Chapter 70 Palace Conspiracy
"It's nothing, just laughing at the laughable people in the world."
Xiao Ling then gave a curt reply.
Princess Yongning was outraged and questioned Xiao Ling:
Why are you yelling at me for no reason?
The Crown Prince quickly explained, "Your brother Ling wasn't laughing at you, he was laughing at my elder brother and Wei Ningyan."
Yongning suppressed his anger, took a sip of tea, and asked in a daze.
"Laugh at them? Laugh at their shamelessness?"
"No, it's that we're laughing at them for trying to steal a chicken but losing the rice instead."
The Crown Prince smiled faintly as he spoke.
"Trying to steal a chicken but losing the rice instead? What does that mean?" Yongning still didn't understand.
Upon seeing this, the Crown Prince shook his head: "The people around you are really incompetent; they can't even understand such a simple matter."
"Sigh, I'll have the Empress Dowager find someone knowledgeable to teach you."
Yongning, annoyed, said, "Oh, Your Majesty, tell me about Eldest Brother and Wei Ningyan first, then we'll talk about me later."
The crown prince had no choice but to patiently explain, "My elder brother once said who he liked?"
"Who does Big Brother like?" Yongning frowned and thought for a moment.
"I think I heard that he publicly expressed his affection for Lady Xue Jiu from the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion."
"Yes, if he doesn't like Wei Ningyan, why did that scene at the banquet happen?"
The Crown Prince guided Yongning to think things through on her own.
"You mean Wei Ningyan seduced the eldest prince?"
Yongning was shocked for a moment, then quickly came to his senses.
"No, no, Wei Ningyan likes Brother Ling, she doesn't like the eldest prince."
Could someone have designed them?
Yongning's brain finally came online.
"It's not that someone plotted against them; it's that they tried to plot against others but ended up being plotted against themselves," the prince explained.
Yongning frowned upon hearing this, his mind racing, and after a long pause, he finally said:
"Oh, so Big Brother wanted to plot against Xue Jiuniang with Wei Ningyan, but Xue Jiuniang turned the tables on him?"
After saying this, he was shocked, as if he couldn't believe it.
"So...so...the person lying on the couch, disheveled, was originally Xue Jiuniang?"
The crown prince nodded: "Not too stupid."
Yongning ignored the Crown Prince's words and continued:
"No wonder... my brother looked so pale when he left."
I was wondering why he insisted on going to my birthday banquet, saying he wanted to celebrate for me.
So that's what they were up to, these despicable schemes. It's truly disgusting.
She pouted and got angry.
"Don't be angry. In the end, he didn't get what he wanted, and he's locked up with Wei Ningyan. Now your brother Ling can finally breathe a sigh of relief," the Crown Prince said.
Upon hearing this, Yongning happily exclaimed, "Qin Yingying is also going to marry the Second Prince, so there won't be anyone bothering Brother Ling anymore."
After saying that, he laughed to himself, then stared at Xiao Ling's face for a long time before saying:
"I don't like Brother Ling's style. He looks too cold and aloof. I prefer something festive and cheerful."
The Crown Prince laughed along with him and handed Yongning an orange:
"Hmm, you have a good eye in this area. Let's find someone with a festive look in the future."
Yongning took the orange and asked, "Brother Crown Prince, why did you ask me to send a special invitation to the young lady of the Xie family?"
Yesterday they were all speculating that you'd taken a fancy to the third daughter of the Xie family, and I noticed that Sister Zheng's expression wasn't very good.
Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince glanced at Xiao Ling and, as expected, saw Xiao Ling staring at him with an unfriendly expression.
The prince quickly explained, "Cough...cough...don't talk nonsense."
How could I possibly be interested in her? I barely even remember what she looks like.
Yongning, completely oblivious to the subtle exchange between the two, continued peeling an orange and asking:
"Then why did you ask me to add an invitation for her separately and to take extra care of her?"
I took good care of her yesterday; I even put an extra table next to her, and she sat right next to me.
Xiao Ling closed his eyes after hearing this.
It's over, it's all over now...
She dislikes showing off and prefers to keep her talents hidden.
Yongning exposed her to everyone's eyes, no wonder the future crown princess would have doubts.
Sigh, what a mess...
The prince's mind raced, and he explained:
"Isn't that to give the old Fu family a helping hand?"
Yongning nodded, saying nonchalantly, "I guessed it."
"That third daughter of the Xie family, she's so plain-looking, dressed all drab, how could you possibly have taken a liking to her?"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Ling and the Crown Prince were both surprised and turned to look at Princess Yongning.
"Are you referring to Xie Yunyu, the third daughter of the Xie family?" the Crown Prince asked.
Princess Yongning nodded: "Yes, she was wearing a simple and understated outfit, and her forehead was covered by thick hair."
If it weren't for the rather expensive hairpins and ornaments in her hair, one might mistake her for a maidservant from some noble household.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Ling felt relieved.
It seems she has her own way of surviving, so I didn't need to worry unnecessarily.
The Crown Prince glanced at Xiao Ling again and saw that he was calm and seemed not to have heard anything.
I can't help but admire Xiao Ling's good attitude.
The three of them were leisurely drinking tea and chatting.
The situation is not good for the eldest prince. He returned to his residence yesterday with a gloomy face, which frightened everyone in the residence into not daring to speak loudly.
After drinking heavily at night, he would have a group of dancers dance in front of him until their feet were bleeding before he would make them leave.
A few who couldn't bear the pain and fell were dragged away and beheaded.
Everyone in the mansion dared not utter a sound.
Consort Shu also received the news and summoned the eldest prince to the palace early this morning.
At this moment, inside Yong'an Palace, the mother and son are talking about what happened yesterday.
Consort Shu is two years younger than the Emperor, and she is almost forty, but she looks like she is in her early thirties.
When the emperor was a prince, Consort Shu was his first woman, a gift from the late emperor, which is why she gave birth to the eldest prince.
She and the emperor also had their moments of deep affection, but as time went on, the number of women in the harem increased.
Gradually, the only things left between the two were their children and everyday life.
Over the years, the eldest prince has become very successful, fighting in battles and achieving great military exploits. The emperor is also willing to give Consort Shu some face.
In the palace, below the Empress, Consort Shu was the most powerful.
However, Consort Shu always kept her status in mind and never overstepped her bounds in relation to the Empress.
The emperor, appreciating her tact, often came to visit, and she was constantly showered with gifts.
However, Consort Shu's composure suddenly changed after the eldest prince returned to the capital.
At this moment, Consort Shu, seated at the head of the table, said:
"It seems that the Ninth Daughter of the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion has some tricks up her sleeve."
Having the means is a good thing; if you can get her, she'll give you a powerful ally.
The eldest prince said with a headache, "The way she looks at me is very dangerous; she probably doesn't want to marry me."
Consort Shu chuckled softly, a touch of gentleness appearing on her face:
"That's not up to her."
“But now I have no choice but to marry Wei Ningyan, and this Duke Zhenguo’s mansion…” the eldest prince hesitated.
Consort Shu continued to sneer: "Then let's marry Wei Ningyan first, and then let the Duke of Zhenguo's family be our concubine."
"A concubine? Would the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion agree to that?" the eldest prince scoffed.
"Your methods are too gentle. If you had just tied him up and forced him into marriage, you would have succeeded by now."
After speaking, Consort Shu stirred the teacup in her hand and said gently:
"Next time, just be more direct."
After this is done, we can talk to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion and have Lady Xue officially recognized as his wife.
Upon hearing this, the eldest prince asked, "Promote her to the position of principal wife? What about Wei Ningyan?"
"Didn't you want to kill her from the beginning?" Consort Shu said with a smile.
"I can kill her now."
A tyrannical look flashed across the Crown Prince's face.
"She is still useful."
If you kill her now, your father will just assign you someone else.
Furthermore, it would offend the Grand Commandant's office in court, which is not worthwhile.
Only by marrying her first, and then quietly dealing with her after Xue Jiuniang enters the household, can we avoid attracting attention.
The eldest prince took this to heart and nodded in agreement.
“Mother is right.”
Consort Shu looked at her son, a hint of worry appearing in her eyes:
"I heard someone impeached you at the morning court session this day?"
"Hmm, something about grain supplies from eight hundred years ago has been brought up again." The eldest prince said nonchalantly.
"The Crown Prince finally couldn't sit still anymore. I thought he was so cunning," Consort Shu said disdainfully.
"No, I don't think it was the Crown Prince who did it this time," the First Prince shook his head.
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