In Xiao Zhen's study, there was a middle-aged man who looked quite wise. He was discussing something with Xiao Zhen, and the two sat facing each other at the tea table.
While the maid was pouring tea, the paper figure emerged from under the maid's skirt and crawled along her clothes to the bottom of the tea table, sticking to the underside of the tabletop.
No one can see her.
After serving the tea, the maid left without saying a word.
Xiao Zhen was in a good mood: "Mr. Xi, your idea this time is excellent. There are rumors all over Kyoto that Jiang Jiulu and Jiang Songlu are obsessed with me. Yuan Qi will definitely notice that there is something wrong with this and will definitely come to settle accounts with me. When that time comes, as long as she dares to come, I will make sure that she never leaves."
Mr. Xi chuckled and stroked his beard: "I am grateful for Your Highness's trust, which gives me the opportunity to serve you. The Jiang family still intends to retaliate against Your Highness, so you must be wary, especially since the Jiang family wields considerable power in the court. I have heard that the four great families are closely connected, and it is possible that they might be on the same side as the Jiang family. Your Highness must be cautious in your words and actions recently, and lest the four great families find any fault with you."
Xiao Zhen frowned: "This is what troubles me the most. I have always wanted to marry the young lady of the Xiangli family, but Xiangli Mu doesn't give me any face at all. The other day when I went to visit the Xiangli family, I didn't even get to see Xiangli Mu. It's really infuriating. The Xiangli family has actually disregarded the royal family to this extent."
He didn't say what came next: "Once I become emperor, I will exterminate the entire Xiangli clan, and see how arrogant they can be then."
Xi patiently advised him, "Your Highness, please don't be impatient. Xianglimu's eldest daughter is still young. It's not too late for Your Highness to ask for her hand in marriage in a few years."
Xiao Zhen took a sip of tea in silence, feeling extremely displeased: "What you say is true, Miss Xiangli is indeed still young. What angers me is Xiangli Mu's attitude."
Mr. Xi advised him, "Your Highness, I heard that the Crown Prince also wanted to marry Xianglimu's eldest daughter back then, but was politely refused. That's how the Xiangli clan is. They despise imperial authority so much, they will be punished sooner or later. Even the Emperor is angry with them. You don't need to worry. You don't need to take action. Someone will deal with the Xiangli clan naturally."
Xiao Zhen nodded in agreement. Mr. Xi was right. Even his father was dealing with the Xiangli clan. He believed that the Xiangli clan would disappear from the world in a few years.
"By the way, how's the contact with Yaoguang Pavilion going, sir?"
Mr. Xi shook his head: "Tu Shanli has not yet agreed to see His Highness. However, the people I sent a couple of days ago saw that the Seventh Miss of the Jiang family went to see Tu Shanli. If His Highness can win over the Seventh Miss, she will be a great help to His Highness in the future."
Xiao Zhen was very displeased. He said disdainfully, "This person is unruly and not of our kind. She is difficult to subdue. The only option is to kill her."
He was very dissatisfied with Tushanli, feeling that Tushanli, like Xiangli, disrespected imperial authority. Once he had achieved great success, he would definitely deal with Tushanli and make Tushanli kneel down and beg for forgiveness.
The two talked privately for a long time, and Mr. Xi left more than an hour later.
Then Xiao Zhen sat cross-legged and began practicing "Ten Thousand Ghosts Paying Homage to the Forest," while the paper figure peeked at him from behind the table leg.
As dusk fell, Xiao Zhen left the study, and Zhi Ren slipped out.
The paper figure gestured anxiously in front of Yuan Qi, its expression making people laugh. The paper figure couldn't speak no matter what, and Yuan Qi then realized that she had carelessly forgotten to draw a mouth on the paper figure. She took out a cinnabar pen and drew a mouth on the paper figure, and only then did the paper figure tell Yuan Qi everything it had seen and heard.
Yuan Qi realized that Xiao Zhen was indeed not as gentle and refined as she had expected; in reality, he was a very dark and ruthless person, a typical person who said one thing in front of others and another in private.
Perhaps he has some ulterior motive for being with Xiao Yi.
But she couldn't care less about that; she just needed to take care of herself.
Just as Yuan Qi was about to go to sleep, a commotion broke out outside. Shen Xun came in and told her that Jiang Jiulu had attempted suicide by hanging, but the maid had discovered her and saved her.
Yuan Qi went over and saw that Li Guiqie, Jiang Junjing, and Jiang Junyu had all gone over there.
Jiang Junyu reassured her, "Don't worry, my father and I have already discussed how to get revenge on the Fifth Prince. We'll make sure he suffers the consequences of his actions."
A red mark left by a white silk ribbon around Jiang Jiulu's neck looked shocking.
Consort Li sternly rebuked the maids on night watch: "Weren't you told to keep a close eye on Miss? How are you doing your job?"
The young maid knelt on the ground, answering in fear and trepidation, "Miss said she was hungry and asked me to make her a bowl of noodles. I told her there was no one to look after her, but she said it was alright and told me to make the noodles. When I returned with the noodles, I found that Miss had taken her own life. Madam, it's not that I wasn't careful, it's just that Miss..."
Consort Li was furious. She had almost lost her daughter. She ordered the maid to be dragged out and beaten, and then summoned two more maids to keep watch at night. She instructed, "From now on, there must be at least two people keeping watch at night."
The old woman in charge of managing the courtyard immediately agreed: "This servant will definitely take good care of Miss, please rest assured, Madam."
Jiang Jiulu's eyes were still red, feeling that she had suffered a great humiliation and brought shame to her family.
She cried and complained, "Auntie, people outside are gossiping about me now, saying some really nasty things."
Jiang Junyu naturally knew about this; he was the most well-informed: "Don't worry, sister. I've already found a way to suppress this matter, and everyone will forget about it soon."
Jiang Jiulu didn't believe it. She asked in despair, "What good ideas does Third Brother have? I think those rumors outside are definitely being spread maliciously. Can we stop people from talking?"
Jiang Junjing comforted her: "Don't you know how capable your third brother is? There's nothing he can't do. If the Emperor won't uphold justice for us, we can find justice ourselves. Our Jiang family is not to be trifled with. Don't worry, something even more exciting will happen soon to overshadow this matter."
Jiang Junyu nodded: "That's right, brother won't allow others to bully my sister."
The mother and her two children finally managed to calm Jiang Jiulu down.
When Jiang Junyu left, she noticed that Yuan Qi was still standing at the bedroom door.
"Seventh Sister, what brings you here?"
Yuan Qi followed him out, exchanged a few pleasantries with Consort Li, and only after seeing Consort Li off did he say, "I have found out some things that I would like to tell my two brothers."
She told the two the information the paper doll had gathered: "Xiao Zhen is practicing an evil technique. We must not underestimate him. You are probably no match for him. You must not confront him head-on."
Jiang Junyu's expression was solemn: "How dare he be so bold? If that's the case, we'll have to discuss the plan we agreed on with Father again. Seventh Sister, thank you so much."
Jiang Junjing also said, "Even my elder brother can't deal with him?"
Yuan Qi shook his head: "Although my brother's martial arts are high, he can hold his own against him for a while, but he will eventually be defeated. If we make a move rashly, we may endanger my brother's life."
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