When Wei Yinqiu arrived at the East Palace, she learned that Wei Huaixu had found out about their affair that very night.
It seems that Jin Heng has reached some kind of deal with him at this time.
Just as Wei Yinqiu was about to ask, Jin Heng had already grabbed her wrist and walked outside. Behind them came Wei Huaixu's voice: "As long as the Grand Tutor fulfills his promise to me, I will definitely not go back on my word."
After leaving the palace and getting into the carriage, Wei Yinqiu finally asked the question that had been weighing on her mind, only after confirming that everyone around her was her own: "What did you promise him?"
“He asked me to help him seize the throne,” Jin Heng told her without hiding anything.
Wei Yinqiu was stunned for a moment, "Seize the throne? What does this mean?"
"The literal meaning."
"Your Majesty, could it be that..." She covered her mouth and dared not continue.
Jin Heng nodded at her.
But she clearly remembered that the Emperor looked perfectly healthy when she saw him before. However, there had been rumors for a long time that the Emperor was unwell, so perhaps what she saw was just a facade.
Jin Heng held her hand tightly, looked at her earnestly, and said, "I will definitely protect you and not let you get hurt in the slightest."
Wei Yinqiu squeezed his hand back, her eyes crinkling into a smile. "Yes, I believe you."
She had already roughly guessed it by now.
His Highness the Crown Prince wants to seize the throne and needs Jin Heng's help, and what happened that night is being used as leverage to threaten him. It's just unknown what Jin Heng is demanding the Crown Prince agree to.
No matter what, she will always stand by his side.
...
Meanwhile, Qingying waited anxiously for three days before receiving Jinheng's message.
"The Crown Prince wants to seize the throne?" Qingying was puzzled. "He's already the heir apparent. If he just stays in his position and waits patiently, the throne will be his sooner or later. Why is he in such a hurry now?"
Yu Yue was also puzzled. "Logically speaking, since the marriage alliance, the Seventh Prince has been granted the title of Prince An, which has greatly reduced his chances of winning the throne. Your Highness now has military achievements and is loved by the people, so your position as the Crown Prince should be secure. Why go through all this trouble?"
She hadn't even finished processing the news when Liu Chenglin suddenly showed up at her door, interrupting her thoughts.
Since bringing Liu Shushu back to meet his family last time, he has not left Pandu City. He even opened a clinic in the city, and it seems that he plans to stay in the capital.
He's been so busy with the clinic lately, how could he possibly have time to look for her?
Qingying walked out of the courtyard and saw a tall, elegant man in plain clothes standing under a tree with his eyelashes slightly lowered. He was over fifteen years old and had grown very fast in the past two years, now towering a head above Qingying.
"I wonder what brings you here, Fourth Brother?" She didn't bother with beating around the bush.
Liu Chenglin looked up at her, his expression icy, and his words were like cold arrows shot at her, "Why did you let someone damage her reputation?"
"Whose reputation is being damaged?"
"A question you already know the answer to."
"Ah~ you mean Second Sister." Qingying looked like she suddenly realized something, then said with a troubled expression, "Fourth Brother has really misunderstood me. I have never done such a thing."
"Someone is spreading rumors that Sister Shushu seduced the Crown Prince and stole her sister's husband. I've investigated and it was Xie Jiaoying who did it, but why would she do it without your authorization?"
"Do you think it's possible that she couldn't stand it anymore and stood up for justice?" She smiled, elegantly smoothing her temple, and said slowly, "After all, this isn't exactly a rumor."
"What nonsense are you spouting? Sister Shushu and His Highness the Crown Prince are clearly in love."
"Is that so? But the name on the imperial decree of marriage, which is written alongside His Highness the Crown Prince's name, is mine."
"If you hadn't been so adamant about not giving up, would they have acted this way?"
Qingying's gaze gradually turned cold, but the smile on her lips remained unchanged. "Then let them stay like this, suffering criticism for the rest of their lives. If they want me to give in, they'll only do so if I die."
Liu Chenglin looked at her with more disgust. "You've occupied her place for so many years without any remorse. Your aunt is right, you're just like your stepmother..."
He didn't say the rest, but Qingying knew he was just going to call her shameless again.
Hasn't she heard that kind of talk a lot lately?
Rumors had already spread far and wide, saying that she had usurped someone else's place, that she was a sparrow who could never become a phoenix, and that she clung to the imperial decree of marriage because it was the only way for her to climb the social ladder.
They ignored the slander against her, but as soon as the first signs of criticism against Liu Shushu appeared, they came to confront her.
Who will speak up for her after the injustice she suffered?
Qingying walked up to him, tilted her head slightly, her eyes stubborn and sharp. "Yes, I am despicable, so what can you do about it? Kill me to avenge her?"
She paused, then smiled, "You've done this once before, do you want to do it again?"
Liu Chenglin was so startled that he took a step back, almost tripping over the protruding tree root under his feet. He staggered for a moment, barely managing to regain his balance, and then looked over with disbelief in his eyes.
"Heh~ Liu Chenglin, I really regret being so good to you when I was young. You're the one who's heartless." She scoffed lightly, turned away from him, and slowly walked into the house.
Her voice drifted over lightly: "Tongxia, see the guest out."
Liu Chenglin frowned as he watched her back, suddenly feeling inexplicably uncomfortable, until Tong Xia blocked his view.
"Fourth Young Master, our young lady is not receiving guests today." Tong Xia bowed respectfully to him.
Liu Chenglin was already thin-skinned, and after being driven away like this, he had no face to stay any longer, so he angrily turned and left.
He felt that Liu Qingying was just making excuses. It was clearly Shushu who had been suffering all along. If it weren't for her, Shushu would have lived a life of comfort and ease since childhood. This was something he owed her.
Back inside, Qingying was comforted by Yu Yue, who said, "Don't be too sad, Miss. You don't need to take the Fourth Young Master's words to heart."
"I'm not sad at all. I gave up on him the moment he pushed me into the water. Without hope, there's no disappointment." Qingying took a sip of tea; she was thirsty after saying so much.
Seeing that she was so open-minded, Yu Yue finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"How's the matter I asked you to investigate last time?" Qingying asked.
Yu Yue thought for a moment and said, "Are you talking about Prince An?"
"Um."
"Miss Xie's news is definitely true. We have confirmed it. Liu Shushu has indeed been in contact with Prince An these days, and they even went boating together."
"No wonder Wei Huaixu urged me to break off the engagement. He probably fears that his sweetheart will be snatched away by the rival. Moreover, with Liu Shushu's current status, she is worthy of the title of Princess An."
Whether analyzed from an emotional or power perspective, Wei Huaixu would not want Liu Shushu to marry into the Prince An's mansion.
That imperial decree of marriage, which only she held fast to, is probably about to be lost.
Qingying felt a pang of sadness.
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