Chapter 111
King Rui had never thought that the grandson of the crown prince was actually Chu Xiuyuan. Shouldn't he be hidden well? Moreover, he had heard that Chu Xiuyuan had led troops to fight against the barbarians more than once... King Rui was almost dizzy. This was the grandson of the crown prince, a precious grandson of the crown prince, a grandson of the crown prince who would be gone if he died...
Wait, they treat the prince’s grandson like this, what if it were me?
Let him fight the barbarians? Or the prince of England?
Chu Xiuyuan looked at the King of Rui, who looked like he was about to faint, with some confusion, and then looked at Zhao Duan who was standing beside him. Zhao Duan also couldn't understand his brother-in-law, so he just shook his head slightly. Chu Xiuyuan simply stopped thinking about it and began to discuss official business with Zhao Duan in a low voice. When the King of Rui came to his senses, he looked at Chu Xiuyuan's profile and suddenly said, "You really don't look like your grandfather."
If these words fell into the ears of people who were not familiar with King Rui, they would probably think that what King Rui said was not good. Chu Xiuyuan had been dealing with Shen Jin for so long, and had been with King Rui for some time, so he naturally knew that King Rui was just saying this, "Yes, I am more like my mother."
"Your mother?" asked King Rui.
Chu Xiuyuan smiled and said, "My father is the second son of my royal grandfather, and my mother is from the Chu family."
King Rui nodded. Chu Xiuyuan was indeed Chu Xiuming's cousin. "Dongdong looks like your grandfather."
Chu Xiuyuan responded, and King Rui didn't know what to say to Chu Xiuyuan. He just looked at Chu Xiuyuan for a long time before sighing and saying, "You are fine."
Zhao Duan didn't say anything. He followed only to guard against Prince Rui saying something inappropriate. Now it seems that he can rest assured, thanks to Chu Xiuyuan's good temper. If it was Chu Xiuyuan with a temper like Emperor Cheng, Prince Rui would have offended him badly with these few words.
Prince Rui said, "My mother... had no choice back then. When you sit on the throne..."
"I know." Chu Xiuyuan knew what King Rui meant, and said, "Great-grandmother is still great-grandmother."
King Rui nodded and said, "Okay then. I'm leaving. If you have any problems in the future, please let me know. I won't come to the daily meeting room."
In the palace, Shen Jin has been pregnant for more than three months. People who are familiar with Shen Jin can find that her belly is already slightly bulging. People who are not familiar with her would probably not notice this. Moreover, since she knew she might be pregnant, Shen Jin has already gotten used to wearing loose clothes. In addition, she has grown a lot taller. At first glance, it does not seem to be a problem with the clothes. Instead, it seems that she has lost a lot of weight, which makes the clothes look loose. This is exactly the little trick that An Yi helped to arrange. She did not loosen the clothes all at once, but loosened them little by little, and then made slight changes in other places, subtly giving the impression that Shen Jin is getting thinner day by day.
When Princess Ruyang arrived, she looked at Shen Jin and sighed in her heart. Even with the Queen Mother's protection, Shen Jin's life in the palace was not easy. Shen Jin seemed to be unaware of it. She still smiled brightly and called out, "Cousin, please sit down."
"Yes." Princess Ruyang said, "If you want something, just ask the kitchen to make it. If it doesn't have it, tell me and I'll find a way to get it for you."
Shen Jin waited for Princess Ruyang to sit down, then she sat beside her. She naturally took a cushion and held it in her arms, then she leaned lazily on another cushion, "Got it." Shen Jin has always been a very careful person. Even if she knew that Princess Ruyang hadn't discovered her situation, she would still hide some of it. When she sat down, "I don't know what the border town is like now."
Princess Ruyang didn't know either. She had also lost a lot of weight. After all, she was worried about her husband and the children. After hearing this, she couldn't help but feel some resentment towards Shen Jin, but at the same time, she understood that she had to protect Shen Jin. "Father, a few days ago..."
As if chatting, Princess Ruyang told Shen Jin the news she had found out. Shen Jin looked at the scenery outside the window nonchalantly, and responded from time to time. Princess Ruyang didn't know whether Shen Jin was concerned or not, but this was all she could do. She couldn't let her send the news to the border town by herself. "I heard from my mother that the Empress Dowager left the capital to pray for Tianqi."
"Oh?" Shen Jin looked at Princess Ruyang in surprise, "It's very dangerous outside. Who knows where the people of the Prince of Ying are? The safest place should be the palace."
Princess Ruyang carefully observed Shen Jin's expression and said, "Father seems to be a little moved."
Shen Jin frowned and said nothing. Princess Ruyang continued, "It seems that the Royal Grandmother wants to take you and Shen Rong with her."
"I don't want to leave Beijing." Shen Jin pursed her lips and said, "My husband asked me to wait for him in the palace."
Princess Ruyang shook her head and said, "It depends on what my father and grandmother think. My mother has no say around my father." In fact, the queen agreed with the empress dowager leaving the capital. That way, some things would be easier.
Shen Jin didn't say anything, so Princess Ruyang asked, "By the way, have you seen Shen Rong?"
"No." Shen Jin was obviously still thinking about leaving Beijing, and said absentmindedly.
Princess Ruyang said somewhat displeasedly, "How can she be someone's sister?"
Shen Jin said, "We don't have a good relationship."
Princess Ruyang didn't say anything else, but started chatting with Shen Jin about other things. Shen Jin did have something on his mind, but it was not what Princess Ruyang thought. Leaving Beijing was a good opportunity for Shen Jin, not to mention that Yue Wen and his men did not return to the border town, but hid around the capital. As long as they left the palace, Shen Jin could find a chance to secretly leave Beijing. Her goal had been achieved. Shen Jin came to Beijing as a hostage, but not to Emperor Cheng, but to the people of the world. If Shen Jin disappeared, even if Emperor Cheng suspected Chu Xiuming, how many people would believe it?
After all, Shen Jin came here on his own initiative, rather than being forced to come by Emperor Cheng.
The most important point is that Xu Yuan should have succeeded. If Xu Yuan succeeded, Emperor Cheng would never let Shen Jin leave the palace, because that means the strength of the Prince of England is weakened. Although Chu Xiuming's strength remains unchanged, he has the upper hand. Even if Emperor Cheng is willing to join forces with the Prince of England to deal with Chu Xiuming, the two of them together will not be Chu Xiuming's opponent. As long as Chu Xiuming does not take the initiative to attack, it will be foolproof. The cooperation between Emperor Cheng and the Prince of England can only be short-term, and long-term cooperation is impossible because the ministers and the people will not be willing.
As long as Emperor Cheng dared to contact the Prince of Ying, those noble families would dare to join Chu Xiuming. In the final analysis, Emperor Cheng did not hate the Prince of Ying, because without the King of Ying, Emperor Cheng could not sit on the throne. The noble families and many ministers had a blood feud with the lineage of the King of Ying. Who didn't have a few people who died at the hands of the King of Ying? The soldiers led by the King of Ying did not cause much harm to people.
Now the noble families have not said anything, but they are not sure about the strength of the Prince of Ying. When they find out that Chu Xiuming has weakened the Prince of Ying and even sent his wife to the capital as a hostage, what will they ask of Emperor Cheng? Even if they have to force him, they will force Emperor Cheng to fight the Prince of Ying. What if Shen Jin suddenly disappears at this delicate moment? I am afraid that no one will suspect that Shen Jin ran away by herself, but that Emperor Cheng is more concerned about Chu Xiuming and thus hides Shen Jin, or that the Prince of Ying is desperate and attacks Shen Jin...
What we need to do now is to find a way to leave the capital before the news comes from the Prince of Ying. If it weren't for what Princess Ruyang said today, Shen Jin might not have thought of this. She is taking advantage of the situation. In fact, why did the Queen Mother want to take Shen Jin away from the capital? Naturally, it was because Shen Jin was pregnant. In order to avoid being discovered by Emperor Cheng and unable to protect her, thus dragging down Prince Rui from taking the throne, the Queen Mother had to make a contribution.
Princess Ruyang noticed Shen Jin's distraction, but she didn't take it seriously. Finally, she comforted him, "Don't think too much. I'll go back and talk to my mother and find a way to keep you here."
Shen Jin lowered his eyes slightly and nodded, saying, "The Prince of England is elusive. If I leave the palace, I'm afraid he won't let me go. I'm a princess in the palace, and His Majesty is my uncle. I'm also taken care of by my aunt and others, so naturally there will be no problem. If I fall into the hands of the Prince of England..."
Princess Ruyang also understood Shen Jin's meaning and said, "Don't worry."
Shen Jin nodded. Princess Ruyang came today to test Shen Jin. Now that she got the answer, she didn't want to stay any longer. She said goodbye and went back to talk to the queen. In fact, Princess Ruyang was also conflicted. On the one hand, she told Shen Jin the news from the capital because the prince consort and the child were in Chu Xiuming's hands, but on the other hand, she helped the queen to test Shen Jin, because she understood what her mother said. She was a princess now, but not the only daughter of Emperor Cheng. If her own brother became the emperor and her mother was the empress dowager, then her identity would be different. So... while secretly betraying Emperor Cheng, Princess Ruyang also betrayed Shen Jin for her own benefit.
When Princess Ruyang said goodbye, Shen Jin personally saw her off. Princess Ruyang went directly to the Queen's palace and described Shen Jin's expression in detail. She said, "I saw that Shen Jin didn't look very well, and he really didn't know about this matter. I'm afraid it was the Queen Mother's own decision."
"But why?" asked the Queen, frowning.
Princess Ruyang thought for a moment and said, "It may be for Prince Rui. After all, Prince Rui is the Queen Mother's biological son. Now no one knows where Prince Rui is. The Queen Mother suspects that he is in Chu Xiuming's hands. She is also afraid that Chu Xiuming will hand Prince Rui over to Emperor Cheng for Shen Jin. Then what awaits Prince Rui may be..." Princess Ruyang did not finish her words, and the Queen Mother understood, "So the Queen Mother wants Shen Jin to be in her hands, so that she can negotiate with Chu Xiuming at the critical moment and protect Prince Rui."
The Queen also understood, "And it's not wrong for Shen Jin to be greedy. In the capital, she is the wife of the Marquis of Yongning and a princess, but she is nothing in the hands of the Prince of Ying. What if the Prince of Rui is in the hands of the Prince of Ying? Do you think the Queen Mother will send Shen Jin to exchange for the Prince of Rui for his safety?"
"I'm afraid so." Princess Ruyang said after thinking for a while.
The queen nodded, and Princess Ruyang asked, "Mother, what should we do?"
"No big deal." The Queen said nonchalantly, "This is the decision of Emperor Cheng and the Queen Mother, not mine... Get the Queen Mother out of the palace as soon as possible!"
Princess Ruyang narrowed her eyes and nodded, "Yes."
The queen thought about it and realized that if the empress dowager was gone, some things would be much more convenient. She only had one son left, and this son was her only hope. Thinking of the death of her eldest son, the queen was filled with hatred.
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