Shuo Ling followed Eunuch Li and walked toward the imperial palace.

Eunuch Li stopped at the door of the imperial study and looked at Shuo Ling with a smile, “Please wait at the door. I will go and tell His Majesty you are here.”

“Please.” Replied Shuo Ling.

His Majesty Chus.h.i.+ Youtian was dealing with official business in the imperial study.

Eunuch Li walked gently to His Majesty, “Your Majesty, Marquis Shuo arrived. He is waiting at the door.”

Heard that Shuo Ling arrived, Chus.h.i.+ Youtian put down the files and raised his head. His lips moved slightly, “Let him in.”

Eunuch Li understood. He called in a shrill voice toward the outside, “Let Marquis Shuo in.”

Chus.h.i.+ Youtian pulled a long face as soon as he saw Shuo Ling. Shuo Ling saw that clearly, so he guessed that His Majesty must call him for the rumor. He could only play by ear. He knelt in front of Chus.h.i.+ Youtian.

“Your Majesty, what are you calling me for?” Shuo Ling decided to play dumb and play it by ear.

Chus.h.i.+ Youtian looked at Shuo Ling with displeasure and anger, “How can you not know why I'm calling you? The rumor reached me already. You're a marquis, but you don't value your reputation and integrity at all. You degraded the royal family. It seems that I have been too indulgent with you.”

“Your Majesty, that is not the truth. Please conduct a thorough investigation.” Shuo Ling replied calmly.

Chus.h.i.+ Youtian squinted at Shuo Ling, who knelt on the ground. He said, “Ah, not the truth. Do you find out the one who started the rumor? How do you solve it?”

“Your Majesty, I'm trying to find out the person. I will find out a solution soon. Please….”

Shuo Ling was interrupted by Chus.h.i.+ Youtian.

Chus.h.i.+ Youtian raised his voice, “You don't need to find out a solution. I'm afraid the whole Dongling will know the rumor when finding out the person.”

Chus.h.i.+ Youtian looked at Shuo Ling. He adjusted his tone and said, “You're already an adult, but still have no company. It is time to get married.”

While talking, Chus.h.i.+ Youtian took out a portrait from the right side of the table and motioned Eunuch Li to bring it to Shuo Ling.

Shuo Ling glanced at the portrait. It was an elegant and graceful girl with arched eyebrows, beautiful eyes, and smallmouth. She was extremely delicate.

“She is the daughter of Prime Minister named Yan Ruolan. I picked her up in my free time. She is an educated and reasonable girl who has good commands of lyre-playing, chess, calligraphy, and painting. What do you think?” Chus.h.i.+ Youtian asked.

Seeing that Shuo Ling kept silent, Chus.h.i.+ Youtian continued, “In this way, the rumor can be ended easily. You can also have a beautiful lady as your wife. How do you think of the idea?”

Shuo Ling didn't know how to reply. A eunuch at the door motioned Eunuch Li to go out. Soon, Eunuch Li came in and whispered to Chus.h.i.+ Youtian, “Your Majesty, the bearer is from the Palace of Compa.s.sion and Tranquility. Empress Dowager heard that Marquis Shuo is here. She wants to see him.”

Chus.h.i.+ Youtian thought that marriage is not so urgent. He wanted to go together with Shuo Ling and discussed it with Empress Dowager. But some official affairs were waiting to be handled, so he looked at Shuo Ling and said, “I hope you can think of what I said carefully. Empress Dowager is waiting for you. Just go and accompany her.”

“I will.” Then Shuo Ling went out.

As soon as Shuo Ling left, Chus.h.i.+ Youtian changed his expression. He called Eunuch Li.

Chus.h.i.+ Youtian happily said to him, “You see, the daughter of Prime Minister is so lovely a girl. I saw so many girls of the royal family and official families, and only she is good enough to marry Shuo Ling.”

“The girl you chose must be the best. Miss. Yan is so lucky to be admired by Your Majesty. Marquis Shuo is a handsome man as well. If they got married, they must be a happy couple.” Eunuch Li echoed.

“Your servant! When did you become so talkative.” Chus.h.i.+ Youtian became happier after listening to Eunuch Li's words.

Chus.h.i.+ Youtian soon stooped smiling and started to worry, “But we don't know whether Shuo Ling would blame me for the decision.”

“How can it be? Your Majesty regards Marquis Shuo as your own son. I think he will understand your decision in the future.” Seeing Chus.h.i.+ Youtian's expression, Eunuch Li comforted.

The Palace of Compa.s.sion and Tranquility.

Empress Dowager was in a pavilion and chatting happily with servants. Seeing Shuo Ling, she stopped smiling.

“Your Empress Dowager, I wish you all happiness.” Shuo ling said and knelt.

Seeing Shuo Ling saluted in such a courteous way, Empress Dowager looked better. She said, “My dear, you don't need to be so reserved in front of me. Come over and be seated here. I have something to ask you.”

Said Empress Dowager, waving her hand to motion servants to go out.

Shuo Ling seated next to Empress Dowager. She held his hands with mixed feelings and frowned, “My dear, you're a good boy. How can you behave like that? I couldn't believe it when I heard the rumor.”

“I shouldn't make you worry. I'm very guilty and deserve death.” Shuo Ling didn't know how to comfort her, so he could only reply like this.

Empress Dowager turned her head around, “Pooh, pooh! How can you say death so easily? I like you more than my grandsons. How can I see you be treated unfairly? But my dear, you need to know that gossip is a fearful thing.”

“You are the Marquis. You need to protect the reputation of your family all the time, not only for your own sake, but also for the sake of your father who died on the battlefield. Your father was a great man. You can't destroy the reputation of your family.” Empress Dowager said sincerely.

Shuo Ling nodded, “I will behave myself.”

“Then what's the truth?” Empress Dowager frowned.

Shuo Ling thought for a while. Empress Dowager was old, and she treated him well when he was a little child. He didn't want to see her worrying. After thinking twice, he decided to tell her the truth. He said, “The rumor is not the truth. Yang Zijin is a girl. There is someone deliberately spread the rumor.”

Empress Dowager was surprised by his words. “You mean the so-called toy-boy is actually a girl? Then how can the rumor become so nasty?”

“I think there must be someone who is spreading the rumor deliberately.” Replied Shuo Ling.

Empress Dowager looked at Shuo Ling with confusion, “That is to say there is someone who is intentionally harming the reputation of your family. Do you know who the person is?”

Shuo ling shook his head.

“How bold the person is! How dare he harm the reputation of a worthy official! I cannot excuse him!” Empress Dowager said in great anger.

Shuo ling stood up beside her, “Please don't worry. You can rest a.s.sured. I will make it clear.”

“You're right. You must make it clear! But why Yang Zijin pretends to be a man? And why are you so familiar with her?” Empress Dowager looked at Shuo Ling and asked.

“Your Empress Dowager, I doubt that Yang Zijin… She may be the lost daughter of Princess Royal.”

Hearing his words, Empress Dowager's hands trembled slightly, “What?”

Empress Dowager was shocked and then smiled slightly. She soon calmed down. Looking at her expression, Shuo Lin knew that this was regret in her heart.

“Your Empress Dowager, according to the information I got, Yang Zijin must be the daughter of Princess Royal.” Repeated Shuo Ling.

After making clear the whole thing, Empress Dowager looked happy with a gentle smile. “Oh, I didn't expect that I can see the daughter of Suhan in the rest of my life!”

After a moment, Empress Dowager asked Shuo Ling how did he know that. She was thrilled with joy. She held Shuo Ling's hands and asked, “Shuo Ling, how can you know that?”

“I knew that by accident. I found that people of the mansion of Duke Mu was tracking Yang Zijin. At first, I was just curious, so I managed to be friends with her. Later, I knew that Duke of Mu tried to take Yang Zijin back for several times. However, Yang Zijin got used to being free and didn't want to be constrained, so she refused.” Shuo Ling explained.

Listening to his words, Empress Dowager recalled the past Princess Royal Chus.h.i.+ Suhan. She looked sad. She wanted to say something but hesitated. At last, she asked, “Who adopted Yang Zijin? Does she have a good life or not? Why does she pretend to be a man?”

“Your Empress Dowager, Yang Zijin was adopted by the owner of Spring Breeze. She treated Yang Zijin well and took Yang Zijin as her daughter. She was afraid that Yang Zijin would be hara.s.sed in Spring Breeze, so she let Yang Zijin dressed in men's wear. Even people in Spring Breeze didn't know that Yang Zijin is a girl. Yang Zijin reformed the business model of Spring Breeze. They started a new business. Girls there are saved from misery. The noted Blossoming Peach is run by Yang Zijin. Her unique business model is praised by all the people in this city.” Shuo Ling said. He thought there was no need to cheat Empress Dowager.

Listened to what Shuo Ling said, Empress Dowager looked seriously. No matter what Yang Zijin had done before, now Empress Dowager would not allow her to appear in the public since she was the daughter of Suhan.

“Shuo Ling, take me to find Yang Zijin. I will personally take her back. I didn't know her before. Now I know. I can't see the child of the royal family live outside the palace.” Said Empress Dowager with a determined face.

Seeing that Empress Dowager was so eager to take Yang Zijin back, Shuo Ling said, “I know that you're eager to see Yang Zijin. But I'm afraid you need to leave her time for thinking. She was a stubborn girl. It would be better to wait for her to accept her ident.i.ty and Duke of Mu at first. Then you can get together naturally. If you appear personally, she may reject her ident.i.ty. The thing will become worse in that way.”

After a while, Shuo Ling added, “Please give her more time.”