Shen Yuning's heart trembled. The Crown Prince was seriously ill. Although a curative medicine had been found, someone had deliberately blocked it. Clearly, there were those who didn't want the Crown Prince to live.
Thinking of the current affairs in the court, it was likely that the Second Prince was involved.
When she was in the Xue family, she had heard a lot about the disputes in the court. But at that time, the emperor was still in his prime. The Crown Prince had no heirs yet and was in poor health. He was only a nominal title. Almost everyone believed that the real heir to the throne in the future would be the Second Prince.
It was fate playing tricks. The Crown Prince had held on for so many years, and the Crown Prince's eldest son was growing up.
Shen Yuning looked up at Zidu, and her doubts deepened. Why did he hide his identity? Wasn't he from the Jiang family?
She vaguely remembered that Xuanzhi wasn't really from the Jiang family. He was an adopted son of a collateral branch of the Jiang family. So in fact, was he from the Zhu family? An illegitimate son of the Zhu family that couldn't see the light of day?
That didn't seem right. If, as the rumors said, he was the son of that so - called goddess in Wuyun, why would the Zhu family not recognize him and let him live in exile for so many years? Or did he not know he was from the Zhu family before?
Then why did he cover his face? Just not to be recognized by her?
But when he returned in triumph, he probably didn't even know that she had brought the Zhang family to the capital.
What was he avoiding by wearing a mask?
Zidu slowly nodded. "Yes, this famous doctor was好不容易 found by the Zhu family. Unfortunately, there was a doctor but no medicine. The rare medicinal herbs in the imperial pharmacy were all unsuitable. We searched the whole capital but couldn't find the right one. We had to come out to look for it..."
"If I'm not wrong, I'm afraid that Young Master Zidu won't be able to buy this medicine anywhere else tomorrow." Although Wanyan was a merchant, he had this kind of acumen.
Zidu took a deep breath. The joints of his clenched fists turned white. It was obvious that he was also helpless.
Wanyan thought for a while. "If the young master trusts me, please write down the name of the medicine. I'll arrange for everyone in the business firm to look for it right away."
Zidu was silent for a long time and then said, "There are less than ten days left."
Wanyan was stunned. "What does the young master mean?"
Zidu nodded. "The doctor said at that time that after half a month, even if there was medicine, the Crown Prince would be incurable. Seven days have passed..."
Shen Yuning stared intently at Zidu. A cold aura emanated from him, a cold aura of despair and helplessness. Just like when she took him away all those years ago, when he knew that his adoptive father was willing to die to give him a way out, he also had this kind of despairing cold aura.
Subconsciously, Shen Yuning wanted to hold his hand.
But now was no longer the past. He was no longer the child who needed her protection.
Even, he was no longer Xuanzhi.
Shen Yuning said in a low voice, "The time is short, but how do we know it won't work if we don't try?"
Zidu looked back at her. Their eyes met, and hope of survival ignited in his heart. She was his light. Since he was twelve years old, he had known that she was the light he would pursue for his whole life.
He nodded seriously. "Lady of the Township, if there is a chance in the future, would you listen to a story from me?"
Shen Yuning smiled slightly. "Of course."
Wanyan and Shen Yuning were startled. Half of the mountain bandits in Qu County had escaped. The remaining ones who were still alive had hidden poison in their teeth and committed suicide as soon as they were captured. The county government in Qu County was in a complete mess and found nothing. They could only treat it as an ordinary mountain - bandit incident.
However, both the heads of the Wan and Shen families were slightly injured. They couldn't continue their journey and had to turn back to the capital.
At this moment, the three of them were sitting in a teahouse. When Wanyan heard the servant report the result of the handling in Qu County, he shrugged helplessly and said to Zidu, "The officials in the county government are really useless. Such a situation is obviously extraordinary. If they can't find out, they should report it to the Court of Judicial Review. How can they just close the case so casually? Lady Shen and I were scared for nothing."
A smile appeared on Zidu's lips. "Even if they reported it to the Court of Judicial Review, it would still be an unsolved case. When I captured them that day, I found that they were not ordinary bandits. They were clearly trained death - warriors. More than fifty death - warriors... The person behind this is really generous."
Shen Yuning pondered. In order to keep their families peaceful, most noble families would raise some death - warriors. She had once seen her grandfather order death - warriors to help him investigate a case. These death - warriors were under the control of the family head. She didn't know if there were still any of her grandfather's death - warriors. But thinking about it, even if there were, there were probably only about a dozen in the Xue family.
After all, death - warriors were different from ordinary guards and servants. When death - warriors were dispatched, they were risking their lives. For this time, dispatching nearly a hundred well - trained death - warriors was not something an ordinary noble family could do.
Thinking of this, she originally thought that it was the Qiao family that wanted to deal with her. But now thinking about it, with the Qiao family's ability, they were probably not capable of doing this.
Wanyan also understood this truth. He asked doubtfully, "Young master, who do you think is the one who wants to kill Lady Shen and me? And for what reason?"
Zidu pointed to the sky above. "The sky is about to change."
The autumn scenery was beautiful. The cool wind blew gently. The sun was not too strong but just right. There was no sign of any change in the sky.
But the sky was really about to change.
Wanyan shook his head, indicating that he didn't understand. "I'm a merchant. What I've done is for the people of the Great Zhou without any selfish motives. And although Lady Shen has been traveling around, she is just an orphan. The Xue family is also a loyal family. It shouldn't be like this."
They shouldn't be targeted.
Zidu pursed his lips and smiled lightly. "The Great Zhou has been in continuous wars. The people haven't had time to recuperate. When you raised grain and grass before, the people were still a bit well - off. In addition, you donated half of your family fortune to help the Great Zhou through the difficulties. Merchants value profit. I'm afraid few people will think that you have no selfish motives."
Wanyan laughed heartily. "Does the young master mean that the Qiao family is jealous of me? In recent years, because of my repeated actions, the reputation of the Wan family is indeed better than that of the Qiao family. But with the current power of the Qiao family, it's not something the Wan family can compare with. Why does the Qiao family need to kill me?"
Zidu shook his head. "If you had followed your previous plan to go out and raise grain and grass, you wouldn't have faced such a desperate situation."
Wanyan's eyebrows relaxed. His tone was brisk, but the words he said were not reassuring. "If Lady Shen hadn't helped me, the results of my solo efforts would have been greatly reduced. Because the Great Zhou is now in a precarious situation. There are really not many people with both the will and the ability. And I've already donated most of my family fortune. Where can I get another half? At that time, the results would have been meager, and that person could have impeached me, saying that I was only seeking fame and not doing practical things."
Shen Yuning laughed along. "Mr. Wan doesn't seem worried at all when saying this."
Wanyan laughed heartily. "I'm not not worried. It's just that worrying is useless. Over the years, I've practiced Buddhism and deeply felt that the first half of my life was too illusory. If I can't be down - to - earth in the future, it will only make me feel uneasy. Therefore, even though I know there's no hope in the future, I still have to move forward."
"Sailing against the current, if you don't move forward, you'll fall backward." Zidu said softly. "But this time, you brought Lady Shen with you. You left in a hurry, so you may not know how the court has praised you. The common people in the capital trust Lady Shen. Within three days, the people in the capital donated a large amount of things, all saying that Lady Shen and Mr. Wan represent the common people and they are willing to follow you. Minister Chen of the Ministry of Revenue..."
He paused. When talking about Minister Chen, there was a bit of complaint in his tone. He gave Shen Yuning a resentful look before continuing. "Minister Chen of the Ministry of Revenue presented the public opinion to the emperor. The emperor's intention is to reward you when you return to the capital..."
Wanyan was stunned for a moment. He didn't expect this incident to have such a great impact. He quickly analyzed it. "So, the Qiao family can't sit still."
It would be strange if they could sit still. When the emperor was worried about the lack of silver in the Ministry of Revenue, the first family he thought of was the Qiao family. But the Qiao family kept delaying. Wanyan took on the responsibility alone and was even ridiculed by the Qiao family.
Unexpectedly, this time, their mission was so smooth. They got both honor and the hearts of the people. The Qiao family was in a panic.
Zidu looked up at Shen Yuning. "The emperor has already issued an oral edict to the Xue Mansion. As soon as you return to the capital, you will be granted the title of County Lady, and Yun County will be bestowed upon you."
Shen Yuning was greatly shocked. If being granted the title of Lady of the Township before was because she had done practical things for the people and deserved it, now the imperial grace was already overwhelming. The title of County Lady was similar to that of County Princess, which was only bestowed on the female relatives of the royal family when they came of age. How could she deserve it?
Wanyan clapped his hands and laughed. "The Qiao family is really too much. Once they stepped into the circle of the nobility, they forgot their original intentions. At the beginning, the Qiao family was rewarded by the founding emperor mainly because of their great contributions to the country. Now they have put the cart before the horse. How can the emperor allow the Qiao family to continue to act recklessly? Poor the Qiao family doesn't even know. They swagger around outside, thinking that their eldest daughter being granted the title of Lady of the Township is such a great honor."
Shen Yuning realized later that the emperor's move was to warn the Qiao family. I'm afraid that by then, not only would she become a County Lady, but the title of the first imperial merchant of the Qiao family would also be taken away.
Zidu pondered for a long time and said in a low voice, "In my opinion, the Qiao family has colluded with the Tang family."
The Tang family was the maternal family of the Second Prince. The Duke of Tang was the elder brother of the virtuous imperial concubine in the harem. He had been the emperor's reading companion since childhood. The emperor once said that Lord Tang was like his own brother. It could be seen how important the Duke of Tang was in the emperor's heart.
He was not only a duke but also the chief minister of the cabinet. Most of the national affairs had to pass through his hands before reaching the emperor. And there were not many concubines in the harem. After the death of the former empress, no new empress had been established. The virtuous imperial concubine was equivalent to the head of the harem.
Both the court and the harem were in the hands of the Tang family.
Wanyan wasn't surprised. "The Qiao family has long had connections with the Prince Rong's Mansion. There is a Miss Qiao who is a side concubine there. The princess of the Prince Rong's Mansion is about to marry into the Tang family. Now it seems that the Tang and Qiao families have had intricate relationships for a long time."
He looked up and asked, "But how are you so sure, Young Master Zidu?"
Zidu's ears twitched uneasily. He subconsciously glanced at Shen Yuning and didn't say a word.
Wanyan didn't notice his strangeness and continued to ask, "I've heard that Young Master Zidu intends to marry a daughter of the Qiao family. Is it true?"
Zidu quickly looked up at Shen Yuning. Seeing that she didn't react, he couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed.
"It's not true."
Wanyan said with a bit of regret, "I've been dealing with the Qiao family for many years. Looking at that Miss Qiao, although she is reckless and arrogant, she's not a bad girl... Of course, it's also good that you're not really going to marry her. It's better not to have any dealings with a family like the Qiao family."
Zidu's eyes were all on Shen Yuning, but Shen Yuning frowned tightly and didn't even look at Zidu.
She pondered and asked, "So the rumors spread by the Qiao family recently were on purpose? They clearly intended to take sides and choose between the Crown Prince and the Second Prince?"