Transmigrating Female Supreme: The Peerless Husband Depends on Me

At dinner time, a storm came.

Zhou Ziqian was sipping snow frog soup when he suddenly heard the sound of porcelain breaking coming from the direction of Yongning Palace.

Then came the rare and stern shout from the wise king: "Investigate! Investigate thoroughly for me!"

Teams of eunuchs holding lanterns ran wildly on the palace road.

First, the Shangfu Bureau was turned upside down—why was the Seventh Prince's spring shirt made of the lowest-quality Hangzhou silk? Then the Imperial Kitchen—why were the ingredients supplied to Yongning Palace 30% less than in previous years? Finally, the investigation reached the Imperial Household Department, where Li Dequan's godson wet his pants—the account books showing him withholding the Seventh Prince's allowance were uncovered.

Zhou Ziqian leaned against the window and watched the show.

This storm was more violent than he had expected, which showed how much anger his father and his wife had been pent up in.

When the imperial guards escorted the crying Li Dequan past, he gently knocked on the window frame.

"Your Highness! Your Highness, help me!" Li Dequan broke free from the imperial guards and rushed to the window. "This old slave is wronged—"

Zhou Ziqian slowly leaned over.

The moonlight shone on his pale face, and his eyelashes cast two shadows under his eyes. "Mr. Li, that day you said... who led me astray?"

Li Dequan was struck by lightning.

Until he was dragged away, his cloudy old eyes were still staring at the window - was the person standing there really the Seventh Prince who never fought back or retaliated?

At three quarters past midnight, Zhou Ziqian was preparing to go to bed when he suddenly heard a slight sound from the window frame.

When he pushed the door open, he saw his father standing alone in the moonlight, holding a rosewood box in his hand.

"Father? How could you—"

The wise king slipped in and pressed his fingertips to his lips. "Shh." He opened the box, revealing a delicate dagger. "Your grandmother left it to you."

Zhou Ziqian's breathing stopped.

My maternal grandfather was a founding hero, and this "Qingluan" dagger once accompanied the empress in her personal expedition.

He was about to refuse, but he saw his father lift up his sleeve - there was an old scar on his forearm.

"I protected your majesty from the arrow in exchange for the right to raise you." The wise king's voice was as light as a feather. "Qian'er, your illness is not your fault, but if you allow others to trample on you because of it..." He pressed the dagger into his son's palm, "you will be betraying your father's love."

Zhou Ziqian gripped the dagger tightly, and suddenly realized that his father knew more about the darkness of the palace than he thought.

Those calculations that he thought were brilliant were probably so naive and ridiculous in the eyes of his father.

"The Emperor's birthday banquet will be held in three days." The wise king placed a final kiss on his forehead. "Wear that moon-white, gold-woven dragon robe."

The palace door closed gently.

Zhou Ziqian stroked the blue phoenix pattern on the dagger and suddenly remembered Su Yue's words - you are born noble.

It turns out that it is not just comfort, but the fact.

The backbone of a founding hero flows in his blood, and he inherited the strategy of the virtuous concubine when she competed for favor, but it was buried by twenty years of living as a sickly patient.

The night watchman sounded, and Zhou Ziqian unfolded the mechanism diagram given by Shangguan Haomu under the lamp.

It was a detailed map of the underground sewers of the Zhang Imperial Palace, with several secret passages marked with cinnabar - which happened to lead to the abandoned well behind the Third Prince's Palace.

He dipped his tea in the water and sketched on the table:

1. The Queen Mother wore a moon-white dragon robe at her birthday banquet

2. "Chance Encounter" with the Minister of the Imperial Household

3. Demonstrate the skill of throwing pots

4. Timely coughing attacks

Finally, he drew a circle on the paper and emphasized three points - this was a "big gift" to be given to the third prince.

That day in the peach forest, Gu Qingyan whispered something in his ear that still made his heart beat faster: "The ship carrying the tribute tea smuggled by the Third Prince will pass through Xihua Gate tonight."

Zhou Ziqian blew out the candles.

The moonlight shines through the window screen, casting the shadow of a dagger on the ground, like a blue phoenix ready to pounce.

He suddenly felt that the palace that had trapped him for twenty years had suddenly turned into a chessboard.

And it was finally his turn to play chess.

At three quarters past the hour of Yin, dew was still condensing on the glazed tiles of the Purple Palace, but the palace servants had already hung nine hundred and ninety-nine golden lanterns all over the eaves.

Zhou Ziqian stood in the side hall, adjusting his clothes. His moon-white, gold-woven dragon robe shone like flowing water in the morning light - this was what his father had specifically instructed him to wear.

"Your Highness, it's time to present the birthday gift." The young eunuch reminded softly outside the door.

Zhou Ziqian took a last look at the sandalwood box in his hand.

Inside the box was a "Longevity and Blessings" ornament that he had spent three days and three nights carving - a longevity peach carved from white jade was embedded in the peach wood base. The mechanism was learned from Shangguan Haomu, and it would slowly rotate with a slight touch.

The materials are not expensive, but the design is unique.

"Seventh brother, what rare thing have you prepared?" The third prince, Zhou Ziyan, leaned against the door at some point, his face as handsome as a jade in his crimson python robe. "Could it be...pills again?"

Several palace maids in the hall covered their mouths and laughed softly.

Zhou Ziqian lowered his eyes and said nothing, just holding the wooden box against his chest.

This action made him look even more cowardly. Zhou Ziyan suddenly felt bored and deliberately bumped into his shoulder as he walked away.

"Third brother, be careful." Zhou Ziqian suddenly spoke, his voice soft but clear. "The other day, the tribute tea cart from the Imperial Household Department overturned. I heard it splashed several pieces of imperial brocade."

Zhou Ziyan's back stiffened.

That batch of "tribute tea" actually contained contraband salt, a business of his father-in-law, the Minister of the Imperial Household Department. How could this sickly person...

At noon, the bells and drums rang.

The retired emperor sat on the Nine Dragon Golden Chair. Although he was sixty-eight years old, his eyes were still as sharp as an eagle.

The empress and her husband sat at the lower left, and on the right were several princesses who were expected to succeed to the throne.

"Your grandson respectfully wishes the Empress Dowager a life as long as the Southern Mountains and a life as vast as the East Sea."

Zhou Chufan was the first to step forward.

Today he was wearing a black formal suit tailored for the prince, with a jade pendant from Prince Xian Ning'an hanging on his jade belt. His demeanor showed both the majesty of a royal family and the youthful vigor.

The offering was a blood jade Guanyin - it was said that the jade material of this quality could only be found because the influence of the Shadow Pavilion spread throughout the Western Regions.

"Xiao Fan is so thoughtful." The retired emperor's eyes softened a bit, and he personally waved him forward, "Come, sit next to me."

The princesses exchanged glances.

Who doesn't know that this position has always been given only to the most favored younger generation?

In previous years, this honor always belonged to the eldest princess Zhou Minglan.

The birthday gift presentation continues.

When it was Zhou Ziqian's turn, the hall became noticeably quieter.

He walked forward slowly and deliberately staggered when he knelt, causing the emperor to quickly signal the female official to help him.

"My grandson is not very good at carving, so I carved a little thing to entertain the Empress Dowager."

The moment the wooden box was opened, a slight exclamation was heard in the hall.

The white jade longevity peach actually slowly rotated in full view of everyone, and a faint fragrance seeped out from the tip of the peach - it was the calming incense powder specially made by Lin Yuxuan.

"This..." The emperor showed a rare surprise, "When did Qian'er learn the art of mechanical engineering?"

"While recuperating, my grandson learned a little from a young man who was good at machinery." Zhou Ziqian's voice was soft, and he coughed twice at the right time. "My grandson is useless and can only make some small gadgets..."

"Nonsense!" The retired emperor actually stood up and helped him up. "I like thoughtful gifts like this." He took off the jade Buddhist beads from his wrist and put them on him. "This is a reward for you."

The empress's eyes flickered slightly.

That string of Buddhist beads was a precious tribute from southern Xinjiang, and the emperor wore it for twenty years.

The prince gently held the empress's hand under the table, a kind smile still on his face.