Chapter 150

Did Mingmei expect Lu Xiaoyao to reject her again?

No, she didn't.

But she still didn't expect Lu Xiaoyao to have a different reason for rejecting her every time!

This time, even though she was rejected, Mingmei could still see the damned "I'm doing this for your own good" look on the other woman's face.

Mingmei really wanted to pick Lu Xiaoyao up and shake her until her brains rattled!

"I'm tired. Let's go back to sleep."

Mingmei took a deep breath, feeling utterly exhausted. Lu Xiaoyao, seeing Mingmei like this, was puzzled.

She was full of energy just now, so why is she suddenly tired?

Could it be that fatigue from that kind of thing is delayed?

[Tired, I'm going out for a smoke~]

[Tired, I'm going back to work~]

[Tired, I'm going to memorize some words~]

[Numb~ I'm going to slack off.]

[??? What's with all the question marks?]

[It's the livestream moderator!]

…

Outside the Imperial City, the An Prince's Residence.

"Your Highness, it's late. Aren't you going to sleep?"

"Wait a little longer."

The voice of the eunuch outside the door sounded again. Zhen Po stared at the pile of documents on the desk, nearly tearing out his character's long hair.

The system had a way for him to recognize the characters of Ancient Blue Star, but! The process of translating this classical Chinese was still slow. Relying on the character information and the letters that had come and gone in the study during this time, he had spent an afternoon and an evening and still hadn't fully sorted out the forces in his hands and the things he urgently needed to solve.

In the end, Zhen Po simply transferred his emotions and passionately cursed the Imperial Council, since no one would know.

Now, in his eyes, the courtiers in this story were just like those politicians who didn't show their skills on the battlefield, but instead played tricks in the rear!

Earlier, General Mei Qiu had come forward to announce what he had done over the years and the reasons for doing so. Although his words didn't mention those people in the Council, he wasn't stupid. Wasn't it these people who had never even been on the battlefield who had taken the lead in scolding their military department and questioning Mei Qiu?

Now, he seemed to be playing the role of an ambitious man who only gossiped in the court and divided up factions.

"Damn it… I don't know how to play tricks~"

Zhen Po collapsed on the desk, staring blankly at the inkstone beside him. He recalled the emperor's scolding during the day, and the thought of being scolded again when he went to court at dawn made his head ache.

"Your Highness, the Wangfei (Prince's Wife) has sent someone to bring you some late-night snacks."

Before he could rest for a while, Zhen Po remembered that this character actually had a wife. This was something that Zhen Po, who had been single for over twenty years, couldn't handle. During the day, she came to deliver fruit, and at dinner, she gave all kinds of hints. It was so late, and she still remembered to send late-night snacks!

Her presence was too strong!

He hadn't reached the point where he really wanted to have a husband-and-wife relationship with an NPC!

"Come in, put it down and leave."

Zhen Po didn't want to reject her kindness, so he had the maid bring in the late-night snack. Zhen Po looked at her dress and remembered that she was the Grand Princess Consort's personal maid, Lianxiang.

Lianxiang kept her head bowed slightly, not looking around. After placing the late-night snack on the table, she told Zhen Po that it was duck soup to cool down the heat, and then she moved back out of the room in small steps, facing Zhen Po.

Before leaving, Lianxiang raised her eyes and saw that he was still looking down at the official documents. Only then did she quickly scan the study, finding nothing different. She breathed a sigh of relief before returning to report the news to the Grand Princess Consort.

"Are you sure there were no other women in the study?"

The An Wangfei, who was waiting for Zhen Po late at night, leaned halfway on the bed, narrowing her almond-shaped eyes, expressing her dissatisfaction with being suddenly neglected by the Third Prince today.

"Returning to Wangfei, there really weren't any. Doesn't Wangfei know the His Highness's study? His Highness never lets ordinary people enter that place. Even the eunuchs who serve him closely are guarding outside the door. You can see everything in the study with one glance. There are bookshelves and curio shelves, nothing that can hide a person. The study still smells of ink, and there is no extra scent of powder."

If Zhen Po were there, and saw the way these two master and servant were studying him, he would have shouted, "The army can't do without you as scouts!"

"It's all because of this matter!"

The An Wangfei had naturally heard about what had happened these days. She frowned, and she also knew about the Emperor's anger when she entered the palace yesterday.

The Empress Dowager also gave her the runaround today, and she didn't find out any useful information. Her father had also been staying behind closed doors recently because of the affairs of the court. All the pressure was on her own Wangye (Prince), could it be because she didn't find out any news today that she was being neglected by the Wangye?

"Is there any news from the other Wangfu (Prince's Residence) female relatives?"

"Wangfei, you know that since Qing Wangfei became pregnant, she has been recuperating and resting. The affairs of the residence are managed by the confidants around the Qing Wang. All the people we sent over were cleared out. As for the Yong Wangfei, don't you understand? She's just an ethereal being who doesn't care about worldly affairs. The Yong Wang also lets her compose poetry and invite some civil official female relatives to hold poetry gatherings and flower banquets."

As for the bachelor Ying Wang, their harem was too empty for them to interfere with and inquire about now.

"So I'm the only one worrying?"

"It's His Highness's blessing to have a virtuous helper like Niangniang (Empress/Consort)!"

Zhen Po was uncomfortable with the sudden addition of a big wife in the game. Similarly, uncomfortable were his older brother, who was playing the Second Prince Yong Wang, and Yuan Fang, who was playing the First Prince Qing Wang, who also had a pile of troubles as soon as they got home.

Especially Yuan Fang, who received news from his confidants when he returned to his residence today – Qing Wangfei was secretly finding people to spread news outside again, but their people had taken control of the manpower in advance.

Two hours ago, Qing Wangfu.

On the way back from being punished to kneel and being scolded in the palace, he began to sort out the forces in his hands and the court information. It was a bit tricky.

Especially since his pregnant Wangfei didn't share the same mind as him.

"Take good care of her until she gives birth to the child. As for the people who were caught, confiscate the news. As for the people, pry out the information if you can, and if you can't, chop them up and feed them to the dogs."

After saying this, Yuan Fang felt a slight discomfort in his heart.

He understood the meaning of his words very well, but this sentence was something that this body often said when dealing with his own Wangfei's affairs.

Qing Wang and Qing Wangfei had once had a time when they respected each other as guests…

After speaking, Yuan Fang looked depressed and went to the study without looking back.

At the same time, Yong Wangfu.

"That Chen Bianxiu of the Hanlin Academy's wife is just a country bumpkin, and Chen Bianxiu probably hasn't mentioned the affairs of the court to her much. So many family members know more or less about what's been happening recently, but she really can't say anything at all~"

Compared to the tense, unfamiliar, or avoidant feelings between the other two princes and their Wangfeis, Zhen Hu was more comfortable with the NPC wife, the Yong Wangfei.

At least, for now, after dismissing the servants, the husband and wife were strolling in the garden, chatting about some things. The Yong Wangfei waved the fan in her hand and told Zhen Hu about the civil official family members' opinions on the recent floods.

Although they were enjoying the flowers, as long as she wanted, some topics would unknowingly be diverted. Women's sympathy and interest in almsgiving were also very strong.

"I also can't understand how he, a zhuangyuan (top scorer in the imperial examination), could marry the daughter of a grocery store in a small county town, but now he doesn't divorce her..."

The Yong Wangfei talked about the other party's cramped appearance at yesterday's lotus banquet, and the contemptuous expressions of the other female relatives present. She shook her head again and again, "It's a pity that you appreciate Chen Bianxiu. His wife is of no great use to him."

"Wangfei doesn't know, but there's a saying circulating among the common people: 'The three great joys of a man – promotion, wealth, and the death of his wife.' That Chen Zhihan was born poor. If not for the support of his wife's family, he wouldn't be where he is today. If he abandons his wife, who he knew in his humble beginnings, because he suddenly becomes successful, I wouldn't dare to win over such a person."

Zhen Hu had already found the memory of the so-called Chen Bianxiu in his memory. He naturally knew that the other party was the new zhuangyuan of the previous year. His body was taking the path of winning over civil officials. Even his wife was the daughter of the current prime minister. A zhuangyuan who hadn't yet risen to power was still very worthy of investment.

Hearing his words, the Qing Wangfei's eyes smiled, and she was full of admiration for the man beside her. She reached out and took his arm. In that second, Zhen Hu, who thought he was ready to "sacrifice his looks" for the game, was immediately frozen in place…

And their various performances in the Wangfu were finally compiled into various messages by the dark guards and came to Mu Chen's desk.

Opening it and looking at what was happening in each Wangfu, without Mu Chen's own judgment, the system automatically marked the information with additional evaluations:

[Qing Wang, the relationship between husband and wife is not good, the heir is to be determined, the harem will be unstable after he ascends the throne;]

[Yong Wang, the relationship between husband and wife is good, but suspected to be impotent;]

Mu Chen: ??

[An Wang, the relationship between husband and wife is not good, there are no heirs, the harem will be unstable after he ascends the throne;]

[Ying Wang, Emperor, you should think about bestowing a marriage.]

Mu Chen: "…"