If I were born again, I would marry a strong but short-lived husband.

Shen Sui'an felt relieved.

Old Madam Lu is now busy dealing with Gao, and the quarrels between her and the Duke can be heard from the upper room from time to time.

The Duke became more and more energetic as he argued, as if his illness had completely healed.

On the other hand, Madam Lu's face was gloomy, her eyes were dark, and she looked as if she had aged several years.

"Ms. Gao lost her husband at an early age and had no children. She was driven out of the house by her mother-in-law. She was good at making medicinal food, and many ladies from wealthy families wanted to invite her to their homes." Shen Suian said with a smile.

"She has seen all the jealous tactics before. The old lady is no match for her."

She was the one who introduced Gao to her third aunt. As the granddaughter-in-law, bringing Gao to Duke Lu at this time would definitely cause discussion among others, but it was different for Ruan.

The Third House's filial piety towards the Duke is evident to all.

Ruan said, "I see that Gao is planning to stay. Doesn't she mind the Duke's age?"

Shen Sui'an remembered that Gao also married into a wealthy family in her previous life, but she never became anyone's concubine. At most, she was just a confidante.

"Staying here doesn't necessarily mean you'll become a concubine," Shen Sui'an said.

"No matter if it's my concubine or something else, she's a thorn in the old lady's heart anyway." Ruan said with a smile.

She glanced at Shen Sui'an and whispered, "Oh, Sui Sui, um... my brother has already set off to come to the capital."

When Shen Sui'an saw Ruan's hesitant expression, she knew that her third aunt's brother did not come to visit his sister.

"Is it for Lu Yuan?" Shen Suian asked.

Ruan nodded slightly, "My brother was also asked by someone to come and meet Lu Yuan in person."

"So you're planning to tell the truth about Lu Yuan's life experience?" Shen Suian raised his eyebrows.

We can't keep it secret any longer and observe whether Lu Yuan is qualified to return to his ancestral home like a monkey.

"That's natural," said Ruan.

In fact, she was still worried that it would be dangerous if Lu Yuan knew about it.

But when her brother came to the Southern Dynasty, she couldn't hide it even if she wanted to.

Shen Sui'an: "In fact, Lu Yuan is already over 20 years old. Even if he leaves the Lu family, we can still start our own business without relying on any family."

When Ruan heard Shen Sui'an's opinions about the Southern Dynasty, she felt only bitterness in her heart.

"It would be great if Lu Yuan's identity was that simple." Ruan smiled bitterly.

Shen Sui'an did not continue to ask, because he would know the answer sooner or later anyway.

She is now more and more certain that Lu Yuan's untimely death in the previous life was not due to his physical condition, but was related to the people of the Southern Dynasty.

……

……

Zhennan Palace.

"You, you want to take Yuanjia and Chunhua back to Yunzhou?" When Prince Zhennan heard the princess' words, he suddenly turned his head to look at her.

"Spring is about to pass. If we don't go back, it will rain a lot in Yunzhou in summer and it will be difficult to travel." The princess said lightly.

Prince Zhennan: "It's not that I don't want you to leave, it's that the Emperor hasn't agreed yet, and the palace must leave an heir."

"Then let Feng Shenghua stay." said the princess.

"Princess, Chunhua is already the crown prince. The emperor wants to keep the crown prince." Prince Zhennan sighed.

"That's what I thought at the beginning. I wanted Shenghua to become the crown prince first so that he could stay in Shangjing and study with the other princes. I wanted to protect our child and make sure he could stay by your side."

The princess simply glanced at him calmly and said, "Then the arrangement now is exactly what the prince had in mind from the beginning."

Prince Zhennan's expression froze. He had never spoken out loud what he was thinking, so how could the princess know?

"Your Highness, are you afraid that the Emperor will not agree to let Feng Shenghua stay in the capital? I can go to the palace and ask the Emperor for help," said the princess.

"You go to beg him? Do you think he will still remember the old relationship between you? I have seen how cruel and ruthless he is. If I had not been in Yunzhou these years, I would have died long ago." Prince Zhennan shouted angrily.

The princess' eyes were calm, "What old relationship do I have with the emperor?"

Prince Zhennan sneered: "Do you think I don't know that you and the emperor are childhood sweethearts? If the Queen Mother hadn't taken a fancy to the eldest daughter of the Qu family, you would have entered the palace long ago."

"Yes, because I don't want to share a husband with other women. The prince knew it at the beginning." said the princess.

He knew her pride, but he still trampled on her sincerity.

Prince Zhennan took a deep breath and said, "The emperor also wants to keep Chunhua. It's useless for you to say anything."

"How can you know if you haven't tried it?" said the princess.

"Heh." Prince Zhennan paced back and forth irritably.

"Princess, Chunhua is already the prince of the palace. If he stays in Shangjing, others will not dare to harm him. After two years, he can return to Yunzhou safely. But if Shenghua stays, it will be difficult for him to go back alive." Prince Zhennan pleaded.

He hated the Bai family, but Feng Shenghua was his son, and he only had two sons in his life.

He would feel heartbroken if he lost either one.

This was his decision after weighing the pros and cons.

"The Bai family is so powerful, how could they not even protect their grandson?" The princess said lightly, still unmoved.

Prince Zhennan lost his patience to continue discussing with her.

"I am the head of the Zhennan Palace. It is up to me to decide who stays and who leaves."

The princess just glanced at him indifferently and turned away.

The Bai family has been active in Shangjing City recently, just to allow Feng Shenghua to return to Yunzhou as soon as possible.

She knew very well what the Bai family was thinking.

They thought that even if Feng Chunhua was the prince, as long as Feng Shenghua returned to Yunzhou, he could use the name of the second son of the Zhennan Palace to recruit talents. After a few years, when Feng Chunhua returned to Yunzhou, he would only have the title of prince.

The Ye family was very well-behaved and did not move around at all.

Prince Zhennan proposed to the Emperor that he should return to Yunzhou, and agreed to let the Crown Prince stay in Shangjing and study in the upper study room with the princes in the palace.

The emperor did not agree immediately, but summoned the princess first.

"After so many years, your personality really hasn't changed at all." The emperor looked at the still beautiful Princess Zhennan, with a rare tenderness in his eyes.

"I'm older now, and there are differences from before." The princess bowed respectfully and stood up before answering the emperor.

The emperor smiled faintly, "Your children don't look much like you."

"Environment shapes a person's character," said the princess.

If her children had grown up as carefree and fearless as she did, they certainly wouldn't be as cautious and reserved as they are today.

The emperor sighed, "I owe you this. I will agree to any request you make."

The princess lowered her head and said, "Your Majesty, your words are too kind. You and I are just acquainted as young people. There is no debt between us."

Different choices, different destinies, so there is no owe.

"So you don't want to make any requests?" the emperor asked with a raised eyebrow.

The princess raised her head slightly and asked, "Can you agree to it just by asking?"

"How could I lie to you?" the emperor said in a deep voice.

It’s not like I haven’t lied before, the princess laughed in her heart.

"Your Majesty, Yuanjia is my only daughter and the Crown Prince's only sister. We all hope that she will have a safe and smooth future." The princess whispered.

The emperor's eyes flashed with surprise. He looked at the princess deeply and said, "I know."