Chapter 4: The Threat of the King
Song Qingzhi returned to her courtyard in the prime minister's mansion worriedly, what her mother said today was obviously hidden, but she was helpless, so she could only watch and wait secretly. "Nuanqin, let the housekeeper help us prepare the car, and we'll go out." Anyway, I can't figure it out, so it's better to buy cloth for my brother to make clothes first.
The master and servant arrived at the shop and carefully selected a few good materials, "My brother hasn't been back for a few years, and I don't know if he will like the colors and styles I picked." Song Qingzhi was choosing, and she was reciting words.
"Miss, don't worry, as long as the young master picked by the young master will definitely like it, the young master loves the young lady the most." Nuan Qin chimed in on the side.
Song Qingzhi raised a smile on her face, Nuan Qin was right, when her brother was still at home, she loved herself the most, and the two of them picked out the things they wanted to buy and wanted to go back, but they didn't want to go out and met King Cheng.
Song Qingzhi looked at Nangong Shu who was coming over, remembered what her father said last night, and wanted to find out, but she didn't know the situation now, Song Qingzhi was afraid that her reckless behavior would hurt her father, so after thinking about it, it was better to avoid King Cheng. But how could Nangong Shu be willing, he deliberately waited here for Song Qingzhi to let people go without saying a word.
"Miss Song, why didn't you even say hello when you met. You are going to marry my second brother in the future, and we are also a family. Nangong Shu walked in front of Song Qingzhi.
"Is there anything His Royal Highness Chengwang looking for me?" Song Qingzhi has already put away the panic just now and dealt with it carefully, how can there be such a coincidental thing in this world, she has often come here before but has never met Nangong Shu once, how could she suddenly meet today, obviously the other party knew that she would come, so she deliberately waited here.
"It's not a big deal, I just want to ask how you thought about it?" Nangong Shu chuckled and asked.
"Consider what?" Song Qingzhi didn't remember what she said to Nangong Shu about something worth considering.
"I don't even remember, it's too much. Didn't I ask you if you wanted to be my princess? Don't worry, I've been obscure all these years, but some things are far from being as simple as they seem, aren't they? And the people in the palace have always been denied by the six relatives, and it is not necessarily a good thing for you to marry the second brother to the Prime Minister's Mansion, what do you say? Nangong Shu moved closer to Song Qingzhi, whispered and walked away.
Song Qingzhi was disturbed by Nangong Shu's words, and was stunned in place. Was King Cheng threatening himself just now, telling her that if she married His Royal Highness, he would do something to the Prime Minister's Mansion.
"Miss, what's wrong with you, miss?" King Cheng spoke in a very low voice just now, Nuanqin didn't hear it, but looked at Song Qingzhi's depressed appearance, Nuanqin was a little anxious.
"It's okay, let's go back." Song Qing shook her head and got into the carriage with the help of Nuan Qin, hoping that she thought too much.
Not far away, a figure saw Song Qingzhi's carriage leave, and then turned around and entered the private room of a nearby teahouse, "Lord Wang, Miss Song has left but she doesn't look good, why did Lord Wang bother just now?" "The person who spoke was none other than Yan Huan.
"The teacher said that she had heard some clues, and I had to follow the show so that I could protect her." Nangong Shu drank the tea in the cup and spoke.
"The subordinates are stupid and don't understand the prince's intentions." Yan Huan shook his head in confusion.
"She just heard some rumors, if she was worried that the Prime Minister's Mansion would inevitably find someone for help, who do you think she would go to?" Nangong Shu looked at Yan Huan and spoke.
Yan Huan suddenly realized that Miss Song would definitely tell the second prince, although it was only a few words, but the second prince was very likely to know the relationship between the prime minister and the prince, and I was afraid that it would affect the plan at that time. "But I wronged the prince, and I actually carried the black pot for someone like the second prince." Yan Huan spoke.
"What are you afraid of, you won't carry it for a lifetime." Nangong Shu smiled disappreciably.
Song Qingzhi returned to the Prime Minister's Mansion without saying a word, originally thinking that King Cheng would not pose a threat to the Prime Minister's Mansion if he had no strength, but today's words obviously show that he has such strength. Now that my father has agreed to the marriage of His Royal Highness, if he suddenly refuses to marry, Long Yan is furious, and the Prime Minister's Mansion will not escape. But if he marries the Second Highness, King Cheng will not let go of the Prime Minister's Mansion. Faced with such a dilemma, Song Qingzhi really didn't know what to do.
"Miss, what's wrong with you? I haven't said a word since I met His Royal Highness King Cheng just now. Nuan Qin looked at Song Qingzhi's appearance and was a little worried, she didn't hear anything from Yuan Chengwang, who was standing just now, she knew that she would have stood closer.
"Nuanqin, I'm fine, you can go and get busy first, I want to stay by myself for a while." Song Qingzhi asked Nuan Qin to leave.
Song Qingzhi thought about it for a long time, but she still didn't come up with a way. But she didn't expect it to happen so quickly, just three days after Song Qingzhi and King Cheng met, her brother who was on the way back had a problem. The Prime Minister's Mansion received a letter, saying that Song Qingyi was robbed by mountain bandits on the way back, and now the mountain bandits have indicated that they will only release the prime minister if he personally sends 100,000 taels of gold.
"Master, what can I do? How could Yi'er be robbed by mountain bandits? How can we have 100,000 taels of gold, even if you have a master, you can't go. The prime minister's wife was already panicked when she saw the letter, and the kidnappers specially sent the jade pendant on Song Qingyi's body back with the letter in order to prove that Song Qingyi was indeed in their hands.
"Daddy, you can't go. They definitely won't let people go easily, what if Daddy goes and is trapped by them. Song Qingzhi vaguely felt that her brother was not simply detained by the mountain bandits, someone must have done something, and she couldn't let her father take the risk.
"Dad, mother, let's not worry. My brother's skills are very good, and he won't be easily caught by mountain bandits. Although they took their brother's jade pendant, they couldn't be sure that the brother was in their hands, maybe it was dropped when the brother left, and they picked it up to deceive us. Now that they are thousands of miles away, it is really inappropriate for Daddy to go alone, so let's find someone to investigate first, maybe we can pick up my brother halfway. Song Qingzhi comforted the prime minister and his wife, hoping that everyone would calm down first.
"What Zhi'er said is right, master, it's too dangerous for you to rush over, it's better to let people explore first according to what Zhi'er said, and then we will think of a way." The prime minister's wife was persuaded by Song Qingzhi.
"Okay, I'll have someone inquire about the situation now." The prime minister went out anxiously.
After Song Qingzhi appeased her mother, she also left the Prime Minister's Mansion. "Miss, where are we going?" Nuan Qin on the carriage asked puzzledly, the house was already in a mess, and the young lady actually had to go out at this time.
"Go to the Chengwang Mansion." Song Qingzhi replied with a frown.
"But shouldn't we go to His Royal Highness King Duan for help?" Nuan Qin was even more confused.
"Only King Cheng can help us." Song Qingzhi said with undoubted affirmation, she remembered what King Cheng said to herself, maybe this matter was done by King Cheng. If it was really him, as long as he agreed to his conditions, he would let his brother go.
The carriage quickly stopped at the gate of King Cheng's Mansion, and Song Qingzhi knocked on the door for a long time before someone came to answer the door. The person who opened the door was Yan Huan, "Miss Song, why are you here?" ”
"I want to see His Royal Highness King Cheng, I have something to say to him." Song Qingzhi looked at Yan Huan and spoke.
"I'm sorry Miss Song, my lord ordered that if you come to him, you won't see him." Yan Huan politely refused.
"Why? You tell him that I will agree to his conditions, I can not marry the Second Highness, as long as he lets my brother go and the Prime Minister's Mansion, I will agree to his request. Song Qingzhi spoke eagerly.
"Miss Song, who you want to marry is your freedom, I think my prince has never made such a rude request, the prince doesn't want to see you, you better go back." Yan Huan's voice was cold, and then he closed the door of the palace.
Song Qingzhi was stunned outside the door, obviously King Cheng personally said to himself, as long as he did not marry the Second Highness, he would let go of the Prime Minister's Mansion. Now he even denies it completely, why did he do it. Didn't he intend to let go of the Prime Minister's Mansion from the beginning, but why did he still say those words to himself.
Song Qingzhi wanted to ask clearly, even if King Cheng changed other conditions, as long as she could do it, she was willing to agree. Thinking of this, Song Qingzhi continued to knock on the gate of the palace, but Song Qingzhi waited for several hours, her hands were swollen, and her voice was hoarse, and the gate of the palace did not open again.
"Miss, don't knock again, let's go back. His Royal Highness King Cheng shouldn't see us today, Miss, you will be worried if you go back like this to let the lord and lady see it. Nuan Qin pulled Song Qingzhi, who was still knocking on the door, and persuaded her.
"No, I must see King Cheng, otherwise my brother will not be able to come back, and the Prime Minister's Mansion will also be implicated." Song Qingzhi said with a crying voice and a warm qin, originally Song Qingzhi was just suspicious, but now that King Cheng is doing this, Song Qingzhi believes that this matter is done by King Cheng.
"Miss, Miss, we're really going back. You see, it's getting late now, and if we don't go back, the lord and the lady will be worried. Although Nuan Qin doesn't know what Miss meant, King Cheng will definitely not see us today, so let's come back tomorrow, okay? Nuan Qin didn't understand what Song Qingzhi meant, so she could only find a way to bring Song Qingzhi back first.
"Will he see me tomorrow?" Song Qingzhi knew in her heart that King Cheng would not appear today, but he also knew that this was the only way to save his brother, so he refused to leave.
"Well, we'll talk about it tomorrow, maybe His Royal Highness King Cheng will see us." Nuan Qin nodded, if she didn't say so, Miss wouldn't go back.
"Alright, we'll come back tomorrow." Song Qingzhi nodded and got into the carriage with Nuanqin.
In the next few days, Song Qingzhi still went to Chengwang's Mansion every day, but every day was in vain. The prime minister had already heard accurate information and confirmed that Song Qingyi was indeed robbed by the mountain bandits, and the local government could not do anything about this group of mountain bandits.