"Dong dong dong——"
There was a sudden knock on the door outside the house, breaking the awkward atmosphere.
Song Ran sat back upright and her expression returned to calm.
Liu Yunqi cleared his throat and asked, "What's the matter?"
"The girl Hongqi next to the princess said she has something important to report to the princess." The voice of Liu Mansion's housekeeper came from the door.
Hong Hao followed the housekeeper, feeling uneasy and waiting for a response from the house.
Song Ran walked slowly to the door and opened the door of the study. She looked at Hong Xiangchouyun's pale face and asked in confusion: "What happened?"
Hong Hao was furious and said through gritted teeth: "Mr. Gu of Shuntian Prefecture sent someone to report that a woman cursed you and His Highness King Xuan at the gate of Shuntian Prefecture. Some of the filthy words in her words were unsightly."
Song Ran turned around and looked at Liu Yunqi in confusion.
Liu Yunqi walked up to Song Ran and asked, "Isn't it right to scold your princess? Shouldn't you be scolding the governor of Shuntian Prefecture?"
"When I came, I had already gone to the gate of the government office. The man was indeed cursing at the gate of the government office. The governor, the princess, and the prince all cursed me."
After hearing what the official who came to report the matter said, Hong Hao was surprised at first. Afraid that there might be something wrong, she took a detour to the entrance of Shuntian Mansion on the way here.
I saw the woman with disheveled hair, wearing white linen clothes, sitting on the stone steps at the door of Shuntian Mansion.
With a high-pitched voice, he cried out that Shuntian Mansion randomly arrested innocent people and tortured them to death.
He also said that Princess Anyang took revenge and asked King Xuan to send his brother to a bitter cold place. Let her cry without any way, and she is isolated and helpless.
If it hadn't been for seeing her in Prince Xuan's palace that day and having many transgressions towards Prince Xuan, Song Ran might have felt that she was someone who loved her husband deeply after hearing what Hong Hao said.
Song Ran lowered her eyes and wondered what her husband's death had to do with her.
Didn't King Xuan send his brother to Huangbei because her brother was suspected of secretly dealing with Qi spies? Why did he slap it in her mouth?
"Lord Gu, just let him mess around and do nothing?"
Seeing Liu Yunqi's gloomy and displeased face, Hong Hao hurriedly explained: "Because this is the woman's family, and her husband just died tragically in the fire, they are really helpless against her and don't dare to move."
Liu Yunqi was obviously very angry at Gu Shen's actions. He frowned and asked, "Then what do you want your princess to do?"
Hong Hao bit her lips, her face turned red, she cast a pleading look at Song Ran, and said in a lower voice, "I want the princess to come and help me."
Song Ran was just contemplating. She hadn't noticed before that Hong Hao was almost overwhelmed by Liu Yunqi's questions.
Seeing Hong Hao's gaze, she sighed and said, "She belongs to Prince Xuan. Just go to Prince Xuan's Mansion and ask him to come."
"But, but -" Hong Hao looked embarrassed, "Master Gu said that His Royal Highness Prince Xuan is still in the palace and did not return to the palace after going to court."
"Then just say that your princess has also entered the palace and let him find his own solution." Liu Yunqi's voice was sharp.
There was nowhere to vent the sullenness he was already feeling this morning, and Gu Shen's inaction made him even more indignant.
"This-" Hong Hao glanced at Song Ran hesitantly.
"Okay, Brother Qi, it's not my Hongqi who forced me to come forward. Why are you angry with her?" Song Ran looked at Liu Yunqi with a grin, trying to ease the atmosphere.
She even gently tugged at the corner of his clothes with one hand, signaling for him to calm down.
Hong Hao nodded excitedly to his princess.
Liu Yunqi looked down at his sleeves, then raised his eyebrows to see Song Ran blinking at him, his anger obviously fading a bit.
He just felt that he was being crushed by this girl, and said angrily: "You! Forget it, you take a detour back to the house with Hong Hao first, and I will send someone to ask Leheng to go and deal with it."
"I know." Song Ran nodded slightly, agreed obediently, took Hong Hao and left.
Leheng stayed up all night. Not long after he lay down, he heard a servant coming to report from outside the door. Liu Yunqi sent someone over and asked him to quickly go to the gate of Shuntian Mansion to deal with it.
I was exhausted last night, and there are still all these messy things today. Although he was cursing at Gu Shen, he still hurriedly took the clothes and pants from his wife.
After getting dressed, he took the riding whip and strode out of the house.
The servants have prepared horses according to his instructions. He jumped up and followed the visitor towards Shuntian Mansion.
Song Ran was afraid that Xia Yu would know her personal maid, so she sent a maid who didn't often go out to find out.
When he left, King Xuan had also arrived at the gate of Shuntian Mansion. He hadn't had time to change out of his early morning clothes, his face was exhausted, and he had a headache looking at the crying Xia Yu in front of him.
When Xia Yu saw Chen Chaobai, she immediately crawled a few steps to his feet and pulled the hem of his clothes, crying like pear blossoms and raining down, looking pitiful.
Chen Chaobai knelt down and touched her messy hair. He didn't know what was in her ear when he was close, but he asked her to obediently move her hands away from the problematic area on his clothes. His face was still a little reluctant, and his body allowed Chen Chaobai to lift him up.
Her figure was soft and shaky, almost hanging on Chen Chaobai's body.
Le Heng had said nice things to Xia Yu before, but he didn't see any reaction. At this moment, King Xuan's few words made her stand up.
He stood on one side with a dark face, seeing everything in front of him, his face unmoved, he just made a mental note.
Chen Chaobai asked Bai Qi to invite old woman Xia. When Xia Yu saw her mother, she became nervous and buried her head without saying a word.
Old woman Xia was on crutches, but her strength was unexpectedly strong. She pulled Xia Yu, who was lying in Chen Chaobai's arms, to her side.
Her eyes were sharp, her face was deep, and she slapped him without any explanation. If you are angry, you will not fight, and you will be embarrassed here.
Xia Yu covered her face and was sobbing so hard that she didn't dare to make a sound.
"What happened today happened for a reason. Xia Yu also got excited because of her husband's tragic death. Don't blame her." Chen Chaobai spoke slowly, looking at Bai Qi who was standing aside.
Bai Qi pulled the carriage and asked two maidservants to escort Xia Yu inside.
After the carriage left, the people watching dispersed.
This night made Song Ran sleepless. She didn't know how Chen Chaobai properly arranged Xia Yu in the end.
She felt that there was something fishy about Xia Yu's trouble. Putting aside scolding her, is she so sincere towards her husband? On the other hand, shouldn't Xia Yu laugh and laugh at the news of his death?
Arouse Chen Chaobai's affection? But making things so embarrassing, shouldn't it only arouse Chen Chaobai's disgust?
And what exactly did Chen Chaobai say in her ears? Only then can she get up and go back obediently.
A series of questions made Song Ran energetic. She simply put on her coat and sat up.
Candlelight flickered behind him.
Song Ran leaned against the window, thinking a lot. Looking at the bright moon, I lament again and again.
Within a day of Xia Yu's commotion, all kinds of rumors about Song Ran were circulating in the capital.
When Bai Ting went out to buy something, she almost got into an argument with others, but luckily Hong Hao stopped her.
After they returned home, they angrily told Song Ran one by one about the rumors they heard today.
Song Ran didn't take it seriously. She supported her head with one hand and held the teacup with the other, watching the tea leaves in the cup spread out in the water.
"What's there to be angry about? Why not use this as an excuse to complain to the Emperor——"
"Why?"
Song Ran was startled and looked in the direction of the sound.
Behind Uncle Fu was the culprit Chen Chaobai.
He walked towards her unhurriedly, looked at her meaningfully, raised the corners of his mouth slightly, and smiled casually.
Song Ran cursed his lingering ghost in his heart. When can I get rid of him and leave here.
Chen Chaobai walked to Song Ran and sat down next to her, staring at her face with interest.
Song Ran felt uncomfortable being stared at by him, so she quietly moved the cup she was holding in front of her face, trying to block his burning eyes.
Chen Chaobai stretched out his hand, held Song Ran's wrist with one hand, and pressed her hand down hard. With the other hand, he took the cup from Song Ran and placed it firmly on the table.
"It was my negligence that caused the princess' reputation to be damaged. I am here today to apologize to the princess."
"Come empty-handed?" Song Ran looked around at Chen Chaobai.
Chen Chaobai smiled and said, "Whatever the princess wants, just say it. Whatever I can do, I will definitely give it to you."
"His Royal Highness Prince Xuan should know what this princess wants."
"The Empress Dowager is critically ill. Your Majesty wants us to get married as soon as possible, as a way of congratulating him."
Chen Chaobai looked at Song Ran calmly, and he could almost guess her furious reaction after hearing this.
"You-" Song Ran jumped up from the chair.
Her heart trembled, like thousands of knives piercing her heart, and a heartbreaking pain surged into her heart.
I couldn't believe my ears. This is not how it should be. Liu Yunqi's analysis shouldn't be that Chen Chaoci is suspicious of Chen Chaobai and won't marry her in the short term?
How did things develop to be so out of control now?
Song Ran's eyes never left Chen Chaobai's face, eager to see a flaw in his expression. Maybe these words were just to scare him.
Shouldn't Chen Chaobai have no time to take care of her?
Doesn’t he need to take care of Concubine Chen’s child? And Xia Yu, won't she do anything else?
The more Song Ran thought about it, the more something was wrong. Then she looked at Chen Chaobai's calm face.
An idea suddenly came to mind.
Are you being pushed into a hurry?
Does he need to pick up the pace?
Is all this out of his control?
Before she could think about it any longer, the death knell rang in the palace.
Chen Chaobai's face turned pale with astonishment. He stood up suddenly, his body shaking slightly. His fingers touched the teacup on the table, and the teacup tipped over, letting the tea flow to the edge of the table.
Song Ran's mind was pounding with confusion. In this capital, she lost another relative. Her eyes were moist, tears were streaming down the sides of her face, and she took a few steps back uncontrollably.
Seeing this, Hong Hao and Bai Ting were so frightened that they quickly stepped forward to help: "Princess Princess."
"Hurry, enter the palace. Hurry!" Song Ran's voice was hoarse and crying, and her throat seemed to be blocked by a huge stone.
"Bai Qi, Bai Qi! Prepare the car! Enter the palace!" Chen Chaobai's thoughts were confused and he shouted almost hoarsely to Bai Qi, who was waiting in the distance.
