The wet nurse, Granny Jiang, was very angry and felt sorry for Liuzheng.
But even when she was angry, she was mindful of being overheard, so she just kept her voice down and cursed softly.
Liuzheng handed over a cup of tea.
“Nanny, please don’t get angry, anger will harm your health. This herbal tea is good, it has honeysuckle in it. Here, have a sip of herbal tea to cool down.”
Jiang Mama was puzzled. She was under house arrest, so how could the young lady still have the leisure to drink tea?
“Young Miss, I am not as kind as you, I am truly angry!”
Even if the adopted daughter has done nothing good or virtuous, we should still build her a side room even if we don’t have a courtyard.
His own daughter survived countless near-death experiences and earned great military merit for the Ruan family, but because she refused to go to the top scholar’s mansion to apologize, she had to eat cold food.
What kind of biological parents are these?
Liuzheng remained calm and composed.
“Don’t worry, we’ll get our revenge soon.”
Granny Jiang was taken aback for a moment, then asked with great surprise, “Young Miss, do you have a way to help us get out of this predicament?”
“Um.”
“What method?”
“wait.”
“?”
“After the morning court session ends, my father will personally invite me out of the hospital.”
On this day in my previous life, a major event occurred in the imperial court.
This important event is related to Prince Su.
In this lifetime, Liuzheng also participated in this matter.
…
Inside the Forbidden City, Emperor Jingyuan was furious.
His face was ashen, and he paced back and forth in front of the dragon throne with his hands behind his back.
The high-ranking officials below dared not even breathe loudly.
Crown Prince Su Changluan knelt on the ground, sweat beading on his forehead, while the top scholar and several ministers beside him trembled uncontrollably.
Only Prince Su stood quietly to the side, as if nothing concerned him.
Even under the sunlight streaming in, his handsome features remained devoid of any warmth.
Emperor Jingyuan was furious because of the smuggled salt incident.
Emperor Jingyuan sent Prince Su to investigate, giving him three days to find out the truth.
The Crown Prince didn’t care; in such a short time, it was impossible for Prince Su to find out anything about him.
Once Prince Su returns empty-handed and is punished by His Majesty, he can use this incident to clear his name and completely destroy all evidence.
Unexpectedly, Prince Su actually investigated and found out everything.
After a long while, Emperor Jingyuan finally stopped and coldly glanced at the two kneeling figures.
“Your Highness, you have failed to properly discipline your subordinates, allowing them to engage in the smuggling of salt. Do you know your crime?”
Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince breathed a sigh of relief.
The memorial submitted by Prince Su did not mention him at all, yet every word pointed to him.
Now, His Majesty only says that he “did not discipline his children properly,” which is to absolve him of responsibility.
He quickly bowed and kowtowed.
“Your Majesty, I know my crime! I beg Your Majesty to give me a chance. I will definitely discipline my subordinates strictly in the future and never be negligent again!”
“From today onwards, you are confined to the Eastern Palace for one month and are not permitted to leave without being summoned. Any objections?”
“Your subject dares not object, Your subject accepts the punishment!”
Emperor Jingyuan snorted coldly.
He was not unaware that the Crown Prince was not being misbehaved, but rather the mastermind behind the salt smuggling operation!
But he is the crown prince, born of the empress herself, the very foundation of the nation.
Moreover, the other princes were all mediocre.
Emperor Jingyuan had no intention of deposing the crown prince, so he suppressed his anger and lightly brushed the matter aside by mentioning it to the crown prince.
However, he severely punished the other ministers involved in the salt smuggling, beheading one and exiling the others to Ningguta, while their families were all demoted to commoners.
The top scholar was among those exiled to Ningguta.
His face was as pale as paper, but he dared not utter a single word.
His Majesty’s intention to protect the Crown Prince is quite clear. If he were to step forward and implicate the Crown Prince at this time, his fate would not only be exile, but his entire family might be executed.
The same goes for the others.
None of them wanted to implicate their families, so they all pleaded guilty and accepted punishment.
The morning court session ended in the wrath of Emperor Jingyuan.
The Crown Prince passed by Prince Su.
He glanced sideways at Prince Su, who was only four years older than him but whose aura completely overwhelmed him, and bowed slightly.
“Sixth Imperial Uncle is truly capable, far surpassing Changluan.”
Prince Su looked back at him, his gaze so intense it seemed tangible, creating a palpable sense of oppression.
“It’s getting late, Your Highness. Why haven’t you returned to the Eastern Palace to stay in confinement?”
The prince’s forehead veins throbbed violently, and his chest heaved violently.
But he suppressed his anger and left in a huff.
Prince Shen He’an stepped forward and, together with Prince Su, watched the Crown Prince’s retreating figure. He said in a low voice, “This time you owe General Zhaoyong a huge favor. If it weren’t for her, we would be like headless flies, unable to get out of Yueyang City.”
Prince Su ignored him and walked forward expressionlessly.
Shen He’an was already used to being ignored by him, and knowing that he was cold on the outside but warm on the inside, he said, “Why don’t I help you make the connection and invite her to a banquet at Minghe Tower?”
Only then did Prince Su finally turn his head slightly to look at Shen He’an.
“What? You want the whole capital to know that she delivered the secret letter, exposing the Crown Prince’s faction?”
In the secret letter that Liuzheng wrote to Prince Su, she only wrote her name.
That man was none other than the top scholar’s uncle.
It was by following this clue that they were able to find the Crown Prince in one fell swoop.
If the Crown Prince’s faction finds out, Liuzheng will become a target.
Shen He’an’s eyes widened, and he quickly waved his hands: “No, no, I didn’t mean that.”
Prince Su did not speak again.
After the two mounted their horses, he asked, “Isn’t the Lady of the Marquis’s fiftieth birthday coming up?”
“Yes, my mother’s birthday is in five days…”
Halfway through his sentence, Shen He’an slapped his forehead.
“Understood! I will definitely deliver the invitation to General Zhaoyong’s residence.”
Prince Su did not respond. He cracked his whip, spurred his horse, and galloped away, quickly returning to his palace in Wuyi Lane.
After dismounting, he saw a young woman gracefully stepping down from a carriage at the Zhaoyong General’s Mansion across the street.
Prince Su subconsciously looked up.
The young woman wore a long brocade jacket with a front opening, a mica-white skirt with gold trim, and a gold hairpin with pearl tassels in her high bun, which made her already beautiful face even more stunning.
However, it was not the valiant female general Zhaoyong who rode a white horse on the day the army returned to the capital.
The fleeting glint in Prince Su’s eyes vanished quickly, but the woman caught it just in time.
That person was none other than Ruan Yunzheng.
It was her first time meeting Prince Su, and she couldn’t hide her amazement.
Who would have thought that the rumored domineering and ruthless Prince Su would be so handsome?
She had thought he would be a burly, rough man, but he turned out to be a handsome and elegant young nobleman, whose appearance was even comparable to that of the crown prince.
Seeing the light in Prince Su’s eyes, her cheeks flushed crimson, and she lowered her gaze shyly.
When he regained his breathing and looked up again, the figure in black was gone, and all he could see was the slowly closing vermilion gate of the Prince’s mansion.
“Third Miss, what’s wrong?” Su Luo put away the horse stool.
She didn’t see Prince Su, but only noticed her young mistress staring blankly at the tightly closed gates of the Prince’s mansion across the street, which made her ask in confusion.
Ruan Yunzheng shook her head and didn’t speak, but when it was just the two of them, mistress and servant, she couldn’t help but ask, “Su Luo, what do you think of Prince Su?”
Su Luo was taken aback and asked, “Why is Miss asking about Prince Su?”
“Just answer.”
“I’ve heard that Prince Su is arrogant and domineering, and doesn’t even respect His Majesty. He even decides whether to attend the morning court session on his own whim… I’ve also heard that Prince Su used to have a princess, but only three days after their marriage, she was found drowned in the well in the Prince’s mansion… It’s truly terrifying!”
Ruan Yunzheng smiled and said, “I don’t think so.”
The way he looked at himself clearly had a soft light in his eyes.
“What makes you say that, Miss?”
“Just a gut feeling.” Ruan Yunzheng didn’t elaborate, nor did she mention that gentle glance to Su Luo.
This was her secret with Prince Su.
It’s just a pity that she was destined to marry the Crown Prince and become the most noble woman in the world.
But thinking about it in my heart, it’s not necessarily bad.
Every woman hopes to be the center of attention and admired by men all over the world.
Ruan Yunzheng kept her little secret with Prince Su deep in her heart, deciding not to share it with anyone.
The two, master and servant, quickly returned to Tingzhu Courtyard to find the First Madam.
Upon learning that the First Madam and the Master were both at Haoyue Courtyard with Ruan Changzheng, the two turned around and went to Haoyue Courtyard.
It was going to rain today, so Master Ruan didn’t need to go to the academy. The couple helped Ruan Changzheng personally apply the miraculous medicine from the Princess’s residence.
Ruan Changzheng was terrified when she saw the medicine, fearing that she would develop rotten flesh again.
But with his father there, he didn’t want his father to think he was weak, so he endured the pain and let them apply the medicine.
After finally finishing applying the medicine, Ruan Changzheng was covered in sweat as if she had swum in water.
The First Madam instructed her maid to help Ruan Changzheng change her clothes, then turned her head away and secretly shed tears.
“Mother, don’t cry.” Ruan Changzheng endured the pain and said, “I’m fine. When I get better, I can go with you to watch the sunrise in Xishan again.”
The mother and son once went to the Western Hills to watch the sunrise. That day was the happiest day for the First Madam in the past ten years.
The First Madam nodded with red eyes, her hatred for Liuzheng growing even stronger.
“How about Father goes along too?” Ruan Changzheng said.
He learned from the First Madam that since moving to the General’s Mansion, Ruan Hanmo had been staying in Concubine Su’s room every day.
He intentionally tried to improve his relationship with his parents.
Mr. Ruan, still giving his son face, nodded and said, “Alright, the day your leg heals, our family will go to West Mountain.”
Just then, Ruan Yunzheng entered.
“Father, Mother, are you going to West Mountain?”
“Yes, and Yun’er too, Yun’er will go with us,” the First Madam said.
No one mentioned Liuzheng.
Ruan Yunzheng had already overheard most of what was going on at the door; she had only asked the question on purpose.
She smiled and said, “No matter where you go, my daughter will go with you.”
Upon hearing this, all three recalled the day the army returned to the capital, when their adopted daughter vowed to live and die with them.
A hint of emotion also appeared on Master Ruan’s face.
He asked, “What did Xinniang say?”
He didn’t know that Xinniang wasn’t angry with Liuzheng at all; she was angry with the First Madam.
She felt that the First Madam’s behavior was too foolish, that she couldn’t even handle the smallest things properly, and that she had angered the Eldest Princess, so she didn’t want to associate with her for the time being.
But Ruan Yunzheng was best at comforting people; with just a few words, she coaxed Xinniang back to her senses.
She said, “I coaxed her for a long time before Sister Xin finally smiled. But at least I managed to coax her back.”
Master Ruan breathed a sigh of relief.
The reason Dufeng Academy had so many students was that, apart from the little bit of prestige left by the deceased old master, it was all thanks to the living signboard of the top scholar.
If Xinniang were to whisper in his ear and persuade the top scholar to stop associating with them, then next year when the academy accepts students, there probably won’t be many applicants.
“You’ve done very well,” Master Ruan praised. “You deserve a good reward. What would you like?”