Duke Jing's younger sister

Chapter 196 Let her go

After coming out of the imperial study, Han Yunning and her maid crossed the imperial garden and headed towards her Xiyun Pavilion.

The night in the palace is deep and quiet.

Suddenly, the calls of cuckoos pierced the night sky.

In this boundless night, the sound was particularly clear, as if it had torn a hole in the darkness.

Han Yunning didn't want to pay attention to it.

Now, she has achieved her goal.

Since you are already pregnant, why should you care about him?

But in order to make things happen, Xiao Wenhao still needs to be reminded a few more times.

Han Yunning turned around and ordered, "Stay here and don't let anyone get close."

The maid knelt and replied, "Yes."

The rockery in the Imperial Garden was where she and Xiao Wenhao often had their secret meetings.

As soon as she approached, someone grabbed her wrist and pulled her into the gap of the rockery.

Xiao Wenhao pushed her against the rockery and his hands moved quickly over her body.

The thrill of having sex with her is both exciting and tense.

It's like someone has given him an addictive poison that often makes him unable to stop.

He was breathing heavily and rapidly at this moment, like a hungry beast who wanted to eat her alive.

Han Yunning pushed him away and refused, "Your Highness, no."

Xiao Wenhao paused in his affectionate gesture on her neck and asked, "Why not? Doesn't the queen miss me?"

"I am pregnant."

Her tone was as calm as water.

Xiao Wenhao's movements came to an abrupt halt. He turned his head and looked at her in disbelief. "Your Majesty, are you saying that this child is mine?"

"If you think it's not, that's fine."

Han Yunning smiled, "In other words, whether it's your brother or your son, you will protect him for his entire life, right?"

Xiao Wenhao narrowed his eyes slightly, his interest disappeared instantly, and he let her go.

He never thought of having any children with her.

"Why do I feel like I'm being used by the Queen?"

"Your Highness, have you forgotten that you were the one who provoked me first?"

Han Yunning straightened the loose hairpins on her temples and said slowly,

"Your Highness, please forgive me for not reminding you that Jiang Minzhi has been released from prison. Don't you want the Jiang family to be used by you like the Lin family once was?"

"Your Majesty, do you want me to ask my father to marry Jiang Li?"

Xiao Wenhao straightened his robe and asked, "Do you hate her so much?"

Han Yunning chuckled, "Strange, marrying the prince and becoming the crown princess is the highest honor. But from what His Royal Highness said, it seems that marrying you is like jumping into a fire pit."

Xiao Wenhao curled his lips and smiled contemptuously.

"Your Highness should know clearly whether it is a fire pit or not."

Han Yunning clenched his fists, stared at him for a moment in the night, and then laughed softly, "Your Highness, do you want to marry Jiang Li?"

Xiao Wenhao: "Of course I do."

Marrying Jiang Li is equivalent to gaining the support of all the students of the Western School.

The Eastern faction is now in decline. If we can control the Western faction, there is no need to worry about not achieving great things.

But Emperor Hongyang was suspicious by nature, and if he rashly went to propose marriage, it would probably backfire.

This is also the reason why he has remained silent.

"Then please, Your Highness, lower yourself in front of the Second Prince during this period of time..."

She walked closer to Xiao Wenhao, hooked her fingers around his waist, pulled him closer, and whispered in his ear,

"The more submissive Your Highness is, and the more arrogant the Second Prince is, the more His Majesty will feel sorry for you. Then, your wish will naturally come true."

"I am waiting for the day when I will drink your wedding wine."

Han Yunning patted his chest lightly, turned around and left.

Looking at her departing back, Xiao Wenhao seemed to be lost in thought.

......

In a blink of an eye, it was August 28th, the day when Shen Zhiyan and Xiao Wenyuan were going to get married.

Jiang Li got up early, and with the help of Xingping, she put on her makeup. Soon she went to the Shen Mansion for the banquet.

While having breakfast, Luo Zhi came in and placed a stack of rice paper in front of Jiang Li.

"Girl, that even the second one is confessed."

She chewed on a sweet bean paste cookie and asked, "So fast? I thought it would take some time."

"That Lian Lao Er is even bolder than we thought. He actually asked for a loan of 500 taels directly from the underground bank!"

Luo Zhi held up five fingers, feeling very shocked.

Logically speaking, Lian Lao Er was not the son of a wealthy family, so how could he be so bold in placing bets in the casino, often betting around a hundred taels.

You know, hundreds of taels of silver are enough for an average frugal farmer to live on for more than ten years.

It is normal that Luo Zhi does not understand. How can a gambler's thoughts be the same as those of a normal person?

If gamblers could think like normal people, there wouldn’t be so many people who lose everything and sell their children and still don’t repent.

"Miss, now that the evidence is here, shall we hand it over to the master now?" Xingping said.

Jiang Li was silent for a moment, then shook her head. "Lock up Lian Lao Er first. Father has been sick since he came back from prison. It's not appropriate to talk to him about this now."

She was not merciful and wanted to leave a way out for Zou.

But seeing her father in this state, she didn't know what to do for a moment.

Forget it, let’s talk to Zou another day and then talk about other things.

After packing up, Jiang Li took Luo Zhi and Xing Ping to the Duke of Jingguo's Mansion.

They arrived early, and the betrothal gift team from Prince Rui's Mansion had not arrived yet.

Since Shen Beiqi was not in Jiangdu City, Shen Beiqi's second uncle Shen Chuanzhi was in charge of the main hall of the Shen Mansion and was receiving the male guests who came to the banquet.

The flower hall was crowded with women from various families who came to attend the banquet.

When Jiang Li arrived, Shen Zhiyan was surrounded by a group of noble ladies like the moon surrounded by stars.

She was wearing a light red silk dress today, like a blooming red lotus, and was particularly dazzling in the crowd.

Seeing Jiang Li coming in, Shen Zhiyan smiled sweetly at her.

Given their relationship, there was no need for polite words.

Shen Zhiyan continued to greet others, while Jiang Li went to greet Yang.

"Third cousin?"

Jiang Li turned around and Yang Lijun knelt down to greet her.

"I heard some time ago that my third cousin was in Jingzhao Prefecture..." Yang Lijun glanced at her fingers still wrapped in gauze, "Is my cousin's injury better now?"

"I'm much better now," Jiang Li said, "Thank you for your concern."

Yang Lijun seemed to be hesitant to speak, and after hesitating for a while, she mustered up the courage to whisper, "Third cousin, are you really going to marry my cousin?"

Jiang Li was stunned.

There was laughter and chatter in the hall, and no one noticed what Yang Lijun asked.

"Why do you ask?"

Jiang Li remembered that Yang had mentioned to her before that she wanted her to become Yang Lijun's co-wife.

Seeing that Jiang Li did not deny it, Yang Lijun leaned close to her and covered her lips with her hand and said, "Third cousin, your cousin is so fierce, you actually want to marry her?"

Jiang Li: "...Very fierce?"

"Third cousin, can you help me plead with my cousin?" Yang Lijun pleaded with a sad face.

"What do you ask for?"

"Please ask him not to agree to my grandfather's words. I would rather go to the mountains and become a nun than marry him!"

Shen Beiqi was her childhood nightmare. Her grandfather insisted that she marry Shen Beiqi, and she had no way to refuse, so she could only start with Jiang Li.

Shen Beiqi has always loved her. If she is willing to plead for him, maybe Shen Beiqi will let her go.

Jiang Li: "...Uh, I'll do my best."

With the sound of a few gongs, the betrothal gifts from Prince Rui's Mansion were delivered to the door of the Shen Mansion.

Boxes of betrothal gifts were carried into the Shen residence, causing the onlookers to exclaim in amazement.

"This Prince Rui is really generous!"

"Yes, it is worthy of the royal pomp!"