The three of them gathered in the study, and Yuan Chengyu explained to Pei Zhi why the eldest prince had died suddenly.

"Does the princess know that the Crown Prince's wife is three years older than the Crown Prince?"

Pei Zhi nodded, "He's only three years old, it's nothing."

There's a saying, "A woman three years older than her husband is like holding a gold brick."

"Actually, the Crown Prince's wife is thirteen years older than the Crown Prince."

Pei Zhi couldn't help but sit up straight. How could such a thing exist?

Pei Zhi had also seen the Crown Prince's wife, and her appearance had indeed aged rapidly.

Pei Zhi thought that there was some unrest in the Crown Prince's residence, so the Crown Prince's wife had to take on more responsibilities.

I also heard that the Crown Prince's wife has been unable to conceive for a long time and has had to adopt the child of a concubine.

A woman who cannot bear children will surely be troubled.

"Since the Crown Prince's wife is thirteen years older than the Crown Prince, she shouldn't have wasted her life until this age."

Pei Zhi remembered that the Crown Prince's father seemed to be a prefect of a certain region.

He's a respectable person, how could he let his daughter be so old and still unmarried?

"The Crown Prince's wife has been married and has given birth to two children."

Yuan Chengyu sighed, "The eldest prince lost his mother at a young age, and has been served by a wet nurse ever since."

"Originally, it was nothing, but who would have thought that the eldest prince would have an ambiguous relationship with his wet nurse."

When His Majesty learned of this, he secretly ordered the wet nurse to be executed.

Pei Zhi hissed, but being worldly-wise, she didn't think it was a big deal.

He simply prefers older women; that's normal, perfectly normal.

It's just that it's abnormal for the eldest prince to be born into the royal family.

"The eldest prince has never married because of his wet nurse."

"Later, the eldest prince went out for a walk and met his newlywed wife."

Pei Zhi waved her hand, "I already understand the rest."

“The Crown Prince’s wife must look very much like the wet nurse. When the Crown Prince saw her, he tried to take her by force.”

This story is cliché, but Pei Zhi didn't forget that the eldest prince was still a prince.

Pei Zhi asked curiously, "But the Crown Prince's wife has already been married. Even if the Crown Prince's attitude is firm, how could he have kept it from Father Emperor?"

"Among them, it was yet another tragedy."

"The Crown Prince's wife has a younger sister who is three years older than the Crown Prince."

When Yuan Chengyu got to this point, Pei Zhi understood.

Pei Zhi asked, "Switching the dragon for the phoenix?"

Xie Qi sneered, "If that's really the case, then that's good."

"The Crown Prince's family was worried that the matter would be exposed later, so after the Crown Prince's wife was successfully married off, they sent their youngest daughter to heaven with a bowl of poison."

Pei Zhi raised her eyelids slightly; indeed, self-interest could move people.

Even one's own daughter can be killed.

For the sake of wealth and status, the prefect's family could naturally be so ruthless.

"This eldest prince is also ruthless. On the day of his wedding, the eldest prince sent men to kill his wife's ex-husband and his two children."

Xie Qi picked up the thread, "The Crown Prince's wife and her family all helped to cover it up. A few days ago, I did the right thing and told the Crown Prince's wife."

"Her two children and her beloved husband were killed while she was on her wedding night with another man."

Pei Zhi frowned slightly, no need to think about it.

When the Crown Prince's wife learns of this news, she must be devastated.

Xie Qi added, "Incidentally, I also gave the Crown Prince's wife a poison that no one could detect."

Yuan Chengyu couldn't help but boast, "I discovered that medicine while traveling all over the country. It's colorless and odorless, but you have to take it for three consecutive days."

Xie Qi served Pei Zhi a cup of tea, "Next up is the Second Prince."

Pei Zhi suddenly said, "Let's keep the second son."

Xie Qi: "Why?"

"It seems that the princess and the second prince don't get along very well?"

Xie Qi didn't believe that the princess had softened her heart.

Those who achieve great things cannot be soft-hearted.

"The fourth brother tried to win me over a few days ago, but I refused. I plan to let the two of them fight like dogs and see who can kill whom."

Xie Qi heard that the princess had made arrangements, so he didn't say anything more.

"Then the princess should prepare in advance. Whether it is the Second Prince who is dead or the Fourth Prince, His Majesty will become suspicious."

The adult princes died one after another.

Even if there are valid reasons for everything, His Majesty will still have doubts.

He'll find out sooner or later.

Xie Qi pointed to the map in the study and drew a line on it with his finger.

"The princess instructed your men to take this route and deliver the weapons to the Kingdom of Solo. They will arrive safely."

Yuan Chengyu didn't understand. "What weaponry?"

Pei Zhi responded with a soft "Mm".

Without Xie Qi's help, it would have been quite a hassle for Pei Zhi to move these things away.

Yuan Chengyu was confused when he heard this, but then he remembered something.

Yuan Chengyu's eyes widened. The missing weapons and military pay were really in the princess's hands?

Yuan Chengyu had initially thought that Xie Qi was talking nonsense.

Xie Qi was right; the eldest prince died suddenly that very night.

The next morning, Emperor Pei summoned Pei Zhi to the palace.

Pei Zhi and several princes knelt together at the entrance of the Imperial Study.

The second prince said in a low voice, "My elder brother was perfectly fine, how could he suddenly be gone?"

The fourth prince said, "I heard that he died on a woman's body."

The second prince sighed, "My elder brother really is something else, he doesn't know how to restrain himself."

After the group knelt for about the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, Emperor Pei let them in.

Emperor Pei's expression was not good, his eyes fixed on his children kneeling before him.

He wondered, who could have done something so ruthless?

The eldest prince did indeed die suddenly, but his wife committed suicide by swallowing gold.

In the Crown Prince's residence, all the concubines and children were poisoned to death.

Before her death, the Crown Prince's wife wrote a letter.

In the letter, the Crown Princess confessed to her actions without reservation.

Forced to marry the eldest prince, she lived a life of aimless drifting.

The Crown Prince's wife simply hopes that her children can live a good life.

After learning that her child had long since died, the Crown Prince's wife harbored deep hatred for the Crown Prince and her own family.

Her child is gone, how can the eldest prince's child be worthy of living in this world?

To the outside world, all that is known is that the eldest prince died suddenly; nothing else is known.

This was a royal scandal, and Emperor Pei naturally ordered his men to control the news, as it would only bring shame to the royal family if it got out.

The Crown Prince's wife has been kept in the dark for so long, how could she suddenly find out?

Someone must have told her.

The second son? Or the fourth son? Or perhaps, the empress?

The death of the eldest brother is good for them all.

Emperor Pei has already ordered an investigation. He wants to see who the Crown Princess had contact with before her death.

Whoever has close ties with the Crown Prince's wife is the culprit.

“Your elder brother suddenly fell ill yesterday, and I am deeply saddened.”

Upon hearing this, several people spoke up, urging the Emperor to take heed of his grief.

Emperor Pei sighed, "Chang Le, stay. You may all leave."