After rebirth, the Prime Minister's wife always wanted to leave her father behind and keep her

Cheng Songan curled the corners of his lips downwards: "If you don't want to say it, then don't say it. Is it so rare?"

Cui Yuanqing suddenly stood up, covered her shoulders, and bit her collarbone, not too hard or too lightly.

Cheng Songan felt pain and hissed, "You bit me again, are you a dog?"

Cui Yuanqing seemed a little angry: "You owe me."

Cheng Songan covered his sore spot and asked in astonishment, "Have I ever owed you anything?"

It was obviously him who had let her down all her life and dragged her down in this life. He owed her, so why was he blaming her? He went crazy for no reason last night and almost tore her bones apart, and now he was still making trouble for no reason!

Cui Yuanqing did not answer. He got up, dressed, and hurried out.

In the alleys of an ordinary family in the capital, there is an extremely inconspicuous small courtyard. Cui Yuanqing sat by the window in the room. Not far behind him, Zhi Situi said, "Sir, Prince Shou..."

Cui Yuanqing raised his hand to interrupt him, and his eyes moved from the window to him and the face that looked somewhat like his own.

Si Tui stopped talking in time, looking down and not meeting his gaze.

"Did Duan Zhuyu see your face?" Cui Yuanqing asked indifferently, and it was impossible to tell what his attitude was towards this.

Si retreated and said, "No."

Cui Yuanqing raised the corner of his lips: "Si Tui, raise your head."

He was startled and a little hesitant, but finally did not dare to disobey. He raised his head, but his eyes were still floating, with no focus.

Cui Yuanqing didn't say anything either. The room was so quiet with only the two of them, that even the sound of autumn leaves falling outside the window could be heard clearly.

After a long while, Si Tui said, "Ms. Cheng... No, Madam recognized me."

Cui Yuanqing still didn't speak, but leaned forward slightly, reached out to take off the bamboo jade pendant from his waist, and rubbed it in his hand.

Si Tui pursed his lips tightly, not knowing what to say.

Cui Yuanqing smiled faintly: "Do you blame her?"

Si Tui took a step back and replied, "The Madam was just a child back then. Many things cannot be blamed on her. She did not have a choice."

After a long while, Cui Yuanqing opened his mouth and said, "Is it my fault?"

Si Tui lowered his head: "I dare not."

Cui Yuanqing stood up, facing the window with his back to him, and then turned to the main topic: "You just said, how is the Prince of Shou?"

Si Tui breathed a sigh of relief and replied respectfully, "There are many people of the Shou King traveling around Jiangnan, and they seem to be targeting the Weaving Bureau."

Cui Yuanqing nodded and said, "Don't worry about him. Let him muddy the water. The results of the autumn examination will be announced soon. There is also a major case. You should go to Jiangnan in advance tomorrow and contact those candidates and scholars who have been oppressed."

Si Tui bowed and accepted the order. Just as he was about to stand up, he asked again, "What about Liu Shiyi's matter?"

Hearing this name, Cui Yuanqing frowned and remained silent.

Si Tui said, "The Queen Mother has already taken precautions against Prince Xiang. This time, I asked him to take the imperial examination under the name of Su Zhi of Yizhou, and Zheng Ji's identity was abandoned. I checked all the people who were involved, and there were no loopholes, let alone the possibility of leakage."

Cui Yuanqing half narrowed his eyes. Liu Shiyi was one of the sons of the criminal ministers who were rescued by him and King Xiang. This man had the literary talent and ambition to govern the country, but he could not take part in the imperial examination because of his status.

He had been planning with King Xiang for many years, and had many scholars and candidates at his disposal, who could be used at any time. He had originally planned to use Zheng Ji's name for the autumn examination, but Zheng Ji's household registration was already in the suburbs of Beijing, and he had some kinship with the Duan family.

If Prince Ning Zhao had not shown his face before the Saint, there would have been no need to worry. But since the Empress Dowager was suspicious, this identity that had a one in ten thousand chance of attracting attention could not be used, so he was given a new name, Su Zhi, and the identity of Zheng Ji was abandoned.

But how did Cheng Songan know about "Zheng Ji of Daizhou" and write such a good article?

Cui Yuanqing also tried to test her by deliberately saying that she was from Yizhou, but her expression was obviously surprised, indicating that she only knew Zheng Ji from Daizhou, but not Su Zhi from Yizhou, let alone Liu Shiyi.

This was the only thing he couldn't understand. Cui Yuanqing held his forehead in shock for a while, then slowly sat back in his chair and handed the jade pendant in his hand to Situi.

Si Tui hesitated for a moment before taking it back and whispered, "Sir, what happened back then has nothing to do with Madam."

Cui Yuanqing raised his eyes and looked at the faint scar on his forehead near his hairline. His eyes were somewhat ambiguous: "Do you think she is still the same as before?"

Si Tui's eyes moved slightly. The figure chasing him in the parade last night was slender and thin. The face after taking off the mask was beautiful and extraordinary. The whole person was gentle and dignified. She seemed to have completely changed from the strong and lively little girl in his memory, but it also seemed that nothing had changed.

When he placed the sword on her shoulder and pointed it at her forehead, she was not afraid at all, and her eyes were still full of stubbornness and passion.

He suppressed his emotions and said in a gentle tone: "I don't know."

Cui Yuanqing pointed his thin index finger at his scar and said calmly, "Si Tui, your scar is still there. That girl must have hit him hard back then, right?"

Si Tui's heart was slightly moved. When Cui Yuanqing talked about that girl, there was a doting tone in his voice that he himself had not noticed. He restrained his emotions and replied calmly: "Madam's temper was really a bit strange at that time. She was angry with you for no reason because of Mr. Lu, but she always had you in her heart."

Cui Yuanqing smiled faintly. Yes, everyone knew that the eldest daughter of the Cheng family was fond of him. The news of his resistance to marriage was widely spread, and finally when she heard it, she had no complaints and followed her family's arrangement to get engaged to him.

Later, when he was in mourning for his grandfather, she became a vegetarian on the first and fifteenth days of every month, copied Buddhist scriptures by hand, and sent gifts to the elderly in the mansion during festivals. She refused to attend any banquets in the capital because she was engaged and could not show her face in public.

Everyone knows that she is a model of noble ladies in the capital. Her virtuous attitude towards her husband's family is truly a benchmark for ladies.

But, does she have him in her heart?

"She took her anger out on you, and she also beat you." Cui Yuanqing's voice was a little obscure.

Si Tui was startled, bowed and said: "Madam just mistook me for you, sir."

Cui Yuanqing leaned his head against the wall, his posture no longer tense as before, and said with a wry smile: "So what? Si Tui, I, Cui Yuanqing, have no shame to the world, but I have only let you down. I can neither treat her well nor let her go."

Si Tui stood there in a daze. Cui Yuanqing was a favored child of heaven, and even King Xiang might not be able to make him show such weakness. What's more, he had suffered no less than Cui Yuanqing. What more could he ask for when he met such a wise master?

After a long while, Si Tui said, "Sir, it's windy, go back and put on more clothes."

When Cui Yuanqing returned to Yunxiang Pavilion, Cheng Songan was directing people to move chrysanthemums in. One pot of pink chrysanthemums was particularly beautiful. She was curious and squatted down to touch it.

Her neck was long, and when it was bent down, the collar could not cover it, revealing a purple mark.

Cui Yuanqing's mouth was dry as he watched, and he asked in a low voice: "It's not even September yet, why are the flowers being moved in?"