Going to Beijing to save his father, all the powerful officials in the city are vying to be his fath

After the palace banquet, Wang Er and the Prince of Wuning quietly left Beijing for Chanzhou on the fifth day of the first lunar month.

On the eighth day of the first lunar month, Zhao Gupan was sent to Prince Zhan's mansion in a sedan chair by Zhao Jian. In order to show his importance to this marriage, Zhao Jian asked Madam Zhao to give her a lot more dowry, and even embezzled Zhao Qingning's dowry for this purpose. Although Madam Zhao was prepared, she was almost beaten to death in her heart. A concubine's daughter sent to an old man as a concubine was more glorious than her legitimate daughter.

With a sister like this, how could her daughter marry into a good family? Zhao Qingning didn't react at all. She was not angry when her dowry was given equally to Zhao Gupan, and she even added to Zhao Gupan's dowry when he went out.

Facing Madam Zhao's anger, Zhao Qingning calmly advised, "Mother, why do you care about these things? They are just some material possessions. My daughter is still young, so I can save up for the dowry. I think when I get married, my father will not be short of my daughter's dowry."

Madam Zhao said angrily, "What do you know? Your elder sister, the daughter of a third-rank official, is becoming a concubine to an old man. This will make outsiders look down on our daughters. You will never be able to marry into a good family in the future."

Zhao Qingning lowered her eyes and asked in a perplexed manner, "If it weren't for my elder sister's incident, would I have been able to marry into a good family?"

Mrs. Zhao was stunned: "What did you say?"

Zhao Qingning raised her head, eyes filled with annoyance and coldness. "Big sister was sent out as a concubine in order to win over people for your master. Won't you send me out in the future to win over someone for your master?"

Mrs. Zhao stood up in horror: "What nonsense are you talking about?"

Zhao Qingning's anger dissipated a little, and she regained her composure: "Mother, I know who you and father are working for, and I also know why you married father. So since you chose this path, you should be prepared to sacrifice everything. You shouldn't be so angry."

Madam Zhao was a little flustered. She took a few steps forward, grabbed Zhao Qingning's hand, and said in panic, "Qingning, who told you this? Don't believe it. Your father is loyal to the emperor. What can I, a woman in the harem, do?"

Zhao Qingning looked at Madam Zhao's panicked face and smiled faintly: "Don't panic, mother. I am your and father's daughter. I will not inform on you."

When she was a child, she was just like Zhao Liangsi, thinking that her mother was ridiculed because Zhao Liangchen was born first, so she also disliked and hated Zhao Liangchen very much. But one time when she and her mother went back to her grandmother's house, she accidentally heard the conversation between her mother and her grandmother.

Only then did she realize that the reason her mother married her father was to win over her father for King Liang. It was her own choice to be ridiculed, and Zhao Liangchen was not to blame.

At first, she was very confused and could not accept why her mother would ruin her happiness for the sake of King Liang. Although she was still young at that time and did not understand politics or any big principles, she felt that what her father and mother did was wrong.

She was in pain for a while because of this, not knowing whether to pretend not to know or to report her parents. In the end, the bond of family affection made her choose to remain silent.

But after that, she spoke less and less. As she grew older, she realized that she might be married off to a family that King Liang wanted to win over, just like her mother.

Although marriage has been arranged by parents and matchmakers since ancient times, and women will not have any feelings for their husbands before marriage, families who love their daughters will naturally choose a family with good family background and character for their daughters, and will also seek their daughters' opinions, for fear that they will not have a good life after marriage.

But if she was to be married off for some purpose, they would naturally not consider the other party's family background or character, let alone ask her whether she was willing or not. As long as it was beneficial to King Liang, her parents would let her marry. Isn't her mother a good example?

Especially when she learned that Zhao Gupan was sent to Prince Zhan's Mansion as a concubine, she did not laugh at Zhao Gupan. Instead, she felt a sense of sympathy and sharing weal and woe. As a daughter of the Zhao family, how could she be any better off when Zhao Gupan was sent to be a concubine? Even if she was a legitimate daughter and would be married as the main wife, her husband would not treat her sincerely in the future because of this interest relationship.

Looking at the desolate smile on her daughter's face, Mrs. Zhao couldn't help but shudder. She seemed to see herself more than ten years ago in her daughter's face.

This was the expression she had when she compromised more than ten years ago when her father told her that he was going to marry Zhao Jian.

Madam Zhao suddenly hugged Zhao Qingning tightly and said in a panic, "No, Qingning, mother won't trade your marriage for anything. Don't worry, mother will definitely choose a marriage that suits your heart."

Zhao Qingning was strangled by Madam Zhao until it hurt, but she didn't move. Instead, she sneered, "Mother, don't deceive yourself. You didn't fight against your fate back then. Do you think you can fight against it now that you are with me?

It's useless. My grandfather wouldn't agree, my father wouldn't agree, and Prince Liang certainly wouldn't agree."

Zhao Qingning's words made Mrs. Zhao feel cold all over. Only then did she realize that her compromise and choice back then not only cost her own life, but also the lives of her children.

She suddenly felt grief-stricken and cried bitterly while hugging Zhao Qingning. Zhao Qingning did not move or show any expression, and let Madam Zhao hug her and cry.

After a long time, Madam Zhao let go of Zhao Qingning and said through gritted teeth, "Since Qingning has come this far, we must win. Only by winning will all the sacrifices and efforts we have made in the past be worthwhile.

There's no rush for your marriage. I'll find a way to delay it. Your eldest brother is working for King Liang, and your eldest sister has already sacrificed for him. King Liang won't keep watching us. It shouldn't take long. As long as King Liang wins, we'll have the merit of following the dragon, and your status will rise. When the time comes, mother will definitely ask for your opinion. You can marry whoever you want."

After saying this, Mrs. Zhao nodded heavily as if she had convinced herself: "Of course it will work."

Zhao Qingning remained calm: "It's all up to mother."

She was not as naive as her mother to believe that King Liang would definitely win. She even doubted whether Zhao Liangchen was really working for King Liang.

She knew very well how Zhao Liangchen grew up and what kind of life he lived at home. She didn't think that Zhao Liangchen, who had suffered so much harsh treatment and grievances since childhood, would still work wholeheartedly for the interests of the family.

Zhao Liangchen was able to reach his current position in such a desperate situation, so he must be a man of many thoughts. If he really wanted to stand by his family through thick and thin, he wouldn't have found a reason to move out.

But his parents still think that he is a very well-behaved and obedient son, and that he is easy to control. It is not certain who will control whom in the future.

Zhao Qingning would not tell these to Madam Zhao, and even if she did, Madam Zhao would not believe it. In fact, Zhao Qingning was hoping that Zhao Liangchen had other plans, so that she might have different choices in her future life. Even if she would be implicated and killed by her family in the end, she did not want to be controlled by others all her life and live like a dull puppet.

Zhao Liangchen, who was placed with hope by Zhao Qingning, also returned to the Zhao Mansion at this time. He also came to add makeup to Zhao Gupan.

For this purpose, he got a set of drawings from Su Qin and went to the shop in Wuning Marquis Mansion to customize a set of headwear. When Zhao Gupan saw the set of headwear, he burst into tears.