She got pregnant after the swap marriage, and the scumbag's family regretted it so much they cr

When it comes to handling affairs within her fiefdom, Madam Xu can offer advice; however, she has little to say when it comes to interrogating prisoners.

The only possible approach is to analyze Yue Xin's interpersonal relationships.

"Yue Xin's wife is Consort Yang's sister, and Consort Yang not only manages the harem for her father, the emperor, but also has a son."

Gu Chengbing continued, "Seventeenth Brother should be thirteen years old this year according to the traditional Chinese age reckoning."

A thought struck Madam Xu: "He's thirteen! It's about time I bestow a marriage upon him..."

"Bestow a marriage, grant a fief, and establish Great Ning!" Gu Chengbing interrupted Madam Xu.

The first two words are related, but how are they connected to Da Ning?

Xu asked, puzzled, "What does this have to do with Da Ning?"

A glint of light flashed in Gu Chengbing's deep eyes. "What if the seventeenth prince's fiefdom is in Da Ning?"

“How could that be!” Madam Xu retorted without hesitation. “Father would never allow such a close relationship between a regional prince and the local general!”

Although Daning Prefecture is located between Yanjing City and Liaodong Commandery, it is also an extension of the Nine Garrisons, making it too easy for it to amass military power and become an independent state!

After you were enfeoffed in Yanjing, my father, in order to avoid suspicion, handed over the military power in Yanjing and Daning and went to Yunzhou Prefecture in the west to train troops.

impossible! Absolutely impossible! "

"What if something goes wrong in Yanjing? What if Father has to make this decision to appease Yue Xin?" Gu Chengbing said quietly.

Xu widened her eyes slightly as she looked at his profile.

A silence fell over the bedroom, and neither of them spoke again.

Because they knew they were very likely close to the truth.

*

Even though Gao Yan didn't want Lu Huan to go to the backyard, after breakfast that day, the two of them were still called to the room by Zhou Shi.

“Zhongbao fainted last night and didn’t get a good night’s rest. He kept talking in his sleep.”

I don't think this can go on! Boss, you and Cai Die should go with Zhong Bao to the city to see a doctor.

"This also lets Caidie check whether yesterday's bowl of herbal soup caused any harm."

Lu Huan finally understood that Zhou was probably looking for Gao Yan, and that inviting him along was just to avoid suspicion.

If Gao Yan really accompanied him into the city, to avoid suspicion, he would definitely sit outside the carriage or ride a horse alone.

If it's just to help the village or to gather information for myself, then making a trip in the snow is one thing, but why should I escort Gao Zhongbao and Caidie to the city to see a doctor?

Lu Huan felt indignant for Gao Yan, but smiled slightly, "It's not like we don't have a coachman at home. Besides, my second brother is already a grown man; does he really need someone to accompany him when he goes to the city to see a doctor?"

Zhou's face immediately fell. "Sending him into the city is not just for seeing a doctor!"

"Your father hasn't come home since the day it snowed, and we don't even know whose house he's dead in! Make the eldest son find him and bring him back. If he refuses, tell him we're out of money, and if he wants more, we'll have to sell the house and land!"

She said this partly to vent her anger on Lu Huan.

Lu Huan seized Gao Manting's weakness and squeezed nine hundred taels of silver from her in one go. She wanted to exchange that box of jewelry for silver, but she would still need Gao Shangzhi's help.

"Oh, I see!" Lu Huan wasn't annoyed at all, and even offered Zhou Shi some advice, "I mentioned it before, but I don't think Mother-in-law took it to heart. There are several pieces of jewelry that my sister-in-law liked before she got married."

Rather than selling it at a loss and letting an outsider profit, wouldn't it be better to ask my younger brother and sister-in-law if they'd like to buy it? Don't you think so?

Zhou's eyes lit up.

Why didn't she think of that before!

With her mother-in-law speaking up, Lu Ruyi had no choice but to buy it, whether she wanted to or not!

At this critical moment, she couldn't care about anything else and forgot about Gao Shangzhi.

"Alright, that's all for you. Go back now!"

“Then Father…” Lu Huan asked tentatively.

Zhou had already stood up and walked towards the inner room. "That old geezer Gao Shangzhi, who would care about him! He'll come back when the snow stops, when he's broke and hungry!"

"Hey! Mother-in-law, we're going back to our room now!"

Lu Huan pushed Gao Yan, saying, "Hurry up, hurry up!"

Gao Yan was completely bewildered, not understanding why Lu Huan was suddenly in such a hurry.

"Huan'er, why are you in such a hurry? Mother shouldn't be going back on her word so easily!"

Lu Huan did not answer immediately, but pulled Gao Yan back to the west wing before saying, "I urged my mother-in-law to cut Lu Ruyi's flesh. Do you expect me to just stand there and be a target for Lu Ruyi?!"

"It shouldn't be that bad! Didn't you say yourself that she really likes those pieces of jewelry?"

"Silly!" Lu Huan gently tapped Gao Yan's forehead. "She used to like them because those pieces of jewelry were made by my mother and were quite valuable."

She coaxed and pleaded, using all her charm and sweet talk, and I was caught in a bind; I might just give it to her.

But now her mother-in-law is forcing her to buy it!

Would you prefer something free or something you paid for?

“It’s definitely free!” Gao Yan blurted out without hesitation.

Then, with a look of tenderness, he stroked Lu Huan's face and said, "You've had a tough time all these years!"

Lu Huan was momentarily dazed.

Is it hard work? It must be hard work.

But both the female teacher and Zhou Shi kept saying—all women in the world are like this. If other women can do it, why can't she!

In his previous life, Gao Zhongbao often said that a perfect official's wife should be able to grace the hall, cook in the kitchen, tolerate concubines and maids, and raise illegitimate children.

But no one ever cared whether she was tired from doing so much.

Lu Huan's nose tingled, and her eyes stung terribly.

She nestled into the man's arms, her voice thick with emotion, "It's all in the past. From now on, I'll be waiting to enjoy life with you!"

Gao Yan unconsciously tightened his grip, promising, "Huan'er, I will definitely make you a Lady of the Imperial Decree! Let everyone see that your choice back then was absolutely right!"

Lu Huan hugged him tightly around the waist, "I believe you!"

After spending some time together, Gao Yan accompanied Lu Huan to practice her hidden weapons for a while.

After five or six days of "closed-door" training, Lu Huan was able to hit the bullseye every time.

If we want to improve further, we'll have to find a larger venue.

Lu Huan simply pulled out the New Year's gift that Gao Daliu had given them before—two pairs of hidden arrows.

It looks ordinary, like a wrist guard of a common Hu person, but by pulling one of the ropes, it can fire five thick iron needles at the same time.

Used in close combat, a surprise attack should be quite lethal.

Gao Yan pulled out the iron spikes that were deeply embedded in the wooden board and handed them to Lu Huan, saying, "I'll give you both of these wrist guards; I don't need them."

Lu Huan shoved both of them into Gao Yan's arms, saying, "Why don't you try launching them together?"

Gao Yan picked it up and gestured with it, his face turning bright red.

He awkwardly touched his ear and chuckled twice, "It seems that the mechanisms really can't be activated at the same time."