I just want to be a princess, no, you want to be a queen

At dawn, candles were lit in Xiefang Palace, and Concubine Song took Prince Guang'an by the hand and headed to Wenhua Palace. In the entire harem, Concubine Song was the only concubine who could freely enter and leave the front court.

Song Wei, a fifth-rank lecturer in the Hanlin Academy, taught Prince Guang'an several times a month. Later, to promote the Song family, the emperor appointed Prince Guang'an's uncle as the second-rank Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince, hinting to the court officials that he wanted to make Prince Guang'an the crown prince. From then on, even when Song Wei had no classes, he would frequently visit to supervise Prince Guang'an's studies.

"Thank you for your hard work, gentlemen!"

Concubine Song sent her son into the classroom and gave Song Wei a look.

Song Wei walked out and caught up with Concubine Song. "Eldest sister, I asked the spies left by the Xiongnu Zuoxian King in the capital, and they didn't do the murder of the Earl of Zhongxin."

"I also think it's impossible!" She didn't even kill her, so how could the Huns kill her? Concubine Song was puzzled: "Who could it be?"

"It doesn't matter who it is. What matters is that His Majesty believes it's the Xiongnu, and they intend to assassinate me." Song Wei explained his plan. "I heard that Prince Ningyuan's coming-of-age ceremony is in two days, so we have to do something. Eldest sister, can you persuade His Majesty to preside over this case?"

"You mean to let Prince Ningyuan mess up this case?"

"It's more than just a failure." Song Wei laughed. "If the murderer assassinates Your Majesty because Prince Ningyuan didn't investigate the case in time, how do you think Your Majesty will punish him?"

"Even if I'm not imprisoned, I'm afraid I won't get a job." Without a position in the court, there is no way to win over court officials and build up one's own power.

Concubine Song smiled and said, "Brother is really capable. It's not difficult to convince His Majesty, but how will you convince the Zuo Xianwang's men?"

"Don't worry, elder sister. As long as the benefits are sufficient, they will naturally obey."

Things progressed quickly, and within a few days, the emperor's edict was placed on Chu Mingzheng's desk. At that time, Leng Lingfeng was checking Chu Mingzheng's pulse.

Ever since he had treated Chu Mingzheng in Shoukang Palace, the Queen Mother had asked him to personally take care of Chu Mingzheng's condition. There was no need to hide when the two met.

"Why did the emperor ask you to investigate the case?" Leng Lingfeng asked.

"It was Concubine Song who instigated this. I don't know what she wants to do." Chu Mingzheng said with a smile: "I just came out to get a wife, look how anxious they are."

Speaking of marrying a wife, Leng Lingfeng was puzzled: "Didn't you say you would marry both of them? How come you only want to marry Miss Lu?"

"Yes, marry them all."

Leng Lingfeng was even more puzzled: "Then will Duke Qin agree to give his precious daughter to you as a concubine?"

"Whether it will happen or not, we'll know when we see it."

In all their years of acquaintance, Leng Lingfeng had never heard him speak so uncertainly. Clearly, the matter had already been settled, with Miss Qin as the principal wife and Miss Lu as the concubine. Why did they insist on switching places and handing the choice to Duke Qin?

If Duke Qin disagrees, wouldn't that be a huge loss for nothing?

Thinking about asking him to help Miss Lu, Leng Lingfeng blurted out: "You are not in love with Miss Lu, are you?"

"What are you thinking?" Chu Mingzheng glanced at him with disdain, his eyes cold. "Although I am weak, I will not refuse everyone who comes. This matter is just a chance to test his determination to join me."

As soon as he finished speaking, the footsteps of the young eunuch were heard.

"Your Highness, someone from the palace has come to say that the Queen Mother wants you to go to Duke Qin's mansion."

……

In the Duke of Qin's mansion, in the women's boudoir, Qin Miao was lying on the bed, her whole body burning hot, and the cold towel she was applying to her body was emitting white smoke.

After one imperial physician after another made the diagnosis, they all said that it was due to excessive worry and the invasion of evil wind into the body. It didn't sound serious, but Qin Miao's body was really hot.

The Queen Mother angrily rebuked the Duke of Qin, "Why are you telling me now?"

"The doctor said I had caught a cold. I thought it was just a minor illness and didn't dare to bother the Queen Mother. I didn't expect to get burned like this this morning."

Duke Qin sobbed and wiped his tears. "Miao'er has had a fever since the day before yesterday, and it keeps coming back. Last night, she couldn't even take her medicine."

"How can I do this without taking medicine?"

The Queen Mother personally sat by the bed and fed her the medicine. She fed her a mouthful and it flowed out. She simply asked Xu Pei to pry open her mouth and pour the medicine in.

After a while, the unconscious Qin Miao vomited out all the medicine.

Duke Qin looked at his daughter's miserable appearance and sighed repeatedly, "It was the same thing last night. Seeing that she was too hot to bear it, I had the maid force the medicine down her throat, but she vomited it out after a while."

The Queen Mother looked at the doctors and ordered, "Come up with a good idea."

The imperial doctors were at their wit's end. This disease was not difficult to cure, but the patient just couldn't drink the medicine. Even the gods couldn't save him.

Fang Yuanzheng stepped forward to report: "Empress Dowager, Miss Qin's stomach is empty and she can't stand the bitterness of the medicine. She needs to eat something first. Otherwise, she won't be able to drink the medicine."

Duke Qin felt even more distressed upon hearing this: "Miao'er has been suffering from a loss of appetite for the past few days. She hasn't been able to eat anything for the past three days. I could only force-feed her rice porridge, which is not enough to fill her stomach."

"Cousin Zheng, cousin Zheng..."

The unconscious person was mumbling, and the Queen Mother leaned over to hear what she was saying. The Queen Mother was reluctant to let Chu Mingzheng come, but seeing Qin Miao's expression, she couldn't bear it.

Half an hour later, Chu Mingzheng walked into the wing room wrapped in the cold wind. The Queen Mother said, "Your cousin is very ill. Come and see her."

As he said that, he made way.

"My grandson is not a doctor, how can he treat my cousin? Oh, by the way, when the eunuch came over, Doctor Leng was checking my grandson's pulse. Let him take a look at my cousin."

After Chu Mingzheng finished speaking, he called Leng Lingfeng in.

After Leng Lingfeng looked at it, he also said: "If you can eat, everything will be easy."

The sound of mumbling in sleep was heard again on the bed. At the empress dowager's urging, Chu Mingzheng half-sat on the edge of the bed.

"Cousin Miao'er, I'm... Cousin Zheng."

Qin Miao, whose eyes trembled slightly at this moment, slowly opened her hazy almond-shaped eyes and asked, "Miao'er, are you dreaming?"

The voice is fragile and full of soul.

"No, my cousin is here. Can I feed you?" Chu Mingzheng brought a bowl of millet porridge and picked up the spoon to his mouth.

Qin Miao opened her mouth obediently and drank spoonful after spoonful.

After feeding her the millet porridge, Chu Mingzheng took the medicine bowl and said softly, "Would you like to take the medicine?"

"Miao'er always listens to cousin Zheng." Tears welled up in those affectionate eyes, and it was hard to tell whether they were true or false.

After drinking the medicine, Qin Miao regained some strength and grabbed Chu Mingzheng's arm tightly. "Cousin Zheng, Miao'er wants to stay with you forever. Please don't leave Miao'er, okay?"

"Okay, cousin won't leave!" Chu Mingzheng's neck ached from lowering his head, and his arm ached from feeding the medicine. He put Qin Miao's hand under the quilt and stood up to stretch his muscles.

Half an hour later, Qin Miao's fever gradually subsided, and Duke Qin excitedly paid great tribute to Chu Mingzheng.

"I thank Your Highness for saving my life."

In a room full of imperial physicians and palace maids, in full view of everyone, an unconscious girl was awakened by a man. The girl's father did not rush to cover up the matter, but instead thanked him loudly, saying that it was not intentional...

"Please stand up, uncle! Since my cousin is fine, I will take my leave." Chu Mingzheng supported Duke Qin, paid his respects to him and the Queen Mother, and turned to leave.