松鼠症仓库

Mo’er and Lian Qiao escorted Shu Yutong back to Leihua Courtyard, while Liu Shimei and Changge came to the main courtyard study.

Liu Fuyun had been waiting for a long time. Seeing her enter, he couldn’t wait and asked, “Something happened with Miss Zhang?”

“Yes.” Liu Shimei nodded coldly.

Liu Fuyun sighed, saying, “Fortunately, Yan’er came back first.”

Liu Shimei sneered inwardly, “So what if she came back? Hasn’t Yan’er also faced trouble? Only you, Liu Fuyun, were ruthless, killing a dozen or twenty servants to silence them.”

Otherwise, Yan’er, who had been forced by her cousin, would have become a joke in the Imperial Capital long ago!

“Why doesn’t Father ask about Zhang Wan’er’s situation?” Liu Shimei walked to the Grand Preceptor’s chair and sat down, calmly asking.

Liu Fuyun was taken aback, then remembered. His face turned unpleasant, “Zhang Qian is really hopeless! Both his children are useless. He was thinking of waiting until his official position stabilized, finding an excuse to break off the engagement with the Cui family and finding a better one. But Zhang Qian’s daughter…”

He showed disdain and gave an three-word evaluation, “Vulgar and shameless!”

Liu Shimei raised an eyebrow.

She had heard these words a lot before, usually directed at her!

“As for Zhang Wan’er’s matter, I will talk to Zhang Qian and have him handle it cleanly on his end.” Liu Fuyun knew that when Liu Shimei mentioned Zhang Wan’er, she was giving instructions.

He explained and then turned back to his own topic, “Shimei, have you met with the Crown Prince recently?”

Liu Shimei raised an eyebrow, not answering directly but asking in return, “As someone with a fiance, meeting the future brother-in-law privately might be inappropriate, don’t you think? The rumors of an unmarried woman losing her chastity are already unpleasant enough. Must I add a reputation for fickleness?”

Liu Fuyun’s breath caught, and after a deep breath, he said, “I don’t mean that. It’s just… maintaining a good relationship with the Crown Prince can undoubtedly help Yan’er.”

“Oh.” Liu Shimei stared at him. In the candlelight, it was impossible to discern how thick his face was or if he would blush.

She asked lightly, “Does Father not consider the situation in court?”

Liu Fuyun looked at her.

Liu Shimei continued, “The Empress comes from a military family, right?”

“Yes.” Liu Fuyun immediately understood with just a slight nod, grasping her meaning at once. “In the Great Shu, emphasis is placed on literature over martial skills. Originally, the Empress was just a concubine to the Crown Prince and did not enjoy much favor. However, she was resilient. Before the Emperor ascended the throne, she gave birth to their eldest son, earning the favor of the Empress Dowager. With the saying ‘the mother’s status elevates the child’, she was conferred the title of concubine. After that, she bore two more imperial sons.”

Recalling the past events, his expression turned solemn as he continued, “After the former Empress, accused of witchcraft, was deposed, the Emperor, influenced by the Empress Dowager’s persuasion, chose Consort Rong as the Empress. The purpose was to secure the position of the eldest son as the legitimate heir. It always sounds better to have a legitimate eldest son.”

Liu Shimei lowered her eyes in silence.

In other words, if Qu Yingrong were not someone who hid her true self, her head could be twisted off!

“Shimei, by bringing up this matter, are you suggesting that the Empress’s maternal family consists of military figures and, in order to secure the Crown Prince’s position, she must inevitably win over the civil officials?” Liu Fuyun asked again.

He had thought about all this long ago and knew why they chose the Liu family as the Crown Prince’s Consort.

Even when Liu Shimei encountered trouble later on, the Liu family still had a spot as an alternative Crown Prince’s Consort.

All of this was because the Crown Prince’s maternal family was involved with the military, and he needed the support of civil officials!

Liu Shimei raised her head and asked, “So, what is Father still worried about? As long as Yan’er behaves, stays quietly within the Grand Chancellor’s Residence, and persists until the Mid-Autumn Festival, won’t everything fall into place naturally?”