The beauty of the Hou family and the king's plan

After leaving Rongde Hall, Wang and Tang returned to their respective courtyards. Shen Baozhao went back to Jinghaozhai with Shen Jing under the pretext of looking for flowers.

There was no meal served today, so after entering Jinghaozhai, Shen Jing ordered the servants to go to the kitchen and ask for an extra portion for Baozhao.

Looking at the dazzling array of food on the table, neither of them had much appetite.

Shen Baozhao ate a bowl of bird's nest and put it down. After breakfast was cleared away, Aunt Lan arrived late.

After sending the servants away, the three of them sat down on the rose armchair in the living room of Shen Jing's main room.

Shen Baozhao was patient and did not speak in a hurry. Instead, he sipped his tea in small sips.

Aunt Lan saw Bao Zhao was as still as a mountain, and she was anxious. She seemed to have made up her mind and said, "Fourth Miss, did you receive the things I gave you yesterday?"

"Aunt, do you want to ask about my mother's gold hairpin?" Shen Baozhao spoke frankly.

"What does Aunt want me to do? Just tell me." Bao Zhao raised his eyebrows.

Aunt Lan saw that Shen Baozhao was not hiding anything: "Miss Fourth is frank. I have a favor to ask. If Miss Fourth can help, I will tell you the origin of this golden hairpin."

"Tell me about it." Shen Baozhao was not anxious.

"The fourth young lady also knows that the third young lady has been betrothed to such a family, and the old lady and the old marquis in the mansion have tacitly agreed to this marriage. Even the eldest master can't do anything about it."

“I am really desperate, so I resorted to this desperate measure.

If the fourth young lady could help get Prince Yu's Mansion to come forward and go to the palace to ask the emperor to withdraw the queen's order, then the third young lady wouldn't have to marry into such a family." Aunt Lan's eyes were filled with pleading.

It turned out that this was what she had in mind. Indeed, according to Aunt Lan's status, the only person who could have contact with the palace was, besides Concubine Shu, her maternal grandfather, Prince Yu.

But this matter was originally caused by Concubine Shu. No matter what the reason was for the Empress to grant this marriage, she would never withdraw the imperial decree and slap herself in the face.

In this way, Prince Yu becomes Aunt Lan's only hope.

She was sure that she would not remain indifferent after getting A'niang's hairpin, so she used this to threaten her to ask Prince Yu for help.

But, Prince Yu? I'm afraid this great god can't be asked for anything, right?

Prince Yu's identity was somewhat unexpected. He was an alternative existence in the royal family.

Although he is the emperor's uncle, he is not his biological son but adopted.

The crown prince at that time, the emperor's father, was seriously ill, and there was no successor in the royal family.

A Taoist priest then asserted that a child born on an auspicious day and time should be adopted from the people and recorded as the prince's younger brother, hoping that the illness could be transferred to him, so that the prince would recover.

The royal family did so. Unexpectedly, after adopting Prince Yu, the prince's illness was miraculously cured.

Therefore, the royal family regarded him as a lucky star. He had an extraordinary status in the royal family and had been favored by the emperor for three dynasties.

But he is uninhibited and unconcerned with fame and wealth. He has a strange personality, sometimes he burns pianos and cooks cranes, sometimes he studies antiques and calligraphy, and sometimes he eats all kinds of delicious food.

It is said that once, Prince Yu visited Suzhou and Hangzhou.

We arrived at Zhenxiu Pavilion, which is known as "the best in the world". In order to taste the restaurant's signature dish, which is limited in daily supply, we went straight to the restaurant's kitchen in the middle of the night without telling anyone, intending to eat it secretly.

He was caught by the restaurant's night patrol waiter and beaten up as if he were a thief.

It was not until he was sent to the government office that he was recognized. The emperor was at a loss whether to laugh or cry when facing his uncle.

However, although Prince Yu acted foolishly, the Emperor treated this uncle very well. No matter what kind of joke he made, he would comfort and compensate him and would not blame him.

This is why Aunt Lan is so sure that as long as Prince Yu takes action, Concubine Shu will be able to revoke the imperial decree.

However, the Marquis' Mansion had severed ties with Prince Yu's Mansion as early as the year Princess Nanhua passed away.

Shen Baozhao remembered that many people came to Prince Yu's Mansion and smashed the Ning'an Marquis Mansion. He didn't know what happened in the end, and the two mansions completely stopped communicating.

Although Princess Nanhua was the illegitimate daughter of Prince Yu, the princess gave birth to three legitimate sons but no daughter.

He then gave birth to his personal maid who had served him for many years, and the maid worked hard and gave birth to a daughter for the Prince's Mansion the next year.

Prince Yu and his wife were very happy to have this daughter, so they went to the palace to ask for the title of county lord.

Later, Princess Nanhua was raised by the Princess Consort and was treated just like a legitimate daughter.

But in the past ten years, Shen Baozhao has not contacted the palace.

Even in his previous life, when he ended up like that, no one from the Prince's Mansion came to see him.

She didn't think that if she went to ask Prince Yu for help now, he would agree.

Moreover, according to rumors, Prince Yu was not in the palace for 360 days out of the 365 days in a year. Where could we find him?

"How could my aunt think that I could persuade Prince Yu to come to the palace to beg for mercy? Just for an old hairpin that my mother used?"

Shen Baozhao was certain that even if Aunt Lan knew much about his mother, it should not be much.

Otherwise, they would not have come to me for help, but would have gone directly to Prince Yu’s Mansion.

"Besides, you also know that our Marquis' Mansion and the Prince's Mansion have not had any contact for many years. If I go to their house to ask for permission, they may not be willing to see me."

"My third sister's marriage is imminent, and Prince Yu is elusive. If he doesn't return to Kyoto in a few months, I'm afraid there will be nothing we can do."

After hearing what Shen Baozhao said, Aunt Lan leaned back in her chair deflated.

Shen Jing looked at Aunt Lan, the corners of her mouth moved and she whispered, "Aunt, this is my daughter's fate."

Aunt Lan saw Shen Jing leaning on her shoulder. Although she didn't make a sound, she could feel that a large spot of her clothes on her shoulder was wet.

"If that doesn't work, then have your brother go to Shuntian Prefecture and beat the drum to accuse Wang of murdering a concubine's daughter.

Your brother has the title of a juren, and the officials will listen to him," Aunt Lan said with a determined heart.

Shen Baozhao shook his head when he saw this. Aunt Lan must have been forced into a desperate situation, otherwise she would not have said such words.

Putting aside whether the lawsuit could be successful, if a son sued his parents, he would first be beaten with thirty sticks in the Shuntian government office.

Only if you survive the thirty strokes of the cane will the Shuntian prefect read your petition.

The imperial decree was issued by Concubine Shu, and this lawsuit not only targets Wang, but also Concubine Shu.

How could the prefect of Shuntian Prefecture dare to accept such a petition?

"Aunt, you are confused. Do you want to give up your elder brother's future?" Shen Baozhao scolded.

Aunt Lan might not be unaware that this approach wouldn't work.

She was unwilling to just watch her daughter fall into the fire pit and do nothing.

She hugged her daughter and both started crying. When Shen Baozhao saw that the mother and daughter had almost finished crying, he ordered the servants to fetch water for them to wash their faces.

After hesitating for a while, he finally spoke: "I have a plan that can save Third Sister from having to marry Third Young Master Qiao. But..."

Before Shen Baozhao finished speaking, Aunt Lan looked at her hopefully.

He asked hurriedly, "What's the plan? Miss Fourth, just tell me. Even if it's not feasible, the three of us, mother and son, will accept your kindness."

Shen Baozhao had no worries after hearing what Aunt Lan said. "It may not be possible. Man proposes, but God disposes."

"It all depends on whether my aunt and third sister dare to do it." Bao Zhao kept it a secret.

Aunt Lan and her daughter were very anxious and wanted Bao Zhao to finish what he was saying in one breath.

But Bao Zhao slowly picked up the teacup, lifted the lid and took a sip of tea.

Gently putting down the teacup, he crossed his hands and looked at Aunt Lan and her daughter and asked, "As long as you don't marry Third Young Master Qiao, will Third Sister accept anything?"

Shen Jing had no idea what Shen Baozhao meant and her face was full of confusion.

"Even as a concubine?"