Chapter 168 Checks and Balances

After returning home, the Duchess of Qi said nothing, but went to the palace to see Empress Xu.

After meeting Empress Xu, she returned to her residence with a calm expression.

After sending everyone away, she smashed everything she could in the room, and finally slumped down among the broken porcelain pieces, gritting her teeth to keep herself from crying out loud.

have no idea?

The Empress actually said that the Crown Prince didn't know the Heir Apparent was in the escort team?

Hehe, what are you trying to hide?

Even if we know, so what? Why should we hide anything? Or has the Crown Prince done something behind everyone's back?

Since they've been keeping it a secret, it means things are far more complicated than everyone outside is saying.

At this moment, the Duchess of Qi was unaware that the people she sent to intercept and kill her in the outskirts of the capital were actually sent by the Crown Prince.

But subconsciously, the Duchess of Qi felt that the death of the heir apparent was inextricably linked to the crown prince.

She sat there for a long while until her personal attendant outside greeted her quietly, at which point the Duke of Qi's wife finally stood up.

Looking at the shattered pieces on the floor and pondering her doubts, Lady Qi wiped away her tears and opened the door.

"Pack it up!" Lady Qi said calmly.

When the mother, who was very close to the patient, saw the situation inside the room, she was also shocked.

Looking again at the still reddened eyes of the Duchess of Qi, she said nothing and told the maids to hurry up and tidy up.

......

After the Dragon Boat Festival, the weather became unbearably hot.

The early chirping of cicadas in the trees heralds the approaching summer.

These past two days, the entire capital city has become lively again.

No matter who it is, they'll say a few words to anyone they meet.

"Hey, did you know? His Highness the King of Qin won a great victory over there!"

"I heard that they captured the enemy's commander-in-chief!"

"If it weren't for the sea separating us, His Highness King Qin would have captured the king of that small country."

"After all, he is of royal blood. Once he gets on a warhorse, his bloodline is brought out."

I heard His Majesty is overjoyed and is thinking about how to reward the Prince of Qin!

"Of course we should reward them. Once the southwestern coastal area is pacified, at least thirty years of peace will be guaranteed."

But the King of Qin is already a prince, of unparalleled nobility; how can he possibly bestow such a reward?

"Alas, if I can't bestow a title, I'll just give him more land, more silver, and more beauties."

In short, if a father wants to give, he can definitely give.

"However, if the reward is too large, what will happen to His Highness the Crown Prince...?"

"Hehe, I won't say anymore! The affairs of the imperial family are none of our business, we ordinary folks."

"Have some tea, have some tea!"

The entire capital was filled with news of the King of Qin's victory.

Almost everyone believed that the King of Qin had been trapped in the capital city because he had no chance to leave.

Now that the opportunity has arrived, I'm ready to showcase my talent.

Many people also spread rumors privately.

In fact, the King of Qin is very much like the late emperor; he conquered the world on horseback, a feat the Crown Prince cannot match...

There were even rumors that the imperial family was considering establishing a new crown prince.

......

“Aunt, the day before yesterday, the Prince of Qin returned to the palace, and Father Emperor held a family banquet in the palace.”

"The Crown Prince and the Prince of Qin hold the same position," the Seventh Prince said to Shangguan Jin.

"Oh! Anything else?" Shangguan Jin and Shen Qingyue flipped through the ledger without looking up.

"Father and the Prince of Qin drank several cups of wine, and even my elder brother, the Crown Prince, could no longer laugh," the Seventh Prince continued.

"Drinking is bad for your health, so you can't drink too much alcohol in the future."

"What else?" Shangguan Jin continued flipping through the ledger.

"And... after the family banquet, Father Emperor took Prince Qin for a walk in the palace for quite a while."

"In the past, after family banquets, it was always the Crown Prince who accompanied Father Emperor for a walk," the Seventh Prince said earnestly.

Shangguan Jin nodded, still not looking at the Seventh Prince, but only showing Shen Qingyue a missing section in the account book.

"What are you doing?" Shangguan Jin asked.

"When I'm having dinner with Fifth Brother, I raise my glass along with everyone else when they do," the Seventh Prince said with a smile.

Shangguan Jin then looked up.

"Yes! Well done. That's their home turf. You just need to follow the crowd."

"Your Highness, what do you think will happen next?" Shangguan Jin asked with a smile.

The seventh prince pursed his lips and thought about it seriously.

"What else can we do? The Crown Prince and the King of Qin are both riding high right now."

The King of Qin has just achieved great merit in the south, which will ensure the peace of the southern part of Da Yu for thirty years.

Whether among the common people or in the palace, he would be highly regarded.

My elder brother, the Crown Prince, is currently in charge of the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Rites, and the Ministry of Personnel, and he handles them all with ease.

"Those two... will probably fight even more fiercely in the future!"

Shangguan Jin then handed over all the account books in her hands to Shen Qingyue.

"So, just watch them fight."

The fighting might get even more insane as it goes on.

Those two are about the same strength, and they'll both be trying to suppress each other, so it's best if you stay away." Shangguan Jin said seriously.

The seventh prince nodded and quickly added, "That's exactly what I did."

At the family banquet the day before yesterday, I toasted my elder brother, the Crown Prince, and also toasted the Prince of Qin. After that, I ate with my fifth brother.

"Alright, forget about everything else. In a couple of days, your aunt will take you to the estate in the suburbs."

Zhuangzi will be busy in a few days, so I'll take you to see him.

"Your maternal grandmother will be going with you too," Shangguan Jin said.

The seventh prince squinted his eyes in delight.

He liked to go to the farm with his aunt.

......

The family banquet in the palace surprised many people.

The King of Qin accompanied Emperor Xiao Jing for almost half an hour, and the news gradually spread.

Some people said that they walked for more than half an hour, and talked as they walked. Emperor Xiao Jing even pulled the Prince of Qin aside and said something like, "I am so pleased."

It is also said that Emperor Xiao Jing got drunk and pulled Prince Qin aside to say many heartfelt things.

When the King of Qin left the palace, his eyes were red.

Because of this, the Empress Dowager and the Imperial Concubine were overjoyed. The Empress Dowager even specially ordered a tonic soup to be made and sent to Emperor Xiao Jing.

Empress Xu was also somewhat surprised.

In the past, the imperial family would never have done such a thing.

Thinking about it, Emperor Xiao Jing seems to have reduced the number of times he dines in his palace recently.

Aside from coming on the first and fifteenth of the lunar month, I rarely come at other times.

Previously, when the Seventh Prince returned to the palace, Emperor Xiao Jing always arranged for him to dine in the Empress's palace.

Now...

He only dined with the Seventh Prince in a side hall next to the Hall of Diligent Governance...

Empress Xu sensed something was wrong.

At this moment, she also thought of her younger sister suddenly entering the palace to ask the Crown Prince if he knew about the Crown Prince being escorted by the entourage...

Empress Xu broke out in a cold sweat.

She thought about it and decided to confirm it first by asking someone from the Crown Prince's residence.

Soon, she summoned the Crown Princess's personal wet nurse.

After asking a couple of questions about the Crown Princess's health after her miscarriage, Empress Xu quickly asked what she wanted to know.

"I heard that two days before the ambush in the outskirts of Beijing, the Crown Prince's residence sent someone to deliver something to the escort team."

There were clothes, shoes and socks, as well as tea and snacks?

Who is it for?

It's Consort Xiao causing trouble again, wanting to give something to her own brother?

According to me, the Crown Princess needs to show her authority. How can a lowly concubine, who can't even command respect, possibly manage the affairs of the household?

Upon hearing this, the prince's wet nurse was so frightened that she immediately knelt down.

This is questioning the Crown Princess's ability to manage the household!

"Your Majesty, those gifts were not sent by Consort Xiao."

It was prepared by His Highness the Crown Prince for the Heir Apparent.

Empress Xu...