Chapter 552: Ten Years
Su Tai nodded repeatedly, "Yes! If you can leave, you should leave early! The emperor is far away, and it is better to be free than to live in fear in the imperial capital. What about you? Can you leave?"
Shen Yi shook his head regretfully, "I'm afraid I can't go back. If you want to go back, I can have someone send you back."
Su Tai was very disappointed, but she still gritted her teeth and stayed, "Wherever you are, I will be there. We are husband and wife, and we will never separate no matter what."
While the couple made up their minds to "live a stable life" in the imperial capital, Liu Laosan's "old illness" began to relapse and he took the initiative to retire and return home.
When the two heard the news, they were a little panicked and went to Liu Laosan's yard immediately.
"Godfather, what's wrong with you?" Shen Yi looked at the pale-faced Liu Laosan, then glanced at the two imperial doctors who were treating him, his brows furrowed.
The doctor replied respectfully: "Sir Shen, the Marquis suffered too much in his early years. If he hadn't had a good foundation, he wouldn't have been able to hold on until now. Now the old illness has recurred with great force. You need to take care of yourself and don't worry. Only then will the pain in your body be relieved. If you continue like this, I'm afraid..."
Before the imperial physician could finish his words, Shen Yi had already guessed what he meant, and immediately knelt down in front of the imperial physician, "Please save my foster father."
The imperial physician quickly helped Shen Yi up and carefully explained some precautions before leaving.
With tears in his eyes, Shen Yi personally escorted the doctor out.
Just as Su Tai was about to speak, she saw Liu Laosan winking at her. The sadness in her heart was instantly stuck and her eyes widened.
When the time was almost right, Liu Laosan asked the housekeeper to help him get down from the ground.
The housekeeper silently brought a pot of roast chicken and served Liu Laosan to enjoy it.
When Shen Yi came back, he happened to see this scene and was so shocked that his eyes almost fell to the ground. "Foster father, the imperial physician said that your body cannot tolerate oily food, why are you still eating roast chicken!"
Liu Laosan rolled his eyes, "I'm in good health! You've put on a full show. I haven't eaten since the palace banquet. If you don't let me eat, do you want to starve me to death?"
"Putting on a show?" Shen Yi was a little confused.
Su Tai standing by was also confused.
Liu Laosan sighed and explained, "Although the emperor is grateful for my previous achievements, you also saw how the second prince rebelled against the emperor.
The palace banquet was a warning to others, to make everyone recognize the facts. I recognize them, but the third and fourth princes may not recognize them. They are easily targeted in this position. After this storm is over, if they come to win me over, how can I refuse?"
He had suffered a lot before for rejecting the second prince, and his old bones can no longer bear the pain.
Shen Yi and Su Tai looked at each other, not making any comment.
Liu Laosan continued, "The best way now is to use the Second Prince's rebellion as an excuse to say that I'm injured and my old illness has revived. It will be difficult for me to even be a rich and idle person in the future.
Tomorrow I will go to the palace and ask the emperor to allow me to return home. The emperor will surely take our past friendship into consideration and agree to my request.
I'm not in the imperial capital, so you have to rely on yourselves for everything. But it doesn't matter. Just be loyal to the emperor, do your work meticulously, and pretend to be stupid if you don't know how to curry favor. You have been doing this for a year, and I believe everyone's impression of you has been deeply rooted.
The Third and Fourth Princes will not take the initiative to win you over. Just follow the Emperor's orders in everything."
As he spoke, Liu Laosan looked at Su Tai again and advised earnestly, "I know you like doing business, so you should be more restrained in the imperial capital. If I'm not mistaken, the money you have saved can be enough for your whole family to squander for four or five generations!"
Su Tai smiled awkwardly, "Godfather, it's not that exaggerated. It will only take 50 to 60 years at most."
Liu Laosan rolled his eyes and didn't argue with her.
The three of them discussed the situation in the imperial capital, and Su Tai's uneasiness was gradually dispelled.
The next day, Liu Laosan went to the palace and sat with the emperor for half a day, then came back and started packing his luggage.
After the Ghost Festival.
Liu Laosan traveled with a small entourage, including a few old servants who had been with him for many years, and followed the caravan.
Winter comes and summer goes, and ten years pass in the blink of an eye.
A lot of things happened during these ten years. The third and fourth princes were intimidated by the emperor's ruthlessness. They used to be jumping around happily, but in the end they became so obedient that they didn't even dare to fart.
Whenever the ministers in the court petitioned the emperor to appoint a crown prince, these two would be scared. In the end, they would just follow the example of the playboys and act like a dandy, spending their days doing cockfighting and dog fighting, and hanging out in brothels and theaters.
The ministers could not stand it any longer and actually impeached the two princes.
The two of them ignored it. After all, the emperor would at most scold them and would not do anything to them.
After a long time, the court officials gave up. The Sixth Prince was disabled and no one cared about him. The Ninth Prince was still young and was not considered for the time being.
The court was under the emperor's control.
During this period, the empress dowager passed away and the court ordered that women could not marry within three years. Su Tai followed the example of other ladies of noble birth and stayed indoors to fast, thus successfully avoiding marriage for three years.
Now that the three-year national mourning period is over, families have begun to visit each other more frequently.
Su Tai got up early in the morning and received a visiting card from the Sixth Prince's concubine. She was so sleepy that she quickly asked Yu Mei to help her wash and dress.
Chen Tian stepped into Yong'an Marquis Mansion again after many years, feeling a lot of emotions in her heart. When she saw Su Tai coming from the corridor, her eyes were slightly hot. Without waiting for Su Tai to salute, she went to greet her first, "Sister-in-law, stop being so polite. Have you been doing well these years?"
It was a bit ironic to ask this, but Chen Tian had indeed not seen Su Tai for several years, especially during the three years of national mourning when no palace banquet was held on New Year's Eve, and they missed even their only chance to meet.
Su Tai dismissed the people around him, took Shen Tian's hand and asked in a low voice: "Why did you come here suddenly?"
Chen Tian sighed slightly, "My father is ill and getting worse. He has not been involved in state affairs for more than a month. It is time for Youyou to get married. I am worried that if something happens to my father at this time, his marriage will be delayed for a few more years. I can only come back to ask my sister-in-law for help to find out."
Su Tai's expression changed slightly. She didn't want to say anything at first, but seeing Chen Tian's worry, she gritted her teeth and said, "I don't think you can make the decision on Youyou's marriage. Instead of worrying about this, you should just live your life as before."
Shen Tian's pupils trembled, her heartbeat suddenly accelerated, and she subconsciously grabbed Su Tai's hand, "Sister-in-law, you mean..."
Su Tai nodded at her and said in a lower voice: "These are all what Chen Yi told me secretly. Youyou has been living in the palace for the past three years. On the surface, he is accompanying the queen, but the emperor has asked him to participate in politics. I guess he didn't dare to tell you. You just pretend that you don't know."
"Okay, I understand!" Chen Tian stood up and bowed solemnly to Su Tai.
Su Tai quickly moved away.
She asked Yu Mei to bring some snacks and personally escorted Chen Tian out. When they reached the gate, she deliberately laughed loudly and said, "Don't worry, Concubine. The child's appetite comes and goes. If the princess doesn't like taking medicine, she won't take it. These snacks were praised by the Emperor and Empress before. Maybe the child's appetite will improve after eating them. If the princess likes them, Concubine can send someone to get them."
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