Zhang Mansion.
Just after dinner, Madam Wang personally carried a tea tray into the study.
She carefully served Zhang Zhiyuan a bowl of mung bean soup, saying, "The weather has been hot lately, and I noticed you haven't eaten much for dinner. How about trying this mung bean soup?"
Zhang Zhiyuan was feeling unbearably hot, so he put down the ancient book in his hand.
He took the soup bowl, looked at it, and then brought it to his nose to smell it, seemingly quite interested in it.
He then praised, "Madam's cooking skills have always been excellent; this mung bean soup must be delicious!"
Wang then took the round fan in her hand and waved it for him from the side.
Seeing that Zhang Zhiyuan had just swallowed a mouthful, he anxiously asked, "How is it? How does it taste?"
As Zhang Zhiyuan savored the soup, he explained, "Hmm, this mung bean soup is indeed excellent. It's sweet and delicious, a perfect remedy for relieving summer heat. It's ideal for those suffering from irritability, dry mouth, and excessive sweating in the summer! It can also be used to prevent and treat heatstroke. I just wonder, how did you manage to make it, Madam?"
Wang said with a happy expression, "It's not difficult at all, it just takes a little effort. Wash the mung beans, peel the lilies, put them in a clay pot, add an appropriate amount of water, bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat until the mung beans split open and the lilies are tender. Then add rock sugar. It's perfect for this time of year, the Great Heat."
Zhang Zhiyuan reached out and grasped Wang's other hand, gently pulling her around the waist, causing Wang to land smoothly on one of his legs.
Zhang Zhiyuan then looked into her eyes tenderly and affectionately, and said, "My wife is intelligent and kind, and considerate to me in every way. I am so lucky to have married her in this life!"
Just as their eyes met, feelings blossomed between them, and they slowly drew closer.
Suddenly, a hurried voice came from outside the door: "Master, Madam, people from the Prince of Qin's mansion have arrived!"
The tense atmosphere was suddenly broken, and Zhang Zhiyuan quickly responded from outside, "I know, you can go now!"
Wang slowly withdrew from his lap, asking in confusion, "What are you doing here at this time, Prince Qin's residence?"
After a moment's thought, Zhang Zhiyuan said, "It must still be related to the Princess Consort of Qin. No problem, I can handle it."
The moment I stepped into the front hall...
Upon seeing that the person from the Prince of Qin's residence was Cheng Liang, Zhang Zhiyuan immediately smiled and bowed to him with exceptional courtesy, saying, "I was unaware of General Cheng's arrival tonight and did not come out to greet you. I am truly sorry!"
Cheng Liang had no desire to waste words with him and went straight to the point: "Zhang Zhiyuan, you don't need to be polite with me. I've come tonight only to ask you one question: who exactly is that person in Changning Palace?"
Seeing that Cheng Liang's tone was clearly questioning, Zhang Zhiyuan calmly sat down and replied, "General Cheng, what do you mean by that? Everyone in the palace knows that the one in Changning Palace is the Emperor's new advisor. How could General Cheng not know?"
Seeing that he remained stubborn and refused to tell the truth.
Cheng Liang stood up and gradually approached Zhang Zhiyuan, until finally he leaned down, looked into Zhang's eyes, and said in a very serious tone, "But someone clearly saw that there was a man and a woman in Changning Palace. And now, the man is dead, and the woman has left the palace, right?"
Immediately, Zhang Zhiyuan was astonished and thought to himself, "How...how did he know that!"
Just as he was pondering, Cheng Liang asked again with a sharp gaze, "You know very well who you are talking to right now. This is the last time I'll ask you, so think carefully before you answer. Is it a man and a woman in Changning Palace?"
Unexpectedly, Zhang Zhiyuan still insisted on answering him with one sentence: "The people in Changning Palace are the Emperor's new advisors."
In an instant, their eyes met.
After an unknown amount of time, Cheng Liang said, "Zhang Zhiyuan, you'd better not regret this one day!"
After saying that, he turned and left angrily.
No sooner had Cheng Liang left than Wang, who had been hiding behind him, rushed out nervously.
She grabbed Zhang Zhiyuan's arm and asked anxiously, "Husband, are you alright? Were you hurt?"
Zhang Zhiyuan was taken aback by Cheng Liang's final burst of energy, and silently repeated to himself, "One day..."
"My husband..."
"My husband..."
...
It wasn't until Madam Wang called his name several times that he came to his senses and said, "I'm fine. He can't do anything to my husband."
Thinking about all this, Wang felt a pang of guilt and said, "Husband, why don't you tell them the truth? I heard that the Prince of Qin's mansion thinks that the Princess Consort of Qin has really passed away, and even the Dowager Consort Chun has fallen ill. The mansion has already begun to make arrangements for her funeral. At this time, the Prince of Qin must be very sad."
Zhang Zhiyuan sighed and said, "Perhaps Princess Qin has her own reasons for leaving? For her to choose to leave alone even while pregnant, there must be some compelling reason... She is an extraordinary woman. Even the Second Prince of Bei Lie risked his life for her freedom. I think I should respect her decision."
At this point, Wang seemed to have nothing more to say, and the couple fell into deep thought together.
It was late at night.
Cheng Liang was dejected the whole way, never expecting that no matter how he threatened Zhang Zhiyuan, he would still refuse to tell the truth.
At this moment, with a heavy heart, he finally returned to the Chenghua Palace.
Xuanyuan Han saw it from afar, and with just a glance, he seemed to understand everything.
So he didn't say anything, and continued to bury himself in studying an old defense map spread out on the table in front of him.
Only when he hesitated and approached did Xuan Yuanhan deliberately tease him: "What, is it that Zhang Zhiyuan still hasn't changed his mind?"
Cheng Liang paused in surprise and asked, "How did Your Highness know that I went to see Zhang Zhiyuan?"
"snort……"
Xuanyuan Han chuckled, but still didn't look away, continuing to look at the picture as he said, "You've followed me for many years, how could I not know you?! Not only did you go to Zhang Zhiyuan, but the result was written all over your face."
"Is it that obvious?!" Upon hearing his master's words, Cheng Liang quickly reached up and touched his face.
Then, filled with doubt and confusion, he said, "Zhang Zhiyuan is indeed still sticking to his original statement, vehemently denying that the person in Changning Palace is a woman. But why would he lie? The palace maid from today certainly wouldn't lie!"
Xuan Yuanhan agreed, saying, "A mere palace maid would never dare to lie!"
After saying this, he finally shifted his gaze to Cheng Liang's face.
"Actually, you didn't need to make this trip at all. Zhang Zhiyuan has obviously already colluded with the Emperor, so no matter how you ask, it's useless!"
"But I'm just not willing to accept this!"
"There must be something fishy going on here!"
"What exactly is that?"
Cheng Liang persisted in his insistence.
"Alright, whatever they're hiding, we'll find out sooner or later. But for now, take a look at this!"
At this moment, Xuanyuan Han took out the sealed letter in bamboo tube that he had received and handed it to Cheng Liang, diverting his thoughts.
As Cheng Liang took it, he asked, "What is this?"
After reading the secret letter, Cheng Liangdun's eyes widened in astonishment: "This Princess Yongle is truly remarkable; she returned to the country so quickly and has already begun taking action..."
In an instant, he understood why Xuanyuan Han had picked up the defense map from his last trip to Dongning Kingdom.
"So, Your Highness is preparing to take action against Dongning? But after all, it is also the Princess Consort's motherland!"
Unwittingly, the topic of Yi Shangyun came up again. Cheng Liang realized this as soon as he finished speaking and quickly stopped talking.
As expected, Xuanyuan Han fell silent again after hearing Yi Shangyun's name.
Cheng Liang wanted to divert his attention, so he asked, "Where did Your Highness obtain this secret letter?"
Xuanyuan Han said, "It was delivered by the masked man last night."
"Damn it! This Young Master Yi is really asking for trouble, daring to intercept our intelligence. Could he already know about this news?"
Immediately, Cheng Liang became more and more worried.
However, Xuan Yuanhan calmly said, "When I received this secret letter, I checked it carefully many times. The letter has not been opened by anyone. Young Master Yi... he should not know its contents."
At this point, Cheng Liang's heart finally calmed down.
After hesitating all day, she finally couldn't help but ask, "Your Highness, you clearly had the choice to make it yourself in the palace today, so why didn't you refuse the Empress Dowager?"
The room fell silent after these words were spoken.
For a long time, no one spoke.
Just when Cheng Liang thought his question would go unanswered, Xuan Yuanhan suddenly spoke up.
As always, he spoke sparingly, saying, "To retreat in order to advance, to strike after the enemy has made their move. I do not wish to, nor can I, wait any longer!"
Several days have passed in the blink of an eye.
The exceptionally hot weather in Northwest China seemed to be baking everything on the earth.
The scorching sun beats down on your skin, causing a sharp, painful sensation.
Drought, little rain, water shortage, coupled with constant wind and sandstorms, have left the land riddled with gullies and ravines...
All of this is the unchanging characteristic of this place over thousands of years.
The bumpy ride made Yi Shangyun's pregnancy symptoms much more severe than those of the average pregnant woman.
But she knew clearly that six months, though it sounded like a long time, was actually too short; she had too many things to do.
In order to bring Tuoba Hong's ashes back to the grasslands as soon as possible so that he could be laid to rest, Yi Shangyun had to travel day and night.
Just then, beneath their feet lay a barren, desolate area, devoid of any vegetation.
The driver suddenly turned around and noticed that two mysterious men had been following their car the whole way.
The old driver immediately realized the danger: "Oh no, are we being followed?"
Upon hearing the sound, Yi Shangyun, who had been leaning against the car with her eyes closed, suddenly opened them and asked, "Who is it?"
The old driver had no idea what was going on, so he said, "I don't know!"
Yi Shangyun quickly sat up, lifted the curtain of the car window, and peered back.
Then, he turned to look at the road ahead for a while and said, "Uncle, when we get to that grove of trees ahead, stop the car!"
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