"The Crown Prince has arrived!"
Shen Tangning stopped speaking and looked up.
Yan Huai was helped into the hall with his head down, looking even more frail. The once gentle and bright man now looked sickly, and his weak cough was heartbreaking to hear.
She frowned, stood up, and greeted him, saying, "Greetings, Your Highness."
"Your subject greets Your Majesty." Yan Huai looked up, a gentle smile gradually appearing on his face. "A-Ning has arrived?"
Shen Tangning noticed his excessively pale face and pursed her lips slightly: "How could my cousin's injuries be so severe?"
"Hurry up and help the Crown Prince to sit down?" The Empress glanced at the palace servants in the hall and said expressionlessly, "You may all leave."
"yes."
The palace servants filed out silently. Wenlan paused, then smiled and said, "It's been a long time. Your Highness and the Empress must have many private things to say to Miss. This servant will stand guard at the door."
After dismissing those around her, the Empress's cold expression softened somewhat. She looked at Yan Huai and asked in a slightly chilly tone, "Are you still taking that medicine?"
Yan Huai smiled slightly: "Mother, rest assured, I have already stopped."
The Empress's expression improved considerably.
Shen Tangning realized what was happening and frowned slightly, unable to help but ask, "What medicine did my cousin take? Could it harm his health?"
To deceive the Imperial Hospital and the Emperor, he would inevitably have to pay a price. Judging from his haggard appearance, one can imagine that the price he paid must have been heavy.
Yan Huai looked over with his dark eyes, his expression gentle: "Thank you for your concern, cousin. It's a poison I discovered by chance while I was fighting on the front lines. It can cause an extremely weak pulse in the short term, but I have an antidote. As long as you don't take it for a long time, it won't cause any problems."
Shen Tangning breathed a sigh of relief, but then saw him frown and look somewhat serious. "I haven't thanked my cousin for reminding me yet, but how did you know that Father has been suspicious of me for a long time?"
The Empress also looked over, her gaze unreadable.
Being in the inner palace, she couldn't see things as clearly as Tang Ning. Only when she came to her senses did she realize that if it weren't for Tang Ning's reminder, the Crown Prince's current situation would probably not be easy.
Shen Tangning had expected the two to ask this, so she was not flustered. After a moment's thought, she said, "To be honest, Aunt and Cousin, I have met Her Highness the Princess."
Upon hearing this, both the Empress and Yan Huai were taken aback.
"You mean...Mingyi?" A hint of surprise flashed in the Empress's eyes.
Hearing her address to the Princess, Shen Tangning's heart stirred. Sure enough, her aunt and the Princess had a close relationship.
She later thought about it carefully and realized that the eldest princess was clearly very emotional when she mentioned her aunt. The two may have had a disagreement before. If that's the case, if she wanted to persuade the eldest princess to support the crown prince, she might have to repair her relationship with her aunt first.
Shen Tangning nodded with a slight glint in her eyes: "It was also by chance. That day, when I went to Putuo Temple to offer incense, I happened to see the Third Prince visiting the Eldest Princess."
She told a little lie here. Although she had not personally witnessed the Third Prince visiting the Eldest Princess, her aunt and cousin would definitely be able to find out the Third Prince's whereabouts if they wanted to.
Sure enough, upon hearing that the Third Prince had visited the Eldest Princess, both the Empress and Yan Huai's eyes flashed with a strange light.
"What is Third Brother going to visit Aunt for?" Yan Huai asked thoughtfully, his expression somewhat strange.
Everyone knows that His Majesty's attitude towards the Eldest Princess is quite subtle, yet the Third Prince secretly contacts her, which is highly unusual.
Furthermore, the Third Prince's public image has always been one of being indifferent to worldly affairs and doing whatever he wants, so his actions are somewhat intriguing. He had been indifferent for more than ten years, but now he has started to make contact again. It's impossible that he suddenly wants to reconnect with the Eldest Princess.
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