine."
Qi Yuning looked at Zhao Chong in shock and said, "Your Highness, what nonsense are you talking about? I'm engaged to your nephew Lu Ze. It won't be long before I have to call you uncle!"
Zhao Chong said, "Lingling is not your child with Lu Ze. I've had people record your attendance at banquets between the ages of fourteen and fifteen. You appeared in public almost every month, so there's no way you could be pregnant. If I'm not mistaken, Lingling looks so much like your sister-in-law. Could she be your niece?"
Qi Yuning frowned and said, "Lingling is the daughter of Lu Ze and me. Your Highness, I will just assume you are drunk when you say this today. Please cherish Song Heqing. She truly loves you. Lu Ze and I have been granted an imperial decree to marry. We are not only husband and wife in name only, but also in reality!"
Zhao Chong walked up to Qi Yuning, lowered his head and smelled the faint fragrance of Qi Yuning's hair, and said, "Imperial edict?"
Zhao Chong said, "I can withdraw the imperial decree granting your marriage anytime, anywhere. Yuning, in fact, I have already kept you in my heart for two years. After learning that you and Ze'er had a child, I also thought about helping you two..."
Qi Yuning took two steps back and looked at Zhao Chong in front of him, feeling disgusted.
"But, I can't do it!"
Zhao Chong stared blankly at Qi Yuning. "When I saw Lu Ze leave the palace from the side door late at night, and when I saw Lu Ze's clothes in your room, I felt like my heart was being torn apart... I will never give you up to anyone else this time."
Zhao Chong stepped forward and was about to hold Qi Yuning's wrist.
Qi Yuning took two steps back and said, "Your Highness, please respect yourself. I, the Princess of Prince Qi's Mansion, will never stoop to being a concubine!"
Zhao Chong pursed his lips and said, "If your Qi family is willing to offer the military power of North City, I can make you the Crown Princess. In the future, the position of Empress, the mistress of the six palaces and the mother of the world, will also be yours!"
Qi Yuning sneered inwardly. This Zhao Chong was really calculating. How could he be so bold as to think that she would give up the military power of Beicheng, which was enough to keep the Qi family alive, for the position of Empress Dowager.
Qi Yuning said, "Your Highness, I only know that my husband is Lu Ze. No matter where I go, my husband will only be Lu Ze."
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