In the past, whenever he saw Liu Jingyi cry, regardless of the reason, Xiao Jin would always step forward to comfort and inquire. Now, he simply watched her cry, his emotions calm and unperturbed. He used to believe that the tears of those around him were transparent, filled with genuine emotions, and that he was special in their eyes. Now, he clearly understood that sometimes those transparent tears concealed nothing but schemes.

 

Xiao Jin said, "The maid by your side is indeed very tight-lipped, but I still found out that her parents, brothers, and sisters all work for the Liu family. It seems she wouldn't dare speak recklessly."

 

Liu Jingyi's tears continued to fall. She knew that since Xiao Jin had spoken, the matter must have already been thoroughly investigated.

 

There was no point in hiding or concealing anything anymore, but she still had things she needed to say.

 

She took a deep breath, wiped her tears, and said, "When Your Highness went hunting outside the palace, I received a letter from my father. He said that someone with malicious intent was planning to harm my elder brother, who had been exiled to a harsh and cold place. Fortunately, my father sent people to secretly protect him, so he was spared. My brother's life in that harsh place is difficult, and it wouldn't be surprising if he couldn't endure it. However, I was already heavily pregnant, and if I suddenly heard that something happened to my brother, I would certainly be emotionally unstable. Premature labor, difficult labor, and even the possibility of both mother and child dying were all real risks. My father feared I might hear false news, so he wrote to remind me not to believe any rumors from the Eastern Palace and to take good care of myself. My father vaguely found that this matter was related to the Xu family, but without concrete evidence, he could only ask me to endure it."

 

"Although I am foolish and incompetent, I have been managing the inner court of the Eastern Palace for some time. I could hear some of the private conversations of Lady Xu's servants, mostly about how I had no family backing and couldn't hold onto the position of Crown Princess. However, all the words that came out were spoken by the servants and had nothing to do with Lady Xu herself. If I were to take it seriously, the maids would deny it, and I would be accused of making baseless accusations. But if I were to be angered by it and affect my pregnancy, it would have nothing to do with anyone else."

 

"It is not that I cannot tolerate Lady Xu, but rather that we are fundamentally incompatible. For the sake of my position and the child in my womb, I thought about how to teach Lady Xu a lesson. But I did not deliberately throw myself against the railing to frame Lady Xu with the child's life, it's just..."

 

"Just that it happened to be a day when you were showing signs of premature labor, so you went along with it," Xiao Jin interjected.

 

Liu Jingyi closed her eyes, tears streaming down her face.

 

Xiao Jin continued, "This is one of my disappointments. Secondly, why does Little Snowball keep falling ill?"

 

Liu Jingyi's body trembled, and she opened her eyes.

 

Xiao Jin said, "After discovering those matters, I began to suspect the cause of Little Snowball's illnesses, so I had people keep an eye on you. Little Snowball is frail and cannot withstand cold winds; she needs to be carefully nurtured. But you know that whenever she feels even slightly unwell, I will come to see her."

 

"Of course, you didn't dare go too far; you were also afraid of harming the child. So each time, you only let her catch a bit of cold, causing her to cough a few times. But you still used the child to gain my attention. She is just an innocent child. What if something truly happened to her? How would you face her then?"

 

Liu Jingyi collapsed to the ground in despair and said, "I do not have the Crown Prince's favor. How is a child supposed to live with a mother like me? In the future, Your Highness will have more children. What position will she hold then?"

 

Her thoughts were unstable and panicked, primarily because she had done wrong. She was desperate to use the child to keep Xiao Jin's attention and then naturally have another son, which would secure her position as Crown Princess. If the truth about Little Snowball's premature birth were to be discovered later, by then her position would be secure, and the Crown Prince would likely turn a blind eye.

 

Xiao Jin said, "Someone come, the Crown Princess is unwell. Take the child to Chenhui Hall." Chenhui Hall was where he resided, and he would personally take care of the child.

 

Liu Jingyi knelt on the ground, clutching Xiao Jin's robe, crying out, "I was wrong, please don't take the child away... It's cold now, and the child is still sick, she can't withstand the wind. If you must take her, wait until March when it's warmer. I won't say a word then."

 

Xiao Jin neither looked at her nor responded, simply pulling away and leaving.

 

The child was quickly wrapped up tightly by the wet nurse and taken to Chenhui Hall, leaving Liu Jingyi's faint cries lingering in the wind.

 

After leaving Liu Jingyi, Xiao Jin went to see Lady Xu.

 

Lady Xu was busy making small clothes for the child in her womb.

 

Lady Xu's eyes lit up with joy when she saw Xiao Jin. She quickly ordered someone to serve tea and then stood nervously to the side. In her view, Xiao Jin's proactive visit indicated that he had uncovered the truth.

 

She never harmed Liu Jingyi.

 

Xiao Jin neither drank the tea nor sat down. He said, "You have a maidservant who serves you closely, one you brought with you from your family when you entered the palace. I heard that you grew up together. Although she is a maid, you have never treated her as a servant."

 

Lady Xu nodded, "Yes, I have always regarded Hong Ying as a sister."

 

"In that case, does she listen to you, or does she listen to your family?" Xiao Jin asked calmly.

 

Lady Xu was puzzled but still calmly replied, "She serves by my side and has entered the Eastern Palace, so naturally, she should follow the orders of Your Highness and me."

 

"But I have discovered that recently she has been very close to your family. Every time someone from your family comes, she is the one who meets them. She always exchanges a few words with them and has even sent things back to your family. I want to know if this is your doing or your family's," Xiao Jin said.

 

Lady Xu's face changed dramatically, and she swayed slightly. She quickly knelt on the ground and said, "Your Highness, please calm down. I would never dare to have someone spy on or betray Your Highness. As for Hong Ying, I also do not believe she would dare to do such a thing."

 

Xiao Jin looked at her quietly and said, "Your biological mother passed away early, and your father's current wife is a stepmother. However, it is said that your current mother loves you very much. I also found out that your mother values Hong Ying highly and even bought a house for her parents. Hong Ying is quite proud and often speaks arrogantly behind others' backs. Are you deliberately tolerating her antics, hoping to use the Crown Princess or me to get rid of her?"

 

Lady Xu was slightly stunned, and before she could say anything, Xiao Jin continued, "You are smart. Otherwise, you wouldn't have gained the Empress' protection. Let me ask you, do you want to become the Crown Princess?"

 

Lady Xu took a deep breath and gently touched her belly, saying, "I only wish for peace and do not dare to aspire for anything else."

 

Xiao Jin looked at her and asked, "Is that the truth?"

 

Lady Xu nodded, and Xiao Jin said nothing more before turning to leave.

 

After he left, Lady Xu let out a sigh of relief, her legs feeling somewhat weak.

 

She slowly stood up and sat down. As a woman in the inner court of the Eastern Palace, who wouldn't want to climb to the position of Crown Princess?

 

But she was also very clear about her own situation. Some things could be desired, but without absolute certainty, it was best not to touch them.

 

Today, she passed this test.

 

However, she couldn't help but be concerned about Xiao Jin's last question. Why would Xiao Jin ask if she had any desire to become the Crown Princess?

 

It didn't seem like a mere test, but even if she said she wanted it, could Xiao Jin really give her the position of Crown Princess?

 

Such a thing was obviously impossible without even needing to think about it.

 

After leaving, Xiao Jin stood in the back garden for a long time before finally walking away.

 

***

 

On the second day of the new year, the court reopened, and the Emperor met with his ministers for the first time after the New Year celebrations. Just as the festive words were finished, Xiao Jin announced that he had a memorial to present. Chang Le took his memorial and handed it to the Emperor. The Emperor opened it and saw that Xiao Jin had written in the memorial, requesting the removal of the Crown Princess, citing the reason that Liu Jingyi plotted against the imperial heir.

 

The Emperor scrutinized the memorial thoroughly before closing it. He glanced at Xiao Jin and then stood up, declaring, "Court is dismissed."

 

This session was unusually brief, leaving the civil and military officials feeling as though they had merely greeted the Emperor before being dismissed.

 

The person who caused this commotion was Xiao Jin.

 

Some ministers exchanged glances with their allies, eager to understand how Xiao Jin provoked the Emperor.

 

The most pressing concern was the potential consequences of this incident and whether the Emperor's favor towards the Crown Prince would remain unchanged.

 

Everyone had their own thoughts but dared not approach Xiao Jin to inquire.

 

The only person bold enough to squeeze towards Xiao Jin was Xiao Shan.

 

He helped Xiao Jin, who was still kneeling, to his feet. The two walked to a secluded spot, and Xiao Shan glanced at Xiao Jin's expression before speaking, "Second Brother, what's wrong?"

 

Xiao Jin looked at him and said, "I submitted a memorial to depose the Crown Princess."

 

Upon hearing this, Xiao Shan understood that Xiao Jin already uncovered the issues within the Eastern Palace. Xiao Shan had no stance on these matters, so he simply responded with an "oh."

 

Xiao Jin said, "I don't understand why things turned out this way. I knew she was narrow-minded, but I tried to be accommodating. Wasn't I good enough to her?"

 

Seeing Xiao Jin's somewhat bewildered expression, Xiao Shan couldn't help but say, "Second Brother, I think being good to someone and having numerous beauties around you are inherently conflicting. You can't expect someone's wholehearted devotion while keeping various beauties by your side. As the saying goes, where there are people, there are disputes. If you truly want to show favor, then only favor one person for a lifetime. If you want beauties around you, then don't favor anyone, at least ensuring fairness and preventing harm to your offspring."

 

"My words might not be pleasant to hear," Xiao Shan continued. "The most important thing is that you and the others were born into a world where having multiple wives and concubines is the norm. Women are taught from a young age to be magnanimous towards concubines and so on."

 

Forcing them to change their mindset was unrealistic.

 

So Xiao Shan added, "Look at Father Emperor. He has countless beauties in his harem, but including Mother Empress, which concubine dares to cause trouble easily?"

 

The Emperor once greatly favored the beautiful Wen Meiren, but after the incident in Jiangnan implicated Zhang Ruzhi and Wen Meiren, Wen Meiren was immediately thrown into the Cold Palace, never to see the light of day again.

 

Consort Xian gave birth to Xiao Xian, but when trouble arose, she was immediately confined.

 

Xiao Jin looked at Xiao Shan thoughtfully and asked, "So you plan to only favor Xie Zhui for the rest of your life?"

 

Xiao Shan nodded without hesitation, "Too many people make things noisy and chaotic. Having Xie Zhui is enough for me. We understand each other, and living like this for a lifetime is quite good—one life, one pair."

 

Seeing the smile at the corner of Xiao Shan's eyes, Xiao Jin knew he was speaking the truth.

 

Xiao Jin felt a slight tremor in his heart. He knew Xiao Shan's character was peculiar compared to most, but he didn't realize Xiao Shan had such thoughts.

 

A lifetime devoted to just one person.

 

He never thought in this direction before and felt his mind was somewhat muddled.

 

Seeing his expression, Xiao Shan added, "Second Brother, I just say what I think. You don't need to take it to heart."

 

Xiao Jin was about to say something when Chang Le approached from a distance. Seeing Xiao Jin, he called out, "Your Highness, please wait. The Emperor summons you."

 

Xiao Shan quickly said, "Second Brother, I'll leave the palace first. Today, Xie Zhui went to visit our Elder Brother at the Xie residence, and I need to go there to pick him up."

 

Xiao Jin acknowledged with a nod.

 

Xiao Shan took the opportunity to slip away.

 

Chang Le watched Xiao Shan walk away quickly, thinking that among the princes, Xiao Shan was the least inclined to seek the Emperor's attention. Yet, the Emperor still often thought of him.

 

***

 

By the time Xiao Jin left the palace, Xie Zhui had already arrived at the Xie residence and met Xie Chen, who had just returned to the capital.

 

The moment Xie Zhui saw Xie Chen, his expression darkened.

 

Xie Chen still had a white silk band tied around his eyes and looked much thinner than when they had parted in Jiangnan.

 

Now, Xie Chen was almost just skin and bones, and Xie Zhui didn't dare to touch him, fearing that his bones might break at the slightest contact.

 

Xie Chen looked in the direction where Xiao Shan had been and said, "Why didn't you make a sound when you arrived?"

 

Xie Zhui suppressed his discomfort and asked, "Elder Brother, what happened to you?"

 

Xie Chen chuckled lightly and said nonchalantly, "To remove the root of the illness, one must endure some suffering."

 

Hearing this, Xie Zhui was initially stunned but then became overjoyed. He asked, "Elder Brother, are your eyes better now?"

 

Xie Chen replied, "I met a renowned doctor in Yangzhou who helped me extract the parasites from my eyes. Whether I can fully recover will depend on a period of recuperation."

 

At this moment, Gu Ning brought over a bowl of medicine. The medicine had a strong, unpleasant smell and was a large bowl.

 

Xie Chen wrinkled his nose but still took the bowl and drank it all in one go.

 

Seeing Xie Zhui frowning, Gu Ning thought he had concerns about the medicine and, for once, took the initiative to explain, "The young master endured great suffering to extract the parasites. The process was extremely dangerous, and he was in a coma for over a month. He returned to the capital as soon as his condition improved, fearing that the prince consort would worry..."

 

"Gu Ning," Xie Chen interrupted with a frown, "It's all in the past. Why bring it up now?"

 

Xie Zhui said, "If Elder Brother doesn't let him speak, and I have to guess, it will only make me feel worse." He had suspected something was wrong with the letter Xie Chen sent before the New Year, but he didn't expect Xie Chen to have been in a coma for so long.

 

"If I could extract that thing again, even if it meant suffering once more, I would gladly do it," Xie Chen said.

 

Seeing a bit of medicine residue at the corner of Xie Chen's mouth, Gu Ning took out a handkerchief from his sleeve and wiped it away.

 

After finishing, Gu Ning took the bowl of medicine and left.

 

Xie Chen then changed the subject, looking at Xie Zhui, "You have a child now?"

 

Xie Zhui nodded.

 

Xie Chen chuckled softly, "I never expected that. Waking up to this news gave me quite a shock. Thankfully, I didn't miss it."

 

Xie Zhui replied, "What do you mean by missing it or not? Your safety is the most important thing, Elder Brother."

 

Xie Chen said, "Don't worry. The person who helped me extract the parasites came back with me and is staying here at the residence. With him around, my eyes will surely be fine."

 

Xie Zhui replied, "Since he is Elder Brother's benefactor, I should go pay my respects."

 

Xie Chen smiled, "He has a peculiar temperament and rarely sees outsiders. Let's wait a few days. By the way, Gu Ning has investigated everything the prince asked me to look into. I'll give it to you later, and you can hand it over to the prince..."

 

Xie Zhui said, "Today is the first day of court, and His Highness can't afford to be lazy. He will come over after court is dismissed. Elder Brother can give it to him then."

 

Xie Chen nodded.

 

Xie Zhui was right; Xiao Shan arrived shortly after.

 

Hearing that Xie Chen's eyes were almost healed, he smiled and said, "That's wonderful. If you need any medicine, just let me know, Elder Brother."

 

Xie Chen responded with a polite acknowledgement.

 

Xiao Shan couldn't shake the feeling that Xie Chen seemed much more distant and formal with him since returning to the capital.