Lu Ze frowned and said, "I don't agree. I won't marry Qin Yuli."
Princess Pingrou choked up and said, "Baozhu is your biological sister! Ze'er, I'm not asking you to marry her. Qin Yuli is in mourning and must observe filial piety for her mother for at least a year. It's uncertain what will happen after a year."
Duke Lu also said, "Zer, you can't bear to see your sister suffer in the darkness of prison, right? She is your blood sister."
Lu Ze said, "I have my own way to save her. Qin Yuli is clearly setting a trap, and not only is she targeting me, but the Crown Prince also has ulterior motives towards Yuning. If I really cancel the engagement with Yuning, it would be like throwing Yuning into a sea of fire."
Princess Pingrou said: "After Yuning breaks off the engagement with you, you can go to Beicheng to protect yourself. What about your sister?
Your sister is most afraid of snakes, insects, rats and ants. She can't stand the stitching on her clothes. She even has to use the finest silk for her bed. How could your sister tolerate the stone bed and hay in the prison?
I'm not asking you to really marry her, it's just a temporary solution! Ze'er, just marry Qin Yuli."
Lu Ze said, "I won't marry her."
Duke Lu said, "Marriage is a matter of great importance and is decided by parents."
"The imperial decree granting my marriage is still enshrined in the Lu family ancestral hall." Lu Ze said, bowing and saying, "I will leave first."
Princess Pingrou called out, "Ze'er!"
Lu Ze ignored Princess Pingrou's cries and went to Prince Qi's mansion nearby.
Duke Lu asked, "Does Ze'er really not care about brotherly love at all?"
Princess Pingrou cried, "My poor Baozhu."
In Prince Qi's mansion.
Qi Yuning was extremely surprised to hear that Lu Ze was coming. She was having dinner when she saw Lu Ze come in and asked, "Have you had dinner yet?"
Lu Ze said slowly: "Not yet."
Qi Yuning instructed Lichun to serve Lu Ze the food. Seeing that Lu Ze didn't touch the food, she advised, "I know you're worried about Lu Baozhu, but as she said, a full stomach gives you strength."
Lu Ze looked at Qi Yuning and said, "Qin Yuli said that her uterus was damaged and she might not be able to get pregnant in the future. She wants Baozhu to go to jail for ten years."
Qi Yuning said, "She is so cruel. In order to destroy Lu Baozhu, she would rather suffer such a serious injury herself?"
Lu Ze said, "The prince suggested that if I marry Qin Yuli, Baozhu can be spared ten years of imprisonment."
Qi Yuning paused with her chopsticks, then put them down and said, "If Qin Yuli is willing to be my concubine, I can accept it. After all, Lu Baozhu is Lingling's aunt. For Lingling's sake, I'll help her this time."
Lu Ze said, "Qin Yuli said she wanted the position of Crown Prince's Consort."
Qi Yuning asked, "What about me? Someone in your Lu family has already broken off the engagement and defied the emperor's will."
Lu Ze reached out to hold Qi Yuning's hand, but Qi Yuning shook it off.
Lu Ze continued to hold Qi Yuning's hand tightly and said, "I don't want to break off the engagement, and I won't have anything to do with Qin Yuli."
Qi Yuning looked at Lu Ze and said, "But if you don't marry Qin Yuli, Lu Baozhu will have to go to jail for ten years..."
Lu Ze said, "It won't be ten years, at most two or three years. Lingling is so attached to Baozhu, she must have had Baozhu by her side since she was born. If I cancel my engagement with you, the Crown Prince will want you as his concubine. I will never watch you go to hell."
Qi Yuning asked in surprise: "What do you mean?"
Lu Ze said, "The Lu family had two engagements, and the Queen felt sorry for your Qi family, so the Crown Prince stepped forward and said he wanted to take you as his concubine."
Qi Yuning sneered coldly and said, "So that's how it is. Qin Yuli is truly devoted to you. She's even willing to hurt herself for you..."
Lu Ze said, "You and I have the imperial decree granting the marriage. As long as you and I don't give in, the Crown Prince won't be able to openly snatch my wife away. So Baozhu will have to endure this for a while."
Qi Yuning looked at Lu Ze and said, "Lu Baozhu is your biological sister. Can you bear to see her suffer in prison?"
Lu Ze said, "There's no need to worry about food and drink in prison."
Qi Yuning asked, "What did the princess and her husband say?"
Lu Ze said calmly, "Mother's intention is to temporarily agree to marry Qin Yuli. It's just a temporary solution. Let's rescue Baozhu first."
Qi Yuning said, "A marriage isn't just a temporary solution. If you break off the engagement with me, and the Queen issues an imperial decree granting me the title of Crown Prince's concubine, I'll be burned to death. But if you don't agree to marry Qin Yuli, and Baozhu suffers, will Her Highness blame me for it?"
Lu Ze held Qi Yuning in his arms and said, "You're overthinking it. Parents are clear about what's right and wrong. Baozhu's suffering isn't because of you, but because of Qin Yuli. Don't worry, I will find a way to rescue Baozhu."
"But I'm afraid I can't go back to the Princess's Mansion tonight. Fortunately, the clothes in the palace haven't been taken away yet."
Qi Yuning said softly, "Then I will reluctantly take you in."
…
In the Qin Mansion.
Qin Yuli's wound was in great pain, but she also knew that if she had to choose between Lu Baozhu and Qi Yuning, according to Lu Ze's temper, he would definitely choose his biological sister.
Uncle Qin frowned as he watched from the side, then turned to Zhao Chong and said, "Your Highness, why didn't you discuss this with me?"
Zhao Chong said, "Uncle."
Uncle Qin frowned and said, "Now that you are only one step away from the throne, you must not make any mistakes. You are so good, but you still caused such a thing. It is really inappropriate to let Qi Yuning be your concubine. Aren't you afraid that after you ascend the throne, Qi Yuning will be pregnant and the Qi family will rebel?"
Zhao Chong said, "Uncle, you also said that I am only one step away from the throne. When I ascend the throne, I will order the Qi family to hand over their military power. As for Qi Yuning, as soon as she enters the East Palace, I will give her a drug that will make her extinct. I can still clearly distinguish between the country and the beauty."
Uncle Qin frowned and said, "Your Highness, I have something else to tell you. Please go to the study to talk."
After Zhao Chong and Uncle Qin entered the study, he asked, "Uncle, what's the matter?"
Uncle Qin said, "It turns out that the person who sold us opium was one of the Jin prince's men. I sent people to investigate, and they found spices made from opium in the Jin prince's mansion. It seems that the Jin prince must be eliminated. If he comes out to testify, we are afraid..."
Zhao Chong, however, remained calm and said, "If he dares to testify, it will be a good opportunity to put the blame for opium on Prince Jin... If Your Majesty cultivates for 49 days, your body will be ruined, and if you don't die, you'll just be breathing."
Uncle Qin laughed loudly twice, "That's right."
Zhao Chong looked at Uncle Qin laughing wildly and thought to himself that after marrying Qi Yuning, he would not be willing to use the drug to make her infertile. After he ascended the throne, he would let the Qi and Qin families fight each other.
Previously, Uncle Qin had always refused to allow him to marry Qi Yuning as the Crown Princess. Wasn't it because he was afraid that he would become a favored member of the Qi family?
At that time, he really believed Uncle Qin's words that the Qi family would be dominated by the in-laws, but now the Qin family's in-laws have long been in power.
It was just right. When the Qin and Qi families started fighting, he would not only be able to win the beauty, but also reap the benefits...
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