Chapter 60 Barely Qualifying for the Rank of Liangdi

Yan Liqin felt a chill run down her spine under the gaze of that dark, cold eye, as if a pair of fate's hands had gripped her throat, making it hard for her to breathe.

But Jiang Zhi only glanced at her before obediently lowering her head, as if it were all just her imagination.

Pshaw, just a woman with no one to protect her, relying on her petty cleverness.

Yan Liqin thought to herself.

She was lucky this time, but can she always escape danger?

Seeing that she had no chance to make a move this time, Yan Liqin gave up on acting and simply made an excuse to leave.

The Empress watched her departing figure, then her gaze fell upon Jiang Zhi, who sat at the very bottom of the table.

With her years of experience in the harem, how could she not see through the Third Prince's wife's simple and clumsy tricks?

When she examined the jade pendant earlier, she discovered that the perforation had been tampered with; there was a very fine crack, and the surface was sealed with wax, so it looked perfectly intact.

But it will actually break when subjected to force or pulling.

The reason I didn't expose her but continued to act was to see how Ms. Jiang would respond.

Now that we've tested him, he seems intelligent, steady, neither arrogant nor humble, and capable of taking on responsibilities.

Although her background was somewhat inferior, since the Crown Prince valued her, she was barely qualified for the position of a concubine.

Jiang Zhi, sitting at the lower end of the table, had no idea what the Empress was thinking; she only wanted the blessing banquet to end as soon as possible.

Since Xiao Xuanyou arrived at Kunning Palace, the young ladies present have all been subtly excited.

Xiao Xuanyou was the legitimate son of the Empress and was groomed as the heir from a young age, enjoying the Emperor's favor. He was also diligent, humble, and possessed the demeanor and ability of a crown prince.

Even setting all that aside, his noble and otherworldly appearance alone is enough to earn him the title "jade-like beauty".

The young ladies present, all hoping to be chosen, were secretly blushing as they sized up the man before them who could potentially become their husbands.

Only Jiang Zhi kept her head down, listening quietly to him and the Empress's conversation, not daring to make any unnecessary movements, which made her seem much more composed than the others.

Fortunately, Xiao Xuanyou didn't go crazy again. He kept talking to the Empress and didn't even glance at her, which reassured her a lot.

Everything that followed passed without incident.

After returning to the Jiang residence from the banquet, Jiang Zhi hurriedly had her maid massage her aching back and waist, and then summoned Qingxing, asking her to find someone to deliver a letter to Xie Qi at the Marquis of Wuyi's residence.

That night, Xie Qi avoided everyone and secretly sneaked into her Chuntang Garden again.

However, this time his entry was not so easy.

Before he came, Jiang Zhi had reminded him that there were now two female bodyguards in Chuntang Garden, and that he should be careful not to be discovered by them.

Xie Qi spent a lot of effort to lure the two away before quietly climbing in through the window.

Upon landing, he found that Jiang Zhi's room was set out with a dinner, featuring a variety of dishes and a set of chopsticks and a bowl, clearly prepared especially for him.

Xie Qi felt a warmth in his heart and sat down directly, lifting the hem of his robe. "How did Miss Jiang know I didn't eat today?"

Jiang Zhi smiled and said, "The messenger said you were in the military camp, so I figured the young master probably wouldn't have time to eat like last time, so I prepared some in advance."

She poured him a cup of tea, saying, "I feel really bad for always bothering Prince Xie."

"What's the big deal?" Xie Qi waved his hand dismissively. "If you need anything, just send someone to find me."

"Alright, then please have your meal first, Young Master Xie."

Xie Qi didn't stand on ceremony and started eating immediately.

Although he was in the military, he came from a noble family, and etiquette was ingrained in him from childhood. Even though he ate his meal quickly, he did so with a smooth and unrestrained manner that was pleasing to the eye.

After rinsing her mouth with her meal, Jiang Zhi called Qing Xing in and quietly removed everything from the kitchen.

She finally brought up the purpose of inviting Xie Qi over, asking, "I wonder if Young Master Xie has made any progress in his investigation in the western suburbs of the capital?"

Xie Qi's expression was solemn. "Not yet. The area is too large and there is no specific target. The guards I sent out these days have only investigated the surrounding area in general. I estimate it will take a long time to get results."

Jiang Zhi frowned and pondered.

The mountains surrounding western Kyoto are continuous, and it's certainly not something that can be thoroughly investigated in a short time. Moreover, since the Earl of Loyalty's mansion dared to stockpile troops, they must have done a good job of concealment, and it won't be so easy for anyone to find evidence.

Aside from this one, which could bring the Loyal Earl's Mansion to its doom, no matter how many other schemes they devise, they can only scratch the surface of the problem, and if they're not careful, they might even end up getting themselves killed.

"What should we do?" she said, her face full of worry.

"Is Miss Jiang worried about retaliation from the Earl of Zhongqin's mansion?"

Jiang Zhi nodded. "At the blessing banquet in the palace today, the Third Prince's Consort couldn't wait to make a move on me. Although they don't dare to do anything to me openly, it's still unbearable to be disgusted like this every time."

Since there's still no news from the western suburbs, we can only put this on hold for now and think of other solutions.

The Earl of Zhongqin was not in good health, so many things in the household were decided by his son, Yan Wenhong.

If we could start with Yan Wenhong...

Jiang Zhi was still pondering how to deal with the Earl of Zhongqin's mansion when she heard Xie Qi suddenly raise his voice, "What? You attended today's blessing banquet?"

Jiang Zhi was somewhat bewildered by his question. "Yes, many young ladies attended today. Didn't Prince Xie know?"

Xie Qi's face was pale, his Adam's apple bobbed heavily, and his lips, which were originally slightly blood-red, were now pressed into a pale line.

Of course he knew.

He also knew that the banquet, ostensibly for praying for blessings, was actually a selection process for the Crown Prince to choose a suitable wife.

He had already seen the list of female guests attending this banquet, and Jiang Zhi's name was not on it at all. Why would she be in the palace today?

Xie Qi felt a sudden surge of panic. "Who sent you? Did Her Majesty the Empress and His Highness the Crown Prince say anything?"

His voice was urgent.

Although Jiang Zhi is not yet eligible to become the Crown Princess, given her looks, what if the Crown Prince took a liking to her and made her his concubine?

Jiang Zhi naturally wouldn't tell Xie Qi that the Crown Prince did this in the name of the Empress. "It was an imperial edict issued by Her Majesty the Empress, but it was all about praying for blessings and didn't say anything special."

Xie Qi breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.

It seems this matter cannot be delayed. Tomorrow he will go to the Crown Prince and ask him not to allow Jiang Zhi to enter the Eastern Palace under any circumstances.

But then another possibility occurred to him, and he tentatively asked Jiang Zhi, "So you went to participate in the selection today because of your feelings for the Crown Prince..."

Upon closer examination, it would be highly advantageous for Jiang Zhi to enter the Eastern Palace.

Not only would the Earl of Zhongqin's mansion dare not do anything to her again, but she would also be able to escape from the Jiang family. Furthermore, if she were to gain the favor of the Crown Prince, she would become a concubine and enjoy unparalleled honor when he ascended the throne.

Xie Qi thought about it more and more and it seemed like this was possible.