Marrying the Crown Prince

Inside Changxin Hall, after listening to Old Madam Zhou's words, Zhou Zhou remained silent for a while before asking, "When you made this decision, did Grandfather consider this possibility?"

She asked calmly, but Old Mrs. Zhou felt as if she had been slapped across the face, the pain burning intensely.

"then……"

Old Mrs. Zhou cursed Old Mr. Zhou to death in her heart. He was the one who came up with the idea, he was the one who went to jail, but she was the one who had to bail him out. How could she not feel resentful?

She took a deep breath and finished speaking with difficulty, "Your grandfather already knows he was wrong."

"Hmph!" Zhou Zhou sneered, flipped his hand, poured the tea from the teapot into teacups, and presented them to the old lady, Zhang Shi, and Du Shi. "This is tea that His Highness bestowed upon me. It tastes quite good."

Grandma Zhou had no interest in drinking tea, but since Zhou Zhou had brewed it, she picked it up after hearing what he said, took a small sip, and just made a gesture.

As for Madam Zhang, she was clearly much more uneasy than Old Madam Zhou. She couldn't drink any tea and gave Zhou Zhou a stiff smile. "Your Majesty, I know it's our fault, but how can our salaries be enough to cover the expenses of this large family?"

"Besides, so many people in the capital have done this, who would have thought our family would be so unlucky?"

"Could you please put in a good word for us with His Highness the Crown Prince?"

Compared to Old Mrs. Zhou's reluctance to speak, Mrs. Zhang was much more decisive.

Finally, the most important sentence was uttered, and all three of them looked at Zhou Zhou with eager eyes.

Zhou Zhou gave an irrelevant answer, "I suppose Aunt hasn't had the time or opportunity to drink water since she entered the palace. Now is the perfect time for her to have some tea to quench her thirst."

Zhang and Old Mrs. Zhou looked at each other, wondering to themselves: Should they help or not?

Logically speaking, Zhou Zhou was someone they had watched grow up; he shouldn't be such a heartless person, but...

But if she's willing to help, why does she keep changing the subject?

Unlike the two women who were anxious and upset, Du was much calmer. There was nothing she could do; after all, Zhou Laowu was the only one who hadn't been involved. His imprisonment was merely an undeserved consequence of being implicated.

Therefore, Du realized that the tea was Zhou Zhou's reply.

Having figured this out, she picked up her teacup, tasted it carefully, and said with a slight hesitation, "This tea smells like chrysanthemum."

"That's right, this tea is made with chrysanthemum petals that were picked and dried last winter."

Chrysanthemums, symbolizing noble character and integrity, are a favorite of hermits.

Hermits are those who have retired from officialdom, who are not interested in vying for fame and fortune, and are not troubled by immediate wealth and status.

Grandma Zhou suddenly raised her head, her eyes dark. "Is this His Highness the Crown Prince's intention?"

"No, this is what I mean." Zhou Zhou did not use Li Ziyan as a pretext and chose to tell the truth.

Upon hearing this, Old Mrs. Zhou frowned. "Do you know what you're saying?"

She was puzzled.

Zhou Zhou was someone I watched grow up, and I knew her personality all too well. She was a grateful, polite, and protective person.

Therefore, she did not understand why Zhou Zhou wanted the Yongjing Marquis's Mansion to withdraw from officialdom.

“Grandfather is indeed talented, but he is old and has been retired for many years. It is almost impossible for him to return to officialdom.” Zhou Zhou knew that the old lady Zhou would not be able to accept this result, so he broke things down and explained them to her in detail.

"Therefore, now only my eldest uncle and my father have entered officialdom in our family."

"My uncle is a steady and meticulous person, but he lacks flexibility. He's good at maintaining the status quo, but it's difficult for him to move up the ranks."

"And then there's my father, my father..."

At this point, Zhou Zhou paused, carefully choosing his words, before continuing, "He was able to rise to the fourth rank because of luck."

"If you want to rise further..."

Then we can only wait for Emperor Chenze to pass away, for Li Ziyan to ascend the throne, and for me to take the position of Empress. Then, as the Empress's biological father, I will be granted the title of Marquis.

“Now that everyone has done something wrong, our family just happens to be the first in this series of cases, and many people are watching us.”

"Therefore, if we want the Crown Prince to let us go, we must show some sincerity."

Zhou Zhou sat high at the head, his expression indifferent, his tone equally calm, yet within that calmness lay an air of authority that brooked no questioning or refusal.

At this point, it was impossible for Old Mrs. Zhou not to understand.

She lowered her head, shut her mouth, and pondered deeply.

The surroundings quieted down, and the chirping of birds outside the door could be clearly heard. They flapped their wings and hopped from branch to branch, looking extremely happy.

Everything was so beautiful and heartwarming.

Grandma Zhou gritted her teeth and looked at Zhou Zhou, "After this matter is over, will it affect the future careers of my eldest son and fourth son?"

"Grandmother, rest assured," Zhou Zhou glanced at her quietly, "Your elder brother and elder brother will have smooth careers in the future, and both of them will rise to great heights."

They raised her and cared for her for many years; it was impossible for her to watch them fall into ruin.

Moreover, having a supportive family is very beneficial to me.

Zhou Zhou is not a clueless person, nor is Old Mrs. Zhou.

"In that case, thank you very much, Your Highness." Old Mrs. Zhou sighed and accepted the arrangement.

Since that's the case, Zhou Zhou softened her voice, "Have you seen your uncle and father in prison?"

Speaking of this, Old Madam Zhou's eyes dimmed. After all, two of the three who went in were her own children. "We did make some arrangements, but the people from the Ministry of Justice wouldn't let us in to visit them."

Zhou Zhou nodded; it was something he had expected.

"In that case, I'll make arrangements to send someone to pick you up for a visit tomorrow."

"Good! Good! Good!"

The three were overjoyed and so excited that they could not contain their emotions.

The next day, in the Ministry of Justice prison, Zhang looked at Zhou Laoda, who looked much more haggard, with tears in her eyes. The couple held hands and looked at each other with tearful eyes.

Meanwhile, upon seeing Madam Du appear, Zhou Laowu rushed over, wailing, "Madam, you've finally come! You have no idea how much I've suffered lately, Madam—"

Looking through the fence, Du saw that the ground was clean and tidy, without a single stain or bloodstain. There was a small bed next to it, with a brand new three-piece bedding set on it.

Du: "..."

Do you want to go check out your older brother's cell before you do?

Even though Madam Du found it amusing, she didn't laugh out loud. Instead, she comforted him with concern, saying, "Fifth Master, you've suffered so much. You look so thin."

These words made Du feel a little guilty. There was nothing she could do, since Zhou Laowu had been being served the best food and drink these past few days.

He eats after waking up, and sleeps again after eating. Now, he not only looks energetic, but also much fairer.

Three days later, the outcome was finally revealed—