good season

Chapter 156 Wan Ruyi (Two chapters combined)

That evening, Xiao Zhen brought Da Zhuang to Tong'an.

When Mudfish went to deliver the message, it did not tell Xiao Zhen about finding Xu Lin and Qing Ye, and Mudfish did not know who these two people were.

Therefore, when Xiao Zhen saw Qing Ye, he was completely distraught.

Anyone would have this reaction if they saw the shadow of their own mother in the face of a stranger.

She resembles not only her biological mother, Princess Jiayi, but also her two aunts, Jia'an and Jia Ning.

Or rather, all four of them followed the late Empress Dowager Xiaojing, who had passed away many years ago, and was their grandmother.

Without Zhao Shiqing saying anything, Xiao Zhen guessed Qingye's true identity.

Next, Xiao Zhen met Xu Lin and his son. Zhao Shiqing watched coldly and noticed Xiao Zhen's strange expression, as if he was trying to suppress a laugh.

Xiao Zhen was still wearing a human skin mask. A fake face can never compare to a real face, so his suppressed laughter looked extremely eerie, sending chills down the spines of Xu Lin and his son, who deeply suspected that he might devour them alive at any moment.

Stepping out of the room where Xu Lin and his son were being held, Zhao Shiqing said with a grin, "Now you know why I let you come, right?"

Xiao Zhen was still reeling from the shock. After a long while, he gave Zhao Shiqing a thumbs up: "Second Miss is wise and brave, possessing both intelligence and courage!"

Zhao Shiqing shook her head smugly to avoid being blinded by such flattery.

"Do you think these four people are enough to bring down that fake thing?"

Xiao Zhen didn't answer immediately, but looked at her seriously and said, "What do you think?"

Zhao Shiqing thought for a moment and shook her head: "No, no one will believe it."

Xiao Zhen said, "These four are our last trump card."

Xiao Zhen said "we," and for some reason, Zhao Shiqing felt a little delighted: "So what's the next step? What are you planning to do?"

Xiao Zhen smiled and said, "In the most recent business deal, both the Third Prince and the Fifth Prince have invested."

Zhao Shiqing was taken aback: "What? You're doing business with hook-nosed people?"

Xiao Zhen nodded: "Yes."

Zhao Shiqing was initially impressed, but then she felt that Xiao Zhen was working too hard. After a moment's thought, she asked the question that had been bothering her for a long time.

"There is a question you can choose to answer or not answer."

Xiao Zhen: "Ask away."

Zhao Shiqing: "I hate that person because of him, my biological parents died, my adoptive father died, and in your dream, all my brothers and sisters died, so I hate him."

But I know that neither I nor the Liang Prince's Mansion are capable of fighting him. So all I can do is protect myself and my family so that they don't repeat the mistakes you made in your dream. As for anything else, I dare not think about it, nor have I ever thought about it.

But you are different, Young Master Zhen. I know you are plotting something big. Your actions are aimed at bringing that person down.

So here's the question: what happens after you pull that person off their horse?

You want to be the emperor yourself?
Or, do you want to support a certain prince to become emperor?
Or, perhaps, one of the princes or the eight kings could be chosen as emperor?

"Oh, you wouldn't be hoping the retired emperor, still vigorous in his old age, will father a little emperor, would you?"

That last sentence was pure nonsense from Zhao Shiqing.

The retired emperor had six sons, three of whom are still alive. Besides the current emperor, there are the fifth prince, Prince Shou, and the sixth prince, Prince Yu. Although these two have fiefdoms, they have never taken up their posts or held any proper positions; they simply live as wealthy princes in the capital.

It wasn't that they themselves refused to take up their fiefdoms, but rather that Emperor Yongjia forbade it.

These two, one who enjoys walking birds and the other who enjoys walking horses, live a leisurely and carefree life.

Xiao Zhen didn't expect Zhao Shiqing to ask this. He took a deep breath, his eyes, hidden behind his fake face, narrowed slightly, but only for a moment, before he looked at Zhao Shiqing and made his decision.

There's something I think I should tell you.

My maternal uncle had one son and two daughters. His two daughters were Princess Huixin and Princess Huiming, while his son Zhao Yuan died not long after my maternal uncle passed away.

In fact, Zhao Yuan did not die; he was still alive.

Zhao Shiqing stared wide-eyed in astonishment.

After learning that her family had been unjustly dragged into the struggle for the throne, she frantically studied the story of Emperor Xiaokang. She learned that Emperor Xiaokang had a son, but the child died at a young age, and she didn't know what the child's name was.

But now, Xiao Zhen tells her that the child's name is Zhao Yuan, and that Zhao Yuan is still alive.

Countless thoughts flashed through her mind: Was the person Xiao Zhenzhen truly wanted to support Zhao Yuan?

Although Zhao Yuan did not have the title of Crown Prince, he was the only son of Emperor Xiaokang.

If he hadn't died back then, ignoring the current scheming and the Emperor Emeritus's helplessness, then he should have been made the Crown Prince. Once he was made the Crown Prince, the throne would have been his.

Of course, even if Zhao Yuan hadn't died, under those circumstances, the retired emperor, surrounded by enemies, would most likely not have appointed Zhao Yuan as the crown prince after weighing the pros and cons.

However, regardless of whether Zhao Yuan bestows the title of Crown Prince upon him or not, even if he hadn't drowned and died, death was still the only outcome awaiting him.

If Zhao Yuan were to be made the Crown Prince, the Emperor Emeritus would protect him, but by then the Emperor Emeritus would have no interest in politics, so how long could he protect him?
Emperor Xiaokang, a dignified crown prince, still died. The Prince of Liang, far away in Liang, also died under mysterious circumstances. How much more so for a helpless three-year-old child? There are many ways to kill him.

If Zhao Yuan hadn't appointed him as the crown prince, he would never have grown up.

Emperor Yongjia could tolerate Princesses Huiming and Huixin, but he could not tolerate him.

He had to die. Only his death could put Emperor Yongjia at ease, and only his death could extinguish any other people's hopes.

After figuring things out, Zhao Shiqing looked at Xiao Zhen and asked, "So Zhao Yuan faked his death? Was this Emperor Shou Kang's arrangement before his death?"

“No, this was Empress Meng’s arrangement. She is a woman of both courage and wisdom,” Xiao Zhen said.

Empress Meng was Empress Xiaokang, also known as the former Crown Princess Meng.

Zhao Shiqing nodded. Since Empress Meng arranged for Zhao Yuan to fake his death, where did the living Zhao Yuan go?
When Empress Meng was to entrust her son to someone, she would definitely choose someone she could absolutely trust.

Meng family?

Zhao Shiqing denied it, saying it couldn't be the Meng family.

The Meng family is a prestigious and powerful clan. With so many members, it's easy for them to lose sight of each other's ideas. Keeping Zhao Yuan in the Meng family would only create more trouble. So, who else can Empress Meng trust and who can protect Zhao Yuan?

Zhao Shiqing thought of someone: Princess Jiayi!

The former Crown Prince and Princess Jiayi were born of the same mother, and Princess Jiayi was Zhao Yuan's aunt!

Zhao Yuan, Princess Jiayi, was three years old ten years ago!
Zhao Shiqing's heart was pounding; she was thinking of someone else!

At this moment, Zhao Shiqing shouted in her heart: Sister, brother, master, I've made it big! I've found a prince to be my little brother!

No, no, no, if Xiao Zhen succeeds in his rebellion, he will not only be the grandson of the emperor, but the emperor himself!

Zhao Shiqing felt like crying again. If the emperor had nothing better to do, and thought about the days when she was being manipulated by someone, would he come after her?
She cheated that child out of his money and forced him to sing for her, sob sob sob. She didn't do it on purpose. Can't she change?
Xiao Zhen watched Zhao Shiqing with great interest. In just a short while, the little girl had been on a whim, then on a whim, and now she looked like she regretted her actions. What was wrong with her?
Could it be that she figured it out?

Xiao Zhen asked tentatively, "You guessed it?"

Zhao Shiqing was on the verge of tears, and patted her head in frustration: "Sigh, it's all because of my damn intelligence!"

Xiao Zhen
Zhao Shiqing sniffed and asked, "What happened to him in your dream? Did he become emperor?"

Xiao Zhen shook his head: "He died for me, in my arms. He didn't know his true identity until he died, and neither did I. We were both confused."

Before anyone knew it, Xiao Zhen's eyes had become moist.

Zhao Shiqing lowered her head and remained silent for a while before raising her head: "I have no interest in rebellion, nor in who becomes emperor, but the enemy of my enemy is my friend, and we were originally friends, so I will continue to cooperate with you."

After saying that, she grinned and gave a big smile.

Her smile was so bright it was almost dazzling. For a moment, Xiao Zhen was in a daze. In that instant, a corner of her broken heart was mended.
The next morning, Xiao Zhen left Tong'an without taking the four people with him.

First, Zhao Shiqing found these four people; second, he didn't have a suitable place to settle them.

For the wealthy and powerful Zhen Wuduo, such a hot potato was something he could hide perfectly, even if there were forty more, let alone only four.

That night, Xu Lin and his son were sent away. They would be locked up somewhere until the day they were needed to stand in front of others.

As for Qingye, Zhao Shiqing did not hand her over to Zhen Wuduo for placement, but instead kept her with her for the time being.

"Aunt Qingye, shall I change your name?"

"From now on, your name will be Ruyi, Wan Ruyi, and Wan Shi Ruyi."

Zhao Shiqing wrote to her master, saying that she had picked up another person and asked her master to urge Steward Li to handle the household registration.
Manager Li was already used to the same thing.

Miss Zhao Er could pick up a child even when she went to the market in the next town, let alone when she went on a long trip.

After receiving the instructions, Steward Li took the Liang Prince's Mansion token to the county government office where Baihe Mountain was located and registered Wan Ruyi's household registration. Baihe Village had a new villager.

However, that's a story for later. Right now, Wan Ruyi is still an unregistered resident without a household registration or travel permit. She can't go anywhere and can only stay in the house in Tong'an.

Zhao Shiqing changed her eyebrow shape and taught her to draw her eyes bigger and apply her lips thicker.

Women are all geniuses at makeup. In just two or three days, Wan Ruyi, who grew up in a nunnery, not only learned how to apply makeup, but also mastered the essence, surpassing Zhao Shiqing and becoming even better than her.

Lingbo clicked her tongue in amazement: "Second Miss, if Xiuxiu were willing to take on another apprentice, Aunt Wan would definitely be able to learn very well."

Zhao Shiqing snorted twice: "Are you implying that I'm not good at cricket fighting?"

Lingbo: "No, that's not true. Second Miss is smart and quick-witted. She can learn anything in no time."

Despite saying that, she thought to herself: The Second Miss is indeed smart, but the art of disguise is not something that can be mastered by intelligence alone. Take the Second Miss for example, she has worked very hard to learn and practice, but she is always just a little bit short. Xiu Xiu also said that the Second Miss lacks a little bit of talent in the art of disguise.

Zhao Shiqing gave Lingbo a resentful look: I know what you're thinking, but I won't say it.

Wan Ruyi's bald head was wrapped in a floral cloth, and her face, after a simple disguise, had been changed, making her look quite different from Princess Jiayi.

Tong'an is a small place. As long as you don't leave the city and enter the city, no one will check your travel permit. Therefore, when Zhao Shiqing and Lingbo go out for a stroll, they will also bring Wan Ruyi with them.

Although it was just a stroll around the small county town, Wan Ruyi was already very content.

People over forty years old look around like children, curious about everything.

She had never seen shops, red lanterns, restaurants, or food stalls before. Zhao Shiqing bought three skewers of fried meatballs, one for each of them. Wan Ruyi squinted her eyes as she ate, saying, "So there are such delicious things!"

Seeing that she loved to eat, Zhao Shiqing let her eat as much as she wanted. Wan Ruyi ate ten skewers before stopping, but she got diarrhea when she got back.

When Zhen Wuduo heard this, he told them that Wan Ruyi had eaten too much oily food.

Wan Ruyi grew up in a nunnery, eating simple meals. After coming here, although she ate more refined food, it was still mainly vegetarian. Eating so many fried meatballs all at once was too much for her stomach, so it's no wonder she got an upset stomach.

Similar things happened several times, but Wan Ruyi quickly adapted to her new life and was very happy.

Although her daily activities are limited, this place is much more lively than the quiet nunnery with its ancient Buddhist temples and so many people, cats, and dogs. For Wan Ruyi, every day here is fresh, lively, and happy.

Before they knew it, they had been staying in Tong'an for over ten days. On this day, Zhao Shiqing went out again, and in addition to Lingbo and Wan Ruyi, Niqiu and Shen Wangxing also went out together.

The place they are going to today is a place where mortals can become immortals.

The so-called place of immortality is actually only known to the locals of Tong'an.

The person who became an immortal was named Dong Ping, a scholar who repeatedly failed the imperial examinations.

Dong Xiucai took the imperial examination many times, but still failed to pass even at the age of forty.

Heartbroken, he hanged himself in his study at home. Just as he kicked over a stool and was on the verge of death, a celestial being saved him and enlightened him.

From then on, Dong Xiucai seemed to have been reborn. He devoted himself to cultivation every day and finally achieved enlightenment a year ago.

Legend has it that on the day he became an immortal, there were auspicious clouds of seven colors in the sky. A crane flew out of the clouds and landed on the eaves of the Dong family study. His sons knelt on the ground and witnessed their father riding on the crane, passing through the auspicious clouds of seven colors, and flying up to the ninth heaven.

The Dong family's study became a renowned place for ascension to immortality.

It is said that wishes made here are very effective. An old lady prayed here only once, and her daughter-in-law became pregnant. A filial son prayed here, and his mother's illness was cured.

Having heard that Tong'an had such a magical place, Zhao Shiqing naturally wanted to come and pay her respects. So today, they came in a large group.

Zhao Shiqing never expected that she would meet an old friend here.