~ A Blunt Knife Can Still Kill ~
The two of them boarded the boat and drifted downriver. It would not take long to reach Yan City. If they kept to the schedule, there was plenty of time for a round trip, so neither of them felt rushed.
Mu Yunyao handed a teacup to Yue Wang, then lowered her gaze to the brazier’s glowing coals. Her expression turned strangely unreadable.
“Fourth Master, what do you think the situation in the capital looks like right now?”
She chose this time to return to Xiayan Village to pay her respects to her father. It had been planned, yes, but it also carried the intention of avoiding the turmoil in the capital. Since she and Yue Wang had already decided not to get involved, they might as well avoid it completely so that no one could twist their absence into something else.
Yue Wang’s lips held a faint smile. “Don’t worry. Second Imperial Brother can handle it. Besides, there’s Imperial Father and Imperial Aunt. The capital won’t truly fall into chaos.”
Mu Yunyao nodded softly. “Mm.”
Yet within the capital, undercurrents were surging.
Yue Wang had never held much sway in court, so his absence drew little attention. But Jin Wang was different.
Before, when Jin Wang fought Ling Wang, they could be evenly matched, and at times Jin Wang even held the upper hand. Everyone had thought that with his body crippled and the Emperor placing him under confinement, he would never rise again.
Who would have expected that in such a short time, he would not only have his confinement lifted and his title restored, but that news would spread that plum blossoms had bloomed early in Jin Wang Residence and lotus flowers had risen in the dead of winter?
The rumors flew like wildfire. Commoners praised the Third Prince as a heavenly dragon’s son descended to the mortal realm. They said his suffering had moved Heaven to pity, and so Heaven had sent an omen to awaken the world.
The moment Ling Wang heard this, he had people spread the rumor immediately. If they could push the idea of “dragon’s son” into “true dragon,” then the Emperor would surely be displeased. After all, only the Emperor dared call himself the true dragon son of Heaven. If a prince claimed he was the true dragon reborn, was that not blatant disloyal ambition?
But Ling Wang had only just finished setting things in motion when Jin Wang had people carry him into the palace to beg forgiveness, claiming the outside world had exaggerated the matter beyond reason and asking Imperial Father to discern the truth.
The Emperor had already heard about it, and he did not take it too seriously. Instead, he was quite satisfied with Jin Wang’s cautious conduct. He comforted him, even kept him for a meal, then had him escorted out of the palace.
When Ling Wang heard this, he immediately sensed trouble and hurriedly withdrew the people he had sent to spread the rumors.
He thought that would end it.
Instead, once his people were pulled back, the rumors somehow grew even louder.
Soon, the entire capital was buzzing that Jin Wang was the true dragon son of Heaven. Worse still, some went as far as saying the Emperor should abdicate and yield the throne to the Third Prince.
Commoners treated it as gossip for idle mouths. Whoever sat on the throne would never be decided by them. As long as they had food, they did not care.
But the court exploded.
The Emperor’s fury was thunderous. He immediately ordered a strict investigation, and in the end, it traced back to Ling Wang.
Ling Wang entered the palace to confess. He pushed forward several stewards and personal attendants to take the blame, insisting it was all their private doing and he knew nothing of it.
The Emperor executed the stewards and attendants, then docked Ling Wang three months of stipend and ordered him to return and discipline his household servants properly.
That incident tore open the curtain. From then on, the three princes’ struggle shifted from shadowed scheming into open contention.
Ling Wang had the Li family behind him and acted without restraint. He had the most supporters in court.
Yu Wang had the Duke of Wei as his backing and held great prestige in the military. Many upright ministers with real authority stood behind him as well.
Jin Wang was the weakest in power, but his reputation was the best. The Emperor, to maintain imperial dignity, did not expose the true story behind the dyke collapse case, so Jin Wang’s name did not suffer much. Instead, because of his blindness and recovery, the common people paid even more attention to him.
Inside Yuhua Palace, Xu Yanhan accompanied Eldest Princess Yide. Recently, she had been practicing her chess, and her progress was obvious.
“Mother, will Yunyao and Junyue make it back in time for the New Year?”
“Yunyao said she would. She always keeps her word. Don’t worry.” Eldest Princess Yide sipped the tea Mu Yunyao had pan-fired specifically for her and let out a soft sigh. “She’s only been gone a little while, and I’m already missing her.”
Xu Yanhan nodded in full agreement. “Yes. When she was here, it didn’t feel like anything. Now that she’s suddenly away, the days feel unbearably long, as if time itself has slowed down.”
Mama Qu brought over tea and snacks and set them aside. “Eldest Princess, Madam, you both feel like you can’t stand it now. What will you do once Miss gets married?”
Eldest Princess Yide frowned. “If Mama Qu didn’t say anything, I would have been fine. The moment she speaks, my chest feels blocked.” She pressed a hand over her heart, then spoke decisively. “Just thinking of Yunyao marrying out feels like someone carving a piece of flesh from me. I’ll find time to speak to the Emperor and have him bestow Qin Fang Garden on Yunyao as her residence. After she marries Junyue, they can live there. Qin Fang Garden is only a few steps from the Eldest Princess Residence. Yue Wang Residence is far too far.”
Xu Yanhan thought about the distance from Qin Fang Garden to Yue Wang Residence and nodded. “Yes. Even by carriage, it takes nearly two quarters of an hour. It really is far.”
“Then I’ll go speak to the Emperor later and have Qin Fang Garden set aside for Yunyao alone.”
Mama Qu chuckled. “All these years, Eldest Princess has never done anything against the rules. Who would’ve thought the first exception would be for Miss.”
Eldest Princess Yide’s gaze sharpened slightly. “Court is arguing like a rabble, and those people kneel and bow to me on the surface while plotting to drag me into the political struggle behind my back. I’ll break the rule once, as a warning. Let them know that right now, I only want to plan steadily for my child. I want nothing to do with anything else.”
Xu Yanhan fell silent for a moment, then lifted her head. “Mother, Yunyao said before that she wanted to suppress Imperial Consort Li completely. Do you think it’s still necessary now?”
“What do you think?” Eldest Princess Yide asked, smiling as she looked back.
Xu Yanhan pressed her lips together. “I don’t know if I’m judging correctly, but when you strike a snake, hitting its vital point is the most lethal. Yet if the snake is too large and you can’t seize its vital point in one grasp, then striking other places can still wear it down. A blunt knife cutting meat is slower, but it still kills.”
“That’s well said, and the metaphor fits.” Eldest Princess Yide nodded. “Yanhan, have you thought through how to do it?”
“Mother, I don’t know any profound schemes. I only know that karma turns, and retribution never misses.” Xu Yanhan’s eyes cooled. “Back then, it was Imperial Consort Li who framed Noble Lady Zhou for secretly meeting a guard. In the palace, many concubines have also miscarried for no reason at all. It’s time to settle old sins. What do you think?”
Eldest Princess Yide nodded slowly, then spoke with calm clarity. “Your thinking is not wrong, but you’ve overlooked the outer court. The things Imperial Consort Li has done, the Emperor may not be unaware. Even if you expose them, as long as the Li family doesn’t fall, as long as Eldest Imperial Brother remains strong, Imperial Consort Li will at most suffer some punishment. If she endures it, it becomes nothing.”
“And once she regains power, she will retaliate against you. The aftermath would be endless.”
Xu Yanhan nodded, deeply instructed. “But Mother, if we can’t uproot the Li family completely right now, what should we do?”
“The ones who want to move against the Li family aren’t only us.” Eldest Princess Yide’s smile was faint. “Join hands properly. Inside and outside working together, only then can you win with an unexpected strike.”
Xu Yanhan’s eyes brightened. “Then tomorrow, I’ll pay a visit to Imperial Consort Qi. Her birthday is approaching. I’ll bring a gift and show my sincerity.”
“Good,” Eldest Princess Yide said. “Do it.”
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