Princess, she is the one who facilitated the extradition.

The human and the ghost followed Zheng to the room. Gui Yao hid behind the screen and heard Tong Lao Da ask his wife, "How is it?"

"What else can we do?"

With a dark expression, Madam Zheng sat down in front of the dressing table. "My second sister-in-law is a scoundrel. Mother pretends not to understand and has no intention of subsidizing the eldest son's family at all."

"If I don't get my money back, how am I supposed to bribe them?"

Tong Laoda paced back and forth in the room with his hands on his hips. "I've already hinted to the higher-ups that Dad used to favor me and the third brother, and was quite indifferent to the second brother. But ever since the third brother passed away, Dad has become close to the second brother."

Unfortunately, the second son got incredibly lucky and managed to get into the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion. His father praised him for his competence, and the second son was so happy that he was practically wagging his tail.

If he doesn't find a way to change his position, it's not just a matter of the elder brother being inferior to the younger brother, which would make him a laughing stock; if the title were given to the second son, then everything would be over.

Madam Zheng glanced at her husband and told him about the Crown Prince's arranged marriage. "Things have come to this, so we can only leave it at that for now. Husband, please wait."

Zheng knew best how capable her husband was. In the past, with Zhao Mingyue as a sucker, it was one thing for him to squander money on making friends and bribing people.

Given the current situation at home, where would they get the money to bribe him? If bribery could really get him promoted, he wouldn't still be a sixth-rank official.

But Tong Laoda had his own anxieties, and upon learning of the arranged marriage, he became even more anxious.

"What are you waiting for? Do you really think the second son will take care of the first wife once he becomes successful?"

He walked up to his wife and said, "I know you still have some money hidden away. Give it to me."

"Where is there any silver left?"

Zheng avoided his gaze; that was her life-saving money. "If I had it, I wouldn't have had the nerve to make a scene in front of my mother."

Tong Laoda knew that she wasn't going to give it to him, and he had already searched the house but couldn't find it, so she must have hidden it at her parents' house.

With a quick glance, he grabbed Zheng's wrist, pulled off her hairpin, and then ripped off her hair ornament, necklace, rings, and earrings.

You can't do this.

Zheng wanted to take it back, saying, "These are all the valuable jewelry I have; I need them to decorate my home."

Tong Laoda shoved her away, saying, "Men are a woman's face. You're all talk and no action. What use are these things to you now that you've lost your title?"

It was at this moment that Aye's mother rushed up, desperately trying to snatch the things from Tong Laoda's hands.

But she was only a spirit and couldn't touch Boss Tong at all. In desperation, she shouted, "Help! Girl, please help me..."

No one could hear the Tong couple; one was so angry that he cried, while the other strode out.

Gui Yao twitched her fingertips slightly, and Boss Tong stumbled and fell straight to the ground, dropping what he was holding.

Seeing this, Zheng rushed forward to pick up the jewelry, while Aye's mother was also grabbing hairpins and earrings.

But her fingers repeatedly passed through the hairpin and earrings, and in the end, she watched helplessly as Zheng took them away.

She cried out anxiously, "Those are my hair ornaments and earrings, left to me by my mother."

So that's why she was watching Zheng.

Gui Yao moved her finger again, and the eldest Tong brother on the ground got up, grabbed Zheng Shi, and said, "Give these to me. These things originally belonged to the Tong family."

"That was the betrothal gift from the Tong family..."

The Zheng family refused to release him.

Tong Laoda was already furious from the fall, and when she saw that Tong Laoda still dared to stop her, he slapped her across the face in anger.

Zheng's family was of equal or equal status to the Marquis's family, which was her advantage. She fought back fiercely, and Gui Yao took the opportunity to snatch the hairpin and earrings.

Ah Ye's mother exclaimed, "There's also a ring; it's a set!"

Gui Yao decided to play the thief again and picked up the rings and bracelets that the two had dropped on the ground.

The couple were so engrossed in their fight that they didn't see anything flying overhead.

"Walk."

Gui Yao made a mouth shape with the ghost's lips and led her away from the Tong family.

Once they reached a secluded, shady spot, Gui Yao spread the items out in her palm so A Ye's mother could see them. "What did you remember?"

"The jewelry looks familiar; my mother had a craftsman come to our house to make it for me."

Aye's mother stared at the jewelry, "I made several pieces with a single gemstone, but someone hit me on the head, pulled my ear, and stole my things."

She instinctively touched her ear, "It hurts."

Gui Yao followed her gaze and saw that her earlobe was broken, probably from when someone snatched her earring. So the memories of the deceased were real.

She asked, "Was it that old woman who just stole your hairpin?"

Just now, Tong Laoda said that these things were the betrothal gifts from the Tong family to the Zheng family, which means that these things came from the Tong family's storeroom, or the private treasury of the Lady of Cheng'an Marquis.

"have no idea."

Aye's mother shook her head blankly, "I can't remember, I only remember these are mine."

"Then let's go back and see Aye first."

Gui Yao opened the umbrella. "Let's go to the Lady Hou's room again tonight and see if there are any other familiar things."

Aye's mother nodded, pushed the bracelet to Guiyao, and pointed to her own belongings, saying, "These are for Xiaoye, to help him get married."

"OK."

Gui Yao put the items into her spatial storage, thinking that the Lady Hou must still have some things hidden away, so she took them all out for her that evening.

Having snatched back what her mother had given her, and being able to see her son, A-Ye's mother laughed heartily, carefree and without a care in the world.

Meanwhile, in the imperial study, the crown prince was crying bitterly.

"Father, I don't want to marry my cousin. You're my father, you can't do this to me!"

The emperor looked at his son, who was crying out in despair but no rain came, and said, "After much thought, I think your idea is too dangerous."

Therefore, I have decided to let you get married first. In case you become healthy again and have your own children, you won't be thinking about finding a male concubine to have children for your sister, causing her to be scorned by the world in the future.

Your sister has sacrificed so much for you, you can't ruin her life anymore. You must marry this woman.

"Your subject cannot do it."

The Crown Prince wiped away imaginary tears with a handkerchief. "Your subject cannot get close to my cousin."

"Then we won't go near."

The emperor shifted his gaze back to the memorials, saying casually, "Your maternal grandparents doted on you, and you and your mother took good care of them."

They would certainly be willing to make a small sacrifice to protect you. Rather than having your mother find outsiders, what could be more reliable than your own relatives?

The Crown Prince was not giving up. "Even if my maternal grandfather and the others agree, I still won't be able to have children."

The emperor slammed the memorial shut. "So, the woman your mother found can give you children?"

Or are you planning to smuggle a child out there to confuse my royal bloodline?

This is a serious crime.

The Crown Prince hurriedly waved his hand, "Your subject has never thought of it that way. Aren't there younger brothers and sisters? They can have children..."

We can just ask them for one later.

Actually, what he liked most was Zhuzhu'er's child, who should be as smart and capable as Zhuzhu'er, and have a capable crown prince, so that he could have an easier time becoming emperor in the future.

I didn't expect my father to react so strongly. I should have known better than to speak carelessly to him.

The emperor could tell what he was thinking just by looking at his expression, and in a fit of anger, he threw the memorial at him.

The prince quickly covered his head with a handkerchief to absorb the blow.

After being beaten, he persisted, "Father, you want me to marry so that I can have children, but even if I marry my cousin, I won't be able to have any. Why bother?"

Fifth cousin is obviously ambitious. If I really marry her, will she be content to stay in an empty room and cooperate with his act?

She has her maternal grandfather backing her up. If he uses the excuse that he mistreated her cousin and asks her for something else, will he give it to her or not?

"Father, my maternal grandparents' family is truly incompetent. They will surely be unwilling to accept having no heir..."

Seeing that he was starting to think and was considering the character of the Duke of Zhenguo's family, the emperor felt even more that bestowing the marriage was a wise move.

People who are too comfortable tend to see everyone as a good person; the Crown Prince simply hasn't endured enough hardship.

"You don't need to worry about having children."

The emperor, too lazy to listen to his wailing, said indifferently, "If you really can't have children, my body is fine, I can still give birth to one and raise it under your name."

The Crown Prince, "..."

What did he hear?

Has Father gone mad?

"But I might not be able to have children in two years, so you should hurry up and get married."

A sudden marriage decree would surely arouse suspicion from the Empress and the Duke of Zhenguo, and this could be considered a valid reason.

The emperor pondered for a moment and said, "If you really are unwilling, then give up the position of crown prince. In any case, the grandson of the crown prince can never be of outsider blood."

The Crown Prince walked unsteadily out of the Imperial Study. Having been the Crown Prince for so many years, no one knew the benefits of the position better than him, and he was reluctant to give up his position.

Besides, he has so many followers.

So, this marriage is the only option for him?

The thought of sharing a bed and being intimate with someone else made his scalp tingle and his whole body tremble with dread.

Why did things turn out this way?

His eyes darted around blankly for a few moments before he finally understood.

It was because Xiao Huaijin and Gui Yao were to be married off, and Baozhu was to return to the capital, that her father was worried about Baozhu's marriage, which led to the current situation.

Vanished! Xiao Huaijin!

Then, remembering that Gui Yao had refused to enter the palace to treat the Empress, he stormed out of the palace, "To Xuanji Tower."

Li Deshun reported his whereabouts to the emperor, who said, "His Highness seems quite angry."

He was worried that the Crown Prince would bully the young master.

The emperor paused in his writing, "If it weren't for his sister's indulgence in the past, when had he ever managed to get the better of her?"

He can't beat her, he can't win an argument, he's useless, he's just asking for a beating, which is perfect for Zhuzhu to vent her anger on.

But to their surprise, before the Crown Prince even reached Xuanji Tower, he was blocked by a man dressed in black robes.

"Your Highness never imagined that simply dropping a latrine bucket could leave such a shadow?"

If I were to tell Your Highness that your current situation is the result of someone's deliberate actions, would Your Highness be willing to hear my explanation?