Li Can was drowsy all the way to the carriage. When Zhao Zong put her down, she woke up again. She rubbed her little face against Zhao Zong's chest and laughed: "Brother Zeyu smells good."
"Aren't you going to sleep?" Zhao Ye lowered his eyes and looked at her.
"I'm not sleepy anymore." Li Can leaned against him: "Tell me, are the Seventh Princess and Ah Yao angry today?"
"If it were you, would you be angry?" Zhao Zhen asked her.
"She must be angry." Li Can thought and suddenly opened his eyes wide: "Maybe the seventh princess will still bear grudges on me?"
"Therefore, it is not advisable for the mother-in-law to have such a temper to relieve her temporary anger." Zhao Zong warned her.
Li Can blinked his eyes and said: "My aunt is your mother-in-law. Do you dare to say that she is not her? Be careful, I will file a complaint."
Zhao Ye straightened the broken hair on her forehead: "From now on, be more careful when the Seventh Emperor's Aunt is around."
"Will Ah Yao stop paying attention to me?" Li Can asked him.
"You did nothing wrong, you have a clear conscience, and you don't have to care about what other people think." Zhao Zhen's fingertips circled a small lock of her crow-green hair.
"Okay." Li Can nodded obediently.
＊
Changle Princess Mansion.
At night, Zhao Luan entered Xia Jieyao's house again, followed by the maidservant holding a food box in her hand.
"A Yao." She called.
Xia Jieyao leaned on the soft couch and looked out the window in trance. Hearing the sound, she slowly turned her head. Her eyes were red, and she had obviously cried: "Mother."
"I came to persuade you in the afternoon, why didn't you listen?" Zhao Luan sat down next to her: "How is it different from a fool to not eat and harm your own body just to vent your anger on others?"
"Mother." Xia Jieyao lowered her head and said in a small voice, "I have no appetite."
"I know what Concubine Chen said today is really unpleasant." Zhao Luan advised: "You don't have to take it to heart. Although the prince is her biological child, it is really not her turn to make the decision on the prince's marriage."
"Mother..." Xia Jieyao held the handkerchief, covered her face and sobbed: "Stop telling me to marry His Highness the Crown Prince. I don't want to. I only have brother Zhongyong in my heart.
That day I danced at the banquet. I was afraid that my mother would be angry, so I agreed.
Now it seems that neither His Royal Highness nor Concubine Chen has this intention, and Concubine Chen is quite disgusted with it, so please don’t force your daughter..."
"Silly boy, you don't understand." Zhao Luan said, "The prince's marriage is not a family matter for his concubine Chen, but a state matter. His Majesty's decision is what matters."
"Mom, stop talking. I am a person who has lost the one I love. I really don't deserve it..." Xia Jieyao cried again.
"You are my daughter now, who do you deserve if you don't deserve it?" Zhao Luan raised his chin.
Xia Jieyao shook her head repeatedly, her veil soaked with tears: "I don't want to get married anymore. For the rest of my life, I will just stay with my mother and father..."
"That won't work." Zhao Luan shook his head and said, "Yong'er is gone, your father and I are the only ones left.
If you stay at home and don't get married, who will we rely on when we get old?"
"I stayed at home to serve my parents, wasn't it just for my mother and father to rely on?" Xia Jieyao stopped crying and looked at her with tearful eyes.
"Silly boy." Zhao Luan patted her hand: "How can things above the court be as simple as you think? If you don't get married, how can you protect us on your own?"
"Then I can change someone, it doesn't have to be the prince..." Xia Jieyao wiped her tears again.
"I have watched the prince grow up. Even though he looks cold and aloof, as if he is aloof from the world, in fact he knows everything clearly and his strategies are unparalleled." Zhao Luan raised his eyes and looked up.
Looking into the distance: "If you marry him, he will definitely be able to protect you and our eldest princess's mansion."
"But my mother is His Majesty's sister, how could Your Majesty treat my mother badly?" Xia Jieyao looked puzzled.
"The king's heart is unpredictable, you don't understand this." Zhao Luan patted her hand: "Now my mother only has you, can she still harm you?
You have to be obedient."
"But..." Xia Jieyao looked embarrassed: "Concubine Chen's words are so unpleasant, and His Royal Highness is also very good to Sister Can. I...how can I match..."
"That sick girl is unworthy." Zhao Luan immediately frowned and said, "She looks like a child, how can she be a princess?
Look at you again. Your etiquette, rules, posture, and appearance are all top-notch. The position of Crown Princess is perfect for you."
"But my hands..." Xia Jieyao looked at the ugly scars on her hands, and her eyes became moist again.
"Flaws do not hide the faults." Zhao Luan took her injured hand: "Besides, this injury was only for Li Can. Since Ze Yu regards her as his sister, he should also remember your affection."
"But... I still feel sorry for Brother Zhongyong..." Xia Jieyao said as if she couldn't hold it back, covering her face and crying loudly.
Zhao Luan couldn't help it, hugged her and cried, and finally comforted her: "He is gone, and we living people have to continue to live.
If he is alive in heaven, he will also wish you a good life.
Ah Yao, promise mother, okay?"
Xia Jieyao wiped her tears, but her own tears rolled down: "Okay, I promise..."
The two held back their tears and talked for a while. Zhao Luan had someone bring dinner to him, and Xia Jieyao reluctantly used it.
＊
There are still two days before Zhao Xun comes to deliver the betrothal gift.
Unable to hold back, Mr. He asked Li Xiangnan to post a message and invite her close friends to get together.
The first invitation was sent to the East Palace.
"The location is set on the painting boat."
In the dormitory, Li Can looked at the invitation in his hand with great interest: "I haven't been there very often."
Zhao Jie never allowed her to go to the boat alone. She had only gone there a few times with her eldest aunt since she was a child.
"Is the girl going back this time?" Candy asked curiously.
"I have to go." Li Can stood up and said, "Is Brother Zeyu in the study? I'll go talk to him."
"Your Highness is in the study." Candy replied with a smile.
Li Can got up and went out.
"girl."
Wu Zao and Wu Huang stood guard at the door of the study. When they saw Li Can coming, they both saluted.
Li Can smiled and nodded, crossing the threshold: "Brother Zeyu."
"Yeah." Zhao Zhen was busy in front of the desk: "What's the matter?"
"My fourth sister sent me an invitation." Li Can showed the invitation to him: "It is said to be a small gathering before the wedding, and the location is scheduled to be on the boat. Can I go?"
"Do you think you should go?" Zhao Zhen paused and asked her.
"I'm going." Li Can thought at that time: "No matter what happens inside, I still have the same face with them externally. If I don't go, people will inevitably spread gossip."
"Yeah." Zhao Zhen nodded slightly: "Bring the candy ball."
"Okay." Li Can agreed with a smile.
"Is it tomorrow?" Zhao Zhe glanced at the invitation.
"Yes." Li Can nodded: "Tomorrow noon, we should have lunch on the boat."
"Be careful." Zhao Ye told her: "You can stay in the belly of the ship. If you go to the deck, remember to stay away from the edge."
"I know how to drink water, brother Zeyu, have you forgotten?" Li Can asked with a smile.
"The water in the Huaihe River is deep, so you should be more careful." Zhao Gong replied.
"Okay." Li Can agreed obediently: "I'm going to the small kitchen. The cook is waiting for me there."
Zhao Xie recently arranged for her to learn to cook some simple meals by herself.
Zhao Zong nodded slightly.
As soon as Li Can left, he called Wu Zai in.
"Your Highness." Wu Lai saluted: "What are your orders?"
"Ask Feng Qing to put aside what he is doing and take two people with him to guard Li Can secretly tomorrow." Zhao Zhi ordered calmly.
"Yes." Wu Hao responded.
Zhao Ye said again: "Go and tell Tang Qiu that no matter what happens tomorrow, you will guard Li Can every step of the way and don't worry about other things."
"Yes, little one, let's go right away." Wu Zai agreed.
Early the next morning, before Li Can left the East Palace, Liu Zhenlian came to her door and said that she would go to the boat painting with her.
"My fourth sister also invited you?" Li Can was a little surprised.
As far as she knew, Li Xiangnan and Liu Zhenlian were not familiar with each other.