Marquis Yongning, Xu Rao, and Xu Di were sitting in the west side room of the old lady. Xu Di brewed a pot of flower and fruit tea and poured a cup for each of them.
The Marquis looked at Xu Di with some concern and said, "Xu Di, don't push yourself too hard. You should take care of your health."
Xu Di smiled and said, "Grandfather, I'm young, it's alright. But you should take care of your health, because there's never a time when things are truly finished."
The Marquis nodded and said, "Grandfather understands this. We have such a large family. What would happen to this family if something were to happen to me? Xu Di, has His Majesty given any instructions?"
Xu Di shook his head and said, "His Majesty didn't give any instructions, he just wants me to return to Miaozhou as soon as possible. Grandfather, don't worry, I didn't try to gain any credit this time, His Majesty remembers it."
The Marquis smiled gently and said, "The emperor's heart is unpredictable, so it's best to be cautious. However, this time, the Wang family is doomed. The Wang family has been illustrious for nearly two hundred years, but who would have thought that they would end up in such a state today? It's quite a sad story."
Xu Di asked with some curiosity, "Grandfather, how will His Majesty deal with the Wang family? Wang Xiuyuan's branch is finished, but isn't there still General Wang's branch?"
The Marquis explained, "Initially, the Wang family treated the eldest prince and Consort Shu leniently because Wang Junzhuo was stationed in the southwest. This was all for the sake of the situation in the southwest. If the southwest is unstable, the Great Yan will take the opportunity to invade, and there are also the Northern Di Jin people. Wang Junzhuo has been managing the southwest for decades, and sending anyone there would have endless troubles. It's just a pity that Wang Junzhuo failed to guard against the direct descendants of the Wang family, and he almost got himself into trouble. After this incident, His Majesty will definitely select a suitable general to replace Wang Junzhuo. As long as Wang Junzhuo returns from the southwest, the eldest prince and Consort Shu's time will be over."
Xu Rao sighed and said, "His Majesty is a kind and benevolent man, and he is very lenient with his children. However, his children have crossed his bottom line, especially the Third Prince, who actually colluded with foreign tribes. Such treasonous behavior leaves him with no other option but death. It's just a pity for his wife and children. I heard that the Third Prince's wife took the children to a nunnery outside the city to live a life of seclusion, and the Third Prince's wife's father resigned from his official post and returned to his hometown."
In order to save her child's life, the Third Prince's Consort secretly collected evidence of the Third Prince's crimes. She handed this evidence directly to Emperor Liang Cheng, stating that she did it all to seek a future for her child. She even volunteered to go to a nunnery, a place where royal women who had committed crimes were housed. The environment was harsh, and the life there was austere. No one who went there ever came out alive. The Third Prince's Consort's willingness to go there was also a way of showing Emperor Liang Cheng her determination.
Marquis Yongning felt a pang of pity for the Third Prince's wife's family. But what good was it to feel sorry for them when they were fighting to the death? If you pity others, what if your own side loses and your family falls into ruin? Who will come to pity you then?
Marquis Yongning sighed inwardly, but showed no sign of it on his face. When Chen Zhaoci came over, Marquis Yongning asked her, "Zhaoci, did you go to the Cold Palace to see Consort Liu today?"
Chen Zhaoci nodded and said, "Yes, Eunuch Chen took her there. Father, is Consort Liu going to be released from the Cold Palace?"
Marquis Yongning shook his head and said, "It's hard to say. I think it's unlikely. At the very least, we'll have to wait until Xiao Yuan returns and the Emperor issues an edict. Just now, A'rao mentioned Xiao Yuan's health. Have you made any discoveries about it over the years?"
Chen Zhaoci was actually carefully reviewing Chen Yuyuan's physical condition. His pulse showed no problems, but he couldn't be sure if the poison he had taken only caused the symptoms to appear under certain conditions. Without thorough testing and examination, Chen Zhaoci dared not make any guarantees.
Chen Zhaoci shook his head and said, "Father, I haven't found anything. As you know, I regularly check the pulses of the children in the family, and I have never found anything unusual in him. However, I cannot guarantee that the medicine Wang Xiuyuan administered will take effect at a certain time."
The faces of the group were not good. Chen Yuyuan was not only the hope of the Yongning Marquis's lineage, but also the hope of the Great Liang. Emperor Liang Cheng had lost his fertility due to poisoning and it was impossible for him to have another child. As for the remaining two princes, the second prince, although born of the Empress, was an ambitious but incompetent person who sought fame and fortune, while the seventh prince was a coward who was afraid of death. The Great Liang could not have such a crown prince. Entrusting the country to such people would be a disaster for the Great Liang.
Marquis Yongning could only say, "Then we'll talk about it when your uncle brings the child back. It's getting late, and Xu Di has to rush back to Miaozhou tomorrow, so you should go back and rest."
Xu Rao and Chen Zhaoci took Xu Di back to their courtyard. Bai Wei and the others had already heated the kang (heated brick bed) in the room. Xu Di would spend the night in the west side room, where the large kang by the window was also heated. When Chen Zhaoci returned, she started rummaging through the drawers looking for prepared pills. These were pills that Chen Zhaoci usually made. Taking a few pills could relieve symptoms of some simple ailments. Especially now that Li Yuexi was pregnant again, Chen Zhaoci wanted Xu Di to bring back some medicine to help with pregnancy.
It was already past midnight, and Chen Zhaoci was still looking for something in the back room where medicinal herbs were stored. Xu Di had already washed up and came over wearing a thick cotton cloak, saying, "Mother, what are you doing? It's very late, go to sleep."
Without looking up, Chen Zhaoci said, "You're leaving first thing tomorrow morning, so I need to get your things ready. Don't worry about it, I'll just sleep during the day and not at night."
Xu Di quickly stopped her, saying, "Mother, I'll buy whatever you need outside. You should go back and rest. I heard from Father that you've been in the palace for more than twenty days. Once you're home, relax and don't keep your mind so tense."
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