The Empress sent Wenlan out to guard the gate.
Shen Tangning stared at the window, where a cluster of pink and blue hydrangeas swayed slightly in the wind. After a moment of contemplation, she said, "It is said to be treason, but His Majesty has no concrete evidence. This case cannot be decided in a short time. Now it is a contest of who can remain calm."
The Empress frowned, a concern in her heart: "Even so, His Majesty is still the Son of Heaven. If he truly intends to kill, he can easily find an excuse. If we do nothing, aren't we just waiting to be killed?"
“Aunt, have you ever considered that His Majesty might be waiting for us to do something?” She raised her head, her eyes narrowed sharply. “Once we take any action, it will completely confirm the Princess’s guilt and implicate you and the entire Xie family.”
The Empress opened her lips, paused for a long time, and said in a slightly tired voice, "But I've already made the wrong choice once. This time, I can't just stand by and watch her be in danger."
Shen Tangning was stunned for a moment. She suddenly understood the complex and subtle feelings between the two of them.
They were once close friends, but due to their opposing political stances, they never spoke to each other for many years. Yet, as time passed, they reunited, united by a common enemy, and even more so because...
You and I are a match made in heaven.
"Actually, the key to this matter lies with another person."
The Empress's eyes flickered slightly: "Who?"
Shen Tangning slowly said, "Jiang Zhijing."
“But she can’t even protect herself now.” The Empress frowned, her eyes filled with doubt and confusion.
“So we have to wait.” Her eyes hardened. “We need to find a way to buy time.”
——
"Chi Yan, do you know why I summoned you here?"
After Emperor Chongde sat down in front of the dragon throne, he looked down at the people below.
Chi Yan looked thoughtful, then suddenly smiled and said, "I dare to guess that Your Majesty is troubled by the matter of the Eldest Princess."
"The Princess and I once shared some pleasant times." Emperor Chongde was lost in memories, a deep melancholy in his eyes.
That was when they were all young.
Yan Mingyi was the first and only princess in the royal family. She was intelligent from a young age and had a pleasing face. In addition, her father, the emperor, always reminded her to love her younger sister, and he was very fond of this princess.
Everyone thought that the eldest princess had grown up being pampered, but he knew that from her childhood, her father had been exceptionally strict with her, demanding the same things of her as he would of a prince.
She not only had to learn music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, but also the Six Arts of a Gentleman, and even more importantly, the strategies for governing the country and ensuring its stability.
In addition, her father would hire martial arts teachers for her, making her crawl and roll in the mud, so Yan Mingyi was often covered in injuries.
At that time, he always felt especially sorry for her and secretly stood up for her:
Why learn the Six Arts of a Gentleman after learning the four arts of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting?
Can one person learn so much?
Father is being far too harsh!
Once, he skipped class with Mingyi, and the teacher reported it to his father, the emperor. He waited anxiously for his father's punishment, but his father remained silent for a long time, only gently asking Mingyi:
Do you know why Father made you learn so many things?
Yan Mingyi lowered her head guiltily, stole a glance at him, and cautiously shook her head.
Emperor Chongde would never forget the look in his father's eyes that day, a look that was a mixture of love, sorrow, and pity: "Because your father hopes that you will have more choices in the future, instead of only having one path to take."
Most women's lives consist of nothing more than following the established routine of marriage and childbirth, being trapped in the inner quarters and wasting their lives. With his abilities, he might be able to choose an excellent husband for her, but at best, that would be the best outcome.
If she truly wants to change her fate, she has to rely on herself.
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