The Crown Prince's Mansion in the capital city of Shangjing boasted a magnificent facade with gilded beasts and colorful dragon - head ornaments. Towering pavilions rose one after another.
Faint conversations drifted from the Snow Bamboo Residence in the Western Three - Courtyard Complex.
"Is it true that he has no leverage against the Crown Prince?" Lü Baiwei stroked the pure - white Persian cat lying on her lap. Her long eyelashes veiled the disappointment in her eyes.
Qingqing hesitated for a moment but then shook her head firmly. "No. General Sheng made a valid point. If he had any, he wouldn't have been toiling away on the border. It would have been easier for him to exchange the leverage for a better future with the Crown Prince."
Lü Baiwei sighed and asked, "What about Xuan Yao?"
A look of distress crossed Qingqing's face. "His Highness, the Prince of Yan, saw through my identity long ago. He wouldn't even let me get close to him, nor would he allow me to follow Caiyu. I have no idea how many cards he has up his sleeve in his fight against the Crown Prince."
Aunt Mei couldn't help but complain from the side. "There's no news here and no news there. What's the use of sending you there, anyway?"
Qingqing suddenly turned her head and stared coldly at Aunt Mei. "I'm still better than you, that old maid. You offended Caiyu on your first visit to the Prince of Yan's Mansion, which made the Prince of Yan grow distant from both you and the Lady! You're good for nothing but causing trouble!"
"You... you little bitch! Your mouth is so venomous!" Aunt Mei was so angry that her nostrils flared.
Qingqing stuck out her tongue at Aunt Mei.
Aunt Mei was so furious that she reported to Lü Baiwei. "My Lady, it was her last time! She set the dogs loose in the Prince of Yan's Mansion and made this old servant... "
Aunt Mei's face turned ashen.
That day, she had been holding the Yusi brocade that she had finally deceived from the Prince of Yan, hoping to return and present it to the Lady to gain favor. But unexpectedly, that brat Qingqing had set the dogs loose.
Not only had she lost the Yusi brocade in the panic, but she had also been carried away by the dog and thrown off at the mass grave. She had almost lost her life there.
"Moreover, she brought the Yusi brocade back to the mansion later, which made the Lady get beaten up by the Crown Prince in public. That brat has completely disgraced the Lady!"
"In this old servant's opinion, that brat is a double - dealer. She's not on our side... Mmm!"
Before Aunt Mei could finish, Qingqing flicked a silver needle from her fingertip and hit Aunt Mei's mute acupoint.
Aunt Mei immediately fell silent like a dud cannon and stared at Qingqing in fear.
Qingqing grinned wickedly. "That old hag is spouting nonsense. The Lady saved my life seven years ago behind the Nauer Sea. She then brought me back to Shangjing and trained me. She even got me into the Vermilion Bird Battalion. I'll never forget her kindness. I've always been on the Lady's side."
Seven years ago, the Crown Prince had caused trouble in the rear. He had requested to supervise the army at the Nauer Sea. Under the guise, he had secretly framed Song Yinghuai with a grassland love - charm. He had also taken his newly - wed Lü Baiwei along to show off to Song Yinghuai who was in the middle of a great battle.
It was then that Lü Baiwei had found the dying eight - year - old Ge Qingqing.
"I set the dogs loose to scare you simply because you're too stupid and always cause trouble for the Lady."
"As for making the Lady get beaten up, I had no choice..." Qingqing paused for a moment. "At that time, His Highness, the Prince of Yan, still suspected my identity in the Vermilion Bird Battalion. I was afraid that he would suspect the Lady. So I decided to harm the Lady once. In this way, the Prince of Yan wouldn't cast a suspicious eye on the Lady."
Aunt Mei's face turned deathly pale.
Lü Baiwei glanced at Aunt Mei. The gloom on her beautiful face lifted as she smiled gently.
"Qingqing did the right thing. I had hoped to obtain some leverage against the Crown Prince through you, so that he wouldn't keep bothering me. But these two are too difficult to deal with. Even the Vermilion Bird Battalion, which is good at gathering intelligence, is at a loss. What else can I do?"
Qingqing tightened her lips. A look of hesitation flashed across her face, but she finally said, "Although I couldn't help the Lady get out of the Crown Prince's clutches, I did succeed in sowing discord between the Prince of Yan and Caiyu as the Lady asked me to."
Lü Baiwei immediately perked up and sat up straight, looking at Qingqing.
"I deliberately revealed to Caiyu the news about General Sheng Jiangli and Lan Jinqin. In her haste, she had a bigger conflict with His Highness, the Prince of Yan." Qingqing said, squeezing her pale fingertips. "This time, it'll probably be a while before they make up easily..."
"Good job!" A genuine smile finally appeared on Lü Baiwei's face. "This makes me happier than obtaining leverage against the Crown Prince..."
"As long as I succeed in sowing discord between them, I'll have a chance to make Xuan Yao change his mind. With Xuan Yao's help, the Crown Prince will surely die!" A crazy look came over Lü Baiwei's face as she murmured to herself, "Once he's dead, everything will be over... There's no need to look for any leverage. I'll be free..."
"That dog of a man must die!"
"Definitely!"
"Die!"
The Persian cat on Lü Baiwei's lap let out a screech and scurried away as its flesh was pinched painfully.
After Qingqing left, the silver needle in Aunt Mei's acupoint was finally removed.
Aunt Mei stared resentfully at Qingqing's retreating back, her voice shrill. "My Lady, do you really trust that brat? Although she was saved by you, this old servant has always thought that she has a strange personality and refuses to be disciplined. She's like a wild she - wolf on the grassland that can never be tamed... A wolf is always a wolf. No matter how well you treat it, it'll never become a dog."
Lü Baiwei stirred the peach gum in the soup bowl with a long - handled spoon. Suppressed hatred glinted in her eyes.
"Who else can I rely on if not her?"
"You've seen it too. I've returned the private seal, but Xuan Yao has been reluctant to agree to my request to get rid of the Crown Prince. As long as the Crown Prince is alive, I'll live a living hell. He loathes me and will never make me the Crown Princess while he's alive..."
Lü Baiwei gritted her teeth. Her deep, dark eyes glinted with a sinister and charming light.
"I have to make the Crown Prince die quickly!"
"Once he's dead, the Emperor and the Empress will make me the Crown Princess for the sake of my son! Zhu'er will surely become the crown prince! I'll be free! I'll be free!"
Aunt Mei watched as Lü Baiwei gradually slipped into madness. Her heart ached, and she couldn't help but hug her tightly.
Like a parent comforting a child, she gently patted Lü Baiwei's violently trembling body.
Yes!
The Lady and the young master were all alone. The Lady's natal family was declining and could no longer be relied on. The only thing she could rely on was a man.
Since the man in her bed was unreliable, the Lady had to rely on her former lover.
Song Yinghuai, the Prince of Yan. If he could change his mind and return to the Lady's embrace, he would never do anything to hurt a woman like Song Chengyuan did.
Moreover, with the Prince of Yan's unparalleled abilities, the young master would need his assistance after becoming the crown prince.
They... could only rely on him.
On this midsummer day, it was rarely cloudy. The thick clouds surrounded the scorching sun, blocking half of the summer heat.
However, this made the prison of the Ministry of Justice seem even darker and colder.
A sound of footsteps approached. Someone came near the cell where Lan Jinqin was being held. Then came the rattling sound of the lock.
The jailer pulled out the key and left.
Lan Jinqin looked in surprise at the tall figure emerging from the darkness and exclaimed, "Lord Xiao, is that you?"
They had met in the interrogation room three nights ago.
At that time, Xiao Rencheng had clearly been wearing prison clothes and tied to the rack with her, being interrogated by Di Shikai.
If he hadn't calmly listed several cases, the eighty - one torture instruments of the Ministry of Justice would have been used on her one by one.
But today, Xiao Rencheng was dressed in his official robe again.
The dark - purple robe embroidered with golden pheasants, representing a second - rank official, fit snugly on his well - built body. His hair was neatly tied up again. His eyes were still as deep as the night sea, and his eyebrows still carried that unerasable heroism and coldness.
Xiao Rencheng walked straight up to Lan Jinqin and glanced at her.
Although there was no sunlight in the cell, there were oil lamps in the niches around.
The man's sharp eyes swept openly over Lan Jinqin's neck. His hand paused for a moment, and he frowned.
"What happened to the wound on your neck?"