After punishing the person, Emperor Yan Zhao smiled and said to Cen Xi:

"Don't worry about the Seventh Princess and the Eighth Princess. If they come again, strip them of their princess titles and demote them to commoners."

"Alas, they only insulted me a couple of times, I don't care. What does Your Majesty mean by this?"

Cen Xi smiled and asked, "Actually, she has never suffered a loss, so no matter how the Seventh and Eighth Princesses punish her, it won't make much difference to her."

"Your mother left you some things before she passed away. Come, let's go to Yonghe Palace, and I will give those things to you."

Emperor Yan Zhao looked at Yan Shang and said with a gentle breeze.

"What is that?"

Cen Xi asked.

“Some of the toys from when you were little, and the clothes she made for you from childhood to adulthood. Actually, your mother missed you very much, but unfortunately, I was incompetent and couldn’t find your elder sister all these years, which led to your mother’s death from depression.”

Emperor Yan Zhao's eyes held a hint of guilt and a touch of sadness.

Cen Xi didn't feel anything, but since the other party had said that, she figured there was no harm in going to see for herself.

"Alright, let's go. Your Majesty, please lead the way."

Cen Xi smiled and gestured for them to proceed.

Inside Yonghe Palace, an old nanny took out a large pile of girls' trinkets, from clothes to shoes to toys, each item was very exquisite, showing how much she missed her missing daughter.

Cen Xi showed no expression, but Emperor Yan Zhao was clearly moved.

“Sister, ever since you disappeared, Mother has been holding these things and weeping every day.”

"Over the years, I have missed you very much, but I have been caught up in the chaos of the banquet, and I have been too busy to find you. I have also failed my mother and you."

"If only our royal family could keep power firmly in our own hands."

“Originally, Shen Jinchen, the Prime Minister, was a close minister of the Emperor whom I had cultivated with great effort. But it seems that I have let a wolf into the house. I am afraid that in another three to five years, the banquet will no longer belong to the Yan family, but to the Shen family.”

"My elder sister and Prime Minister Shen have such a relationship. I only hope that you can remember the Empress Dowager's kindness in giving birth to you and make Prime Minister Shen think twice."

Emperor Yan Zhao suddenly squatted down, holding the items, and tearfully accused the emperor.

He was in a terrible predicament. He had realized some things during the last palace coup, but the only bargaining chip he had had been tricked out by Shen Jinchen, and now he had no one left to rely on.

However, yesterday gave him a glimmer of hope, so he wanted to have an open and honest talk with Cen Xi today.

"Your Majesty, were you certain yesterday that I am indeed the princess?"

Cen Xi knew from the moment they recognized each other yesterday that she, Emperor Yan Zhao, and Shen Jinchen were all using each other.

Shen Jinchen knew that the emperor was very willing to let a member of the royal family marry him in order to give him time to plot a rebellion.

The emperor knew that he was now a lamb to the slaughter, and that by holding onto Cen Xi, perhaps the royal family still had a chance to turn the tide.

Yan Shang knew that she was very unwilling to marry Shen Jinchen. If she could use the power of the royal family to delay the marriage, or rely on her superiors, she could always gain some advantage over Shen Jinchen. Therefore, she readily agreed.

However, she never expected that Emperor Yan Zhao would reveal his true feelings to her so quickly.

"The old nanny saw it with her own eyes, my royal sister. How could you not be my royal sister? Mother is still watching from heaven. Please, my royal sister, help me! From the moment you were born, the Imperial Observatory recognized you as the lucky star of the Great Banquet. Now that you have this relationship with Prime Minister Shen, it means that there is still hope for our Great Banquet royal family. I beg you."

When Emperor Yan Zhao heard Cen Xi ask this question, he suddenly knelt down, hugged Cen Xi, and cried loudly.

Cen Xi was speechless. The emperor, the supreme ruler, was now clinging to her leg, begging her with snot and tears streaming down his face.

"Your Majesty, why have you come to this? Please get up."

Cen Xi felt her worldview was being warped, and she quickly helped Emperor Yan Zhao up.

She always felt that even the last emperor should have backbone, not be like this one.

Seeing Cen Xi's expression of confusion and deep disdain, and looking at Consort Liu beside her, she awkwardly forced a smile and said:

“Princess, His Majesty is truly at his wit’s end, and you gave him hope yesterday, which is why he acted so recklessly. Please, for the sake of the Empress Dowager, help him out. He is really in a difficult situation.”

"What do you want me to do? Stop Shen Jinchen from usurping the throne?"

Cen Xi raised an eyebrow and asked.

"Yes! Your Highness, he seems to care about you a lot. The grand banquet for the royal family can only rely on you."

Emperor Yan Zhao wiped away his tears and said sincerely.

"Does Your Majesty know what kind of identity Shen Jinchen holds?"

Cen Xi later wanted to bring this matter up openly and honestly.

"What kind of status could he possibly have? At most, he's just trying to seize power because he sees our royal family is weak."

Emperor Yan Zhao's eyes showed some resentment; he even regretted raising such an ungrateful child.

“He is a descendant of the Great Qi royal family. Everything he is doing now is owed to him by the Dayan royal family. He has every right to demand it back. Since Your Majesty has asked me for help, you should also know that when our ancestors founded the country, they used despicable means. If he wants to seek justice, it is only right. What right do I have to stop him?”

Although Cen Xi had never asked Shen Jinchen before, she could roughly guess about 80-90% of what was going on based on some of Shen Jinchen's actions and behaviors, as well as the things the Wen family said intentionally or unintentionally.

Cen Xi guessed that the reason he hadn't acted yet was still because of Yan Taizu. Only by getting rid of Yan Taizu, this person who had tried to seize power time and again, could he rest easy.

"What? You mean he's not the only son of the Shen family?"

When Emperor Yan Zhao heard Yan Shang's words, he swayed, his face filled with disbelief.

At the same time, Consort Liu, who was beside him, also looked panicked:

"How could this be? Wasn't it said that the bloodline of the previous dynasty's royal family was extinct? How could Prime Minister Shen be like this?"

"It's quite a surprise, isn't it? Last time, during the Ning Prince's palace coup, I realized his identity, which is why I left him and drove away the enemy at the palace gate. Your Majesty, rest assured, I have no dream of becoming Empress. I will grant your request, but not for the sake of my mother. I have suffered a lot of hardships outside for many years. To be honest, I don't have much affection for the royal family. The reason I want to come back to recognize him is to stop Shen Jinchen's dream of becoming Emperor."

"But as you and I both know, he is very powerful. He controls the imperial court and the army. We have no chance at all. The only bargaining chip I have now is that he wants to marry me."

Seeing that Emperor Yanzhao and Consort Liu both looked deeply shaken, Cen Xi couldn't help but reveal her purpose.

She'd rather die than marry Shen Jinchen than be locked up in this deep palace for the rest of her life.

She had some feelings for Shen Jinchen, but no one could stop her from pursuing freedom.

She didn't want such a thankless job as empress.

Things have developed to this point, just as she intended. The emperor is using her to achieve his own goals, and she can also use the emperor to achieve her own goals.