Lin Yiniang broke out in a cold sweat. Fortunately, after careful consideration, she felt it was safer to rely on Xiao Man. Xiao Man could forgive Xiao Ling for so many wicked deeds, which showed she was a kind-hearted person. Neither she nor her daughter had done anything unforgivable. They had only instigated discord between her and the Old Madam. The only time they had gone too far was when they tried to poison Xiao Man. However, Xiao Man had not been poisoned, so she should be able to forgive them.
"He wants me to cooperate with him to frame the eldest young lady."
"How would you frame her?"
"He didn't say how, only that I should inform him of the eldest young lady's every move and gave me a packet of powder, asking me to find an opportunity to put it in your food."
Lin Yiniang handed the medicine to Xiao Man, "Eldest young lady, I only ask that the fourth young lady be safe."
Xiao Man did not reach out to take it. Xiangxue took it, poured the powder into a dish, examined it, and then threw it into a basin of water.
Lin Yiniang swallowed hard, "Eldest young lady..."
"I know. Yiniang, you can go back with peace of mind. If he wants to know anything, just tell him truthfully."
"He intends to harm you!"
"I have long known his hostility towards me. If I don't give him an opportunity, he will find ways to create one. It's better to show him a clear path." Xiao Man picked up a chess piece. "Ultimately, he is an unstable piece that cannot be kept by his side. Although he trusts him, I do not."
Lin Yiniang listened, feeling rather confused. She couldn't understand what Xiao Man was trying to do. She had been a woman of the brothel, skilled at understanding men's thoughts. She truly couldn't fathom a young lady as deep and calculating as Xiao Man.
"Then I'll be going back?"
"Yes, go back. Don't think about bringing the fourth sister back to the capital. Staying in Cangzhou is safe. This capital will soon be in chaos."
Lin Yiniang's heart skipped a beat. She didn't dare to speak and retreated.
Prince Zhao, along with officials from the Ministry of Rites and the Honglu Temple, was inspecting the preparations for the celestial sacrifice. Since the Ministry of Rites and the Honglu Temple jointly supervised such matters daily, the Crown Prince had not paid much attention and was unaware of Prince Zhao's presence.
Furthermore, Prince Zhao was usually unpretentious and did not wish to disturb the Crown Prince, who was praying for blessings for the sacrifice. He was wandering around with a few attendants, checking for any omissions. Unexpectedly, as they passed a house, its wall suddenly collapsed.
Even more alarming, as the wall fell, it nearly crushed Prince Zhao. He felt a premonition of ill fortune and, by chance, saw two naked bodies entwined on a bed within the collapsed wall.
"Absurd! Utterly absurd!" Prince Zhao trembled with anger. "Arrest these two at once! How dare they behave so outrageously in the Grand Temple!"
The couple engaged in their intimate act on the bed was also startled awake. The woman shrieked, quickly grabbing a nearby quilt to cover herself. The man turned his head, his face pale.
"Imperial... Imperial Uncle..."
When Prince Zhao recognized the face on the bed, he felt dizzy. A guard nearby quickly supported him, "Your Highness, please calm yourself."
"Turn around, all of you!"
The guards turned away. The Crown Prince hastily put on his clothes, as did Madam Xu, her expression one of extreme panic.
"Absurd, too absurd! You are the Crown Prince, the heir apparent, how could you commit such a preposterous act!" Old Prince Zhao felt blood rush to his head. "To commit such a misdeed in the Grand Temple, this is a grave sin!"
"This matter... I was foolish. Imperial Uncle, I... I... I was bewitched by this slut!" The Crown Prince kicked Madam Xu to the ground. "Imperial Uncle, Imperial Uncle, you must help me."
Old Prince Zhao had a severe headache. This matter could be either minor or major. Before the celestial sacrifice, the Crown Prince was required to pray for forty-nine consecutive days, during which he had to bathe and burn incense daily, abstain from meat, and have no contact with women. However, the Crown Prince not only broke his vows but also brought a woman into the Grand Temple for illicit activities. If only he had seen it, he could have helped cover it up. But with so many witnesses, he could not! Sudanshu.com
"Take this woman away and guard her well. After reporting to His Majesty, she will be dealt with!"
"Yes, Your Highness."
"As for the Crown Prince..." Old Prince Zhao took a deep breath. "You will come with me to the palace to see His Majesty."
"Old Prince, absolutely not!" The Minister of Rites quickly intervened, "The celestial sacrifice is imminent. If His Majesty finds out about this, none of us can bear the responsibility!"
"This is no small matter!"
"Imperial Uncle, I was only momentarily foolish. The celestial sacrifice is almost here. Even if I am to be punished, let it be after the ceremony," the Crown Prince pleaded urgently. "This is my fault alone. Imperial Uncle, please, give me a chance to repent."
"You are truly foolish!" Old Prince Zhao looked at him with disappointment, wishing he hadn't come to the Grand Temple today. Such a reckless act in the Grand Temple was probably something only the Crown Prince would do. "I will not meddle in this matter. You explain yourself to His Majesty."
Old Prince Zhao immediately flicked his sleeves and left. The assembled officials looked at each other and then turned away in unison.
"This wall is not sturdy. Have someone come and repair it quickly. We will go over there to see if there are any other omissions."
"Yes, yes, let's go and look over there."
Seeing everyone leave, the Crown Prince wiped a cold sweat from his brow. His gaze fell on Madam Xu, who was still on the ground, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. "Take her away. She will be dealt with after the celestial sacrifice."
Madam Xu's face was filled with terror, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Your Highness, are you going to abandon me?"
The Crown Prince frowned and coldly ordered, "Take her away."
"Yes, Your Highness."
After everyone had left, the Crown Prince slowly sat down, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead. He felt a surge of lingering fear. Fortunately, it was his Imperial Uncle Zhao he had encountered. If it had been one of his brothers, he would have lost a layer of skin today!
"Your Highness." Fuyao appeared by the Crown Prince's side.
"Fuyao, send people to monitor Imperial Uncle Zhao's movements. If he intends to report this..." A ruthless glint appeared in the Crown Prince's eyes. "Kill him!"
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Also, summon the maternal uncle. Someone needs to help clean up this mess today." At this moment, the Crown Prince finally remembered the Xue family.
"Your Highness, it might be more appropriate for the Crown Princess to handle this matter."
"Then go and tell the Crown Princess to return to the maternal uncle's residence and invite the maternal uncle to handle this. We must ensure there are no hidden dangers."
"Yes, your subordinate will attend to it immediately."
Fuyao returned to the Crown Prince's residence to find the Crown Princess, only to learn that she had taken the children back to her maternal home. He then rushed to the maternal uncle's residence but still did not see the Crown Princess. Helpless, Fuyao went directly to Xue Guojiu.
Xue Guojiu was already enraged by the mistreatment of the Crown Princess. Hearing that the Crown Prince had been caught in a public display of lust in the Grand Temple, his face turned as dark as the bottom of a pot.