The princess was ordained by Heaven.

“We’ll make an incision in their bodies, stuff it with some soil, apply some farmyard manure, and then plant a seed in the wound. We’ll water it every day, and the seed will soon take root and sprout. They’re tied to their beds, unable to move, and can only watch helplessly as the seed grows roots, listen to the roots stretch out, tear through flesh, and climb up the bones…”

Minister Lü: I suspect you are threatening me and I have solid evidence.

He had countless swear words he didn't know how to say.

If it weren't for these words, he would have almost forgotten what Liao Hongsheng used to do. He was a pure madman, the kind of madman who, even in the underworld, would be the one who put people in boiling oil and then fished them out in the eighteenth level of hell.

He swallowed hard and asked cautiously, "Are you drunk?"

"No!"

No? If not, then you're drunk.

Minister Lü breathed a sigh of relief. He regretted taking on the task. He thought that since he had a good relationship with Liao Hongsheng, it would be easier to get information out of him. But losing his virginity and then his soul was almost the death of him.

Just as he was pondering, Liao Hongsheng raised his glass and shoved it at his lips: "Brother, bottoms up!"

"Okay, okay..."

Minister Lü gave a perfunctory reply, but as he spoke, he was surprised to find that his teeth were slightly lisp. He reached up to touch them and discovered that his teeth had been chipped when he bumped into a wine glass...

He wanted to cry but had no tears.

After all these sacrifices, we have to ask something today!

After that, he tried to probe indirectly many times, but he didn't know if he asked too tactfully or if Liao Hongsheng's mind became like a block of wood once he got drunk. In any case, he couldn't get any information out of him.

Finally, when Liao Hongsheng was about to take him on a trip down memory lane about his childhood, which involved blowing up the latrine with firecrackers, he couldn't take it anymore.

"Damn it! I quit!"

He sighed, took off his coat and draped it over Liao Hongsheng, slurring, "Brother...brother, I'll go first."

He hiccuped as he staggered away, and after the last turn, his figure disappeared completely.

A moment later, a servant returned to the pavilion where they were drinking and called out to Liao Hongsheng.

The latter mumbled twice but did not respond.

Helpless, the servants helped him leave.

Minister Lü peeked out furtively from around the corner and, upon seeing this scene, seemed to be deep in thought.

He's actually drunk?

Now he had to accept the fact that he had failed.

The drunk Liao Hongsheng was handed over to Madam Liao.

Mrs. Liao helped the man into the room with concern: "How did you get so drunk?"

She roughly wiped his face while cursing, "It's all that Minister of Personnel's fault, otherwise you wouldn't have drunk so much. What if you've been tricked into saying something you shouldn't have?"

Wiping his face, Liao Hongsheng sobered up a bit. He gripped her hand tightly and mumbled, "He can't get anything out of me. If I don't pass out, he won't believe me..."

Madam Liao shook her head helplessly: "So, you really want to go with him to blow up the latrine?"

Liao Hongsheng didn't answer, blinked, and gently hugged her: "Madam, he still took advantage of me..."

"He's so mean, I'll teach him a lesson next time!"

"Yes, Madam..."

He drifted off to sleep, a slight smile playing on his lips.

The servant by the bed wiped his hands and feet, but not wanting to wake him, he didn't change his clothes and left the room with the basin of water.

Another servant closed the door and sighed, "Is the master talking about the mistress again?"

"It's pitiful, he's been gone for so many years. Sigh, it's pitiful for me, a servant, to have to pretend to be his wife and coax him to sleep..."

……

Zheng Xun and the emperor in the palace had just finished their dinner.

There weren't many things to do today, so I left the Imperial Study early, which was unusual for me.

Zheng Xun has moved his martial arts practice time to before the morning court session, because getting up too early makes him sleepy at night.

Seeing that she was still sleepy, the emperor took pity on her and said, "Are you tired? Go home early today."

Zheng Xun rubbed his eyes: "Alright, Father, you should also get some rest."

Always busy, wouldn't the harem be lonely?

The newly arrived concubines haven't even had a chance to be alone with the emperor.

Emperor: Why do you even care who your father sleeps with? You rebellious daughter!

His eyes darted around, and he suddenly asked, "Do you think your eldest brother is still suitable for the position of Crown Prince?"

Zheng Xun was startled by those words, and his drowsiness vanished instantly.

Is this a topic we can discuss?

She felt utterly helpless, like a pitiful little thing suddenly struck by a thunderclap in the ear.

She pondered for a moment, then tilted her head, closed her eyes, slumped into the chair, and began to snore.

Emperor: Pfft!

He suppressed a laugh and asked, "Asleep?"

Zheng Xun's snoring grew louder: Huff... Huff...

Yes, yes, she was asleep, she didn't hear anything!

The emperor tapped the back of his chair with his finger, then looked at Li Xiaojun: "What do you think?"

Li Xiaojun: ...

I wonder if it's too late for him to pretend to be asleep?

Unfortunately, it was clearly too late.

He felt bitter inside, but showed no sign on his face, and said with a smile, "Your Majesty has already made up your mind, so there is no need for me to say anything more."

The Emperor chuckled softly but said nothing.

He was unusually tired, but after closing his eyes for a moment and opening them again, he was still the majestic and wise emperor.

"Send the princess back, and we'll go to the Queen's palace."

As the emperor lifted him into the sedan chair, Zheng Xun opened his eyes with a cheerful smile upon hearing him alight.

Then she discovered that there was another person sitting opposite her.

Who else could this person be but the emperor?

"Father? What are you doing here?"

The emperor glanced at her sideways: "You woke up quickly after that nap."

Zheng Xun: ...

She was speechless.

Instead of being sent back to Mingzhu Pavilion, she was taken to Fengyi Palace by the erratic emperor.

As soon as they arrived outside Fengyi Palace, they saw Zheng Jiao squatting in a flower bed pulling weeds.

Beside her, the servants who had lost their helpers were pacing anxiously in circles.

"Jiaojiao? What are you doing?"

Zheng Jiao raised her head, her hair covered in wild grass, her face blank, like a little fool who had popped out of nowhere.

She stood up, patted her skirt, and prepared to bow.

Of course, she never performed the full ceremony; the emperor would exempt her before it even began.

Zheng Jiao explained, "The child is thinking."

Why do we need to pull weeds?

"I feel restless if I don't do something with my hands."

Zheng Xun was very impressed. Was this some kind of innate working physique?

The emperor knew what was bothering her: "You really want to go to Liaozhou that much?"

"think."

The emperor was somewhat exasperated: "Why are you so stubborn? At least you're safe and sound in the palace..."

That's not necessarily safe. Once the country falls, everyone's doomed, hehe.

emperor:……

He really wanted to punch her.

"Since you're so eager to go, think carefully about how to persuade your mother."

Zheng Jiao: "Actually, I was planning to lie to her at first. If I told her that the Emperor had agreed to let me go to Liaozhou, maybe the Empress Dowager would agree."

"She'll just come over and scold me, and then we'll beat you up together, you liar."

Zheng Jiao: ...