Chapter 430 With your help, I will surely live up to your expectations in the future.
Although the emperor's attitude toward Prince An has changed and he may even be grooming him as his successor, Jiang Yu still feels that it is not appropriate for Prince An to go to Lingnan at this time.
As the current emperor, His Majesty already has his own considerations and independent judgment, which adds to his confidence. He may have anticipated that the Prince of Lingnan would join forces with the Prime Minister and even the Crown Prince to take action, but he is confident in his supreme position and certain that he has already understood the other party's intentions and taken precautions. He would never think that his life would be in danger.
Regardless of whether the Emperor's confidence was appropriate, she and Prince An still needed to make preparations to prevent any unforeseen circumstances.
"I think the Marquis of Chengen's suggestion is excellent," Jiang Yu added. "There's no need to say more about the Duke of Wei; Your Highness should be clear about his position."
Prince An nodded. He naturally understood that Jiang Yu was not referring to the Duke of Wei's abilities, but rather his stance. The Duke of Wei and the Duke of Chu's mansions were originally from the same faction, and now that the Duke of Chu had chosen to support him, the Duke of Wei's attitude was self-evident.
At this moment, Jiang Yu's voice rang out again in a deep and slow tone: "Huo Guang has been burdened by his father's old case, and although he is brave and good at fighting, he has never been given an important position. If we send him to recover Lingnan this time, it will not only give Huo Guang an opportunity to realize his ambitions, but also add a fierce general to the court."
"Hmm." Prince An responded approvingly, a hint of agreement in his eyes.
Jiang Yu placed the teacup back on the tea table and continued, "Among the people the court has sent to Lingnan this time, there is the heir of the Marquis of Chengen, Ning Yunchuan, and the Duke of Wei. These people are all on our side, so it will not be difficult to win over Huo Guang."
Prince An stared intently at Jiang Yu for a moment, then a smile appeared on his lips. He leaned forward, picked up the cold teacup in front of Jiang Yu, poured out the remaining tea, and refilled it with hot tea before saying, "My greatest fortune in this life is probably having your help."
Jiang Yu was slightly taken aback; she hadn't expected Prince An to speak so candidly. After a moment's thought, she said, "Your Highness possesses the magnanimity to tolerate others, the talent to manage the world, and the decisiveness to handle matters. My cooperation with Your Highness is merely a matter of following the trend, and I dare not claim credit for it."
These words, though seemingly flattering, were Jiang Yu's heartfelt words, spoken with utmost sincerity. Upon hearing this, Prince An smiled again, a warm smile playing on his lips: "I never knew that the Duke of Chu held me in such high regard."
Jiang Yu also raised the corners of his lips, picked up the freshly poured hot tea and took a sip, glanced at Prince An, and said with a hint of teasing, "If Your Highness is willing to listen, this humble official can say more."
Prince An laughed loudly, his gaze falling on Jiang Yu's delicate yet heroic face, but a strange bitterness welled up in his heart. He lowered his eyes and looked at the jade teacup beside Jiang Yu, his tone solemn: "With your help, I will never let you down in the future."
"Your Highness, I thank you." Jiang Yu bowed to him calmly, his tone carrying a hint of polite distance.
Prince An raised his eyes and gave her a deep, unsettling look. He still couldn't see through Jiang Yu. She knew her own ambitions and chose to stand shoulder to shoulder with him, yet she always kept a distance from him, showing no joy even when faced with her promises.
What does she really want?
The words welled up in his throat, but he ultimately didn't ask. Their relationship wasn't close enough for him to inquire about such matters, and besides, he feared that if he crossed the line, Jiang Yu would become even more distant from him. Just like how he had never dared to ask about her relationship with the Imperial Uncle.
After finishing their business, Jiang Yu got up to take his leave, and before leaving, he added, "The Empress Dowager is still in poor health. If Your Highness has time, you may visit her at Cining Palace more often."
She knew in her heart that the emperor was a filial son, and as a grandson, Prince An should show more filial piety to the empress dowager so that he could at least make his presence felt in front of the emperor.
"Okay, thank you for reminding me." Prince An stood up, his fingertips unconsciously brushing against the hem of his clothes, his tone filled with genuine warmth.
Jiang Yu bowed to him again, then turned and left deftly. Prince An watched her figure disappear through the door, stood there stunned for a moment, before sitting down dejectedly and leaning back in his chair.
...
After leaving the teahouse, Jiang Yu went to the Duke of Wei's residence first. She dined and discussed matters with the Duke of Wei in his study for a long time before returning to the Duke of Chu's residence. As soon as she entered the study, she leaned back in the large chair and belatedly felt the overwhelming weariness in her heart.
In recent days, she had to keep a close eye on the developments in Lingnan, formulate detailed strategies to deal with the King of Lingnan, and navigate the complexities of court politics. Each and every task required immense effort, and now even her bones felt utterly exhausted.
Xia He walked behind her with a pained expression and gently massaged her shoulders. Jiang Yu let out a comfortable groan and said with her eyes closed, "Put a little more pressure on me."
Xia He increased the pressure slightly and asked softly, "Is this force acceptable?"
Jiang Yu nodded, letting her mind wander and enjoying the relaxation. After a moment, she suddenly asked, "How's Jiang Shan's marriage going lately?"
Xia He was taken aback when she suddenly asked about the Second Miss. She paused for a moment before quickly replying, "The Second Miss and the eldest son of the Chang family have already been matched according to their birth dates. They are a perfect match. I heard that the eldest son of the Chang family will be coming to the capital in the next few days, and then they can finalize their marriage."
"Hmm," Jiang Yu responded, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the armrest of the chair. Her tone was less sharp in court and more gentle when it came to family matters. "I'll tell my mother later that I want to meet the eldest son of the Chang family before the engagement."
"Yes," Xia He replied. At this moment, Dong Shuang walked in and handed over a letter: "It was sent by Qing Yan from Prince Rui's residence."
Jiang Yu took the letter, and upon seeing the familiar handwriting, a smile unconsciously crept onto her lips. She waved for Xia He and Dong Shuang to leave before opening the letter and carefully reading it word by word. The letter didn't mention anything important, just everyday conversation, but she could sense the longing between the lines.
A bittersweet feeling filled her heart. She got up, fetched paper and pen, and began to reply. However, instead of writing about everyday matters, she meticulously detailed her whereabouts and arrangements over the past two days. She made no secrets, including her private conversation with the Emperor and her earlier discussion with Prince An at the teahouse.
She knew in her heart that although Prince Rui had never participated in court affairs, as a member of the imperial family and favored by the Emperor and Empress Dowager, he was inherently involved. He could choose not to interfere in court affairs and protect himself, but he could not remain unaware of the developments in the court.
After writing the letter, she got up and walked to the door, handed it to Xia He who was guarding outside, and instructed her to pass it on to Qing Yan. Then she went to the bathroom to take a bath.
...
The next day was court day, and Jiang Yu got up early to enter the palace. But today the emperor made the officials wait for a long time before finally arriving, dragging his tired body. After receiving the officials' obeisance, he said wearily, "If you have something to say, speak up; otherwise, the court may adjourn."
The court officials all knew that the Empress Dowager was unwell, and seeing the Emperor's condition, no one dared to present any trivial matters. The morning court session ended in less than a quarter of an hour. Soon after, news spread that the Emperor would personally go to Jing'an Temple to pray for the Empress Dowager's well-being, and Jiang Yu also received an imperial edict ordering her to accompany him.
She knew in her heart that the emperor's actions were partly intended to show the Prince of Lingnan. The next day, Jiang Yu arrived at Chengming Hall early and waited for the emperor with a group of important court officials, preparing to go to Jing'an Temple together to pray for the Empress Dowager.
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