Another grand court assembly was held, with court officials nervously bracing themselves, fearing the Emperor would stubbornly insist on excavating the canal. If that happened, their opposition would be futile, and they could only comply.
However, on this day, the Emperor seemed to have completely forgotten the matter and instead brought up the reform of water and land transportation systems, which had been under discussion since the previous year.
The military officials, who usually held little presence in court, immediately perked up, each hoping to secure a share of the benefits.
This matter won't be resolved anytime soon, but military officials aren't as indirect as civil officials. Even if there is contention, it shouldn't take as long as when the Seventh Division was established."
Hua Zhi had never previously involved herself in court affairs—her influence didn't extend that far. But now, with Chen Qing reporting to her daily, she listened attentively. She knew this was Yan Xi's intention; he wanted her to have a clearer understanding of the broader situation.
Chen Qing lifted his eyes, his expression grim as he brought up another matter. "You were right—all three of Ling Wang's household have betrayed him."
Hua Zhi wasn't the least bit surprised. Ling Wang and his wife hadn't been forced into an arranged marriage; Ling Wang had pursued and married her after falling for her. Their union was built on affection, and they had no issues with heirs. From Shaoyao's existence, it was clear the princess wasn't the jealous type who couldn't tolerate others. The couple had harmoniously shared their lives for years. Yet, that woman had made Ling Wang cast aside all affection for his wife and commit such cruelty toward his eldest son. How could such a person not know there were spies in the household?
"I recall Yan Xi once said that woman holds no official status?"
"Yes, Ling Wang submitted a memorial requesting imperial approval, but the Emperor refused. The Empress Dowager also explicitly stated she wouldn't recognize her. All these years, she has never been summoned to court, and even that young master wasn't added to the imperial lineage until he was ten. In the Wangfu, they refer to the two as Lady Xiao and the young master."
"What is Lady Xiao's background?"
"After... that incident, the Emperor ordered an investigation. Later, when the Heir took charge of the Seven Constellation Bureau, he personally conducted a thorough inquiry. The results were the same: she's an ordinary person from Yangzhou, her family having run a security escort service for generations. Ling Wang's fief was in Yangzhou, and their meeting showed no signs of being orchestrated. Ling Wang has always had an appreciation for women and brought more than just Xiao Shi home, but no one ever threatened the princess's position until he met Xiao Shi. Despite her family's escort business, Xiao Shi has a gentle, water-like disposition. It's as if Ling Wang... was bewitched, willing to do anything for her."
Recounting these past events, Chen Qing still felt a surge of indignation. Since he could remember, he never knew who his parents were, scraping by as a beggar on the streets of Yangzhou. Once, he accidentally bumped into someone and was beaten mercilessly by guards, thinking he would die, when the princess saved him. She took him to the Wangfu, gave him clean clothes to wear, hot meals to eat, taught him etiquette, and then had him follow the Heir.
To this day, he couldn't understand how Ling Wang could harm such a good person as the princess.
That Xiao Shi—she wasn't fit to compare to a single finger of the princess!
"Her background shows no issues at all?"
"None," Chen Qing replied, snapping back to attention. "The Xiao family has lived there for generations. The Heir even had portraits drawn and taken to people in the area for identification—they all recognized her as Xiao Shi. Later, through official channels, clan elders also verified her identity. That's why the Heir had to accept that it wasn't a deliberate setup—it was just two ruthless people coming together."Hua Zhi rubbed her temples. Perhaps her deep-seated fear of the Chao Li Tribe had made her overly suspicious, seeing potential remnants of the tribe in every slight anomaly.
"Did you alert anyone while investigating those three?"
"No, rest assured. I was very discreet."
"Then continue acting as if you know nothing for now. Respond to any messages from them as you normally would, and see if you can find a way to plant someone inside." After a pause, Hua Zhi added, "Prioritize safety. That Xiao Shi is definitely not someone to be trifled with."
"Yes, I understand." Chen Qing bowed. "There's another matter. Before leaving, The Heir instructed me to investigate Moon Consort and Consort Xu, and to report the findings to you."
"What did you uncover?"
"Using the Seven Constellation Bureau's connections, I discovered that shortly after Moon Consort entered the palace, she was bullied by Consort Xu. Their relationship has always been strained. Later, as Moon Consort gradually gained favor, whether for revenge or to flaunt her status, she began paying regular visits to Consort Xu under the guise of paying respects. Though Consort Xu employed numerous tactics, Moon Consort proved equally formidable. Their rivalry intensified, but Moon Consort concealed it well—the Emperor remains unaware. Once, Consort Xu exposed Moon Consort's true nature, but instead earned the Emperor's displeasure and was punished."
Hua Zhi raised an eyebrow. "Are you implying Consort Xu lost?"
"Not exactly. It was more of a stalemate."
"Haoyue managed to hold her own against Consort Xu, who has dominated the harem for years?"
"That's what my investigation suggests."
Hua Zhi stood up, clutching her hand warmer as she paced. It wasn't that she underestimated Haoyue, but harem conflicts required more than just intelligence. Consort Xu had endured countless setbacks to reach her position—could Haoyue truly surpass her through wit alone?
She didn't believe it. The wisdom and experience gained with age couldn't be acquired through cleverness.
"Do you have any thoughts, Miss? Please feel free to instruct."
Hua Zhi considered but shook her head. Without evidence, she couldn't act on intuition alone.
"With Yan Xi away, you must all keep a low profile. Avoid drawing attention."
"Yes." Seeing that Hua Zhi had no further orders, Chen Qing withdrew.
Hua Zhi paced thoughtfully around the room. Haoyue's initial target had been Yan Xi, hence her demure and harmless facade around him. After entering the palace, her hopes shattered, and upon learning of Hua Zhi's relationship with Yan Xi, she began targeting Hua Zhi at every turn.
If Haoyue was truly reborn, as previously speculated, what would her first rational move be?
Investigate Hua Zhi!
In her previous life, Hua Zhi hadn't been present here—meaning the Hua Zhi of Haoyue's past life was different. If Haoyue were truly clever, she should have grown suspicious earlier. At the very least, after the palace incident, she should have taken action.
Pressing the hand warmer to her cheek, Hua Zhi suddenly froze. She recalled the divination results when she gave Haoyue the mixed genuine and false birth dates of the three princes: the fourth prince faced a fatal calamity with no solution, the fifth prince would suffer bloodshed, and Little Six would die young!
This might have been the fate of the three princes in the previous lifetime. Little Six... might not have escaped during the Yunlai Restaurant incident!
But now Little Six was alive, and Haoyue was pregnant. If she had ulterior motives...
Hua Zhi hurried out, forgetting even her cloak. Liu Xiang quickly grabbed it and followed.
"Is Mr. Wang here?"Within moments, Wang Rong entered from outside the courtyard. Before he could speak, Hua Zhi said, "Go tell Chen Qing that Little Six might be in danger. Send someone to assist immediately."
"Yes."
PS: Kongkong is an ordinary person burdened with trivial matters. Starting tomorrow, there will be three updates.
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