Chapter 47 The Scent of Power
Cui Ying suddenly stood up and said, "Qin Jinzhi, I think you should be a good person."
Qin Jinzhi was stunned by her words, and then began to chuckle softly.
She looked at Cui Ying with a smile, "Why do you say that?"
Looking at that beautiful face, Cui Ying sighed inwardly. If Qin Jinzhi hadn't been known only for her bad reputation and not for her good one, no one could have rivaled her as the most beautiful woman in the capital.
She stood up and counted on her fingers, saying:
"Although you are somewhat violent, you will stand up for them when they encounter injustice."
You will punish Shen Huan, who forcibly abducted women, and the Kyoto Prefect, who disregarded human life, though your methods are not exactly honorable.
I heard that you even helped the victim beat the petition drum!
Although I don't know why you helped me fake being sick, I know you're a good person!
Yun Jin almost burst out laughing. Good heavens!
The princess must have drugged Miss Cui!
She actually said that the person who almost drowned her was a good person!
Haven't you cleared out the idiocy from three years ago?
After all, the princess had just stolen her fiancé, causing her to lose face in the capital.
She didn't understand.
Yun Ge secretly glared at her.
Yun Jin's emergency facial expression management.
Qin Jinzhi was stunned for a while after hearing this, and then burst out laughing.
Just as everyone was mourning Cui Ying's innocent and naive thoughts, Cui Ying suddenly asked, "If you don't like Pei Jinnian, why did you marry him? Even if my engagement with Pei Jinnian is canceled, there are still many ways for the Pei family and the Cui family to form an alliance."
Looking into those innocent eyes, Qin Jinzhi asked in return, "How many people like Shen Huan and Wei Xueyi do you think there are in the capital?"
Cui Ying shrugged. "There are many. All the powerful and wealthy people in the capital are like this, and even my own brother is no better."
Qin Jinzhi then asked, "So what are they relying on?"
Cui Ying thought for a moment, "Family background, powerful clans, that's it."
"With so many powerful and influential people in the capital, whose family is the most powerful and influential in the capital?"
Cui Ying puffed out her chest. "Of course it's the Cui family. My Cui family is the number one clan. My father is the prime minister, and many members of my Cui clan hold important official positions in the court."
"But wasn't your father already confined to the mansion and suspended from his duties?"
Three months is enough for a dynasty to be replaced.
Do you think he can still sit in the prime minister's position after he leaves?
You say the Cui family is the first clan, but do other aristocratic families acknowledge that?
Can the Shen family acknowledge it? The Du family? The Wei family?
"And all the other prominent families, do they recognize your Cui family's title as the foremost clan?"
Cui Ying frowned. "You want to support the Pei family, what are you going to do?"
The Shen family was at the height of its power, Consort Shen held a prominent position, and her younger brother Shen Cha was the commander of the palace guards and a close advisor to the emperor.
Du Zhong, a member of the Du family, served as the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, a position equivalent to that of a deputy prime minister. The family was a prominent clan that supported the Jin emperor.
With the backing of a powerful family and the favor of His Majesty, his power is even greater.
Wei Xueyi's elder brother was the military governor of Huainan, appointed by His Majesty, and his nephew was the vice minister of the Ministry of Justice, holding high positions and great power.
The same was true for other aristocratic families; eighty percent of the important officials in the imperial court were controlled by these families.
Only one member of the Pei family held a position in the imperial court: Pei Hong, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.
Pei Jinnian, whom everyone was eagerly anticipating, had not yet entered officialdom.
Cui Ying suddenly stood up. "Are you trying to balance the power of the aristocratic families in the capital?"
Qin Jinzhi thought for a moment, "If you say that, you're not wrong."
Cui Ying frowned. "Although there may be some friction between the families, they are essentially a united front. After all, they share the same interests. This is also why aristocratic families only marry into other aristocratic families. They are intertwined and inseparable. Even if you wanted to, the Pei family would not cooperate."
Qin Jinzhi smiled and said, "But the Pei family's direct descendants have no marriage ties with the Cui family in the past three generations. You and Pei Jinnian are the sacrifices for this alliance between the two families."
Cui Ying said somewhat disappointedly, "Please don't say such hurtful things, it's really offensive."
She knew, of course, that she and Pei Jinnian were both victims in this arranged marriage.
"Have you ever thought about why you can't refuse this marriage?"
Cui Ying sat up straight. "I am supported by my family and bear the mission of maintaining good relations between our two clans. Naturally, I must share the burden for my family."
Qin Jinzhi leaned down and looked at Cui Ying, "No, it's because you don't have enough power."
Cui Ying didn't understand, "As the daughter of the Prime Minister, I have a noble status, what more power do I need?"
Qin Jinzhi smiled brightly, "A noble status is nothing but an empty shell. If you had enough power, you wouldn't just play your so-called chivalrous game at night."
Cui Ying felt as if she had been hit on the head.
Yes, her so-called noble status is nothing more than relying on her father's name and the title of the eldest daughter of the Cui family. But even if she is the most noble lady, so what?
She cannot punish the evildoers, nor can she change the fate of those who are persecuted.
She uses her chivalrous games to cover up the truth that she can't change anything at all.
Qin Jinzhi smiled even more as she looked at Cui Ying's shocked expression. "So the Pei family will definitely turn against me and submit to my power, Qin Jinzhi."
Cui Ying understood everything she had been struggling with.
People believed that the emperor and empress's favoritism was nothing more than endless indulgence.
Little did they know that the real favoritism they showed was that the two of them gave Qin Jinzhi the greatest power in the world.
Some people may think Cui Ying is crazy, but she has never been this lucid before.
This aristocratic family stood for a century, rivaling the imperial power.
But this world is destined to no longer be ruled by aristocratic families.
This balance has long been broken.
That was broken decades ago.
That person now sits above the capital city, overlooking the entire country.
Previously, her family's teachings had given her enough confidence to deal with Qin Jinzhi.
But now, she only feels terror.
Because the people of the entire capital have never associated Qin Jinzhi with power.
That is the power of the emperor!
Cui Ying felt a chill run down her spine.
Not only did she not get the answers she wanted, she also learned something even more terrifying.
Cui Ying said, her face pale, "I'm not feeling well, I'm leaving now."
Qin Jinzhi did not stop her. "Yun Ge, see Miss Cui out."
Yun Jin watched Cui Ying walk briskly as if she were being chased by wolves and scratched her head.
"Princess, what's wrong with Miss Cui?"
Qin Jinzhi thought for a moment, "He must have thought of something terrible."
Yunshan asked, somewhat puzzled, "Princess, why did you tell Miss Cui all this? When the powerful families are settled in the future, the Cui family will be the first to be affected. Aren't you afraid that she will tell Prime Minister Cui?"
Qin Jinzhi suddenly grinned mischievously, "But she didn't guess that I'm going to settle scores with the powerful families."
Balancing the power of the aristocratic families in the capital was originally the first step in eliminating them; she wasn't lying.
Yunshan, still puzzled, asked, "Does the princess want women from aristocratic families to attend?"
"Tell me, who in this capital city is closest to power?"
Yunshan and the others shook their heads, "This servant does not know."
Qin Jinzhi narrowed her eyes. "Of course, it's the women from these aristocratic families. They are both beneficiaries and victims of power. They are closest to power, but no one has ever told them that they can possess power."
Once you've tasted the power of authority, who would want to be a wooden puppet manipulated by the world?
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