As the person he was about to catch was being taken away by Hua Yunjin, Zhu Keyu could not possibly accept it.
If this matter was not handled well, how could the Regent King value him?
Thinking of this, Zhu Keyu blocked Hua Yunjin's path and bowed, saying, "Prime Minister, the criminal was caught by this subordinate first. Shouldn't there be a matter of who came first?"
Upon hearing this, Hua Yunjin chuckled softly and looked up at Zhu Keyu, saying, "Lord Zhu wishes to talk about who came first with this minister?"
"This subordinate dares not!" Zhu Keyu gritted his teeth.
Hua Yunjin narrowed his eyes and said coldly, "Since you dare not, then it is much easier. I will take the person."
Zhu Keyu became anxious and said, "Prime Minister, aren't you afraid the Regent King will demand the person from you?"
Hua Yunjin smiled, his smile very cold, "This minister awaits anytime!"
With that, Hua Yunjin walked up to Zhou Zhengtong and looked at the guards surrounding Zhou Zhengtong and his granddaughter, saying coldly, "Step back!"
The guards looked at Zhu Keyu, who gritted his teeth and said, "Step back!"
The guards retreated one after another.
Hua Yunjin helped Zhou Zhengtong and left.
Zhou Lijun followed, but after two steps, she suddenly stopped, turned around, and walked to Zhu Keyu.
Zhu Keyu did not expect Zhou Lijun to come to him and instinctively took a step back.
Zhou Lijun's face was a little pale, but her eyes were firm, as if she had made a certain decision.
She slowly took off the item around her neck, which was a jade ring. She held it in her hand, glanced at it, and then handed it to Zhu Keyu, "Lord Zhu, here is your thing back. This commoner is not fortunate enough to accept it."
Zhu Keyu was stunned, "Lijun..."
"Don't call my name, it makes me feel disgusted," Zhou Lijun said coldly, her expression icy.
Zhu Keyu froze, and Zhou Lijun threw the jade ring at him, saying word by word, "From this moment on, you and I are severed. We have no more relationship. From now on, you take your bright road, and I will cross my single-plank bridge."
Zhu Keyu trembled all over, took a step back, and said in disbelief, "Lijun, you..."
Zhou Lijun said no more, turned around, and chased after her grandfather.
Zhu Keyu looked at the jade ring in his arms with a pale face, lost in thought.
Hua Yunjin stopped in front of a courtyard and said to Zhou Zhengtong, "Lord Zhou, you and Miss Zhou will stay here for now. It is very safe here."
Zhou Zhengtong was thrilled, "Prime Minister, thank you so much."
Otherwise, he and Lijun would have been arrested by Zhu Keyu today. He wouldn't have minded, as he was already half in the grave, but Lijun was different. She was so young. The Zhou family now only had him and his granddaughter left, and he couldn't let anything happen to Lijun.
"Lord Zhou, you are too polite. This minister saved you because he will need you to do things for this minister in the future."
"Prime Minister, please give your commands. Even if it costs this life, it will be accomplished," Zhou Zhengtong said solemnly.
"There is no need for Lord Zhou to risk his life. If there is a need, this minister will inform Lord Zhou. Until then, Lord Zhou, you will stay here. If you need anything, tell the servants in the mansion, and this minister will arrange it."
Zhou Zhengtong could not help but sigh at Hua Yunjin's thoughtfulness.
"In that case, this humble one thanks the Prime Minister here," Zhou Zhengtong said gratefully.
After watching Zhou Zhengtong enter the courtyard with his granddaughter Zhou Lijun, Hua Yunjin gave instructions to the servants in the mansion and then left.
Back in the carriage, Hua Yunjin looked at the young girl in the carriage and said, "Your Majesty, you were reckless just now. If Zhu Keyu had discovered it was you, what would you have done alone?"
The young girl sighed, "Letting me watch here, I couldn't do it."
Hua Yunjin rubbed his forehead, "Your Majesty, you will ruin the plan this way."
"No, Zhu Keyu did not recognize me."
Hua Yunjin sighed, "Your Majesty, please be more cautious next time."
"Alright, I know. It won't happen again," Xue Zining said quickly, for fear that Hua Yunjin would nag her.
Hua Yunjin shook his head helplessly and said to the driver outside, "Let's go!"
After the carriage left, around the corner, another carriage slowly emerged. The man in the carriage, dressed in fine brocade robes, also opened his eyes. In an instant, his beauty flowed like the starry river in the night sky, exquisitely beautiful.
"Young Master, do we need to report to the Regent King?"
The man raised his eyes. Although there was a curtain in front of him, his gaze seemed to have pierced through it. "No need."
"Young Master, if the Regent King knows that you knew but did not report it, I fear..."
"Yan Er, why are you so hesitant? Young Master said there is no need."
Yan Er rubbed his forehead, "Yan Yi, you cannot always agree with Young Master. Although loyal advice is unpleasant to hear, it is also for Young Master's own good."
Yan Yi snorted, "Are you calling me a sycophant?"
"That's not what I meant," Yan Er replied.
"I don't care what you mean. Don't forget, we belong to Young Master. We must obey whatever Young Master does without condition," Yan Yi said.
Yan Er sighed inwardly. He knew that Yan Yi was incorrigible, so he turned to look at his own Young Master, "Young Master, if you continue to stay in Huangze, it's best not to offend the Regent King."
"Yan Er, don't boost others' morale and dampen your own spirit. The Regent King will soon not be able to cover the sky with one hand."
"Are you talking about the Empress?" Yan Er asked dismissively.
"Yan Er, do not underestimate the Empress. The Empress is not simple."
Yan Er did not believe that the Empress could do anything. How could someone who relied on others all day long hold Huangze in her hands?
"Return to the palace," Yan Zhao, who had been silent, suddenly said coldly.
Yan Er and Yan Yi fell silent. They had been arguing so merrily that they forgot the main person was still here.
Zhaoyuan Palace
When Xue Zining returned to Zhaoyuan Palace, she saw someone kneeling outside.
She was startled and walked forward, only to find that it was the person she had brought back from Yan Zhao that morning, whose name seemed to be Qing Yi.
Qing Yi had been kneeling there for almost a whole day and was already starving. What was hateful was that the palace maid beside the Empress, named Xue Yan, was eating pastries in front of him and occasionally dropping crumbs.
He was furious. He would not let this woman off in the future.
Not only that, but she was also drinking water in front of him, when heaven knew he was already dehydrated from the sun.
"Why are you still kneeling here?" a clear and beautiful voice came.
Qing Yi looked up, and his eyes met those clear, water-like eyes, but the look in them was so cold that his limbs trembled.
"Your Majesty, this humble one..."
Before he could finish speaking, the young girl interrupted him coldly, "Go back."
Qing Yi was stunned, and the young girl continued, "Of course, if you like kneeling, you can come and kneel anytime."
Qing Yi: "..."
The young girl turned and left without looking back.
"Still dreaming of coveting my Empress? Dream on!" Xue Yan spat on Qing Yi.
Qing Yi was driven mad and wanted to stand up immediately and trample this woman into the ground.