Late at night.
Luo Qiu returned.
She whispered something into Zhao Shuning's ear.
Zhao Shuning was just about to pick up a peanut with her chopsticks. Hearing what Luo Qiu said, the peanut dropped onto the table with a clatter.
The surprise on her face was no less than when she first found out that she had become a newborn baby.
Zhao Shuning gaped.
Luo Qiu took a few steps back.
Zhao Shuning asked, "Is it really true?"
Luo Qiu nodded.
Zhao Shuning didn't doubt Luo Qiu's ability. The information Luo Qiu got must have been verified before she told it to her.
At this moment,
she was just too shocked.
"When will they take action?"
"Within these few days."
Zhao Shuning said, "Gu Zhiruo had a tough life since childhood and lacked the company of relatives. After growing up and gaining power, she still has to go through this."
"Miss, what should we do then?"
"Since it's certain that the prime minister is involved in this, we just need to sit back and watch."
"Miss, aren't you going to take revenge?"
"Revenge is a must."
However, so many years had passed.
Zhao Shuning was more curious to see if the once-weak child, who was now the ruler of Cangwu Kingdom, had the corresponding abilities.
Facing this situation,
Zhao Shuning didn't believe that
Gu Zhiruo had no countermeasures.
Since the Prime Minister's Mansion was going to have a showdown with Gu Zhiruo,
and Zhao Shuning wanted to assess Gu Zhiruo's current abilities, just like a parent checking a child's homework over the years, she wanted to see if Gu Zhiruo had truly grown up over the years.
"So what should we do now?"
"Change our outfits and mingle with the crowd."
"By the way, when is the imperial banquet?"
"Probably in five days."
"Xiao Qiu, you should be able to find an invitation to the palace without others discovering our true identities, right?"
Luo Qiu just thought for a moment
and then agreed.
"Miss, don't worry. I'll get the invitation in a couple of days."
"Preferably from a foreigner, and no one should be harmed."
Luo Qiu gave a charming smile.
"Xiao Qiu knows."
If it wasn't necessary, she didn't want her hands to be stained with blood. She knew that her elder sister didn't like this side of her.
Seeing that her elder sister was now so relieved to leave various matters to her, Luo Qiu felt that her whole life had a purpose. Being able to stay by her elder sister's side and do something for her made her feel that this was the ultimate fulfillment in life.
"I'll go out for a while."
"Where are you going, Miss?"
"To the Grand Tutor's Mansion to visit Xu Yue'er. I heard she's not feeling well since she came back. Qi Huan invited the imperial physician from the Imperial Medical Bureau to see her." And by the way, gather some information.
"I'll go with you, Miss."
"No need. You go and take care of the invitation. You've been so busy lately that you've lost weight, my dear Xiao Qiu."
After Zhao Shuning said that,
she reached out and gently pinched Luo Qiu's cheek, then quickly let go.
"I'll leave this to you, Xiao Qiu."
"Xiao Qiu—un—understands."
Luo Qiu replied with her head bowed.
When she looked up, Zhao Shuning was already gone.
Inside the Grand Tutor's Mansion.
Xu Yue'er was kneeling in front of the hall.
The person right in front of her was Xu Bin, the current grand tutor of Cangwu Kingdom.
His face was solemn.
Perhaps he was still angry about what his daughter had said just now.
Xu Yue'er was the daughter Xu Bin had late in life. At that time, his wife had died during childbirth for Yue'er.
He had raised his daughter well since childhood.
He hoped that in the future, she could become a paragon of a well - bred young lady in the Flower Capital, find a good husband, and live a happy life like Concubine Mei Xuan.
But after she came back from Jiangning,
her personality had changed a lot.
The day before yesterday, he had mentioned to Yue'er about someone coming to propose marriage. In the past, although she didn't like it, she never showed it so obviously. But that day, she directly knelt in front of him.
Right in front of the guests.
She also said that if she couldn't meet the man she loved, she would rather serve him for the rest of her life.
How could Xu Bin not want that?
However,
he didn't want his daughter to become the laughingstock of the entire Flower Capital.
As long as he was alive, he could shield her from the wind and rain and prevent others from saying a single bad word. But what if he was gone? Then all these hardships would have to be borne by this young lady alone.
Such a heavy burden.
Xu Bin didn't want Xu Yue'er to bear it alone.
His daughter was just too stubborn. These days, Qi Huan had been constantly coming to the mansion.
As for Qi Huan,
Xu Bin didn't like him.
But due to his status, he couldn't blatantly refuse.
So he just told the outside world that Yue'er was exhausted from the journey and had fallen ill after coming back. On the one hand, it was to avoid unnecessary troubles. On the other hand, he hoped to give this girl some time to sort out her feelings.
Qi Huan was very concerned about Yue'er.
After learning that she was "ill", he invited the imperial physician from the Imperial Medical Bureau to see her.
Physical ailments were easy to treat, but mental problems were hard to cure.
After the imperial physician examined her,
he just prescribed two prescriptions to soothe her emotions. The young lady of the Xu family was fine, and now she could report back to the adult from the Prime Minister's Mansion.
After the imperial physician left,
Xu Bin said, "You've been delaying the marriage proposal. Do you have someone you like?"
Xu Yue'er's face showed a bit of uneasiness.
Then she quickly regained her composure.
"Yue'er doesn't. Father, you're overthinking."
Xu Bin sighed.
Then he continued, "Yue'er, it's not that father is forcing you. If you can't find the man you love, then choose a man who will treat you whole - heartedly. At least, you won't have a hard life in the rest of your life."
Hearing her father's words,
Xu Yue'er immediately sat up from the bed.
She sensitively sensed that
her father had something else in mind.
"Father, what do you mean?"
"Although Qi Huan is a few years older than you, he treats you very well."
"Father! Lord Qi is old enough to be my uncle!"
Xu Bin covered his chest.
He couldn't help but cough a few times.
Of course, he knew that Qi Huan wasn't the best choice. But his current health couldn't take care of Yue'er for much longer. Especially this year, Xu Bin felt that he was on the verge of death.
His health was getting worse day by day.
If he couldn't see Yue'er find a stable shelter before he closed his eyes, he wouldn't be able to rest in peace.
"Father, what on earth is wrong with you? You never forced me like this before."
Xu Bin said, "Yue'er, you—"
Before he could finish his sentence, he coughed violently again.
"Father, what's wrong with you?"
Xu Yue'er quickly got out of bed, put on her boots, and supported the grand tutor.
The servant beside them quickly said, "Grand Tutor, maybe the windows in this room are all closed and the air is not circulating, so you feel so uncomfortable."
"I'll support father to the main hall first."
After they got to the main hall,
Xu Yue'er poured a cup of tea for Xu Bin. Not long after, Xu Bin brought up the matter again.
As soon as Xu Yue'er heard it,
she directly knelt in front of the main hall in front of Xu Bin.
She was also full of grievances.
"Father, please don't force your daughter, okay?"
The old grand tutor covered his chest and gasped for breath.
He couldn't say a single word.
Xu Yue'er thought she had angered her father and said again, "Father, isn't it good for your daughter to accompany you? Why do you have to force me like this?"
"He doesn't want to force you either. A parent's love for their child means planning for their long - term future. Miss Xu, the old grand tutor has no other choice."
A cold female voice came.
The grand tutor's face changed slightly.
He angrily shouted, "Nonsense!"