Zhao Shu left the Xie family home feeling incredibly cheerful, and a smile unconsciously crept onto her face as she walked.
Green Ivy, Xiao Guozi, and the others read it and silently made notes, but the princess valued the tangible things more.
Just as he stepped out of the Xie residence, a man dressed as a woodcutter approached Xiao Zhu Zi and murmured a few words before walking away as if nothing had happened.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Zhuzi hurriedly came to Zhao Shu and whispered, "Princess, Fei Chi led twenty scholars to beat the Dengwen Drum, and Lord Wang led a group of people to kneel in front of the East Gate to request a thorough investigation into the cheating in the imperial examinations. If their request is not granted, they will never rise from their knees again."
Zhao Shu asked instinctively, "Where should I kneel?"
"East Gate," Xiao Zhuzi replied.
Zhao Shu admired him in her heart. As expected of Wang Jiyang, he knelt anywhere but at the East Gate. Most of the people who came and went at the East Gate were people with some family background and status, and they were not in the palace.
Presumably, by this time, the imperial examination cheating scandal had spread like wildfire throughout the capital. She understood that Wei Tingsi and Wang Jiyang were trying to use a two-pronged approach to restrain certain people.
After thinking for a moment, she said, "Go to the palace."
Zhao Shu entered the palace with her spoils.
And the Xie family.
In the main courtyard of the eldest son's house, Madam Xie Sun, with a cold face, ordered, "Wake him up with the splash!"
"Pour!" A bucket of cold water was poured over her, and Xie Jinse shivered. Luckily, it was the height of summer, or she would have been shivering from the cold.
She slowly woke up, opened her eyes and saw Xie Sunshi with a long face. She was frightened and hurriedly got up and knelt in front of Xie Sunshi.
"Mother."
“I don’t have a daughter like you!” Xie Sunshi said coldly.
Xie Jinse knew she had angered her stepmother, and panicked so much that she couldn't speak coherently, "Mother, it was that Princess Jun, it was she who humiliated me, it was she who humiliated me."
"Ha, if you hadn't been so provocative and arrogant, why would she have humiliated you? From today onwards, you will face the wall in the ancestral hall to reflect on your mistakes. When you have figured things out, you can go to Prince Yong's mansion to apologize with a bundle of thorns on your back."
After saying that, she turned and left.
Xie Jinhuan followed behind her, and before leaving, he turned back to Xie Jinse and said, "Third sister, cousin Yun'er is right, stupid people should talk less."
After saying that, he chased after Xie Sunshi, and when he caught up, he asked unwillingly, "Mother..."
Before she could finish speaking, Madam Xie interrupted her, "It was your grandfather's idea." Madam Xie was also heartbroken, heartbroken beyond measure. Those things were all precious items, kept in a brocade box, and she was reluctant to take them out to use. She never expected that they would suddenly benefit that willful princess of the Yong Prince's Mansion!
Xie Jinse listened and didn't ask any more questions. Her grandfather must have his reasons for doing things.
After Lin Xiuxue returned to the Lin residence, Lin Dian also came to Lin Chaoying's side. He lowered his head, bowed his body, and whispered, "Master, this servant should find out who in the residence has offended the Prince Yong's mansion."
Lin Chaoying immediately asked, "Who is it?" In the past few days, the situation has become increasingly different. One wrong move could lead to his death. He had no confidence at all.
The Lin family is different from first-class families like the Xie family; the Lin family's foundation is still too weak.
"Young lady." Lin Dian said this incredible person, even he himself doubted that it was real.
Lin Chaoying frowned. He didn't believe it. His granddaughter was well-educated, dignified, virtuous, and sensible. He had heard that others disliked Princess Jun of the Yongwang Mansion, but his granddaughter was willing to associate with her.
"Do you have any evidence for what you're saying?" Lin Dian had been with him for decades, so he naturally trusted Lin Dian. However, he simply couldn't accept the claim that his granddaughter had offended the Yongwang Mansion.
Lin Dian recounted everything he had investigated and everything that had happened at the Xie residence that day. Lin Chaoying remained silent. "So, Princess Jun's personality has changed drastically, and she no longer associates with Xue'er?"
Lin Dian nodded, "Yes, sir. The words Princess Jun said at the Xie residence today have completely severed ties with the eldest young lady."
"Sigh." Lin Chaoying sighed heavily. "Send the snow-covered painting in the study to Xue'er."
Lin Dian hurriedly replied, "Yes." He was surprised, not expecting that the master would be willing to give the snow-treading painting, which he had treasured all his life, to the eldest daughter. It seemed that the eldest daughter was indeed quite resourceful.
Of all the young ladies in the Lin family, only the eldest daughter has earned the master's favor.
Lin Xiuxue returned to her room, hugged her quilt, and cried until the quilt was soaked with tears.
In comparison, Zhao Shu was living in paradise in the palace.
In the Cining Palace, Emperor Mingde exclaimed, "Hahahaha, you clever little devil! I've hinted to Xie the scoundrel countless times about this 'Ten Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains' painting, but he refused to give it to me. I never expected that you would make such a fuss and get it so easily." He looked at the painting from left to right, and he was extremely satisfied with it.
Zhao Shu gave an awkward smile, "Uncle, you're talking nonsense. I was clearly acting in self-defense. This is a gift from the Xie family to calm my nerves."
"Yes, yes, yes, to calm the nerves, but does Ah Jun think there's a bit too much to calm the nerves?" Emperor Mingde looked at the ten brocade boxes on the table with amusement.
Zhao Shu nodded in agreement. "Yes, A-Jun also thought it was too much, so she brought some to give to her uncle and grandmother. Isn't A-Jun clever?" After saying that, she quickly put on a smile that said, "Praise me, praise me!"
The Empress Dowager touched the jade headdress and smiled, and all the palace maids and eunuchs grinned as well.
Zhao Shu took out a pair of jade bracelets inlaid with black pearls and put them on the Empress Dowager's hands. "I heard that these black pearls are extremely rare. I didn't expect that the Xie family would have jade bracelets inlaid with black pearls. They are most suitable for the Empress Dowager to wear."
The Empress Dowager smiled and nudged her, "You, the Xie family would surely say I'm short-sighted."
“If the Xie family dares to say a word, Ah Jun will lead his men to smash the stone pillar in front of their door.”
Emperor Mingde had also arranged for people to work for the Xie family. Almost as soon as Zhao Shu entered the palace, he already knew the whole story. When Zhao Shu mentioned the pillar of the family, he also laughed.
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