Tang Zhuyun knew Mingzhu didn't want to talk about Wu Zhenhai, so she changed the subject, saying, "Anyway, we won't say we're defying the imperial decree, so we'll just slowly wait it out. First, we'll say we're pregnant, then if that doesn't work, we'll say we're sick. If it really doesn't work and we insist on going, then we'll take it slow, like a snail..."
In short, isn't procrastination a good thing?
Mingzhu said, "Sister-in-law, shouldn't we have someone tell my brother?"
"Yes," Tang Zhuyun said, "I'm also waiting for news from the capital."
His father and brothers will probably write to him, and they should be able to find out some of the reasons.
The emperor wouldn't launch an attack without a reason.
Especially Father, wasn't he the Emperor's true love?
Dad, hurry up and give us some support! We're all counting on you!
Tang Zhuyun claimed she was pregnant and sent the eunuch who delivered the imperial decree back to report.
After all, this is in the Northwest, Prince of Jin is a local tyrant here, with no one having the final say. If he gets really angry, killing him would be as easy as crushing an ant.
So the eunuch who delivered the decree obediently left.
His journey back was far from smooth; he encountered bandits or was blocked by rocks. In short, what should have been a journey of a little over a month took him a full three months to get back.
Of course, that's a story for another time.
Yanran was furious about this.
--What, you think you can bully her mother since her father and brothers aren't around?
She's not staying here to be manipulated by others!
She went to Cui Xiaoqiu, fuming, and said, "You have so many ideas, hurry up and help me think of what to do!"
I really want to go back to the capital alone and have a word with the Emperor.
Thank goodness this wasn't her own grandfather, or she would have been driven to her death by anger. He's senile, ugh!
Cui Xiaoqiu was sitting behind her desk, looking at a few pages of paper. Hearing this, she looked up at her.
Yanran was dressed in riding attire today, holding a whip in her right hand, looking like she was about to go riding.
She still enjoys going out riding and archery with Sanbao as always, and a few days ago she even gave him two roasted rabbits, saying that she hunted them herself.
Cui Xiaoqiu's gaze fell on the back of Yanran's right hand, where there was a scrape. "How did you get that?"
"I accidentally injured myself while riding horses with Sanbao yesterday, it's nothing," Yanran said nonchalantly. "You've heard about the imperial decree summoning my mother to the capital, haven't you?"
For martial arts practitioners, getting a few scrapes and bruises is perfectly normal.
Recently, Cui Xiaoqiu has been acting as if he's "oblivious to worldly affairs and only focused on studying the classics," which has inspired Wu Yu to work harder as well.
It was that little kid; seeing him sitting so seriously at his desk made Yanran want to laugh.
As a stepmother, what could she do?
All I can do is have someone take good care of him while I go out and have some fun.
Sigh, there might be an atmosphere in the Prince's mansion where "you'll die if you don't study," which has influenced all the academic underachievers except for her.
She is like a stubborn, unyielding rock.
But she doesn't regret it.
What she's experiencing now makes her realize even more clearly that the idea that studying is good is completely useless.
Might makes right.
Let's march back to the capital!
Cui Xiaoqiu said, "I've heard about it, and I know what happened."
"You actually know what happened?" Yanran's eyes widened. "Even my mother doesn't know!"
Cui Xiaoqiu waved the letter in her hand. "I'm reading it now."
"What?"
"My grandfather's letter."
Although Yanran is a bit absent-minded, she is still clear-headed when it comes to important matters.
The old fox of the Cui Family —oh, no, the old master—is on the side of the Prince's mansion; otherwise, he wouldn't have sent Cui Xiaoqiu here.
"What did she say?" Yanran couldn't wait to go around behind the table and lean over to look, completely unaware that her long hair was falling on Cui Xiaoqiu.
Cui Xiaoqiu slightly stepped aside and handed the letter directly to her.
Yanran skimmed through the text and finally understood it.
"I need to tell my mother I'm leaving now." She waved and ran out quickly.
Cui Xiaoqiu watched her retreating figure and couldn't help but smile.
As for the contents of the letter, although many people found it earth-shattering, he considered it nothing out of the ordinary.
--With the rise of the Prince of Jin, some people are bound to be anxious, so it's perfectly normal for some strange things to happen.
But all of this is ultimately just a gimmick.
If the Prince of Jin hadn't been so incredibly unlucky, he would have ended up in that position sooner or later.
However, he seems somewhat reluctant to marry the princess...
Cui Xiaoqiu stroked his chin, seemingly lost in thought.
Tang Zhuyun was somewhat incredulous after hearing Yanran's words.
"Is His Majesty really poisoned?"
The letter stated that the Emperor had been taking the medicine prescribed by Tang Zhuyun, and his health had been quite good, but recently it had deteriorated rapidly.
Consort De suspected that someone had tampered with the medicine, so she sent people to investigate.
As it turned out, the imperial physician said that there was something wrong with the medicine given by Tang Zhuyun.
A life-saving drug turned into a death sentence?
Tang Zhuyun found it utterly absurd.
If she was truly found guilty of poisoning, why not simply arrest her? Why instead use vague pretexts to send her to the capital to attend to the ailing emperor?
Yanran: "It wasn't mentioned in the letter. Wait, I'll call Cui Xiaoqiu over."
The Cui Family members are incredibly cunning and know a great deal.
Watching Yanran rush out, Xiu'er couldn't help but pout and say, "That little fox Cui, she's too good at it."
Mingzhu nodded. "Indeed."
Ren Yingying: "Why do you say that?"
Xiu'er said, "Think about it, who is Elder Lord Cui writing this letter for?"
Ren Yingying: "Of course it's for Tangbao. For me? Who do you think I am?"
The Cui Family had already secretly chosen sides long ago.
"That's right. Even though Yanran wasn't going, Cui Xiaoqiu would still send it because it was for the Empress. Now, it's all turned out that Yanran has to thank him."
That's bad enough, but he didn't even explain things clearly, making Yanran go and ask him for advice, just to make himself seem more capable!
How can someone so young be so talented!
Look at Wu Zhenhai and Qu Nian, they're nothing compared to this little fox.
It felt like Cui Xiaoqiu was trying to turn the red thread in the hands of the Matchmaker into a steel lock, locking Yanran in place.
Tang Zhuyun smiled and said, "I think these two children are quite good. I hope they can always be like this... but the possibility is too low."
The two children are still too young.
In the future, we will meet many more people; the journey we've shared will most likely just be a wistful memory in the future.
Xiu'er said, "I think it's more reliable, at least more reliable than Wuxian and Guagua."
Ren Yingying: "What? When did you give Wuxian to Guagua? No way, I don't agree!"
Wuxian belongs to her!
Tang Zhuyun said, "Xiu'er thinks Wuxian will be bullied, so he needs his own people to protect him, haha..."
Ren Yingying: "I'm one of us too!"
Just then, Cui Xiaoqiu arrived.
"Your Majesty, my grandfather's intention is not to use force to bring you back to the capital, because even the Emperor cannot afford to lose."
"What can't you afford to lose?"
"The war against the Northern Yi." The young boy, already showing signs of maturity, stood there as steadfast as a pine tree, calm and composed, leaving Ren Yingying somewhat stunned.
These children all shine.
She doesn't want to have children anymore, otherwise it will cause such a huge trauma to the child!
"Even the Emperor is afraid of the Prince, and he's willing to do anything."
Therefore, the only option was to coax and deceive people into coming to the capital.
"Also, there's the concern that once the Prince succeeds, he'll be difficult to control," Cui Xiaoqiu said. "Actually, originally, it should have been Linlin who went to the capital."
Tang Zhuyun's choice was merely a second-best option.