Looking at his silly daughter, he couldn't help but roll his eyes, tapped her forehead hard and scolded her.
"What nonsense are you talking about, you old girl? I'm not old. Besides, if I really beat you to pieces, we will have to ignore our father for several years."
Shen Nian'an and Zhou Zeyun couldn't help laughing beside them, and Nuannuan also put her arms around Zhou Beichen's neck and spoke softly.
"No, no, I know. Daddy wouldn't have the heart to hit me like that."
"Little girl, you still have some conscience. It's not in vain that I love you."
......
The next day.
The news that Zhou Beichen had lifted the house arrest on Zhou Zhaonuan and Concubine Hui, and that His Majesty the Emperor had put aside his dignity to coax the princess, instantly spread across several harems. After this incident, those in the harem and the former court who had intended to frame Shen Nian'an and her daughter temporarily gave up their thoughts and did not dare to act rashly.
Zhou Beichen was happy and relaxed.
After careful treatment, Imperial Noble Concubine Li did not miscarry her child and was raised well. Seven months later, Imperial Noble Concubine Li gave birth to a pair of princes. Zhou Beichen was very happy and immediately promoted the Li family. Prime Minister Li was extremely pleased. While he was impressed by his daughter's ability, he secretly arranged his own power in the capital, contacted officials privately, and maintained close contacts with Concubine Liang's motherland.
Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, four years have passed, and Zhou Zhaonuan and Zhou Zeyun are already ten years old.
Five years is neither long nor short. After the death of the late queen, Zhou Beichen's offspring became more and more prosperous.
Up to now, there are twelve children in the palace.
On this day, Zhou Beichen was reviewing memorials when Deshun walked in tremblingly. Without saying a word, he knelt on the ground. Zhou Beichen glanced down and felt something was wrong. He put down his brush temporarily and asked.
"What's wrong? What happened?"
Deshun couldn't help but tremble. To be honest, the news coming back from outside was not big, but not small either. It all depended on how Zhou Beichen would deal with it.
By the time Deshun had organized his words, Zhou Beichen was already furious. He banged on the table and spoke in an encouraging tone.
"You've been by my side for many years, so why is it so difficult for me to tell you something?"
Deshun kowtowed immediately and spoke hurriedly.
"I heard that Princess Chang'an passed through the disaster area on her way to her fiefdom and saw that the people there were living in dire straits. However, Governor Li, who was recommended by Prime Minister Li, only did superficial things. He withdrew a large amount of silver from the national treasury, and put more than half of it into his own pocket. In addition..."
Deshun carefully observed Zhou Beichen's expression. "The princess is so kindhearted. Seeing Governor Li adding grass roots and tree bark to the porridge he gave to the people, claiming it would make them more full, and now that he's working even harder to give the victims a better life, Your Highness was so enraged that she took the imperial sword you gave her and, with a snap, beheaded Governor Li, along with the heads of the county magistrate and prefect directly under him."
Zhou Beichen listened with no emotion on his face. After a long time, he said calmly.
"Now, what do the people say?"
Deshun's brows furrowed. This was exactly what he wanted to say. "The people were originally extremely grateful to Governor Li, but now, upon seeing that Governor Li was dead, many of them started cursing. In desperation, the princess paid out of her own pocket to re-establish the porridge tents for the refugees. Now, the refugees are grateful to the princess again."
Zhou Beichen smiled faintly, "This is all good news. He's just a governor. I can help her deal with it. As for the county magistrate and the prefect, they must be accomplices of Governor Li."
Deshun nodded vigorously, "Yes."
"That's what I told you. I was right to give the Imperial Sword to Nuannuan. However, that kid, when he gets hot-headed, doesn't think twice before doing anything. It's really infuriating."
Seeing Zhou Beichen's increasingly smug face, Deshun didn't want to talk about what happened next.
Deshun stammered and spoke very quickly.
"I heard that the princess left behind a few people to work with the local honest county magistrate and prefect to rescue refugees, and she gave up her sightseeing. She's been traveling day and night to get back, and I'm afraid she's already entered the capital. Furthermore, I heard that the princess, dressed in red, holding the Imperial Sword, led over a hundred shadow guards and stormed into the Prime Minister's residence, saying she wanted to use the Imperial Sword to execute the heartless Prime Minister Li, who was two-faced and said one thing to your face, but another behind your back."
Zhou Beichen was listening with great interest, but as he listened, anger rushed to his head and his mind went blank.
"What? This rebellious girl is trying to ruin my plans. Even if Prime Minister Li recommended her, it doesn't prove he did it. What's more, Prime Minister Li has been acting in a docile and obedient manner for so many years. If you want to kill a high-ranking official, you need evidence. Otherwise, how can you win the hearts of the people?"
Zhou Beichen stood up suddenly, and then Deshun saw him fly away with a "whoosh". Deshun only felt a wisp of breeze passing by him, and he left a few words behind.
"Go to the Pepper Room Palace and tell Concubine Hui to summon the imperial physician to the Xuanzheng Palace."
Deshun was a little confused. After thinking for a long time, he still couldn't figure out what the imperial physician was for.
Prime Minister's Mansion.
Prime Minister Li stood with his family, young and old, and looked at Zhou Zhaonuan, who was followed by a hundred shadow guards. Although Prime Minister Li was completely confused, he still knelt down.
"Your Highness and I pay our respects to Princess Chang'an. May Princess Chang'an live a thousand years, a thousand years, and a thousand thousand years!"
At the critical moment, he couldn't let anyone catch him in the act.
Zhou Zhaonuan was dressed in red, bright and flamboyant, with her hair tied up high behind her, giving her a heroic look.
The ten-year-old girl was already quite tall. At this moment, Zhou Zhaonuan dismounted from her horse and stood in front of Prime Minister Li, who was kneeling on the ground to pay his respects, with a menacing look on her face.
He smiled coldly, then drew his sword and pointed it at Prime Minister Li's neck. The imperial sword was not like an ordinary sword. The blade was sharp and could cut iron like mud. With just one touch, a dark red mark appeared on Prime Minister Li's neck.
Prime Minister Li's heart skipped a beat, his heart pounding. "Princess...Princess, may I ask what offense this minister has committed? I'm sorry to trouble you to bring out the Imperial Sword."
Du Ruolan also said tremblingly, "Yes, yes, Princess, if you want to kill someone, there must be a reason. Otherwise, if the prince breaks the law, the common people will be guilty as well."
His eyes were filled with contempt. Zhou Zhaonuan turned the tip of his sword, and Prime Minister Li's neck suddenly turned bright red.
Prime Minister Li's expression kept changing. No, absolutely not. He couldn't die. He wasn't the emperor yet.
Prime Minister Li raised his neck high and spoke unyieldingly.
"Princess, your sword is trying to take my life. Please give me a reason."
Zhou Zhaonuan sneered and was about to speak when he heard a cold rebuke from behind.
"Zhou Zhaonuan, you bastard, get back here. It would be fine if you just killed that corrupt official, Governor Li, but you actually dared to come here and cause trouble."
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