The princess regretted it.

Minister of War Zhang Chengde returned to his residence, sullen and gloomy. He walked into his study, pacing back and forth, his mind racing. He recalled the image of Minister Lin and Prime Minister Mu leaving together, then the message his daughter had sent him. He cursed inwardly, "Is this old scoundrel Lin planning to cling to the Mu family? Or is he trying to use them to get into the Duke of Protectorate's mansion?"

He paused, sat at his desk, tapping his fingers lightly as he pondered. "The Mu family has been quiet for years, refusing to interact with other ministers. Now that Minister Lin has approached them, and Mu Yang hasn't refused, could something have happened? Jin An seemed intent on getting closer to the Zhong family when he visited the Duke of Huguo's residence last time. No, I have to send someone to monitor their movements," Zhang Chengde pondered.

He summoned a trusted aide and whispered, "Go and find out where Minister Lin and Prime Minister Mu went today and what they discussed." The aide took the order and left. Zhang Chengde leaned back in his chair, his brow furrowed, lost in thought.

Prime Minister Mu and Minister Lin of Zuixianlou had finished their conversation and enjoyed their meal. They said goodbye to each other at the entrance of the restaurant, each boarded their own carriage, and headed home.

In the old Duke's study at the Huguo Mansion, the quiet atmosphere was filled with the faint scent of ink. Zhong Chuzhou and the old Duke sat opposite each other, engrossed in a game of chess.

The old Duke narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze fixed on the complex situation on the chessboard, and he slowly said, "How's the investigation going on with that jade buckle?"

Zhong Chuzhou held a soft white piece in his right hand, his brows furrowed slightly, clearly deep in thought about the direction of the game. Hearing his grandfather's question, he paused briefly before slowly saying, "We haven't found anything yet. I've carefully observed Zhang Chengde, Zhang Hengrui, and the Zhang family's guards, but haven't found any such jade buckle. Grandfather, are we sure this direction isn't a problem?"

The old Duke looked calm, gently stroking his beard, and said slowly, "There's no problem with the direction. The combined meaning of the pattern on the jade buckle clearly represents the character 'Zhang'. Let's check it more carefully."

"Yes! Okay! Grandfather!" Zhong Chuzhou answered firmly while calmly placing a piece on the chessboard.

The old Duke looked at the chessboard, nodded slightly, picked up a black piece and placed it on the board, blocking the path of the white piece. Then he asked, "How are the people you arranged at the Dali Temple?"

"It's going very well. The Zhang family has tried to test him and I think they've confirmed that he's the Third Prince's man. I'll slowly reveal the Third Prince's camp to them." Zhong Chuzhou stared at the chessboard and said softly, stroking a white piece in his hand repeatedly.

"Well, very good. Remember not to underestimate the enemy." The old Duke raised his eyes and glanced at Zhong Chuzhou.

"Grandson understands." Zhong Chuzhou replied respectfully.

"You are not young anymore. Last time your grandmother mentioned that your mother wants to find someone for you. Do you have any ideas?" The old Duke narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at Zhong Chuzhou.

Zhong Chuzhou was slightly startled, then said with a somewhat unnatural look: "My grandson has no intention of getting married for the time being, I hope grandparents don't worry."

The old Duke sighed softly and said earnestly, "You really should give your lifelong consideration carefully. If you find someone you like, then settle on one first. Grandfather knows you've suffered some injustices over the years. Although your reputation may not be as good as one might think, with the family background of our Protectorate Duke's Mansion, I think this matter won't be too difficult."

Zhong Chuzhou paused for a moment, slowly put down the chess piece in his hand, stood up, bowed, and said tentatively, "Grandfather, I don't want my marriage to be decided by an arranged marriage. I long to find someone who understands me and spend my life with me."

Seeing his actions, the old Duke stared at him intently with his wise eyes. After a long pause, he slowly asked, "Do you have a candidate in mind?"

Zhong Chuzhou lowered his head slightly, his eyes flickering for a moment, and he said softly, "Not yet. This is just a wish of my grandson. I hope to have a sincere relationship like my aunt and uncle."

The old Duke listened to his words and pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "It's rare that you have such an idea. However, it's hard to find a true soulmate in this world, so you must not let a momentary obsession ruin your life. The Duke of Protector's Mansion has a heavy responsibility, so you must carefully consider your marriage. If you can find a true soulmate, it would be great, but you must not completely disregard the interests of your family."

Zhong Chuzhou nodded slightly and replied, "Grandson understands grandfather's concerns. I will definitely find a balance between the two."

The old Duke sighed again and waved his hand, saying, "Forget it. We'll discuss this later. Let's continue playing chess."

Zhong Chuzhou sat down again and picked up his chess piece. The study fell silent again, broken only by the occasional, crisp drop of a piece. The two men continued to focus on the chessboard, but Zhong Chuzhou's heart was stirred by his grandfather's words.