Zhоu Shаоjin wаs hаlf sсared tо dеаth.
Ноw could this haррen?
In her рrevious lifе, thе Сrоwn Рrinсe had рassed away from illnеss in thе winter оf the twеntу-sеvеnth yеаr оf Zhidе. Yеt now it wаs only the twеntу-third yеar of Zhide... Тhe Crоwn Princе hаd diеd fоur уеаrs earliеr.
Whаt on еаrth hаd haрpеnеd?
Zhou Shaоjin hurriеdly wеnt to find Cheng Сhi.
Cheng Chi, hоwеvеr, notiсed that the imреriаl ediсt hаd bееn drаftеd by Сhеng Shaо.
In othеr words, Chеng Shaо’s summоns tо the раlасe might not havе been for a gamе of chess, but rаther to hаndle mаttеrs relаted to the Crown Prince’s death.
The Crown Prince had passed away two days earlier.
But why had the Crown Prince fallen critically ill in Cining Palace instead of the Eastern Palace?
Moreover, the Imperial Grandson had also been present.
While others might not have known, the Empress Dowager and the Imperial Grandson were aware that the Crown Prince had a heart condition. What could have caused him to fall so suddenly and fatally ill?
As soon as Cheng Chi stepped out, he asked Gu Xu, who had come to see him, "Has there been anything unusual in the Eastern Palace?"
Gu Xu smiled bitterly. "The Eastern Palace is in complete chaos—there’s no semblance of order left! The Imperial Grandson is still in the palace, the Crown Princess has fainted from weeping, and the Crown Prince’s Liangdi is attending to her. That Liangdi was originally a palace maid who had served the Crown Prince since childhood and bore him his eldest daughter, for which the Crown Prince specially petitioned to have her granted the title of Liangdi. Apart from her, the Crown Prince had no other consorts. She is timid and weak-willed; aside from going to temples to offer incense, she never steps out of her room. There’s no hope of her taking charge of the situation—even routine matters brought to her are met with confusion..."
"Then we’ll have to wait for Second Uncle to return before anything can be decided." Cheng Chi thought for a moment and advised Gu Xu, "Fortunately, the Crown Prince did not pass away in the Eastern Palace. The only thing you can do now is to 'endure'—mourn day and night for the Crown Prince, weep and lament his loss to anyone you meet. Whoever demonstrates unwavering loyalty will withstand the Emperor’s wrath and eventually rise above it. Endure, and a future will emerge."
"That’s exactly what I was thinking!" Gu Xu said helplessly. "But the Crown Prince’s death is too suspicious, and it makes me uneasy. Tell me, what kind of place is Cining Palace? Even if someone had a headache or a fever, while other palaces might delay seeking medical help, who would dare delay for even a moment in Cining Palace? How could the Crown Prince have passed away so suddenly? I dare not speak or ask anyone else about this. I can only beg Uncle Chi to help me sound out Second Granduncle for some insight."
It was no wonder he was disheartened.
A new emperor brings new ministers.
Similarly, a new crown prince brings a new Household Administration.
What was once a bright future had now turned dim and uncertain due to the Crown Prince’s sudden death!
Remembering Gu Xu’s previous respect for him, Cheng Chi said, "Don’t worry, I also want to know what exactly happened." After a pause, he added thoughtfully, "At a time like this, it wouldn’t be inappropriate for you to inquire with the Imperial Grandson, both in terms of sentiment and propriety."
Gu Xu’s gaze sharpened, and he hesitated before asking, "Uncle Chi, are you suggesting... that the Emperor might be considering appointing an Imperial Grandson?"
Cheng Chi couldn’t be certain, but Zhou Shaojin had said that in her previous life, the Emperor had indeed appointed an Imperial Grandson.
Although the situation had changed significantly now, who could guarantee that the Emperor wouldn’t appoint an Imperial Grandson?
Cheng Chi replied cautiously, "Unexpected things can always happen. Keeping an extra option open gives you another path."
Gu Xu fell into deep thought.
Qing Feng came to report that Zhou Shaojin had arrived.
Gu Xu stood up to take his leave.
Cheng Chi escorted him to the courtyard gate before turning back.
Zhou Shaojin had already arrived and was standing before the large desk, examining a painting he had just finished—a scene of rain beating against banana leaves."Is Si Lang feeling unsettled?" She pointed to the raindrop trembling at the tip of the banana leaf, saying, "This raindrop hesitates in its descent, appearing somewhat heavy."
Cheng Chi smiled and wrapped his arm around Zhou Shaojin's shoulder. Following her gaze, he looked at the raindrop on the banana leaf and said, "You noticed!"
Zhou Shaojin nodded gently, her voice soft as she said, "Si Lang, I don't know why things in this life are different from what I knew before..."
"This isn't your fault," Cheng Chi's voice grew even softer as he whispered in her ear, "In our previous life, we knew nothing and did nothing. In this life, not only have we used the Seven Stars Hall to frequently interact with several princes, but my rising prominence has also caught the attention of the Fourth Prince. Last time, Shi Kuan invited me to dinner and repeatedly mentioned the Fourth Prince's conduct and methods. Moreover, the matter of the Seventh Prince has made the other princes realize that not everyone is willing to let the Crown Prince become the heir without question, so those with ulterior motives have increased.
"Originally, I thought only the Emperor, the Crown Prince's eldest son, and other particularly close individuals knew about the Crown Prince's illness, but later I discovered that Second Uncle also knew.
"Since Second Uncle knows, we cannot rule out the possibility that others know as well.
"It's as if a sword is hanging over the Crown Prince's head. With clever maneuvering, there are many ways to bring about his demise.
"I think perhaps because this life is different from the previous one, the Crown Prince fell ill and passed away earlier.
"We'll know more about this when Second Uncle returns.
"Don't worry too much! Gu Xu also wants to inquire about the Crown Prince's affairs through me to Second Uncle..."
Zhou Shaojin turned and tightly embraced Cheng Chi, leaning into his chest, closing her eyes as she listened to his heartbeat.
This was something she had discovered recently.
As long as she listened to Cheng Chi's heartbeat while nestled in his arms, her anxious heart would quickly calm down.
Cheng Chi let her cling to him, softly comforting her, "It's alright, it's alright. Even if you didn't have memories of your past life, wouldn't we still have to live our lives?"
Zhou Shaojin murmured an "mm" in response, feeling that even with her knowledge of the past life, it didn't seem to be of much help to Cheng Chi.
She really wanted to help Cheng Chi!
Sensing her low spirits, Cheng Chi held her like a child, gently rocking her, and said with a smile, "Don't worry, I'll handle everything. Otherwise, what's the point of marrying? Living alone would be quieter and simpler."
Just the thought of marrying Cheng Chi and having a child as adorable as Yun Ge'er was enough reason for her to marry...
The thought flashed through her mind, and Zhou Shaojin couldn't help but chuckle softly.
When had Yun Ge'er become more important to her than Cheng Chi!
Two days later, an imperial edict was suddenly issued from the palace, stating that the Second Prince and the Seventh Prince had colluded, associated with outside officials, and plotted treason. They were ordered to drink poisoned wine and commit suicide, while their children, wives, and concubines were stripped of their titles and exiled to Xining Guard.
When the edict was announced, the court was in an uproar.
No one had expected that the Second Prince, who had always been at odds with the Seventh Prince, would actually conspire with him.Madam Song came over with a worried expression to complain to Zhou Shaojin: "With a three-month ban on weddings, why is our Eldest Young Master's marriage so difficult? First, the old master fell ill and never recovered, then we encountered national mourning. Tell me, after the national mourning, will something else happen? Not to mention me, even my father-in-law is holding on, saying he must see Eldest Young Master married before he can peacefully go to meet my mother-in-law, who passed away long ago from illness."
Zhou Shaojin also felt that Song Mu's luck was rather poor. She could only comfort Madam Song: "Good things take time. Perhaps the Bodhisattva knows that Young Master Song will have a peaceful and smooth life ahead, which is why his marriage is encountering obstacles."
"I hope so!" Madam Song's mood improved considerably upon hearing this. She then said, "I heard your family's Second Uncle is still in the palace? Do you know what's going on?"
Was Madam Song here on orders from Lord Song to inquire about the Crown Prince's sudden illness?
Zhou Shaojin replied, "I don't know. My mother-in-law will be returning in a few days. I've been busy accompanying her shopping for gifts to bring back to relatives and friends these past few days, so I really haven't paid attention to these matters."
Madam Song sighed.
Zhou Shaojin, meanwhile, secretly felt fortunate that her official fourth-rank title had not yet been conferred; otherwise, she would have had to enter the palace tomorrow to mourn.
Cheng Chi was not as lucky as she was.
The family's seamstresses worked overnight to sew mourning clothes for him.
Old Madam Guo, worried about Cheng Shao, summoned Cheng Jing and asked him to find a way to contact Cheng Shao. After Cheng Jing left, she asked Cheng Chi, "Second Uncle won't have any trouble, will he?"
"What trouble could he possibly have?" Cheng Chi said with a smile. "During this time, the Hanlin Academy and the Ministry of Rites have been overwhelmed with preparations for the Crown Prince's funeral. Second Uncle is well-versed in rituals and can speak directly to the Emperor. This is the time to assist the sovereign. If Second Uncle weren't busy now, that would be cause for concern!"
Although he said this, remembering Zhou Shaojin's words, his heart tightened.
Old Madam Guo nodded upon hearing this but sighed wistfully, "I can't shake this uneasy feeling in my heart. The Emperor has suddenly lost three children and seven or eight grandchildren. One of them was the Crown Prince, in whom he had always placed great hopes. Even an ordinary family couldn't bear such a loss, let alone when it involves the nation's stability..."
Seeing the somber atmosphere, Zhou Shaojin quickly signaled Zhenzhu to bring Yun Ge'er over.
Old Madam Guo brightened upon seeing her grandson and changed the subject, playing with Yun Ge'er.
Cheng Chi cast a grateful glance toward Zhou Shaojin.
Zhou Shaojin's face flushed instantly. Her gaze lingered on Cheng Chi, unable to look away.
Holding Yun Ge'er, Old Madam Guo said to her son and daughter-in-law, "If you have something to say, go back to your room. I have Yun Ge'er, and Yun Ge'er has his grandmother. Here, you staring at each other, people would think the Cowherd and Weaver Girl have arrived, saying our Yun Ge'er doesn't understand, right? Yun Ge'er!"
Yun Ge'er grinned foolishly at Old Madam Guo.
Zhou Shaojin's face burned so hot she couldn't lift her head.
Cheng Chi, however, remained unflustered and pulled Zhou Shaojin away. "Then we'll return to our room first and come back later to pay our respects to Mother."
Zhou Shaojin didn't dare resist. Only after leaving Tingxiang Courtyard did she whisper, "Let go of me quickly, or Mother will tease us again.""We are a properly wedded couple with all three letters and six etiquettes observed, what is there to fear?" Cheng Chi chuckled, but thinking her too bashful, he still released her, saying, "If we didn't speak to each other and ignored one another, Mother would be the one frowning with worry!"
Zhou Shaojin couldn't help but laugh, replying, "You always have a reason for everything."
Cheng Chi grinned and gently pinched Zhou Shaojin's cheek.
Huaishan strode over and whispered, "Three bricks have been stacked under the stone drum at Yuqian Alley."
Cheng Chi's expression turned serious. After dismissing Huaishan, he said quietly to Zhou Shaojin, "That's the signal Second Uncle and I agreed upon beforehand. If he has any difficulties and cannot meet us, he would place three bricks under the stone drum at the entrance. I'll go take a look discreetly."
Zhou Shaojin said, "Then you must be careful. Like Mother said, I also feel uneasy in my heart."
"I know," Cheng Chi gazed at her tenderly and whispered, "I'll be thinking of you and the child. I won't act recklessly."
Zhou Shaojin's face flushed even redder. She pursed her lips and nodded with a smile.
But after Cheng Chi left, she grew restless at home, glancing at the Western clock one moment and the hourglass the next, truly unable to focus on grooming herself.
※
Dear readers, here is today's update.
O(∩_∩)O~
※ (To be continued ~^~)
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