chapter 19.4

"Ai." After the sound of An Ning's footsteps faded away, only then did Emperor Jianing sigh, "An Ning was very well-behaved when she was young, it's hard to know when she started to change into this temper. The battlefield has no eyes, does Zhen have to see my child die before me? Besides, she is eighteen. Even if she is a princess, she still has to marry someone."

Seeing that Emperor Jianing was rambling to himself, Zhao Fu stepped forward to refill some hot tea and advised him: "Bixia, the princess has unparalleled majesty, any family's sons that are assigned will yield, you don't have to worry about it."

Emperor Jianing lightly snorted: "That's natural. Being able to marry Zhen's daughter is their greatest honour." He paused, and then said in a deep voice, "Taizi has also left the Eastern Palace?"

Zhao Fu nodded: "Listening to the imperial guard's report, Taizi-dianxia personally ordered the princess to be sent back to the palace."

Emperor Jianing's eyes narrowed, and there was some slight surprise in his voice: "It's already been ten years, is there really a person who can make him change his mind? This Ren Anle, if used well, will be Zhen's sharp weapon."

Zhao Fu's heart trembled; he didn't answer. He stood quietly behind Emperor Jianing, looked at the emperor's gloomy expression hidden under the candlelight, and slowly lowered his eyes.

The weather was poor, and it rained heavily and continuously for a month in the capital. Even the eldest An Ning-gongzhu's impressive feat of visiting a brothel and keeping a courtesan was forgotten by the people of the capital in the continuous heavy rain.

Ren Mansion. Drenched from the rain, Yuan Shu ran into the book pavilion, dragging water stains all over the floor. Yuan Qin served a cup of hot tea and gave it to her, "So frazzled. How are things in the west of the city?"

"Still good, a few days ago xiaojie ordered to send over a lot of food and clothing." Yuan Shu panted, clasped the tea that Yuan Qin handed over, and took a large gulp, "Where's xiaojie?"

"Xiaojie has also just come back and is changing clothes in her room. More and more foreign people have entered the capital, and all the government offices in the capital are busy." Yuan Shu's eyebrows furrowed, worried about crossing her face.

There was heavy rain in the capital city and its surrounding area. Many houses had collapsed, fertile fields were flooded, and the common people had nothing to rely on, so they had to flee to the capital, but… there were a little too many refugees pouring in.

While they were speaking, Ren Anle changed into a vermillion quju and walked in. The steps of the wooden clogs made a low sound, and her long hair was loose, carrying a dampness.

( a style of hanfu, with a curved skirt that covers the back)

Yuan Qin cried out in alarm, and immediately grabbed a cloth towel, scolding as she walked over to dry her hair for her.

Ren Anle stood by the window, squinting at the sky that almost seemed to be collapsing: "If the rain keeps falling like this, I'm afraid there will be problems with the water courses."

Yuan Shu blinked, not understanding the situation. She was about to ask what happened when Chang Qing walked across the corridor, his gait a little hurried.

"Xiaojie, just now there was news from the imperial city. Taizi-dianxia, Prince Mu, and the two prime ministers were all summoned into the palace by Bixia."

Ren Anle turned around, speaking in a deep voice: "What happened?"

"I heard of a group of people who flooded into the capital and trespassed into the palace gates. Within the chaos, the commander of the Yulin Army found a blood book on someone, with thousands of people's signatures on it, and then reported it to Bixia."

( a blood book is often a compilation of signatures and letters from the common people, written in blood, making heavy requests and wishes, and expressing concerns to the emperor.)

"Blood book? From the people that are fleeing from the districts of the capital city and its surrounding area?"

Chang Qing shook his head, his voice a little dry: "No, it's from the people fleeing calamity from Jiangnan."