Chapter 20

When He Huaijin walked to the pavilion, Jiu Yingying had already had tea and snacks prepared. She was sitting in the pavilion, looking at the calm lake, slightly lost in thought.

The maid next to her handed her a bowl of fish food. She grabbed a handful of the food and threw it into the lake. The red koi fish rushed over to grab the food.

There is a breeze by the lake, green willows are drooping, birds are singing and flying by, and the blue water is clear and clean.

Jiu Yingying sat crookedly in the pavilion, in a yellow shirt, with bare hands, snow-white skin and red lips. She looked at the koi in the lake with her beautiful eyes and a faint smile. From a distance, she looked like a picture of an elegant and beautiful woman.

He Huaijin stopped unconsciously, looked over with admiration, and felt a little regretful in his heart.

He originally wanted to marry Jiu Yingying after she reached the age of 15. After he had used Jiu Yixing's military power and successfully ascended the throne, he would find a reason to deal with Jiu Yixing and then demote Jiu Yingying. In any case, he would not let Jiu Yingying have the chance to become the mother of the country.

If Jiu Yingying was still willing to serve him, he would let Jiu Yingying stay in the palace as a concubine, and then marry Jiu Hongdou as the queen.

Jiu Hongdou is his cousin. She is gentle and obedient, and will definitely be loyal to him. At that time, in the eyes of everyone, although he dealt with Jiu Yixing and Jiu Yingying, he was still kind to the Jiu family and let another young lady of the Jiu family become the queen. If this gets out, he will gain a good reputation, and no one will say that he is ungrateful.

Jiu Hongdou's father Jiu Mingxing only has the title of marquis but no real power. Jiu Hongdou's maternal family looks powerful, but in fact it is firmly in his hands. Such a person is the easiest to control, and it is appropriate for Jiu Hongdou to be the queen.

At that time, it was considered a good story for two young ladies from nine families to share one husband. He must have been extremely happy with both of them hugging him.

He had planned all of this, but he didn't expect that an imperial decree from Emperor Jing would disrupt all his plans.

Although he had only used Jiu Yingying over the years, she was a beauty after all. It was a pity for him to watch such a beautiful woman marry someone else.

He frowned, pretended to be gentle and sad, stepped up the stairs, and walked into the pavilion step by step.

When Jiu Yingying heard the voice, she put down the fish food, stood up and bowed, "Your servant greets the Second Prince."

When He Huaijin heard her address, his eyes moved, revealing a look of deep sorrow, and he whispered, "Yingying, are you going to be so estranged from me so soon?"

Jiu Yingying kept smiling, "Second Prince, you are joking. Yingying had the audacity to call the Second Prince cousin before, but Yingying didn't know the limits. Now Yingying is about to marry the Crown Prince, and the Second Prince will be the elder brother of Yingying's husband in the future. He is a real relative, so how can there be any estrangement? We should be closer."

Jiu Yingying's words were impeccable, and He Huaijin didn't know how to refute them. He sat down at the table, glanced at Chun Xing who was standing behind Jiu Yingying, and then glanced at the two third-class maids beside the pavilion, frowned and said, "Yingying, why don't you let the maids leave first."

There are so many people here, how can Jiu Yingying seduce him so easily?

Jiu Yingying poured herself a cup of tea and said with a faint smile: "Second Prince, Yingying is now engaged, I hope you can be more considerate. You and I are alone, it would not sound good if we were to stay here alone, so let them stay here."

He Huaijin was stunned for a moment. Every time Jiu Yingying saw him, she only had eyes for him and never cared about anything else. Why would she think of fame this time?

But since Jiu Yingying said so, he had to give up. He waved to Chun Xing and asked her to stand further away.

He Huaijin originally thought that Jiu Yingying wanted to seduce him, but now seeing Jiu Yingying's reaction, he was a little unsure of what Jiu Yingying was trying to do. He could only sit back and wait and see.

The two of them were silent for a while, and the pavilion became quiet. Jiu Yingying took a sip of hot tea from the teacup, and occasionally took a bite of the plum cake on the white porcelain plate. She looked happy and comfortable, as if she was really here to enjoy the scenery and chat.

He Huaijin saw that she was only concerned with drinking her tea and didn't notice that his cup was empty. He couldn't help but frowning in displeasure. He sensitively noticed that Jiu Yingying's attitude was not as warm as before, and he felt a little anxious.

He has spent a lot of effort on Jiu Yingying as a chess piece, and he cannot just let it go to waste. Even if his plan fails and Jiu Yingying has to marry into the Eastern Palace, he has to find a way to keep Jiu Yingying at his disposal and make her his most useful chess piece.

He relaxed his expression and spoke calmly, "Yingying, I know you are angry that I didn't propose to you earlier. I always wanted to wait until you reached the age of marriage and the mourning period was over before proposing to you. I didn't expect that the emperor would suddenly marry you to the crown prince without even giving me a chance to protest. He just issued the decree."

When he said this, there was unconsciously a hint of resentment in his tone. Emperor Jing did this undoubtedly on purpose. The prince's leg was already lame, but Emperor Jing still showed favor to him and gave him all the good things.

Jiu Yingying knew what he was thinking just by looking at his expression and couldn't help but feel a little sorry for him. He was still vying for the favor in Emperor Jing's heart, but he didn't know that in Emperor Jing's heart, he and He Huailing were just pawns to balance the forces in the court.

He Huailing had already seen through this, but he is still ignorant of it until now.

Jiu Yingying chuckled. He Huaijin always wanted to turn others into his chess pieces and use them for his own purposes, but he himself had already been on the chessboard and became someone else's chess piece without even realizing it.

He Huaijin continued, "Yingying, you should blame me. I am incompetent and have no way to stop my father. If I were alone, I would definitely argue with my father in court and fight for you. But I still have my mother and you. With you, I have a weak spot. If I fight for you from my father in court, it may implicate my mother and my aunt's family, and then implicate you, so I can't do that."

Jiu Yingying listened to his excuses quietly without any reaction.

Seeing that she did not comfort him, nor did she look moved at all, He Huaijin felt a little embarrassed, and could only bite the bullet and continue, sighing faintly: "Yingying, father has always favored the prince. If I could be the prince...if I had power in my hands, you and I would not end up like this today where we have to separate."

Jiu Yingying listened silently. In her previous life, she was lured step by step into the abyss of hatred for the prince by He Huaijin's words.

Under He Huaijin's deliberate guidance, she blamed all the faults on the prince. Before the marriage, she had developed a antagonistic mentality towards the prince. Afterwards, He Huaijin deliberately gave her hope, making her think that as long as she could help He Huaijin gain power, He Huaijin would find a way to marry her, as if at that time, no one could stop them from being together.

Chapter 21

Jiu Yingying's eyes darkened. She picked up the teacup and took a sip. The tea had gotten cold without her knowing. But after drinking it, it was refreshing and extinguished some of the hatred in her heart.

She put down the teacup, looked at He Huaijin, and said indifferently: "Second Prince, you and I are just a little bit related, so we are closer than others. How can you talk about marriage? If this word gets out, I am afraid it will damage our reputation. Today I will pretend that I didn't hear it. Second Prince, please don't mention it again in the future."

In the previous life, the reputation of the Jiu family was damaged because of her. In this life, she absolutely cannot let the reputation accumulated by the Jiu family for generations be destroyed in her hands.

When He Huaijin heard her say this, he thought that she was sad because of the past and would be upset to hear the proposal of marriage. He also took into consideration the presence of maids around her, so he did not think much about it. He was silent for a moment and looked at Jiu Yingying with as sincere an expression as possible.

He advised gently: "Yingying, I know you are sad now, so you said such things. Since you don't want me to mention it again, I won't say it. This is your sad thing, and it is also my sad thing, but now things are a foregone conclusion, you and I can only try to think more positively."

He Huaijin looked at Jiu Yingying with a gentle face, a concerned voice, and eyes full of tenderness, as if he had infinite love and tolerance for Jiu Yingying.

Jiu Yingying looked at him like this and felt a chill down her spine.

When He Huaijin handed her the poisoned wine in his previous life, he was also so warm and caring. It was not until she had abdominal cramps, vomited blood and fell to the ground that He Huaijin revealed a cold and indifferent expression and looked down at her as if she were an insignificant ant.

His cold fingers gently stroked her cheek, like stroking a piece of delicate porcelain. He sighed with regret twice, patted her cheek, and said gently, "Yingying, don't blame me for being cruel. Blame it on you for being too stupid."

Too stupid, really too stupid.

Jiu Yingying looked back and felt stupid. He Huaijin's acting was poor. Although he tried to create a bit of tenderness in his eyes, the rest was full of calculation. She knew nothing about it. She was deceived for so many years because of that little bit of care in her childhood.

She gently wiped the corners of her eyes to calm down. After a moment of silence, she smiled and said, "Second Prince, Yingying has already let it go. Yesterday, Yingying had a nightmare. When she woke up, she suddenly realized that the past is over. From now on, Yingying will try her best to turn over a new leaf and be a good person. Second Prince, please also forget what you should forget."

He Huaijin was stunned for a moment. He didn't expect that she would accept her fate so quickly. He didn't know how to start the speech he had prepared.

He poured himself a cup of tea and said in a half-threatening and half-guiding tone: "Yingying, I can't forget what happened between you and me even if I want to. The same goes for the people in the capital. They know everything about us. The prince only needs to investigate a little and he will know everything clearly."

He glanced at Jiu Yingying and said thoughtfully, "I feel guilty about these rumors, but what has happened cannot be changed. Yingying, after you marry him, I'm afraid he won't be sincere to you. It's almost wishful thinking for you to have a harmonious relationship with him."

Jiu Yingying showed neither worry nor fear when she heard what he said. He Huaijin couldn't figure out her attitude for a moment, so he could only continue, "The prince is a vicious and cruel person. He will definitely bear a grudge against you after hearing the rumors. I'm worried that after you marry him, he will do something to hurt you."

Jiu Yingying asked calmly, "In that case, what do you think I should do, Second Prince?"

He Huaijin's expression changed, and he pretended to be serious and continued to persuade her, "He and you are not of the same mind, but your cousin and you are always of the same mind. In your cousin's heart, Yingying is the most important."

Jiu Yingying twitched the corner of her mouth slightly and asked calmly, "What about my sister? Are you and my sister of the same mind?"

He Huaijin was stunned, and a strange look flashed in his eyes.

Jiu Hongdou is his cousin and has been infatuated with him since childhood. Although Jiu Yingying is beautiful, she has Jiu Yixing as her father, and he and she are destined to be at odds. Jiu Hongdou is different from her. Her whole family is at his service, and she is gentle, considerate and understanding. She is the perfect candidate for his future queen.

Although he could not be said to be deeply in love with Jiu Hongdou, he did love her in his heart. Jiu Hongdou was pitiful and gentle. In order to deceive Jiu Yingying over the years, he had caused her to suffer a lot of grievances. She had always endured humiliation and cooperated with him, so he naturally treated her as his own.

He thought so in his heart, but he couldn't say it out loud, so he just said: "Yingying, don't let your imagination run wild. Hongdou is just my cousin. You are the one in my heart."

Sweet-talking and eloquent.

The smile on Jiu Yingying's face completely faded.

After Jiuyu died in her previous life, Jiu Yingying learned from the maidservant beside Jiu Hongdou that it was Jiu Hongdou who deliberately leaked the news and led Jiuyu to the fire. She even had the opportunity to save Jiuyu at that time, but she did not save her. It was not until Jiuyu was burned to death that she pretended to discover the matter in an attempt to conceal it.

After Jiu Yingying knew that it was Jiu Hongdou who killed Jiu Yu, she vowed to make Jiu Hongdou pay with her life. She would rather fight to the death with Jiu Hongdou than not avenge Jiu Yu.

He Huaijin was reluctant to lose her as a chess piece, and even more reluctant to see Jiu Hongdou get hurt. After hearing the news, he came in person to stop her and promised her that he would give her an explanation.

Not long after, He Huaijin found a reason to exile Jiu Hongdou to a cold and bitter place on the border, but he did not publicize the matter. He said at the time that it was for Jiu Yingying, so he took into account the Jiu family's face.

Jiu Yingying believed it at the time and thought that Jiu Hongdou had been punished. She didn't want Jiu Yu's death to become a topic of conversation after dinner, so she tacitly allowed He Huaijin to keep these things secret.

But later she found out that Jiu Hongdou had never been to any cold and bitter place, and she had always lived in He Huaijin's room.

He Huaijin hid her in his own mansion. The two of them stayed together day and night. When Jiu Yingying found her, Jiu Hongdou was pregnant and even had a child.

At that moment, Jiu Yingying understood that the reason why He Huaijin did not publicize these things was because the whole thing was a show for Jiu Yingying. He Huaijin was worried that if the matter was made public, it would ruin Jiu Hongdou's reputation and hinder her from becoming the queen in the future, so he found reasons to conceal it.

When Jiu Yingying knew the truth, she felt extremely cold. It turned out that He Huaijin had planned everything for Jiu Hongdou and paved all the way for her.

They had schemed and calculated everything just to exhaust the last value of her as a chess piece. Not only did they endanger the lives of her entire family, they also wanted to turn her into a stepping stone. When everything was ready, they would just wait for Jiu Hongdou to step on her as a stepping stone and ascend to the throne of queen.

They are the truly vicious and cruel people.

Chapter 22

Jiu Yingying closed her eyes, picked up the fish food beside her, turned around and sprinkled it on the lake. She was afraid that if she continued to face He Huaijin, she would not be able to help but splash the tea on his face and scold him for being shameless and unscrupulous.

The fish food fell into the water, causing ripples on the calm lake surface. Koi fish swam over to grab the fish food, causing waves on the water surface.

Jiuyingying has a slender waist and a face like a lotus. Her every move can make people's heart beat faster. Even if only her back is seen, she is still breathtakingly beautiful.

He Huaijin looked at her back with his eyes wide open, feeling a little regretful. If Emperor Jing had not granted the marriage, such a beautiful woman would have been his. But now, she had fallen into the hands of He Huailing for no reason.

He was distracted for a while, then calmed down. What he needed was a smart and sensible woman, like his cousin Jiu Hongdou, who was good at poetry and books and knew her limits, rather than an ignorant woman like Jiu Yingying who had been spoiled since childhood. If he wanted to achieve great things, he had to make sacrifices and gain something, and could not just care about love and covet the beauty and fragrance of women.

Jiu Yingying ignored his gaze on her, turned her back to him, lowered her eyes to look at the koi fish colliding with each other in the lake, and said in a faint voice: "Second Prince, you see, as long as you throw the bait, fish will come to snatch the food."

He Huaijin was behind her, glancing at the water and said nonchalantly, "Of course, if you cater to their needs, fish will naturally take the bait."

The arc of Jiu Yingying's mouth seemed to be soaked in ice, and her voice was cold and flat, "The koi thought they were powerful because they grabbed the bait, but they didn't know that the person who sprinkled the bait was actually more powerful. As long as the person put down the bait, so many koi would come to fight for it, and you can just stand on the shore and watch the show."

In her previous life, He Huaijin mentioned in front of her intentionally or unintentionally that he wanted to eat pears, which killed her father and indirectly killed her brother and grandmother.

Pear is the bait, He Huaijin is the person who spread the bait, and the miserable end of her and her family are just the results that He Huaijin wanted to see.

How could it be so coincidental that her father encountered an assassin lying in wait as soon as he left the barracks? It was all just a conspiracy, and she was only now gradually figuring out the trick.

After she married the prince, He Huaijin was still worried. He didn't want her father's military power to have the chance to fall into He Huailing's hands, so he decided to go all out and use her to lure her father out of the camp and get rid of her father completely.

She looked at He Huaijin's shadow and narrowed her eyes slightly.

In this life, she no longer wants to be the koi that snatches food from fish, she wants to be the one who spreads the bait.

After all, no one knows what He Huaijin and Jiu Hongdou want better than her. As He Huaijin said just now, as long as you cater to their interests, the fish will naturally take the bait.

She smiled lightly, the ice chips dissipated, and she became nonchalant.

He Huaijin was a little surprised when he heard Jiu Yingying's words. He didn't understand why Jiu Yingying suddenly mentioned the bait. He only felt that Jiu Yingying's voice was extremely deep, but her thin shoulders looked weak and pitiful, as if the depth in her voice was just an illusion.

When he looked carefully, Jiu Yingying had already put down the fish food, turned around and smiled at him. Her beautiful almond-shaped eyes were smiling, making her look even more lively and charming, but her pupils were extremely cold and deep.

"Yingying naturally believed what the Second Prince said, but after receiving the imperial edict, Yingying was panicked and didn't know how to deal with herself after marrying into the Crown Prince's Mansion. That's why she was so confused and made the Second Prince laugh."

He Huaijin smiled in relief when he heard that. He had always felt that Jiu Yingying's attitude towards him was a little strange. It turned out that Jiu Yingying was frightened because of the arranged marriage.

He thought to himself that she was indeed a little girl who had never experienced any storms.

Such little girls are the easiest to coax. Just say some sweet words and they will let down their guard and be obedient.

His voice became lighter and his tone became softer. He looked at Jiu Yingying with an increasingly gentle gaze and said, "Yingying, cousin can't bear to see you being wronged. Although this matter has come to an end, it is not the end of us. If you and I work together, it is not impossible for us to be together in the future."

Jiu Yingying's eyes lit up, and she asked meaningfully, "How can we work together?"

He Huaijin sighed lightly, looked around mysteriously, and said in a low voice: "Yingying, to tell you the truth, although the prince is of noble status, his legs are broken, so his throne is also broken."

Jiu Yingying pretended to be surprised, holding the handkerchief to her lips, and looked at He Huaijin timidly, "What should Yingying do?"

"Don't worry, Yingying." He Huaijin comforted her, "The crown prince only has a title but no real power. He is so happy to marry you now. Maybe he secretly asked the emperor to marry you to him and deliberately broke us up."

Jiu Yingying let out an "ah" and looked at a loss, even a little annoyed.

He Huaijin paused with satisfaction, and then continued, "After Yingying marries, you don't have to be afraid of him at all. Although he has a sinister personality, he will never dare to hurt you. If he makes you feel wronged, you can go and complain to General Nine. General Nine is in a high position and has great power. He will tremble if he stomps his feet. Just remember that after you marry, you will be the most distinguished person in the Prince's Mansion. You don't have to take other people seriously. Just don't let them bully you."

Jiu Yingying's eyes turned cold as she listened to him saying the same things as in his previous life.

In fact, He Huaijin wished she could irritate He Huailing and make him hurt her, so that their relationship would drop to freezing point, making it impossible for her to fall in love with him. She would just devote herself to him and do things for him wholeheartedly.

In her previous life, she believed what He Huaijin said. After marrying into the Eastern Palace, she became lawless and felt that she was marrying down and that He Huailing deliberately ruined her good marriage for the sake of power. It was a great gift and a blessing for her to marry He Huailing, and she always felt that He Huailing owed her.

She resented He Huai Ling for ruining her originally smooth life, so for a long time, she didn't pay attention to what kind of person He Huai Ling was. She didn't rely on her own eyes and her own heart to know him, but was implanted with preconceived notions.

Just as He Huaijin said, she often complained to her father about the pain of marrying He Huailing.

He Huaijin asked her to do this because he actually wanted to alienate the relationship between He Huailing and her father and prevent her father from helping He Huailing.

He Huaijin's instigation can be said to kill several birds with one stone. As long as she can cause chaos in the Prince's Mansion, the people will think that if He Huailing can't even control a woman, how can he control the whole world in the future?

As long as He Huaijin deliberately spread the news a little, He Huailing's already little prestige would disappear silently.

Chapter 23

He Huaijin continued, "Yingying, don't worry. After you marry into the Eastern Palace, your cousin will find a chance to visit you. You and I can secretly meet and do it in secret. As for the future, we can talk about it later. As long as one day your cousin can hold power, everything is possible."

Although He Huaijin did not say it explicitly, he was hinting to Jiu Yingying that as long as he had power in the future, Jiu Yingying would still have hope of becoming queen.

He gave Jiu Yingying a vague hope, but did not make a clear promise, so if he regretted it in the future, he would not give others a chance to criticize him.

He did this to induce Jiu Yingying to continue to stand on his side. He wanted to secretly ask Jiu Yingying out to meet him in order to find out the news from the Eastern Palace.

He Huailing's temperament has been unpredictable in recent years, and he has been doing things more and more unruly. The spies he sent out were like the deep ocean. A few of them finally managed to get close to He Huailing, but not long after, they either met with accidents or were driven out of the house.

It was almost impossible for him to find out the news about the Eastern Palace.

When Jiu Yingying married, she became the official Crown Princess. With Emperor Jing around, He Huailing didn't dare to act rashly. The identity of the Crown Princess made it much easier for her to obtain information.

As he thought about this, he couldn't help but chuckle with satisfaction. It wasn't entirely a bad thing for Jiu Yingying to marry him. As long as he could make good use of her, he would be able to keep the East Palace firmly in his hands.

Jiu Yingying naturally knew what he was planning. In her previous life, He Huaijin had asked her about a lot of information indirectly.

Later she found out that He Huai Ling deliberately let her know the news and told He Huai Jin through her.

Men are all very cunning.

Jiu Yingying felt much better when she thought of He Huailing. As long as Prince He Huailing was around, He Huaijin would have no chance of causing any trouble.

She did not open her mouth to refute He Huaijin's words. She knew that after marrying He Huailing this time, she would still make a mess of the Prince's Mansion like she did in her previous life. Otherwise, not to mention He Huaijin for the time being, Emperor Jing would probably suspect that Jiu Yixing had some involvement with the Prince.

Everyone would like to see her and the prince have an "emotional discord", which would be the safest for her and He Huailing.

She had a plan in mind, and after listening to He Huai Ling, she nodded and pretended to be impatient and said, "After I marry him, I will make him look good."

He Huaijin was finally relieved when he heard her say that. He repeated his instructions a few more times, and only after he confirmed that Jiu Yingying hated the prince and would not be on the same side with him did he breathe a sigh of relief.

Jiu Yingying had listened to him saying bad things about He Huailing over and over again until her ears were almost callused. She couldn't help but roll her eyes when he wasn't paying attention and drank her tea in silence.

She glanced around and saw Jiu Hongdou's personal maid Xiao Zhi walking towards her in small steps and standing not far outside the pavilion, looking around.

Jiu Yingying understood after a little thought that Jiu Hongdou must have received the news and knew that she and He Huaijin had been chatting here for so long, so she couldn't help but became anxious.

Jiu Yingying just didn't want to look at He Huaijin's hideous face anymore, nor did she want to listen to him chanting the spell. She was eager to escape from the sea of ​​suffering as soon as possible, so she quickly waved to Xiao Zhi and asked her to come over.

When He Huaijin saw Jiu Hongdou's maid, he finally shut up and took a sip of tea with a dry mouth.

Xiao Zhi came over timidly, glanced at Jiu Yingying timidly, bowed to her and He Huaijin, and then whispered, "The eldest lady said that since the second prince is here, he will go back later. She will cook a few dishes for the second prince herself and invite him to have dinner."

The eldest lady Xiaozhi mentioned is Jiu Hongdou's mother Qin. If Qin wanted to invite He Huaijin to have dinner with her, she would have sent her own nanny over. Why would she let the little maidservant beside Jiu Hongdou come to invite her? It was obvious that Jiu Hongdou was anxious to see her lover.

Jiu Hongdou appears to be gentle and kind, but in fact she refuses to suffer any loss and wants to be the center of attention in everything. However, her maid is not like her and is extremely timid, always looking cowardly and timid.

He Huaijin certainly understood who invited him, nodded somewhat displeasedly, and said to Xiaozhi: "Tell my aunt that I will be there soon."

"Yes." Xiaozhi lowered her head timidly.

Jiu Yingying stood up and said calmly: "Second Prince, please take it easy. I will go back first."

He Huaijin nodded, stood up and said with concern: "Yingying, take care of yourself, be more open-minded about everything, and contact me in time if there are any problems that cannot be solved."

Jiu Yingying was too lazy to say more to him. She nodded and strode away with Chun Xing.

He Huaijin stood there and watched her walk away, waiting for her to turn back.

In the past, when Jiu Yingying left, she would always look back at him every few steps, reluctant to leave. He thought it would be the same this time.

He thought indifferently that this time, since Jiu Yingying would not be able to bother him in the future, he would just give Jiu Yingying a response.

He had already made preparations and even thought of an expression. He only needed to wait for Jiu Yingying to turn around so that he could vividly and tenderly interpret the lingering feelings he had planned.

But this time it was beyond his expectations. Jiu Yingying didn't look back once until she disappeared from his sight. Her steps looked light and agile, without any sign of worthlessness.

He Huaijin frowned, feeling somewhat unhappy. Such a Jiu Yingying made him feel unfamiliar, and even gave him an illusion that he was about to lose control of Jiu Yingying.

He frowned and thought for a while, feeling that Jiu Yingying might still be thinking about marrying the prince, so she was a little distracted. He barely suppressed the feeling of disobedience in his heart, turned around with a sullen face, and walked out of the mansion.

"Second Prince!" Xiao Zhi called him nervously and reminded him in a low voice: "The lady is still waiting for you in the dining room."

He Huaijin turned around and glanced at her, then said in a cold voice, "Go back and tell your young lady to stop using these tricks in the future. This better be the last time!"

He can allow a woman to play some tricks, but if it is beyond his control, he must teach her a lesson.

If Jiu Hongdou aroused Jiu Yingying's suspicion at this time because of jealousy and ruined his good fortune, he would definitely not let Jiu Hongdou off easily.

His goal is the throne. He will not allow anyone to stop him or become a stumbling block, not even Jiu Hongdou.

He had to give Jiu Hongdou a proper warning, so that she could control her little thoughts and not get carried away.

Xiao Zhi knew that if she went back to reply like this, the young lady would definitely blame her and might even take her anger out on her. She wanted to fight for it again, but when she looked up and saw the gloomy face of the Second Prince, she was so scared that she immediately lowered her head.

The Second Prince usually looked gentle, elegant, and graceful. She had never seen him look so gloomy before. She couldn't help but feel terrified. She swallowed her saliva and said in a low voice, "Yes..."

He Huaijin calmed his eyes and strode out of Jiufu.

Chapter 24

The sky darkened unknowingly. After Jiu Yingying returned to the house, she had a simple meal, changed into a clean and simple skirt, and went to her grandmother's room.

Madam Jiu lived just in front of Jiu Yingying's house. The old lady lived a simple life. Her house was clean and spacious. Except for a few celadon vases, there were no extra luxurious objects in the house. There were several embroidery works and childhood paintings of her grandchildren hanging on the wall, which exuded a bit of fun and warmth.

When Jiu Yingying walked in, the old lady was sitting on the warm kang. She was wearing a brocade jacket and a magnolia headband on her head. There were several pieces of jewelry on the small table in front of her. She was holding a string of white jade beads in her hand and stroking them gently. The white jade shone brightly under the warm light.

"Grandma." Jiu Yingying walked over and bowed with a smile.

The Ninth Old Lady looked up and saw the lovable smile on her face. She couldn't help but feel better. She patted the seat next to her and said, "Yingying, come and sit down."

Jiu Yingying walked over with a smile, poured a cup of tea for the old lady herself, and then sat down next to her.

Nanny Qiuhua smiled at the side, knowing that the two grandmothers and granddaughters had something to say, so she walked out with the maids in the room and carefully helped them close the door.

The old lady put down the white jade bead, patted Jiu Yingying's hand, and asked, "Have you seen the second prince just now?"

"Yes." Jiu Yingying nodded, not hiding anything, "Don't worry, grandma, Yingying has made it clear to him."

"That's good." Seeing her relaxed and worry-free face, the old lady knew that she had completely let go of He Huaijin. She couldn't help but smile with relief, "Yingying, I'm very pleased that you are so sensible this time."

Jiu Yingying lowered her eyes and said sincerely: "Grandma, Yingying was confused before."

"It's not your fault. It's your identity as the legitimate daughter of General Jiu that harmed you." Old Lady Jiu sighed. Emperor Jing married Jiu Yingying to the prince, which was clearly a betrayal of the Jiu family. But they couldn't bear any resentment and had to be grateful. After all, Emperor Jing personally issued an edict to grant the marriage and let the girl from the Jiu family be the prince's consort. It sounded like a great honor.

If the prince had no hidden illness, it would indeed be a great honor. Unfortunately... things are different now, and the prince is no longer the favored child of heaven.

"Yingying, there is no one else here. Grandmother is going to tell you something from the bottom of her heart." The Ninth Old Lady said slowly, "Grandmother always opposed you to contact the Second Prince. In fact, she didn't want you to be involved in the disputes of the royal family."

"Yingying understands." Jiu Yingying reached out and massaged her grandmother's legs.

"You know the condition of the Crown Prince's body. He is in a high position but cannot sit still, so naturally others are ready to make a move. Grandmother didn't tell you this before because you were still young. Now you are about to become the Crown Princess. Whether you like it or not, you are already in the vortex."

"You are in the vortex, which means the Jiu family is also in the vortex. Your father is even more at the center of the storm. Countless eyes are watching you and him all the time. You must be careful with your words and actions. Yixing holds military power and has a sensitive identity. If you make the slightest mistake, it will be a grave sin for the entire Jiu family."

Jiu Yingying nodded. Her grandmother had told her these things in her previous life, but she was angry at the time and didn't listen. This time she listened very carefully, remembering every word of her grandmother firmly in her heart, engraved in her mind, and dared not forget it for a moment.

The old lady looked at her granddaughter's tender face, feeling uncomfortable and depressed. "The road to succession is full of mixed people. The princes and ministers should all focus on their own affairs. Yingying should not get involved. As for the future consequences..."

Jiu Yingying smiled, raised her eyes and said, "Everyone has their own destiny. Grandmother, since I have no power to change it, I will just let it go. No matter what the final result is, Yingying is willing to bear it. If the final result is not satisfactory, grandma, please don't be sad for me. Just remember that this is the path Yingying decided to take, and she is willing to bear the consequences calmly."

The old lady's eyes turned red, her voice choked, and she couldn't speak for a long time.

She reached out and held Jiu Yingying in her arms and patted her gently. She was old and just wanted to see her children safe and sound, but now she could only watch helplessly as her granddaughter got married with an uncertain future.

Her granddaughter was born into a noble family and had outstanding looks. She was the most beautiful woman in the capital. She should have had a husband who was an outstanding man. Even if the situation was not as she wished, that husband might have an average appearance or a poor family background, but at least he could carry her granddaughter into the mansion and accompany her through her life, instead of being like now, with a disabled leg and no hope for the future.

She had been forcing herself to smile in front of others all day, not daring to express any complaints or dissatisfaction with the imperial edict. Now, she could no longer hold back the bitterness in her heart and sighed with tears.

Jiu Yingying gently grasped the hem of her grandmother's clothes and closed her eyes. She only knew that according to the development of her previous life, He Huailing's legs were both disabled, and He Huaijin could not defeat He Huailing at all. However, she did not know whether He Huailing could successfully ascend to the throne in the end, nor did she know how long she could live if she had not been poisoned.

This time, she is willing to wait for God to give her an ending, and she will fight hard for this ending. As for the result, it is still unknown. After all, He Huailing's real enemy has never been He Huaijin, but Emperor Jing's attitude. Even if He Huailing successfully ascends the throne, she doesn't know how He Huailing will deal with her.

She only hoped that He Huai Ling would give her a way out and protect her family at that time. At that time, she would voluntarily give up the position of queen and stay away from him, and would never cause trouble to He Huai Ling.

The old lady was sad for a while, wiped her tears, and said softly: "Yingying, grandma will give you a marriage certificate."

"Okay." Jiu Yingying smiled at her grandmother and knelt down in front of her.

The old lady carefully opened the carved brocade box beside her, respectfully took out the phoenix hairpin inside, stroked it, raised her slightly trembling hand, and put the phoenix hairpin on Jiu Yingying's head little by little.

As she put on the phoenix hairpin, she said earnestly: "Yingying is a grown-up girl now that she has reached the age of marriage. In the future, you must remember to be rigorous and upright in your conduct, treat others sincerely, be sincere to your husband, and be fair and just to your servants. No matter what time it is, don't forget to maintain your nature and be a kind and elegant girl."

Jiu Yingying bowed and said, "Thank you, Grandmother. Yingying has remembered everything."

Jiu Yingying has thick black hair, and the phoenix hairpin shines brightly under the light. A red gem is inlaid in the place of the phoenix eyes, which looks dazzling. Jiu Yingying's tender cheeks are more solemn against the background of the phoenix hairpin, and she looks particularly dignified and noble, with a touch of inviolable nobility.

The old lady had a vague feeling that if the prince could ascend the throne, her granddaughter would surely become a good queen who would be the mother of the country, just like the phoenix on the hairpin, noble and dazzling.

She shook her head and cleared these delusional thoughts from her mind. It was already a luxury for her granddaughter to be safe and sound, and she dared not ask for anything else.

Chapter 25

The old lady helped Jiu Yingying up with her own hands and touched her hair lovingly.

As she looked at Jiu Yingying's stunning beauty, her worries suddenly eased a lot. Although her future was uncertain, there was no man who would not like her granddaughter, as she was beautiful and well-behaved.

She smiled and said, "Yingying has a full forehead and a bright brow. She looks like a blessed person. Grandmother believes that Yingying will have a safe and smooth life and will be loved by her husband."

Jiu Yingying accepted her grandmother's blessing and expectations with a smile, and did not pour cold water on the old lady. She knew that if her grandmother thought this way, she would feel more comfortable and it would be good for her health.

She looked at her grandmother, and her eyes suddenly moved, as if she was thinking of something.

She handed the hot tea to her grandmother and said calmly, "Grandma, Yingying has an idea, but I don't know whether I should say it or not."

The old lady had said so much and was thirsty. Seeing her granddaughter being so attentive and considerate, she took the teacup very attentively and said with a smile, "There are only you and grandma here, no outsiders. Yingying, just say whatever you want to say."

Jiu Yingying nodded slightly and slowly said, "Grandmother, Yingying is thinking, as you just said, even if Yingying doesn't want to, she is destined to marry into the royal family. Her future is uncertain. The future of the prince determines Yingying's destination. After marriage, even if Yingying is doubly careful, there are many things that cannot be controlled. Things in the world are unpredictable. Yingying doesn't want to implicate the entire Jiu family one day, so Yingying is thinking... it's better to separate the family."

"Divide the family?" The old lady was stunned.

"Yes." Jiu Yingying looked at her grandmother and said softly, "If we divide the family now, even if Yingying and the prince have an accident in the future, at least my uncle's family will not be implicated."

In the previous life, Grandmother and Jiuyu were killed by the first wife, and Jiuyingying didn't want them to live with the first wife anymore.

After she got married, she was out of control of many things, so she might as well take this opportunity to keep her grandmother and Jiuyu away from danger and completely separate herself from the first house. She also didn't want to hand Jiuyu over to Qin to be raised, otherwise Jiuyu would become a playboy when she grew up.

Besides, the First Wife and He Huaijin have long been in cahoots with each other and are tied to the same rope. Since she already knows that the Crown Prince is a hidden weapon and He Huaijin has basically no chance of winning, it is better to cut ties as soon as possible to avoid being implicated in the future.

After listening to her, the old lady nodded thoughtfully and said in a deep voice: "Yingying, you have thought it through, but the matter of dividing the family is not a trivial matter. We need to think about it carefully."

Jiu Yingying had not expected her grandmother to agree immediately. The reason why the Jiu family had not split up until now was because her grandmother liked the hustle and bustle and wanted the whole family to live together happily. Her grandmother would not choose to split up the family unless it was absolutely necessary.

What she had to do now was just to get the idea of ​​dividing the family property into her grandmother's mind, and she would think of other ways in the future.

She smiled and said, "Yes, Grandma, Yingying doesn't understand any profound principles, I just said it casually."

She did not mention the matter again. She picked up the embroidered handkerchief on the table, looked at it, and praised it: "This embroidered handkerchief is really exquisite, but it looks a bit old."

"This is my dowry when I got married." The old lady smiled, looking at the gold and silver jewelry and the embroidered handkerchief on the table, her eyes revealing some nostalgia.

"Yingying, these gold and silver jewels on the table are the dowry that grandma gave you. There is not much left of grandma's dowry. Grandma owes you."

Jiu Yingying shook her head, "Yingying understands grandma's difficulties, and also understands grandma's love for Yingying."

Grandma has given Qin a lot of benefits over the years. In the final analysis, it was all for the purpose of maintaining the family and to let the eldest wife take better care of her and Jiuyu.

The old lady smiled with relief, "Fortunately, your father has left you a lot of things over the years. As for embroidery, your mother passed away early, and your grandmother is old and has poor eyesight. She can't do these needlework, so your grandmother wants your aunt to prepare them for you. What do you think?"

Jiu Yingying quickly shook her head and politely refused, "Grandma, don't bother my aunt. My second sister is also about to get married. I guess my aunt is busy preparing her dowry. I can prepare my own dowry."

The old lady thought about it and couldn't help but frowned, "Isn't this too unfair to you?"

"No." Jiu Yingying smiled, "Yingying can do it herself, and the dowry she prepares will be more to her liking."

The old lady had no choice but to nod and say, "Then I'll let Qiuhua go over and help you."

Jiu Yingying smiled and lay on the old lady's legs and acted coquettishly, "Thank you, grandma."

The old lady looked at her reluctantly, "Calculate the date. You and the prince will be married in three months. There are many things to prepare quickly. The mansion may be very busy during this period, but you don't have to worry about the rest. Just wait for your marriage. Grandmother will prepare everything for you."

The ninth day of the ninth month is the wedding date set by Emperor Jing for Jiu Yingying and He Huaijin. It is said to be a rare auspicious day.

The old lady paused and continued, "I have sent a letter to your father, informing him of the marriage and asking him to return before you get married."

Jiu Yingying was stunned for a moment, but when she heard that she could see her father, her eyes became warm and she lay on her grandmother's lap and said softly, "Okay."

How lucky she is that she still has the opportunity to see her father alive and well.

Aunt Qiuhua knocked on the door and whispered, "Madam, I have prepared everything for the incense burning at Falan Temple tomorrow. I heard that it is very cold in the mountains at night and the temperature may drop in the next two days. Do you need to buy a few more cloaks?"

"Then buy a few more." The old lady answered, lowering her head to explain to Jiu Yingying: "Tomorrow is the fifteenth day, and grandma wants to go to Falan Temple to burn incense. She will stay there for a few days to pray for you and the Jiu family, and will come back in a few days."

After she learned about the arranged marriage, she felt uneasy and wanted to go to the temple to pray for blessings and to calm her mind, hoping that the Buddha would bless her Yingying.

When Jiu Yingying heard her words, she suppressed the bitterness in her heart, raised her eyes and said, "Grandma, Yingying also wants to go to Falan Temple with you."

The old lady couldn't help but laugh, "You always thought the temple was too quiet and didn't want to accompany me. Why do you suddenly want to go today?"

Jiu Yingying lowered her eyes and said in a low voice, "My granddaughter has recently realized the mystery of the world, the cycle of cause and effect, and the boundless Buddhist teachings. I want to go to the temple to calm my mind."

After her rebirth, she was restless and could not forget the things of her past life. She often felt resentful and upset. It was a good opportunity for her to go to the temple to chant some scriptures to calm her mind. She could also take the opportunity to have some quiet time.

If she remembered correctly, in her previous life, He Huaijin was worried about her and came to "persuade" her many times in the past few days, repeating the same words over and over again. It was not until Emperor Jing sent him out of the capital that she finally had some peace.

Chapter 26

This time, Jiu Yingying didn't want to stay here and continue listening to He Huaijin's nagging. She took this opportunity to leave Jiu Mansion. On the one hand, she could have some peace and quiet, and on the other hand, she could reduce her contact with He Huaijin and prevent others from spreading even more unbearable rumors about their relationship.

He Huaijin is a prince. He wants to come to Jiu Mansion and Jiu Mansion cannot stop him. In the previous life, because the romantic affairs between Jiu Yingying and He Huaijin were talked about by the nobles in the capital, everyone ignored the fact that Jiu Hongdou's family and He Huaijin are the real relatives.

Everyone thought that He Huaijin came to Jiu Mansion every time for Jiu Yingying. In fact, Jiu Yingying was in her boudoir and rarely had the opportunity to see He Huaijin.

He Huaijin had long been in cahoots with the Second House, and had a secret affair with Jiu Hongdou. He basically came to the Jiu Mansion to find them, and Jiu Yingying was just a shield they sent out.

The old lady smiled and said to Jiu Yingying, "Since you are willing, then come with me. It's cooler on the mountain, so remember to bring more clothes."

"Yes, Grandma."

Seeing that it was getting late, Jiu Yingying personally helped the old lady to wash and lie down, then she lowered the curtains and quietly left.

The Jiufu was very quiet at night, except for the courtyard of the main house, which was still brightly lit. Occasionally, the sounds of some playing instruments and singing could be heard.

Jiu Mingxing has always been greedy for pleasure. He often asks people to come back to sing little songs, and he gets drunk and dreams, and does not stop even in the middle of the night.

Jiu Yingying was listening to the melodious music and suddenly her expression changed as she recalled an ugly incident involving Jiu Mingxing in her previous life.

As she walked forward, she lowered her head and thought about the details for a while, then looked up and said to Chun Xing, "Go to the main room and find out if there is a girl named Li Bai among the people they invited to sing tonight."

"Yes, Miss." Chun Xing never asked too many questions. Although she was a little confused as to why Jiu Yingying did this, she just responded and started to do it.

Jiu Yingying watched her walk away, pondered for a moment, and returned to the house alone.

She walked to the door of the boudoir and saw a little man sitting on the steps at the door, supporting his chin with one hand, his two little eyebrows tightly furrowed, and he often sighed like an adult, as if he was worried about something.

Jiu Yingying couldn't help but smile and called out, "Ayu!"

When Jiuyu heard her voice, she stood up all of a sudden, ran over, raised her head and asked anxiously: "Sister, are you okay?"

He went to school today, and only found out about Emperor Jing's marriage arrangement after he came back from school, so he hurried over, but Jiu Yingying had just left the house, so he had been waiting here.

Jiu Yingying looked at his worried expression, reached out and touched the top of his head, and said softly: "Don't worry, sister is fine."

Jiuyu breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that she looked normal and didn't look sad. She whispered, "I'm not worried."

"Yes, yes, yes." Jiu Yingying smiled and took his hand and walked into the house.

Jiuyu's cheeks flushed, and he lowered his head in embarrassment as he looked at his hand held by Jiu Yingying. From childhood to adulthood, no one had been so close to him except his grandmother.

Jiu Yingying brought Jiuyu into the house, stuffed a big red apple into his hand, and then began to look for a measuring tape.

"Ayu, you came just in time. I wanted to make you two sets of clothes, so I took your measurements."

Jiuyu blinked blankly, looked at her flattered, and couldn't answer for a long time.

Jiu Yingying came over with a measuring tape, looked at his silly look, couldn't help but smile, and urged: "What are you doing standing there like an idiot? Hurry up and stretch out your arms."

Jiuyu held the apple in her hand, her face flushed, "Sister, no need."

Jiu Yingying patted his head and said, "Be good and listen."

Jiuyu hesitated for a moment, then stretched out his arms obediently, looking a little confused.

Jiu Yingying took the measuring tape, measured his size carefully, and walked to the desk to write it down.

"My grandmother and I are going to the Falan Temple in a few days. We will not be in the mansion. You should attend class obediently."

Jiuyu's eyes lit up, "I'll go with you!"

Jiu Yingying shook her head, "No, you still have to go to private school, you can't delay your studies because of playing."

"My studies are not good to begin with, so what does it matter whether I go or not? Besides, studying is not as interesting as eating, drinking and having fun. My uncle said that my father holds a high position, so even if my sister and I cannot learn anything, we will have no worries about food and clothing for the rest of our lives, and we don't have to work so hard."

Jiu Yingying felt a headache after hearing this and became more aware of the seriousness of the matter.

Her father was not at home most of the time, and as an elder sister, she had no intention of disciplining her children. Her grandmother was old and powerless, and now Qin was in charge of basically all matters in the mansion. Her grandmother only made decisions on major matters, and left minor matters to her.

In the past two years, Jiuyu has been under the supervision of Qin.

What good intentions could Qin have? She seemed to care about Jiuyu, even better than Jiuhongdou, but in fact she had always raised him as a playboy, instilling wrong ideas in him. She did not buy books or invite teachers for Jiuyu, but only bought him crickets, birds, fish... things that would make him lose his ambition.

Fortunately, Jiuyu is not a bad person by nature. Apart from being unambitious, he has not done anything terribly evil. But if this continues, Jiuyu will become a real playboy.

Jiu Yingying was taught to be stupid and naive by Qin in the beginning. Although she was raised by her grandmother, Qin often secretly instilled some "women's ways" into her. Jiu Hongmei and Jiu Hongdou would also follow their mother to brainwash her.

Jiu Yingying has been surrounded by these three people since she was a child. After listening to them for a long time, she began to take their words seriously and never doubted them. She was always fooled by them until she finally recognized the people around her before her death.

She absolutely could not let Jiuyu follow in her footsteps and become the second stupid and ignorant Jiu Yingying. She had to completely change Jiuyu's ideas before she made a big mistake.

"Ayu, in our hearts, father is like a big tree. He has always been there to protect us from wind and rain since we were little. We live under his protection and think that the world is peaceful and we enjoy this worry-free life."

She put down her pen, walked to Jiuyu, squatted down, looked into his eyes, and said earnestly: "But Ayu, have you ever thought about what would happen if the tree fell down one day? At that time, we would have to face the wind and rain by ourselves. Would we be able to bear it? In that case, besides watching the tree fall down, would we be able to support it? Would we be able to protect this old and weak tree from the wind and rain?"