Chapter 237: How the rumor was born

After sitting here with Concubine Zhang for most of the day, it was getting late, so Xu Muhua got up and prepared to leave the palace.

Xu Muhua pretended to ask about the Seventh Princess and the Eighth Prince.

The answer she got was naturally that the mother of the Seventh Princess and the Eighth Prince had someone pass on a message. She said that she had taken care of the Seventh Princess and the Eighth Prince these days and that she was very thoughtful. She would thank her properly when she had time and opportunity in the future.

In the end, she said that the Seventh Princess and the Eighth Prince were children of the palace after all, so there was no reason for them to live in the minister's mansion outside the palace for a long time?

It meant that Xu Muhua could leave the palace by herself, and the Seventh Princess and the Eighth Prince followed suit and made a fuss!

Xu Muhua was so happy that she wanted to set off firecrackers, but her face still showed a trace of loss and regret.

Concubine Zhang sneered at the side. Xu Muhua pretended that she saw nothing, waved her hand and left the palace with her big carp!

When leaving the palace, she passed by a carriage at the palace gate, but Xu Muhua didn't pay much attention. But the other party called her.

She stopped and turned around in surprise, and then saw a familiar face!

Oh, it turned out to be our male protagonist!

She knelt down and saluted, "I meet the Fifth Prince."

Zhao Chengye actually felt a little regretful after calling Xu Muhua. In fact, the two of them had no contact in the past, and they could not be said to have any relationship. A lot of things happened on the Lantern Festival.

But thinking about the Lantern Festival, Zhao Chengye found a reason for himself, "I've always wanted to say sorry to Miss Xu, and today I finally found a chance. On the Lantern Festival..."

Before he could finish his words, Xu Muhua said, "Your Highness, don't take that day's incident to heart, it was just an accident. Besides, Your Highness did his best at the time, and I am very grateful."

Zhao Chengye paused and couldn't help but say, "You and Ah--ahem, you and Miss Pei are good friends, you don't have to be so polite to me."

Hmm?

Xu Muhua couldn't help but raise her eyebrows.

This seems to have some deep meaning!

Could it be that he and Ah Rong developed some feelings in advance?

Thinking that the current timeline and the timeline of the story in the book are getting closer and closer, Xu Muhua feels that this is not impossible.

Anyway, no matter what, the hero and heroine are going to be together. It shouldn't make much difference if it's earlier or later, right?

Zhao Chengye also noticed Xu Muhua's raised eyebrow movement, and his handsome face couldn't help but blush slightly, feeling a little embarrassed.

It feels like Miss Xu seems to have noticed something... Could it be, could it be that Miss Pei and her... revealed something?

Thinking of this, his heart couldn't help but warm up slightly.

Miss Pei... is really a perfect young lady!

"What I mean is... Miss Pei is the granddaughter that Master Pei values, and you are Miss Pei's good friend, so..."

This explanation is really quite far-fetched!

But Xu Muhua is a smart person, and she will definitely not expose him.

"Your Highness, I understand."

You really don't need to explain!

Zhao Chengye: Why do I feel that the more I explain, the less clear it is?

Zhao Chengye was embarrassed when he noticed several palace maids following behind Xu Muhua, carrying a huge box, and heard the sound of water faintly.

"This..."

"Oh, that's right, didn't the Seventh Princess and the Eighth Prince stay at the Duke of Cheng's house for a few days? The Emperor felt that I took good care of them, so he specially gave me the big fish that the palace got a few days ago. I was just about to take it back!"

Zhao Chengye knew about this big fish and had seen it before. It was indeed very big.

His cousin from his maternal grandmother's family had also entered the palace to see it, and said that it would be very interesting if such a big fish was kept in the pond in her back garden. The cousin wanted to ask for the big fish, but the Queen Mother did not agree, saying that the fish was with Concubine Zhang.

Why is it given to Xu Muhua now?

Does Concubine Zhang really have a good relationship with her?

Zhao Chengye recalled some things in the past and had a deeper guess about the relationship between Concubine Zhang and Xu Muhua. He thought that in the palace, Concubine Zhang might not be an enemy of himself and his mother, and maybe she could even be an ally.

"Do you need help?"

he asked friendly.

Xu Muhua shook her head, "Thank you, Your Highness, these palace maids will help send the fish back to the Chengguo Mansion."

Zhao Chengye nodded, did not continue the conversation, made a gesture, and the two soon parted ways in different directions.

This was just a very brief greeting, but it still reached the ears of many people, including the ears of the Empress.

Although Zhao Chengye was adopted by the Empress, he was raised by her, so there was no difference between him and her own son.

The Empress didn't take it to heart after hearing this. She still had a good impression of Xu Muhua.

But the palace maids around her had a different opinion.

"Your Majesty, the Fifth Prince is not young anymore, and it's time for him to marry a wife. The eldest daughter of the Chengguo Mansion seems to be about to reach marriage age. I heard that this Miss Xu was an abandoned baby brought back from the battlefield by Old Master Xu."

The nanny who spoke seemed to have a hint of meaning.

The queen paused and recalled Xu Muhua's behavior in the palace. She shook her head and said, "I don't think she is that kind of person."

A person with a pair of clean eyes can't be bad. People's eyes will not lie. There is no shrewdness in Xu Muhua's eyes.

"Your Majesty, don't be fooled by some people. Some people, though young, are very conceited!"

The Queen looked at her nanny in surprise. "You seem to be dissatisfied with Miss Xu. Have you ever met her?"

The nanny's face froze for a moment, and she soon smiled and said, "How could that be possible? I have been serving Your Majesty in the palace, and Miss Xu rarely enters the palace, so I have no chance to meet her. I am just speaking based on the facts."

She sighed and said, "You must be on guard against others. The Fifth Prince and Your Majesty are mother and son, sharing honor and disgrace. I just hope that Your Majesty is well."

The Queen smiled and didn't think much about it. "Don't worry, I still have some vision for people. Besides, if Chengye really likes that child, there is nothing wrong with marrying her."

The Queen only said this casually. In fact, she knew very well that no matter whether Chengye could finally sit on the throne of the Crown Prince, it was almost impossible for him to marry the daughter of the Duke of Cheng as his principal wife.

The Emperor was jealous of the Duke of Cheng and his son, so of course he would not want to see his son marry the daughter of the Duke of Cheng as his principal wife. Even if

she was a concubine, it would not be allowed. The nanny beside her opened her mouth and hesitated to speak.