Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Princess Lanzhen was displeased. This Thirteen Brother had come to her residence to make a scene, clearly oblivious to the consequences.

Normally, she would have just told him to "get lost," letting him stand there if he wanted, but now it was inappropriate.

Because of the situation involving A Tong, the Empress and the Crown Princess, fearing it would draw the Emperor's attention, had sent the children to her for safety.

The children were all asleep in the residence tonight, and if Thirteen Brother were to stand outside her door all night, it would probably reach the Emperor's ears by morning. Worse yet, the Emperor might summon her to the palace for questioning.

The maid outside waited for a moment, hearing no reply, and softly asked, "Princess?"

Princess Lanzhen, concerned about waking the children, quickly got up, threw on her robe, and walked to the door, opening it. "Tell him to wait in the drawing room."

The maid nodded and went to relay the message.

Qing Shuang and Coral, who had been sleeping in the side room, heard the noise and came out to see if they were needed.

Princess Lanzhen told them to watch over the children in the hall while she got dressed and headed to the front courtyard drawing room.

The steward, upon receiving the message, politely invited the 13th Prince into the drawing room, served him tea, and then stepped outside to wait.

The 13th Prince wasn't in the mood for tea. After sitting for a bit, he got up and walked to the door, peeking outside a few times. Seeing no one, he turned around, but after a few steps, he felt dizzy, his vision blurring, and hurriedly sat back down on the chair.

He leaned back in the chair, resting his head in his hand, and closed his eyes to rest.

Ever since he heard that strange male voice in the palace yesterday, he hadn't slept a wink, and it had been almost a full day.

For the past two days and one night, his mind had been racing, wondering what the conversation between the Crown Prince's little girl and that mysterious man was all about.

Was it only he who could hear it, or could others hear it too?

If only he could hear it, should he do something to eliminate the threat?

If others could hear it, what situation would he face next, and where should he go?

Most importantly, did the Emperor already know?

If he did, why hadn't he summoned him for questioning or directly issued a decree to punish him?

If the Emperor didn't know yet, how would he react when he found out?

...

These questions jumped around in his mind, making his head feel like it was about to explode.

Today, while on duty at the government office, he was distracted and absent-minded, making a small mistake during the meeting, which caught everyone's attention.

He struggled through until after noon, then excused himself on the pretext of feeling unwell and went home.

But on the way home, he encountered that madman Fourteenth Brother again. This time, he didn't ride his horse into him, but just sat on the horse, grinning sinisterly at him.

However, unlike yesterday's anger and murderous intent, he now seemed to know some secret that others didn't, smiling with an air of mystery that sent chills down his spine.

With the situation unclear, he wasn't ready to break ties with Fourteenth Brother just yet, so he got out of the carriage, approached with a smile, and asked if there was some misunderstanding, suggesting they go to a teahouse to talk.

Fourteenth Brother leaned down, smiling softly, and said, "Thirteen Brother, before the 23rd of the winter month, eat and drink to your heart's content."

After saying this, he looked at him with pity, clicked his tongue twice, then laughed loudly and rode away.

From that moment on, the words "the 23rd day of the winter month" became like a curse, constantly swirling in his mind.

From Fourteenth Brother's tone and implication, it seemed he would die on the 23rd day of the winter month?

But how would he die? What exactly would happen?

Even more perplexing was that it was still spring, and winter's events had yet to happen. How did Fourteenth Brother know about them?

Did Fourteenth Brother make this up to unsettle him? But seeing the certainty with which Fourteenth Brother mentioned the 23rd day of the winter month, it didn't seem like a baseless claim.

Could it be that the little girl from the Crown Prince's household or that man, who might not be human, had said it?

Back home, he was deeply puzzled and restless, unable to even eat dinner.

He planned to rest for the night and then sound out the Crown Prince when he went to the palace the next day. But after lying down, he tossed and turned, his heart gripped by anxiety. Despite being physically and mentally exhausted, he couldn't sleep at all.

As he sat uneasily, a messenger from his mother's palace arrived, saying that when she went to pay respects to the Empress, the Crown Prince's children had left the Phoenix Palace. Later, she planned to visit the Crown Prince's residence, but upon inquiry, she found out that the children had gone to the eldest princess's residence.

His mother added that she had encountered the Emperor on the way to the Phoenix Palace, and the Emperor had asked about him, hinting at something, urging him to be alert.

His heart skipped a beat. Recalling the palace incident where the man spoke of him and Fourteenth Brother, and Shen Weiqing fleeing with the two girls in panic, and Fourteenth Brother blocking his door with murderous intent yesterday, and today's gaze that looked at him as if he were a dead man, and his mother's mention of the Emperor's hints...

The more he thought, the more terrified he felt. He could no longer sit still, feeling that he had to figure it out today, or else he might go mad.

At this point, whether he faced it or avoided it, the result was the same. So without hesitation, he rushed straight to the princess's residence.

But after standing at the entrance for a while, the night breeze calmed him a bit, and he realized he had been too impulsive.

What if others hadn't heard it? What if it was just his guilty conscience making him overthink?

Barging into the princess's residence would be like admitting guilt.

He regretted it, wondering if he should leave. Before he could make a decision, the princess sent word to invite him in, and it was too late to change his mind.

Sitting in the flower hall, he decided to probe a bit, but he needed to find a suitable pretext.

The 13th Prince sat in the chair, trying to ease his dizziness while quickly thinking about what to say when he met Princess Lanzhen.

Not long after, he heard footsteps outside, and soon, the princess appeared at the door. He hurriedly stood up to greet her: "Sister."

Princess Lanzhen responded with a perfunctory "hmm," walked to the head seat, and sat down. She glanced at the 13th Prince with a scrutinizing gaze, her face devoid of a smile, her tone full of impatience: "What urgent matter brings you here in the middle of the night?"

Princess Lanzhen was the eldest daughter of Emperor Chengwu, the eldest sister among all the princes and princesses. Her straightforward and righteous nature earned her respect among her siblings.

But it was also true that she had a bit of a temper. If anyone dared to provoke her, a slap was the least they could expect; it was common for her to whip them with a lash.

All the princes and princesses both respected and feared this eldest sister, and the 13th Prince was no exception.

Seeing Princess Lanzhen's impatience, the 13th Prince knew he had probably disturbed her rest. He didn't dare to sit down and instead clasped his hands in a salute: "I apologize for visiting so late, but it was unavoidable. Please forgive me, sister."

Princess Lanzhen had already guessed why he had come so late but pretended to know nothing, waving her hand: "Speak, what is it?"

The 13th Prince kept his gaze fixed on Princess Lanzhen's face, carefully observing her expression, seeing only impatience and nothing else.

But he didn't dare to let his guard down. They had all grown up in the palace, accustomed to putting on acts and being two-faced; none of them were easy to deal with.

Based on his earlier analysis, the 13th Prince had a gut feeling that Princess Lanzhen had already heard the strange conversation, but he still held onto a sliver of hope. He brought out the prepared excuse and tentatively asked: "Sister, I was thinking of going to my fiefdom early. Could you find an opportunity to mention it to Father?"

Princess Lanzhen inwardly sneered. Was he planning to flee now that his secret was exposed? Or was he trying to beat around the bush and fish for information from her?

Though she thought this in her heart, she kept her expression neutral and pretended to be surprised, asking, "Isn’t it next year that you’re supposed to go to your fiefdom? Why the sudden change of plans?"

"Besides, I recall you weren’t happy with Baiyue and had been wanting Father to change your fiefdom. Why the change of heart?"

The 13th Prince smiled, "You’re joking, sister. As a prince, it’s my duty to secure the borders of Daxuan. How could I be choosy?"

When Princess Lanzhen didn’t reply, he awkwardly added, "With you, I’ll speak plainly. Baiyue is a long way from the capital, and once I go, it will be hard to return. I’m afraid I might never see my mother again in this life, which is why I didn’t want to go before and upset Father."

"But it’s hard to defy the emperor’s orders. It’s already settled that Baiyue is my fiefdom. Whether I go sooner or later, I’ll have to go eventually. So, it’s better to go sooner and put Father’s mind at ease."

Princess Lanzhen, too tired to wonder if he was telling the truth, perfunctorily said, "If you want to go to your fiefdom early, just go straight to Father. Why come to me?"

The 13th Prince replied, "Earlier, because of the fiefdom issue, I made Father angry, and I’m afraid he’s still upset. If I keep flip-flopping, Father might think I’m up to something."

Princess Lanzhen said, "Then just wait until next year. Why go through all this trouble?"

The 13th Prince said, "Waiting a little longer is fine with me, but the woman in my house keeps crying and nagging me, insisting I go to Father and ask for a different fiefdom. They’re driving me crazy."

At this, the 13th Prince’s face darkened. He stepped forward and lowered his voice, "Moreover, that reckless woman dares to try and pull strings behind my back, seeking someone to plead her case before Father. Father hates such behavior. I figured it’s better to leave the capital early and crush their hopes, avoiding any major trouble and giving myself some peace."

Thinking of the troublesome concubine in the 13th Prince’s household, Princess Lanzhen felt his words might be true and sincerely said, "It must be hard for you."

The 13th Prince said, "Sister, you know my mother has never had much influence with His Majesty, and Father doesn’t like us brothers being too close. I can’t ask the Crown Prince for help, so after much thought, I could only come to you. Father values you highly, so I beg you to mention it to him."

Princess Lanzhen said, "This is a matter of state. I can’t help you."

The 13th Prince looked disappointed, "I must have been too hasty in my thinking."

After saying this, he quickly changed the subject, "Sister, I heard that Weiqing and the little ones came to play at your place?"

"They are here. Why?" Princess Lanzhen remained composed on the surface but thought to herself, "This Thirteen Brother has finally gotten to the point after all this beating around the bush."

The 13th Prince smiled, "It’s nothing. It’s just that yesterday in the palace, the children ran away when they saw me. At the time, I thought Weiqing was just being mischievous and didn’t think much of it. But later, I wondered if I, as their uncle, had somehow scared them. I thought of bringing some small gifts to the Eastern Palace to ask them directly, but then I heard they had come to your place. So, I wanted to ask if the children mentioned anything to you."

Princess Lanzhen feigned ignorance, "Really? I hadn’t heard anything from the children. Weiqing is so ill-mannered. I’ll scold him later."

The 13th Prince stared at Princess Lanzhen but saw no abnormality on her face. He smiled, "That’s not necessary. They are just children. It’s normal for them to be mischievous."

Princess Lanzhen smiled, "Weiqing, that child, not only has no manners in front of you, but even Father often gets so angry at him that he jumps."

The 13th Prince also smiled, "Yes. But I quite like Weiqing’s personality. I’ve been married for two years but still have no children. Every time I see the children of the Crown Prince and you, I can’t help but adore them. Tomorrow, I happen to be on leave and would like to invite the children to my place for a meal. Would that be possible?"

Finally showing his true colors, Princess Lanzhen inwardly sneered but smiled warmly on the surface, "That’s unfortunate. The children have plans these days and can’t go."

The 13th Prince still didn’t give up, "Sister, it’s just a meal..."

Princess Lanzhen interrupted him, "Another day."

The 13th Prince said again, "Then I’ll come by tomorrow to see the children?"

Princess Lanzhen’s expression darkened, "I said the children have plans tomorrow. It’s late, and I’m tired. If there’s nothing else, you may leave."

At this point, the 13th Prince, though unwilling, couldn’t persist further. Moreover, Princess Lanzhen’s firm attitude, not even allowing him to visit and see the children, already said it all.

He bowed, "Then we’ll talk another day. I’ve troubled you today."

Princess Lanzhen said, "The night is deep and the dew is heavy. Be careful on your way."

The 13th Prince thanked her, turned, and left. He walked out of the princess’s residence with an expressionless face, got into his carriage, and headed straight home.

After stepping inside, he called together all his advisors and trusted aides to the meeting hall. Everyone was confused and inquired about the situation.

The 13th Prince said with a cold face, "Tomorrow I will enter the palace and request His Majesty to allow me to assume my fiefdom ahead of schedule. Anyone willing to accompany me to Baiyue is welcome, and I will not treat them unfairly in the future. Those who wish to seek other opportunities, I will give them a parting gift, as a token of our acquaintance."

The room erupted in chaos. After exchanging looks, they started talking all at once.

"Why is Your Highness doing this?"

"If Your Highness quits now, wouldn't all our previous efforts be wasted?"

"Indeed, Your Highness, even if this plan fails, we still have a year to plan. Who knows if there is no chance of success?"

"Your Highness, please think it over."

...

The 13th Prince raised his hand to interrupt them, "If I don't leave now, I might not be able to later."

Before visiting the Princess's estate, he had held onto a glimmer of hope. But after meeting the Princess, he was certain that the peculiar incidents involving the Crown Prince's young daughter were not known only to him.

Earlier, to get information from the Princess, he had said those words, but not all of them were lies.

On the way back, he pondered the entire journey, and the more he thought about it, the more he felt that he should leave the capital, this hotbed of trouble, before things got out of hand. That would be the best strategy.

The crowd was stunned and demanded explanations, "Why does Your Highness say this?"

But the 13th Prince did not wish to elaborate. He waved his hand and stood up to leave.

An advisor in a blue robe, unwilling to give up, spoke out in frustration, "Your Highness has only encountered a slight setback and is already so quick to give up. If that's the case, why not just be a loyal feudal prince from the beginning? Why gather us together and talk about grand schemes?"

The 13th Prince paused in his steps, a flicker of confusion in his eyes.

Indeed, he had originally been dissatisfied but had intended to live as a carefree prince.

But back then, why had he suddenly developed such ambitions?

Yes, just as he had told the Princess, it was that woman who had been constantly whining and crying in his ear, saying she didn't want to go to that barbaric place where people lived like wild animals.

She had also said, "We are all sons of the Emperor. You are no worse than anyone else. If others can claim the throne, why can't you?"

What else had she said?

The 13th Prince felt his head was spinning. He raised his hand and gently patted his head, forcing himself to focus.

Seeing the 13th Prince standing still and suddenly patting his head, the onlookers' expressions changed. Someone quickly reached out to pull the blue-robed advisor, preventing him from saying more.

Someone patiently advised, "Please calm down, Your Highness. But Your Highness, we have been planning this for a long time. If we give up now, wouldn't it be a pity? Please reconsider."

But the 13th Prince ignored them, stepped out, and hurried to the inner courtyard. He wanted to ask, what else had that woman said back then?

The 13th Prince hurried to a courtyard in the inner residence. Upon entering, he found that the person was not there. He massaged his temples, trying to control his anger, and asked, "Where is the concubine?"

A maid knelt trembling and replied, "Your Highness, the concubine went back to her parents' home at noon today and said she would return the day after tomorrow."

---

Perhaps because three-year-old children are naturally sleepy, or perhaps because chatting with A Tong the previous day had exhausted her brain, Shen Zhinuo slept until almost noon and still hadn't woken up.

Princess Lanzhen and Xue Song had gone early in the morning to oversee household matters and root out spies. Shen Weiqing, claiming to have a sharp eye and accurate judgment, also went along to join in the fun.

Princess Huayue and Princess Wen'an had breakfast and then stayed in the hall, waiting for Shen Zhinuo to wake up.

The two sisters, propping their chins on their hands, leaned over the edge of the couch, watching the chubby toddler who was fast asleep, whispering to each other.

Princess Huayue was amazed: "Why does Nuo Er sleep so much? Does she always sleep in this late?"

Princess Wen'an replied, "Mom says kids need lots of sleep to grow. You were the same way when you were little."

Princess Huayue tilted her head and looked at her curiously, "But you weren’t there, how would you know?"

Princess Wen'an smiled and said, "Last time, my second brother said Nuo Er is like a little pig, eating and sleeping a lot. Mom said we were all like that as kids, little piglets."

The two girls pictured it and couldn’t help giggling behind their hands.

Just as they were laughing, the chubby toddler suddenly stuck out her little arms, stretched, wiggled her chubby legs, rolled over, and finally opened her eyes.

Her eyes were open, but she was still groggy, her cheek resting on the couch, her big, dark eyes glazed, as if she was staring but not really seeing.

Princess Huayue waved her hand in front of the toddler’s face, but the little girl didn’t even blink. Princess Huayue asked Princess Wen'an in confusion, "Is Nuo Er even awake?"

Princess Wen'an laughed, "She always takes a while to wake up fully, just zoning out at first. We just have to wait a little."

With that, she climbed onto the couch, scooped up the toddler, and kissed her rosy cheek: "Nuo Er."

Princess Huayue also leaned over and kissed her: "Nuo Er, get up! Let’s eat and go play."

As the two called her, the toddler’s eyes finally focused, and she looked at them with a sweet smile, her little voice also sweet: "Sisters."

"Yes," Princess Huayue responded cheerfully, grabbing the little girl’s clothes and putting them on her: "Let’s get Nuo Er into her pretty new outfit."

Princess Wen'an reached out to help the little girl tidy her hair: "Nuo Er, for breakfast, we’ve got lamb dumplings, milk and egg custard, and chicken and veggie porridge. What do you want to eat?"

"You need a balanced diet to grow big and strong," Shen Zhinuo didn’t even think about it: "Nuo Er wants it all."

Princess Wen'an smiled and said okay, while Princess Huayue called out to have the meal served.

The two sisters worked together to dress the little girl, comb her hair, and then carried her to the dressing table to pick out hairpins and accessories.

Shen Zhinuo looked at herself in the mirror and saw that her head was already covered in colorful decorations, while her sisters were still eagerly picking out more.

She sighed and, while they weren’t looking, slid off the chair and scampered away.

She had to run because every time her two sisters got together, they would fuss over her head for a long time, insisting on covering her little head with decorations until it jingled and jangled with every step she took.

Seeing the chubby little girl run off, the two little girls exclaimed, "Oh no, Nuo Er’s fed up with us again."

They put down the hairpins and accessories they were holding and chased after her, instructing the maid to bring breakfast.

Princess Huayue held the chubby little sister in her arms, while Princess Wen'an held the bowl and fed her. They didn’t let the toddler lift a finger, and soon the breakfast was finished.

After the maid cleared the dishes, Shen Zhinuo got down from the chair and went to the cage at the door, which had been made at some point, and picked up her chubby little rabbit. She wandered around the hall with her rabbit for a while.

But she didn’t see her aunt or her second brother, so she asked, "Sisters, where is Auntie?"

Princess Wen'an glanced at Princess Huayue and said, "Auntie and cousin are busy at the front."

Shen Zhinuo asked again, "Then where is Second Brother? Where did he go to play?"

Princess Wen'an didn’t hide it: "Second Brother went to help Auntie."

Shen Zhinuo’s little brain turned, and she walked out with the little rabbit in her arms, her little voice serious but still sweet: "I’ll go help Auntie as well."

Princess Wen'an and Princess Huayue looked at each other, realizing what the little girl was planning, and quickly grabbed their rabbits to follow her.

The three young girls walked in front, with Coral, Qing Shuang, and Fei Xue keeping close behind.

The princess had explicitly told them early in the morning that from now on, wherever the young princesses went, they had to stay close.

The princess had been very serious at the time, and although the three of them didn't know why the princess had suddenly given such an order, they all felt uneasy and hadn't strayed from the young masters all morning.

When the group arrived at the main hall, they noticed several servants exiting the room. Upon seeing the little princesses, they quickly bowed and paid their respects.

Princess Huayue nodded and guided her two sisters in.

As soon as the three young girls entered, they spotted Princess Lanzhen seated at the head, Xue Song sitting on the left, and Shen Weiqing sitting next to Xue Song, while around a dozen servants stood in the hall.

Shen Zhinuo's eyes lit up, and her voice bubbled with excitement: "Pup, time to get to work, there are so many people today."

Earlier that day, Princess Lanzhen had gathered her son and nephew to summon the mansion's servants to the meeting hall individually for screening.

Two hours later, they had finally screened everyone, and those cleared were sent back to their duties.

The seventeen who raised suspicions were planned to be interrogated further.

Initially, they had a clear plan, since A Tong had provided a clue, they would scrutinize each one thoroughly. But when they really started investigating, they found that events that hadn't occurred yet were impossible to trace and left no leads.

After going through them again without any progress, Princess Lanzhen was hesitating whether to let Nuo Er see them or send them all to the manor to be strictly guarded, when the little girls arrived.

Princess Lanzhen smiled and reached out to the little chubby girl holding a rabbit standing a few steps away: "Nuo Er, come here to your aunt."

Shen Zhinuo then ran to Princess Lanzhen with her chubby rabbit, pouncing on her lap: "Auntie, Nuo Er missed you."

Seeing her sister arrive, Shen Weiqing was overjoyed and leaned towards his cousin Xue Song, covering his mouth with his hand and whispering: "The savior is here."

Xue Song nodded, also relieved.

Princess Huayue took Princess Wen'an's hand and sat on the chair on the other side of Princess Lanzhen, silently waiting for Nuo Er and A Tong to show their skills.

The servants in the room saw that today the two little princes had come to see the princess for questioning, and the little princesses had also arrived. The problem was, everyone had been questioned, but only they had been left behind to be questioned again.

Everyone didn't know what was happening, and their hearts were in turmoil, but since the princess didn't speak, they didn't dare to easily interrupt and ask, only standing quietly.

Princess Lanzhen held the little chubby girl with one hand and flipped through the account book on the table with the other, casually looking at it.

Shen Zhinuo thought her aunt was just checking the accounts and didn't think much of it, saying in her heart: "Pup, go scan the people."

The little black dog jumped up and down: "Young Master, it's too far."

Shen Zhinuo was a bit helpless, got down from Princess Lanzhen's lap, and holding her rabbit, pretended to wander around aimlessly, walking forward until she stopped next to her second brother Shen Weiqing: "Is it okay now?"

"It's okay." The little black dog flew over, first circling around the five servants in the front row, then stopped in front of an elderly woman: "Young Master, this Nanny Zhong is Princess Lanzhen's personal nanny."

Princess Lanzhen's hand flipping through the account book paused, and she looked up at Nanny Zhong, a bad feeling rising in her heart. Based on previous experience, if nothing was wrong with a person, A Tong would often simply pass by and would never pay too much attention.

Shen Zhinuo thought the same and quickly asked: "What's wrong with Nanny Zhong?"

The system answered: "When Princess Huayue was seriously ill in winter, it was this Nanny Zhong who persuaded Princess Lanzhen to go to the temple outside the city to pray to the gods."

---

At the same time, in the Imperial Study, Emperor Chengwu had just finished discussing court affairs with several cabinet ministers when the 13th Prince came to see him.

After entering, the 13th Prince directly knelt down and kowtowed: "Father, your son wishes to leave the capital and take up his fief as soon as possible."

Emperor Chengwu sat behind the imperial desk, looking at him expressionlessly, his voice indistinguishable in emotion: "Why?"

Before the 13th Prince could answer, Kang Yuande reported outside: "Your Majesty, the 14th Prince requests an audience."