As Li De had predicted, after Prince Duan and the Bai family army returned to the capital, the Qian family no longer held the same power in the city as before.
The Bai family's reputation as war gods was deeply ingrained in the hearts of the people. Even before they made a move, the arrogant Qian family had to back down. When news spread that the death of Chi Mu, the once-genius young man of Daye, was related to the Qian family and Prince Kang, the resentment of scholars across the land towards the Qian family and Prince Kang reached its peak.
Inside the Kang Prince's residence, Feng Jingchi smashed things to pieces. "That Chi Mu was nothing but a lowly commoner. So what if he's dead? Do those damned scholars think they can take revenge on me?"
The servants remained silent, fearing the wrath of Prince Kang. Since Prince Duan returned to the capital, Prince Kang's temper had become increasingly volatile, and the palace had been filled with many wronged souls.
"Summon He Yanran to me." Feng Jingchi didn't care what kind of impact this would have on He Yanran's reputation; he only wanted to know what would happen next.
Inside the Prime Minister's residence, He Yanran heard that Prince Kang had sent someone, and despair flashed in her eyes. She was wrong; she shouldn't have thought of becoming Empress and getting involved with Prince Kang in this life.
Because of her, the Prime Minister's Mansion, which had always been neutral, was now tied to Prince Kang's side. If Prince Kang's succession to the throne were a foregone conclusion, things would be fine, but now Prince Duan is no longer as accommodating as before, and the outcome is still uncertain. Because of this, some in the Prime Minister's Mansion already harbor resentment towards her.
Thinking of this, He Yanran bit her lip in resentment. Her grandfather and father clearly saw that the Prime Minister's family had no capable successors and wanted to rely on their daughter to maintain the family's status.
If she hadn't received permission from the Prime Minister's residence, how could she have gotten involved with Prince Kang? And now she's blaming herself.
She had spoken to her father about Prince Kang's tyranny, but no matter how much she pleaded, it was to no avail; the Prime Minister's residence offered her no protection whatsoever. He Yanran felt that even if she died at Prince Kang's hands, the Prime Minister's residence would not blame him in the slightest.
She closed her eyes, concealing her hatred, and quickly tidied herself up before heading to the Prince Kang's residence.
When Feng Jingchi saw He Yanran, a hint of disgust flashed in his eyes. If she hadn't told him about those precognitive dreams, why would he have chosen her to be the Princess Consort of Kang?
"How dare you, He Yanran, deceive me! Apart from those trivial matters, what have you said correctly? Rumors are circulating outside that I am abusing my meritorious officials. Why didn't you warn me beforehand?"
He Yanran was sweating profusely. She didn't know how things had turned out this way; none of these things had happened in her previous life. Right, everything changed because of the sudden appearance of the Immortal Fate Inn.
"King Kang, spare my life! The appearance of the Immortal Inn was too sudden, and many people's fates have been changed. Yanran is just a mortal. Even if she has precognitive dreams, she cannot go against immortals."
"Immortal Inn, it's Immortal Inn again! Are the immortals blind? How could they fall for that bitch Feng Jinghan?"
Feng Jingchi knew that Xianyuan Inn was the culprit behind the current situation, and in a moment of recklessness, he vented his resentment towards the immortals.
The servants quickly lowered their heads, their hearts pounding with anxiety. They had overheard something they shouldn't have; they wondered if they could even save their lives.
He Yanran swallowed hard. "The appearance of the Immortal Inn is the biggest variable. As for things related to immortals, Yanran really can't predict them. You see, don't you see, I can predict things that have nothing to do with immortals very accurately?"
Feng Jingchi was frustrated. "I am now unable to visit the immortals. The people I sent out were captured by Feng Jinghan as soon as they arrived in Huaixi City, so I can't even see the immortals. What should I do now?"
He Yanran's mind raced, and she suddenly remembered her past life, reminding him, "Has Your Highness heard about the daughter that the Prince of Huai'an brought back?"
Feng Jingchi, recalling that fleeting glimpse, gleamed with a determined desire in his eyes. "Why did you bring her up?"
He Yanran didn't miss the desire in Feng Jingchi's eyes, and she sneered inwardly. After all this time, are these two still attracted to each other?
In his past life, King Kang was completely infatuated with this illegitimate daughter, offending many people for her sake, and ultimately even making her empress. In this life, despite seizing the initiative, he still couldn't change the fate of their meeting.
In the past, He Yanran would have been anxious. Now, she couldn't wait for the Prince of Kang's attention to shift away from her, and ideally, she would take the Princess Consort of Kang away as well.
"I have heard that this Princess Yi once stayed at the inn and had a very harmonious relationship with the immortal."
Feng Jinghan was somewhat impatient. "What's the point of telling me all this?"
“The Prince of Huai’an wants to find a good husband for Princess Yi. Why don’t you make her your concubine? With her current status, it’s impossible for her to find a good family in the capital. Becoming the prince’s concubine would be incredibly fortunate. If Princess Yi becomes the prince’s woman, given her relationship with the immortal, the prince might also gain the immortal’s favor in the future.”
"This Princess Yi once lived in Prince Duan's fiefdom. It's said that Prince Huai'an intends to take her there to pay respects to her birth mother. While it might be somewhat against protocol for the prince to accompany her, it's not too outrageous; at most, he'll be seen as a devoted lover of his concubine. Such situations have occurred before."
Feng Jingchi felt a pang of sympathy as he thought of the frail woman facing the gossip and rumors of the capital. If it weren't for the fact that everyone had heard of her pleasant conversation with the immortal, she probably wouldn't have been accepted into the Huai'an Prince's mansion.
If he could really take her as a concubine, it would undoubtedly be the best choice for him.
"Wouldn't that be a bit unfair to Yan'er?"
He Yanran inwardly pursed her lips, but on the surface she said affectionately, "What is this little thing compared to Your Highness's great cause?"
If Feng Jingchi went with the concubine, she would at most be ridiculed. Compared to her own life, what did such ridicule matter?
Although a concubine is not as important as the principal wife, she is still a member of the royal family and cannot be easily chosen. Feng Jingchi originally thought that his request to marry a concubine would be hindered by his father, but things went exceptionally smoothly.
Soon, the imperial decree conferring the title of Consort of Prince Kang upon Shi Xinyi, the young lady newly brought back by the Prince of Huai'an, arrived at the Prince's residence. The Prince of Huai'an excitedly accepted the decree, looking at his graceful daughter, "Yi'er will now be a member of the royal family, with a noble status. Moreover, Yi'er has been favored by the immortals; let's see who dares to challenge your status in the future!"
Shi Xinyi wore a calm smile, but inwardly she felt somewhat displeased. She could see the situation in the capital clearly now; whether Prince Kang could inherit the throne remained to be seen. If she became his concubine, she would be tied to Prince Kang's fate.
"I'm afraid that if Yi'er becomes a concubine of Prince Kang, it will put my father in a difficult position."
“What’s troubling you, Father? Although you are the Prince of Huai’an, compared to those sons of the imperial family, you only have a better-sounding title. Even if the Prince of Kang loses power in the future, he will still be a prince, which is much more noble than your status.”
Shi Xinyi almost lost her smile. Originally, she wanted to observe the situation further before making a choice, but now she no longer had the chance.
However, it's not certain that King Kang will fail. If he succeeds to the throne, she is confident that she can become empress.
Thinking of this, Shi Xinyi's smile became much more genuine.
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