When the Duke's mansion received news of the regent's plan to bring him good fortune, other families in the capital naturally also learned of it. They were all quite surprised to learn that Shen Zhi intended to include a man on the list of those to be married off to.
People only knew that the regent was physically weak, but they had never heard that he was about to die. Naturally, all the noble ladies wanted to marry into the royal family.
Given the current situation...
Entering the Prince's mansion is tantamount to living as a widow.
Since the founding of the dynasty, Da Gan has been a royal wife, and there is no reason for her to remarry.
If the regent were to pass away one day, she would have to spend the rest of her life observing mourning for him, spending her days with only the company of the ancient Buddha and the dim lamp.
She's gone, and aside from the empty title of princess, she gained absolutely nothing.
The prominent figures in Beijing had initially remarked that Shen Zhiyi was fortunate to have divorced early and escaped the calamity of the Song family's extermination and confiscation of their property.
result……
Another dangerous place awaits her.
Fortunately, there are other alternatives, and the Shen family member may not be chosen.
Originally, Wen Qing's pregnancy brought joy to the Shen family, but the marriage proposal plunged them into gloom. Only Shen Chongde remained calm, which made Xu Yunyi frown: "Your daughter is about to be sent to a marriage proposal to bring good luck. How can you sit still about such an absurd thing?"
"So what if they can't sit still? Once an imperial edict is issued, who dares to disobey?"
"You..." Xu Yunyi snorted coldly, "Then what should we do?"
“Mother, don’t worry. Didn’t they say there are other people who also meet the criteria? His Majesty and the Empress Dowager will weigh the options and may not necessarily choose Zhiyi,” Wen Qing advised.
"Actually..." The Wen family couple were also present today. Grand Tutor Wen clicked his tongue and said, "If it weren't for his health, the Regent would be a perfect match."
Shen Zhiyi was taken aback. "Uncle Wen, are you acquainted with him?"
"More than ten years ago, when His Majesty was still the Crown Prince, I served as the Crown Prince's tutor. His Highness the Regent was young at the time and studied under me for a few years. He is excellent in every way."
"I rarely see you praising people," Shen Chongde said with a smile.
“Back then, you were at odds with him. If I had praised him, with your stubborn temper, you probably would have given me a hard time,” Grand Tutor Wen said with a smile.
Shen Chongde sighed helplessly, "He's still quite young. How can I, at my age, possibly argue with him?"
"It's a pity he's in poor health; I heard he won't live past the Mid-Autumn Festival."
"Won't he live long? Who can say for sure?" Her father's words always made Shen Zhiyi feel that he knew something.
Once His Majesty decides to arrange a marriage to ward off bad luck, no one can change his mind.
unless……
Let Shen Zhiyi remarry now.
But time is of the essence, so where can we find a suitable candidate?
The group gathered together, but couldn't reach a conclusion.
Wen Qing accompanied Shen Zhiyi back to the courtyard and comforted her for a few more minutes. Hongrui and Lühe were also anxious and blurted out, "If only Guard Xiao were here, wouldn't it be...?"
"Hongrui!" Shen Zhiyi reminded her, and she stopped talking.
Wen Qing didn't say anything. When Shen Zhiyi escorted her back to her courtyard, she took her arm and said, "Sister-in-law, don't worry about me. Just take good care of yourself. I'm hoping you'll give me a little nephew or niece."
She had a smile on her face, as if she wasn't in a hurry at all.
Wen Qing nodded in agreement, but privately she still sought out Shen Jingchuan to inquire about the situation of Guard Xiao.
"Why are you suddenly asking about him?" Shen Jingchuan asked gently, supporting his wife.
"His relationship with Zhiyi was more than just that of master and servant."
Shen Jingchuan nodded.
"Where is he?"
"Who knew it would suddenly appear and then mysteriously disappear?"
At that time, his parents returned to the capital to explain his relationship with his younger sister, which put him in a difficult position. So when he left, Shen Jingchuan breathed a sigh of relief and didn't ask any more questions.
“I think Zhiyi has a special place in his heart. If he were here, he would marry Zhiyi right now.” Wen Qing pursed her lips.
"Now everyone knows that Zhiyi is one of the candidates to marry the Regent to bring him good luck. It takes courage to marry her. Xiao Zhongxuan looks like a pale-faced scholar, so I'm afraid he doesn't have the guts."
“Xiao… Zhongxuan?” Wen Qing murmured.
This name does sound familiar.
She just couldn't remember where she had seen it before.
Two days later, when Wen's parents were about to return home, Wen Qing and Shen Jingchuan escorted them back. Her father called her to his study for a chat, which consisted of the same old stories, such as being filial to her parents-in-law and treating her younger siblings well.
“Father, I understand everything you’re saying,” Wen Qing said with a smile.
"Regarding Zhiyi's matter, I will go to the palace another day to ask His Majesty for help."
"Thank you, Father. Please take good care of Zhiyi's matter."
“I have been away from the court for many years, and His Majesty may not listen to me.” Grand Tutor Wen sighed. “A marriage to ward off bad luck? If the late Emperor and Consort Xiao knew that Your Highness’s marriage was treated so hastily, they would be heartbroken even in the afterlife.”
As he spoke, he flipped out a piece of calligraphy and painting from the side, which Wen Qing only glanced at indifferently.
It depicts magnificent rivers and mountains.
The brushstrokes are immature, yet the talent is undeniable.
"Father, what is this...?" Wen Qing asked.
“I have preserved the painting that the Regent drew when he was ten years old.”
Wen Qing was curious, so she went over to take a closer look.
After all, in the eyes of the world, this prince seemed to be only good at military campaigns, but this painting was drawn when he was young, so it was always immature and not very aesthetically pleasing. Therefore, Wen Qing glanced at it briefly and was just about to look away...
My eyes were drawn to the signature in the lower right corner.
In addition to the year and date when the painting was created, it also includes the name of the regent, Zhou Xuanze.
However, the red seal is:
【Zhong Xuan】
"Father... what is this?" Wen Qing was shocked and asked, pointing to the seal.
"The Regent's name was Xuanze, and his courtesy name was Zhongxuan."
No wonder the name sounded familiar to her.
Wen Qing was perceptive; when she thought of the Regent's birth mother's surname, Xiao, she naturally connected the dots.
Could it be...?
Just as she thought.
A figure like the Regent would go to the Duke's mansion to serve as a guard and even personally cook meals for Zhiyi? It's hard to believe.
However, the two do have similar physiques, both appearing thin and frail.
But that attendant Xiao was handsome, and although he was thin, he did not look like a frail person.
If they are the same person, then the regent's illness might be a hoax.
The deeper Wen Qing delved, the more terrifying it became, so she simply stopped thinking about it.
When she and Shen Jingchuan returned to the Duke's mansion, they learned that her mother-in-law and Shen Zhiyi had been invited to the palace by the Empress Dowager, supposedly to catch up.
——
When Shen Zhiyi and her mother entered the Empress Dowager's palace, the Empress Dowager was not there. Instead, the Empress and two imperial concubines came to pay their respects and had not yet left.
In just a few days, the Empress lost a lot of weight.
"Greetings, Your Majesty the Empress, may Your Majesty live a thousand years." When the Shen family mother and daughter bowed, the Empress was very polite and helped them up.
She pulled Shen Zhiyi to her side and apologized to her in a low voice. After all, what happened on the Qixi Festival was her son's doing. "I haven't had a chance to apologize to you since the incident. As a mother, I haven't disciplined my son properly."
"Your Majesty, you flatter me."
The Third Prince has already been punished, so Shen Zhiyi naturally won't say anything more.
"Good child." The Empress gently patted the back of her hand and said in a low voice, "You should know why I summoned you to the palace today."
"I can guess that."
In order to bring good fortune to the regent, they discussed who should be chosen.
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