Jiang Qingqing sat on a small stool, looking at Concubine Zhao's kind smile. She seemed to be flattering without any ulterior motives and said, "Does the queen have any happy news recently?"

When Concubine Zhao heard this, her smile faded a little, and her phoenix eyes looked deeply at Jiang Qingqing.

"Your Highness is much smarter than I thought."

She suddenly said this without any beginning or end.

Jiang Qingqing understood what Concubine Zhao meant.

She lowered her head slightly, raised the corners of her lips and smiled silently. When she raised her head again, there was still innocence in her eyes.

"I don't quite understand what your Majesty is saying."

Concubine Zhao patted Jiang Qingqing's thin shoulders, paused for a while and said, "Your Highness, why do you have to play dumb with me? We are all smart people, so let's speak frankly."

This direct attack caught Jiang Qingqing off guard.

Concubine Zhao has been "hibernating" in the palace for many years, always acting as a concubine in Chuxiu Palace with an attitude of not caring about anything. If it weren't for Han Qingyi's defection, Jiang Qingqing, an old fox who had experienced power struggles, would have been deceived.

She suppressed the smile on her face and looked at Concubine Zhao intently.

"The Queen has the support of the Xu family, and the eldest prince is now an adult, but His Majesty has yet to decide on the eldest prince as the crown prince. The meaning is self-evident."

Concubine Zhao said directly, "That means that the eldest prince may not be what your majesty wants as the crown prince."

Jiang Qingqing smiled and said, "The Second Prince has indeed received strong support from many officials in the court, and with the support of the Empress, the Zhao family, he has a better future than the First Prince in competing for the position of Crown Prince."

She continued speaking along the lines of what Concubine Zhao had said.

Seeing that the other party was so obedient and submissive, Concubine Zhao found that he was easier to persuade than she had imagined.

"Your Highness is very clever."

Jiang Qingqing didn't wait for Concubine Zhao to continue praising her. She suddenly changed the subject and said, "But the Third Prince is Qingqing's biological brother. Qingqing doesn't quite understand what the Empress means."

Concubine Zhao waved her hands quickly and began to defend herself, saying, "I am not asking Your Highness to help the Second Prince. What I mean is that now that the First Prince has used the power of the Xu family to destroy Your Highness's only Lin'an Pavilion, our Zhao family is willing to help Your Highness and the Third Prince to gain a firm foothold in this court."

Jiang Qingqing's trick actually revealed Concubine Zhao's true thoughts.

This turned out to be Concubine Zhao's real purpose.

She watched the eldest prince and the third prince quarreling fiercely in the court recently, and she was afraid that her second prince would become a marginal figure.

Today's fight for the crown prince position is no longer the same as it was five years ago when he was hiding under the cloth.

Everyone is standing in the open. Whoever is still hiding in the dark will be driven out of the battle faster.

Jiang Qingqing's smile was more profound. She didn't expect that Concubine Zhao was just like this.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, but this matter is not something that Qingqing can decide alone. It also depends on Third Brother's opinion." Jiang Qingqing was not in a hurry to get on board Concubine Zhao's boat, but deliberately began to politely refuse Concubine Zhao.

Seeing that the fat meat at her fingertips was about to slip away, Concubine Zhao became somewhat anxious.

"Now in the court, the Xu family has dared to annex even the Qi Town of the Third Prince in order to expand the power of the First Prince. Your Highness and the Third Prince have no maternal family to rely on. If the First Prince really makes up his mind to deal with you one day, how will you cope with it then!?"

She spoke hastily.

Jiang Qingqing pretended to be doubtful, and Gan Yuan behind Jiang Qingqing saw this and quickly whispered to Jiang Qingqing: "What the Imperial Concubine said is very true, Your Highness, we should also consider the support of the Third Prince in the court."

When Concubine Zhao heard that even the maidservant beside Jiang Qingqing began to persuade Jiang Qingqing, she knew in her heart that this cooperation was almost certain.

Jiang Qingqing pondered for a long while, and with Gan Yuan saying a word or two on behalf of Concubine Zhao from time to time, it took less than half a cup of tea.

She raised her head again and looked at Concubine Zhao.

"I hope that you will keep your promise, my lady, and that your Zhao family will help my third brother and I avoid being bullied by the Xu family in the court."

"Of course. After all, I watched Your Highness and the Third Prince grow up. How could I be like the Queen, who would not even consider the rights of Your Highness and the Third Prince for the sake of her own son?"

This also uses the comparative method of stepping up and belittling.

Jiang Qingqing laughed at herself in her heart.

After Jiang Qingqing agreed to cooperate, Concubine Zhao's smile became more genuine. She asked Zi Lian to bring two beautiful brocade boxes and explained, "This gift box is to celebrate your highness's willingness to cooperate with me. It's a small token of my appreciation. I also hope that your highness can give one set to the Third Prince."

Jiang Qingqing did not refuse again and again, and asked Gan Yuan to accept the two brocade boxes without hesitation.

Concubine Zhao kept Jiang Qingqing in Chuxiu Palace to eat some cakes and tea and chat about some other things before letting her go.

After leaving Chuxiu Palace, Jiang Qingqing went straight back to Huaning Palace, found Jiang Chen in the backyard, and told him everything that Concubine Zhao had talked about, word for word.

Jiang Chen listened to this explanation with a serious expression. After a while, he spoke up: "The Zhao family has been dormant for so many years, so they must be more cunning than the Xu family. Now that they are willing to expose themselves, it must be that the power of the Xu family at the moment has affected them."

"Brother, do you have any ideas?"

Jiang Qingqing nodded in agreement and then asked Jiang Chen in return.

Jiang Chen shook his head hesitantly. "There are too many muddy waters in the court. It is possible that the Zhao family is here to stir up trouble. We should continue to fight against the Xu family and wait a little longer."

What he said was exactly what Jiang Qingqing had been thinking along the way.

The brother and sister hit it off and decided on the next plan.

Just at this moment someone came to tell them that the welcoming banquet was about to begin and they could set off to the front hall to attend the banquet.

Xiao Linting's return to the court was a matter of genuine joy for the two siblings. Jiang Chen did not dare to waste time and hurriedly took Jiang Qingqing to the front hall.

The scale of this welcoming banquet was very large. Inside the hall were seats for the officers returning from the campaign, civil and military officials, as well as ladies of noble rank and other people of noble birth. In the large area outside the hall, seats were also arranged neatly and orderly for those with ranks below the fifth rank.

There were seats for guests both inside and outside the house, which showed how grand this welcoming banquet was.

Jiang Qingqing sat in the position second to the royal heir, and beside her were some infant or very young little brothers and sisters.

Jiang Chen and the others went to chat and say hello to the officers who were returning from their campaign. As a princess, she seemed out of place among the officers, so she could only sit in her seat with her chin lazily in her hand, staring at these babbling children in a daze.