Chapter 388 Do Not Act Rashly
"Zishi! Tell me, what is the greatest pain for Marquis Chengen and the current Empress?"
The Prime Minister's words softened Pu Tonghe's expression considerably. For the siblings, the Marquis of Chengen and the Empress, the greatest pain in their lives was the loss of their late Crown Prince. That prince was intelligent and quick-witted, the Empress's only hope and the Marquis of Chengen's strongest support in court, but tragically, he died before reaching adulthood.
Since then, the Empress's belly has remained empty, and she has no children. In this deep palace, without an heir, even the Empress, of noble birth, can hardly stand tall. And the Marquis of Cheng'en, without the support of his nephew, the closest member of the royal bloodline, ultimately has less confidence in court.
At this moment, the Prime Minister's voice rang out again, "Zishi, in this court, the winds of change are ever-changing. Who can predict what will happen in the future? Besides, the inner palace is high-walled and deep-walled. If you really want someone to disappear without a trace, it's just a matter of lifting a finger. You should relax and not worry too much. The most important thing right now is to keep your mind at ease. Once the important matter is accomplished, what you want will naturally come to pass."
Pu Tonghe remained silent, his face tense, clearly still displeased. The Prime Minister glanced at him and said, "Anyone with eyes can see that the Emperor has no intention of letting the Crown Prince secure his position. If it really comes to that, we'll have to resort to unconventional methods to succeed, but without legitimacy, our words won't be credible. How will we silence public opinion then?"
Grand Tutor Yan holds immense power over etiquette and law, enjoying immense prestige throughout the court and the public. If his own granddaughter becomes the Crown Princess, with him, the Grand Tutor of etiquette, supporting her, fewer people will be suspicious, and our actions will be more logical. Therefore, winning over the Grand Tutor is the most crucial step right now; you must understand the key points.”
Pu Tonghe snorted again, "In the end, it still comes down to me giving up my interests."
The Prime Minister's smile faded, his expression darkened, and his eyes sharpened like knives. He slowly spoke: "Zishi, you should know that we are all in the same boat. If this boat capsizes, no matter how much benefit you have gained on board, you will all sink to the bottom in the end. No one can escape unscathed, and surviving is out of the question."
Pu Tong's cheeks were taut, his eyes filled with resentment, yet he had to admit that what the Prime Minister said was true. In the end, he could only take a heavy breath and turn his face away.
Seeing this, the Prime Minister's sharp expression softened somewhat, and he said, "These are all temporary measures. Grand Tutor Yan is a latecomer; how can he compare to you? Over the years, you have served the Prince faithfully, and the Prince and I have kept in mind all the merits you have made. Once the great undertaking is accomplished, when it comes to rewarding merit, you will naturally be given priority. You will not be shortchanged in any way you deserve."
Pu Tonghe felt a little better, but still had some doubts as he said, "That's true, but Grand Tutor Yan, that old fox, isn't so easy to fool. He's been navigating the court for so many years, and he's very shrewd. Besides, Marquis Chengen still holds great power, and the Empress's position is secure. It's clear that this game isn't so easy to play."
The Prime Minister poured him another cup of tea. "Zishi, what you said makes sense, but you have to look at it carefully. Marquis Chengen holds military power, which is a real source of confidence. Grand Tutor Yan is different. Although he has prestige, he has no troops."
Furthermore, His Majesty still harbors some guilt towards the Empress from years ago, which is why she has remained peaceful until now. But our Crown Prince, let alone any romantic feelings for Yan Fengxi, probably doesn't even have the slightest interest in her; he's merely using her as an excuse.”
“Fine, just like you said, my daughter will be a concubine,” Pu Tonghe said through gritted teeth.
The Prime Minister nodded in satisfaction and said, "His Majesty may already know about my relationship with the Prince, and it's not easy to expose your relationship with us now. So, your daughter becoming a concubine will be announced by Consort Su. Afterwards, you can express your loyalty to His Majesty."
“I understand that, of course.” Pu Tonghe stood up and said somewhat impatiently, “But I have other matters to attend to. If not, I’ll be leaving now.”
The Prime Minister also stood up, "Pay attention to Jiang Yu."
"I know." Pu Tonghe casually tossed out those two words and left. The Prime Minister frowned; from his tone, he knew that Pu Tonghe didn't take Jiang Yu seriously.
...
Pu Tonghe returned home with a sullen face. After sitting in his study for a while, he went to Madam Pu's residence in the backyard. His daughter could no longer be the Crown Prince's principal wife; he had to inform his wife.
Madam Pu was in her forties, with a plump figure, round and full cheeks, and a gentle smile in the corners of her eyes and brows, giving her a blessed appearance.
She had just returned from her bath and was stunned for a moment when she saw Pu Tonghe, then immediately bowed and said, "Why have you come, my husband?"
Pu Tonghe glanced at her indifferently, then rose and stepped into the bedroom. Madam Pu knew at a glance that he had something to say to her, so she waved for the maid beside her to leave and went into the bedroom alone.
What happened?
"It seems that Mingyue's dream of becoming the Crown Princess is over." Pu Tonghe looked at Madam Pu with a hint of resentment on his face, yet also with composure.
"How could this be...? Wasn't that agreed upon?" Mrs. Pu asked in surprise.
Pu Tonghe felt a thousand resentments, but he didn't want to show them at this moment. He repeated the reasoning the prime minister had given him, and then said, "Let's prioritize the overall situation."
Madam Pu's face paled, and she slumped onto the edge of the bed. Her voice trembled, "But Mingyue has been eagerly anticipating becoming the Crown Princess, waiting with such joy. Now that it's all over, how am I supposed to explain this to her?"
"How can we explain this? Just tell her directly." Pu Tonghe said impatiently, "Tell her that this is just a temporary measure and that she should bear with it for now. Although she is a little wronged now, what is hers will eventually be hers, and she can't escape it."
Upon hearing this, Madam Pu pressed her lips together tightly, the gentleness in her eyes vanished, and a hint of ruthlessness flashed across them. "Why don't we take action now and get rid of Yan Fengxi?"
Madam Pu's face remained as round and gentle as ever, with even a faint smile playing on her lips, but her words were like poison. Pu Tonghe's gaze towards her deepened.
“No, Grand Tutor Yan is still useful. Yan Fengxi must be the Crown Princess.” Pu Tonghe withdrew his gaze from Madam Pu’s round face, lowered his eyes and straightened his robe, saying, “We must not act rashly now, lest we ruin everything.”
Madam Pu withdrew the gloom from her face, smiled and curtsied, "This concubine understands."
"Okay, you should talk to Mingyue properly." Pu Tonghe got up and walked out, saying, "You should get some rest too."
Madam Pu's face stiffened for a moment. She followed Pu Tonghe to the door and watched his figure disappear before leaving.
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