The grass in the factory should be plucked

Xie Changan continued, "I beg Your Majesty to grant us permission to get married as soon as possible."

Getting married?

Nangong Qinghe was stunned for a moment, feeling extremely disappointed.

Yes, once the war breaks out in Southern Xinjiang, these two people will have to go to the front line. We can't let them get married after the war, right?

It would take at least one or two years to destroy the Southern Barbarians and unify southern Xinjiang.

By then, Xie Changan will be thirty years old, and A'li will soon be an old maid!

"This is a lifelong event and cannot be delayed. I approve it."

Nangong Qinghe suppressed the bitterness in his heart and nodded in agreement.

"Pass on my order, and have the Ministry of Rites prepare for the wedding of Marquis Jing'an in the same manner as for a princess."

Jiang Li and the other two were delighted: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace!"

Jiang Li thought of Nangong Yonghe again and felt that she should still ask about it.

"Your Majesty, King Wei..."

Nangong Qinghe said: "He is indeed the son of the late emperor and my brother. I was just about to ask, how did Xie Qing and A Li know him?"

Jiang Li then told Nangong Qinghe how Nangong Yonghe had been following them since Yangzhou, and how he "happened" to encounter their ship being destroyed by pirates and how he warmly invited them to join him.

"So that's how it is." Nangong Qinghe frowned slightly and pondered in silence.

"I think this person is quite strange."

Xie Changan said, "Although he looks weak, he is actually very skilled. I guess that His Royal Highness the King of Wei's martial arts skills are not inferior to mine."

Nangong Qinghe was shocked: "His martial arts skills are so high?"

Jiang Li said: "Although this is a secret of the late emperor and we should not ask about it, the origin of the King of Wei is a mystery. I still want to ask, how can Your Majesty be sure that he is indeed the son of the late emperor?"

Nangong Qinghe dismissed his attendants and lowered his voice, "In addition to the dragon-shaped jade pendant that only the prince can hold, he also has another feature that is unique to the direct bloodline of the royal family, passed down from generation to generation, and only passed down to males, not females."

Jiang Li was very surprised. What characteristics were possessed only by male descendants of the royal family?

Nangong Qinghe whispered: "The great ancestor of the Great Chu had six toes. All men of direct royal bloodline have this feature."

Jiang Li and the other two suddenly understood.

One's foot has six toes. Such a private matter would be impossible to know unless one is a personal servant.

"He also looks very similar to the late emperor's Consort Su."

He holds a jade pendant, has six toes on his feet, and looks like Concubine Su. Based on his age and date of birth, the Prince of Yan, the head of the clan affairs office, determined that Nan Yonghe was indeed the son of the late emperor and Concubine Su - Nangong Yonghe.

"It is said that the late emperor loved Concubine Su very much. When he knew she was pregnant with a boy, he gave her the name 'Yonghe', which means 'forever good'."

"If you throw me a papaya, I will give you a jade pendant in return. It is not a reward, but a token of our everlasting friendship."

This is a poem from the Book of Songs. The old emperor named his beloved son after it, which shows that he really doted on Concubine Su at that time.

"The late emperor had promised privately that he would make Concubine Su the Empress and her son the Crown Prince in the future. Who knew that their private conversation would somehow get out."

Nangong Qinghe's face showed disgust.

Later, his good father made the same promise to Concubine Zhou, which fueled Concubine Zhou's ambition and caused endless trouble!

How do we know that Concubine Su was not killed because of these words?

"So, after Empress Su fell into the water, she must have been rescued. Why didn't she return to the palace, but instead secretly gave birth to the prince outside the palace and disappeared from sight?"

"Who forged her body and hid her?"

Nangong Qinghe continued, "According to the report from the King of Wei, after Empress Su fell into the water, she was rescued by her master, the Crazy Taoist Priest. After Empress Su woke up, she actually lost her memory. She only remembered the fetus in her belly, which was named 'Yonghe'."

"Later, they discovered that she was poisoned and needed something from Shu to cure it. So Empress Su followed the crazy Taoist to Shu."

"Crazy Taoist?" Xie Changan was surprised. "The King of Wei actually learned from a mad Taoist. No wonder!"

Jiang Li asked curiously: "Who is the Crazy Taoist?"

"The Crazy Taoist has been famous in the martial arts world for thirty years. It is said that he has outstanding martial arts skills and is unrivaled in the world."

Xie Changan said slowly, "His origins are unknown, and his whereabouts are erratic, as if he suddenly appeared. No one knows his origins or his master. Because he acts crazy and dresses like a Taoist priest, he is called the 'Mad Taoist Priest' by the Jianghu people."

"Where is this person now?" Jiang Li asked.

How come no one mentions such a powerful martial arts master, who can stand shoulder to shoulder with Liao Wuyong and Gu Wang?

"More than 20 years ago, this crazy Taoist disappeared from the world."

"More than 20 years ago? That was after I saved Madam Su."

Nangong Qinghe pondered.

"What did the King of Wei say?" Jiang Li asked.

"According to King Wei, the mad Taoist priest found a miraculous medicine and saved Empress Su, who soon gave birth to him. She only vaguely remembered that his father's surname was 'Nan', so she named him 'Nan Yonghe'."

"Empress Su was poisoned, so naturally the fetus could not be spared. After the King of Wei was born, fortunately the crazy Taoist treated him wholeheartedly, which saved his life."

"Later, he was accepted as a disciple by the Crazy Taoist Priest. After learning martial arts, he was able to suppress the toxins in his body. However, the toxins would flare up every autumn. I have ordered the Imperial Hospital and Longmen Medical Bureau to treat him."

Jiang Li asked again: "What about Madam Su? Where is she now?"

Nangong Qinghe frowned slightly: "Empress Su passed away not long ago. Before she died, she recovered her memory, took out the dragon-shaped jade pendant, told King Wei about his life experience, and told him to recognize his ancestors and return to his roots."

Jiang Li went over the whole matter from beginning to end. They met Nangong Yonghe again in the waters of the Three Gorges and went to Fengjie with him.

Then she and Xie Changan went to Shu Mountain and went deep into southern Xinjiang, staying there for more than a month.

It was during this period that Nangong Yonghe suffered the loss of his mother, learned about his life experience, and then quickly dealt with his mother's funeral affairs and immediately went to see the Governor of Sichuan to reveal his identity?

Isn’t this speed too fast?

Is it because you found out that you have transformed from a commoner to a noble that you are so impatient?

She felt that Nangong Yonghe was a very shrewd person and not the kind of person who would seek quick success and instant benefits.

There is definitely something fishy about this person!

"Where is the crazy Taoist? Is he still alive?" Xie Changan asked again.

Nangong Qinghe said: "King Wei said that his master died eight years ago."

Jiang Li discovered another suspicious point: "By the way, who forged the corpse of Empress Su back then? Does the King of Wei know?"

Nangong Qinghe shook his head: "Neither the King of Wei nor Empress Su knew about this."

"Could it be the man who murdered Empress Su who did it?" Jiang Li pondered.

"At that time, Empress Su was nowhere to be found, alive or dead. In order to prevent His Majesty from continuing the search, they simply forged a body to prove that Empress Su had fallen into the water and died?"

"Madam Su was also poisoned, and the other party was sure that she would not live long. Who knew that Madam Su was saved by a master, and the fetus in her belly luckily survived."

After Nangong Yonghe regains his identity, he is determined to find the murderer of his mother and avenge her.

If the real murderer is still here, wouldn't he be in constant fear?

"Has His Royal Highness the Prince of Wei requested an investigation into what happened back then?"

Xie Changan asked.

Nangong Qinghe nodded: "Even if my brother didn't mention it, the clan office will still investigate. Currently, this matter has been handed over to the clan leader."

Then they can't interfere.

"The King of Wei is extremely skilled in martial arts. Your Majesty should still be on guard against him."

Jiang Li decided to make a defensive jade talisman for Nangong Qinghe as well, just in case.

"Ari is right. I will be careful."

Nangong Qinghe felt very warmed when he saw Jiang Li's caring attitude towards him.

After everything was explained, Nangong Qinghe said, "Ah Li, the Queen Mother and the others miss you very much. You should go to see the Queen Mother later."

"Yes, I obey your order."

Xie Changan was going to meet Liao Wuyong, so Jiang Li followed Yin Jiu to the harem.

"It just so happens that the Empress, Consort De, and Consort Shu are all at the Empress Dowager's place. You can just go to Ci'an Palace."

Yinjiu smiled.

Jiang Li also smiled and said, "That's perfect. No need to greet everyone one by one."

"The emperor has great news, my Lord, I guess you don't know it yet?" Yin Jiu laughed.

"What good news?" Jiang Li asked curiously.

"The Empress Defei is pregnant and is now over eight months pregnant!"

Yin Jiu whispered, "The imperial physician said it was a prince!"

This is the eldest prince!

Everyone said that Concubine De was blessed. She entered the Eastern Palace at the same time as the Empress and Concubine Shu, but she was the only one who became pregnant with the royal heir before the late Emperor passed away.

During the national mourning period, the emperor must observe mourning for a year and will not go to the harem. If the empress and concubines want to give birth to royal heirs, they will have to wait at least two years.

By then, the eldest prince will be able to walk!

Now the Empress Dowager is so eager to hold Concubine De in her hands, fearing that something might happen to her.