Chapter 247 Mutual Assistance
The Sixth Prince's Residence.
When Xiao Cheng received the news from Guanzhong, he was so shocked by the contents of the letter that he sat down in his chair.
When the Sixth Prince's wife entered the study, she saw the Sixth Prince looking on incredulously.
"Your Highness, what happened?"
She saw a letter drift down to the feet of the sixth prince.
As she picked up the letter, she heard the voice of the Sixth Prince.
"Qin Jinzhi actually killed her uncle!"
The Sixth Prince's Consort also showed a shocked expression when she read the words in the letter.
"Has Qin Jinzhi gone mad? Her uncle was her maternal grandparents' most beloved son! And she actually killed him!"
Xiao Cheng's face was filled with anger. "I thought Qin Jinzhi was threatening me by throwing that swordsman with his hands cut off in front of my door, but it turns out she was provoking me!"
The Sixth Prince's wife frowned deeply; for the first time, she felt that her judgment had been flawed.
Is Qin Jinzhi so arrogant because she is fearless or confident?
She killed Yang Xiu, directly shattering the facade of peace between the two families.
Isn't she afraid of retaliation from the Yang family?
At this moment, Xiao Cheng's guards came to report.
"Your Highness, we have found Sun Qian's whereabouts. He is currently at the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion. I will take men to silence him immediately."
Upon hearing "Prince of Zhenbei's Mansion," Xiao Cheng hurriedly said, "Wait! You said he's at Prince of Zhenbei's Mansion?"
He slammed his hand on the table. "He really is a traitor!"
The Sixth Prince's Consort calmed down at this moment. "Your Highness, we've fallen into a trap. Qin Jinzhi deliberately made us suspicious of Sun Qian. You know it, I know it, and Sun Qian knows it too. Sending someone to silence him is exactly what Qin Jinzhi wants. Sun Qian has nowhere else to turn but to seek Qin Jinzhi's protection."
Xiao Cheng looked at her, "Are you saying that Sun Qian did not betray this prince?"
The Sixth Prince's Consort shook her head. "Regardless of whether he betrayed us before, the moment he entered the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion, Qin Jinzhi got what she wanted. Sun Qian cannot be killed."
Frowning, he said, "But if what Sun Qian has ends up in Qin Jinzhi's hands, the Yang family will be in deep trouble."
The Sixth Prince's Consort said with a stern face, "The Yang family is entrenched in Guanzhong, which is a thousand miles away from the capital. As long as we deny it to the death, even if His Majesty really wants to investigate, destroying the evidence is not difficult. Even if Qin Jinzhi really gets the account book, it will be of no use. Right now, we should not panic."
Xiao Cheng frowned. "What if Sun Qian goes with Qin Jinzhi to provide evidence?"
The Sixth Prince's Consort dismissed the guards. "Your Highness, how can you still not understand now? The foundations of aristocratic families are built over centuries, and a single move can have far-reaching consequences. Why have the aristocratic families in the capital remained standing for so many years?"
The sixth prince looked at her, puzzled.
"The fundamental reason why aristocratic families can contend with imperial power is that they are united as one, and the essence of intermarriage within clans is mutual support and assistance."
However, the encroachment of power over the years has swelled the ambitions of each clan to the maximum, and each family hopes to reach an even higher level.
The powerful families are no longer a monolithic entity; don't the downfall of the Zheng and Shen families prove this?
Xiao Cheng said in disbelief, "You mean, Qin Jinzhi is targeting the aristocratic families? She wants to bring down all of them?"
The Sixth Prince's wife sat down next to the Sixth Prince. "She's already made a successful start, hasn't she?"
Xiao Cheng's face darkened. "She is indeed filial, going to such lengths to help the Crown Prince for the sake of the Empress! What should we do now?"
The Sixth Prince's Consort said with a serious expression, "Now that things have come to this, we should write to our maternal grandfather and try to reunite the aristocratic families. Once they are united as one, it will be much more difficult for Qin Jinzhi to defeat them one by one."
She and the Sixth Prince share both glory and ruin.
If Qin Jinzhi succeeds, then the Sixth Prince will never be able to ascend to that position again.
Xiao Cheng took a deep breath. "Tomorrow you will come to the palace with me, and we will discuss this with my mother."
The next day, Sun Qian left the palace with some doubt.
He was always attentive to changes in his surroundings, and would immediately return to the palace at the slightest sign of trouble.
But nothing happened.
Remembering the princess's words, he walked out of the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion in a righteous manner.
That proves that he is now the princess's man.
The sixth prince could easily silence him, but he wouldn't dare to touch the princess's people.
After figuring it out, Sun Qian finally felt relieved.
When Qin Jinzhi left the court, Lang Qingfeng followed her.
"Thank you, Princess."
Qin Jinzhi raised an eyebrow, "Thank me for what?"
Lang Qingfeng said, "I am ashamed. I am too weak as a scholar. If it weren't for the princess's secret protection, I would probably have lost my life on the street yesterday."
Qin Jinzhi chuckled, "They've already made their move on you so quickly?"
Lang Qingfeng chuckled as well, "Power is a powerful force."
Qin Jinzhi said leisurely, "You accepted it well. Go back and tell your father to prepare for his appointment as Vice Minister of Rites."
Lang Qingfeng respectfully replied, "Yes."
On that very day, the evidence in the Choi Ting case was placed before His Majesty.
Rong Yue was a woman from a respectable family and had never been a slave.
Cui Ting abducted a respectable young man and was stripped of his official position.
He was fined three thousand taels of silver and sentenced to thirty strokes of the cane.
Cui Ting was already unconscious when he was sent back to the Cui residence.
Cui Hao anxiously arrived at Prime Minister Cui's study.
"Father! Qin Jinzhi has schemed against my Cui family to this extent! Why do you take all the blame? If you hadn't, His Majesty wouldn't have done anything to you!"
Prime Minister Cui's eyes were cold. "If I hadn't been confined to my quarters, what would have been sent back today would have been Ting'er's corpse. This is the face His Majesty has given to the Cui family."
Cui Hao frowned. "Qin Jinzhi has really played a very clever game. Now that things have come to this, the marriage with the Lu family is probably going to be difficult."
Prime Minister Cui chuckled lightly, "If I hadn't been confined to my quarters, I'm afraid this really wouldn't have been possible. Tomorrow, you will submit a memorial to the Lu family on my behalf."
Cui Hao asked, "What does Father want to write?"
"Bestowed marriage."
In the power struggle between the emperor and his ministers, since His Majesty has tacitly approved the division of power...
Then naturally, he should be compensated.
A marriage alliance with the Lu family is imperative.
His Majesty would still grant him a marriage decree that was insignificant and harmless.
The study door was suddenly pushed open.
Madam Cui was standing at the door with a bowl of ginseng soup.
"Are you absolutely determined to marry Aying off to the Lu family?"
Prime Minister Cui sighed, “My lady, you will understand my good intentions in the future.”
Madam Cui looked at the father and son with a cold smile, then turned and left.
Cui Hao got up to chase after her, calling out, "Mother!"
Prime Minister Cui raised his hand, "Let her go."
Cui Hao quickly replied, "Mother will definitely tell my younger sister."
Prime Minister Cui's expression remained unchanged. "This matter is a done deal. Even if your mother tells Aying, it won't change anything. It's better for Aying to know in advance so she can prepare accordingly."
After leaving the study, Madam Cui ordered a carriage to be prepared.
They also brought Cui Ying's favorite food to Chidori-no-Tsukasa.
Cui Ying wasn't there when I went to Chidori-no-Tsukasa.
She then sat in the courtyard waiting for Cui Ying.
The women in the Chidori Academy all looked so dashing and spirited.
Her Ah Ying was the same.
Just then, Cui Ying's voice came from the doorway.
"Put these criminals in jail."
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