Chapter 256
Chapter Two Hundred and Fifty-Six
"My Princess Consort, prepare a generous gift. I will personally go to Prince An's residence to apologize to Prince An!" The Prince of Zhennan thought it over. This matter must not be allowed to make Prince An bear a grudge against him. Otherwise, his impression in the Emperor's mind would likely worsen further.
"Yes, Your Highness." Lady Qin was not at all surprised by this decision.
Moreover, Zhou Huilan had caused such a major disaster. It would be troublesome if the Prince of Zhennan did not go to apologize, especially since she would be the one living in the capital from now on.
"Your Highness, what about Huilan?" Side Consort Ru asked, looking at the Prince of Zhennan with disbelief.
"What about her? Isn't she quite capable? She dared to be so arrogant and insolent as to even attempt to extort Prince An's household. Then let her properly enjoy the consequences of her actions!" The Prince of Zhennan said without a shred of mercy.
"Your Highness, absolutely not! Huilan has never suffered such hardship since she was a child!" Side Consort Ru was dumbfounded. She never expected the Prince of Zhennan to simply abandon Zhou Huilan.
If even the Prince of Zhennan wouldn't intervene, wouldn't Zhou Huilan truly have to stay in prison indefinitely?
How could that be allowed?
"Side Consort Ru, this matter is simply not something His Highness can control anymore. You should pack a few sets of clothes and send them to the prison instead." Seeing Side Consort Ru still chattering incessantly, trying to save Zhou Huilan, Lady Qin offered well-meaning advice.
"Nonsense! Huilan did nothing wrong! Why should she stay in prison? Is it because you can't stand us mother and daughter, so you colluded with Prince An's household to have my daughter imprisoned?" Side Consort Ru, her eyes red, looked at Lady Qin and questioned.
Hearing this, Lady Qin frowned.
She thought, has this Side Consort Ru gone mad?
Does she know what she is saying?
Colluding with Prince An's household?
"I'm afraid I must disappoint you, sister. I don't have that capability." Lady Qin sighed, then turned to the Prince of Zhennan and said, "Your Highness, I shall go and prepare now. I heard the Old Princess is gravely ill. Among my dowry, there happens to be a century-old ginseng. I will have it brought for Your Highness to take to Prince An's residence later, to help nourish the Old Princess's health." Lady Qin gave a gentle, respectful bow to the Prince of Zhennan as she spoke softly.
"My Princess Consort is most thoughtful!" Compared to the dignified and proper Lady Qin and the now crazed Side Consort Ru, the Prince of Zhennan's heart leaned towards Lady Qin once more. He thought, having such a wife was truly a great blessing.
"Guards! Side Consort Ru is tired. Escort her back. Keep a close watch on the Side Consort. Without my permission, she is not to step half a foot outside her courtyard gate!" Looking at the still weeping and making a scene Side Consort Ru, the Prince of Zhennan gave the order without a second thought.
"Your Highness, no! Your Highness!" Side Consort Ru was stunned. She never imagined that not only had she failed to save her daughter, but she had also lost the Prince's favor?
Prince An's Residence
Xu Qingshi, his eyes red, looked at the weak Old Princess, not daring to fuss about following Li Zhiwei back to her home.
He was just still very upset, his pouting lips almost capable of hanging a small oil pot.
The Old Princess, having not seen her grandson for a long time, was in an uncommonly good mood.
She also noticed Xu Qingshi's unhappiness.
However, thinking it was because Xu Heming had just hauled him inside, she smiled and teased him, "Oh my, what's the matter? You could almost hang an oil pot on that pout!"
"Grandmother, tell me, will a man as clueless and unromantic as Father ever find anyone who wants him in the future?" Xu Qingshi thought, if Li Zhiwei married someone else, wouldn't that mean his father wouldn't be able to marry a princess consort later?
Thinking that he himself might have to become a live-in son-in-law for someone else's family in the future, leaving his father all alone in the residence, wouldn't that be pitiful?
At this thought, Xu Qingshi felt a bit of reluctance again.
After all, just from them being away this time, Grandmother had fallen ill. When they weren't here, Grandmother must have been very pitiful too.
The Old Princess was both amused and exasperated by Xu Qingshi's childish words.
"Don't worry, your father won't be unwanted. It shouldn't be long before your father can give you a mother!" The Old Princess thought to herself that she must recover quickly now. Later, she would go to the palace to see the Empress Dowager and properly put the marriage of the two children on the agenda.
After all, it was a marriage decreed by the Emperor. Holding the wedding sooner was only natural.
However, she could also see that the Li family likely still had reservations about this marriage. The Old Princess felt this matter should be resolved by her son himself.
After all, whose daughter-in-law is that easy to marry?
He ought to put in some effort himself, so he would know to cherish his wife later.
"Grandmother, who is Father going to marry? It couldn't be my Third Aunt, could it?" Xu Qingshi asked, looking at the Old Princess with horror.
Although Zhou Yuying had often come to see him in the past, for some reason he couldn't explain, he simply didn't like this auntie from the bottom of his heart.
He always felt she had ill intentions towards him.
"You silly child, what nonsense are you talking? Could it be you wish for your Third Aunt to become your stepmother?" The Old Princess asked, puzzled.
After all, this matter had been considered before. At that time, her son had disagreed, but the Zhou family had been very keen.
Moreover, her grandson hadn't seemed particularly fond of that Zhou Yuying before either. Why was he now suggesting Zhou Yuying as his stepmother?
Could it be someone from the Zhou family had visited recently?
Thinking this, the Old Princess frowned deeply.
She certainly did not want to find another daughter-in-law from the Zhou family.
A girl like Li Zhiwei, she thought, was quite good.
"No, I don't wish for that! Grandmother, let me tell you, that Third Aunt of mine is two-faced. Her kindness to me is all an act!" Xu Qingshi remembered overhearing Zhou Yuying tell someone else that she actually hated him, even saying that once she married his father, she would have him killed. Ever since learning that, he hadn't liked her.
"Then, you don't like Miss Li?" The Old Princess asked, somewhat puzzled again.
However, she wasn't too surprised that her grandson knew Zhou Yuying's true nature.
After all, if you often walk by the river, how can your shoes not get wet?
That Zhou Yuying merely thought herself clever, believing she could deceive them.
She truly didn't realize her petty schemes hadn't even fooled a child.
But what puzzled the Old Princess was, hadn't Xu Qingshi been quite fond of Li Zhiwei?
Why didn't he want Li Zhiwei to marry her son now?
"Grandmother, have you become confused? Didn't the beautiful elder sister already get married?" Xu Qingshi sighed inwardly, thinking that after her illness, Grandmother's mind wasn't as sharp as before.
"Where did you hear such a thing?" The Old Princess frowned, looking at her grandson. Today, she hadn't asked Li Zhiwei about the truth of this matter, but seeing nothing amiss in her son's and Li Zhiwei's expressions, the Old Princess had assumed those were just rumors.
But now, Xu Qingshi's words made the Old Princess doubt the matter again.
"Isn't that what everyone outside is saying?" Xu Qingshi replied, looking at the Old Princess with confusion.
"So, you just heard people gossiping outside and decided Miss Li is married?" The Old Princess looked strangely at her grandson. Suddenly, she understood why her son had looked so furious earlier.