The next day.
After the morning court session.
Consort Hua, in her capacity as a royal consort, formally proposed marriage to the General's Mansion.
Upon hearing this news...
The first one to explode was not Qiao Zhen, but Chen Siyuan, who had just returned from outside.
After searching all night, they found no trace of their elder brother; it was as if he had vanished into thin air.
She was afraid.
Thinking of Chen Fan who died, and the things in his hands, could it be that my older brother also suffered such a cruel fate?
The thought terrified her.
Try to convince yourself that it's not what you think, and don't scare yourself unnecessarily.
Dragging her weary body back to the General's Mansion, Chen Siyuan heard the news from the maid, and the anger in her heart could no longer be contained.
Thinking of what Qiao Yuchen had said, she couldn't believe that this could have happened under his influence.
Even though she knew some things might be unchangeable, she still wanted to give it her all.
Chen Siyuan rushed to Heyuan like a madwoman. When she saw Qiao Zhen calmly eating breakfast, she couldn't stay calm anymore.
"What's wrong with you?" Yesterday you were making a huge scene and had a big fight with Aunt Xu. How come you've changed so much in the blink of an eye?
"Sister-in-law, please sit down." Qiao Zhen patted the seat next to her.
Ju Hong reacted quickly and immediately brought over bowls and chopsticks.
Chen Siyuan was furious. "What exactly are you thinking?"
Chen Siyuan gestured for Juhong to leave, and Chunlan and Chunping followed.
Qiao Zhen then spoke up, "I won't be at a disadvantage if I marry the Third Prince."
"That's true, but I just want to know what you really think."
Qiao Zhen remained calm, saying, "Marrying someone I don't love and then trying to make him fall in love with me—don't you think I've gained something?"
Chen Siyuan was speechless.
"Alright, sister-in-law, don't be angry anymore." Qiao Zhen comforted Chen Siyuan instead, "Which woman in the capital can decide her own marriage?" She had come to terms with it.
If you don't like someone, it doesn't matter who you marry, so why not treat yourself better?
Seeing Qiao Zhen's attitude, Chen Siyuan didn't want to say anything more and turned to leave.
The most important thing now is to find the eldest brother, and given Qiao Zhen's attitude, she is powerless and can only focus all her attention on the eldest brother.
As Chen Siyuan left, Qiao Zhen's confidence gradually faded.
She also wants to marry someone she loves, but the person she loves wants to marry someone else. What can she do?
Now that Consort Hua has made such a big fuss, if she refuses, she will offend Consort Hua, and even the Third Prince.
After this experience, she realized that her refusal would cut off her and her birth mother's future. She couldn't let Aunt Xu, who had given birth to her, suffer the same fate as her mother.
She made a compromise for her birth mother's sake.
You either live at someone else's feet or in the clouds.
She also wants to be that high and mighty Consort Hua, whose words can decide the life and death of others!
After leaving Heyuan, Chen Siyuan went straight back to Beiyuan. At this time, Qiao Yuchen was not there, and she had no mind to think about Qiao Zhen.
After a quick tidying up, he left with two maids.
Jiang's mother was still kept behind.
It seems that Aunt Jiang only needs to stay in Beiyuan all day, but in fact, she has a more arduous task.
There are some things that Chen Siyuan can only do without worry when she entrusts them to Aunt Jiang.
In just a few days, Aunt Jiang has uncovered quite a few things in Beiyuan. She's not entirely sure yet and needs final evidence.
As soon as Chen Siyuan arrived at the Chen family home, she headed straight for Old Madam Chen's courtyard.
Old Madam Chen held a handkerchief in her trembling hand, and Chen Siyuan was startled when she saw it.
This handkerchief is mine, how did it end up in my grandmother's hands, with that same expression on her face?
"grandmother?"
Seeing that Chen Siyuan seemed to have found hope, Old Madam Chen squatted down beside her grandmother and asked, "Grandmother, what's going on?"
She was so excited to find her own things in her grandmother's hands.
"It was found in the grass by the river."
“This is my handkerchief,” Chen Siyuan asked, her voice trembling.
She already has the answer in her heart, but she's just not willing to accept it yet.
“I know that this handkerchief is something your older brother always carries with him.”
Chen Siyuan has many similar handkerchiefs, which is also because Ruoli stole her hairpin back then.
The two maids around her knew this, but she didn't expect that because there were so many things, she didn't even know when her eldest brother had his own handkerchief.
She didn't think much of it at all, always assuming it was just a deep sibling bond.
Holding the handkerchief, he immediately led his men to the riverbank where the handkerchief had been found.
The matter was urgent and involved her elder brother, so Chen Siyuan couldn't stay calm.
What frightened her was that her older brother might be implicated because of her.
Thinking about this, she couldn't forgive herself.
She always felt that her presence brought too much danger to the people around her, making it impossible for her to defend herself.
At this moment, she desperately wished she could become strong, strong enough that no one would dare to bully her, and no one would dare to harm the people around her.
As Chen Siyuan left, Old Madam Chen trembled and wept.
Is it because she has such a long life that so many things always happen around her?
Just as Madam Chen was feeling uneasy, Chen Zhaokun suddenly returned.
Upon seeing her son, Madam Chen seemed to regain her composure and haltingly recounted what had happened.
Chen Zhaokun is a man, so he is much calmer. He has been involved in some major events recently. He doesn't panic when things happen, and he can handle even his own son calmly.
"Mother, don't worry, I will definitely bring him back." Chen Zhaokun wasn't sure if he was alive or not; he knew many people in the capital had gone mad.
With the old emperor's birthday approaching, everyone is plotting something.
He's been handling things in the shadows lately, and he sees things more clearly than anyone else.
Many things, big and small, happened in the capital. What the public heard was only what was within the permissible scope. As for those things buried in the shadows, only a very few people knew about them.
"Really?" Old Madam Chen held her son's hand tightly and asked again.
Chen Zhaokun nodded. "Mother, you should believe me."
Madam Chen nodded with difficulty.
“Mother, we are all searching outside. You must stay calm and not let any people take advantage of the situation.”
These words reminded Madam Chen, who looked at her son and nodded, "Don't worry."
Madam Chen is no ordinary person. She was able to raise her son on her own, and the Chen family is like this. Without a certain amount of courage, they wouldn't have gotten to where they are today.
"If necessary, please ask Mother to protect Wang Yuyan and the distinguished guests from the Feather Clan."
When Madam Chen heard that her grandson was missing, she forgot about the whole thing.
After being reminded by her son, the confident Mrs. Chen gradually recovered.
After watching her son leave, Madam Chen asked Lin Ma to invite Wang Yuyan and Yan Yi.
It's time to talk things out. Some things are better left unsaid; running away isn't the way to solve them.
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