Chapter 438 Overjoyed
Qin Jinzhi nodded upon hearing Cui Ying's words, "That makes sense, but perhaps some people just can't stand these princes and princesses enjoying themselves in the palace?"
Cui Ying looked at Qin Jinzhi, her eyes immediately darting around warily.
He wanted to whisper in Qin Jinzhi's ear, "Do you know who it is?"
Qin Jinzhi nodded calmly, "There are suspects. Not all the princes in this hall have been poisoned. Isn't there still one who is perfectly fine?"
Cui Ying's eyes widened, "Three..."
She immediately covered her mouth and held up three fingers.
In Weiyang Palace, Consort Shen held the Third Prince and wept bitterly.
"Zhuo'er, you're finally back."
Xiao Zhuo patted Consort Shen on the shoulder, "Mother, don't cry, or you'll get wrinkles."
Consort Shen wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes with a silk handkerchief.
"Zhuo'er, during the years you've been away from the capital, your mother almost couldn't survive."
Xiao Zhuo sat next to Consort Shen. "Mother, you can only survive by going through these things. I am the Emperor's son. As long as I don't commit a capital crime, my life will not be in danger. But you are a member of the Shen family. If you don't sever ties with the Shen family, you will probably have already died."
Consort Shen removed the silk handkerchief. "Zhuo'er, did you know all along that your father was going to take action against the aristocratic families?"
Xiao Zhuo took a sip of tea. "I already knew when I realized that Father Emperor was indulging you in raising the useless Shen Huan."
There was no trace of affection for Shen Huan in Consort Shen's eyes.
"Your maternal grandfather was blind and incompetent, allowing my stepmother to torment him."
I was sent to Baique Temple. If it weren't for the opportunity to enter the palace, your mother would be nothing more than a skeleton now.
The Shen family turned a blind eye to your maternal grandmother's death from depression. I know your father has ambitions and will definitely punish someone like Shen Huan.
Your maternal grandfather was determined to have his youngest son inherit the title of Duke, and he doted on his grandson Shen Huan, but he ignored your uncle completely.
I had originally intended to arrange for your uncle to inherit the title of Duke, which would also be beneficial to you. Who would have thought that the Shen family would be wiped out like this?
Xiao Zhuo looked at Consort Shen and said, “Mother, everyone in this palace is incredibly shrewd, and the Empress’s cunning is unfathomable. Your position as Consort is probably something the Empress did intentionally.”
Consort Shen said with lingering fear, "Fortunately, Zhuo'er gave me the news, allowing me to act in accordance with your father's wishes and abandon the Shen family, which saved my son and me. Now, among the four consorts, only I am left. Without the support of my family, if you want to compete for that position in the future, you will have no one to help you."
Xiao Zhuo chuckled, "Mother, how can you not understand? The fact that I have no family backing me is my biggest advantage in competing for that position."
Consort Shen looked at Xiao Zhuo with a puzzled expression.
Xiao Zhuo looked into the distance.
Everyone thought Qin Jinzhi was protecting the crown prince, but her intentions went far beyond that.
She was seeking a wise ruler.
Otherwise, instead of eliminating the five great families and supporting new families to check and balance each other, she would have wiped out all the families and centralized imperial power.
Even though I'm so many years older than her, I have to admire that.
Of all the royal children, only Qin Jinzhi mastered her father's art of ruling perfectly.
Fortunately, she's not Father's child, and fortunately, she's not a man. If she wanted that position, I can't guarantee I could have won against her.
Consort Shen's face turned somewhat unpleasant. "Is she really as capable as you say, a mere young woman?"
Xiao Zhuo smiled and said, "Mother, have you forgotten? The Shen family was wiped out by her. The head of the Shen family, Shen Changqing, manipulated the Shen family to occupy Jiangnan for many years. Now, who in Jiangnan still remembers the Shen family?"
Consort Shen didn't want to admit it, but it was Qin Jinzhi who had really tormented her.
She had never seen such a devilish child!
Qin Jinzhi and Xiao Yuanyi have been at odds since childhood.
That was the emperor's overt favor bestowed upon Consort Shen.
Xiao Yuanyi naturally received more favor.
Qin Jinzhi was raised by the emperor and empress from a young age.
He had seen his father trying to lull Qin Jinzhi to sleep when she was a child.
He insisted on carrying Qin Jinzhi around the Imperial Garden for two hours.
I heard that Qin Jinzhi would cry and make a scene whenever the person in charge was changed.
The emperor couldn't bear to see his granddaughter cry, so he held her and carried her to the steps.
I also saw Qin Jinzhi wanting to ride a big horse, riding on her father's neck, and being coaxed to be happy by her father holding her hand.
This unparalleled favor naturally aroused jealousy among the children in the harem.
But only his sister dared to risk this trouble.
Qin Jinzhi's martial arts skills were so high that they could even rival those of the maidservant who came from Guigu Valley beside her.
It is clear that she had been using Xiao Yuanyi as a character in her previous roles.
It was because of Xiao Yuanyi that no one in the Jin Kingdom took this unruly and domineering young woman seriously.
By the time they realized what was happening, Qin Jinzhi had already swallowed them whole, leaving not even a bone fragment.
Behind Qin Jinzhi was her father, the emperor.
Qin Jinzhi is the knife, and her father, the emperor, is the one who wields it.
Together they shattered the century-old, solid alliance between the aristocratic families.
Xiao Zhuo broke out in a cold sweat after realizing all of this.
He was grateful that his mother had gained the title of being the emperor's favorite, which allowed his father to personally raise him.
So he took an important but difficult job and left the capital.
He returned to Beijing only after things in the capital had almost settled down.
Everything went as he had predicted.
Qin Jinzhi broke free from the illusion and stood in the temple hall.
However, at this birthday banquet, he discovered something very important.
This matter could potentially change the current political situation in the central government.
The Crown Prince actually harbors resentment towards Qin Jinzhi!
This is absolutely outrageous!
It can be said that everything Qin Jinzhi is doing now is for the future crown prince to smoothly inherit the throne.
But the Crown Prince actually harbored resentment towards Qin Jinzhi!
This realization filled him with ecstatic joy.
If he can seize the opportunity, he might get that position more easily.
Consort Shen looked at her pillar of support returning, her expression somewhat hesitant.
Seeing this, Xiao Zhuo asked, "Does Mother have something to say to me?"
Consort Shen remained silent for a long time before saying, "Yuanyi has disappeared, and Chuan'er was killed by Yuanyi."
Xiao Zhuo was taken aback. Xiao Yuanyi and Xiao Chuan were both at the palace banquet today.
Xiao Yuanyi was also angry with him because he gave Qin Jinzhi a belated birthday gift.
With tears in her eyes, Consort Shen recounted the story of the child swap to Xiao Zhuo.
Xiao Zhuo frowned deeply. "Mother! You are utterly foolish! Who in this world doesn't want to be above all others? If possessing the Ziwei Star destiny meant gaining the world, why didn't the Taoist priest simply transfer the Ziwei Star destiny to himself? Why would he want to help you! You've been deceived!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com