Before today, she had never been able to understand this point. She didn't understand why Chu Qianhuang was so obsessed with being the princess's study companion, even going so far as to go against her own wishes. This was really unlike Chu Qianhuang's character.

Shen had an inexplicable feeling in her heart about this. She always felt that Chu Qianhuang was hiding some secret. This became a thorn in Shen's heart that she could not pull out.

She always felt something was wrong, but she couldn't figure it out.

However, just when she heard that Chu Qianhuang had slipped away again, and thinking about her sudden illness, Shen's mind suddenly became clear, and she instantly figured out the problem that had puzzled her before.

Shen said in a voice so low that only the three people present could hear: "She is looking for a backer for herself."

Lady Mu: "..."

Nanny Chen: “…”

Alas, my wife has suffered so much!

Nanny Chen also felt sorry for Shen. She knew best how much Shen devoted and loved Chu Qianhuang, and she could better understand Shen's disappointment in Chu Qianhuang.

Lady Mu took another sip of tea. She was afraid of irritating her daughter again, so she simply changed the subject: "Azhi, the third princess may be going to Nanhao."

Shen opened her eyes slightly wide in surprise, and the teacup in her hand paused in mid-air.

She hadn't heard about this yet, so she asked, "Mother, isn't the marriage between the two countries not decided yet?"

The marriage between the two countries is of great significance. Now it seems that only Crown Prince Gu Nanjin is one-sidedly enthusiastic, while Crown Prince Nanhao has not responded. Moreover, the marriage will ultimately have to be formally decided by the Emperor and Emperor Hao.

"It's not decided yet." Lady Mu nodded, "Last time, the eldest prince Nanhao was assassinated in Furong Garden, and the crown prince promised to give Nanhao an explanation, but he still hasn't found out the cause."

"In order to prove that the last assassination was definitely not done by our Great Qi, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince proposed that he personally escort Wuhejialou back to Nanhao."

Gu Nanjin also took great pains. For the sake of peace between the two countries, he was willing to risk his life to prove the innocence of Da Qi.

This time he personally escorted Wuhejialou and his group back to Nanhao. If there was an ambush on the way, then Gu Nanjin, the Prince of Daqi, would become a hostage in the hands of the Nanhao people.

Shen understood immediately and raised his eyebrows thoughtfully.

Lady Mu Guogong added, "Your father said that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has two intentions. One is for this matter, and the other is probably for the marriage between the two countries."

"Using this logical excuse, the Crown Prince plans to have the Third Princess go with him to Nanhao as a guest to pay respect to Emperor Hao. Once they arrive in Nanhao, they will continue to discuss the marriage between the two countries."

The wife of Duke Mu sighed with a look of regret.

When the emperor was the crown prince, he was watched by the previous emperor and had several other brothers coveting his position. Although his behavior could not be described as brilliant, he was still quite decent and conscientious.

The late emperor also privately expressed his feelings to the prime minister and his close ministers, hoping that the crown prince would be a king who would maintain the status quo after he ascended the throne.

Before the late emperor passed away, the current emperor Gu Lang also swore in front of the dragon bed to inherit the late emperor's will. However, within a few years after ascending the throne, he became obsessed with practicing Taoism and taking elixirs, ignoring the advice of the censors.

Crown Prince Gu Nanjin has a difficult time every step of the way. Not only does he have to take care of state affairs, but he also has to clean up the mess made by the current emperor.

Da Qi had just solved the problem of the Red Di, and now it seemed to be thriving, but in fact its situation was worrying. Any turmoil could potentially destroy the hard-earned peace and stability. That was why the crown prince was determined to form an alliance with Nan Hao in order to buy Da Qi some more time to recuperate, and he was taking great pains to do so.

Shen also felt deeply moved and echoed: "Your Highness the Crown Prince is also working hard."

Lady Mu nodded slightly and said in a deep voice: "Your father said that the Crown Prince and the Third Princess' trip to Nanhao is imperative."

She lowered her eyes and drank tea, but actually she had something else to say. The emperor was furious at the prince's idea and reprimanded him in front of the six ministers. He felt that the prince was too aggressive towards Nan Hao and it was damaging the national prestige of Da Qi.

Duke Mu's wife could not help but hear Duke Mu's worried voice in her ears: "In the eyes of the emperor, the Wuhe clan is probably still a southern barbarian. They were able to take over Jiangnan because of the corruption of the previous dynasty. They took advantage of the situation."

"The Wuhe clan is able to hold on to this beautiful land in the south, so they are definitely not mediocre people!"

"The people of Nanhao are ambitious and have always coveted the fat piece of meat of Daqi. Many princes have repeatedly requested the emperor to march north. If Emperor Hao is persuaded, the other princes will surely respond!"

"The Hao people are good at fighting and love bellicosity. With the current military strength of Da Qi, if a war really breaks out, I'm afraid it will be in danger. Only Prince Chen can still fight..."

"Da Qi may look like a flourishing country, but in reality it is just like a raging fire."

Thinking of Duke Mu's tired and worried look, Duke Mu's wife also frowned.

She knew that her daughter was worried about Chu Qianhuang's affairs, so she didn't bother her with these family and national affairs.

Lady Mu, Duke of Mu, sighed and said with emotion: "If the Third Princess goes to Nanhao, Sister Huang, as the Princess's companion, will most likely go with her."

The third princess went to Nanhao for a marriage alliance. If the marriage was successful, the third princess would never return to Da Qi. According to the customs of Da Qi, the princess's tutor should see her off on her marriage.

Shen: “…”

"Azhi," Lady Mu asked seriously, "Do you want me to go to the palace and ask to see the Queen?"

What she meant was to protect Chu Qianhuang and not let her accompany the third princess to Nanhao.

Normally, the tutor would return to her homeland after escorting the princess to a royal marriage. However, there was an incident in the previous dynasty where the noble lady who escorted the princess to a royal marriage married a local noble and never returned to the Central Plains in her life.

Lady Mu, Duke of Mu, was also worried that if something unexpected happened during Chu Qianhuang's trip to Nanhao, she might be used as a bargaining chip by the Crown Prince in negotiations with Emperor Hao and never return.

Shen was silent.

Nanny Chen looked at Shen nervously, seeming to want to say something but stopping herself.

The room fell into silence.

The silence lasted so long that when Lady Mu almost thought that Shen would not answer, Shen said, "No need."

"Mom, don't worry about her."

Since Chu Qianhuang was so determined to stay with the Third Princess and had been planning for this, why should I stop her?

This time, Lady Mu did not try to persuade him any further.

At this point, we can only wait for the monk to arrive in Beijing and figure out everything.

Fortunately, the prince's trip is a big deal and it will definitely not take a day or two. He needs the emperor's approval and the Imperial Astronomical Observatory to calculate an auspicious day. I'm afraid he can only set off at the end of the month at the earliest.

The mother and daughter didn't speak for a long time and just drank tea.

It was almost noon when Chu Yunmu came running in, injecting vitality into the quiet and dull main courtyard.

"My Lady!"

Chu Yunmu, wearing a bright emerald green robe embroidered with cranes, rushed into the east room, flapping his wings like a green parrot.

He stood obediently in front of the Luohan bed, bowed to the wife of Duke Mu, and then said impatiently: "My cousins ​​said that the entrance examination of the Imperial College will be held in three days, and my eldest brother will also take the exam. Can I go with my second sister to watch the fun?"

After Chu Yunmu moved to Duke Mu's Mansion with the Shen family, he went to the Shen family's clan school to study with his cousins.

The boys often play together, and for Chu Yunmu, it is no different from being at the Chu family... No, it's more lively here than at the Chu family!

After a pause, he added, "Last time, my second sister promised to take me to the Imperial College to watch the fun!"

What he meant was that it wasn't him who was playful, it was Chu Qianchen who took the initiative to propose it.

Lady Mu, the Duke of Mu, noticed that her daughter had an obvious smile on her face when she heard Chu Qianchen's name, and she sighed silently in her heart.

Shen raised her hand and rubbed Chu Yunmu's head.

In order to watch the fun, Chu Yunmu endured it.

"No." Shen cruelly rejected Chu Yunmu, "Your second sister just got married..."

"But my second sister said that I could go to Prince Chen's Mansion to play with her!" Chu Yunmu said confidently, "At most, I can send a visiting card to my second sister, right?"

Chu Yunmu pestered Shen by acting coquettishly and arguing with her, which made Shen and the wife of Duke Mu unable to stop laughing.

“Can you write a post?”

"Yes!" Chu Yunmu said firmly.

So, half an hour later, Chu Qianchen, who was in Prince Chen's Mansion, received a note sent by Chu Yunmu.

She sat by the window in an upper room in the main courtyard, holding the elegant post in one hand and a round fan embroidered with a black cat in the other, looking relaxed and comfortable.

"Greetings, Princess!" Nanny Jin from the Ministry of Internal Affairs bowed to Chu Qianchen with a smile and looked around calmly. The carved railings and painted buildings were luxurious and elegant.

This was the first time that Nanny Jin stepped into Prince Chen's Mansion.

The day before yesterday, which was the day of the wedding, Nanny Jin was stopped outside the gate by people from Prince Chen's Mansion.

Intimidated by the Prince of Chen's majesty, she dared not say a word and could only return to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to report in disgrace.

Today, Nanny Jin came here specially on orders to send someone off.

According to regulations, princes are qualified to employ eunuchs, and the prince's palace can have a maximum of forty eunuchs.

However, Prince Chen is away from the capital for many years, and Prince Chen's Palace is the only prince's palace without eunuchs.

Nanny Jin specially brought ten eunuchs and six palace maids with her this time, making the originally spacious upper room suddenly much more crowded.

A burner of incense was lit in the corner of the room. The green smoke curled up and diffused in the air, carrying a hint of lotus and orchid fragrance, which was refreshing and very pleasant.

Nanny Jin raised her hand and pointed at the people behind her as a matter of course, saying, "Princess, I brought you some useful servants today. These were carefully selected by the Queen."

"You see, they are all excellent. Princess, please keep them for your use."

Although her attitude was quite polite, it still tinged with a sense of arrogance.

Most of the eunuchs and palace maids behind her lowered their heads and stood with their bodies bowed. Occasionally, two palace maids in green secretly raised their eyes to look at Chu Qianchen who was sitting in a mahogany armchair. The girl, about seventeen or eighteen years old, was in the prime of her life, with willow-shaped eyebrows, a delicate nose, red lips and pomegranate teeth. She looked extremely beautiful, like a blooming peony.

Amber frowned slightly in displeasure.

This isn't about sending someone away; this is about placing someone here.

This is simply too much! Chu Qianchen smiled calmly, his smile was light and his brows were relaxed.

Chu Qianchen waved his round fan in one hand and turned to ask Humber, "Humber, am I a pushover?"

This sentence extinguished the anger in Amber's heart.

She was almost amused by Chu Qianchen, and tried to hold back her laughter, shook her head, and said seriously: "No."

Nanny Jin: “…”

She worked as a nanny in the palace, and was later transferred to work in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Everyone in and outside the palace respected her, and she had never been slapped in the face by anyone.

Hearing this, she was furious, her face suddenly darkened, and she emphasized with a fake smile: "Princess, this is the person given by the Queen!"

"The Queen is very caring towards you and the Prince of Chen. She is afraid that the palace is short of manpower and will neglect the Prince of Chen, so she kindly sent someone here."

Nanny Jin talked incessantly, thinking about how the Queen had specifically called her into the palace this morning and told her to do this job well.

Nanny Jin felt that this task could not be easier. The Princess of Chen was just a concubine who dared not even speak loudly in the Yongding Marquis's Mansion. She was dull and introverted. All matters concerning her wedding were arranged by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and she never dared to say a word "no".

Before she left the palace, she boasted to the Queen that she would do the job well.

Chu Qianchen waved his round fan with a smile.

Amber took a few steps forward and said to the eunuchs and palace maids brought by Nanny Jin, "Let's go."

The eunuchs and palace maids cast questioning looks at Nanny Jin.

Nanny Jin wanted to use both kindness and force on Chu Qianchen in private, so she signaled them all to leave.

6◇9◇Book◇Bar

So, the eunuchs and palace maids followed Amber and retreated.

Only Chu Qianchen, Nanny Jin and Lan Ruo were left in the room. The room seemed much emptier and quieter.

Lan Ruo cast a sympathetic look at Nanny Jin, then immediately lowered her eyes and stood there like a wooden man.

Chu Qianchen looked at Nanny Jin and said calmly, "Do you know why I let you in?"

"..." Nanny Jin looked puzzled.

She was here to do errands for the Queen, who dared not let her in! She also vaguely felt that the atmosphere was a little off.

The Chu Qianchen in front of her seemed different from the one she had seen before in the Yongding Marquis Mansion. He had obviously just changed his hairstyle to that of a woman, but there was a hint of majesty in his words and deeds that suggested a superior.

Chu Qianchen didn't expect her to answer, so he asked again: "Do you feel a stomachache?"

Nanny Jin: “…”

Nanny Jin became more and more confused.

Chu Qianchen said: "Press the Hegu point on your tiger's mouth."

Nanny Jin subconsciously pressed the base of her left hand.

Chu Qianchen said: "Press the Guanyuan point three inches below your navel again."

Nanny Jin pressed three inches below the navel again, and then her face changed drastically.

She only felt a sharp pain in her abdomen, the pain was like something was churning inside her body, and her face turned pale.

The two acupoints she pressed were very common. She had pressed them before, but she had never felt such a life-threatening pain.

"My stomach..." Nanny Jin was sweating profusely, her face was pale, and her legs were a little weak. She covered her stomach and stammered, "Princess, what did you do?"

At this time, Amber came in again and returned to Chu Qianchen with a smile.

"Madame Jin, what are you talking about!" Amber sighed in a condescending manner, with an air of bullying. "What can our princess do to you?! Did she hit you, or did she give you a three-foot white silk or a red crane?"

Crane's Beak Red?! Aunt Jin's heart skipped a beat, and her eyes widened instantly, in shock and horror.

Could it be that Chu Qianchen poisoned himself? !

But she didn't eat anything when she came to the palace today! Wait!

Nanny Jin looked at the incense burner in the corner. Was there something wrong with the incense? No. The other people she had brought were also there, and they did not feel any discomfort.

Or maybe she was poisoned by a chronic poison, and during the several times she went to the Yongding Marquis' Mansion, Chu Qianchen had been secretly poisoning her.

Nanny Jin was thinking in fear and uncertainty, and was almost fainted with fright.

Now the only thing she was sure of was one thing - she must have been poisoned!

Yes, in the past few years since the emperor ascended the throne, although the Prince of Chen was not in the capital, the emperor had put a lot of effort into inserting people into the prince's palace. Using the excuse of the regulations of the prince's palace, he had people from the Ministry of Internal Affairs run to the palace several times, but none of them were able to enter.

When she entered the palace gate this time, she thought that the new princess was soft and easy to talk to, but now it seems that this is obviously not the case! It's over!

Nanny Jin's heart was as cold as ice, and her limbs were chilly, as if she had been soaked in an icy lake in winter. Even her lips began to turn slightly purple.

She forced a smile, knelt on the hard marble floor with a plop, and said respectfully, almost humbly, "Princess, I have offended you many times in the past. Please don't bear grudges and forgive me!"

Lan Ruo glanced at Nanny Jin again, feeling as if an old scene was being repeated, her eyes were dark and deep.

"Forgive?" Chu Qianchen raised the corner of his mouth with a smile, as if he was puzzled. "I have always treated Madam with courtesy. Why do you say that?"

Chu Qianchen was telling the truth. She did not poison Nanny Jin and she was always polite.

It was just that when she was in the Marquis' Mansion, Nanny Jin came to visit and took her pulse and found that she had some chronic gastrointestinal diseases. Today, she was just kindly using incense to help her treat it. The two acupoints she asked her to press just now were also for treating abdominal pain.

As for the pain in the treatment process, there is nothing we can do about it. After all, good medicine tastes bitter.

But to Nanny Jin, Chu Qianchen's words were like a guillotine on her neck. Her heart sank again and she became more desperate.

She knew that even if she died in Prince Chen's mansion today, the Queen would never punish Prince Chen for a trivial servant like her.

Besides, Princess Chen had never done anything to him, so she could just clean herself up.

Nanny Jin became even more frightened, her body trembling slightly, and she herself didn't know whether it was because of the severe pain in her abdomen or because of fear.

She felt the severe pain in her abdomen become even more severe, and she was sweating profusely, even the back of her shirt was soaked.

Chu Qianchen drank his tea calmly and no longer looked at Nanny Jin.

At this moment, when Nanny Jin looked at Chu Qianchen again, she felt that he was as scary as a jackal, tiger or leopard.

She kowtowed heavily, prostrated herself on the ground, and sincerely and humbly admitted her fault: "Princess, please give me some advice."

Chu Qianchen gave Amber a look, and Amber went to get a blue-covered roster and began to read from it:

"Jin Lai Di, a native of Qingzhou, entered the palace at the age of nine and changed her name to Xia Rong. She worked in the palace for twenty years and served in the Eastern Palace. She was released from the palace at the age of twenty-eight and betrothed to the second steward of the Duke of Enguo's mansion. She became a widow at the age of forty and entered the Ministry of Internal Affairs as a servant at the Queen's discretion."

"I have a son named Song Han, who is currently studying at the Egret Academy. The teachers all praise him for his great talent in studying."

"Madame Jin, your son should be a slave..."

“…”

When Nanny Jin heard this, her heart started beating wildly. She was shocked and scared. She was shocked because Chu Qianchen had exposed all her secrets, and she was scared because she didn't know what Chu Qianchen was trying to do.

She had been targeted by Chu Qianchen for a long time, but the other party had remained silent until now, when he started to attack her and stabbed her in the vitals.

Then, would Chu Qianchen attack his own son?! Aunt Jin didn't dare to look up at Chu Qianchen at all. She felt like a thorn in her back and her throat felt as if someone was choking her.

No! She said to herself in her heart that since the other party had said so much to her, he must have something to ask for.

She rested her forehead on the ground and waited quietly.

Unexpectedly, after Amber finished reading the roster, she put it aside as if nothing had happened, and chatted with Chu Qianchen with a smile: "Princess, I think the skills of Chef Wan Er in making dim sum are really good, and they are not worse than places like Yunting Pavilion and Su Ji."

"They always make these few dishes. I'm thinking about buying some famous dim sum from other restaurants next time so that Chef Wan can learn how to make them."

Amber could understand it, as most people in the palace were men and they seldom ate snacks. The few snacks that Chef Wan Er could make were enough to deal with them, so they were naturally too lazy to strive for perfection.

Chu Qianchen smiled slightly, "Next month is the season for eating lotus root. Ask Chef Wan Er to try making some lotus root snacks." The prince likes to eat lotus root, which can stimulate the appetite, clear away heat, replenish blood and promote muscle growth, and nourish the body.

Seeing that the master and servant were chatting among themselves and no longer paying any attention to her, Nanny Jin was confused and became more and more uneasy.

She quietly raised her head, looked at Chu Qianchen, then at Lan Ruo, and only then did she notice Lan Ruo's eyes, wooden, yet with a fleeting hint of pity.

As if struck by a thunderbolt, Nanny Jin understood everything completely.

Lan Ruo had long been completely subdued by Chu Qianchen. Yes, Lan Ruo had served Chu Qianchen personally for such a long time that she must have discovered that Chu Qianchen was in disguise. She must have been poisoned by Chu Qianchen and had a hold on her vital points, so she had no choice but to surrender.

Nanny Jin's heart became even colder, as if there were several big holes in her chest, and the cold wind was whistling past.

Her teeth chattered, she clenched them tightly, and finally asked, "What does the princess want me to do?"

As she said this, she felt weak all over again. If she surrendered to Chu Qianchen, it would mean betraying the Queen.

"What can you do?" Chu Qianchen threw the question back directly, with a gentle smile on the corner of his lips.

Lan Ruo's eyelids twitched again when she heard these five simple words. She couldn't help but recall the time when Chu Qianchen pushed her to the edge of the cliff while chatting and laughing...

This couple is a perfect match. For Prince Chen, having such a princess is like adding wings to a tiger.

The emperor probably still doesn’t know what kind of princess he has chosen for Prince Chen!

Whenever Lan Ruo thought of this, she felt that her heart was so complicated that it was hard to describe in words. Things in this world really cannot be described by simple coincidences.

Nanny Jin, who was kneeling on the ground, blinked her eyes. The severe pain in her abdomen made her limbs weak, and the fear in her heart made her mind a little confused.

She subconsciously followed Chu Qianchen's words and asked herself: What can she do?

Seeing that Nanny Jin's thoughts were being led astray by Chu Qianchen, Lan Ruo knew that Nanny Jin would not be able to do anything surprising.

Well, facing this enchanting Princess Chen, what kind of trouble can these obedient servants like them make?

Lan Ruo stood there with her eyes on her nose and her nose on her heart. After a moment, she heard Nanny Jin say with little confidence: "Princess, during these years in the Ministry of Internal Affairs..."

Once she opened her mouth, the rest of the conversation became easier, and the only voice left in the room was Nanny Jin's.

She spoke like a bamboo tube pouring beans, afraid that Chu Qianchen would be dissatisfied, so she said whatever she thought of...

Chu Qianchen was always nonchalant, playing with her round fan, drinking fruit juice, and eating snacks. At first glance, she looked like an innocent little girl.

Amber did not dare to slack off at all. She concentrated her attention and wrote down every word that Nanny Jin said.

(End of this chapter)