After I got into the drama, I led the plot astray

Zhang Yan thought about it and realized that being dragged to the Duke's Mansion to propose marriage today was a blessing she had accumulated over several lifetimes. How could she dare to disobey?

Zhang Yan figured it out, his eyes brightened up, and he said loudly: "Thank you, Madam. I understand. I will definitely treat Miss Yingchun well in the future and live up to the kindness of Madam and the Duke."

Zhao Zhenyuan, who was drinking tea silently at the side, glanced at me and continued, "Yingchun is a good girl and hardworking. It is your blessing that this thing can be accomplished."

Marrying the goddaughter of the Duke's Mansion will surely bring prosperity to his career and wealth. It's easy to know that this is a blessing from heaven. But Zhang Yan's mind is not full of these things now. He really likes Yingchun. His heart is like a flower that has exploded, and every flower blooms for Yingchun. But Yingchun is not a good flower to pick. He wants to marry this daughter-in-law. For him who has no beauty, no money, and no power, it seems to be harder than climbing to heaven.

I saw that it was getting late and we hadn't had dinner yet, so I asked Yang: "Has the third young lady returned home?"

Yiping went to the Du Mansion to accompany Mrs. Du, and I haven't seen her until now.

Yang replied, "The Third Miss sent someone back home to tell her that she will be staying at the Shangshu Mansion tonight and will not be coming back."

Hua Wushuang was about to give birth, and Mrs. Du was afraid that she couldn't handle it alone, so she asked Yi Ping to go to her house to help take care of her.

When I heard that Yiping hadn't come back, I said, "Then let's set the table. Father must be hungry."

Zhao Zhenyuan has a big appetite and he eats on time every day, otherwise he would be very irritable.

After hearing this, Yingchun turned around and went out to ask people to serve the meal.

Zhang Yan was still kneeling on the ground, but his eyes were always following Yingchun, his heart full of admiration was about to jump out.

I smiled and said, "Get up. You don't have to be so reserved in this mansion from now on."

Zhang Yan stood up quickly. Although I told him not to be so reserved, he still knew the etiquette and rules as a worker in the imperial city. He didn't dare to be presumptuous. What if I was just talking?

I continued, "It's getting late now. I'm afraid there won't be any food for you to return to the army. Why don't you stay here and have dinner tonight?"

Zhang Yan heard this and quickly waved his hands and said, "No, no, I am of low status, how dare I eat in the Duke's Mansion? I will just eat something outside to fill my stomach."

I thought about it and knew that Zhang Yan would not eat at the same table with us, so I said, "Yingchun and the others have their own meals, why don't you go to the kitchen to help out now, and then have dinner with Yingchun after you're done?"

Zhang Yan's eyes lit up, but then he thought it was not appropriate and could not help but look at Zhao Zhenyuan.

Zhao Zhenyuan was a little irritated because he was hungry, and said impatiently: "What are you looking at me for? How dare you disobey the queen's words?"

Zhang Yan jumped up in a hurry as if he was stung by a bee, and shouted loudly: "I dare not, I will go to help right away."

After Zhang Yan finished speaking, he turned around and ran away.

After all, he is only nineteen years old. No matter how mature he pretends to be, he is still a child.

Seeing Zhang Yan running out, I smiled and shook my head, and asked Zhao Zhenyuan: "Why is he the father?"

Of course Zhao Zhenyuan knew that the "he" I was asking about was Zhang Yan.

Zhao Zhenyuan said: "Once the army distributed rations, and each person was required to have 10 kilograms. When the rations were being collected, the person in charge of distributing them suddenly had a stomachache and ran to the toilet. The granary was unattended. Those who had collected rations saw that the person in charge had left, and they secretly grabbed a few more handfuls of cloth bags. Only this kid did not do anything. Instead, he guarded the granary tightly and did not let those people steal the food. This kid was hated for guarding the food, and they opposed him everywhere. Once, when he was on night duty, they surrounded him in a corner and beat him up. I felt sorry for him, so I transferred him to the patrol team, away from those people."

I nodded and said, "I don't think he is a bad person. Let's just let them get along and we can talk about it in half a year."

Zhao Zhenyuan's mind is full of state affairs, so he naturally wouldn't care about such trivial matters. I have the final say.

Zhao Zhenyuan ate in my room and drank some wine. He was a little tipsy when he left, so I asked Fuyao to see him off.

Fuyao always looks cold and taciturn in front of outsiders, but when she heard me ask her to send Zhao Zhenyuan off, her face suddenly turned red.

Zhao Zhenyuan, who was a little drunk, naturally wouldn't notice these things. He has always been careless. Even if I asked a sow to send him back, he wouldn't notice anything wrong.

After Zhao Zhenyuan left, I took out a letter from under my pillow.

This letter was exactly what Zhao Zhenyuan brought back from the Xihe border.

In fact, I don’t need to guess, I know it was written to me by Ankang.

Two full pages are filled with your thoughts about me.

Now that Xihe State has been pacified, those forces opposing him have been eliminated by Zhao Zhenyuan, and the situation has stabilized. He really wants to go back to Dayu to visit me. But he is afraid that if he leaves, Xihe State will fall into civil strife and bring disaster to Dayu. He is conflicted and painful. What makes him even more painful is that he knows that I am a man, but he still likes me. This pain tortures him so much that he loses his appetite and becomes thinner day by day.

According to Zhao Zhenyuan, when he saw Ankang, he thought he had seen a ghost. He had become extremely thin. What was even more terrifying was that he had lost all faith in living and lived in agony every day.

Holding the two thin pieces of paper, I sighed deeply and said to Yang, "Help me find the best painter. I want to paint a few portraits."

Yang thought for a moment and said, "I heard from people that the best painter in Dayu is Prince Ming. Your Majesty, why don't you send someone to invite Prince Ming?"

Without even thinking, I blurted out, "No, anyone can do it except him."

Yang thought about it. Her Majesty had finally sent back Prince Ming's things. Now it was really inappropriate to be involved again. So she quickly said, "Your Majesty is right. Prince Ming is indeed not suitable. I will ask around. I will invite the best painter to paint your portrait tomorrow."

I said, "Yingchun and Fuyao both came from the palace, maybe they know. You can ask them first."

Yang replied "OK", and then said: "Madam, it's getting late, I will wait for you to rest."

I put the letter back under my pillow and touched the silver bracelet on my hand. The voices inside became clearer and clearer. Every day I could hear something like a countdown or the start of an instrument. Every time they said the instrument was started, I felt like my body and soul were about to separate and tear each other apart. This feeling was too painful, and it tortured me every day to the point where I would rather die than live. But when there was no sound coming from the bracelet, my body would return to normal and I would not feel any pain.

I know that I don't have much time left here, so I have to speed up and finish the unfinished things.