Chapter 1248 Why Zhao Xiran Married into the Mansion
Shao Wanru indeed had those calligraphy works and paintings.
These pieces of calligraphy were originally kept by Old Madam Qin, and they should be left to her by Shao Wanru’s father. They were not eye-catching when they were mixed with some other calligraphy works and paintings. They were not famous works. Maybe because they were not eye-catching, Madam Di didn’t want them. Qin Huaiyong should not know about it at that time, so Shao Wanru got these calligraphy works and paintings.
After she arrived in the capital city, Shao Wanru was in danger and almost had an accident because of these calligraphy works. Fortunately, Chu Liuchen asked Xiao Xuanzi to take her away. After that, she felt that these works were not ordinary, so she specially packed them up.
Later, there were traces of someone moving the calligraphy works in her study. It was also at that time that Qin Huaiyong probably knew something about the pieces. He also suspected that the calligraphy works Shao Wanru got at that time were the ones he was looking for. Every one of them had been checked very clearly, but he didn’t check the paintings inside clearly. The traces were obvious.
Nothing else had changed except for these calligraphy works and traces of painting being moved. No one else in the mansion could have done this.
“Where did my father get these calligraphy works? How did he get them?” After explaining the cause and effect to Chu Liuchen, Shao Wanru frowned slightly.
“It should have something to do with Minister Zhao,” Chu Liuchen said gently.
Shao Wanru wanted to say something and the corners of her mouth trembled slightly. The answer was on the tip of her tongue, but she felt it ridiculous at the moment. However, she knew clearly that it might be true.
After a pause and a long while, she said, “Is that why Zhao Xiran married into the mansion?”
Those pieces of calligraphy were of great importance and related to the Tiger Token of the deceased emperor.
The deceased emperor could also be regarded as the founding emperor. He rose to power after following Chu Liuchen’s grandfather to fight throughout the country. Chu Liuchen’s grandfather died after being the emperor for a few years. Later, the deceased emperor succeeded to the throne and unified the country. Although the Tiger Token he had did not have much effect now, it was the thing that could make some old generals go all out to serve.
Everyone wanted this Tiger Token, but the deceased emperor did not pass it down. No one knew if it was because he was seriously ill at that time or for other reasons.
“The deceased emperor left half of the Tiger Token in the calligraphy works and paintings and told Minister Zhao about it, who was very loyal to the deceased emperor at that time, but he was useless. Uncle the Emperor learned something from his words, but he couldn’t rob the Tiger Token openly. It happened that your father was going to leave the capital, so he asked your father to look for it.” Chu Liuchen said slowly with coldness in his eyes.
“Your father was very capable. With just a few words, he led Minister Zhao to talk about the whereabouts of those calligraphy works and paintings. After that, he left the capital. Minister Zhao must have regretted it, but he couldn’t chase after him, so he had been paying attention to your father’s whereabouts. Later, there came the news of your father’s death. Shao Jing inherited the title of nobility of Duke Xing’s Mansion. After your mother returned to the capital and gave birth to Yuanhao, she disappeared. Minister Zhao felt that if those calligraphy works and paintings were brought back to the capital, they would probably have been obtained by Duke Xing’s Mansion and Shao Jing.”
Shao Wanru lowered her head and listened to him slowly, with a faint sneer on her face. She also knew what had happened next. Zhao Xiran married into Marquis Xing’s Mansion.
Perhaps when her marriage was discussed, Zhao Xiran didn’t really want to marry into the mansion. She just secretly went to Duke Xing’s Mansion to investigate again and again but only to find out nothing. It happened that Shao Wanru had returned to Duke Xing’s Mansion at this time. Minister Zhao’s Mansion decided to let Zhao Xiran get married by then. They even hurriedly let Zhao Xiran marry into Duke Xing’s Mansion before Shao Wanru got married.
They wanted to secretly check her luggage and even her dowry before Shao Jing married into Prince Chen’s Mansion. That was why Zhao Xiran plotted against her before Shao Wanru married into Prince Chen’s Mansion. Zhao Xiran also wanted to take charge of the mansion, which was a fake excuse. In fact, she wanted to find the Tiger Token from Shao Wanru. Later, Shao Wanru married into Prince Chen’s Mansion. Zhao Xiran knew that it was impossible to find the Tiger Token from her, so she wanted to check Shao Jing’s study. Therefore, she sent someone to keep an eye on Shao Jing.
Everything seemed to have been figured out, and many things that couldn’t be explained before became clear at this moment.
Zhao Xiran was abnormal, and Minister Zhao’s Mansion paid close attention to Shao Wanru because of the calligraphy works.
“Do they know that this is only half of the Tiger Token?” Shao Wanru asked.
“I don’t know. They all think that it is a complete Tiger Token. Minister Zhao thinks so, and so does Prince Cheng. At that time, he kept the calligraphy works and paintings of the deceased emperor to get the Tiger Token. Unexpectedly, they led to you,” Chu Liuchen said with a faint smile.
This reminded Shao Wanru of that night when she was frightened. She was too naive. On that day, she revealed a little bit of her whereabouts, but Prince Cheng fought back. The bookstore was Prince Cheng’s place. In order to get the calligraphy works and paintings, Prince Cheng would even kill her, let alone catch her. Fortunately, Chu Liuchen showed up at that time and saved her from danger.
Thinking of it now, Shao Wanru still had some lingering fear. She, who had just arrived in the capital, was still too immature. She didn’t expect to get involved in such a serious thing.
There was still half of the Tiger Token kept by Consort Lan. Shao Wanru pinched the handkerchief in her hand and wanted to say something but stopped on second thought. In fact, she really wanted to ask the Emperor if he knew that Consort Lan had half of the Tiger Token.
Without her asking the question, Chu Liuchen said, “He knows!”
His words were very abrupt, but they solved Shao Wanru’s doubts. Shao Wanru raised her watery eyes and looked at Chu Liuchen in astonishment. He didn’t say that before, did he?
Chu Liuchen smiled, and there was a faint affection in his beautiful eyes. Since she wanted to know, why didn’t he tell her? When he was about to talk about that matter, he was interrupted by Shao Wanru. “What about Shao Yanru? What will happen to her?”
“She has been sent to Prince Zhou’s Mansion,” Chu Liuchen said indifferently.
“Prince Zhou’s Mansion?” Shao Wanru felt her heart skip a beat and suddenly had a bad feeling. She subconsciously held Chu Liuchen’s hand and said, “Keep an eye on Prince Zhou’s Mansion. Shao Yanru will make a scene.”
In her last life, she didn’t know if Shao Yanru had something to do with the rebellion of Prince Zhou, but in this life, Shao Wanru couldn’t explain it clearly and always felt that there was something she had forgotten.
“Your Highness, please save my father!” Shao Yanru burst into tears, threw herself into the arms of Chu Liuzhou, and choked with sobs.
Chu Liuzhou reached out to hold her in his arms tenderly, patted her gently on the back, and comforted her, “Don’t cry. I can’t do anything about it. It’s my father’s order. Your father was too bold to do such a thing.”
Chu Liuzhou couldn’t help gasping at the thought of Shao Jing. He didn’t expect that Shao Jing would be so bold as to fight for the title of nobility even more fiercely than he did. Sure enough, one couldn’t judge a book by its cover. How could a person who used to smile brightly be so cruel?
Shao Jing had killed his brother and imprisoned his sister-in-law, and repeatedly attempted to murder his nephew and niece.
“Your Highness, Your Highness, please, please.” Shao Yanru pulled the sleeve of Chu Liuzhou and refused to let him go. She looked at him with pleading eyes.
It was rare for Chu Liuzhou to have the patience to continue persuading her. “Don’t cry. It was also your father’s fault. The imperial edict has been issued. What happened can’t be changed. Don’t be sad. You still have your brother with you. You two will be fine.”
Chu Liuzhou was not so patient at first, but when he thought that the woman in front of him had made so much effort to escape from the Palace to be with him and was even willing to fake her death to leave the Palace, he realized that she had a deep affection for him. Even if she did something slightly bad, he chose to forget it at this time.
How could he not feel pity for such a beautiful lady, who had just come to him?
Although it was a little regretful that Chu Liuzhou lost the support of Marquis Xing’s Mansion, with such a beauty accompanying him, his temperament became much better, and he didn’t think it was difficult to comfort her. After all, Shao Yanru had given up her life in the Palace and escaped from the Palace to come to him with the crime of being beheaded.
In this respect, Chu Liuzhou was very satisfied.
“Eldest Brother, yes, where is Eldest Brother? Your Highness, please help me find Eldest Brother. I need to see him.” Shao Yanru also knew that she had no way to save Shao Jing, so she could only turn to another request.
Chu Liuzhou said, “Your Eldest Brother and your sister-in-law went to Minister Zhao’s Mansion. I heard that they left Minister Zhao’s Mansion and went to a house, a house of Minister Zhao.”
After Shao Jing was in trouble, Chu Liuzhou sent many people to inquire about it and got a lot of information. It was not a secret where Shao Hua’an had gone.
Zhao Xiran took Shao Hua’an back to Minister Zhao’s Mansion, but Minister Zhao was afraid of being implicated by them, so he drove them out again. After that, he just gave them a house. The house was not big, but it could accommodate them. Zhao Xiran had two servant girls with her, and Shao Hua’an brought a servant with him. The rest didn’t go with them and stayed in Marquis Xing’s Mansion.
Although Marquis Xing’s Mansion was still in existence, it no longer belonged to Shao Jing’s branch. Shao Yuanhao became Marquis Xing justifiably, although he still lived in Rui’an Great Elder Princess’s Mansion.
Shao Yanru wiped her tears and said with hatred, “Minister Zhao is so despicable. How can he kick us when we’re down at this time?”
“Don’t worry. I will ask someone to take care of your Eldest Brother, but you can’t see him at this time. Many people are keeping an eye on him. If you show up, you will be discovered and beheaded.” Chu Liuzhou warned her. He was afraid that she would insist on seeing Shao Hua’an, who was now being watched by many people. Any sign of disturbance would arouse suspicion.
“Father, Eldest Brother…” Although Shao Yanru nodded in agreement, she looked at Chu Liuzhou sadly with red and swollen eyes and said, “Your Highness, if I am discovered one day, I will take all the blame alone. Even if I die, I will protect the reputation of Your Highness. I fled to your mansion, but you didn’t know about it.”
Her words were full of affection as if she was willing to go through fire and water for Chu Liuzhou. Coupled with her red and swollen eyes from crying, it made people feel sorry for her.
“Don’t worry. I’ll protect you.” Chu Liuzhou’s heart softened as he said that softly, reaching out to hold her in his arms.
“Your Highness, Your Highness, I only have you now! If you also abandon me, I… I would rather die.” Shao Yanru cried and fell into the arms of Chu Liuzhou, looking extremely gentle. Thinking of her current situation, which was pitiful and affectionate, how could Chu Liuzhou be willing to part with her? Therefore, he comforted her gently again.
No one saw the blood-red hatred in the eyes of Shao Yanru at this moment.
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