White Fence Dream

Chapter 159 Consideration
Bai Ying certainly knew what he was talking about.

She once thought that by marrying Prince Changyang, even if she was a concubine, she would become a noble person who would never be trampled upon at will.

But she also saw with her own eyes that even a prince as noble as him could be trampled on at will and become as lowly as an ant in the face of power.

What is even more incredible is that this power is held in the hands of a woman.

Queen Chiang.

She was a dancer of a lower birth than her.

If Queen Chiang could do it, why couldn't she?

She can also gain the favor of the emperor.

Moreover, she has advantages that Queen Jiang does not have, or in other words, luck.

She had an heir.

She has the emperor's son, and she will also be the emperor's mother.

Naturally, she could obtain the power that Empress Chiang could obtain.

But this is the deepest secret in her heart, and she will never speak it out loud, let alone reveal any trace of it at this time.

Zhou Jingyun, did he guess that Zhang Ze had some ulterior motive based on the fact that he was using Zhang Ze for her?

However, speculation is just speculation. Zhou Jingyun is not Zhang Ze, who can kill someone by fabricating a frame-up, and she is not someone who can be framed at will.

Bai Ying looked at Zhou Jingyun with a helpless expression.

"Your Highness, are you trying to drag me into being a member of Empress Jiang's party like you? I can't escape the blame?" She said, a little sadly, "Have you forgotten that I am indeed a member of Empress Jiang's party? My father and my whole family have been convicted, some have died, some have been exiled. I am alive now because I have an heir to the throne, but in fact I am still a criminal."

Zhou Jingyun did not correct that being a member of the Jiang Hou Party and wanting to be the Jiang Hou are two different things. He took over her words and said lightly: "But I am not a member of the Jiang Hou Party. I was deceived."

Cheated? Bai Ying looked at him. What? Did he want to say that he didn't know that his wife was Bai Li? This is even more childish. If you say you don't know, does that mean you don't know? It's too late.

Zhou Jingyun's voice came.

"Mr. and Mrs. Zhuang deceived me, and she also deceived me. It was not until the beginning of the year that I accidentally read the letter she wrote to Mrs. Zhuang and realized that something was wrong. I sent people to Dengzhou to interrogate Mrs. Zhuang, and then I learned her true identity."

Mr. and Mrs. Zhuang? Bai Ying thought that Zhang Ze had mentioned that they were also on the list of people who had contact with her father, but she had no impression of them. They should be the ones who were not very close to her father, and Zhang Ze could not find any problems after checking.

It can be seen that it is indeed hidden enough.

My father really put a lot of thought into this disaster.

Bai Ying sneered in her heart and was not interested in listening to what Zhou Jingyun said: "It's useless for the prince to tell me this. Just tell Zhang Ze. If he believes it, then he will believe it."

"I'm not saying this to get away with it, I'm telling the Empress what happened." Zhou Jingyun said, "Whether you respect your teacher or are seduced by beauty, I admit that I'm helping the poor. It's a done deal, and I can only think of ways to change the outcome."

Bai Ying looked at him, smiling: "So you came to threaten me and asked me to help you conceal it? You wanted your whole family to be executed, but you and my sister can live together happily together forever? I am also a criminal. Once this heir is born, I will die. There will be no good ending for me. You think too highly of me, Prince."

"I am indeed very optimistic about the Empress." Zhou Jingyun said, "The Empress was able to save her life when her entire family was sentenced to death as members of the Jiang Empress's party. This shows her extraordinary intelligence. The Empress was also the first to become pregnant when Your Majesty had been childless for many years. This is destiny."

He looked at Bai Ying with scrutiny and admiration in his eyes.

"Your Majesty is a person who has the right time, right place, and right people. No wonder Zhang Ze is willing to work for you."

Bai Ying was stunned, then burst into laughter with her eyes curved.

"Prince." She looked at Zhou Jingyun, "You are really likable. No wonder the late emperor and Empress Jiang favored you so much. Especially Empress Jiang, who offered you an official position, but you refused and didn't chop off your head. She let you go."

Zhou Jingyun said calmly: "If I hadn't refused, my head would no longer be on my neck now."

He said, stroking his neck gently.

"It's not easy to be born as a human being. I still want to live longer."

It is true that one can judge a person by his appearance but not by his heart. Bai Ying looked at Zhou Jingyun meaningfully. It turned out that the son of Dongyang Marquis, who was so elegant and as pure as an immortal, also had such worldly calculations.

"Immortal?" Zhou Jingyun smiled. "That's because I was born in a marquis' mansion. My father has made great contributions. I have fine clothes and delicious food. I have countless servants and maids. I don't need to touch water. I am close to the water and tower. I can be held by my parents to see the emperor in my cradle. The emperor praises me and everyone admires me. If I was born in a commoner's family, I can only survive by eating fireworks. How can I be immortal? I have no chance to be seen by the emperor."

He looked at Bai Ying.

"Your Highness must also be deeply touched by this."

"If you were born in a noble family, with such talent and beauty, it wouldn't be too much for you to be the queen now. Why do you need to rely on your big belly to get in front of people?"

Bai Ying looked at Zhou Jingyun and a smile appeared on the corner of her mouth, but this smile was different from before.

Previously it was timid, absent-minded and fake, but now it is relaxed, frank and shining.

"You don't have to say that, my lord." She reached out and gently stroked her belly. "Relying on my belly is also a skill. Without this belly, my lord wouldn't even look at me."

He no longer refuted Zhou Jingyun's words, nor did he act weak and confused.

Zhou Jingyun nodded: "Yes, destiny is also a skill, so I came to see the queen and tell her about this matter."

Bai Ying looked at him, smiling: "Isn't it that we can't hide it anymore? Will Zhang Ze find out about it soon?"

"Yes, before we find out, I'd like to ask you to think about it first." Zhou Jingyun also smiled, "Is it better for you to destroy a marquisate, or to take over a marquisate?"

Bai Ying looked at him without saying anything.

Zhou Jingyun stood up.

"I will go see His Majesty first." He said, bowing to Bai Ying, "Your Majesty, please take your time to consider it."

He turned and walked out.

Bai Ying's voice came from behind, cold and indifferent.

"Did she ask you to come?"

Zhou Jingyun turned his head and said, "Your Majesty, at this moment it is no longer a question of whose will it is, but how to resolve the crisis in the Dongyang Marquis' Mansion." After saying that, he walked past Wang Degui and went out.

Wang Degui's urgent voice came from behind, "Madam, he——"

Then there was no sound.

Zhou Jingyun did not look back and walked slowly to the door of the imperial study.

Gao Twelve looked at him with a smile: "Sir, why don't you sit for a while longer?"

Considering the time, I haven’t even had a cup of tea.

Now that we're meeting, why don't you exchange a few pleasantries and say a few nice words?
Zhou Jingyun didn't care about his fake smile and said calmly, "It's OK as long as the etiquette is met."

It's too early to discuss etiquette with a palace concubine, and it's too early to discuss etiquette with the unborn royal heir. It's so flattering. Gao Twelve curled his lips in his heart and pretended to be confused. He glanced into the imperial study and said, "His Majesty and Minister Qin seemed to be talking happily today." He didn't take the initiative to go in and report it for him.

Zhou Jingyun didn't seem to understand what he meant and nodded: "Yes, it sounds lively, that's good..."

As he spoke, he walked forward.

"While your Majesty is in a good mood, I will tell you about the autumn tax."

Gao Twelve was stunned for a moment, subconsciously uttered a sigh, and reached out to stop it.

Zhou Jingyun had already stepped into the threshold and said to the inside: "Your Majesty, I have finished the investigation you asked me to do—"

The laughter inside paused, and then the emperor's voice was heard.

"Jingyun, come in quickly."

At the same time, other officials' voices rang out, "The prince is here." "The deputy minister is here." "The deputy minister talks about money as soon as he arrives." Another official came out and took Zhou Jingyun's hand, "Come here, Jingyun, take a look at my new lyrics. It's a big festival, and we've talked about money as well as poetry."

Zhou Jingyun went in with a smile.

Gao Twelve withdrew his raised hand awkwardly.

However, Gao Twelve snorted in his heart. Prince Zhou, who was influenced by worldly affairs, would inevitably lose his brilliance, and by then, the emperor would also despise him.

The excitement on the emperor's side continued until the afternoon, and the queen sent someone over.

"The evening banquet is ready. Your Majesty, please return to the harem for review."

The emperor said, "It's up to the queen to decide."

The palace lady said, "The queen said she would not trouble your majesty, but the host still has to come and check on the banquet at home." She smiled again, "Your majesty is busy with government affairs and forgets to eat and sleep, but the queen Bai Fei's body can't stand it, she should go back and rest for a while."

Yes, there is also Concubine Bai in the side hall.

The emperor looked relieved; the queen was really different from before.

The court officials also nodded: "The Queen is becoming more and more prudent in her work."

"Okay, okay, let's continue drinking tonight," the emperor said to everyone.

The court officials stood up, bowed and left.

Walking out of the palace, Concubine Bai was supported by a palace maid and stood at the door. It was obvious that she had also heard the news and was going back to the harem.

The court officials didn't look at her, they chatted and laughed about whether they should find a place to continue drinking. "When the late emperor was alive, the palace banquets started in the day and lasted all night."

Zhou Jingyun walked last.

"Prince Zhou," a voice came from behind him, "your purse has fallen."

Zhou Jingyun turned around and saw Wang Degui bending down to pick up a purse from the ground, then holding it over to him respectfully with a smile.

The others glanced away and continued walking.

Zhou Jingyun stopped, waited for Wang Degui to come closer, and reached out to take the unfamiliar purse.

Wang Degui held it up with both hands and whispered, "The Queen said that she needs to see the person first to verify what the prince said."

Zhou Jingyun knew very well who this person was referring to.

It’s not possible that if he says it’s Bai Li, it’s Bai Li.

As Bai Li's sister, Bai Ying wants to see it with her own eyes.

Zhou Jingyun whispered, "She will come to the banquet tonight, please make yourself at your own convenience."

Wang Degui said nothing more, leaned forward and stepped back.

Zhou Jingyun looked back and saw that the emperor had come out. Bai Ying stepped forward and the emperor held her hand, asking her something gently and with concern. Bai Ying answered timidly.

Zhou Jingyun withdrew his gaze and looked outside.

……

……

"The prince is back."

The maids said happily and lifted the curtain.

Zhou Jingyun walked into the room and saw Zhuang Li sitting in front of the dressing table combing her hair.

"Prince." Zhuang Li smiled at him through the mirror and asked hesitantly, "Is it done?"

Zhou Jingyun smiled at her in the mirror and nodded: "It's all done."

Because combing hair cannot be interrupted, the maids and servants were all in the room, and Zhuang Li did not say anything else: "There is still some time, Prince, go and rest for a while."

Zhou Jingyun nodded, took off his outer robe, changed into casual clothes, but did not enter the inner room. Instead, he lay down on the Luohan bed next to him.

"Would you like to eat something, my Lord?" Zhuang Li asked, tilting his head slightly to look at him. "The banquet tonight will be long, and the food won't be good."

Zhou Jingyun shook his head: "No, I've eaten at His Majesty's place."

Zhuang Li was reminded by the woman combing his hair to sit up straight.

"This is the hairdresser my mother sent me." Zhuang Li sat up straight, not wanting to look at Zhou Jingyun, but continued talking to him.

Zhou Jingyun hummed: "Mother Wang's cooking skills are very good."

The woman who combed her hair smiled and thanked her: "I will definitely comb your hair nicely for you, Madam."

Zhou Jingyun didn't say anything, but lay sideways and watched Zhuang Li comb her hair. Her hair was thick, dense, and shiny black. It must be real, right? She said her face was not her real face.
The maids in the room were also busy. They hung up the clothes to be worn, checked them carefully, and ironed them.

"Are the prince's clothes ready?" Zhuang Li asked again.

Chunyue said: "It's ready. The clothes, shoes, socks and hats are all new."

While the lady was combing her hair and inserting the hairpin, Zhuang Li turned to look at Zhou Jingyun and asked, "Sir, do you want to try it?"

Zhou Jingyun shook his head: "No need." He smiled and said, "I look good in anything."

Zhuang Li laughed out loud: "Your Highness is right."

The hairdressers and maids also laughed. The room was filled with laughter and joy in the afternoon, and it was lively and warm.