After crossing, I was forced to hold on to my thighs and build a kingdom

Chapter 279 Threatening with Relatives

The next day, Jin Chu didn't have to go to the Salt Administration. She got up lazily, had her meal, and then went to Hanzhang Courtyard.

Zhao'er had already gone to the school, and the yard was very quiet.

When Yan Ming saw her, he didn't greet her enthusiastically, but just called out in a low voice, "Crown Princess."

Jin Chu nodded slightly and walked towards the main room. Princess Du was sitting alone in the hall, holding a cup of tea in her hand, her brows slightly furrowed, her expression solemn, as if she was lost in deep thought.

On the table beside her was an opened letter.

Jin Chu shifted his gaze to the letter, and a few guesses were already emerging in his mind. Many thoughts flashed through his mind like a kaleidoscope.

"I just arrived and saw that mother was frowning. Could it be that Zhao'er was naughty and made you unhappy?" Jin Chu smiled and joked.

After hearing what she said, Princess Du also came to her senses. She looked at Jin Chu with dissatisfaction and scolded him, "Don't put accusations on my well-behaved and sensible Zhao'er. He is a very good and thoughtful child!"

"Who has upset you so early this morning? Mother, please talk to Ajin. He will definitely share your hatred and condemn him together."

Jin Chu's indignant look greatly pleased Princess Du.

She pursed her lips slightly and was about to say something, but she saw her always considerate daughter-in-law's eyes roll around and she added, "If father makes you angry, then Ajin is completely unaware of it. Mother, you can handle it yourself!"

Princess Du had never expected Jin Chu to be so straightforward and playful. She was unable to respond for a moment and her expression was full of both laughter and tears.

She pointed her finger at Jin Chu in mock resentment, "You're such a sycophantic Crown Prince's Consort! I thought I'd treated you well, but I never imagined you'd be such an ungrateful little 'wolf'."

"Look at what Mother said. You and Father are the two great gods above Jin'er's head! If there is a dispute between you two, Jin'er will have no choice but to retreat. Jin'er can only protect herself and wait until you and Father are reconciled. Only then can I continue to be a well-behaved and sensible daughter-in-law!"

Princess Du was well aware of Jinchu's deliberate banter. She directed Yanming, who was standing at the door, "The Crown Princess has been busy practicing martial arts lately and is very tired. Go make her a pot of Astragalus and Codonopsis tea and bring it to her."

Yanming responded and went down to make tea, but Jinchu pretended not to know and smiled obediently, clearly appreciating Princess Du's kindness.

After nearly a year of marriage, Huanyan was pregnant, but there was still no movement in her belly.

Princess Du was sensible and although she had never asked about the matter of offspring, she could not help but harbor some worries in her heart.

So, she began to quietly take care of Jinchu's body, either by carefully adding some nourishing things to his diet, or by finding mild and nourishing prescriptions and sending them to Jinchu every now and then.

Jin Chu accepted all of this. She knew very well that Princess Du was doing this for her own good, so she would not offend her mother-in-law.

Although she had no plans to have children before, she had indeed consumed a lot of energy recently due to practicing martial arts every day. In addition, Jin Chu would soon be eighteen, so pregnancy and childbirth could be put on the agenda.

Anyway, they are all supplements and good for her body, so she just treats it as pre-pregnancy maintenance.

Jin Chu could understand Princess Du's good intentions. After all, she only had one son, Su Cheng'an, and as the crown prince of Dingbei, Su Cheng'an was born with many responsibilities.

In addition to taking responsibility for the rise and fall, honor and disgrace of the Dingbei Palace and shouldering the responsibility of maintaining stability in the northern border, marrying and having children to continue his family line is also a key step in stabilizing people's hearts.

Not to mention that the Prince of Dingbei and the Princess were deeply concerned about Jinchu's fertility. The entire northern border, from the generals to the common people, also hoped that the Princess of Dingbei could give birth to a son as soon as possible.

In this volatile landscape, the more powerful and influential the ruler, the more urgently they need a healthy and intelligent successor. This successor is the backbone of the ruler's ability to consolidate his power and secure his political position.

For subordinates, an outstanding successor is like a shining star in the dark night. He is the light of hope that they are willing to follow wholeheartedly and loyally, and he is also an endless source of spiritual motivation.

It seems that after Su Cheng'an comes back, the matter of having a child should be put on the agenda, so that everyone around her will not worry about her health.

As his thoughts were flowing, Princess Du's voice rose again.

"Ajin, I received a letter from your aunt in the capital today. Your grandmother has been bedridden for over a month."

Princess Du slowly picked up the letter, her expression full of sorrow.

She sighed softly, "I'm truly unfilial. Ever since the Dingbei Palace became a thorn in the side of that man in the capital, I haven't set foot in the capital again. Counting carefully, it's been a full eleven years since I last saw my parents!"

"This is all due to circumstances, not Mother's fault. Back when I was still in the capital, I had the privilege of meeting my grandmother and my two aunts. They are all reasonable, intelligent, and discerning people, and I believe they would not blame Mother."

Jin Chu comforted Princess Du softly, and the image of the white-haired, kind-faced old lady emerged in his mind, and a pang of bitterness rose in his heart.

"At the end of last year, your maternal grandfather resigned from his position as Minister of Revenue, and your eldest uncle has been toiling away at the position of Junior Secretary of the Supreme Court for over a decade without ever receiving a promotion. Your second uncle was spared because he held a lowly and leisurely position, out of the sight of those people."

"It's a pity that none of my nephews have been able to secure any official positions to this day. Even your uncle, who served as a prefect in a remote area and had an above-average performance rating, was demoted in name only and recalled to the capital, where he was given a perfunctory sinecure."

"The Du family raised me in luxury, but because of my status as Princess Dingbei, I didn't benefit from it. Instead, my hands and feet were tied, and I was trapped under the eyes of those people in the capital, a city that looks vast but is actually like a cage. I can't live, and I can't die. I struggle in agony day after day."

Princess Du's eyes reddened as she spoke, her voice filled with a deep sense of helplessness and sorrow. "I'm deeply concerned about my elderly mother, yet I can't visit her. I truly feel unworthy of being her own son, and I feel incredibly guilty."

Jin Chu was silent for a while, then asked, "Mother, the capital is in chaos right now. Can we think of a way to get my grandfather and his family out of the capital?"

Princess Du shook her head, a look of disappointment on her face. "The princes vying for the throne in the capital have all sent people to keep a close eye on the gates of the Du Mansion day and night."

Her eyes were cold and her words were full of sarcasm.

"These three fought to the death, like black-eyed chickens, yet they reached a surprisingly unanimous consensus on this matter. Their minds are truly sinister and vicious! They're planning to use my mother's family as leverage to coerce the prince into submission once they each ascend to power!"

"Don't worry, mother. I will do everything I can to protect my grandparents."

The dusty young man stood at the door, looking at his two closest relatives in the room with gentle eyes, and his deep voice was full of a sense of security.

"Yizhi!"

"Su Cheng'an!"

Two surprised voices sounded at the same time.