Could Chapter 429 have been intended to get him out of the way?
That's how it is for people in love; even a simple touch or a glance can ignite a burning spark, making their hearts tremble. Just one secret hand-holding was enough to make Prince Rui's heart race and his ears turn red. Jiang Yu wasn't much better off; she subconsciously pressed her rapidly beating heart to barely suppress the unusual feeling.
Prince An, walking beside the two, was unaware of their subtle interaction, but he sensed the unusual atmosphere between them. He glanced at them sideways, his expression growing increasingly cold, his hands clenched tightly in his sleeves. After a moment's hesitation, he finally quickened his pace, increasing the distance between them.
Seeing his reaction, Jiang Yu and Prince Rui exchanged a glance but said nothing. Prince Rui pursed his lips, then quietly moved closer to Jiang Yu and asked in a low voice, "What's wrong now?"
Jiang Yu pressed her hand to her chest to steady herself and said, "It's still about the situation in Lingnan."
Prince Rui nodded upon hearing this. He knew the matter was confidential and that this was not the time to discuss it in detail, so he did not ask any further questions. Jiang Yu also knew her place and smoothly changed the subject, gently comforting her, "The Empress Dowager's condition has improved a lot compared to before, and she will definitely recover gradually. Your Highness does not need to worry too much, and you must also take care of your own health."
When the Empress Dowager was mentioned, Prince Rui's expression darkened again. He nodded and said, "My mother treats me like her own son. Now that she is unwell, I should naturally serve her."
Jiang Yu knew he was a man of deep feelings, so she didn't try to persuade him further. The two walked side by side in silence. The setting sun cast long shadows of the two, their soft shadows almost touching, their shoulders occasionally brushing against each other, even the shadows of their drooping hands seemed to want to quietly intertwine. This silence was not one of estrangement, but rather an unspoken intimacy.
Time always slips away unnoticed. The two felt as if they had only taken a few steps when they looked up and saw the palace gates right in front of them. There was reluctance in their eyes, but they did not linger for long. Jiang Yu looked at him and said, "Take care, Your Highness."
Prince Rui nodded, his tone carrying a hint of caution: "You too, be careful."
After exchanging farewells, the two left the palace gates one after the other. Jiang Yu had already arranged a meeting place with Prince An and went straight to his sedan chair; Prince Rui also exchanged a few words with Prince An before mounting his horse and departing. Prince An watched the horse and sedan chair going in opposite directions, his hands clenching into fists again. After a moment, he mounted his horse and rode off in the opposite direction.
Jiang Yu returned to her residence, changed into some light clothing, and then went out again to a teahouse on a quiet street. Upon entering the private room, she found Prince An already waiting inside. She stepped forward and greeted him, "Your Highness Prince An."
Prince An rose and gestured for him to sit, speaking calmly: "Duke of Chu, please sit."
Jiang Yu sat down opposite him as instructed, and as soon as she sat down, she felt the Prince of An's gaze was both intense and profound. She lowered her eyes, lightly rubbing the rim of her cup with her thumb, and when she looked up, her eyes had returned to a calm and undisturbed state. She slowly opened her lips and asked, "What does Your Highness think is the purpose of Marquis Chengen's proposal today?"
Prince An's grip on the teapot tightened slightly, but he instantly concealed his unusual expression. He poured Jiang Yu a cup of tea, then gazed at the wisps of steam rising from the cup, his eyes following the soft white smoke before he slowly spoke: "He doesn't want me to go to Lingnan."
Jiang Yu held the teacup filled with the aroma of tea, feeling the warmth on his fingertips. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "This humble official did not notice that he harbored any ill will towards Your Highness."
She looked up at Prince An's pensive face and analyzed carefully: "The Empress has no children now, and the Marquis of Chengen controls the military camp in the suburbs of the capital, wielding great power, and has not sided with any of the princes. No matter which prince succeeds to the throne in the future, the Empress will eventually be the Empress Dowager, and the status of the Marquis of Chengen's mansion will naturally not be affected. There is no conflict of interest between him and the Prince."
Prince An frowned and nodded, his tone tinged with doubt: "Is he trying to curry favor with me?"
“Very likely.” Jiang Yu picked up his teacup, took a small sip, then held the cup in his palm, his fingertips gently rubbing the inside of the cup. “With our current strategy, the King of Lingnan will definitely be able to guess our intentions. Will he be driven to desperation and resort to desperate measures?”
Prince An's grip on the armrest tightened suddenly: What would the Prince of Lingnan do if he were truly cornered? If the Emperor were to suddenly die, the current Crown Prince would naturally ascend the throne. It was obvious that the Prime Minister was the Crown Prince's man. Moreover, the Prime Minister was also the Prince of Lingnan's maternal uncle. A little thought would reveal that the Prince of Lingnan was also part of the Crown Prince's faction. Perhaps, the two of them had already planned to sideline the Crown Prince as a puppet ruler after his ascension.
If the Prince of Lingnan and his group succeeded in causing harm to the Emperor, and he was far away in Lingnan at the time, then the throne would have no place for him whatsoever. In fact, by the time he returned from Lingnan, a host of charges would be waiting for him.
Thinking of this, Prince An felt a chill run down his spine: Could it be that the Emperor's insistence on sending him to Lingnan was actually a pretext to get rid of him?
The room was silent as Prince An and Jiang Yu fell into deep thought. The last rays of the setting sun slanted in through the window, spreading across the stagnant air and landing on the ebony teapot on the table, casting a small patch of pale golden light and shadow, which remained perfectly still.
“The Emperor and the Marquis of Chengen occupy different positions, so their perspectives on things are naturally different.” Jiang Yu seemed to have guessed his thoughts and broke the silence first. “This humble official believes that the Emperor trusts Your Highness, which is why he sent Your Highness to Lingnan.”
Prince An looked at her with deep eyes, but Jiang Yu did not look away. She met his gaze directly and added, "Moreover, Your Highness's going to Lingnan to oversee the reconquest will be a truly great achievement if it succeeds. This will greatly benefit Your Highness's future path."
These words gradually warmed Prince An's eyes. He leaned back in his chair, visibly relaxing. Jiang Yu took another sip of tea, secretly letting out a sigh of relief.
Prince An's childhood was filled with hardship, and the root of all this was the Emperor's prejudice against him. Later, the Emperor appointed him as the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, clearly using him as a tool. Not only did the Emperor leave him no possibility of succession, he left him no way out either.
Which emperor, upon ascending the throne, would keep spies of the previous emperor? Especially when these spies are the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and a prince at that. Prince An didn't have much fatherly affection for the emperor to begin with, so it's perfectly normal for him to assume the worst of him.
As a minister with lofty ambitions, Jiang Yu not only favored Prince An but also knew that although the current emperor had made mistakes, he was not a foolish ruler. Moreover, since the emperor clearly favored Prince An, she really did not want to create further discord between the royal father and son.
Prince An leaned back lazily in his chair, his eyes lowered, and when his eyelashes drooped slightly, even his gaze softened. His originally cold and stern face now possessed a touch of refined handsomeness. He was inherently intelligent, so how could he not understand Jiang Yu's thoughts?
When he looked up, his eyes still held tenderness as he gazed at Jiang Yu and said, "I understand."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yu raised the corners of his lips and said sincerely, "However, I still believe that Your Highness should not go to Lingnan at this time."
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