Masquerade in Bridal Attire and Marry the Prince

102. Imprisoned

Translator: Antonia

In fact, the matter didn’t go beyond Yuxing Tianrui’s design to the last point. He had predicted that in whatever identity Zhao Zheng went to the Turkic land, as long as she married with glory and grandeur, the Zhao family would in the end have a thousand pretext to take it out on the imperial family of Shenglan. But by the current situation, Zhao Zheng’s marriage already wasn’t much of glory, at least not very decent.

Such a woman would only bring humiliation to the family, and the Zhao family was already kind not to cut her off. The family would just leave Zhao Zheng, the person who couldn’t produce any good for it, alone at the edge of the earth, unless she managed in the future to gain the affection of Ashina Fei, which at present stood a little chance.

After thinking through everything, Du Chuxuan couldn’t help raising his eyebrows. It turned out Yuxing Tianrui was the best plot-designer. After he understood Yuxing Tianrui’s plot, he figured what had been the Zhao family’s and Ashina Fei’s joint-scheme against him and certainly didn’t very much take pity on them. Quickly, he left everything behind him.

The couple cleaned up and was about to rest, when Luo Yi suddenly requested an audience. It was already late at night, Du Chuxuan still let him in with a frown, “What?” It wasn’t that he was short-tempered but that after such a long day, he really needed a good rest.

Luo Yi shrank a little his neck and had to speak the truth despite his anger, because it was of great significance, “There is news that in two months, it’ll be the Wulin Assembly, and that Manlou is quite active for this year’s Wulin Assembly and their people have frequently showed up in some places in Jiangnan.”

Hearing that, both of them stiffened. They had been investigating on this Manlou for a long time but only obtained odds and ends of information which wouldn’t form a logic clue at all. As long as they managed to solve the problem of Manlou, they could instantly deal with the Mansion of Duke Ningyuan and the Zhao family and even uproot the Four Great Families. Yet, the investigation simply made no progress.

Du Chuxuan took a glance of Yuxing Tianrui sideways. At this moment, as the Crown Prince, he certainly couldn’t leave the palace, but Du Chuxuan had a great desire in following the matter and was wondering whether the man would agree or not. After all, the Emperor didn’t like them being involved in Wulin affairs.

Without looking, Yuxing Tianrui knew what was in Du Chuxuan’s mind. He pondered briefly and had an idea, “Luo Yi, you may leave now.” He just finished the words, and Luo Yi disappeared. Yuxing Tianrui autocratically pulled Du Chuxuan to bed and lie down, “It’s too late. Let’s talk about everything tomorrow.”

Unable to refuse him, Du Chuxuan obeyed, with pleasure. Of course he enjoyed more touching with Yuxing Tianrui.

The other side of the imperial city wasn’t as jovial as the East Palace. The Zhao family was under dark clouds. Since Zhao Zheng would marry as a princess, the Empress, however she disliked her, had granted two elderly nannies to Zhao Zheng to teach her the etiquettes of a princess by the way.

The Zhaos had high ranks, but they daren’t to disrespect the nannies from the palace, so they had just taken a look and soon left. Seeing that her daughter was taken away, Madam Zhao wanted to say something but shut up under Old Master Zhao’s fierce warning gaze. Now she already figured that she had been framed earlier today.

“Father, what happened on earth?” Master Zhao still had no idea of everything yet. He had been waiting at home for the good news, only to find that everyone came back with a gloomy face. He was very confused, because he hadn’t attended the banquet. Only those with an official position were eligible to the banquet, so Old Master Zhao had gone there in Master Zhao’s place.

Hearing that, Old Master Zhao only wanted to tap the foolish son with the stick, “You ask me what happened? Ask your good daughter. What was wrong with her? Haven’t we agreed on everything? Why did she give me a pain in the ass at the critical moment?” His rage was so obvious that Master Zhao no longer dared to ask.

Madam Zhao was already tearful, “Father, you’ve been in the service for so many years. Obviously, Zheng was trapped this time. You must help her. She’s just a young girl and can’t take it to marry to a place thousands of miles away!” On her words, Master Zhao was even more nervous not to ask.

He was perplexed by their conversation. According to their plan, Zheng should become the concubine of Yuxing Tianrui, shouldn’t she? Weren’t the nannies for what he had in mind? The more he considered it, the more he felt too scared to ask. He had an ominous feeling crawling in his heart that the nannies would also come if she ended up a princess for the political marriage.

The entire Zhao Mansion was immersed in a sulky mood. Zhao Zheng instead calmed down a lot after she returned home, no longer murmuring those sentences and so quiet as if nothing had happened. There was a flicker of contempt in the nannies’ eyes. The so-called lady from a great family also tried desperately for a man.

Everyone in the palace knew Zhao Zheng’s thoughts and also the fact that His Highness didn’t like her. Otherwise, Du Chuxuan couldn’t have become the Crown Princess given his identity. Therefore, His Highness’s feelings mattered most.

His Highness was also a dignified person. Did he have to like Miss. Zhao just because she liked him? Zhao Zheng’s attitude made the nannies disliked her more.

Until the next morning when she woke up, Zhao Zheng, on a sudden rising from the bed, finally came to realize what had taken place last night. With a scream, she rushed out of her room, scaring everyone to surround around her. Now Zhao Zheng’s identity was no more a normal lady. Anything mustn’t happen to her.

Zhao Zheng sat on the chair, eyes vacant. Who could tell her what on earth had happened? She remembered clearly everything that had occurred, but she also knew clearly that none of those things had been done on her will! She had been controlled!

“Come on!” She ignored the nannies beside her and yelled to outside, “Go and get my mother. I have things to tell her!”

She gave the order to her close maid, who naturally daren’t to disobey her. However, at this moment, the maid replied with difficulty, “Lady, Old Master said that until your wedding, no one shall come here to bother you from learning etiquettes.”