At noon, the backyard of the War King's Mansion was quiet. The sound of flapping wings was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake.
The old woman on the small couch by the door half-opened her eyelids. When she saw the white figure under the eaves, she jumped up from the couch and quickly made an excuse to send all the maids serving in the courtyard away.
Once everyone was out of the courtyard, Fang ran out, picked up the carrier pigeon, and skillfully took down the message tube.
As soon as the mailbox was opened, a gentle voice tinged with a hint of complaint rang out, "Bizhu, where are all the servants in the room? Tell them to bring another ice basin, and also, this fan can't stop!"
Bizhu hurried back to her room with the carrier pigeon in her arms, and said in a low voice, "Your Highness, a letter has arrived from the south."
"A letter from the south? Could it be that Xiao Zichen's marriage is settled?" Qu Feiqing's drowsiness vanished, her beautiful face beaming with smiles, without a trace of complaint. "This princess has been waiting and waiting for a whole month, and finally it has arrived."
“The Princess gave Steward Xiao a month’s time, and he’s timing it perfectly to deliver the good news to the Princess!” Bizhu smiled and took out the letter and presented it to the woman. After the woman took the letter, Bizhu picked up a fan from the side and fanned her to cool her off.
"If Yu Heng knew in the afterlife that the son she risked her life to give birth to would eventually marry a butcher woman who had caused the deaths of three husbands, she would be so excited that she couldn't sleep! Hahahaha..." Qu Feiqing stroked the letter, laughing so hard that she bent over backwards, her cheeks flushed.
Suddenly, she waved her wide sleeve and said, "Bizhu, prepare incense and candles later. Such good news cannot be kept to myself; I must share it with her!"
"Yes, this servant will definitely prepare more incense, candles, and paper money." Bizhu replied with a smile.
However, as the letter was unfolded, the smile on Qu Feiqing's face visibly froze, and her eyes widened in surprise. "This, how is this possible? Is Xiao Zhong joking with me?!"
Bizhu paused in her fan-holding, looked up at the letter, and only read half of it before dropping the fan to the ground in shock.
"Xiao Zichen is the current General Zhennan?! This is too absurd. Could it be that Steward Xiao has made a mistake?"
The atmosphere suddenly became oppressive and stifling; even the homing pigeons nearby obediently folded their wings, not daring to move rashly.
The beautiful woman's eyes flickered for a moment, then a fierce look appeared between her brows. "The Zhennan Camp is the Yu family's stronghold. I was worried that Xiao Jinhan would be recognized by the Yu family, but this Xiao Zhong, of all the military camps, he had to be sent to the Zhennan Camp."
He was completely unaware that the other party had long been colluding with the Yu family and had become a second-rank general. He's truly a useless piece of trash, good for nothing!
He was so angry that he kicked a large vase that was standing at his feet.
With a loud crash!
The carved and gilded vase shattered into pieces of porcelain that flew everywhere. The lotus flowers picked that morning, along with the water in the vase, spilled onto the ground, turning the clean and elegant courtyard into a mess.
Hearing the loud crash, the maids outside the courtyard all lowered their heads like quails, not daring to approach even a little bit.
Bizhu looked up and saw the broken porcelain shards at the woman's feet. She quickly kicked them aside, saying, "Your Highness, you are of noble birth. You shouldn't hurt yourself for such a lowly person!"
"Is it worth it?" Qu Feiqing's face turned ashen with anger. "Now not only does the Yu family know that Xiao Zichen is still alive, but even the Yan Prince's Mansion knows. Princess Mingzhu even traveled thousands of miles south to search for him, while I'm the only one who's been kept in the dark like a fool."
This Xiao Zhong is utterly useless!
He ruined my perfectly good game of chess. I wish I could kill him and Xiao Jinhan together..."
Squeak!
The courtyard gate suddenly opened from the outside. Qu Feiqing turned her head in silence and saw a figure in sapphire blue stroll in. She quickly composed herself and asked, "Why is my son back so early today? His cheeks are also very red. Is it because the sun is so strong outside?"
Xiao Baocong shook his head, his gaze sweeping between the two of them before landing on the mess on the ground. "What were Mother Consort and Granny Bi talking about just now? Who is Xiao Zhong, and who is Xiao Zichen? But why have I never seen any of our Zhanwang Mansion people before?"
Furthermore, what is their relationship with Qingcheng? Does Mother Consort know where Qingcheng has gone?
Qu Feiqing's smile froze for a moment, barely perceptible. "They're just a few petty scoundrels, not worth mentioning. As for Princess Mingzhu, hasn't she been staying at the Prince of Yan's residence all along? Where else could she have gone?"
Xiao Baocong frowned. "Mother, don't lie to me. I'm not deaf. I heard everything you just said clearly."
I've been to the Prince of Yan's mansion dozens of times in the past month, but I've never seen Qingcheng once. Even the maid who used to deliver messages has changed.
But I never imagined she was no longer in the Prince of Yan's residence. If Mother Consort knows where Qingcheng is, please tell your son quickly so I can go find her and bring her back as soon as possible.
Upon hearing this, Qu Feiqing's eyes suddenly lit up. Yes, her son and Princess Mingzhu were childhood sweethearts, how could an outsider compare to them?
Now, the key to breaking the deadlock is to bring Princess Mingzhu back as soon as possible.
Thinking of this, the woman waved her hand at Bizhu, "You go and guard the door now, and don't let anyone in."
"Yes." Bizhu quickly agreed, hurried out of the courtyard, and stood guard at the gate.
Upon seeing this scene, Xiao Baocong's heart skipped a beat.
Qu Feiqing looked at the boy's face, which resembled her own, and sighed softly, "Cong'er, now that things have come to this, there are some things I should let you know. Your father and Yu Heng's son, Xiao Zichen, is still alive."
"What did Mother say? Xiao Zichen is still alive?!" the boy exclaimed, his eyes filled with disbelief.
"Yes, he is still alive and has been in Qingshui County, Tangshan Prefecture. He is also the Zhennan General of the Zhennan Camp." Qu Feiqing nodded. "Didn't you just keep asking me where Princess Mingzhu went? She is currently in Shanghe Village, Qingshui County, with Xiao Zichen."
If you still wish to marry Princess Mingzhu, you must go to Qingshui County as soon as possible and bring her back.”
Each sound resonated like a drumbeat in my heart.
The blow made the boy stumble, but he immediately grasped the key point: "Mother, are you trying to deceive me? Even if Xiao Zichen is still alive, what does that have to do with Qingcheng? Wasn't my marriage to Qingcheng arranged by my father and mother when I was little?"
And why did she go to find Xiao Zichen?
Qu Feiqing's expression was somewhat unpleasant. After pondering for a while, she said, "You and Princess Mingzhu were indeed betrothed since childhood. However, there were some misunderstandings. She mistakenly believed that the person she was betrothed to was Xiao Zichen."
However, Xiao Zichen was a cunning fellow, and being from the military, he was indiscriminate in his eating and drinking, and had the air of a military ruffian.
Princess Mingzhu is so beautiful that all the men in the capital are delighted to see her. As her mother, I am truly worried that Xiao Zichen might take advantage of her beauty and do something improper to her in those remote mountain valleys…”
"He wouldn't dare!" The young man's eyes widened at the sound of the voice. "Anyone who dares to touch my woman, Xiao Baocong's woman, will have their life taken!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
