Marrying the Crown Prince

After spending two hours in Fengyi Palace, it was almost lunchtime.

"Why don't you two stay for the meal?" Empress Chu asked.

Li Ziyan replied with a smile, "We would like to go somewhere else, but Mother, you have already prepared the meal here. Will there be any food for me if I go elsewhere?"

Empress Chu snorted, "It's good that you know."

Indeed, her inquiry was merely a notification, since she had already informed the imperial kitchen before the two of them arrived that the Crown Prince and Crown Princess would dine at Fengyi Palace for lunch.

After having lunch, the two sat for a while before returning to the East Palace.

They had been busy all morning, and they slept exceptionally well during their afternoon nap.

After waking up, they asked the time and confirmed that the Empress Dowager had also gotten up before they went over to pay their respects.

"I can hear from here in the palace how much fun you had on this trip." The Empress Dowager raised her eyelids slightly, the prayer beads in her hand slowly turning, her expression kind and gentle.

“My grandson is already so old,” Li Ziyan lowered his eyes, feeling very guilty, “and still makes my grandmother worry. I am truly unfilial.”

Upon hearing Li Ziyan's words, the Empress Dowager's lips twitched, and she said with a forced smile, "I just hope you don't mind that I always interfere in your affairs."

Trying to outsmart an old woman like her? You're too green.

Li Ziyan quickly admitted his mistake, "Grandmother, please don't say such things. I am so ashamed."

"Hmph," the Empress Dowager snorted softly, looking at Zhou Zhou, "Good child, I am very relieved to have you by the Crown Prince's side this time."

Zhou Zhou immediately smiled, her eyes sparkling, and said with a charming laugh, "Grandmother thinks so highly of her granddaughter-in-law, I am truly flattered."

The grandmother and grandson chatted for a while longer, then Zhou Zhou and Li Ziyan, fearing they might tire the Empress Dowager, rose to take their leave.

"Don't think I'm being too talkative, but it's best to stay away from the Consort's affairs," the Empress Dowager specifically instructed them as they rose.

In this matter, the Crown Prince's faction should refrain from taking advantage of the situation to avoid being labeled as partisan strife. Only in this way can the perpetrator be dealt with in the best possible way.

In fact, the Empress Dowager underestimated Emperor Chenze. The emperor she thought of was still the young emperor, unaware that the current emperor had already grown into a towering tree, deeply rooted in the soil.

Li Ziyan was stunned for a moment, then bowed and said, "Grandson will respectfully follow the teachings of His Majesty."

After leaving Shou Kang Palace, Zhou Zhou asked, "Does Your Highness intend to get involved in this matter?"

At first, I really didn't expect that the corrupt official I casually arrested would be a member of the Third Prince's faction. But reality is so dramatic. So, it's understandable to make good use of him.

“No,” Li Ziyan shook his head, “we have more important things to do. As for this matter, I believe the court officials will not take it lightly.”

In the Kingdom of Chen, there are many ministers who are willing to dedicate themselves to the country and its people, even unto death.

They even waited for the day when the emperor would act foolishly, so they could stand in the palace, give a passionate speech, curse the "tyrant" twice, shout, and then kill themselves by crashing into a pillar, their blood splattering the Golden Palace.

In this way, a good name will surely be recorded in history books for all time.

Emperor Chenze responded that every morning during court, guards should be stationed around each pillar and wall to prevent those dim-witted fools from rushing over and banging their heads against the walls. Of course, banging their heads against the pillars was also forbidden.

Soon, something even more important happened.

Li Ziyan diligently began handling the land ownership confirmation case. At Zhou Zhou's request, his first target was the Yongjing Marquis's residence.

Apart from the elderly Old Master Zhou, the other men—Eldest Zhou, Third Zhou, and Fifth Zhou—were all invited to the Ministry of Justice for tea.

As for Old Master Zhou, the commander of the Imperial Guards spoke contemptuously, "Old Marquis, stop obstructing our investigation. You should know that if it weren't for Consort Mei and the Crown Princess pleading for you, you would have had to go to the Ministry of Justice as well."

Old Master Zhou was both angry and anxious, his finger trembling as he pointed at his eldest son, "What kind of sins have you committed, you scoundrel!"

Old Zhou was so aggrieved, how could he know?

However, soon everyone knew why the Yongjing Marquis's residence was surrounded by the Imperial Guards—it was related to the land ownership confirmation process in the twenty-four prefectures of the capital.

"Brother, are we starving?" Zhou Laowu was terrified in prison, trembling as he accused his older brother, "How could you do such a lawless thing?"

Old Master Zhou didn't sleep all night, looked haggard, and was very regretful. "So many people do this, and some have received ten times more fertile land under their names than we have. How was I supposed to know that only our family would be so unlucky?"

"Besides, this isn't something I can decide on my own," he muttered to himself.

It can be said that, apart from Zhou Laowu, all the men in the Yongjing Marquis's mansion knew about this matter.

Why didn't Zhou Laowu know?

First, he's stubborn and might blurt it out if he finds out; second, Zhou Laowu is timid, and if he finds out, the deal will definitely fall through.

But now...

Both Zhou Laoda and Zhou Laotaiye wore bitter expressions—if they had known this would happen, they should have discussed it with Zhou Laowu back then. That way, someone would have stopped them, and they wouldn't have ended up like this.

Leaving aside what happened in prison, everyone at the Yongjing Marquis's residence panicked at first and carelessly sent a letter to the palace.

Zhou Zhou glanced at the letter briefly, then placed it on the candle and lit it.

The flames quickly engulfed the letter, emitting a bright light that shone on Zhou Zhou's face, which was sharply defined by light and shadow.

Jufang watched in fear, keeping her head down and not daring to make a sound, for fear of disturbing her.

Zhou Zhou blew the dust off the table and smiled, "It's been a long time since I've seen my grandmother and mother. Let's arrange for them to enter the palace."

"Yes."

Five days later, Old Madam Zhou, along with Madam Zhang and Madam Du, entered the palace, their first stop being Empress Chu.

Inside the Phoenix Palace, upon hearing a palace servant report that people from the Yongjing Marquis's residence had come to pay their respects, Empress Chu couldn't help but roll her eyes.

You see, from the very beginning she disliked the Yongjing Marquis's mansion for its lack of power and inability to provide assistance to her son; now, her son is investigating a case, and it turns out it's the Yongjing Marquis's mansion again...

Now look what's happened! Not only did she not get any help, but she's also tarnishing her son's reputation.

If the Crown Prince gives a lenient sentence to the family of the Crown Princess, who is from the Yongjing Marquis's household, people will inevitably gossip; if he gives a harsh sentence, not to mention whether the couple will develop any rifts, others will also say that the Crown Prince is so heartless that he can even harm his own father-in-law's family.

Thinking this, Empress Chu gritted her teeth and said hatefully, "I won't see them! Call the Crown Princess over and lead them to the East Palace!"

"Yes."