Zhao Zheng chuckled upon hearing Lianxing's name, a hint of smugness in his voice: "That little slut? No wonder she's from Yangzhou, born to serve men! She acts like a saint with that old man, but under me, her moans get more and more wanton! She can't be without a man for a moment! With her clinging to that old man, it's just as convenient for us to do our thing."
"Hmph, you've benefited too," Empress Lin sneered. "With her keeping us occupied, we're at ease. However, Xi Lingyuan and that Xiao Chengkang are still a major threat! The old man is currently blinded by Lianxing, and his trust in Xi Lingyuan is wavering, but that's not enough! We must add fuel to the fire, making the old man completely despise her, think she's useless and unworthy to be the crown prince!"
Zhao Zheng frowned: "That girl is very shrewd, and with that fox Xiao Chengkang giving her advice, we can't catch her making any big mistakes."
Empress Lin's eyes flashed with a cold light as she lightly tapped the armrest of the recliner: "If we can't find fault with her, we'll 'create' fault for her! Let her commit an irreparable mistake in front of His Majesty and the entire court, a mistake that could shake the very foundation of the nation! For example..." She leaned closer to Zhao Zheng, lowered her voice, and revealed her long-planned wicked scheme.
Inside the secret room, the crackling charcoal fire illuminated two faces, their expressions a mask of greed and malice. A deadly trap was being quietly laid against A-Yuan.
Inside the study of Qiwu Palace, the flickering candlelight illuminated the solemn faces of A Yuan and Xiao Chengkang. Spread out on the table was a secret report just delivered by the leader of the Shadow Guards.
“Every three to five days, there are always unusual movements at the back window of Lan Yue Pavilion late at night. Zhao Zheng sneaks in and stays for about an hour.” A Yuan read the secret report, her voice icy. “Sleeping pills…filthy debauchery in the palace…what a pair of adulterers! What a fine commander of the Imperial Guards!”
Xiao Chengkang's gaze fell on another secret report: "In the abandoned Buddhist hall of Kunning Palace, Lin and Zhao Zheng meet every half month. A secret guard vaguely heard words like 'child,' 'ascension to the throne,' and 'retired emperor.'" His slender fingers tapped on the table, his eyes sharp as knives. "The child... is indeed not His Majesty's! This is their biggest bargaining chip, and also their death warrant!"
“There’s also a conspiracy against me.” A Yuan picked up the last piece of paper. “The Lin family wants to create chaos on the day the new salt tax law is implemented, frame me, and make the emperor and the court officials think that I am eager for quick success and instant benefits, unfit to be the crown prince, and that I am undermining the foundation of the country.”
Xiao Chengkang walked to the window, looking at the deep night outside. His voice was low but carried an overwhelming power: "The venomous snake has emerged from its hole, its vital points exposed. Zhao Zheng, Lianxing, Lin Shi, and that bastard in her womb... it's time to uproot this nest of venomous insects!"
He turned and looked intently at A Yuan: "But if we expose them now, the Lin family will surely use the 'dragon seed' in their womb as leverage, resulting in a fight to the death, which could harm His Majesty and destabilize the court. What we need is irrefutable evidence that they cannot refute or use the unborn child to blackmail us... and the perfect opportunity to expose all the ugliness to the light of day!"
A-Yuan's eyes flashed with a cold light as her gaze met Xiao Chengkang's in mid-air, their minds in perfect sync: "The day the new salt tax law is implemented... with all the officials gathered and Father Emperor himself present... that will be the perfect stage! Before then," a cold smile curved her lips, "let them gloat for a few more days. Those who do many evil deeds will surely perish; the higher they jump, the harder they will fall!"
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