Cut off my tendons in my hands and feet to make me marry? Prepare to die!

"Mother! What's wrong with you?"

Qi was hugged by her two daughters and rocked, and only then did she come to her senses.

Looking at the two flower-like girls in front of him, Qi's eyes became determined.

"Nothing. Your father took people to Yingzhou today. From now on, all major family matters must be consulted with uncle."

"Especially if the Third Prince invites you two to go out again, you should all claim to be sick and stay out of this mess."

Qi's voice was slightly cold.

On the one hand, she was worried about Yue Ran and her husband, and on the other hand, she had to guard against the mother and son of Concubine De in the palace who were coveting her precious daughter.

Ever since the demon banquet in the palace, Queen Lin has been cautious in her words and actions, and Crown Prince Chu Hantian has become like a different person, becoming gloomy and taciturn.

On the other hand, the reputations of Concubine De and the third prince Chu Hanyun were becoming more and more famous.

After the Third Prince recovered, he frequently made friends with literati in the capital through writing. He personally composed several brilliant poems, which were widely circulated among the people.

In addition, Concubine De was originally from a family of civil servants. Compared with the Eastern Palace lineage, which was obviously in a state of decline, the officials and the people had an increasing favorable impression of the Third Prince.

Everyone could see that the Third Prince, whose literary talent was gradually gaining popularity, had already begun to consider competing with the Crown Prince for who was better.

Emperor Shengwen did not comment on this, but he once praised the Third Prince for his intelligence in front of officials.

The emperor's words touched the hearts of all parties.

The fact that he did not object to the third prince's emergence was tantamount to his tacit approval.

As a result, Crown Prince Chu Hantian's face became even gloomier, and the dogs on the roadside would turn around and run away when they saw him.

Empress Lin seemed to notice nothing and her attitude towards Concubine De remained as gentle as ever.

She just asked Emperor Shengwen for an edict. Since Zhang Jingwan, the daughter of Marquis Zhen'an, had broken off her engagement with the crown prince and the position of crown princess was vacant, Empress Lin hoped to promote Zheng Yuxu, one of the former concubines, to be her principal wife and marry her into the Eastern Palace as crown princess.

The Minister of Revenue Zheng Liangcai could not help but feel mixed emotions.

The good news is that my granddaughter finally became the Crown Princess.

What he was worried about was that after the night banquet, the prince's position would be in jeopardy. His granddaughter was a talented concubine whom he had carefully cultivated. If the prince was deposed, his granddaughter would be deposed as well.

Madam Zheng had been quarreling with him every day since the night banquet, forcing him to break off the engagement like Marquis Zhen'an did.

It is only a matter of time before the prince, who has been in an affair with the demon fetus for such a long time, is deposed.

But how could he dare?

The Marquis of Zhen'an dared to break off the engagement in front of all the civil and military officials because he relied on the southeastern navy under his command and the death of his eldest son in the battle, which won the temporary softening of Emperor Shengwen's heart.

As the Minister of Revenue, why should he cancel the engagement?

What's more, the fact that Marquis Zhen'an broke off the engagement hurt the reputation of the royal family. Although Emperor Shengwen didn't say it, he must be unhappy in his heart.

At this juncture, the granddaughter has to get married whether she wants to or not.

Zheng Yuxu was calm about this.

"As long as His Majesty does not make a clear statement, the Crown Prince's position will be preserved. If my granddaughter can assist the Crown Prince and eliminate the influence caused by Feng Xiaolou, there may be a way out."

Upon hearing this, Zheng Liangcai felt even more sorry for his granddaughter.

I don’t know if the bad luck of the Eastern Palace has not yet dissipated.

Another noble lady who was originally scheduled to be the prince's concubine, Zhou Xuan, the daughter of Dali Temple Minister Zhou Wenzhen, fell ill due to fright after the night banquet.

All day long she was either screaming and crying in her sleep, or lying awake in a daze and motionless.

He became extremely thin within a few days.

Zhou Wenzhen's wife, Luo, almost cried her eyes out. She asked to see Empress Lin every two or three days, begging the empress to send the imperial physician to save Zhou Xuan.

Queen Lin naturally sent more than a dozen imperial doctors to treat Zhou Xuan.

He even sent his trusted nanny to look after Zhou Xuan day and night.

It’s a pity that after several imperial doctors made diagnoses and discussed with each other for half a day, they could only shake their heads at Mrs. Luo in the end.

The noble lady from the Dali Temple's family was so frightened by the monsters at the night banquet that she lost her soul.

The maids sent by Queen Lin took turns to watch over Zhou Xuan, staring at her day and night without blinking, and finally had to report to Queen Lin.

"Is that girl Zhou Xuan really scared silly?"

Queen Lin frowned, her eyes full of suspicion.

The timing is such a coincidence.

The prince was on the verge of losing power, and all the noble ladies in the capital were trying to avoid him.

She thought Zhou Xuan was an honest person and would not have any evil ideas to break off the engagement.

I didn’t expect Zhou Xuan was really scared crazy?

Empress Lin was not afraid that Zhou Xuan would pretend to be crazy, but if she really was crazy, the Eastern Palace certainly could not take a crazy woman as a concubine.

Her son couldn't afford to lose face again.

The palace maid came to report that the wife of the Chief Justice of Dali Temple was crying and asking to see the Queen again, saying that she wanted to ask the Director of the Imperial Hospital to see Zhou Xuan.

Before she even got married, she treated the Imperial Medical Bureau as her own home.

Queen Lin closed her eyes in annoyance and waved her hands feebly:

"Okay, let the dean go to Zhou's house."

With everything going on like this, it seems that Zhou Xuan will not be able to marry into the Eastern Palace.

"Go, find another noble lady in the capital, and send her portrait to me tomorrow!"

Defei was lying lazily in her palace. When she heard that the daughter of the Dali Temple Minister was frightened and seriously ill, she could not help but smile.

"Our prince has none of the right time, right place, and right people."

Then she sat up and told the maid beside her:

"Pack up the hundred-year-old ginseng that my mother sent last year and send it to the Zhen'an Marquis's residence, saying it's for Miss Zhang to nourish her body."

After Zhang Jingwan and Chu Hantian broke off their engagement, they have not left the capital yet.

Firstly, the rebellion of the Southeast Water Tribe is not safe.

Secondly, Marquis Zhen'an wanted to appease Emperor Shengwen's heart.

Currently, Zhang Jingwan is the only master living in the Zhen'an Marquis Mansion.

If he wanted his son to win Zhang Jingwan's heart, this would be the best opportunity.

On the night of the banquet, Concubine De looked at Zhang Jingwan again and again and was extremely satisfied.

Although the latter, like Yue Ran, came from a family of military generals, Zhang Jingwan was frail, had never practiced martial arts, and was neither impatient nor talkative.

She is much better than the daughters of the Lu family.

But Concubine De didn’t want to miss the daughter of the Lu family.

But there is no need to think about the queen.

The eldest daughter of the Lu family is suitable for the prince in terms of age, but her temperament needs to be tempered.

How can a woman who wields swords all day long marry her royal son?

She can only be made a concubine, otherwise she will die.

The youngest daughter of the Lu family is only fourteen years old now. She is too young to consider marriage yet.

She then discussed it with her brothers from her natal family. Her cousin already had a son who was very ambitious.

If both daughters of the Lu family could marry her, the Lu family would be tied to the emperor's chariot, and the emperor would have a greater chance of ascending the throne.

In the Lu family mansion, the Lu Qinya sisters shuddered at the same time.

"That's strange, could it be that he caught a cold?"

The children gathered together and whispered.

Qi looked at the intelligence in his hand, with mockery in his eyes.

This Defei, on the one hand, was keeping an eye on her own daughter, on the other hand, she was trying to please the Zhen'an Marquis's Mansion.

I guess it was because it had been dormant for too long, and once it gained power, it took too big a step.