After Nangong Yu left, the smile on Feng Tianlan's face vanished. "Investigate, dig three feet deep to find this person! To dare to make a move against her in my manor is an unforgivable crime!"
"Yes, master."
Xiao Man sat in the carriage, her expression stern. Xiao Zhen reached out and stroked her head. "What exactly happened?"
"I was careless," Xiao Man said softly.
"Is it related to the Grand Tutor?"
Xiao Man shook her head. "Probably not. Father, what has His Majesty decided about the Crown Prince?"
"Now is the time of peace talks with Yunqi. If the Crown Prince is deposed, it may cause turmoil in the court. If Yunqi takes advantage of the chaos, Yusheng will be in danger." Su Dan Novel Network
"That is, the Crown Prince's disposal is temporarily shelved, and a decision will be made after the peace talks with Yunqi."
"Yes."
This was all within Xiao Man's expectations. The Crown Prince had not yet reacted and needed time to calm down. The Empress also needed time to strategize. However, the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess were estranged. She wondered if Duke Xue would help the Crown Prince or his own daughter.
"Since Yunqi cannot see the problem, the Crown Prince cannot be locked in prison. He should be confined to the Eastern Palace, right?"
Xiao Zhen nodded. "Yes, the Empress and Duke Xue will certainly not stand idly by. They will find every way to save him. The only way to save him is to facilitate the marriage of the Ninth Princess."
"The Ninth Princess is nominally under the Empress. If the Ninth Princess becomes the Empress of Yunqi, even if His Majesty wants to depose the Crown Prince, he will have to consider it. However, will the Empress Dowager let them have their way?"
"The Ninth Princess was raised by the Empress Dowager. For the Empress Dowager, the Ninth Princess's marriage to Yunqi is beneficial to her." Xiao Man sighed, "She is truly a pitiful girl. Her own relatives are thinking of how to use her to exchange for benefits."
"Being in the imperial family is like this. Such things as kinship never exist, and love is also like this."
"Does Father love Mother?" Xiao Man asked abruptly.
"Of course, I do."
"Then does Mother love you?"
"Nonsense, if she didn't love me, would she have given birth to me?"
Xiao Man smiled, her eyes crinkling. "So, there are exceptions, aren't there?"
Xiao Zhen found that he could not refute her. Most parents loved their children and would do anything for them. However, some parents treated their children like toys, playing with them wantonly, even using them as tools for power struggles, and abandoning them without mercy once they were no longer useful.
"After all, it's a minority. I don't want you to gamble on that minuscule possibility."
"Father, rest assured, your daughter knows what she is doing." Xiao Man's smile remained unchanged. In her heart, men had never been her top priority.
Xiao Zhen looked at the wound on Xiao Man's face, a sense of unease churning in his heart. "Who exactly did this to you?"
"Father, you don't need to worry. As long as the person who attacked me is not from our family, I will show no mercy. I will repay their 'care' a hundredfold."
"You know who it is?" Xiao Zhen's spirit jolted. "Tell me, Father will surely break all his bones."
"Leave this to me to handle. If I can't handle it, I'll ask Father to step in." Xiao Man said with a smile.
"Father and daughter teaming up to bully someone? That sounds not bad."
"It's not like we haven't done it before. In the past, I would cause trouble in front, and Father would clean up the mess behind. You should be used to it by now," Xiao Man teased.
Xiao Zhen's old face blushed. "Alright, I'll have the imperial physician come over later to treat your wound."
"No need, Xiang Xue will handle it." Xiao Man headed towards Shui Yue Xiao Zhu. As she reached the entrance, Yin Zhu quickly came to greet her.
"Miss is back... Oh my, Miss, how are you injured?" Yin Zhu looked at the wound on Xiao Man's face and quickly called to Xiang Xue, "Xiang Xue, Miss is injured."
The formerly quiet Shui Yue Xiao Zhu became lively because of these words. Maids bustled in and out, tending to Xiao Man's wound. "Miss, didn't you go to the Grand Tutor's manor? Could the Grand Tutor have done this?"
"No, it was someone else."
"Did Miss encounter assassins?"
"It wasn't assassins, but I was framed," Xiao Man looked at Ying Xue. "Issue an order, I want the Cen family to have no standing in the business world from now on!"
A hint of joy flashed in Ying Xue's eyes. "Miss is finally going to make a move against him?"
"I've been letting him be, not wanting to make Mo Han difficult. Since he insists on seeking death, I will send him on his way. When he no longer has the Cen family as his backing, without the money he prides himself on, I want to see what abilities he can still muster," Xiao Man said slowly. Cen Yu, this is my challenge, I hope you can receive it properly.
"Yes, Miss!"
The Crown Prince was confined to the Eastern Palace, and his faction was in a state of panic, while others inwardly rejoiced.
The Empress Dowager's lips curved into a smile. "I thought the Crown Prince was steady, but I didn't expect him to be so susceptible to temptation. How is the Qin King's manor?"
"Miss Dan is getting along well with the Qin King, but Lian Yi has been unable to find an opportunity to interact with the Qin King, and cannot even enter the Qin King's courtyard."
"What about that pregnant woman?"
"The Qin King has confined her to her courtyard. The people taking care of her are all chosen by the Qin King, and the food is prepared in the small kitchen within the courtyard. Our people cannot infiltrate."
"Find a way to get rid of that piece of flesh in that woman's belly. She must not be allowed to give birth to the eldest son and threaten our plan."
"Yes, Empress Dowager."
"By the way, where is Little Li Zi? I haven't seen him today."
"Today is Winter Solstice, Eunuch Li has many tasks to attend to. Coupled with so many events that have occurred, he has probably not finished yet."
The Empress Dowager lay on the soft couch, a palace maid massaging her legs. The Empress Dowager was in a good mood. The Central Palace and the Eastern Palace were in chaos, which was a welcome sight.
"Empress Dowager, Consort De has come to pay her respects."
"Let her in."
"Your subject pays her respects to Mother Consort."
"Get up. Why have you come at this time?" the Empress Dowager asked, sitting up.
"Today is Winter Solstice, so I thought I would come to accompany Mother Consort for dinner," Consort De said obediently. "Mother Consort won't dislike me, will you?"
"How could I? Someone, serve the meal."
The Empress Dowager showed a pleased expression. "Won't Prince Qi be coming?"
"Many things have happened today, and Prince Qi is so busy he can't spare the time, so he probably can't come to dine with Mother Consort," Consort De said gently.
The Empress Dowager understood. With the Crown Prince's incident, someone needed to take over his duties. Prince Qin was too powerful, so the Emperor would certainly not assign the Crown Prince's duties to Prince Qin. Therefore, they would be assigned to Prince Chu and Prince Qi. Prince Qi was indeed very busy at this time.
The imperial kitchen sent the dinner. Because it was cold, the dishes were covered to prevent them from getting cold too quickly. The two sat at the table, and the attendant palace maids began to uncover the lids and test for poison one by one.
The last dish was a large one, placed in the center of the table. As the palace maid uncovered the lid, the lid slipped from her hand in fright the moment it was opened.