Chapter 473 What choice will he make next?

The conversation between the three people in the imperial study still echoed in Jiang Yu's ears. As she walked out of the palace, her brows furrowed involuntarily. She didn't have much interaction with Prince Rui, but he was, after all, a prince who was qualified to compete for the throne, and she knew his temperament to some extent.

This man appears to be quite intelligent and has a reputation for virtue, but he is extremely dependent on his maternal family, the Lian family. Almost all of his words and actions are instructed by the Lian family. In this light, if he were to truly inherit the throne, he would most likely become a puppet of the Lian family.

She had been pondering Prince Rui's character and his actions in the Imperial Study all the way there. Although every move and every word he made seemed flawless, Jiang Yu still felt something was off. But what exactly was wrong? Even after returning to the Duke of Chu's residence, she still couldn't figure it out.

Putting aside what she couldn't understand for the time being, Jiang Yu took out paper and pen and wrote a letter to Prince Rui. In the letter, she not only expressed her speculations about Prince Rui, but also detailed what happened in the Imperial Study that day. Finally, she specifically told him not to worry too much, and that she had already thought of a way to deal with any unexpected events.

After handing the completed letter to her maid Xia He, she sat in the large pearwood chair and pondered for a long time. Then she picked up her pen again and wrote a letter to Prince An, emphasizing that she had met Prince Rui in the Imperial Study that day and that the other party had given her a jade paperweight. After finishing the letter, she also had it sent to Prince An's residence as soon as possible.

After finishing the letter, Jiang Yu walked to the window, gazing at the setting sun, her mind still racing. Perhaps the recent tense situation had made her overly suspicious, but it was always better to be cautious.

However, perhaps she was overthinking it. If something were to happen to the Emperor, the Crown Prince would be the most direct beneficiary. At this time, there was really no need for Prince Rui to take the risk of attacking the Emperor.

Thinking of this, a mocking smile curved her lips: The Prince of Lingnan and the Prime Minister probably both thought that as long as the Emperor died suddenly, the Crown Prince would naturally succeed to the throne. But the Emperor is a man of deep thoughts; how could he be completely unprepared?

Jiang Yu was certain that if anything were to happen to the Emperor, two imperial edicts would appear: one to depose the Crown Prince, and the other to pass on the throne. Moreover, the armies surrounding the capital were all in the hands of the Marquis of Cheng'en, so even if the Prince of Lingnan and the Prime Minister wanted to rebel, they would have no chance of winning.

But as soon as the thought crossed Jiang Yu's mind, her expression suddenly froze: if something happened to the Emperor and the Crown Prince was deposed, the Third Prince, Prince Rui, would be the eldest prince. Even with an edict of succession, he could easily find an excuse to stall and fish in troubled waters to seize the throne. And what about Prince An? What choice would he make?

She gazed out the window, where the setting sun, bathed in a pale golden glow, sank towards the distant rooftops. An orange halo spread across the windowpanes and gently fell upon her face, carrying the slight warmth unique to early autumn evenings.

Jiang Yu lowered her eyes, her fingertips tracing the white jade pendant at her waist, a piece personally carved by Prince Rui. She stroked the pendant, then slowly walked back to her desk and sat down. Prince An harbored a deep resentment towards the Emperor, and Prince Rui was the key to easing the tension between father and son. So, which side would Prince An ultimately choose?

Jiang Yu's heart sank slightly. She sincerely hoped that the current emperor would be healthy and live a long life. Firstly, the emperor had shown her great favor: her grandfather had recommended her to serve in the court. If the emperor were an inflexible person, no matter how much they planned, there would be no chance of success.

Secondly, almost all the new policies she implemented after entering the court received the Emperor's support. Would a different Emperor trust and support her in the same way? Even if Prince An were to ascend the throne, she couldn't be entirely certain. Moreover, if Prince An also hoped for the Emperor's downfall, would she continue to support him?

Jiang Yu raised her somewhat bewildered eyes and just then saw the last ray of orange light from the eaves outside the window suddenly sink down. The gloom in the room slowly crept up along the table legs, and even the jade pendant she was holding seemed to have taken on a chill.

Just as she was about to call someone in to light the lamps, Xia He walked in first and whispered, "Your Excellency, Prince Rui has arrived."

Jiang Yu was taken aback and quickly asked, "Where is he?"

As soon as she finished speaking, a tall, dark-skinned figure walked in from outside the door. Jiang Yu stood up abruptly, her face beaming with surprise. She had never shown such emotion before. Prince Rui, seeing this, felt both surprised and delighted. Their eyes met, and for a moment, they both forgot to speak.

Xia He chuckled quietly to herself, then tiptoed out, closing the door behind her. Jiang Yu, realizing his lapse in composure, smiled and led Prince Rui towards the tea table, asking as they walked, "Why did you suddenly come here?"

Prince Rui sat down with her at the tea table and explained with a smile, "I happened to be returning home today and saw the letter you wrote, so... I wanted to come and see you. Don't worry, I was very careful when I came, no one will notice."

Jiang Yu smiled and picked up the teapot to pour tea for the two of them, then asked, "How has the Empress Dowager been feeling lately?"

When the Empress Dowager was mentioned, Prince Rui's face darkened: "She's getting worse every day."

Jiang Yu sighed softly and pushed the teacup she had poured in front of him: "The Empress Dowager is blessed by heaven, so don't worry too much."

Prince Rui lowered his eyes and held the warm teacup, the warmth from his fingertips easing his tense heart slightly. He looked up at Jiang Yu and said earnestly, "I came today because there is something else I want to tell you. You don't need to worry too much about the Emperor finding out about us; the Empress Dowager has already made preparations."

Jiang Yu felt a warmth in her heart. She really hadn't expected that the Empress Dowager would go so far as to deal with her own son for their sake.

“The situation is tense these days, so be sure to take more men with you when you go out.” Prince Rui’s eyes were full of worry, and he added, “Don’t push the Prince of Lingnan too hard, lest he become desperate and do something drastic to you.”

"I know." Jiang Yu's voice was reassuring. "I deliberately acted aggressively before in order to keep him in the capital. I won't do that again."

Hearing her say that, Prince Rui was slightly relieved and picked up his teacup to take a sip. Jiang Yu watched his actions, thought for a moment, and then recounted what had happened in the Imperial Study that day in detail, finally adding, "I have already sent a letter to Prince An and told him about these things."

Prince Rui held his teacup and pondered for a moment, then said, "I understand. I'll go to Jingwei's residence right away." With his intelligence, he could naturally perceive the hidden dangers that Jiang Yu could think of.

He stood up, his gaze lingering on Jiang Yu, and said softly, "Then... I'm leaving."

Jiang Yu also stood up and nodded gently: "I won't see you off."

Prince Rui gazed at her intently, his eyes deep. After a moment's hesitation, he finally stepped forward and pulled her into his arms. He bent his back slightly, resting his chin on her shoulder, his warm breath brushing against her ear, tinged with a sigh: "I truly hope all of this can end soon."

The warmth beside her ear gradually relaxed Jiang Yu's initially stiff body. She reached out and gently wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her head in his chest, listening to the strong heartbeat in his chest, and softly replied, "It will pass soon."

The candlelight on the table flickered, casting a soft, warm glow over the two people embracing. The room was so quiet that the occasional popping of the candle flame could be heard, but the pounding of their hearts became all the more distinct, even drowning out the faint night breeze outside the window.

Ultimately, they had to part ways. After a moment, Prince Rui gently released the person in his arms, looked at her deeply one last time, and then turned and strode away.

Jiang Yu watched his figure disappear through the door, a sense of loss quietly welling up in her heart. She stood quietly for a while, gazing at the night sky through the open door. After a moment, she lowered her eyes and smiled self-deprecatingly, composed herself, walked back to her desk, picked up the unfinished files, and continued working.