Crisis of trust
Qin Yuyao's breathing quickened a little, and she suddenly reached out to cover her mouth. She never expected that her father would actually think about the merit of following the dragon.
She was probably contacting Zhang Wenhe earlier in order to achieve a higher position, such as becoming a king or a marquis. As for what Luan Zhengya said, she didn't listen. Now that their relationship was deep, Qin Yuyao's expectations and affirmation of Luan Zhengya couldn't be broken by just a few words.
Behind the desk, Luan Zhengya looked down at Qin Ziwen, who was kneeling trembling on the ground, with a dark and flickering look in his eyes.
"Right Prime Minister, guess why your plan with Zhang Wenhe did not succeed?" Luan Zhengya's voice sounded faintly, causing Qin Ziwen, who was already sweating profusely, to tremble all over.
He didn't say a word for a long time, but Luan Zhengya was not surprised. Anyway, he didn't expect Qin Ziwen to say anything good.
"You think you're flawless, or that Zhang Wenhe truly believed the rumors of my love affair with Qin Yuyao, and that after obtaining the information from the study, he sent it directly to the grassland tribe. If I truly had such rebellious intentions, I would have replaced you long ago. Why do you think I waited until now?"
As if deliberately trying to frighten Qin Ziwen, Luan Zhengya emerged from behind the desk. She moved slightly closer before continuing, "The intelligence is false, and so is my affection for your daughter. As for me and Your Majesty, it's simply due to parental consent, not to mention that I have no interest in that position. You are merely a means for me to train Jing Yao. Ultimately, Shengjing isn't as interesting as the border."
Sweat dripped down his forehead to the tip of his nose. Qin Ziwen's eyes blurred for a moment, he couldn't tell if it was sweat or tears. All he could see was Luan Zhengya's black cloud boots embroidered with a four-clawed blue dragon. He had never imagined that after a lifetime of humiliating himself, he would be defeated like this.
He had hoped that his daughter, married to the prince, would bring him glory, but now it was all in vain. However, Qin Ziwen had forgotten that from the beginning, he wanted Qin Yuyao to steal intelligence, not to become the prince's father-in-law.
"Yes...I was wrong." After a long silence, Qin Ziwen said this tremblingly.
Luan Zhengya raised an eyebrow, as if to show some leniency, and said, "However, I do not know how Your Majesty wishes to deal with the Right Prime Minister. It would be better for the Right Prime Minister to ask Your Majesty."
Qin Ziwen's breath hitched. He knew this was the only way to save his life. That was to go to His Majesty and tell him everything, instead of waiting for His Majesty to throw the evidence in his face.
After thinking it through, Qin Ziwen stood up, but still didn't dare to look at Luan Zhengya and said, "Thank you, Your Highness. I will withdraw first."
After eavesdropping for a long time, Qin Yuyao's nerves were still tense. When she heard Qin Ziwen was about to leave, she hurriedly went in through the curtain next to the screen.
Qin Ziwen, who had already lost his mind, did not realize that his daughter, whom he had high hopes for, was hiding behind the curtain next to the screen.
Outside, Jiang He looked at Qin Ziwen's desperate look and was somewhat surprised. He had thought that if the princess went in, the prince would at least let him go for her sake, if not to plead. Jiang He shook his head, but he didn't need to dwell on the prince's thoughts.
Qin Yuyao heaved a sigh of relief when she heard the study door gently close. She let go of the curtain that had wrapped around her, turned around, and walked behind the screen.
"Princess, did you hear it clearly just now?" Luan Zhengya was still standing in front of the desk at this time. She looked over when she heard her footsteps.
Thinking that he had seen her hiding behind the screen just now, Qin Yuyao blinked, bowed for the first time before walking over.
"Your Highness has a good eye. I thought I was hiding well. After all, I have hidden outside several times before." Qin Yuyao walked over with a smile, took Luan Zhengya's arm, and pulled her to sit down at the tea seat.
Hearing Qin Yuyao mention the last episode where she escaped from pursuit, Luan Zhengya frowned slightly, reached out to feel the temperature of the teapot, and then filled the teacup in front of her and handed it over.
"What I said just now was all lies. Princess, please don't blame me." As she said that, Luan Zhengya stretched out her hand and placed it on the back of Qin Yuyao's hand that was resting on the coffee table.
Blinking, Qin Yuyao showed a mischievous smile on her face: "A lie? Your Highness, do you mean that all of them are lies, or that what you said to me is a lie?"
Seeing her joking with him in a normal expression, Luan Zhengya's brows relaxed and he also laughed: "Of course, what I said about giving it to the Right Prime Minister was a lie. Just now, seeing Yuyao's serious expression, I thought you were angry."
Shaking her head, Qin Yuyao still had some questions in her mind that she didn't know how to express, so she drank from the teacup next to her mouth for a long time before putting it down.
Seeing her mind wandering, Luan Zhengya curled her lips and said, "If His Majesty wants to remove your father from his post and send him to build roads, what do you think?"
This matter was no different from treason. The reason why he was not imprisoned with Zhang Wenhe in time was because Qilian Jingyao discovered that a group of people on the grassland had passed news to Qin Ziwen a few days ago, but he did not find out what it was.
Qin Yuyao was surprised to hear Luan Zhengya speak so directly about this matter. She nodded and said, "I think it's a good idea. I can save my life and endure some hardship. After the road construction is finished, I can come back and be taken care of by Qin Wenxin and Qin Wenbai."
Seeing that there was no sadness on her face, Luan Zhengya now knew that she and Qin Ziwen really had no father-daughter relationship.
Qin Yuyao exhaled lightly, looked at Luan Zhengya seriously, and said, "It's a good thing that he survived this incident. The father-daughter relationship between him and me is very weak. You don't have to go to His Majesty to plead for me."
As she spoke, Qin Yuyao took Luan Zhengya's hand in hers and shook it. "What I said is true. I have never had much impression of my father since I was a child. And I learned about his relationship with my mother from Madam Liang. I don't even have a father-daughter relationship with him. I hate him."
If it weren't for the need to repay her blood relationship and her grandmother's care, she would have hoped that this man would die to make amends to her mother.
Hearing her say this, Luan Zhengya nodded: "I understand, but I'm afraid it will be difficult for you to face your grandmother in the future."
Knowing that Qin Yuyao had different feelings towards her grandmother, Luan Zhengya couldn't help but feel sorry for her dilemma between filial piety and righteousness.
Qin Yuyao smiled confidently, "As long as he's alive, grandma won't blame me. If this gets out, it will be considered treason, and no matter how he rebels, it will be his fault."
Hearing this, Luan Zhengya couldn't help but laugh along with her. Then, she reached out her hand and used some strength to pull Qin Yuyao into her arms, patting her on the back. "If you're worried about grandma, you can take her out of the Prime Minister's Mansion in the future and arrange for her to live out her old age next door."
"Isn't the house next to ours the former residence of Princess Shengyang?" Qin Yuyao raised her head and said with some surprise.
Luan Zhengya snorted softly, "Everyone's gone. They may never come back in this lifetime. Isn't it just right for grandma to live in the house?"
Then he touched Qin Yuyao's head and said, "Even if you want to see the grassland, you have to take me with you."
Qin Yuyao didn't say anything, but just stretched out her hands and hugged him back tightly.
After Princess Shengyang returned to the grasslands, Shengjing, which should have been peaceful, was in turmoil. Then, an imperial decree was issued: "The Left Prime Minister is guilty of treason and shall be executed. The Right Prime Minister has secretly contacted rebel tribes on the grasslands. Now that the evidence is irrefutable, in consideration of his voluntary surrender of the evidence, he will be dismissed from office. He will be sent to Danzhou to build a road and will return to the capital as a commoner. He will not be allowed to take the imperial examinations again!"
Suddenly, the entire capital was abuzz with discussion. Many officials closely associated with Zhang Wenhe had their property confiscated and were dismissed from their posts. Those who had previously been associated with Qin Ziwen also quickly distanced themselves from the matter, fearing they would be in trouble.
However, many people saw through the situation and thought, "This Right Prime Minister is clearly a traitor, yet he's still alive. It seems his daughter, the Princess of Zhen'an, has taken action. It seems the benefits of marrying a woman into a wealthy family are truly substantial."
"That's absolutely true, but has Prince Zhen'an's temper changed? With such a father-in-law, he's still willing to let this woman continue to sit on the throne of the princess?"
"It seems that the rumors about the love between Prince Zhen'an and Princess Zhen'an are actually true."
Many women from official families in the capital noticed that Prince Zhen'an had changed and hoped that he would divorce them. However, after waiting for three days, they did not see any movement in Prince Zhen'an's mansion.
Many people were extremely disappointed. How could such a good thing happen to Qin Yuyao? She had been a village girl for more than ten years, and now she had risen to fame and fortune, becoming a princess and a beloved concubine.
"Master, this Prince Zhen'an is not even willing to give a concubine?" There are some ladies in the mansion who hold high official positions and think that since their legitimate daughters cannot become princesses, it would be a good idea to let their concubines' daughters take over to share some of the glory.
"Do you think that's what you think? Many people from His Majesty's side have proposed marriage to His Majesty, but His Majesty has rejected them all. He just said that Prince Zhen'an has no intention of taking another concubine or a concubine, and asked us to be quiet." He was whispering in his wife's ear, but he didn't dare to listen. After all, His Majesty had already spoken, and anyone who brought it up again would be asking for trouble.
For a time, many people in Shengjing who were looking forward to marrying Prince Zhen'an and becoming his relatives were disappointed.
It was many days later that Qin Yuyao heard about this matter. Ye Jiajia mentioned it to her while chatting in the shop.
Ye Jiajia is also one of the noble ladies in Shengjing, so she naturally noticed that Qin Yuyao was now surrounded by many more guards inside and outside the palace when she traveled.
"Sister Yuyao, are you pregnant?" Ye Jiajia put down the brush, moved closer to Qin Yuyao, and stared at her carefully.
Her skin was as white as cream, her eyes were bright, and her face was as beautiful as a peach blossom in spring. She didn't have the haggard look of a pregnant woman at all, which made Ye Jiajia stare at her in a trance.
But when Qin Yuyao heard these words, she was so frightened that she made a bigger investment and left a deep black mark on the account book.
"What you said is so unreasonable. Why do you ask this? You are still an unmarried girl!" Qin Yuyao shook her head helplessly. Looking at the black spot on the account book, she had to start a new line.
Ye Jiajia pouted, tilted her head, opened another account book to the latest page, and placed it next to Qin Yuyao in a flattering manner.
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