The Palace, Yongxin Hall.
The eunuchs stood outside the hall, listening to the sound of the silk and bamboo music coming from inside, yawning incessantly.
They couldn’t understand the music at all, and even if they tried to stay alert, their eyelids were about to touch their lower lids.
Unfortunately, Emperor Qi was in a good mood today.
He had finished his morning court early and rushed back to Yongxin Hall to listen to some pipa music played by the beautiful maidens.
Although the eunuchs couldn’t understand the music, Emperor Qi was thoroughly enjoying it.
He had a smile on his face and was staring at the faces of the pipa players, playing with the Buddhist beads on his wrist.
Then he clapped and laughed, praising, “This is celestial music, it should be rewarded, it should be rewarded!”
The eunuch standing by his side was a bit hesitant.
Taking advantage of Emperor Qi’s pause to drink tea, he reminded him in a low voice, “Your Majesty, the Prime Minister has been waiting outside for some time to see you.”
Emperor Qi was a little impatient, “He didn’t come earlier or later, but chose to come at this time.”
The eunuch was embarrassed and replied, “Your Majesty, the slave really doesn’t know what the Prime Minister wants to say to you.”
Emperor Qi was too busy enjoying the music and didn’t want to talk much, so he waved his hand and said, “Tell Mu Xiang to come back another day. I’m very busy now.”
The eunuch received the order and hurriedly went outside to announce it.
With no distractions around, Emperor Qi continued to listen to the music, completely immersed in it.
It wasn’t until the sky outside the window began to darken that he reluctantly let the pipa players go.
Before they left, he called for the eunuchs and rewarded them with a lot of gold, silver, and jewels.
After listening to the pipa music all day, Emperor Qi was a bit tired now.
He looked languid and told the eunuchs by his side, “You can all go back. I’m tired and get annoyed when I see people.”
The eunuchs were worried and said, “But, Your Majesty, there is no one in the hall. What if…”
Before the eunuch could finish his sentence, Emperor Qi scolded, “What are you afraid of? The great Qi Dynasty dominates the four corners of the world. Do those thieves still dare to sneak into the palace and assassinate me?”
Faced with this incredibly obtuse monarch, the eunuchs didn’t dare to say anything more, and could only bow and leave.
After the eunuchs left, the hall fell silent.
Emperor Qi played with his Buddhist beads, closed his eyes, and seemed to be reminiscing about the music he had just heard.
But when he opened his eyes, there was someone wrapped in black standing in the dark corner of the hall.
Emperor Qi saw the person and shook his Buddhist beads, placing them on the table.
The black-clothed figure lowered his head, walked a few steps closer, bowed to Emperor Qi, and presented something in his hand.
Emperor Qi took the item from the black-clothed person and placed it under the lamp, casually flipping through it.
The candlelight flickered, making the bloodstains on the account book even more glaring.
After finishing, Emperor Qi returned the account book to the black-clothed person and instructed them to send it to Mu Mansion that evening.
“Minister Mu has accompanied me for so many years and has merits as well as hardships. If he wants to preserve his reputation and that of the entire Mu family, he knows what to do.”
The black-clothed person responded, “Yes, Your Majesty.”
Emperor Qi looked at the black-clothed person and said, “As for the Crown Prince, tell him that I do not want to see any fratricide happening.”
The black-clothed person replied, “Your Majesty, the Crown Prince is full of compassion and will not commit such an act.”
Hearing the black-clothed person’s words, Emperor Qi smiled and said, “Yes, the Crown Prince is my good son and the one who resembles me the most. That is precisely why I am sending you to remind him not to forget that Yi’er is still his brother.”
The black-clothed person did not understand, but even if they did, they would not dare to speak.
Emperor Qi spoke in a low voice, “Although Yi’er has had some failures, he is still my flesh and blood. When the Crown Prince ascends the throne, let him leave the capital and become a leisurely prince. There is nothing wrong with that.”
The black-clothed person agreed, “It seems that Your Majesty has already paved the way for the Fourth Prince and made sufficient plans.”
The black-clothed person asked, “What about the Third Prince?”
Emperor Qi fell silent for a moment and then put his Buddhist beads back on his wrist, “Jin’er is the child that Princess Zhao Yang likes the most.”
The black-clothed person laughed, “Indeed, although the Third Prince is indifferent, he has still attracted a lot of affection.”
Emperor Qi said, “Jin’er is not a likable child, but he can still attract so much affection. Sometimes, I envy him.” Hearing the word “envy” from a monarch’s mouth surprised the black-clothed person.
Emperor Qi continued, “But sometimes, being loved and adored by others may not necessarily be a good thing.”
“Oh well, let’s see how it goes. When that time comes, these are not things that I can consider.”
A few days later…
Mu Xiang, claiming to be old and weak, and having suffered the loss of his son, submitted a memorial to request retirement and return to his hometown with his remains.
Despite repeated dissuasion from the Emperor Qi, he reluctantly agreed in the end.
On the same day, Concubine Mu was demoted to a noble concubine due to her involvement in political factions and personal scheming.
In an instant, the once-prominent clan fell into decline, and their doors were deserted.
Both the court officials and the common people lamented the situation.
Although Xiao Jin was far away in Qingzhou, she soon learned of this news through the intelligence department of the Prince of Yan’s Mansion.
She was only surprised for a moment and then calmed down.
After all, the Crown Prince was not a good person, and it was within Xiao Jin’s expectations that he would take advantage of the situation to harm the Mu family.
However, Mu Xiang’s punishment seemed too severe for embezzlement alone.
Thinking of this, Xiao Jin looked at Chu Shao, who was applying medicine to her bandages, and casually asked, “What does the Princess think?”
Chu Shao didn’t stop her movements and raised her hand to evenly spread the herbs.
Only after she finished did she smile and reply, “In my humble opinion, there must be more than just the Crown Prince behind the Mu family’s upheaval.”
Xiao Jin certainly understood this.
If it were only the Crown Prince, it would be difficult to create such a big disturbance.
However, in her modern life, in order to save brainpower and keep her mind relaxed, she had not read many political novels, only some silly dramas and bloody online novels.
When it came to analyzing some common tactics, her experience was more than sufficient, but she found it difficult to find political strategies in these stories.
After all, the original works did not involve any plot related to political maneuvers.
As the saying goes, there is always someone better at it.
At this moment, Xiao Jin decided to leave this matter to the professionals.
She asked the future Empress Chu Shao, “What does the Princess think, who else might be behind this?”
Chu Shao was not curious as to why Xiao Jin was asking her this question.
With a smile on her lips, Chu Shao replied softly, “Perhaps there are Mu family’s former political enemies, palace concubines, or even participants involved.”
“However, these are not important.”
Adhering to the spirit of seeking advice humbly, Xiao Jin continued to ask, “What is important?”
Chu Shao said, “What is important is those who stand by and do nothing, who remain silent. These people are often the ones who are the main drivers of events.”
Xiao Jin understood the meaning behind Chu Shao’s words.
The sudden collapse of the Mu family, Mu Yuan’s death, and the account book were just the catalysts.
Buried beneath all of this was likely the plotting of certain individuals that had been going on for many years.
Chu Shao added, “The centipede dies but does not fall. The Mu family has a deep foundation, and even if they encounter such an event, they may not completely collapse.”
Xiao Jin agreed, “Although Mu Xiang resigned from his post, his second son, Mu Heng, was promoted to the position of the Minister of Personnel, which is a higher position. In recent days, a new group of talented women have entered the palace, among them are some Mu family members who have been appointed as concubines. The Mu family’s foundation is there, and it will not collapse overnight.”
Chu Shao nodded, “Power balancing has always been like this.”
Xiao Jin recalled the series of events and suddenly felt that the person sitting on the dragon throne may not be as incompetent as he appeared on the surface.
Even if the Crown Prince wanted to intervene, he probably couldn’t do it without the tacit approval of the Emperor.
It’s just that Xiao Shuang’s role in this matter is unknown.
Based on the information currently known, Xiao Jin couldn’t figure out what the erratic and unpredictable aunt of the original owner was thinking.
But one thing was certain: because of the Fourth Prince, certain people owed favors to the Mu family.
At least on the surface, that was the case.
Thinking about this string of events gave Xiao Jin a headache.
But what made her even more headache-inducing were the events that followed.
When she looked up, Chu Shao had already come over with a bandage coated in medicine.
Although Chu Shao had beautiful eyes, eyebrows, lips, and nose, Xiao Jin couldn’t help but resist when it came to letting this person apply medicine to her.
Don’t ask why, it’s just because she has read too many novels.
In her heart, she automatically kept her distance from characters with poorly written personalities.
Xiao Jin’s words were rare and tactful: “Princess, there’s no need to trouble you with such a small matter. Just call for Yin Zhu and Zi Ling.”
Chu Shao smiled gently. “Since the medicine has already been applied to the bandage, it’s best to see it through to the end. I don’t want to give up halfway.”
Xiao Jin was silent.
Whenever Chu Shao was about to do something bad or say something bad, the term “princess” always came out of her mouth.
But even though Xiao Jin knew this was a routine, she still fell for it every time.
Because Chu Shao called her “princess.”
And because Chu Shao’s voice was very pleasant and gentle.
Even if Xiao Jin was just a fake prince, she couldn’t resist it.
At this point, she could only sit still in her wheelchair with a cold expression, pretending to be calm, and let Chu Shao unbutton her collar without moving.
Her facial expression was extremely stiff, and she almost wrote “unable to move” on her face.
At first, Chu Shao’s intention to apply medicine to Xiao Jin was serious.
However, seeing Xiao Jin sitting upright like a heroic martyr, she found it quite amusing.
Usually, when Chu Shao found something funny, she would suppress her inner pleasure, become excited, and randomly kill one or two people.
Now, Chu Shao finds something funny but can’t help but show it on her face, with a smile lifting the corners of her eyes and mouth, clear and bright like melting snow.
As a person involved in the situation, Xiao Jin did not know why Chu Shao was so happy.
She only knew that she was absent-mindedly fiddling with her collar, her slender and fair hand struggling to undo it.
As she slowly undid it, the process became especially torturous.
Sitting so close, Xiao Jin was on a wheelchair and lowered her gaze to look at Chu Shao’s face. Her heart raced, and she lost her composure.
This strange tremble made her nervous.
As for the specific reason for her nervousness, Xiao Jin didn’t have time to think about it. She couldn’t possibly figure it out in an instant.
She thought to herself that she was just an ordinary transmigrator.
Thinking too much, thinking deeply, was of no use.
Just as Xiao Jin was lost in thought, Chu Shao flicked her finger and lightly removed her clothes to reveal her snow-white shoulder.
As if discovering something, her movements suddenly paused.
After a moment, Chu Shao softly laughed and said, “Last time in the dim candlelight, I didn’t notice that there was a small mole on your shoulder.”
“…”
Xiao Jin remained silent, trying to appear calm. “There’s a mole, so what?”
Chu Shao looked at the black dot on the white skin. The more she looked at it, the more she felt that the small mole was as cold and indifferent as Xiao Jin herself.
So she said softly, “I think it’s beautiful, and cute.”
“…”
Finding a mole cute, what a strange fetish.
However, something even stranger happened next.
Before Xiao Jin could even think about what to say next, a warm and soft mouth pressed against her skin.
She froze.
From the corner of her eye, she saw Chu Shao’s lips slightly parted, landing on the small mole on her shoulder.
She couldn’t describe the feeling because her brain had completely shut down.
At this moment, she only had one thought in her mind.
She didn’t need to think about what tricks Chu Shao had up her sleeve because the road she took had no room for borrowing or copying.
The lips on her skin were like holding a piece of thin ice, only wet with lips, extending the tongue to gently lick it.
Chu Shao had already sensed it.
What lingers between her lips and teeth is Xiao Jin’s subconscious trembling, as well as the light fragrance that has been imbued into her skin over the years.
It is very light, a minty fragrance that carries a melting coldness.
Xiao Jin’s clothing, her ink-black hair, even the emotions in her eyes, always seem to be covered with a layer of snow.
However, at this moment, there is none of that.
After all, winter has passed and spring has come, and the summer heat is approaching.
All things are growing towards the sun.
With vigorous vitality, even the snow-covered mountains that never melt have been sun-baked into smooth and clear waters.
…
The weather is getting hotter.
Perhaps due to the stuffiness in the room, Governor Xu, sitting next to the Crown Prince, always feels a little uneasy.
In theory, Crown Prince Xiao Yu has an excellent temperament, and his appearance is handsome and elegant, reminiscent of the demeanor of Emperor Qi Zu in his prime.
But whenever the other party smiles warmly and speaks to him, Governor Xu always feels a strong sense of oppression.
The Crown Prince raised his finger and pointed to the account book on the table: “Governor Xu, if I remember correctly, the court seems to have allocated a lot of silver to Qingzhou in recent years.”
“But now, the accounts don’t seem to match up quite right.”
Even the most honest officials would take a few percent of the silver allocated by the court, and this was already an unspoken rule.
Otherwise, relying solely on their meager salary, it would be difficult to support a large family.
When it comes to searching homes, they would likely be left with nothing.
Moreover, compared to his colleagues, Governor Xu took a lot less.
He also used this silver to do a lot of practical things, so he was not afraid of the Crown Prince’s questioning.
Governor Xu remained composed and bowed: “Your Highness, the court did indeed allocate a lot of silver to Qingzhou in recent years.”
“However, the military expenses incurred from years of warfare, as well as the compensation paid to soldiers, are also significant expenses.”
The Crown Prince looked up at Governor Xu and sighed, “Year after year of war has indeed been a waste of resources. But when it comes to the bottom line, this battle must be fought.”
“Unifying the world is not only the ambition of the current emperor, but also the aspiration of the people of Qi Country.”
Governor Xu does not know whether the people truly want war or not.
But the emperor in the palace is immersed in sensual pleasures and worldly pursuits, and is unlikely to have such aspirations.
However, the Crown Prince clearly has no intention of convincing Governor Xu.
He smiled and said, “Governor Xu is honest and upright, and cares for the people. With such talent, it is a pity that you are only in Qingzhou.”
Governor Xu stood up and replied humbly, “Your Highness flatters me, but I am undeserving of such praise.”
The Crown Prince gazed at Governor Xu, smiled again, and said, “Governor Xu, rest assured that the Emperor in the capital has heard of your accomplishments. In a few days, you will be summoned to the capital for an important position.”
Governor Xu understood that if the Crown Prince spoke these words, it meant that he could obtain an important official position in the central government. Of course, this was not the will of the Emperor Qi, but rather the Crown Prince’s own intention.
However, Governor Xu looked at the Crown Prince and after a moment of hesitation, respectfully said, “Your favor is great, but I have no accomplishments to my name. If I were to accept this offer, I would feel unworthy. Please convey to His Majesty to choose another worthy official.”
The Crown Prince was briefly taken aback.
It seemed he did not expect Governor Xu to reject his olive branch so directly.
However, after a moment, he regained his composure, smiled at Governor Xu, and said, “Since that’s the case, let’s talk about how to deal with this water problem.”
After an hour of discussion, Governor Xu respectfully took his leave from the Crown Prince’s residence.
As he disappeared from sight, the Crown Prince’s smile gradually faded, and he appeared lost in thought.
A middle-aged man in a green robe walked out from behind the screen.
His face was very ordinary, with slightly high cheekbones and deep-set eyes. He even had a shiny copper gong hanging from his waist.
If Xiao Jin were present, she would recognize him as the Taoists who woke her up by banging the copper gong.
The Crown Prince looked at the old man in green and shifted his gaze to the copper gong at the man’s waist. “Since you have already returned, there is no need to wear the human skin mask and pretend to be a Taoist.”
The old man in green understood that this person in front of him didn’t like those superstitious Taoists in the martial arts world.
He took off his human skin mask and explained, “I don’t want to tie the copper gong and pretend to be a Taoist, but the spies of the Prince Yan’s Mansion are watching closely, so I dare not relax.”
The Crown Prince smiled, “After the rebellion, my Third Brother’s vigilance has indeed increased. He is in Qingzhou, but she still called the defense army over.”
“Perhaps it’s a blessing in disguise,” the old man nodded in agreement.
“But my Third Brother has undergone some significant changes in recent months, which makes me very puzzled,” the Crown Prince paused.
The old man in green couldn’t help but speak, “Your Highness, I have investigated the pulse of Prince Yan before. To be honest, I think…”
Looking at the old man’s furrowed brows, the Crown Prince still smiled and asked, “What do you think?”
The old man in green spoke slowly, “Based on the pulse I detected, Prince Yan is probably a dying man.”
The Crown Prince didn’t seem surprised, “Why is that?”
The old man in green said, “Prince Yan’s body is poisoned with two kinds of strange toxins. It’s almost impossible for him to survive until now.”
The Crown Prince nodded, indicating that he should continue speaking. “In addition, there is another strange thing about the pulse of the Prince’s Yan, but for a moment, I cannot put my finger on it. I just feel that he seems to be different from an ordinary man. However, I am not proficient in medicine, and I cannot figure out what is different,” said the old man in green clothes.
The Crown Prince was a little surprised because the old man in green clothes was usually straightforward and rarely stammered like this, showing a strange expression.
Of course, he did not know that this was the result of a dumbing-down effect.
After listening to what the old man said, the Crown Prince’s expression did not change much. Then he told a not-so-funny joke, “Is he not dead yet? Your words remind me of the scene of borrowing a corpse to revive the soul in a play.” This joke was not very funny indeed.
The old man in green clothes had a serious look on his face, and he didn’t want to laugh at all. He knew that the Crown Prince would not believe such a plot.
The Crown Prince said lightly, “Of course, I don’t believe in these absurd and ridiculous plots. I am just thinking that if it is not like this, the behavior of my Third Brother in the past few months is indeed a bit puzzling.”
The old man in green clothes guessed, “Maybe the Prince’s Yan has changed her character?”
“Changed her character, not really. She still has the same temper,” said the Crown Prince, opening a secret compartment and taking out a book from it. “But the spy informed me that a few months ago, the Prince’s Yan was very interested in this book and read it many times at home.”
The old man in green clothes squinted at the book but could not figure out why. “Your Highness, what is written in this book?” he asked.
“It’s just some historical stories and interesting anecdotes,” the Crown Prince said. “If the Prince’s Yan has nothing to do and is interested in reading historical stories and interesting anecdotes, there is nothing wrong with that.”
“No, the senior doesn’t know,” said the Crown Prince. He seemed to recall a distant memory and smiled, “The Prince’s Yan didn’t like to read books before, let alone read them. Even if he sat in the study and did nothing, she was restless.
When she had some leisure time and wanted to read a few storybooks, she was too lazy to read them and had her servants read them to her.”
The old man in green clothes made a guess, “Perhaps after returning from the military expedition, the Prince’s Yan wanted to work on her education?”
The Crown Prince shook his head and raised the book that Xiao Jin had searched for a long time but couldn’t find. “No matter how much the Prince Yan wants to work on her education, she should not read this book. I know that this book has no benefit in terms of education. Of course, the reason I find it strange is that there is another thing that the Prince Yan would never do.”
Your Highness, what is it?” The old man in the green clothes asked curiously.
The Crown Prince’s face showed no expression, “On the day of the grand wedding, she will not go and snatch Fourth Brother’s bride, and she will not declare her love for Princess Chu Shao at first sight.”
“Xiao Jin would never do such a thing.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Translator’s note: Oh! It seems like the male lead is starting to have some doubts about Xiao Jin’s identity~
That’s it for today. Good Night ~
TO BE CONTINUE…
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