Deep Palace Pet Peach Blossom Flawless

Mrs. Lan was relieved. Lan Qingwu had begun a long period of recuperation. After taking conditioning medicine for more than half a year, her stomach had become increasingly weaker. Every day after taking the medicine, she could not eat, and each meal was very small. Two serious illnesses had severely damaged her vitality, and no matter what she did, she could not recover.

In the Dasheng Imperial City, the Prince's Eastern Palace, the important study, Zhou Xuheng, who has become the prince, looked at the note in his hand, a trace of worry flashed in his eyes. She was sick again. Thinking of the last time she was almost seriously ill and died, his heart was gripped. Was it because of him?

Ruo Ruo, if this is what you want, I have already let go, as long as you are well.

At noon, the Crown Prince came to the Crown Princess's bedroom for lunch. He had barely moved his chopsticks a few times when Crown Princess Li Wanhui stood up and bowed, saying, "Your Highness, this dish is cold in nature, and a gentleman should not eat more than three servings. You shouldn't have preferences."

The Crown Prince said calmly, "The Crown Princess is so respectful and disciplined in her own palace. She's truly worthy of being chosen by our mother."

The Crown Princess was a little embarrassed and was about to sit down when she heard the Crown Prince say again: "Don't sit down, so you don't have to stand up again and keep telling me the rules." There was a hint of sarcasm in his tone.

The Crown Princess stood there stiffly, the nanny behind her looked anxious but helpless.

When the Crown Prince picked up the soup bowl again, the Crown Princess couldn't help but say, "Your Highness, this soup..."

"Crown Princess," the prince put down the bowl of soup in his hand. "I thought I was marrying the Crown Princess, not some maid who only lectured me on the rules. What do you think?"

The Crown Prince stood up and walked away, but the Crown Princess remained standing there, her eyes red. The nanny behind her said anxiously, "My dear, it's so rare that His Highness has come down to eat, why do you always have to talk about these rigid rules? What man likes to hear that?"

The Crown Princess also complained, "My aunt has told me to never neglect the palace rules. She also told me to constantly advise His Highness to fulfill my duties as the Crown Princess. What can I do?"

The nanny said anxiously: "Husband and wife don't rely solely on these things! Oh my God..."

At the hour of Shen in the afternoon, the prince rode his warhorse and galloped out of the city in the wind. He was dressed in the prince's attire, and the four-clawed golden dragon on his black robe seemed alive, making him look even more imposing. The prince rode away in a cloud of dust, and General Qian Hui, the third prince Zhou Xuhao, and the guards followed closely behind him. The group of people galloped out of the city.

Outside the city, the Fifth Prince Zhou Xuhuai frowned impatiently in his carriage. If it weren't for his mother's instructions, how could he have been with Xiao Qi...

The sound of horse hooves came from afar. The fifth prince Zhou Xuhuai looked in the direction of the sound, then glanced at the fourth prince Zhou Xuzheng in the prison cart not far away, and curled his lips in disdain.

A group of people arrived in a flash. Zhou Xuhuai watched as the man, who rode so far ahead of them, rode up to them first. He had sharp eyebrows and phoenix eyes, broad shoulders and a narrow waist. He was riding a fine horse, and the long legs beneath his robe seemed to contain astonishing strength. He exuded an aura of power, fierce and intimidating. The four-clawed golden dragon on his black robe pricked Zhou Xuhuai's eyes: "Seventh brother, you've kept Fifth Brother waiting for so long!"

The Third Prince Zhou Xuhao frowned behind him: "Fifth brother, don't be rude, you must address me as Your Highness the Crown Prince!"

Zhou Xuhuai's eyes showed resentment, and he tried hard to suppress himself: "Did the Queen Mother ask you to pass on a message to me?"

The Crown Prince didn't care about his attitude: "No, Fifth Brother, what can I say to you? I was raised by my father, the Emperor. Don't talk about family affection with me!"

The current queen has three sons and one daughter. The eldest son, Zhou Xuhui, is disabled, the second son, Zhou Xuhuai, was demoted, and the youngest son, Zhou Xuheng, is already the crown prince.

Zhou Xuhuai stared at him and said in disbelief, "Didn't the Queen Mother ask you to tell me that you would transfer me back later..."

A fierce look flashed across the prince's eyes: "My father has decreed that Prince Zhou Xuhuai will never return to the imperial city. As for my mother, in the Da Sheng Dynasty, men are respected. What can my mother do about it?" The extremely low status of women is not an empty statement. What can she do even if she is the future empress dowager?

Madness and unwillingness flashed in Zhou Xuhuai's eyes.

As for the fourth prince Zhou Xuzheng, the crown prince simply ignored him. Concubine An had been banished to the cold palace, and Zhou Xuzheng had been demoted to a commoner and exiled three thousand miles to the southwest. In the fight for the throne between the fourth and fifth princes, the sixth prince Zhou Xuxing, who was affected, had passed away and was posthumously named King of Ying. The fourth prince was involved in this.

Zhou Xu was looking at the Crown Prince with a sinister expression: "Fifth brother, we are making wedding dresses for others. Even the third sister, who was born a lowly palace maid, has risen to prominence!"

The prince was dismissive: "In the future, he will only be a prince of the Dasheng Dynasty!" His two elder brothers only knew how to fight openly and secretly, but they could not see what efforts others had made to succeed.

After he said that, he adjusted his horse's head and said, "Since we are both members of the Zhou royal family, I am here to see you off for the last time!" After he finished saying the last few words, Chengfeng galloped out like an arrow.

The Third Prince, Zhou Xuhao, looked at them with cold disgust, especially the Fourth Prince, Zhou Xuzheng: "How could you, someone who tramples on others so wantonly, ascend to such a position? Just be a good commoner!"

General Qian Hui urged, "Third Prince, let's go to Qiling Mountain. He has already run far away on the wind."

Zhou Xuhao no longer looked at them, urged his horse to gallop and follow the prince, and the group followed.

Zhou Xuzheng said gloomily: "Oh, send us as auxiliary, and go hunting in Qiling Mountain as the main..."

Zhou Xuhuai lowered his head slightly, his eyes flashing with astonishing madness and brutality...

Time passed in a flash, and within a year, news arrived from the imperial capital that Emperor Jingwen had passed away. Crown Prince Zhou Xuheng succeeded him and ascended the throne, taking the title of Emperor Shenwu. To avoid the taboo of the new emperor, the other princes of the previous emperor changed the middle character "Xu" in their names to "Qi".

The new emperor was extremely filial and insisted on observing a full year of mourning for the late emperor, even though Empress Dowager Li's advice was in vain. Emperors traditionally observed mourning for days instead of months, so twenty-seven days was all that was needed. How could the new emperor expect his subjects to do this?

Lan Qingwu was waiting in his grandfather's side hall. Hearing his grandfather, father, and uncle discussing the mourning for the new emperor, he could only remain silent. Yun Heng admired his father the most, and now...

If he were the son of an ordinary family, he would definitely observe the three-year mourning period!

General Lan sent someone to call Lan Qingwu into the study. Seeing Lan Qingwu kneeling in plain clothes, he asked, "Qingwu, what's going on?"

Lan Qingwu was dressed in plain clothes, which made her figure look even more slender. Her face was bare, her complexion was as white as snow. She bowed softly again and said, "Grandfather, Qingwu wishes to observe three years of national mourning."

General Lan was slightly surprised. "Qingwu, do you know what you're talking about? How old will you be in three years? The nation mourns the late emperor. For the sake of the people, the common people only observe for a hundred days. Civil and military officials will follow the new emperor in mourning for a full year. Why would you observe for three years? This will delay half your life. Do you understand?"

Lan Qingwu's eyes were firm. "Grandfather, I understand everything. I've never met the late emperor, but lately I've been dreaming of a figure in a dragon robe. It might be because I've often heard grandfather mention the late emperor. Also, I've been seriously ill twice this year, and I want to use this opportunity to cultivate myself. As for marriage, we can wait a year and make a verbal agreement. After the national mourning is over, we can go through the three letters and six ceremonies, get engaged, and get married."

General Lan frowned. He looked at Lan Qingwu's frail appearance and realized that he would need time to recover. Thinking of the late emperor, he couldn't help but mutter to himself, "Could it be that the late emperor left me some message?"

He had been hesitant to begin mourning for the late emperor, but now he finally made up his mind: "Well, since the new emperor has been mourning for a year, then my Lan family... can be considered the last remaining confidant between me and the late emperor, Qingfeng!"

A servant quickly entered the study, and General Lan immediately issued an order: "Inform all courtyards that, effective immediately, they must observe a three-year period of national mourning for the late emperor. No meat, no feasting, no gatherings, no music, no singing or dancing, no fancy clothing, no marriage, and no traveling. If any member of the Lan family violates this prohibition during this period, their name will be removed from the family tree and they will be kicked out of the Lan family!"

Lan Qingwu walked out of the study. Seeing the courtyard covered in mourning, he couldn't help but look gloomy. That person must be heartbroken right now. The pain of losing a loved one is something no one can replace.

Now that he is the emperor, he can't do whatever he wants. Brother Heng, Yun Heng, if you can't do it, let me do it for you. If you can't observe the full mourning period, I will do it for you. This is the last time I will do this for you. Please forgive me for being scheming against you the first time.

One day in the future, I hope you will look at what Ruo Ruo has done for you, and not vent your anger on Ruo Ruo's future husband's family, because she is destined not to marry a commoner, but only an official. She does not want to and cannot bring hatred to the emperor for her husband's family, so she can only consider and deliberate carefully like this.