Come on, Jiaojiao, I'm sick too.

"Brother, the relief supplies allocated by the imperial court for the Jiangnan flood were all pocketed by Prince Duan and County Magistrate Yuan. Xiao Juncheng has already investigated this matter. As soon as he returns to the capital, Prince Duan will be brought down, and our Wen family will suffer a heavy blow."

Upon hearing this, Wen Huai's eyes darkened. He had always known that Prince Duan was not a good person, but he did not expect that he would collude with local officials to enrich his own pockets. Those were disaster relief supplies.

"I understand." He would persuade his father to abandon evil and join the good. As for this favor, he believed that his father would have his own decision.

"Brother, what do you know?" You should express your opinion.

"You don't have to worry about the adults' affairs. Just live a carefree life every day. I won't let the Wen family go to ruin." I had always wanted to break away from Prince Duan, but I just hadn't found a suitable reason.

"Why shouldn't I worry? If you guys finish off the Wen family, how can I still be a carefree young lady?"

"You won't understand even if I tell you." In Wen Huai's eyes, Wen Yuqing was just a young girl who had not experienced much of the world and did not understand the affairs of officialdom.

"Tsk, why don't I understand? Then tell me how you plan to persuade father to give up supporting Prince Duan?" Is the old man so easily persuaded?

Wen Huai: "Father's ability to freely distinguish right from wrong."

The prime minister of the current dynasty is not a fool, but if he wants to get out of this matter unscathed, he must pay a corresponding price. As for what the price is, he has already made a judgment in his mind.

"Who knows?" Wen Yuqing snorted coldly.

Wen Huai was helpless, "Father is not as bad as you think, he just..."

"He just doesn't like me!" Wen Yuqing replied, thinking that she was an unlucky star because she had killed her mother at birth.

"Father just hasn't gotten along with you and doesn't know how to face you. Besides, the death of my aunt is indeed a knot in his heart." Wen Huai could not deny this.

My father always felt sorry for my aunt.

"Hmph!" The old man annoyed her every day and punished her all the time!

"Qing'er, how about I promise that father won't punish you this time?" Wen Huai seemed like a worm in her stomach.

"Really?"

"Of course, but you have to promise me one thing."

"What?" Wen Yuqing became alert instantly.

"Stay away from the prince." In the capital, the most conspiratorial person is the prince Xiao Juncheng.

He didn't want his sister involved.

"Oh, I see." And again, back to the starting point.

"They don't like me, so don't worry, brother."

"That's the best."

Wen Yuqing!

(▼ヘ▼)

"Hmph, I curse you to never find a wife!" Wen Yuqing said angrily.

"That's okay. The matter of continuing the family line will be left to your second brother." Wen Huai said lightly. Anyway, he didn't have a girl he liked, and he had been concentrating on revising ancient books over the years.

"!!!"

Oh, I almost forgot she has a second brother.

"Hmph, by then, your second brother will have many children and grandchildren, and you will live out your life alone with no one to care about you." Wen Yuqing said with a touch of heart.

Wen Huai just smiled and didn't mind.

Wen Yuqing felt bored, so she closed her eyes and propped up her head to sleep.

The carriage slowly drove out of the Jiangnan area, and she couldn't help feeling bitter. If the emperor granted Xiao Juncheng a marriage, she would give up this task. Anyway, she would not be anyone's concubine.

Although maybe she could fill up her heartbeat value by staying with him.

Kilometers away, Xiao Juncheng was sitting at the desk. For some reason, he felt inexplicably empty in his heart and a little uneasy.

-

Seven days later, Wen Huai and Wen Yuqing finally returned to the Wen family. As soon as Wen Yuqing got out of the car, she bumped into Wen Yuanzhao's gloomy face...

Wen Yuqing: “…”

She silently hid behind Wen Huai and said, "Brother, you promised not to let dad punish me."

"Get out here." Wen Yuanzhao said in a deep voice.

Wen Yuqing didn't dare to move. She wondered if Wen Huai and his gang had secretly informed her, otherwise how could her father have happened to block her here!

"Father, let's go inside and talk." Wen Huai protected Wen Yuqing behind him. If there was anything, it would be better to talk to family members behind closed doors.

"Humph!" Wen Yuanzhao walked in with a flick of his sleeves. Let's see if he doesn't deal with her later! How dare she run away from home when her wings are strong enough!

As soon as Wen Yuanzhao left, Wen Yuqing poked her head out from behind: "Brother, you said you wouldn't let Dad punish me!"

"Yeah." He agreed, but he only said that she would not be punished. However, she still had to be taught a lesson, otherwise she would dare to do it again next time.

After getting the promise, Wen Yuqing felt a little relieved. As long as he was not punished with solitary confinement, it would be fine.

In the main house of the Wen family, Old Madam Wen sat at the top, Wen Yuanzhao sat on the left of the old madam, and the stepmother sat opposite Wen Yuanzhao, looking at Wen Yuqing hesitantly as if she wanted to say something.

Really, why is this child so depressed? She hasn't treated her harshly during this period, so why did she run away from home for no reason?

Wen Yuqing saw this solemn scene as soon as she came in. This is a three-court trial...

"Grandmother...Mother..."

"Qing'er, do you know your mistake?" the old lady said in a deep voice. Even she didn't expect that her granddaughter would be so bold as to run away from home without saying a word.

Wen Yuqing lowered her head upon hearing this: "Grandmother, I know I was wrong."

"Qing'er, why did you go to such a dangerous place like Jiangnan? Look how much you've worked yourself to death. You've lost weight." Madam Wen scolded.

"Thank you for your concern, mother. Qing'er knows she was wrong. Grandmother, please forgive her." Wen Yuqing said coquettishly.

Madam Wen's mouth twitched. Don't think she couldn't see that this girl was being adorable. If it were an ordinary matter, she would have turned a blind eye, but today's incident...

"Alas, grandma is tired. Let your father and mother decide." After every failure, Qing'er was indeed too naughty. As she said this, she asked the maid to help her go back and rest. She was relieved to see her granddaughter return safely. As for other things, she didn't care about them anymore.

"..."

Then Wen Yuqing looked at her stepmother for help, but she only received a helpless look.

"..."

At this time, Wen Yuanzhao looked at the rebellious girl who had nowhere to go, and snorted coldly with a gloating look, "Hmph, let's see how you escape this time!"

"Rebellious girl...blah blah blah..." Wen Yuanzhao finally felt proud for once and caught Wen Yuqing and lectured her for an hour.

Gradually, Wen Yuqing went from wanting to cry but having no tears to having no expression on her face, then to being numb and having no desire to live, and finally directly (((φ(◎ロ◎;)φ))).

After talking for more than an hour, Wen Yuanzhao felt that it was enough. He felt more relaxed than ever before. He picked up a glass of water from the table to moisten his throat. When he was about to announce the final punishment for this time of running away from home, he said: "Wen Yuqing, this time I will punish you..."

At this time, Wen Huai, who was sitting beside him leisurely drinking tea, said at the right time: "Father, there is something I want to discuss with you. It is about Prince Duan."

Wen Yuanzhao paused when he heard this. "Prince Duan? What's the matter?"

"Why didn't you say it just now!"

"I'm sorry, father. I just recovered and my mind is not very clear after the hard journey. Father, this matter is important. Let's go to the study to discuss it." Wen Huai said seriously.

Wen Yuanzhao glanced at the rebellious girl who was kneeling on the ground and was about to die. Humph, it’s not too late to punish her when I come back!

"Madam, take her downstairs and tidy her up. Don't embarrass yourself by looking so sloppy!" Wen Yuanzhao snorted coldly.

Hmm? Are you done with the scolding? Madam Wen finally woke up. She was about to fall asleep. She was fed up with this old man. He kept nagging her. No wonder Qing'er didn't get along with him. She couldn't stand it either!

"Okay, Master, you and Huai'er go and get busy."

Then the father and son went to the study, leaving only Wen Yuqing, who was still dizzy, and Mrs. Wen, who had a headache, in the hall.

"Qing'er, get up. Your father has left. Go back and rest."

"...Oh." Is he finally gone? She numbly got up from the ground. He was indeed the prime minister of the dynasty, the ancestor of civil officials. He cursed people in different ways, and her head was dizzy just hearing him.

However, he didn't say what punishment he would give her in the end. Fortunately, she said that her brother couldn't be so untrustworthy and cold-hearted, so he just gave her a scolding!

Wen Yuqing returned to the courtyard she had been away from for more than half a month in a daze. Xiaotao helped her wash and change clothes, and then she lay down on the bed and fell asleep.

In the study, Wen Huai told Wen Yuanzhao exactly what Wen Yuqing had told him, "Father, Prince Duan's character is not enough for a great responsibility. We..."

"Eh..." Wen Yuanzhao sighed.

"Then tell me what we should do." Prince Duan had already got a firm grasp on him.

"Father, please resign." As long as their father resigned, it seemed that they had no other good way out except this. They could not make any more mistakes.

Hearing this, Wen Yuanzhao couldn't help but take a step back. If he resigned, all his half-life efforts would be wasted.

"Huai'er..." Wen Yuanzhao's shoulders suddenly drooped.

Wen Huai was silent. Now, among all the civil and military officials in the court, everyone knew that the Prime Minister's Office was on the side of Prince Duan, but anyone could see that the Emperor valued His Royal Highness the Crown Prince more.

Now everyone is waiting to see the Wen family fall.

It’s not that there are no other supporters besides Prince Duan of the Wen family, but there is only one first-rank official like the Prime Minister, and that is Wen Yuanzhao, the head of the civil servants.

Once Prince Duan falls, their Wen family will definitely be affected.

By then there will be no chance of turning things around.

"Father, compared to a high position and power, I hope our family is in order and safe and smooth." Nothing is more important than a family in order.

As long as his father is no longer useful, Prince Duan will no longer bother with their family.

"Okay..." Wen Yuanzhao choked up slightly. He never expected that he, Wen Yuanzhao, would come to this point one day.

However, he really couldn't risk the lives of more than a dozen people in his Wen family. Between power and family, he ultimately chose the latter.

When Wen Huai heard that his father agreed to resign, his heart sank. He could still continue to work hard even if he lost his power, but if he lost his family, he would really have lost everything.

At this time, in Prince Duan's Mansion, Xiao Zhuo was furious and smashed a bunch of things. Yuan Hong actually fell into Xiao Juncheng's hands so easily. They had done it so secretly, but they didn't expect that he would catch him so quickly.

"Go and kill him for me." He said coldly. Yuan Hong must not be allowed to enter the capital alive.

"This... this is a bit difficult..." the subordinate hesitated. How could the person detained by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince himself get close so easily?

"Useless! I don't care what method you use. If you can't do it, you will be beheaded!"

Subordinate: "...Yes, Your Highness."

After the people left, Xiao Zhuo sat in the messy room, his eyes red with anger. Why, why was he always so lucky, and his claws were pulled out so soon after he arrived in Jiangnan!

He was shaking with anger, Xiao Juncheng, I will not admit defeat, huh, he still has a trump card that he hasn't used, that old guy Wen Yuanzhao, I didn't expect that it would be his turn to use it so soon!

But he didn't expect that Wen Yuanzhao betrayed him first.

When he had arranged everything and was waiting to pass the blame to Wen Yuanzhao, Wen Yuanzhao gave him a shocking surprise.

When he went to court the next day, Wen Yuanzhao stood in the court and carefully stroked the court robes on his body, feeling full of emotion.

After leaving court, he hesitated several times and finally walked towards the imperial study.

An hour later, he walked out of the imperial study with unsteady steps.

Wen Huai was waiting for him outside.

"Father."

"go home."

In the imperial study, the emperor looked at the letter of resignation with a slightly heavy expression. He also knew about the affair between Prince Duan and Wen Yuanzhao. It was common for princes to form cliques to fight for the throne. As for Wen Yuanzhao, as a prime minister, he had never doubted his character. He just had no choice. But he never thought that he would suddenly resign.

Although he asked Wen Yuanzhao to go back and think about it, he could see that he was determined to leave.

He didn't understand why this happened, so he told Wen Yuanzhao to go back and think about it again. He wanted to find out the reason.

"Go check who the Prime Minister has been in contact with recently."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

-

Wen Yuqing woke up from a lazy nap and found that the atmosphere at home had changed. Everyone's face looked unusually heavy, which made her a little nervous. What happened?

So she moved closer to Wen Huai and asked carefully, "Brother, what's going on?"

"Father has resigned."

Wen Yuqing was stunned. Resign?

Then I remembered the conversation with Wen Huai in the carriage that day. So the so-called countermeasure is to resign...

But it seems that this is the only way, to stay away from this dispute.

She looked at the dejected Wen Yuanzhao above, and for the first time felt a little pity for him. He was forced to resign from his official position in his middle age.

Well, since he is so pitiful, she should comfort him.

"Dad, it's okay. Although you are no longer the prime minister, you are still a hero in our hearts." Wen Yuqing patted his shoulder.

Wen Yuanzhao glanced at her. Is he really a hero?

"Really, you are our family's hero." Wen Yuqing gave her a thumbs up.

Wen Yuanzhao, who had lost his edge, was now like an ordinary middle-aged unemployed old man. She knew that if anyone else fell from a high position all of a sudden, no one would be able to accept it, so as a caring little cotton-padded jacket, she decided to give him the greatest encouragement.

Wen Yuanzhao sighed. For the first time, he found his daughter more pleasing to the eye. This was indeed the case.

"Dad, don't worry. Even though you're unemployed, we still have our older brothers to support us."

The corners of Wen Yuanzhao's mouth twitched. Haha, if they were all stripped of their official positions, she would be anxious, right?