readytorunbook Chapter 76: Things May Change!
Chapter 76: Things May Change!
A beautiful young woman dressed in a white and gold gown stood under a peach tree, silently watching the birds hopping among the branches.
"Your Highness! Why aren't you dressed up? Why are you standing in the courtyard again?" A maid rushed out of the house in a panic, holding a gauze shawl in her hand. She reached out and draped it over the woman's shoulders. "It's autumn now, and it's cold outside. Your Highness, please be careful not to catch a cold."
"It's alright, Granny Zhao, you may leave." The princess was too lazy to say more, and waved her hand to let the nanny go.
Granny Zhao could only sigh, and reluctantly left, turning back every few steps.
"Ugh, this is so annoying. These palace maids follow me around like glue every day, it's really irritating..." she muttered to herself.
A bird chirped, and a black-feathered bird flew through the air, landing precisely on the branch in front of the princess.
"Hmm?" The princess frowned slightly; it was a message from a secret sentry.
She reached out and took the note, and the black-tailed bird flapped its wings and flew away.
Upon opening the note, the princess frowned.
The Chao and Nie families were plotting something in secret, but Chengde, out of jealousy and rivalry, interfered.
As she was pondering, she felt a hidden compartment inside the note, so she tore it open, and sure enough, there was another small note inside...
Back at Minister Nie's residence, seeing that the family was struggling to cope and fearing for his daughter's safety, Nie Sheng dared not continue hiding outside and refusing to return.
"Oh my, it is truly an honor for me to have Princess Chengde grace us with her presence," Nie Sheng said, bowing respectfully as he entered with a hearty laugh.
“Father, you’ve come at the right time. Do you recognize this person?” Nie Qing asked, pointing at Lu He.
Nie Sheng looked closely and realized the face looked very familiar. He raised his hand and touched the official hat, as if trying to remember.
“Miss Nie is extremely rude,” Lu He said unmoved. “If you doubt me, you are doubting Her Highness the Princess!”
"How dare I!" Nie Qing snorted coldly, not to be outdone: "It's no wonder that a fugitive like you could fool Her Highness so easily, after all, you're not a good person."
"What? You know each other?" Princess Chengde wasn't stupid. Although she understood that they were dealing with Nie Qing, she was still curious about Mr. Lu.
“I don’t recognize her. This young lady has probably mistaken me for someone else,” Lu He replied with a smile to Princess Chengde.
“Your face looks like An Daohe!” Nie Sheng finally remembered that An Daohe was the female lead An Linqing’s father. “However, your age and voice don’t match that old scoundrel An Daohe.”
Hearing Nie Sheng describe his father in this way, Nie Qing gritted his teeth and suppressed his emotions before asking, "Father, do you remember that An Daohe has a daughter?"
“It does seem like there was one. I remember that old scoundrel had three sons and one daughter, but it seems that all the sons were beheaded and the daughter was exiled, right?” Nie Sheng recalled carefully, then suddenly seemed to understand something, looking at Lu He: “Could you be An Daohe’s daughter?”
"No, no!" Lu He said without any panic. "There are all sorts of strange things in this world. What's so rare about people who look alike? Why does the Minister seem so unsophisticated?" Lu He teased.
Seeing that an unknown person dared to ridicule him like this, Nie Sheng felt humiliated and was about to get angry when Nie Zhiyuan stepped forward and whispered in his father's ear, "The one next to her just said he was an imperial guard..."
Nie Sheng squinted at Bai Yu and said, "I know quite a few Imperial Guards, but this one looks unfamiliar."
Seeing that the situation was not going well, Princess Chengde quickly stepped in to control the situation: "Lord Nie, there are Imperial Guards you haven't seen before. Are you going to say that I, the princess, am not real?"
"This old minister wouldn't dare! Your Highness is too kind! How could this old minister not recognize Princess Chengde!" Nie Sheng knew that these people were all sent by Chengde. If he were to deal with them today, he feared he would break ties with the princess, but...
"Your Highness, I heard that you only recently returned to the capital. I suppose these friends are people from the martial arts world whom you have met. I suspect that they have ill intentions and are trying to take advantage of Your Highness!" Nie Qing hurriedly spoke up when she saw that Minister Nie was backing down.
"That's right, it's better to verify their identities! Guards! Protect the princess!" Seeing this, Nie Sheng quickly seized the opportunity and took Chengde Luhe Baiyu into custody.
"How dare you, Nie Sheng! You intend to rebel!" Chengde was both shocked and furious.
"These two people have questionable identities, and I will do my utmost to protect Her Highness the Princess's safety!" Nie Sheng said in a grand and righteous tone.