Chapter 34 The Smoke of War Pauses

For that supreme position, the maternal families behind the princes spared no effort, leaving no room for compromise.

The Xie family has been a distinguished family for centuries, with deep roots and powerful connections; they are certainly not people to be trifled with.

Although Emperor Yuanjing awoke from his coma after vomiting blood, his energy and spirit seemed to have been suddenly drained, and he was visibly declining. Undercurrents were swirling throughout the court, and the unseen tensions were growing even stronger.

After a few days of silence, the Xie family suddenly made a move, and no one knows how they did it. They quickly found a breakthrough point in the so-called irrefutable evidence.

The ensuing battle was silent yet brutal.

In the end, the Empress was exonerated, and her confinement in Fengzao Palace was lifted.

Consort De, who had previously appeared gentle and harmless before the Emperor, even offering words of comfort, had her pretense completely torn off and was exposed to his thunderous wrath.

With irrefutable evidence, Consort De was immediately stripped of her title, reduced to commoner status, and banished to the Cold Palace.

This time, the facts of the succession struggle were laid bare before Emperor Yuanjing, and since his last bout of vomiting blood, he clearly felt his body beginning to decline.

While it's not always true that an emperor's wrath can lead to a thousand miles of corpses, anyone implicated in this case was demoted, and Consort De's maternal family was subjected to a massive purge.

The third prince, Xiao Jue, was implicated by his mother. Although his status as a prince was not revoked, an imperial edict was issued severely reprimanding him for being "a son of a guilty mother, unfit for great responsibilities," thus completely cutting off all his political prospects.

Ling Wei couldn't help but feel a little sad.

She vaguely remembered seeing the Third Prince before; he was taciturn and seemed like a puppet on strings.

He and the Second Prince's faction were already irreconcilable enemies, and after the autumn hunt, the Fourth Prince's faction also began to show its fangs. The Third Prince's faction was squeezed out of the court and its living space became increasingly narrow.

This risky move was likely a desperate counterattack after being driven to the brink of defeat.

However, the path to the throne is so cruel; one wrong step and the whole game is lost.

The third prince is out of the picture, and Emperor Yuanjing has also suffered a blow.

Many people know that the final stage of the process will likely be accelerated.

As the New Year approaches, the capital city is experiencing a stark contrast between hot and cold weather.

Some families were shrouded in gloom and on the verge of collapse; while others, like the Xie family, were swept away by the Empress's escape and appeared peaceful and harmonious... at least on the surface.

After the Empress was exonerated, Xie Zhuo clearly told her about Ling Wei's assistance in the matter.

When the Empress looked at Ling Wei again, her eyes held not only the same appreciation as before, but also genuine gratitude.

If in the past they valued her merit and talent in saving Xiao Jin, now they truly regard her as a reliable member of their own family.

On this day, Ling Wei came to report something. Empress Xie was leaning on a soft couch. Although her face still showed signs of being haggard after the turmoil, her eyes had regained their former majesty.

After listening, she nodded slightly, offered him a seat, and her tone became much gentler: "Ling Sizheng has worked hard, and you have handled this matter very well. I can see that you have lost some weight. No matter how busy you are with official duties, you must take care of your health."

Just as Ling Wei was about to express her gratitude, a palace maid announced, "Your Majesty, Princess Yongjia has arrived."

A pretty young girl dressed in a bright yellow palace dress walked in.

The Empress's face immediately lit up with a genuine smile, and she beckoned her closer: "Get up quickly. What brings you here today? Are you craving some snacks from my little kitchen again?"

Princess Yongjia snuggled close to the Empress and said sweetly, "Your Majesty's pastries are the best. I naturally miss them. Besides, it's so stuffy in the palace. It's most comfortable to come here to Your Majesty's place."

The Empress patted her hand with a smile, her gaze loving yet teasing: "You have such a sweet tongue. I think you didn't come to keep me company, but rather because you think there are too many old concubines here and want the young people to go horseback riding and archery to make it more lively, right? I heard that A-Zhuo is off duty today and seems to have invited a few young masters to the horse farm in the western suburbs. That place is quite spacious and interesting."

Princess Yongjia's cheeks flushed red as she realized her secret had been exposed. She lowered her head shyly and fiddled with the hem of her dress, saying, "Your Highness...you...you're teasing Yongjia again...I didn't..."

The empress, amused by the girlish manner and the unspoken words, chuckled without pointing them out. The maids around her, understanding the situation, covered their mouths and chuckled, filling the hall with a joyful atmosphere.

System: "Where have the timelines gone?! This Princess Yongjia never appeared from beginning to end."

Ling Wei maintained a polite smile, silently picked up the tea and snacks beside her, and took a small bite.

"It's easy to understand from the perspective of the situation: the original timeline had the Third Prince as a buffer, Du Qianqian's fishpond didn't collapse, and the Second Prince and the Fourth Prince didn't fight so fiercely."

Now that the Third Prince has fallen from power and the current Emperor is in poor health, only the struggle between the Second and Fourth Princes remains.

Therefore, the Xie family is also seeking allies, and marriage is the fastest way.

System oo: "...So Xie Zhuo is really getting engaged to someone else?! What do you think...?"

Before it could finish speaking, it suddenly realized, "Wait! You're not thinking that 'it's more exciting to be a husband after marriage,' are you?!"

Ling Aman!!

Ling Wei almost choked on her pastry: "...Get away from me!! Is that the point? The point is that the situation has changed! Haven't you seen how the Second Prince has been getting all greasy and clingy to Qin Wan lately?"

It's estimated that the Qin family was also on his list of people to win over. Qin Wan was so disgusted that she wished she could go back and slap her blind self back then.

This system, right now, is useless except for some pointless speculation.

Because the alteration of the throne involves a major change in the world line, the Heavenly Dao strictly prohibits the system from providing convenience in a way that resembles cheating.

Therefore, after Ling Wei chose to embark on this path, the system could no longer provide crucial information and could only stand by and make jokes.

On the following day off, Ling Wei took Xiao Yao out shopping.

Her hair had grown long, and the golden butterfly hair ornaments of the past could no longer hold it up. The delicate pearl flowers of the past were no longer suitable for her current status as a female official, so she needed to add some simple and elegant styles.

Ling Wei paused in her tracks as she approached her usual jewelry shop.

Inside the shop, a familiar figure stood out.

Xie Zhuo was not wearing his official robes today, but rather a dark blue brocade robe with cloud patterns, which made him appear tall and straight.

His handsome appearance, with his jade-like eyebrows and eyes, attracted frequent glances from passersby.

Standing beside him was Princess Yongjia, whom he had met that day.

Xie Zhuo held a hairpin in his hand, seemingly examining it, while Princess Yongjia tilted her head back, smiling as she spoke to him, her eyes sparkling with admiration.

Xie Zhuo's face was turned to the side, making his expression unclear.

Ling Wei paused for only a moment before walking in with a normal expression.

Xie Zhuo noticed the commotion, looked up, and saw that it was her. His pupils contracted slightly, and his body stiffened for a moment.

Ling Wei nodded politely as a greeting, and then went to the other side to choose hair accessories.

She could feel a gaze falling on her back from time to time, carrying an undeniable presence.