The script deviates from its intended course, and the male lead is questionable.

Inside the secret chamber of the Ming Prince's Mansion, Zongzheng Mingchen looked at the latest secret report presented by the Ghost-Faced Man, his face so gloomy it was almost dripping with water.

"Useless! A bunch of useless trash!" he growled, his voice suppressing his rage.

"In just a few days, the clues to the funding chain have been completely wiped out! Even the accomplice we arranged has vanished into thin air, and there are even signs that the connections in southern Xinjiang have been touched! How could Lao Jiu react so quickly?!"

Mr. Ghostface stood with his head bowed, his expression still calm, but a faint trace of solemnity flashed deep in his eyes: "Your Highness, please calm down. Prince Heng is in charge of the defense of the capital region, and he has many talented people under his command. His swift reaction was unexpected, but also reasonable. We underestimated his willingness to protect Jiang Wanzhi and the Prime Minister's residence, as well as the efficiency of his subordinates."

"Protect? He's just protecting his own face!" Zongzheng Mingchen slammed his fist on the table, filled with jealousy and resentment. "What do we do now? The leads from the Inner Court have gone cold. Although Father still has suspicions, if we continue investigating, we might really end up finding our own people!"

“Your Highness, do not worry.” The masked man raised his head slightly, his eyes flashing with a cold, venomous light. “Although the hard evidence has been neutralized, the soft knife can often hurt people more invisibly. Our initial goal was not entirely to confirm Prime Minister Jiang’s guilt.”

He said slowly, “His Majesty is suspicious by nature and is most wary of court officials and princes, especially those who are close to princes who hold military power. If His Majesty were to then believe that Prince Heng was using his power to cover up suspicions and interfere with the inner court's judicial investigation in order to protect his fiancée and her family... what do you think His Majesty would think?”

Zongzheng Mingchen's eyes suddenly lit up: "A scheme to sow discord?"

“Exactly.” The masked man smiled coldly. “What we need to do is not to forcibly create evidence, but to deeply implant the impression in His Majesty’s mind that ‘Prince Heng secretly protects the Prime Minister’s residence and covers up the truth.’”

"At the same time, spread the news of Miss Jiang's escape from the arranged marriage and cleverly link it to her disrespectful behavior at the Hundred Flowers Banquet and even the Drunken Butterfly Flower incident. Without any evidence, rumors and suspicions are the sharpest knives."

"Good! Let's do it this way!" Zongzheng Mingchen's face lit up with excitement again. "Get it done right away! Have our people spread the word in teahouses, taverns, alleyways, and among the censors and officials! Make it sound convincing, like it's coming from inside sources!"

"Your subordinate obeys." The masked man bowed and accepted the order, then quietly retreated into the shadows.

…………

In the following days, the rumors circulating in Beijing subtly shifted.

The bizarre rumors about "King Heng and the Southern Frontier" gradually subsided, replaced by whispers that were closer to reality and easier to believe.

"Have you heard? Actually, there's more to the story behind the Hundred Flowers Banquet..."

"What hidden story? Isn't it just that Miss Jiang accidentally offended the Empress Dowager?"

"Hey! It's not that simple! I have a distant cousin who works in the palace, and I heard that that potted flower wasn't an accident at all! Someone deliberately arranged it!"

"Huh? Who's so bold?"

"Shh... Keep your voice down! Who else could it be? It's all related to Miss Jiang... I heard she defied the imperial decree to marry and even ran away from the mansion. Maybe she was just resentful and staged this self-inflicted injury to ruin the marriage!"

"My God! No way? His Highness Prince Heng..."

"His Highness Prince Heng is probably kept in the dark too! However, I heard that during the investigation afterward, many clues that clearly pointed to Miss Jiang's maternal family inexplicably went cold... Isn't that a coincidence? Who would believe that no one was pulling the strings behind the scenes?"

"You mean...King Heng, he..."

"I didn't say anything! Figure it out yourself!"

Similar conversations circulated quietly in every corner of the capital. The rumors were carefully crafted, a mixture of truth and falsehood, highlighting both Jiang Wanzhi's motives for resisting the marriage and hinting that Prince Heng might use his privileges to cover up the truth in order to protect her, without leaving any concrete evidence.

Soon, the memorials submitted by some censors known for "reporting based on hearsay" also began to become more subtle.

Although he did not directly impeach Prince Heng or Prime Minister Jiang, he mentioned with great concern in his memorial about "the peace and tranquility of the palace" and "the laws and regulations of the court," implying that if any member of the royal family or important minister interfered with the judiciary due to personal feelings and covered up the truth, it would shake the foundation of the country and cause the law to be unfair. His Majesty must be careful.

…………

Inside the Imperial Study.

Emperor Zongzheng Hong listened expressionlessly as his personal eunuch whispered the latest developments in the gossip, while he flipped through the several vague yet pointed memorials from censors on his desk.

His fingers tapped slowly on the table, his eyes deep and unfathomable.

Rumors, memorials, the Inner Court's report that ultimately concluded "no evidence" yet remained suspicious... everything seemed to be pointing in the same direction.

Old Nine's protection of the Jiang family's daughter seems a bit excessive.

Given his cold and hard nature, how could he have so quickly and cleanly erased those clues if he didn't care so much?

That Jiang Wanzhi... dared to treat my bestowed marriage as a joke, behaving improperly before the Emperor, and now she's involved with the Drunken Butterfly Flower of Southern Xinjiang... If this series of events is truly as the rumors say, a result of dissatisfaction with the bestowed marriage, then this woman's character is definitely not that of a good match.

The emperor's suspicion is like weeds; once the seed is sown, it will grow wildly.

He didn't completely believe the rumors, but the seeds of doubt had been sown.

He doubted whether Prime Minister Jiang was truly innocent, whether Zongzheng Hengyu had neglected his duties for personal reasons, and even more so whether this marriage, which he had personally arranged, was a pawn in the hands of the Ninth Prince from the very beginning, a potential source of instability in the court.

"Issue my decree." The emperor suddenly spoke, his voice calm and even, yet carrying an undeniable authority. "Prince Heng has been overworked lately. The defense of the capital region will be temporarily taken over by the deputy general. He is to rest and recuperate at his residence for a few days. Without my decree, he need not come to the palace to report."

"Yes." The chief eunuch felt a chill run down his spine. Was His Majesty... temporarily stripping Heng Wang of his power? Although not explicitly stated, it was a clear warning and a sign of distancing.

"Furthermore," the emperor paused, glancing out the window, "send someone to the Prime Minister's residence to see how well Lady Jiang has copied 'Admonitions for Women' and 'Rules for Women.' Tell her to reflect on her mistakes and, if nothing else... not to go out."

This imperial edict, seemingly out of concern, actually expanded the scope of Jiang Wanzhi's confinement, making it almost equivalent to house arrest.

The head eunuch bowed in agreement and quietly withdrew, a cold sweat breaking out on his back.

Although His Majesty did not severely punish anyone, this change in attitude was enough to terrify countless people.

The emperor's heart is like the sea, unfathomable.

…………

Prince Heng's Mansion.

The air in the study was stagnant. The candlelight cast a long, thin shadow of Zongzheng Hengyu onto the cold floor tiles, like a lurking beast.

“It’s just a house arrest and the revocation of some of his authority…” Zongzheng Hengyu’s voice was devoid of emotion, but carried a sense of impending doom. “Father, in the end, still has doubts.”

Yan Cheng lowered his head even further: "Although His Majesty has not investigated this matter in depth, the rumors in the streets are getting worse and worse, all pointing to Your Highness using your power to cover up the truth in order to protect Miss Jiang and the Prime Minister's residence. The memorials submitted by the Censorate in the past few days, although not explicitly stated, are all insinuations that are not in Your Highness's interest."

“Rumors…” Zongzheng Hengyu sneered, his fingers tightening around the cup in his hand. “They can kill without leaving a trace, and they are indeed a powerful weapon. This time, Prince Ming has learned his lesson. Knowing that he can’t win by confronting them head-on, he resorts to such underhanded methods.”

…………

Inside the Prime Minister's residence, in the Wanzhi Pavilion, when Jiang Wanzhi heard the eunuch's gentle yet icy imperial edict, her face instantly turned ashen.

She understood that the greatest storm did not come from direct accusations, but from the silent yet utterly suffocating suspicion and isolation.

Why? Why did it turn out like this?

She was clearly a time traveler who knew the plot and should have been an observer with a god-like perspective, or even... a participant who could avoid danger and seek good fortune.

But reality is like a wild horse that has broken free, galloping wildly in a completely unknown and more dangerous direction.

Spider flower...Southern Xinjiang...

These two words, like a spell, kept flashing through her mind.

She closed her eyes, trying to clear her mind of all distractions, attempting to retrieve details from the depths of her chaotic memory of the original novel she had once stayed up all night to read, but which now seemed somewhat blurry.

In the original work... there was also a Hundred Flowers Banquet.

At the banquet, a young lady from an official family did indeed make a huge fool of herself, losing her composure in public and becoming a laughingstock. As a result, she completely lost her chance to marry into the royal family, which foreshadowed the tragedy that followed.

And the reason that led to the female supporting character's inappropriate behavior...

Jiang Wanzhi suddenly opened her eyes, her pupils contracting slightly.

Yes! The resemblance is astonishing!

In the original novel, the reason why the young lady from the official family lost face at the Hundred Flowers Banquet was because of a rare flower from the southern border!

Its fragrance has a hallucinogenic effect! But that flower... isn't called "Cleome" (Dracaena sanderiana); the book only vaguely mentions it as "a blue enchantress with a captivating fragrance." Moreover, the mastermind behind all this is clearly described as...

King Zhao, the patriarchal system is clearly established!

The book explains that King Zhao took this action to completely sever his engagement with that incompetent beauty and clear away all obstacles. He orchestrated this to marry his true love, the heroine whose family background could provide him with more support—his "white moonlight"—namely, Su Yuyue.

Afterwards, he skillfully shifted the suspicion to another noblewoman who was jealous of the original female lead, while he himself escaped unscathed, remaining the refined and gentle prince he always was.

But……

Jiang Wanzhi's heart suddenly raced, and a chill ran up her spine.

Why has everything changed now?

Has the mastermind behind this changed from King Zhao to King Ming? And has the motive changed from clearing obstacles to the marriage to something more complex, a framing of King Heng and the Prime Minister's mansion?

Was it because of her arrival?

The Prince Ming, who had a low profile in the original work, was always gloomy, and ultimately suffered a crushing defeat as a villainous cannon fodder prince, has now jumped to the forefront, and with such ruthless and direct methods?

No! This doesn't make sense!

The prediction made by Lin'an City regarding the Ming King last time was consistent with the original novel, and the plot described in the book was indeed designed by the Ming King.

But this time, it wasn't King Zhao at the Hundred Flowers Banquet, which means there's something wrong with King Zhao... Could he also be a time traveler?!

Yeah! If she can transmigrate into Jiang Wanzhi, maybe other fictional characters can too!!!

This was the first time she began to question the two-dimensional world she lived in!

…………

The night was as dark as ink.

Deep within the Zhao Prince's residence, in a more secluded study, the candlelight shone brightly, illuminating only a small area and leaving most of the space in deep shadows.

The furnishings here are quite different from the opulent Ming Dynasty royal chamber. Instead, they exude an air of scholarly elegance and antique charm. The furnishings appear casual, yet they reveal an understated grace and profound cultural heritage.

A ghostly black shadow, like a drop of ink blending into the night, silently passed through layers of guards and appeared behind an inconspicuous screen on the inside of the study.

Zongzheng Zhaoran, who had been waiting there, was slowly watering a pot of thriving orchids with a small purple clay teapot.

His movements were graceful, and his expression was focused, as if he were performing a very important ceremony.

Hearing the faint rustling of clothes behind him, he didn't turn around. Instead, a perfectly curved smile appeared on his lips, and his voice was as gentle as a spring breeze: "The master has arrived."

Mr. Ghost Face slowly emerged from the shadows and stood at the edge of the candlelight.

The mask on his face looked even more eerie in the flickering firelight, but at this moment, the humility and coldness he had shown before the King of Light had vanished without a trace, replaced by a calm and even somewhat egalitarian composure.

He nodded slightly, his voice still hoarse, but without the deliberate chill: "Your Highness has kept you waiting."