"I’m fine, have you gotten used to the life at Prince Han’s Mansion?"
"I’ve gotten used to it, long ago, after all, this is my ho."
Upon hearing Xiao Siyun say this, Zhao Yao felt reassured.
"I was worried you might not be comfortable living here, not treating this as your ho."
"Your Highness, when you marry a chicken, follow the chicken; when you marry a dog, follow the dog. This is Your Highness’s ho, so naturally, it’s my ho too." Perhaps before coming here, after listening to Zhao Yao talk a lot about Swamp Prefecture, she was filled with longing. Once she arrived at Swamp Prefecture, she didn’t feel the least bit unfamiliar; instead, she felt a hint of closeness.
"There are quite a few matters in Prince Han’s Mansion, have you figured them out?"
"Thanks to the steward’s help, I’ve already figured them out."
"In these days, you can first focus on the mansion’s affairs, and when you’re done, you can consider what you want to do." Zhao Yao didn’t hope for Xiao Siyun to be confined to the harem of Prince Han’s Mansion, "Over the next few days, you can have soone from the mansion take you out to explore, and see Swamp Prefecture well, as well as the lives of the people here."
"I am planning on doing just that."
"I’m truly too busy; otherwise, I would personally take you out." Zhao Yao said apologetically, "It will be at least a few months before I’m free, so I won’t be able to take you out for a walk for now."
"Your Highness, I know you’re busy, you don’t need to worry about , I will go out and see things myself." Xiao Siyun said with a smile, "I will also find what I want to do."
"Oh right, there’s sothing you can do."
Xiao Siyun hurriedly asked, "What is it?"
"Swamp Prefecture has established many girls’ schools. If you’re interested, you could visit one and perhaps teach there."
"Girls’ schools?" Xiao Siyun was shocked, "Swamp Prefecture has girls’ schools?"
Seeing Xiao Siyun’s excited response, Zhao Yao felt a bit strange, "Did I never ntion this to you?"
Xiao Siyun shook her head and said, "No."
"Then I’ll tell you now: Swamp Prefecture has free girls’ schools where any girl can go to learn. The teachers are all won who teach students to read and write, and also teach them how to earn a living..." Zhao Yao explained the girls’ schools to Xiao Siyun in detail.
After listening, Xiao Siyun imdiately said, "Your Highness, I am willing to teach at a girls’ school." She didn’t expect that His Highness had established girls’ schools.
"Don’t rush to make a decision, you can go take a look first." Zhao Yao said with a smile, "In Swamp Prefecture, there are many things you can do. Everything you’ve learned over the years can be put to use."
Previously, Xiao Siyun always thought she should just take care of the harem at Prince Han’s Mansion, but ever since she t Zhao Yao, her vision and breadth of mind expanded considerably, and her focus wasn’t on the harem anymore. Now, learning that Zhao Yao had opened girls’ schools in Swamp Prefecture, she suddenly felt she could do much more.
"By the way, Swamp Prefecture also has a won’s chamber of comrce. If you want to do business, you can."
"A won’s chamber of comrce?"
"Yes, a chamber of comrce organized by won, where they learn from each other and support each other; you should go take a look." Zhao Yao spoke at length about the things won were doing, leaving Xiao Siyun and Xue Yan quite astonished.
"The steward knows everything; when I’m not here, you can ask him." Zhao Yao spoke with Xiao Siyun before going to bathe and change clothes.
After bathing and changing, he went to the adjacent courtyard to find He Lianfang.
He Lianfang’s courtyard had been segregated. This was done because Prince Han’s Mansion had a mistress, and if He Lianfang’s courtyard remained within the mansion, it would be inappropriate.
"Finished with everything?"
"No, I have to leave tomorrow." Zhao Yao picked up the teapot on the table and poured himself a cup of tea.
"If you’re not done, why did you suddenly co back?" He Lianfang asked, "Did sothing happen?"
"Nothing happened, it’s just leaving the princess alone in the mansion right when I ca back seed a bit improper, so I had to co back and check."
He Lianfang gave Zhao Yao a surprised glance, then said, "Your princess is quite sothing."
"Trained in all sorts of things since childhood, how could she not be?"
He Lianfang shot Zhao Yao a sidelong glance, teasingly, "You don’t think she’s good?"
"To , there’s nothing bad, but to her, there are so downsides. After all, she’s a person, living her life around since a young age—it’s sowhat cruel."
"Are you feeling sorry for your princess?" He Lianfang continued to tease, "I didn’t expect that one day you’d feel sorry for a woman."
Zhao Yao, drinking tea at the mont, was startled by He Lianfang’s words and ended up choking, only stopping after coughing for a long while. With a face full of helplessness, he said, "Regardless of who it is, I think doing this is improper."
"Didn’t see you being sentintal before."
Zhao Yao made a ’pause’ gesture with his hand, "Stop now."
He Lianfang didn’t continue to tease Zhao Yao and began talking business.
At this mont, a Hidden Guard ca in, "Your Highness, a secret letter from the capital."
Zhao Yao reached out to take the letter, opened it, and his brows imdiately furrowed.
"The Empress has gone mad." After speaking, he handed the letter to He Lianfang.
He hadn’t expected his eighth brother would act so quickly. He had only returned to Swamp Prefecture for a month, and Empress Xie had gone mad. He thought it would be a little while longer before his eighth brother would take action.
After He Lianfang read the letter, he asked, "What are you planning?"
"It has nothing to do with , what can I plan?"
"With the Empress gone mad, Prince Jing will step down. Next, it’s the struggle between Prince Chu and Prince Wei; do you really intend not to do anything?"
"I’m not intervening in their disputes." Zhao Yao’s expression beca sowhat heavy, "With fourth brother’s capabilities, he won’t be easily removed by eighth brother."
"Are you really not going to help?"
"Not helping." Zhao Yao sighed, "I said I wouldn’t help, and that’s that. If I do help, things will beco more complicated."
He Lianfang gave Zhao Yao a deep look and didn’t speak.
Zhao Yao took back the secret letter, pointing at its contents, letting out a snort of laughter, "So it really was Empress Xie who killed the forr Empress."
"You guessed it long ago."
"I did guess it, but seeing the truth now still feels ironic."
"If she hadn’t killed the forr Empress, how could she have beco the Empress?" He Lianfang felt it wasn’t surprising at all for Empress Xie to do this. "In the harem, incidents of blood sisters killing each other aren’t rare."
"That’s true."
"With the Empress gone mad, your father will decree her removal; do you think your mother might beco the new Empress?"
Zhao Yao was shocked by He Lianfang’s words; he widened his eyes in disbelief, saying, "Uncle, are you mad? How could you think Father would make my mother the Empress?!"
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