"Your Highness, you...you're still alive?"
Kang Le looked at the person in front of him in shock and said insincerely, "That's great."
She knew the Crown Prince had returned when the Empress's head guard and the commander of the Martial Virtue Division were killed some time ago.
However, the Crown Prince misunderstood the Empress too deeply, and the Empress was unaware of the Crown Prince's true situation. She thought he was holding a grudge and was enjoying himself outside, which was why he was unwilling to return to the palace.
Therefore, Kang Le was not worried that the truth of what happened back then would be exposed, and as she had expected, the Crown Prince returned but did not show up.
A few days ago, a letter arrived from the Imperial Estate, informing Emperor Kang Le that the Crown Prince had suddenly gone to the Imperial Estate to see the Emperor and Empress. Kang Le began to feel uneasy.
Even the biggest misunderstandings can be resolved one day if you spend every day together.
Fortunately, they had already planned to blow up the altar.
But that good-for-nothing Prince Liang caused the plan to fail, and the Crown Prince not only survived but also saved the Emperor and Empress.
This is very disadvantageous for her.
Therefore, when she learned that the Crown Prince was going to return to the capital to report the death, she still sent someone else to assassinate the Crown Prince, even though she knew that the Prince of Liang would assassinate him.
She also received news that their assassination was successful and that the Crown Prince was dead.
How could this be... how could this happen?
Xie Tingzhou walked up to Kang Le and said, "Aunt, I'm not happy to hear what you're saying. Aunt hasn't brought this upon yourself yet, and I'm still young and have a long life ahead of me, so how could anything happen to me?"
"Was this a fabricated message?"
Kang Le suddenly remembered that her nephew had been a diligent student since childhood, and imitating handwriting was a skill he could not mention.
If the news she received about the Crown Prince's murder was false, then... then did the Crown Prince also know about her and Prince Liang's scheme?
"Yes, my aunt has a strong personality, yet she has been chasing me for many years without success, which must have made her extremely angry."
"Because I am filial, I will let my aunt experience the taste of triumph before she dies."
Xie Tingzhou smiled faintly, "Aunt, how does this feel?"
Thinking victory was imminent, only to have it suddenly turn out to be an unpleasant feeling.
The Crown Prince even knew she was chasing him, so it seems he only returned to the royal estate after uncovering the truth of what happened back then.
His presence here now can only mean that he is Huangzhuang Wuyou.
Even when the Crown Prince misunderstood the Empress as having harmed him, he never laid a hand on her. Knowing the truth of what happened back then, he would not disregard the Empress's death.
It can only mean that the King of Liang cannot succeed.
She lost!
Before she even began, the Crown Prince had already outmaneuvered her.
Kang Le's heart was pounding uncontrollably, and his palms were sweaty. Right now, he had to find a way to make a living.
“Zhaolin, I am your biological aunt, and you are the only bloodline left by my imperial brother. I am too busy protecting you to hurt you.”
"Someone must be worried that I'm helping you reclaim everything from your father, and they're trying to sabotage things, sowing discord between you and me, Zhaolin. Don't fall into their trap. Your aunt is the only person in this world who truly cares for you."
Xie Tingzhou nodded. "I've heard that you had a very good relationship with the late emperor. I'm also curious, why would you want to put the late emperor's bloodline to death?"
For power and profit?
"Wouldn't it be more beneficial for you to be on good terms with me? Or are you afraid that getting too close to me will arouse His Majesty's suspicion?"
Kang Le's heart skipped a beat.
Thinking of something, he hurriedly said, "The emperor made you the crown prince only to gain fame for your virtue; he never intended for you to actually succeed to the throne."
Zhaolin, your father died a tragic death, and your mother was long ago deceived by the emperor's sweet words and lost her mind.
The emperor is a master of disguise. He cannot tolerate those who are close to the late emperor. No matter how tolerant he pretends to be on the surface, in reality, you have been living in exile for many years while I have become a commoner.
Are these things really not his doing? He's the emperor, what is there that he doesn't know?
"Zhaolin, he has a grudge against the late emperor. No man in this world would truly support the son of his enemy. You shouldn't misunderstand your aunt for the sake of outsiders."
Kang Le attempted to sow discord between the Crown Prince and the Emperor.
Even if the Crown Prince knew that she was the one who did it back then, she could still say that it was the Emperor who deliberately acquiesced in order to eliminate the Crown Prince.
Those in high positions are naturally suspicious, and Kang Le felt that the Crown Prince was no exception.
Xie Tingzhou simply smiled and said, "Bring him up."
As she finished speaking, two men with their heads covered were brought before Kang Le.
Xie Tingzhou removed the black cloth covering the two of them.
When Kang Le saw the two people clearly, the color drained from his face.
They are Wen Cheng, the former director of the Imperial Observatory, and the assassin who impersonated the crown prince back then.
She received a letter from Wen Cheng a few days ago, in which he said that they were safely arriving in Beijing.
Judging from the two men's half-dead state, it's likely that the letter was forged by the Crown Prince, and Wen Cheng and the others have probably already fallen into his hands and suffered all kinds of torture.
“Aunt, I am no longer three years old, but twenty-three.”
Your divisive tactics truly intrigue me. Where does your confidence come from, to dare to dream of becoming emperor?
Xie Tingzhou sighed softly, "You can have anything in your dreams, but you still have to be realistic."
Her pale face turned bright red again.
Kang Le said angrily, "Your Highness, since ancient times, no one has ever had a good ending if they recognize a thief as their father. The emperor has a blood feud with you for killing your father. Do you think he is not afraid that you will take revenge one day, but is instead on guard against you?"
Instead of living in fear, why not cooperate with your aunt? You are the only bloodline of the late emperor, my own nephew.
"Really?"
Xie Tingzhou knelt down in front of Kang Le, gazed at her, and asked in a low voice, "Aunt, do you dare swear on your two children that I am truly of the late emperor's bloodline?"
Kang Le was startled.
Her eyelashes fluttered unconsciously. "You are naturally the late emperor's child. Do you also think that the empress is shameless and has affairs with other men during her marriage?"
She sneered, "Ha, she's even more despicable than I imagined."
Xie Tingzhou glanced at her quietly, then suddenly drew his longsword and plunged it into Kang Le's mouth. "Shut up."
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