"It should be reliable, right? The letter was delivered personally by Lord Wei." Green Ivy's voice trailed off as she spoke, sounding increasingly guilty.
Zhao Shu breathed a sigh of relief, but she was still very worried. "Show me the letter."
Green Ivy put down the water ladle, went out the door, and soon returned with a series of waxed letters.
Zhao Shu took the letter and frowned. This little Zhu's handwriting was too ugly. The letter was written crookedly, with the words "Respectfully yours, Princess" written on it, as if a worm was crawling on the paper.
Opening the letter, there was only one sheet of paper inside, with just a few lines of writing, also written crookedly. Most of the words explained why he was sending the letter and that the person he had entrusted with it was his cousin, a subordinate of Wei Tingsi.
The last few words made Zhao Shu ponder for a long time: "Most of those in the same brothel are from the same place. The wife of the Prefect of Qingzhou is the cousin of the Princess Consort of Duan. Should we investigate further?"
Prince Duan, his second uncle, was originally named Zhao Chongtai. After Emperor Mingde ascended the throne, he felt that his name was incompatible with the Taihe Hall, so he changed his name to Chongzhong.
Zhao Shu didn't really have any impression of Prince Duan. When the princes were stripped of their titles, they gathered their troops and rebelled. He followed the trend, but he couldn't escape being wiped out and ended up being imprisoned for life.
She thought about it and realized that although she was now the most favored princess and her father had returned his fiefdom, leaving her with no more worries, she couldn't make too many enemies.
Unless Prince Duan takes the initiative to provoke Prince Yong's mansion, Prince Yong's mansion has absolutely no reason to provoke Prince Duan.
Having made up his mind, he wondered, "Can I still send a message to Xiao Zhuzi?"
"Yes, Lord Wei said his subordinates will go to Qingzhou again tomorrow," Green Ivy hurriedly relayed what Wei Tingsi had told her.
"Please ask him to pass on a message to Xiao Zhu Zi, telling him to return quickly."
But what are the people from the Imperial Guard going to Qingzhou for? Could it be to investigate cheating in the imperial examinations?
Although Dayong has an imperial examination system, it is rife with corruption and chaos. It seems that the Weiting Division is playing a long game.
Very well, if it is, that would be better. If not, doesn't the Crown Prince also have to go to the north of Qingzhou on official business?
We can't let those people ruin Dayong.
After bathing and changing, Zhao Shu went to Chensong Courtyard first. Prince Yong was already studying a chess set. When he saw Zhao Shu, he said, "Ah Jun, give your father a copy of your imperial uncle's chess manual."
"That's all. Father, go ask your uncle for more." Zhao Shu shrugged. It wasn't that she wouldn't give it to him, but these special things had to be played with until Emperor Mingde got tired of them before others could enjoy them.
The Empress Dowager dotes on her youngest son, which is exactly what she should do. Therefore, she needs to know even more about how to act. Being the son of the emperor is really not that easy.
Zhao Shu didn't know if Emperor Mingde would have been less pleased if she had copied down the chess manual from memory and given a copy to her father.
She dared not gamble on anything.
"Ah Jun still remembers the unfinished game of chess, Father, would you like to give it a try?"
The disappointment in Prince Yong's heart vanished instantly. His elder brother had the chess manual, and he had his daughter. Thinking about it, he realized that he was still the happiest.
"Go see your grandmother first, and go down with her tomorrow." Prince Yong flicked his wide sleeves and stood up.
The father and daughter first went to the main courtyard to find Crown Prince Zhao Yi, and then went to Sendai Courtyard.
Unlike the harmonious scene at Prince Yong's residence, at this moment, in the main courtyard of the Wang family's eldest branch, a woman cried out, "Sister-in-law, you must help my sister! My husband is loyal to the emperor and the country, and he cannot be unjustly imprisoned, sister-in-law!"
Yue Louming's wife, Madam Yue Wang, wept bitterly, her face streaked with tears, as if she were about to faint at any moment.
Wang Kuanqi's wife, Wang Shenshi, handed her a clean handkerchief and comforted her, saying, "Don't worry, your brother will definitely not abandon you. Don't worry too much. Your brother-in-law will be fine. Listen to your sister-in-law, this family cannot fall apart. We still need you. The child is still young."
Upon hearing this, Madam Yue cried even harder, her sobs suddenly rising in pitch, startling Madam Wang Shen, whose brows furrowed tightly.
Yes, she didn't know who the family could rely on, and the children's futures were uncertain. "Sister-in-law, you must save my husband." She was already in a panic, repeating the same sentence over and over again, not knowing what to do to get her husband out of prison.
“Sister, stop crying. Your brother-in-law won’t come out even if you cry. Listen to your sister-in-law and go home quickly. You still need to hold the family together. Your brother won’t stand by and watch your brother-in-law be framed.” Wang Shenshi’s patience was almost exhausted, and her voice was cold at this moment.
As she was crying her heart out, Yue Wangshi felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her from head to toe. She shuddered, her crying stopped abruptly, and tears streamed from her swollen, red eyes, but she dared not utter another sound.
Seeing her like this, Madam Wang looked down on her even more and turned her head to the side, saying, "Sister, think about what I said, isn't it reasonable?"
What else could Yue Wangshi say? Her father was merely a collateral branch of the Wang family. The fact that she was allowed into the Wang family was simply because her husband had been a slave to the Wang family.
In front of Wang Shenshi, she called her sister-in-law, but when would she dare to truly regard the noblewoman in front of her as her sister-in-law?
She sobbed softly, her voice choked with tears, "Yes, I'm entrusting everything to my brother and sister-in-law. I'll go back now; the children will be anxious if they don't see their mother for so long." She stood up, curtsied, and after Wang Shenshi waved her hand, she left.
The attitude is respectful and humble.
After Madam Yue left, only the two of them remained in the room. Madam Wang's personal maidservant laughed and said, "A concubine's daughter from a collateral branch, yet she has the nerve to act like an official's wife. Now she has to ask our Madam for help."
Upon hearing this, Madam Wang's previously cold expression softened considerably, and she said in a calm voice, "Whether one is a concubine or not, it's all a matter of fate. Very well, if I can help, I will. What about you, sir?"
If someone is in a high position and in a good mood, why not give them some leftovers?
With keen insight, Granny Li stopped the previous topic, and her smile became much kinder. "Master is talking with Lord Yang in the study."
"Tell someone to prepare dinner," she ordered, then, remembering her son, she asked, "Where is Xuan'er?"
There was a momentary pause on Li Mama's face, but she quickly recovered and bowed, replying, "Young Master has left."
"Where have you been out to do again!" Wang Shenshi raised her voice, which frightened Li Mama into becoming even more obedient.
Clearly, Madam Wang disliked her son going out at this moment. Knowing that revealing the matter might incur her wrath, Granny Li had no choice but to say, "Young Master was called out by Second Young Master Jiang."
With a loud bang, Madam Wang swept the teacup beside her to the ground, shattering it into pieces. She shouted angrily, "These nouveau riche never leave my son alone! Go and call the young master back to me!"
Granny Li skillfully picked up the porcelain shards, then poured Wang Shenshi another cup of tea before leaving to give orders.
When Madam Wang smashed things, it was always Granny Li who cleaned up after her. She never asked anyone else to do it. Therefore, everyone in the Wang Mansion, except Granny Li, thought that Madam Wang was a kind, gentle, and magnanimous lady who managed the household.
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