Secrets of Yuqing Palace

As the carriage slowly stopped in front of the Guwaljia Mansion, the gatehouse with carved beams and painted buildings looked even more solemn in the setting sun.

Huang Cheng coughed lightly, breaking the silence in the carriage.

His eyes drifted inadvertently towards Wanyu, and he seemed to be hesitant to speak.

Wanyu felt his gaze and raised her eyes slightly.

Their eyes met, then quickly looked away, leaving a subtle atmosphere in the air.

After recovering from smallpox, he never had such close contact with a woman again due to misogyny.

Before, I only approached with curiosity and tentativeness, so although I admired it, I didn't feel anything unusual in my heart.

But for some reason, ever since the little mistake with the carriage just now, when I faced this little girl again, I had some inexplicable feeling in my heart.

At this moment, even looking up at the other person required hesitation.

Suppressing the discomfort in his heart, Huang Cheng cleared his throat and tried his best to make his voice sound natural and cautious.

"Today, thanks to you, I am safe and sound. If you have some free time, would you be willing to..."

He paused, as if weighing his words, "Would you be willing to communicate occasionally through letters?"

Without waiting for Wanyu's answer, he continued to ask questions.

"I wonder if Sister Wanyu has ever admired red plum blossoms in the winter snow?"

"The garden in my residence in the capital is very beautiful, with a large area of ​​red plum blossoms planted."

"When the snow falls heavily, the red plum blossoms in the mansion will bloom in perfect harmony with the season. The red plum blossoms in the snow in winter are the most stunning."

"If Sister Wanyu is interested, could we drink wine together and appreciate the plum blossoms, enjoying the elegant winter atmosphere?"

There was a hint of shyness in his words, but more of it was sincerity.

Wanyu's heart moved. She understood the unspoken meaning in Huang Cheng's words. It was an implicit invitation and also a subtle test of their feelings.

After thinking for a moment, she nodded slightly and replied softly, "Correspondence is of course very good. But..."

Having said this, Wanyu paused for a moment.

"Watching the snow is something I long for. But there are differences between men and women, I..."

Huang Chengli immediately smiled and said, "As long as Sister Wanyu is willing."

"I will then send an invitation to your house, inviting you and your two siblings to come and enjoy the snow together."

"I hope Sister Wanyu can give me some face and not reject me."

Wanyu nodded slightly.

Their words were brief and reserved, but the implicit affection they contained was like tender buds in spring, growing quietly.

At night, Wanyu lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep, thinking about what had happened today.

Especially thinking about the sense of security when being held in that person's arms, and the throbbing sensation when the two of them looked at each other afterwards.

This innocent young man who had been single for two lifetimes had a red face and couldn't suppress the smile on his lips.

Then I thought about the other party’s invitation when we parted in the carriage in the afternoon.

I seem to be too unrestrained.

As soon as someone mentioned it, I couldn't wait to agree.

Wanyu couldn't help but think about all sorts of things at this moment.

'Isn't this a bit too hasty?'

'what! '

'Thinking about it now, I feel a little embarrassed.'

"So annoying~"

'Why did you agree immediately?'

"Will he think I'm a bit unruly and unrestrained?"

"Oh... so annoying~~"

"I was saved by him twice. Is it fate?"

"But he looks gentle, handsome, and has a good appearance."

"He's also talented and my type."

'Um...'

"You don't have any concubines? Is that true?"

"It should be true, there's no need to lie to me."

Wanyu lay on the bed, twisting and turning in her arms while holding the quilt, sometimes grinning foolishly, sometimes pouting in annoyance.

Fortunately, she didn't have the habit of having people keep watch by her bedside.

Otherwise, the maids would have to worry whether their princess had some kind of hysteria.

I stayed awake most of the night, tossing and turning in bed.

Time slowly passed as Wanyu secretly fell in love with Huang Cheng and kept private with him.

One day, I heard from my mother that my uncle Li Rongbao had already decided on his wife.

It’s the Red Belt Jueluo clan we talked about last time. Guo Luomama has already arranged for people to start the ceremony.

It will take at least several months to complete the series of procedures including offering betrothal gifts, asking for the name, paying the betrothal gifts, setting a date, and getting married.

In addition, it is almost the end of the year and there will be a general election in March next year.

The official wedding will be held in the second half of next year.

Shi Wenzhuo also found some examples in Guwaljia Prefecture of inbreeding that led to tragic consequences in the backyards of large families.

Although it was hidden very deeply, his men were able to find out a lot of things as long as they were determined.

Although only a part of it has been investigated so far, the reality revealed is shocking.

Fucha looked at her husband with a serious expression and asked worriedly, "What's wrong with you?"

"Did something happen during your shift? Or did the kids get into trouble?"

Shi Wenzhuo shook his head.

"The matter you arranged a few days ago for a close blood-related couple to get married and have children has already made some progress."

Upon hearing this and seeing her husband's serious expression, Fucha immediately sat up straight.

She clenched her hands tightly and stared at her husband lying beside her.

"What's going on? Is what Yu'er said true?"

Shi Wenzhuo said with some sadness: "It is true, and it is not uncommon!"

Shi Wenzhuo told Fu Cha what he had found out.

When Fucha heard her husband talk about the experiences of married women, she couldn't help but feel a chill in her heart.

Some gave birth to children with deformities, some gave birth to idiots, some gave birth to weak and sickly children, and some even died the moment they were born.

It is not impossible to give birth to a healthy baby, but only one in ten can do so.

This situation resulted in many of these babies being secretly executed at birth by their biological fathers or elders.

If the mother who gave birth to them meets a kind family, she will be well fed and raised.

When they encounter selfish people, they regard them as jinxes and disasters, and their treatment plummets from then on. Some even go insane and die.

Fu Cha was terrified when she heard this.

She didn't dare to think about what she would do if her daughter became like this.

Her body was trembling slightly and her speech became incoherent.

"Go back to my parents' home... Yes, I have to go back to my parents' home."

"Tomorrow! Tomorrow morning, I will go back to my parents' home."

"Tell mother about this. Yu'er and Sarah are not destined to be together after all."

Shi Wenzhuo also sat up, hugged his wife who was trembling slightly, and patted her back to comfort her.

"Don't worry, Fu Jin. I'm here and won't let anything like that happen to Yu'er."

"It would be nice for them to be a pair of loving cousins."

The next day, Fucha only had time to ask her mother-in-law for instructions before she hurried to Fucha Mansion.

Originally, Jueluo was a little surprised as to why her daughter-in-law was so flustered today.

Only after hearing the news revealed by her husband Shi Huashan did she understand.

After finishing his shift yesterday, Shi Wenzhuo returned home and the first thing he did was go to the front yard and talk about this matter with his father Shi Huashan.

He was also a little conflicted about whether he should report the matter to the emperor.

He had wanted to discuss this matter with his father a long time ago, but he had never found any specific information before.

He was worried that if what his daughter said turned out to be false, her father might think he was unstable.

It would be better to wait until everything is clear, and if what my daughter said is true, it will not be too late to discuss it with my father.

So yesterday was the first time that Shi Huashan learned that consanguineous marriage could cause such great harm.

To put it mildly, it affects the harmony between husband and wife, to put it more seriously, it affects the inheritance of offspring!

Although the reality today is that men are superior to women, the most important thing is actually power and status.

Once you meet a wife whose family has high status and great power, the situation will be reversed.

In a situation where women are superior to men, if a woman forcefully demands not to take a concubine, and the man cannot resist, wouldn't the family line end up extinct?

He also heard from his wife that his second daughter-in-law wanted to marry the third girl into the Fucha family.

And he is the second son of her third brother.

Shi Huashan was still satisfied with the door lintel of the Fucha family.

And there is also a romantic relationship involved, so it is a good thing for the third girl to marry into the Fucha family.

So he and his wife both took the default attitude.

But he didn't expect his son to suddenly drop such shocking news on him.

The old man was completely confused at that time.

Looking at his shocked father, Shi Wenzhuo became a little anxious.

"Father, should we report this matter or not? Please give us some advice."

Shi Huashan, startled back to his senses by his son's loud voice, glared at him.

"Shi Liha is about to get married, why are you still so unstable?"

Shi Wenzhuo:......

Being scolded by his old father, Shi Wenzhuo dared not say anything.