Chapter 118 I Had a Dream (Two Chapters in One)
After much thought, Zhao Shiqing decided to tell her sister about Zhu Yu.
Of course, she would not tell Zhao Yunnuan that this was told to Xiao Zhen by an old man with a white beard. If she said that, her sister would definitely doubt Xiao Zhen's character.
How dare Xiao Zhen, in broad daylight, lie to deceive a good girl? What is his intention?
When Zhao Shiqing thought of this, he couldn't help but burst out laughing.
My sister wouldn't believe it, but she did.
It's not because she is gullible, but because she believes there must be miracles in this world.
For example, Xiao Zhen dreamed that Zhong Ziyang wanted to kill him. In fact, Zhong Ziyang was not a good person and deserved to die.
For example, apart from her relatives who knew that she could speak animal language, who would believe that she was rescued from the corpse pit by wild dogs?
Therefore, when Xiao Zhen hesitantly told Zhao Shiqing about the Zhu Yu incident that day, she believed it from the beginning, and she even helped Xiao Zhen find excuses, such as the old man with white beard.
But if she told the truth, Zhao Shiqing didn't have the confidence to make Zhao Yunnuan believe her, so she decided to try a different approach.
"Sister, it's Zhu Yu. He has the support of Concubine Li. Now that my second brother is under house arrest, Zhu Yu can't see anyone and can't bully my second brother for the time being. But that doesn't mean he won't do it in the future."
"The Crown Prince is now in a weak position. The Third Prince has Imperial Concubine Qiao inside and his father-in-law Feng Ke outside. The power behind the Crown Prince cannot be underestimated. Now we know that there is Deng Qian. If we can find Deng Qian through Cui Rong, then the Third Prince's faction will find him sooner or later."
"Once that happens, do you think Concubine Qiao will join forces with Concubine Li?"
Zhao Yunnuan thought about it and nodded: "That's possible."
Zhao Shiqing continued, "Speaking of Imperial Concubine Qiao, we have to mention the old princess in our palace. The old princess has been exchanging letters with Imperial Concubine Qiao for more than a day or two. Now that she is trapped in Suining Palace, she must be feeling uncomfortable. How to solve this predicament depends on two people: one is my second brother, and the other is you, my sister."
"What can we do if we let Second Brother return to Liangdi?"
Zhao Yunnuan frowned slightly and said without hesitation, "Of course, we should exchange a hostage. But even if my eldest brother gets married after the new year and gives birth to a prince next year, it will take at least five years before we can send the prince to the capital. Mother, you wouldn't want to wait even five years, right?"
"Yes, there are ready-made people, why should we wait? We can get twice the result with half the effort, why should we wait?" Zhao Shiqing said.
Zhao Yunnuan stared at her blankly, as if he wanted to see something in her eyes.
Suddenly, the corners of her mouth moved, and she put on a bitter smile: "She wouldn't want to marry me to the capital, would she? Yes, only in this way can she achieve twice the result with half the effort. There will be one less thorn in the eyes of the palace. She doesn't know Sister Meng's temper, and maybe she wants to harass her daughter-in-law again and show off her power as a mother-in-law in front of Sister Meng.
With Concubine Qiao whispering in the emperor's ear, the emperor granted me a marriage, so I had to marry him.
My brother and I have a deep brotherly bond. He will not abandon me. Using me as a hostage will still allow me to contain him. The day I am married off to the capital will be the day Axuan returns to Liang."
Having said this, the two sisters felt a chill in their hearts at the same time.
The one in Suining Palace was capable of exchanging a disliked daughter for a beloved son.
Zhao Yunnuan thought about what Zhao Shiqing had just said and asked, "Do you suspect that Concubine Qiao will ask the Emperor to arrange a marriage between me and Zhu Yu?"
Zhao Shiqing said, "Zhu Yu is the nephew of Concubine Li. Concubine Li dotes on him. Even if Zhu Yu is guilty of many evil deeds, Concubine Li can protect him and keep him away from harm. With the Zhu family's status, marrying the Princess of Liang is a good match. By arranging a marriage for you, we can not only contain the Liang Palace, but also make you hand over your personal guards, thus trapping you in the narrow world of the harem. Sister, you can fight in the battlefield and be as brave as a man, but in the harem, you have to deal with your mother-in-law, sisters-in-law, Zhu Yu's women, and even Concubine Li, your aunt. Sister, can you handle the secrets of the harem with ease?"
The room was silent, so quiet that they could hear each other breathing.
After an unknown amount of time, Zhao Yunnuan slowly shook his head: "I'm afraid I can't handle those things in the backyard."
She smiled and continued, "I can deal with Nie Qionghua not because I am more resourceful than her, but because of power. In the palace, I have more power than her. I can command the support of hundreds, even if I have to arrest someone in Suining Palace. But I can't do it in other places."
Zhao Yunnuan plucked a plum blossom from the vase. The smile on his face faded, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes. "Besides, I know a thing or two about Zhu Yu and his deeds."
Yes, Zhao Yunnuan knew Zhu Yu and her reputation in the capital, but she also knew that once the emperor granted the marriage, no matter how unbearable Zhu Yu was and no matter how unwilling she was, she would have no choice but to accept it for the sake of Liangdi, the Liang Palace, and her brothers and sisters. Even if there was a bottomless abyss ahead, she would have no choice but to jump in.
This is her duty as the eldest princess of Liangdi. She has enjoyed the glory brought to her by her status since she was born, so she has the responsibility to sacrifice her marriage and even her life for Liangdi and the Liang Palace!
The plum blossom was crushed in Zhao Yunnuan's hand. She let go of her hand and the broken petals fell from her palm.
Zhao Shiqing remembered what Xiao Zhen had said. According to that "old man with white beard", her sister died at the hands of the women in the back house.
Zhao Shiqing didn't know what kind of plan could catch her smart and capable sister off guard, but she believed that it could be done.
My father is wise and Nie is stupid. Can't Nie also use a knife to kill someone under my father's nose?
The Prince of Liang's mansion was impenetrable, and my father was surrounded by many experts, yet didn't he die at the hands of three maids and old women?
Therefore, she wanted to resolve the foreseeable danger in advance like Xiao Zhen did. Xiao Zhen could kill Zhong Ziyang in advance, and she could also kill Zhu Yu in advance. No, she wanted to make sure that the Baoqing Marquisate that killed her sister would never bar its fangs again!
"Sister, there's one thing I haven't told you. After the New Year, I'll go to the capital with grandpa."
Sisters are connected by heart. Zhao Shiqing only said that she was going to the capital, and Zhao Yunnuan knew what she was going to do.
"Little sister, this matter has nothing to do with you. I will handle it myself."
Zhao Shiqing: "Sister, how are you going to solve this? For the past three years, you, like my elder brother, have been unable to travel far. Perhaps once the three-year mourning period is over, the imperial decree for the arranged marriage will arrive. By then, will you go and solve this problem yourself?
Or do you want to marry Zhu Yu and then kill him?
Sister, as long as the imperial decree for the marriage is issued, even if Zhu Yu dies, the Emperor or Concubine Li will have sufficient reason to ask you to come to the capital and remain a widow for Zhu Yu. What's more, we have an old princess in our mansion, and she will definitely support this matter with both hands and feet.
So, sister, we must get rid of this marriage before the mourning period ends."
Zhao Yunnuan's eyes were filled with surprise. "Little sister, have you heard any news that confirms that the emperor has made this decision?"
All of this was just speculation among the sisters, but the younger sister seemed to have already confirmed it.
Zhao Shiqing secretly stuck out her tongue. She could never change her bad habit of slipping her tongue. She kept letting it slip while she was talking. Look, now her sister is getting suspicious. What a stinky mouth!
Forget it, tribute to Xiao Zhen, she is just dreaming.
"Sister, I have a secret. I will only tell you. Don't tell anyone else, not even my eldest brother."
Zhao Yunnuan: "Okay, I won't tell you."
Zhao Shiqing looked around seriously. As soon as the sisters were about to have a private conversation, all the maids left, even Lingbo left. In this room, apart from the sisters, Xiao Yao was the only living thing.
At this time, Xiao Yao was concentrating on dealing with the tassels on the chair cover.
Zhao Shiqing exaggeratedly put on a relieved expression and lowered her voice, saying, "Sister, I had a dream. In the dream, my eldest brother didn't make it back to Liang alive. You were betrothed to Zhu Yu and died in the harem. My second brother inherited the throne, but not long after, he fell to his death from taking Five Stones Powder. The Liang Wang lineage had no heir, and the emperor revoked the imperial decree. From then on, there was no Liang Wang Mansion."
With a clang, Zhao Yunnuan kicked over the chair and stood up: "Big brother and Axuan are both dead? I'm dead too? What about you, are you also..."
This time it was Zhao Shiqing's turn to be stunned. Yes, where was she? Where did she go?
Oops, she forgot to ask Xiao Zhen!
No, her life was saved by the dog, but Xiao Zhen should be credited with the primary credit for letting her come to Liangdi.
Xiao Zhen only knew Zhong Ziyang was going to kill him because of a dream. He met her on his way to find Zhong Ziyang. So, in the dream, Xiao Zhen probably didn't know about Zhong Ziyang when he was eight years old. He didn't go to Baifeng City, so he wouldn't have handed her over to the black-hearted doctor...
In other words, she might not have come to Liangdi at all, and was taken back to the palace by her father!
Meeting her sister's worried gaze, Zhao Shiqing hurriedly said, "In my dream, I was in Wu. I didn't come to Prince Liang's Mansion in my dream."
Zhao Yunnuan breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, her younger sister was not implicated. Among the four siblings, one finally survived.
"What about the others? Who inherited the throne in the dream, the Crown Prince or the Third Prince?"
Zhao Shiqing: How would I know? Xiao Zhen didn’t say.
So, one lie must be made up for with countless lies.
The ancients did not deceive me.
As to whether this sentence was said by ancient people, Zhao Shiqing doesn't care.
She shook her head: "I woke up before the emperor died."
Zhao Yunnuan: "He's lucky to have lived this long."
Zhao Shiqing......
But it was obvious that her sister believed her.
Influenced by two generations of kings of Dayong, everyone from the royal family and nobles to the common people said they did not believe in the supernatural, but they did not rule out the idea of becoming an immortal. Whether dreams or stories about white-bearded immortals were true or false depended entirely on who told them.
For example, if Nie Qionghua had told the same dream, Zhao Shiqing would have thought she was talking nonsense and cursing Prince Liang's Mansion, but if it was Zhao Shiqing who told it, Zhao Yunnuan would believe it unconditionally.
Zhao Shiqing felt relieved. She said to Zhao Yunnuan, "Sister, I just wanted to go to the capital to have a look. What if I could find something good?"
Zhao Yunnuan: "Picking up a bargain? What bargain?"
Zhao Shiqing: "Zhu Yu was left alone and accidentally fell into a cesspool and drowned. Isn't this just picking up a bargain?"
Zhao Yunnuan: "Then I don't want you to go to the capital. This is too risky."
Zhao Shiqing leaned against her like a boneless person, rubbing his furry head against her neck, breathing weakly: "Sister, then send me some experts~"
The ending tone was long, and Zhao Yunnuan couldn't help but hug her into his arms, patting her back gently, and said softly: "Sister can send someone to follow you, but..."
Zhao Yunnuan didn't know what to say next. If she said she didn't want her younger sister to take risks for her, her younger sister would definitely have a lot of things to say. If she said she was worried that her younger sister was too young to handle big things, she was the one who brought her older brother back last time.
"Promise me, sister, that you'll just go over and take a look, and get some information. Also, if we really need to take action against Zhu Yu, you can't do it yourself. I'll send a team to go with you."
Zhao Shiqing suddenly became energetic and no longer looked bored, revealing a bright smile with eight teeth.
In fact, a large part of the reason why Zhao Yunnuan agreed so readily was because of Zhen Wuduo.
Because Zhen Wuduo would go to Beijing with Zhao Shiqing, the playboys in the capital would be able to find out about the Zhen family, and of course Zhao Yunnuan and Zhao Tinghan would also be able to find out.
What's more, the playboys in the capital can only be judged by Zhen Gui, while the Zhao brothers and sisters are face to face with Zhen Wuduo.
Who is Zhen Wuduo?
The cruel and merciless pirate king!
Who is Zhao Shiqing?
She is Zhen Wuduo's beloved granddaughter!
Through the contact over the past few days, Zhao Yunnuan also realized that if they really started fighting, even if Zhao Shiqing's skin was slightly broken, Zhen Wuduo would be able to skin her alive.
Zhao Yunnuan was happy for her younger sister. Although her parents had passed away, she still had a grandfather who loved her very much.
The decision to go to the capital was happily made.
After Zhao Shiqing found a clear path, he accompanied Zhen Wuduo and happily returned to Baihe Mountain.
As for Chen Guanyue, Shen Wangxing, and Niu Qiu, they had already returned to Baihe Mountain before the welcoming banquet.
It's not that they all don't want to visit the palace, but Chen Guanyue doesn't dare. His face is too eye-catching. He is worried about being recognized and even more worried about being remembered.
If he didn't come, he would drag Chen Wangxing back to Baihe Mountain. As for Niu Qiu, he really wanted to go back to Baihe Mountain because he missed Xiaobao.
In the small team, only Xiuxiu lived in the palace with Zhao Shiqing and Lingbo.
Hearing that Zhao Shiqing was learning skills from Xiuxiu, regardless of whether it was a formal apprenticeship or not, and regardless of how well his younger sister learned, Zhao Yunnuan gave Xiuxiu a generous gift as a gift of apprenticeship.
Seeing that the gift was too expensive, Xiuxiu was so scared that she didn't dare to accept it.
Zhao Shiqing smiled and said, "It's okay, it's okay. Every time I learn a skill from someone, my father will give me a generous gift."
As a daughter of the royal family, she learned everything that a lady from a noble family should learn, including music, chess, calligraphy, painting, sewing, weaving and embroidery. Every time she learned something, she had another master. Of course, the only one who formally became her disciple was Murong Linlang.
On this day, Zhao Shiqing and his group bid farewell to Zhao Yunnuan. Zhao Shiqing went to the royal tomb alone again, chatted with his father for a while, said goodbye to Zhao Tinghan, and reunited with Zhen Wuduo and others, and returned to Baihe Mountain together.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com