Chapter 783 The King of Palace Intrigue (First Update)
After finishing her business, Shangguan Yan crawled out through the dog hole in the Cold Palace and met up with Gu Chengfeng, who had been waiting for her.
Riding a horse or riding in a carriage makes too much noise, so using light-footed skills is the best choice for causing trouble in the middle of the night.
Gu Chengfeng used his lightness skill to bring Shangguan Yan back to the Imperial Preceptor's Hall.
Gu Jiao, her great-aunt, and great-uncle had been waiting in Gu Jiao's room for a long time, and Xiao Heng had also returned from looking at the house.
Little Jingkong, all clean and refreshed, lay on the bed and fell fast asleep.
After the two entered the room, Gu Jiao first went behind the screen to check Shangguan Yan's injuries.
Shangguan Yan underwent percutaneous pedicle screw fixation surgery on her spine. Although she used the best medication and her recovery is going well, such strenuous work is still quite taxing.
"I'm fine." Shangguan Yan patted the armor on her body. "This thing saves a lot of effort."
Gu Jiao removed the nail guards and examined her wound; there was no redness or swelling at the stitches.
"Are you feeling unwell in any other way?" Gu Jiao asked.
"No."
I'm just a little tired.
Shangguan Yan didn't say that.
Everyone is willing to pay any price for our common cause, so what does it matter if she's a little tired or in pain?
It's all worth it.
Shangguan Yan was about to put on the armor when Gu Jiao stopped her.
Gu Jiao said, "Go back to your room and rest now. You can't sit or stand anymore."
"I want to hear it." Shangguan Yan refused to leave.
She wanted to join in the fun.
She was naturally outgoing, and after being imprisoned in the imperial mausoleum for so many years, she hadn't felt this sense of home for a long time.
She wants to be with everyone.
Gu Jiao thought for a moment and said, "Then you and Xiao Jingkong can squeeze in together for a bit. We'll finish talking, and then Aheng will take you back to your room. But be careful he doesn't kick you."
Little Jingkong's sleeping posture is very enchanting. Sometimes he is as well-behaved as a silkworm, and sometimes he is like an invincible little devil.
"Okay!" She does have some fighting skills, after all!
Shangguan Yan lay down on the bed behind the screen, and Gu Jiao lowered the bed curtains for her.
She recounted the story of sending the effigy to the palace through the curtains and screen.
Although Gu Chengfeng knew about the plan beforehand, he still felt that this operation was simply too outrageous after hearing the whole process.
Those concubines never dreamed that Shangguan Yan would repeat the exact same lines to everyone.
They even put it in writing; how honest and trustworthy!
"But will they really take the bait?" Gu Chengfeng was worried that these people would back out at the last minute, or realize that something was wrong.
The old woman said calmly, "They are wary of each other and won't share information, so they won't be exposed. As for taking the bait... with so many nets cast, they're bound to catch a few fish. Besides, the temptation of the empress's position is just too great."
Empress Xiao of Zhao Kingdom held a stable position, and the Crown Prince had the support of Marquis Xuanping, so there was basically no possibility of his position being shaken. Therefore, the court was relatively stable.
Gu Chengfeng only realized how much bloodshed could take place in the harem after arriving in the Great Yan: "There's still something I don't understand. It's one thing for Consort Wang and Consort Feng to be tempted, since they don't have any princes of their own. Supporting the Third Princess to ascend the throne is the best way for them to consolidate their power. But don't the other three all have adult princes?"
Xiao Heng said, "First, we should support Shangguan Yan to the throne, use her to ascend to the position of empress, and then seize the opportunity to depose her. As empresses, their sons are legitimate heirs and will rightfully inherit the throne."
Empress Dowager Zhuang nodded: "Yes, that makes sense."
Gu Chengfeng was shocked and realized: "So, it's still about mutual exploitation."
There are no simple women in the imperial harem; whoever lives the longest depends on who has the deepest cunning.
Empress Dowager Zhuang yawned: "Alright, go to sleep. It's their business now. How to do it and whether it will succeed are all up to them."
"Oh." Gu Jiao stood up, tidied the table, and prepared to go to bed.
"Then I'll come again tomorrow," Xiao Heng said softly to her.
Gu Jiao nodded and smiled, "See you tomorrow."
The old chief priest also got up and left his seat: "This old man is tired too, I'm going back to my room to rest!"
Gu Chengfeng watched in bewilderment as everyone left one by one.
No, you're just leaving like that?
Aren't you going to worry a little more?
Such a big heart?
Gu Jiao said, "Grandma, you go to sleep first. I'm going to Gu Changqing's place tonight."
Empress Dowager Zhuang waved her hand: "I know, you may go."
Gu Chengfeng fell into deep self-doubt: "Is it me or you guys who are wrong?"
...
Xianfu Palace.
Consort Wang, with her long hair flowing down her back and wearing a silk nightgown, sat quietly by the window.
"Your Majesty." Granny Liu approached, carrying a candle.
Granny Liu was the palace maid who had just recognized Shangguan Yan. She was Consort Xian's personal maid, brought into the palace from her maiden home, and had been serving Consort Xian since she was eleven or twelve years old.
She was arguably the most trusted palace servant of Consort Xian.
"Chunxiu, what do you think of tonight's events?" Consort Wang asked.
Granny Liu gently placed the candle on the windowsill and pondered for a moment: "It's hard to say."
Consort Wang said, "There's nothing between us that can't be said. You can speak freely about what's on your mind."
Liu Mama said, "This servant feels that the Third Princess is different from before. She has changed a lot, even more than the rumors have said."
A hint of agreement flashed in Consort Wang's eyes: "I think so too. Her performance tonight was really too scheming."
Granny Liu looked at Consort Wang: "But Your Highness still decides to take a gamble, doesn't she?"
Granny Liu was the person who understood Consort Wang better than anyone else in the world; she knew exactly what Consort Wang was thinking.
Consort Wang did not deny it: "She is indeed a more suitable candidate than the Sixth Prince, and she is more likely to help me ascend to the position of Empress."
Upon hearing this, Granny Liu knew that Consort Wang had made up her mind, so she stopped arguing and trying to dissuade her. Instead, she asked, "But it's not so easy to get close to Consort Han."
Consort Wang said calmly, "If it were easy, she wouldn't have come to me. She could have done it herself."
Thinking of something, Granny Liu asked in confusion, "Back then, all the major families were involved in framing the Xuanyuan family, so why is she focusing on the Han family?"
Consort Wang sneered, "Wasn't it the Crown Prince who started it? It's one thing to send people to the imperial mausoleum to assassinate her, but to send the Han family to assassinate her son is something else entirely. It would be abnormal if she could swallow this insult."
Granny Liu nodded: "The Crown Prince is being too hasty. Shangguan Qing is a dying man, what is the need to deal with him?"
Consort Wang gazed at the moonlight outside the window: "Is the Crown Prince worried that Shangguan Qing might take advantage of the Emperor's sympathy for him before his death to help the Crown Princess regain her throne?"
Otherwise, Consort Wang would never have imagined why the Crown Prince would target the eldest grandson of the Emperor.
"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore." Consort Wang looked at the document on the table. It not only contained the transaction between the two of them, but also their signatures and seals. It was a shady deal.
But it is also a binding transaction.
She said, "Our people planted in the Noble Lady Palace can now make their move."
After a moment's hesitation, Granny Liu said, "Your Highness, that's our biggest trump card. Are we really going to use it for this? Once it's exposed, we'll no longer be able to monitor the movements of the Noble Consort's Palace."
Consort Wang picked up Shangguan Yan's handwritten agreement and said calmly, "Once Consort Han is gone, there's no need for the Guiyi Palace to keep an eye on her anymore, is there?"
The next day.
Consort Wang then began her plan.
She had Liu Mama find the spy planted in Guiyi Palace. That spy, like Xiao Li Zi, was also a spy who had been planted for many years.
Consort Han always thought she was the smartest, but sometimes the mantis stalks the cicada unaware of the oriole behind, and there is always someone better.
However, Consort Han was a very cautious person, and even after several years, that pawn still could not gain Consort Han's complete trust.
But this kind of thing doesn't have to be done by Consort Han's most trusted confidant.
"Have you understood Her Majesty's instructions?" Behind the artificial hill, Granny Liu handed him a long brocade box hidden in her wide sleeves.
The eunuch accepted the money, tucked it back into his sleeve, and whispered, "Please rest assured, Your Majesty, I will certainly handle this matter properly! And please... treat my family well afterward!"
Granny Liu said solemnly, "Don't worry, Her Highness will."
The eunuch looked around warily and cautiously returned to Guiyi Palace.
Meanwhile, Consort Dong and the others also began their respective actions.
Although Consort Dong had no spies in the Noble Consort Palace, the intelligence controlled by the Dong family was no less than that in the hands of Consort Wang.
She contacted the Dong family and borrowed a skilled fighter from them.
The female guard accompanying the expert said, "The master said that Consort Han has a very capable advisor, and we should avoid him."
Consort Dong said sarcastically, "Is she really that indecent? Allowing men from outside her palace to come and go!"
The female guard said, "That person isn't often in the palace; he only comes to discuss matters with Consort Han when there's something to discuss."
Consort Dong said calmly, "Alright, you can do whatever you want. I don't care what methods you use, you have to put this into Han's bedroom!"
-
On the first day, there was no movement from the palace.
The next day, there was still no movement from the palace.
Gu Chengfeng finally couldn't hold back any longer. When he secretly sneaked into the Imperial Preceptor's Hall at night, he couldn't help but ask Gu Jiao, "Do you think they've made their move yet? Why haven't we heard anything?"
They definitely took action; whether they succeed or not depends on whether they actually have the ability.
The saying "Man proposes, God disposes" is roughly true.
On the fourth day, the king accompanied the young princess to the Imperial Preceptor's Hall to visit Xiao Heng and Shangguan Yan.
Not long after he sat down, Zhang Dequan came over in a panic: "Your Majesty! Something has happened in the palace!"
(End of this chapter)
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