Xiao Xiyou smiled and answered Zhou Zhizhi's question, "The reason I did this is because I am confident that I can give the Third Prince a push."
After speaking, Xiao Xiyou looked at Zhou Zhizhi with a profound expression, whetting her appetite. "What kind of confidence?"
Just as Xiao Xiyou had predicted, Zhou Zhizhi followed up with her question out of curiosity.
"In this world, besides Liu Li, who is kept in the palace, the only craftsman who can create the jade pendant symbolizing the prince is Li Jue," Xiao Xiyou said calmly, taking a sip of tea.
"But Li Jue died three years ago, didn't he?" Zhou Zhizhi asked curiously. "How does this have to do with a dead man?"
Li Jue was a rare craftsman in the Great Xiao Kingdom. He was extremely famous in the capital for his unique carving skills, and countless people came to buy his works. One of his wooden cicada carvings was auctioned for a high price of five thousand taels of silver.
For a time, his fame soared, and the imperial court spared no expense to invite him to the palace.
Li Jue was a free spirit, unrestrained and indifferent to fame and fortune. He resolutely rejected the court's good intentions, but things did not go as planned, or perhaps it was a case of heaven being jealous of talent. Not long after, news came that Li Jue had died suddenly.
“Three years ago, the Third Prince happened to acquire a piece of excellent Hetian jade.” After Xiao Xiyou finished speaking, Zhou Zhizhi immediately understood.
"I had heard about this at the time. The news from the palace was that the Third Prince accidentally dug up a jade mine during his military campaign and obtained a lot of material. Among them, a piece of Hetian jade, about two feet square, was of the best quality and was presented to the Emperor."
Zhou Zhizhi blinked and shared her guess, "It's not hard to guess that the Third Prince had something to hide, since he was the first to discover it, so it wouldn't be difficult for him to underreport it."
"Moreover, it was because the Emperor obtained this jade that he ordered the craftsmen to make a jade plaque for each of you three princes, symbolizing your status as princes."
"But how could he have thought of forging your jade pendant back then?" If the Third Prince Xiao Nan Gua was really so farsighted, how could he have let this jade pendant appear so easily this time?
Zhou Zhizhi couldn't help but recall that back then, Xiao Xiyou had not yet made a name for himself in the court, and the emperor had not paid much attention to him. Everyone thought that Xiao Xiyou would eventually be exiled to a poor place far from the capital to become an idle prince, living a mediocre life and becoming the most useless prince since the founding of the Great Xiao Kingdom.
However, a year ago, in the winter, a snow disaster of unprecedented scale occurred in Changliu Village, a hundred miles away from the capital. When the news of the disaster reached the capital, people were in a state of panic.
However, since only one village was affected by the disaster, and although it was spreading, it had not yet affected the lives of the surrounding people. People in the imperial court were passing the buck, and no one was willing to take on this hot potato.
The eldest prince feigned illness to evade his responsibilities, while the third prince was stationed with troops on the frontier and was powerless to do so.
Just then, the Second Prince, who had always been disliked, volunteered to go to Changliu Village, showing wisdom and courage beyond his years.
This battle made him famous, and the emperor began to look at this son, whom he had never paid attention to before, with new respect.
But all of this happened before the jade pendant identifying the prince was made.
"Was the jade pendant really made by the Third Prince?" Zhou Zhizhi looked directly into Xiao Xiyou's eyes.
Xiao Xiyou looked directly at him and said in a profound and enigmatic tone, "What does the Imperial Advisor think?"
Having said that, Zhou Zhizhi said no more. “Your Highness’s plans are far-sighted, and I admire them.”
"It is getting late, so I shall take my leave now."
Xiao Xiyou stood up and said to Zhou Zhizhi, "Imperial Preceptor, you've had a hard day. Take care."
Although their conversation didn't explicitly state it, Xiao Xiyou clearly told Zhou Zhizhi that the jade pendant wasn't made by the Third Prince. He was very confident that he could pin the crime on the Third Prince. Zhou Zhizhi didn't need to know the specifics of how it was done; she could simply watch from the sidelines.
Sure enough, early the next morning, people from the palace arrived and stood in front of the Imperial Preceptor's residence.
"Eunuch Wang, please come in quickly. What brings you here?" Wu Da politely welcomed Eunuch Wang into the mansion.
"We are here on His Majesty's orders to deliver the imperial edict. Where is the Imperial Preceptor?" Eunuch Wang was quite pleased with Wu Da's politeness and spoke as he walked.
"Our mistress has just gotten up and still needs to do her hair and makeup. Please wait here for a moment, Eunuch Wang. I will go and invite the Imperial Preceptor Zhou right away." Upon hearing that it was an imperial decree from the palace, Wu Da dared not delay. After reassuring Eunuch Wang, he immediately went to Zhou Zhizhi's door.
"Grand Preceptor, Eunuch Wang has arrived, saying he has a decree from the Emperor." Wu Da told Zhou Zhizhi the purpose of Eunuch Wang's visit at the door.
"Okay, go wait in the lobby first, I'll go right away." Zhou Zhizhi was still in the room being dressed and groomed by Xiaoyue when he heard Wu Da's words and didn't dare to delay for a moment.
Although she had already suspected it, she had to go and receive the emperor's decree immediately. If she delayed even for a moment and it was leaked by someone with ulterior motives, it would be a serious crime.
Zhou Zhizhi stopped Xiaoyue from continuing to wash and groom herself. "Don't wear your hair ornaments today. Help me undress."
"Yes." After receiving the order, Xiaoyue quickly brought Zhou Zhizhi's clothes and gently changed her clothes.
It was a light blue long gown, embroidered with exquisite patterns. The fabric was soft and smooth, and it emitted a faint fragrance.
Wearing this long gown, Zhou Zhizhi instantly exuded a noble and elegant aura. The light blue of the gown complemented her skin tone perfectly, highlighting her graceful and charming appearance.
"I'm sorry to have kept Eunuch Wang waiting." Zhou Zhizhi's voice preceded her arrival.
Without further ado, Eunuch Wang got straight to the point: "National Preceptor Zhou, receive the decree."
Zhou Zhizhi and the maids in the mansion knelt on the ground, respectfully listening to Eunuch Wang's announcement.
"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees that the National Preceptor Zhou shall immediately proceed to the Hall of Supreme Harmony for an audience, without fail."
"My lord, I obey the order."
Zhou Zhizhi accepted the imperial edict from Eunuch Wang with both hands and slipped two taels of silver to him.
"Thank you for coming today, Eunuch Wang. These are my tokens of appreciation, please accept them," Zhou Zhizhi said to Eunuch Wang with a smile.
The smile on Eunuch Wang's face was much wider than Zhou Zhizhi's. "Then we thank Imperial Preceptor Zhou."
Zhou Zhizhi followed Eunuch Wang into the Hall of Supreme Harmony, and as expected, she did not see the Emperor.
Only Xiao Xiyou, the eldest prince, the empress, Eunuch Cao, and the censor were present—the exact same lineup as yesterday.
"The Imperial Preceptor Zhou has arrived," said Eunuch Cao, somewhat carried away by his pride, and did not bow to Zhou Zhizhi.
"Yesterday, the Imperial Advisor appeared in Liuli Lane and witnessed the process of the army being recruited privately outside the capital to pledge allegiance. We invited the Imperial Advisor here today so that he could be a witness," Eunuch Cao said to Zhou Zhizhi with a smile.
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