Madam Shen is a smart woman. She can figure out what Li Heng wants to do just by having Ye Zhen explain it to her.
Ye Zhen continued, "Helian Qing was persuaded to come to the capital to find his uncle, and someone deliberately lured away his entourage on the way."
His capture by human traffickers at the city gate was also due to someone's interference, with the aim of selling him to a brothel where he would suffer humiliation and have his will to be broken.
According to their original plan, Helian Qing would be rescued by his relatives after suffering, but I accidentally saved him.
Fearing that he might be harmed by villains again, the Crown Prince took him to the Eastern Palace every day, preventing those with ulterior motives from getting close, which would surely cause them anxiety.
I suspect Helian Qing's entourage will arrive in the capital soon, and clues about his relatives will soon be delivered to him.
Ye Zhen looked at Madam Shen with pity in his eyes, "Madam, you will soon find out that your daughter did not die from falling into the well."
Instead, she was sold by her nanny, but by chance, she was rescued by Li Shiling's mother, Madam Luo, who then treated her like her own daughter and married her into the Dingyuan Prince's mansion.
Of course, this was just a facade that Li Heng wanted Madam Shen to know.
"The lady loves her daughter dearly, and she will also pity the grandson her daughter left behind. She will definitely try to get close to him."
Helian Qing had relied on his grandfather since childhood, and his wife's loving heart would surely win his favor.
His close relationship with his wife was, to some extent, a reflection of the close relationship between the Prince of Dingyuan's residence and the Prime Minister's residence.
Given Madam's nature, she would repay any kindness she received. Now that Madam Luo was dead, Madam would pass on this kindness to her son, Li Shiling.
If Li Shiling asked his wife for anything, she would not refuse.
These were all speculations made privately by Ye Zhen and Xie Tingzhou, but Ye Zhen felt that this was Li Heng's plan.
Madam Shen understood Li Heng better than Ye Zhen. After hearing Ye Zhen's words, she turned pale.
Clenching her fists and gritting her teeth, she asked, "Is what the princess said true?"
But deep down she knew that Ye Zhen had no reason to lie to her.
Seeing Ye Zhen nod, she used force and tore the handkerchief in two.
"brute!"
It wasn't enough that they harmed her daughter; they also wanted to harm her grandson.
What is a brothel?
Born into a noble family, Helian Qing was forced to enter such a place at such a young age. What would he encounter, and what would his future hold? Just thinking about it made Madam Shen want to kill Li Heng immediately.
But Qin Xue and Ye Zhen's words made her realize that things were not so simple.
Li Heng sent Luo's daughter to the Qin family in Jiangnan, and then sent his own daughter to the Helian family.
The Qin family is the richest family in Jiangnan, with plenty of money. The Helian family has military power, yet he, at his advanced age, shamelessly had an affair with Xie Jinyao, wanting to have a child.
Furthermore, if it were just about her daughter, Ye Zhen could have simply told her directly; why bother letting her hear Qin Xue's words...
Madam Shen pondered the matter more and more, when suddenly a chill ran down her spine. She looked abruptly at Ye Zhen, "Does he... have other plans?"
If he were merely a subject, he would already be the head of all officials.
Ye Zhen countered, "If so, what does Madam intend to do?"
Madam Shen and her children and grandchildren are all good people, and Ye Zhen genuinely wants to save them.
"I……"
Madam Shen staggered back a step. "I don't know what to do."
Treason is a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family.
But her children and grandchildren never participated, and were not even given important positions by Li Heng. Why should they be implicated by Li Heng?
Madam Shen did not believe that Li Heng would succeed. Ye Zhen and the Crown Prince already knew about Li Heng's actions, and the Emperor might very well know as well.
But her children and grandchildren are also Li Heng's children and grandchildren. Even if she wants to divorce Li Heng, he will not let her take her children with her.
Madam Shen's mind went blank; she truly didn't know how to respond for the moment.
Suddenly, she realized that Ye Zhen had told her all this today in order to save her and her children.
She hurriedly knelt down before Ye Zhen, pleading, "Please, Princess, give me your guidance."
Behind Ye Zhen is the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince must know that her children and grandchildren are all good, which is why he is willing to give them a way out.
Ye Zhen quickly stopped her, "Madam, we are friends despite our age difference. If you trust me, I will not let you down."
However, this matter requires the cooperation of your wife and your children and grandchildren. We must not let Li Heng discover that his ambition has been exposed, and we must also sever all ties with him completely in a timely manner.”
Madam Shen nodded. "How should we do it?"
Ye Zhen whispered in his ear.
Madam Shen's words were etched into her heart. She held Ye Zhen's hand tightly and said, "Princess, I don't know how to thank you and His Highness. Please rest assured, I will follow your instructions."
The royal family cannot tolerate ministers with rebellious intentions and must already be plotting to punish Li Heng; this is an extremely important secret.
Having lived most of her life, she had witnessed the downfall of many powerful figures. Usually, those with wolfish ambitions like Li Heng met the fate of having their entire families wiped out.
Before any punishment, the royal family would not reveal any clues, but the princess risked leaking the secret to give her and her children a chance to escape.
"You must be a goddess descended to earth."
Madam Shen's eyes welled with tears; she was extremely grateful to Ye Zhen.
She knew very well that if she weren't a princess, the crown prince wouldn't have noticed her at all.
Seeing her like this, Ye Zhen knew he hadn't trusted the wrong person. He comforted her for a few moments and then said, "Madam, we should go back now."
Although this was the Empress's territory, the two of them had been out for too long, which inevitably aroused suspicion from Li Heng's faction.
Madam Shen quickly wiped her eyes and told Ye Zhen to leave first.
On her way back, she unexpectedly encountered Madam Xiao.
Madam Shen frowned. A few days ago, Madam Xiao sent Madam Su to a temple outside the city and had not returned. She did not expect that Madam Xiao would also enter the palace today.
Over the years, relying on Li Heng's favor, Lady Xiao has appeared as the wife of the Prime Minister whenever she needs to make an appearance.
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