After dinner, the Marquis sent someone to invite Xu Rao over. Chen Zhaoci waited until midnight before Xu Rao returned looking exhausted.
Chen Zhaoci poured him some water to wash his feet and quietly asked, "Why did I send you over in the middle of the night? Is something wrong?"
Xu Rao took off her socks, put her feet in the hot water, sighed comfortably, and said, "They said that Boyuan and the others have arrived in Tongzhou. When they were near the Tongzhou post station, there was another assassination attempt, but fortunately they escaped unharmed and brought the people to Tongzhou safely."
Upon hearing this, Chen Zhaoci put his hands together, recited a few Buddhist verses, and said, "What are those people trying to do? Hasn't Boyuan already handed over all his power? Why are they still so relentless?"
Xu Rao looked at the water in the foot basin on the ground, sighed, and thought about what he had overheard in the study in the front yard. He said helplessly, "It's to eliminate future troubles as soon as possible. Although Boyuan has handed over the power of Wuzhou, everyone can see that His Majesty doesn't want Boyuan to stay in Wuzhou any longer. He wants to protect Boyuan. In the past few years, Boyuan has shown us his military talent. Can those people watch Boyuan grow up smoothly?"
Hearing those people, Chen Zhaoci asked in confusion, "Isn't this struggle for the throne a family matter? Everyone should rely on their own abilities behind closed doors, and do what they should do in public. Why can't those who are useful to the country be allowed to grow smoothly?"
Xu Rao leaned close to Chen Zhaoci's ear and whispered, "Madam, this struggle for the throne has been manipulated. It's not just about making the princes kill each other; more importantly, those promising young people are being targeted both openly and secretly. We only recently discovered this, and if this continues, we'll definitely run out of capable people in the future."
Chen Zhaoci looked at Xu Rao in surprise. Xu Rao touched Chen Zhaoci's sideburns and said, "It's good that you know, but don't tell anyone else."
Thinking of Xu Di, Chen Zhaoci said worriedly, "What about Xu Di? He does things recklessly. What if he gets targeted?"
Xu Rao smiled and said, "Look at you, if I don't tell you, you'll have doubts in your heart, but if I do tell you, you'll overthink it. Xu Di has sent quite a few people over there. He sent a memorial saying that he grafted some saplings in Dengzhou, and they are growing well. He is thinking of promoting their planting. Moreover, he also wants to build some kind of ecological orchard. His Majesty is a person who loves talent, and he dares not let Xu Di make any mistakes."
Seeing that Xu Rao was already wiping his feet, Chen Zhaoci quickly carried the foot-washing water to the corner room. Xu Di had already installed a sewer system in the corner room, with a special place to pour out dirty water. After the water was poured in, it could flow all the way to the sewer outside the mansion.
After Chen Zhaoci finished setting out the foot bath and came over, Xu Rao pulled Chen Zhaoci to sit on the kang (a heated brick bed), picked up the candles on the kang table, and said, "Zhaoci, talk to Xiao Jiu tomorrow and ask her to put the cake shop business on hold for now. It would be best if she handed it all over. The situation is a bit serious lately. I've considered having Xiao Jiu go to another place with Boyuan to avoid the storm for a while."
Hearing these words, Chen Zhaoci thought of the efforts Xu Zhi had made for those cake shops and said hesitantly, "It's hard to say. They are all Xiao Jiu's hard work. She built each shop from scratch, like raising children. How could she give up so easily?"
"We have to let go, whether we want to or not." Xu Rao said without hesitation, "Zhao Ci, nowadays, any business that can make money is being watched by others. Xiao Jiu is only able to do this smoothly because of our Marquis's Mansion and the Emperor's support. For now, we should let go. She shouldn't do anything now, but just focus on accompanying Bo Yuan. In the future, whether she is demoted or exiled, let Xiao Jiu go with her."
"Exile?" Chen Zhaoci looked at Xu Rao in surprise, his face full of disbelief.
Xu Rao nodded and said, "No matter what, we should prepare for the worst first. You should explain everything to Xiao Jiu and let her think it over. After this period of time passes, she can do whatever she wants."
Chen Zhaoci sighed deeply and said, "What kind of things are these? Our Xiao Jiu has put in so much effort for so long, and in the end, all her efforts are being negated. I'm afraid that our daughter will be heartbroken, but she will have to smile and comfort us. Just thinking about it makes me feel terrible."
Xu Rao felt somewhat helpless. His wife became extremely emotional whenever their daughter was involved, and all her rationality and wisdom would be sidelined.
Xu Rao said, "Alright, alright, Xiao Jiu and Bo Yuan have been married for several years, but they haven't had a chance to properly nurture their relationship. Wouldn't it be better to take this opportunity to let the two of them spend some quality time together?"
"What's so good about it?" Chen Zhaoci said angrily, "Xiao Jiu is only a few years old. Young people don't know what's good for them. What if she gets pregnant? Do you think I should give her a painless abortion or a C-section? Lao Xu, Xiao Jiu is not even eighteen years old. I will not let her get pregnant. In addition, I don't want them to have marital relations. It's not good for Xiao Jiu's health."
Xu Rao was a little embarrassed and said, "Look at you, how did we end up talking about this again? I know you're a doctor, and if you say something is bad, then it must be bad, and we must avoid it and do it your way."
Chen Zhaoci took out the bedding from the kang cabinet and spread it on the warm kang while saying, "Of course you're right to listen to me. I'm their mother, so naturally I want them all to be well. Look at the current medical conditions, how can we do whatever we want? Some things are better avoided, which always leaves us some chance. If we don't take care of things, who knows what the future will be like? Old Xu, and you too, don't think you're old just because the average life expectancy is short. You're only forty, in your prime. You should start doing the exercises you need to do and eating the healthy foods you need to eat."
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