This was indeed a good question. Keeping Xie Fangfei was mainly to find out who was behind the scenes on the wedding night by following the clues from her. However, keeping her around was really annoying.
After thinking for a moment, Shen Mingzhu turned to look at Mrs. Liu and said, "Let me think about it."
"You've worked hard."
Mrs. Liu was flattered and looked at Shen Mingzhu, saying, "It's all my duty."
Watching Mrs. Shen leave after taking her leave, Shen Mingzhu looked at her back thoughtfully.
If Mrs. Liu had placed someone beside Xie Fangfei, could she find a way to use her to investigate that incident?
"What, Your Highness still wants to send her something now?"
Xie Lang sighed and looked at Shen Mingzhu with an expression as if he had thrown a meat bun to a dog and never got it back. He sighed and said, "Your Highness is really wealthy. People like Mrs. Liu should just be dangled with some benefits. There's no need to really give her anything."
Xie Lang himself didn't lack such things, but just thinking that the things Mrs. Liu took were given to him by Shen Mingzhu made him extremely uncomfortable.
【So annoying!!! It was the first time Shen Mingzhu gave me something! I have to find a way to get it back from Mrs. Liu. I'm so upset!】
Shen Mingzhu: "..."
"It's okay." Looking at the gloom in Xie Lang's eyes, she said, "When I send the things over, who knows if they're from the palace?"
"The thing I lack the least here is palace items."
Xie Lang's face instantly brightened, and he said, "It seems that Your Highness is also very thrifty."
Shen Mingzhu raised her eyebrows, looked at Xie Lang, and before getting up to go back into the house, she said with a light smile, "Not as thrifty as Young Master Xie."
...
"Kneel down!"
As Zhou Chengyu stepped into the study, he saw his father standing there with his hands behind his back, his face gloomy, looking at him half - smiling.
Without a moment's hesitation, he knelt down and remained silent.
The light in the study was dim, and there was an inexplicable oppressive atmosphere gradually eroding Zhou Chengyu's heart.
Hiding the bitterness in his heart, Zhou Chengyu lowered his head, his mind in a jumble.
"Tell me, what else have you been hiding from me?"
Prime Minister Zhou looked ugly, his voice as cold as if it had been quenched in ice. Looking at Zhou Chengyu, his eyes were full of disappointment.
Zhou Chengyu had been a prodigy since he was young. Both he and Zhou Chengyu's grandfather had high hopes for him, hoping that he could take the Zhou family to greater heights. So they took the opportunity to send him into the palace as the crown prince's reading companion.
At first, Zhou Chengyu had risen steadily as expected. It seemed that as long as the crown prince ascended the throne, he would be able to lead the Zhou family forward. Who could have thought that he would stumble over Princess Shen Mingzhu!
Moreover, they...
Prime Minister Zhou sneered inwardly. Looking at Zhou Chengyu, he only felt disappointed. "Speak!"
Hearing this, Zhou Chengyu looked up at his father, a hint of confusion in his eyes. He said, "Father, is our Zhou family the kind of ungrateful people?"
"How many conveniences did the Empress Dowager give us because of Chaochao and the crown prince? Are we going to turn our backs on them now?"
Prime Minister Zhou looked at his son disappointedly, the look in his eyes obscure. He said in a deep voice, "Conveniences? Do you know that it's normal for the power in the court to change? The reason the Zhou family has stood for a hundred years is because of our ability to judge people."
"So you all switched to the Fourth Prince's camp after the crown prince's death. You didn't expect the Third Prince to be favored by the Empress Dowager and Chaochao, so you secretly sided with both sides?"
"Rebellious son!"
Prime Minister Zhou was furious. Looking at Zhou Chengyu, he said, "Who gave you the courage to talk to your father like this!"
Zhou Chengyu pursed his lips and remained silent.
"Do you know that your current actions are pushing the Zhou family into the fire!" Prime Minister Zhou said sternly, "Zhou Chengyu! Do you know what you're doing?"
Hearing this, Zhou Chengyu suddenly looked up and said to Prime Minister Zhou, "What else have you done?"
Something was wrong! His father must have done something behind his back.
Zhou Chengyu's heart suddenly turned cold. Looking at the person in front of him, his eyes were filled with indescribable sadness.
"Stop!" Prime Minister Zhou said to Zhou Chengyu, "Don't force me to expel you from the family!"
Zhou Chengyu stood up, stared at Prime Minister Zhou for a few moments, and then continued, "What on earth have you done?"
Prime Minister Zhou looked at his son and sneered, "As your father, what I do doesn't need your suspicion."
"Get out!" Prime Minister Zhou pointed to the door and warned Zhou Chengyu, "If you continue like this, the Zhou family would rather not have a rebellious son like you!"
Zhou Chengyu bowed deeply to Prime Minister Zhou and then got up and left.
As he walked out of the door and turned around, he saw his mother looking at him worriedly. Zhou Chengyu smiled, hiding the worry on his face. He bowed gently and said, "Mother."
Mrs. Zhou looked worried. Not knowing what to say, she just walked side by side with Zhou Chengyu and said, "I'll walk you back."
Zhou Chengyu originally intended to decline, but seeing the worry in his mother's eyes, he said gently, "Thank you, Mother, for your concern."
"You..." After walking for a while, Mrs. Zhou finally said, "You know your father's temper. Don't conflict with him."
Zhou Chengyu's steps paused slightly. After a moment of silence, he said, "Then what should I do, Mother?"
"If we let him continue like this, we don't know what will happen in the end." As Zhou Chengyu said this, his handsome face darkened, only leaving a hint of mockery. "If Grandfather were still alive, he could have kept an eye on him. Since Grandfather passed away, Father has become more and more extreme in his actions."
Zhou Chengyu smiled self - deprecatingly and turned to look at Mrs. Zhou. "Mother, he even wants to make Concubine Chen the main wife."
Mrs. Zhou was stunned for a moment and said softly, "I know. Concubine Chen has a good family background. Naturally..."
"Mother!" Zhou Chengyu looked at her in disbelief and said coldly, "If he really does this, he will surely be impeached!"
"Yet he is reluctant to give up the power behind Concubine Shen, nor is he willing to lose his good reputation." There was a cold look on Zhou Chengyu's face. "After Grandfather passed away, Father has changed."
"Shut up!" Mrs. Zhou was startled. "How can you talk about your father like this!"
Zhou Chengyu looked at her sadly.
He had been sent into the palace at a young age, so his relationship with his father and mother was not very close. He was closer to his grandfather.
"Don't say anymore, Mother." Zhou Chengyu took a deep breath, suppressing the emotions in his heart. Looking at Mrs. Zhou, he said, "I won't stop."
Watching Mrs. Zhou leave, Zhou Chengyu looked up and saw a full moon hanging in the sky. The moon looked so lonely that it was suffocating.
If... if the crown prince were still alive, would he and Mingzhu have already gotten married? Instead of being suspicious of each other like now?
There was a bitter smile on Zhou Chengyu's lips. He went back into the house, ground the ink, and started writing a letter. But when he picked up the pen, he was silent for a moment, his heart feeling heavy.
What had his father done after the crown prince's death? To the extent that he even wanted to suppress Shen Mingzhu now?
After writing the letter, he handed it to his servant. Just as Zhou Chengyu was about to go to sleep, he saw a young maid walking towards him with an object in her hand.
"Young Master!" The young maid called out to Zhou Chengyu and said respectfully, "His Majesty has a letter for you."