When the fourth peach was eaten, the Empress Dowager couldn't stand it anymore. "Eat less, or you'll get an upset stomach. No one's going to take it from you."
Zhao Shu moved her mouth muscles a few times, swallowed the last bite of peach, and finally stopped eating. Actually, she wanted to eat watermelon now, but watermelons don't ripen until August.
"Has the Japanese bullied you?" The Empress Dowager asked as she peeled a plum, having nothing better to do.
Zhao Shu also peeled it off, saying, "You should be worried about whether I've bullied her."
The Empress Dowager chuckled and reached out to poke her brow. "What are you worrying about? I heard you made the young lady of the Marquis of Huainan cry?"
She had just finished peeling one and placed it on a plate when she continued peeling. "She wants to be my stepmother, and only letting me cry is already being polite."
The Empress Dowager put down the plum in her hand and looked at Zhao Shu's face. Her beloved grandson seemed to have lost weight again. "A prince's mansion cannot be without a mistress, and for a prince to be without a princess is to damage the royal family's reputation." The Empress Dowager originally wanted to suggest that Zhao Shu marry a concubine to take care of her, but she was afraid that Zhao Shu would say that she did not need anyone to take care of her. After thinking about it, she changed her words to "the royal family's reputation."
“I have no objection, but if someone like Zhang Shiyi dares to step into the Prince’s mansion, I will break her legs.”
The Empress Dowager breathed a sigh of relief. She also felt that Zhang Shiyi had acted somewhat despicably, and marrying such a daughter-in-law did not enhance the royal family's reputation.
"You need to change your temper." The Empress Dowager was furious. This girl is a grown woman, yet she still speaks without thinking. This only strengthened her resolve to find Zhao Shu a stepmother as soon as possible.
Zhao Shu nestled in the Empress Dowager's arms and said sullenly, "I know, Grandmother."
Perhaps every child doesn't want a stepmother or stepfather. Even though she's already quite old, she still doesn't want to have more half-siblings.
This is very selfish, so selfish that it hurts the people who care about her. Prince Yong is still young, and the Prince's Mansion has no heir yet. Such a large mansion cannot be without an heir. If there is no direct descendant, then it will have to be adopted, and someone else's son will have to be adopted. Zhao Shu thought about it and decided to forget it. It's better to have a biological brother.
She had considered Jiang Yue before, but what a pity, what a pity about her appearance, which was nine-tenths similar to her mother's.
She left the palace with a heavy heart, because Prince Yong was going to Bianzhou to visit the Huo family three times, asking them to come out of seclusion and serve as officials in the court to assist Emperor Mingde.
The situation in the capital was too tense. Emperor Mingde had no one left who could be trusted. After some calculations, he realized that only the Yongwang Mansion was still trustworthy.
"Father, let me go with you. I'm worried about you going alone." Zhao Shu was afraid that her father, who was not good at dealing with people, would be deceived and tricked. She was angry that he had suffered so much even though he had never harmed anyone.
Prince Yong patted her head and said, "Don't worry, take good care of yourself at home and visit your grandmother in the palace often. I will be back soon."
"Then let Commander Mo escort you there, along with Xiao Guozi, he's very skilled." At this moment, Zhao Shu felt very uneasy. If she could, she would have asked Emperor Mingde to send Qin Ji, the commander of the Shadow Division, to escort her father to Bianzhou.
Whether traveling by water or land, the journey to Bianzhou is uncertain. The situation in the capital is dire, and who knows what will happen if our plans become known?
Prince Yong gave her a reassuring smile, "Your royal uncle has already assigned me guards, and the steward is also very skilled, so don't worry."
Zhao Shu asked in confusion, "Is Uncle Fu really that skilled?" The image of Uncle Fu, who weighed at least 200 pounds, flashed through her mind. He didn't seem like someone who was skilled at fighting at all. He was usually out of breath even if he walked a little fast. He was clearly very weak.
"Don't underestimate him. If you compare him, even Xiao Guozi might not be his match."
Seeing her father's sincere expression, Zhao Shu knew he wasn't lying, so she believed him to some extent. She couldn't imagine that Uncle Fu was such a master.
Uncle Fu was given to him by the Empress Dowager, but he was not a eunuch. Based on this, it is estimated that he does have some ability in a certain area.
"Then Father, you must be careful and not trust others easily. Don't eat random things when you're out and about. If someone bullies you, don't put up with it. Life is only a hundred years long. It's so pathetic to live like this, swallowing your anger. Also, the summer heat is intense. It's best to find a shady place to rest at noon. Don't travel in the scorching heat. There are many snakes and insects this season. I'll prepare some medicine for you to take with you, just in case. If you encounter a powerful enemy, don't fight head-on. If you can't win, run away."
I've said a lot, but I still feel like there's something I haven't explained.
Prince Yong laughed, "You're not that old, but you talk a lot. I'm not a child anymore; I know how to take care of myself."
Despite giving numerous instructions and remaining uneasy, Prince Yong set off before dawn the next day. Apart from Zhao Shu, Emperor Mingde, and perhaps the Empress Dowager, no one knew where he went.
Early in the morning, Consort Zhang and Zhao Nihong came to find Zhao Shu, carrying a food box.
"Sister A-Jun, this is my mother's best longevity porridge. It nourishes qi and blood, and moisturizes the lungs." Zhao Nihong pulled Zhao Shu to the table and personally took a bowl of porridge from the food box and handed it to Zhao Shu.
Zhao Shu glanced at the ingredients and saw that in addition to peanuts, glutinous rice, and regular rice, there were also ginseng, jujubes, goji berries, lotus seeds, and a considerable amount of them, especially the ginseng.
"Princess, I noticed you've lost weight, so I specially prepared some nourishing food for you. Eat it while it's hot." Consort Zhang handed Zhao Shu a spoon.
Zhao Shu smiled and said, "My concubine and cousin have gone to great lengths, but I'm allergic to peanuts." Small tonics are good for replenishing qi, large tonics are bad for depleting it. Are they trying to make her too weak to handle all this, and then do something else?
Although she has been practicing Tai Chi every day these days, her health is not very good. Not only her, but the women in the mansion are generally very weak because they do not exercise for many years.
As soon as she finished speaking, Consort Zhang and Zhao Nihong both paused awkwardly, but they both reacted quickly. "Oh dear, look at me, I didn't even ask before rushing off to prepare. It's all my fault, Princess. Please don't be angry. I'll make it for you again tomorrow."
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