When Yun Xi arrived at the Zhen Mansion, Mrs. Zhen was pacing anxiously in Zhen Bao's courtyard. Seeing Yun Xi, she was like a drowning man grasping at a straw. She stepped forward and grabbed Yun Xi's hand.
"Yun Xi, you're finally here. Please persuade that girl for me!"
"She's been on a hunger strike for over a day because of her stubbornness. Now she's shouting that she wants to cut her hair and become a nun in the nunnery!"
The Zhen family members were too straightforward. Because of the marriage bestowed by the Empress Dowager, the whole family, old and young, was in an uproar!
She had only sent a message to her husband by carrier pigeon yesterday about this matter, and by noon today, she had received a reply saying that after finishing his military affairs, he would rush to the capital early tomorrow morning!
Although she was extremely dissatisfied with the Empress Dowager's bestowal of the marriage and felt sorry for her daughter, how could one simply defy the Empress Dowager's imperial edict?!
At present, she was the only calm one in the family. But on one hand, she had to soothe her furious husband, and on the other hand, she had to persuade her daughter who was on the verge of despair. After a whole day like this, she was almost exhausted. That's why she couldn't hold on anymore and asked the maid to inform Yun Xi to come and help.
"Mrs. Zhen, don't be too anxious."
Yun Xi understood Mrs. Zhen's predicament at the moment. She held the other's hand back and said seriously with a solemn look in her eyes:
"This matter is, in a way, my fault. Even if it's the Empress Dowager's imperial edict, I will never let Zhen Bao marry such a playboy!"
Hearing Yun Xi's words, Mrs. Zhen felt a warm current in her heart.
"I know you're a good child. It's Zhen Bao's fortune to have you as a friend."
Afraid that Yun Xi would feel burdened, Mrs. Zhen still explained:
"But this matter really isn't your fault. The Empress Dowager also made it clear that she had the intention of bestowing the marriage a long time ago. It just happened to coincide with this timing."
Speaking of this, Mrs. Zhen paused for a moment. She stared intently at Yun Xi and deliberately lowered her voice:
"Actually, I had anticipated this marriage before. But at that time, Zhen Bao's father didn't take it seriously. I didn't expect my prediction to come true this time!"
Hearing Mrs. Zhen's words, Yun Xi's heart skipped a beat. She seemed to have grasped an important piece of information.
Regardless of whether it was rash or not, she quickly asked:
"Why did you have such an inference, Mrs. Zhen? Is there any previous connection between the Zhen and Li families?"
Throughout history, the purpose of the royal family's bestowal of marriage was nothing more than power!
Princesses, being as precious as jewels, mostly couldn't escape the fate of being married off for political reasons. They could all become pawns to consolidate the imperial power, let alone the daughters of noble families?
When the Emperor or the Empress Dowager bestowed a marriage, on one hand, it was to balance power, and on the other hand, it was to win over forces and consolidate the throne. The Zhen family's being bestowed a marriage must be for one of these reasons!
Seeing Mrs. Zhen's hesitation, Yun Xi said seriously:
"Mrs. Zhen, it's not that I like to pry into other people's secrets, nor am I deliberately trying to alarm you. But this may be related to the future fate of the Zhen family. Please tell me the truth!"
Looking into Yun Xi's sincere and anxious black eyes, Mrs. Zhen couldn't help but be shocked. She didn't doubt her words at all.
Mrs. Zhen then realized the seriousness of the matter, and her face changed color.
"Yun Xi, come with me."
Mrs. Zhen tightened her grip on Yun Xi's wrist and led her straight to a study. She dismissed the maids around her and then walked into a secret room.
Looking at the layout inside and the dense secret compartments on the walls, Yun Xi was stunned. She understood that in the previous moment, Mrs. Zhen had fully accepted her without reservation and revealed the deepest secret of the Zhen family to her, an outsider!
This kind of trust made her respect Mrs. Zhen, but at the same time, she clearly felt the weight on her shoulders!
It turned out that in the early days, the Li family was the same as the Zhen family. Their ancestors were both military generals and had made great contributions as the right - hand men of Emperor Gaozu! At the beginning of the establishment of the Liu Kingdom, the Zhen and Li families became the south - western gateways of the Liu Kingdom. They were respectively stationed in the southern and western frontiers, holding military power. For a while, their prestige overshadowed the Luo family!
However, later, because the Li family was too arrogant and gradually became dissatisfied with the status quo and wanted to expand their troops, they angered the former Emperor. So the former Emperor ordered the reduction of the Li family's military power! Part of it was transferred to the Luo family, and part of it was given to the Zhen family.
Although the Li family still had prestige in the military, after all, they had lost their military power. They had to abandon the military career and become civil officials for generations.
Without military power, the Li family was naturally much weaker. Especially after the current Emperor ascended the throne, they had always wanted to regain the military power they had lost. And the fastest way was through marriage!
First, they would form a marriage alliance with the Zhen family, then win over the Zhen family, and gradually inject the Li family's influence into the military and make long - term plans!
Hearing this, Yun Xi broke out in a cold sweat.
She thought she probably already knew the reason why the Zhen family was exterminated:
This was completely a trap set by the Empress Dowager in cooperation with the Li family for the Zhen family!
Given the current prosperous situation of the Zhen family, they naturally didn't dare to easily seize power. But if Zhen Bao married into the Li family, it would be another story.
They just had to wait for the Li family's influence to slowly seep into the south - western military. Then, using Zhen Bao as bait to make the Zhen and Li families turn against each other, everything would be under the Li family's control!
Yun Xi quickly told her thoughts to Mrs. Zhen. Mrs. Zhen turned pale and nodded repeatedly.
Thinking of her husband and several sons far away in the southern frontier, as well as her precious daughter, Mrs. Zhen, who was usually calm and self - controlled, couldn't help but have red eyes and became panicked.
"We, the Zhen family, will surely resist this marriage to the end!"
"But how can we solve this matter without angering the Empress Dowager and at the same time ensuring the safety of the Zhen family?"
"Yun Xi, I really can't think of a way. Will you help me?"
Mrs. Zhen pleaded, and as she spoke, she was about to kneel down. She thought that as long as she could save the Zhen family, she would be willing to go through fire and water. And Yun Xi's intelligence had become her only reliance at present. After all, there was the entire Prime Minister's Mansion behind Yun Xi!
"Mrs. Zhen, don't do this!"
Yun Xi quickly grabbed her about - to - kneel body. Seeing the other's state, she couldn't help but feel sad.
She wracked her brains desperately and then said:
"The most urgent thing is to stabilize General Zhen first. Make sure he doesn't return to the capital at this time, so as not to leave a handle for others too early!"
Returning to the capital without an imperial edict once might not result in a death sentence, but twice would surely lead to beheading!
Even if the Zhen family had been loyal for generations and was popular among the people, they would be unable to defend themselves if they repeatedly defied the imperial authority. And the Li family or the Emperor would have a reason to convict the Zhen family!
"Okay, I'll send a message by carrier pigeon right away!"
Mrs. Zhen quickly walked to a desk in the secret room, ground the ink, and quickly wrote. Then she rushed out of the secret room, whistled at the window, and a carrier pigeon appeared in her hand.
Watching the carrier pigeon fly away, Mrs. Zhen heaved a sigh of relief. But then thinking of her daughter, she couldn't help but feel troubled.
"What about Zhen Bao?"
Yun Xi pondered for a moment and suddenly asked about what Mrs. Zhen had said before:
"Did Zhen Bao say that besides going on a hunger strike, she also wanted to become a nun?"
Mrs. Zhen frowned and nodded:
"Yes! Although I don't want her to marry into the Li family, I don't want her to be a nun for the rest of her life either!"
Hearing this, Yun Xi's eyes flashed. The corner of her lips curled up slightly, and her black eyes instantly shone with infinite brilliance:
"Then let her become a nun in the nunnery!"
"Ah?"
Mrs. Zhen was shocked and thought she had misheard. But Yun Xi's smile became more determined:
"However, before letting Zhen Bao go to the nunnery, she must do one more thing."