If not abolished

Chapter 289: Birds of the same forest, flying in various ways

Compared to the panic among the people in the capital, Zhu Zhanji and his party, who were rushing to Zhongdu, were leisurely feeding their horses by the river.

"Grandmother, His Highness said to rest in front. Do you want to get off and get some fresh air?" After sitting in the carriage for most of the day, Hu Shanxiang immediately got off to get some fresh air. She had suffered from motion sickness even in modern times, and she didn't expect that sitting in a carriage would be so uncomfortable.

When Concubine Wang heard her voice, she lifted the curtain and saw her pale face and said worriedly, "Are you feeling unwell, Er? Your face looks so pale." Concubine Wang immediately got off the carriage.

Hu Shanxiang shook her head: "It's okay, maybe he has been sitting in the carriage for too long, so he just needs to get out and get some fresh air."

Hu Shanxiang felt much better after breathing some fresh air and no longer felt so uncomfortable.

"It's really okay, don't force yourself, if anything happens, be sure to tell me."

"Yes, I know. I'm really fine." Concubine Wang took her for a walk beside her.

"Where is this place ahead?" Concubine Wang suddenly asked.

"I heard from His Highness that we will arrive in Chuzhou in a few days."

"So fast? It will be fast once we get to Chuzhou."

"Yes."

He Yunyue brought her some water and said, "Although my father and I have been to many places, this is the first time we've been to Zhongdu."

"Us too." None of them had ever been to Zhongdu.

"Then we can all go and see the charm of Zhongdu."

After resting for a while, Zhu Zhanji came over and said they were ready to set off and try to get to the town to rest before dark.

Several people set off again.

At this time in the capital, just when Zhu Zhanqi thought that he would be able to get out soon, he was still unable to leave the palace. His mood became worse and worse. No one dared to provoke him. Even Sun Ruoji, who usually wanted to curry favor, stayed quietly in his room at this time.

"Princess, I have something to say." That day, a maidservant beside Wang Jundai suddenly came up to her and said.

"What's the matter?" Wang Jundai was studying the Classic of Tea. There were many freshly brought tea leaves on the table. She was holding the book while picking up the tea leaves and putting them under her nose to smell the fragrance. When she said this, she had just put the tea leaves down when she saw the maid, who looked around and seemed to be afraid to speak.

"Xiangqin, you take the people down first." Wang Jundai even put down her book. She sat down and said seriously, "Can you tell me now?"

The maid came closer and said to Wang Jundai, "Princess Jun, I have a fellow countryman who serves in your study. She told me a secret."

"Secret what secret?"

"His Royal Highness the Prince has hidden someone in the study, and it seems to be a woman." After the maid said this, she glanced at Wang Jundai.

"Do you have any evidence for what you said?" She naturally couldn't believe a maid's empty words.

"My lady, my fellow countryman said that during this period, His Highness asked them to prepare more food every three to five days, and also prepared clothes. These are all true."

"Okay, even if this is true, but if Your Highness really has someone he likes, why would he hide her in a golden house? He could just bring her back home openly. Why would he hide her away and shame her?" Wang Jundai couldn't understand.

"I don't know about that. In the Ming Dynasty, we don't consider family background when selecting concubines. As long as they have a clean family background, they can be chosen... Unless there is some unspeakable secret about this woman's identity, Your Highness would not go to so much trouble." The maid guessed. After all, the Ming Dynasty's concubine selection system can be said to be the lowest requirement standard since ancient times.

"Okay, this matter cannot be publicized. Since His Highness did this, he must have his reasons. Remember to remind your fellow villager to keep his mouth shut. Otherwise, if His Highness gets to know, no one can protect you." Wang Jundai didn't want anyone to be implicated, so she pretended not to know about this matter. If she went to question Zhu Zhanqi directly, it would inevitably expose someone who leaked the information, and innocent people would be hurt.

"Your Majesty, aren't you curious at all?" She had thought that after the Princess knew about it, she would definitely question Zhu Zhanqi, but unexpectedly, Wang Jundai was so calm.

"Sometimes curiosity can kill people. This matter ends here, and you remember to shut up. If you don't want to die." Although Wang Jundai and Zhu Zhanqi have not been married for a long time, she never thinks that Zhu Zhanqi is a soft-hearted person. If the King of Han is cruel, then Zhu Zhanqi is the most like the King of Han. He looks harmless at ordinary times, but as long as interests are touched, anyone will die.

"Yes." The maid was frightened by her words.

Although Wang Jundai said she was not curious, that was because she was not stupid enough to ask Zhu Zhanqi directly or go to the study, but there were other ways to verify these things. After all, she was the princess of the county, and all the affairs in the mansion were managed by her. Zhu Zhanqi used to manage some of them, such as the study. But later he was confined to the palace, and these were all managed by Wang Jundai, and Zhu Zhanqi did not take back this right later.

So Wang Jundai directly checked the accounts and expenses of the study for more than a month, and found that something was indeed wrong.

So what the maid said was true, His Highness really was hiding someone. Such an abnormal behavior could only prove that Zhu Zhanqi was planning something big, and what he had always done was to be at odds with the East Palace. Could it be that he had prepared some plan to deal with the Crown Prince and His Highness the Crown Prince...

She still needs to remind the Crown Princess and the others to be on guard against this matter, but the entire Han Palace is under house arrest, and she cannot go out now. However, if she cannot go out, Zhu Zhanqi cannot go out either, and his plan will be difficult to implement. This is a good thing, at least it can delay time. It is unknown when His Majesty will lift the house arrest on the Han Palace.

Sun Ruoji

"My Lady Concubine, what are you doing?"

"His Highness has been under house arrest for such a long time, and who knows how long this situation will last. What should I do if His Majesty does something to him? Don't I have to plan for myself?" Sun Ruoji is not stupid. He said he was under house arrest now, but who knows what might happen if Zhu Di was in a bad mood one day?

"My queen, what are you thinking about? After all, His Highness is the grandson of His Majesty. Even if he made a mistake, it wouldn't cost him his life. Why are you ready to flee when disaster strikes?"

"I..." Sun Ruoji looked at the things she had sorted out. These were some things that Zhu Zhanqi had given her over the years, such as land deeds and shops.

"I'm not trying to escape when disaster strikes. I'm just taking precautions. Think about it, His Highness's favor is not for a lifetime. I've figured it out. There's always a day when a person's beauty and love will fade. I just want to see which ones among these are not so good. Isn't it a reasonable plan to replace them?" Sun Ruoji was planning to exchange these shops and land deeds from the capital to his own home, so that these things would be truly in his hands.

"If your majesty really thinks so, it does make sense. After all, you are still young and His Highness dotes on you. If in the future... you learn to take care of these things, it will be a good thing."

"Yeah, that's what I think. Now, I just hope that God can give me another child, preferably a boy, so that I can have hope in my life. Otherwise, I have to plan for the rest of my life." Sun Ruoji said a lot. In fact, she just felt that Zhu Zhanqi had been confined too many times during this period. Who knows what will happen next? She had to plan for herself.

"Your Highness is finally getting down to business. It's been more than a year since you gave birth to Sister Yao, and your body is almost recovered. It's time to think carefully about having another child. In fact, Your Highness's confinement during this period is a good opportunity."

"Who dares to go to His Highness now? He is a powder keg that can explode at any time. If I don't go, I will end up losing more than I gain." Sun Ruoji shook her head and asked her to go. It's not like she hadn't thought about it before. She tried it at first, but was scolded by Zhu Zhanqi. Now she doesn't dare to go again. If the Princess knows about it, who knows what she will say about her behind her back?

"My queen, you have one more bargaining chip in your hand than others. Next time, just bring Sister Yao with you. His Highness will not lose his temper when he sees his daughter, right?"

"What you said makes sense." Sun Ruoji nodded.