Chapter 454 The scapegoat has become our young master
"Uh, thank you for your concern, Second Princess. I have no cold. I just didn't get enough rest last night because I was worried about my daughter."
"Oh, I see."
Sheng Sheng lingered in front of the Duke of Zhenguo for quite some time. The fact that Sheng Sheng had helped Xie Yunwen get revenge, which indirectly led to the Duke of Zhenguo's second son being demoted to a commoner, was still being used to warn the younger generation. Therefore, everyone present was well aware of the relationship between the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion and Sheng Sheng.
Seeing that the two had been talking for quite a while, many people wondered if the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion had offended some prince again, and they all looked over in this direction.
These gazes made the Duke of Zhenguo feel even more uneasy.
Sheng Sheng, however, walked away without saying a word after he became increasingly uncomfortable.
He even casually asked the Minister of Agriculture next to him, "Hey, Minister of Agriculture, why does this look a bit strange to you?"
The speaker may have meant no harm, but the listener took it to heart.
Minister Nong was startled, immediately wondering if he had given himself away. Just as he was trying to explain, Sheng Sheng had already skipped away, clearly having just said it casually and not taken it to heart at all.
Minister Nong breathed a sigh of relief, while the Duke of Zhenguo approached with a dark expression, trying to elicit his sympathy.
"This second princess is truly remarkable. On the surface, she seems innocent and naive, but I think she's actually quite cunning!"
Minister Nong glanced at him, too lazy to pay him any attention.
Having made a fool of himself, the Duke of Zhenguo had no choice but to sit back down awkwardly.
Minister Nong also adjusted his demeanor, fearing that someone might notice something amiss.
Hmph, he has already had his men find a scapegoat and placed him in the Second Prince's palace. All he needs to do is wait for the Crown Prince to prove his innocence, and then take the opportunity to push the person out. This will dispel His Majesty's doubts about the Crown Prince and also drag the Second Prince down with him.
Minister Nong was getting happier and happier, and he almost lost control of his expression again, but fortunately he was interrupted by his subordinates who hurriedly walked up behind him.
"My lord, something terrible has happened!"
Minister Nong frowned and rebuked, "What kind of behavior is this, all flustered and panicked?"
The subordinate, with a pained expression, whispered, "Sir, something terrible has happened! The person we originally assigned was just a clerk in the Dali Temple, but for some reason, he...he...he...he became..."
His subordinate stammered and dared not speak, and Minister Nong glared at him impatiently: "What's wrong with him? Speak up."
"He's become a young master!"
"What did you say?"
Minister Nong's eyes widened in anger, and he stood up abruptly, ignoring the stares of those around him, and demanded sharply, "What did you say? Say it again, who became who?"
His hand trembled, and he repeated, "The scapegoat has become... the young master. It's absolutely true, sir. The man is already in the Second Prince's hands. Our people can't contact the young master anymore. We've probably fallen into the Second Prince's trap!"
Minister Nong nearly choked on his breath, both anxious and angry. He wanted to find out what had happened, but the banquet was about to begin, and the musicians of Changyin Pavilion were already preparing to play, which indicated that His Majesty would arrive soon.
Minister Nong had no choice but to suppress his shock and anxiety, and ordered him, "Then what are you still doing here? Hurry up and find a way to bring him back, or else—"
If it's his son who gets pushed up in front of everyone later, then everything will be over!
In just a few words, Minister Nong's mood completely changed, and all his pent-up emotions could only be summed up in one sentence: "Why aren't you going yet!"
"Yes, yes, yes, yes!"
After his subordinates hurriedly left, Minister Nong's emotions remained unsettled for a long time, attracting considerable attention. Even the Duke of Zhenguo, who had been turned away earlier, couldn't help but approach him again and ask, "Oh, Minister Nong, what's wrong with you?"
Minister Nong gave a forced smile: "No comment."
The Duke of Zhenguo, having been turned away again, was speechless.
OK.
Whatever happened in this little corner couldn't stop the sounds of people secretly eating the snacks on the table.
The desserts served at the palace banquet were all meticulously prepared by the imperial kitchen, and were top-notch in both taste and presentation.
Xie Yunqi also secretly ate a few, and while eating, he looked at the two people sitting on the far left and right respectively with a puzzled look, and asked Xie Yunwen next to him: "Fourth brother, what's going on with second brother and the crown prince? Why are they so far apart? Don't they usually sit together?"
Sheng Sheng slapped his thigh and shushed him, "Fifth Brother, are you stupid? Have you forgotten what happened a few days ago?"
"Huh?" Xie Yunqi thought about it carefully before remembering what had happened in the Imperial Study a few days ago.
These past two days, Xie Yunqi has been so busy outwitting Consort Li that she completely forgot about it and didn't realize it at first.
"Oh, oh, I forgot, I forgot, now I remember."
Xie Yunqi clicked his tongue and shook his head, sighing, "Really, it's one thing for these two to be sneaking around and doing little things, but now they're even trying to avoid suspicion. What exactly are you two up to? Sigh, should Xie Yunjia sit with Second Brother or the Crown Prince later? Hmm, never mind, it doesn't really matter who she sits with."
She reminded him repeatedly, "Fifth brother, if your elder sister finds out you called her by her name again, you're doomed."
"Who's afraid of her?"
"Don't be so disrespectful to your elder sister." Xie Yunli stretched out her long arm and tapped him with her chopsticks over Shengsheng's shoulder. "There is an order of seniority. Watch your words."
Xie Yunqi gave a wronged "oh" and muttered, "Big brother, why are you scolding me as soon as you get back?"
"After this trip, who knows how long it will be before we can return to the capital. I must use my position as the eldest brother to give you a good scolding."
The siblings in the middle were chatting and laughing, which contrasted sharply with the two people on the far sides who remained silent.
Sheng Sheng wasn't disappointed at all. She knew that the more serious the two of them acted now, the more devastating the event would be later.
She noticed that many people's gazes were subtly sweeping back and forth between Xie Yunchuan and Xie Yunyang, clearly paying close attention to the undercurrents between the two.
With a gentle smile, she knew what was about to happen would be quite interesting.
Everyone knows that today's Mid-Autumn Festival banquet is not only a celebration of the Mid-Autumn Festival, but also a way to completely sever all the struggles between the Second Prince and the Crown Prince over the years, whether open or covert.
His Majesty dislikes infighting among the princes and hopes that brothers will support each other.
Therefore, His Majesty's tolerance for the covert confrontation between the two forces has reached its limit, and today he will certainly settle the score in front of all the officials.
So, will the Crown Prince born to the Empress continue to hold the position, or will the Second Prince, who has recently gained more favor from His Majesty, take his place?
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