Marriage to the Royal Prince's Uncle

C71. The Longing in Her Smile.

Chapter 71

When Emperor Qianxing received the memorial from King Li, Yunzhu also received a letter from his younger brother.

The young man wrote a three-page letter, briefly discussing the customs he encountered on his journey south, introducing the unique Stone Village of Prince Li's Mansion, and describing the cuisine at the Prince's Mansion. He emphatically praised several local delicacies.

This seemed to indicate good news rather than bad news.

Despite this, Yunzhu was still very delighted. Seeing the familiar words from such a long distance was akin to seeing his brother in person.

In the evening when Cao Xun returned, he noticed a fresh dish on the dinner table.

With a smile, Yunzhu introduced it to him: "This is a dish called fish in sour soup. I requested the kitchen to prepare it according to the recipe given by my brother. It looks appealing. Why don't you give it a try?"

The good mood exuded by Yunzhu was already palpable to Cao Xun.

He took a piece of the fish fillet, which was sour and spicy, and very appetizing.

"That's right. It has just started to get chilly lately. You can have the kitchen cook more in the future. What did Brother Xian say in the letter? Is he adapting well there?" enquired Cao Xun.

Yunzhu replied, "Eat first, and I'll show you after you're finished."

It was already October, and after dinner, it was completely dark outside. Cao Xun escorted the young lady to the second room.

He leaned on the couch, and Yunzhu gave him the letter, then nestled into his shoulder and read it again with him.

Cao Xun praised: "You've learned to write 'Xian Ge'er' well."

Yunzhu responded, "Of course, my father is both civil and military. My grandfather said that Brother Xian is mightier than my father."

Cao Xun held the letter in his right hand and gently stroked her head with his left hand.

After reading the three pages of the letter, Cao Xun also shared his experiences in Guizhou with the young lady.

Yunzhu had already shifted to rest in his embrace. When Cao Xun finished speaking, she looked up at him and inquired, "My brother wouldn't tell me things that would trouble me. Have you heard anything concerning?"

Cao Xun paused and responded, "King Li also sent a message to the Emperor, stating that twenty-three soldiers died of illness en route. When they arrived in Guizhou, the soldiers' commander, Wei Gang, and a doctor from the Song Dynasty were plotting to poison the prince. They were executed."

Yunzhu sat up in shock.

Cao Xun also sat up and held her hand, saying, "Xian Ge must have contributed, so even though he is young, he can handle things on his own."

The leaders who emerge victorious from a struggle are all forged in battle, and the followers of generals also need to be strengthened through hardships.

Yunzhu comprehended these truths, but what she couldn't control was her fear.

Wei Gang was not foolish. It was clear that he was ordered by Emperor Qianxing to poison the second prince for no reason.

Emperor Qianxing had subjugated King Li thus far, and he was so merciless that he sought to execute people!

"Isn't he afraid of being held accountable for killing his own brother?"

Yunzhu didn't mention him by name, but Cao Xun understood who she was referring to and murmured, "There's no concrete evidence against him."

Indeed, there was no solid evidence, but the public would speculate about it. If Emperor Qianxing remained fearful and kept acting recklessly, it would drive people further and further away.