Chapter 336 Zhan Xingzhuo's eyes reddened slightly.
Qing Ling smiled slightly: "Yes and no."
The Empress looked at her with suspicion: "What do you mean?"
Qingling said, "Your Majesty, after what happened last time, I offended many powerful and influential families. These people could easily retaliate against me, who has no real power or influence."
"Are you saying that I only ask you to do things, but don't help you and just stand by and do nothing?"
Qingling rose and apologized: "I never had such thoughts. It's just that I need to establish myself in the capital, and I can't be bullied like this. I want to investigate the arsonist, and I hope to get Your Majesty's permission."
The Empress was a clever woman. Hearing her say this, she knew that Yao Qingling wanted to investigate, but she was encountering considerable resistance.
The Empress needs the intelligence that Yao Qingling has gathered. Moreover, if Yao Qingling can bring down a few more powerful figures, it will be even more beneficial to her.
The Empress smiled and said, "I support Lady Yao's strong sense of justice and her hatred of evil."
Yao Qingling shifted her gaze slightly and tentatively asked, "I wonder what Her Majesty the Empress thinks of Prince Xin?"
"Prince Xin?" The Empress gave a forced smile. "Prince Xin is fond of romance and extravagance, and the Censorate has a lot of complaints about him. I heard that he just got a very large carriage and is making quite a show of it by riding through the streets."
She then said, "I've heard that Prince Xin is pursuing you?"
"I just rode in Prince Xin's carriage to the palace. That carriage was indeed extravagant." Qingling spoke of Prince Xin with the utmost arrogance.
Thinking to myself, "Sure enough, the Empress doesn't seem to be wary of Prince Xin at all; she thinks he's a threat."
Then the Empress said, "I heard that the carriage was designed by Prince Xin himself. He made a carriage as big as a house, and he wanted to make an even bigger one to present to the Emperor. He said that the Emperor is the supreme ruler and should enjoy the best things in the world."
Qingling dared not ask the Emperor what he was thinking.
Prince Xin swaggered into the palace today, so ostentatiously, probably to show the Emperor his carriage and present him with a treasure.
He corrupted the emperor with extravagance and debauchery.
For the common people, the more extravagant the emperor was, the more it highlighted their suffering. This extreme polarization led to Emperor Jingyan's declining prestige among the people...
Yao Qingling left the palace.
With the Empress's support, Qingling turned around and went to the Duke of Xincheng's mansion.
The Duchess received Qingling, who explained her purpose and asked the young master to help her investigate the case.
They are now in the same boat, and with the Empress's approval, the former heir of the Marquis of Xincheng, now the heir of the Duke's mansion, readily accepted.
“Madam Yao, to be honest, although I am the heir of the Duke’s mansion, I have always been misled by my family and have not accomplished anything significant. Now, Madam Yao’s request has given me an opportunity.”
The heir of the Duke of Xin was full of ambition.
Yao Qingling asked for help and made the first move. Looking at the setting sun, she squinted slightly. There was no turning back once the arrow was released; she was about to embark on another major undertaking.
But she did not return to the mansion immediately; instead, she went to the new mansion.
After leaving this place, Yao Qingling never set foot here again. Today is the first time she has crossed that threshold since her divorce.
She stood in the courtyard, looking at the flowers and trees, which were no longer the same as when she lived in the new mansion.
It seems that when Zhou Zhining was in charge, she cleaned up everything that Zhou Zhining couldn't take with her, thinking she could erase her traces.
However, if we really want to completely erase her traces, the best way would be to sell this house and move to another place.
Because of Yao Qingling's sudden arrival, Zhou Zhining, disregarding that she was still in her postpartum confinement period, had someone help her out.
Her eyes turned bloodshot the moment she saw Yao Qingling, as if she wanted to devour her: "Yao Qingling, what are you doing here? Did you come to see me make a fool of myself?!"
Qing Ling looked at her coldly: "You are just my defeated opponent. What is there that makes me make a special trip to see you?"
"Are you here to take Xingzhuo back?" Zhou Zhining gasped for breath, her thin fingers gripping the maid supporting her tightly. "Yao Qingling, don't be so smug. When I turn the tables, I will... I will..."
She suddenly couldn't catch her breath, gasped for air, and looked like she was about to faint.
Her maidservant tried to coax her back, but she still glared at Yao Qingling.
Qing Ling said coldly, "Zhou Zhining, you will never have a chance to turn things around."
She didn't want to see such a person at all.
A woman who can't see things clearly spends her whole life thinking about how to win over another woman, how to steal a man, and how to make the man keep her wealth and status, living without any dignity.
Fearing that something might happen to Zhou Zhining, the maidservant disregarded her wishes and forcibly took her back to the room.
Zhan Xingzhuo was on duty today and returned home a little late. When he saw Qingling standing in the courtyard, he was stunned for a long time and could hardly believe his eyes.
"Qingling, what brings you here?"
He couldn't believe that Yao Qingling would actually come back one day.
Qing Ling turned around, glanced at Zhan Xingzhuo indifferently, and said, "I have something to discuss with you."
Zhan Xingzhu suppressed his excitement and gave a bitter smile.
Yao Qingling was trying to avoid him, so why would she deliberately come to the place she least wanted to be?
He began, "Go on."
Qingling said, "I only have one question for you: have you ever mentioned my relationship with Lin Shiyuan to Prince Xin?"
Zhan Xingzhuo frowned and shook his head.
He knew that Prince Xin also had feelings for Yao Qingling, but he also knew that Prince Xin's feelings for Yao Qingling were just a passing interest, and that he was treating her like prey.
As for Lin Shiyuan... although he disliked this person very much, he treated Yao Qingling sincerely.
They cooperated with each other, advancing and retreating together.
These days, Zhan Xingzhuo has reflected a lot on himself, and he has to admit that Lin Shiyuan did a better job than him.
No wonder Yao Qingling was willing to believe that person.
He swallowed hard, pulling himself back to reality: "You came all this way just to ask this question?"
Qingling nodded. "Mm."
Zhan Xingzhuo said, "Prince Xin is meticulous. I can see your relationship with Lin Shiyuan, and Prince Xin can probably see it too."
Yao Qingling bit her lip and furrowed her brows slightly.
Seeing that her expression was off, Zhan Xingzhuo said, "Are you worried that Prince Xin will target Lin Shiyuan because of you?"
He felt unhappy again.
Yao Qingling was incredibly biased. She protected Lin Shiyuan even at the slightest possibility that Prince Xin might be detrimental to him, going so far as to venture into a place Lin Shiyuan least wanted to be.
How wonderful it would be if she were willing to do that for him.
Zhan Xingzhuo said sourly, "Why are you worried about him? Lin Shiyuan is a favorite of the Emperor. With the Emperor's protection, even Prince Xin has to be wary of him."
"Don't worry, although Prince Xin enjoys beautiful women, compared to others, you are not enough."
Qing Ling's eyes flickered slightly, and she asked, "Oh? Then what does Prince Xin value most?"
Zhan Xingzhuo looked her up and down, sizing her up: "You'd better not ask. This is for your own good."
Yao Qingling tugged at the corner of her lips: "For my own good... I've heard that countless times..."
A seemingly meaningless sentence brought tears to Zhan Xingzhuo's eyes.
He used to say he was doing it for her own good, but in reality, he was just flattering her to achieve his own selfish interests. Now, he genuinely cares for her, but she no longer believes him.
He took a deep breath and repeated solemnly, "Qingling, listen to me this time. It's truly for your own good. Don't go against Prince Xin."
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