Qi Feng sucked in a breath of cold air. Jiang Ruan's words shocked him, but what was even more shocking was her tone and expression, which had an indescribable ruthlessness and hostility. He suddenly discovered that the word 'poisonous woman' that Mo Cong said was not enough to describe Jiang Ruan. She was ruthless enough, and more importantly, she was bold enough. Ordinary women would not dare to say such treacherous words, but she had said it, and said it so naturally. The winner was king, and the loser was in the wrong. This was the truth of the court battles, but no one dared to say it clearly.
After a long silence, he said, "Even if he really dares to do so, there are many people in the capital. If there is really a problem with the provisions, before they leave the city, they will be discovered and the matter will be exposed. Naturally, Zhang Ji will not have a good end. The Eighth Prince is not a fool. How can he let someone take advantage of something that could easily expose the target? "
Jiang Ruan smiled slightly, "Xuan Li is the most suspicious person, so he naturally will not use such a clumsy method. Therefore, the passive tampering of the provisions, at least within a few dozen miles of the city, will not have any problems. Moreover, he will definitely put on a show, and this show will be very exciting. The ultimate goal is to gain the trust of His Majesty. "
"You …" Qi Feng slightly narrowed his eyes, "You seem to know the Eighth Prince very well." Jiang Ruan's words naturally carried a kind of familiarity with Xuan Li, which made Qi Feng's heart flash with a strange feeling. But how could a virtuous girl be familiar with Xuan Li? Even if she was a princess in the palace, such an understanding of a person's character, and even understanding of what the other party would do next, could only be grasped by people who were close to her.
Qi Feng's heart flashed a guess. Could it be that Jiang Ruan admired Xuan Li? Only when she admired someone, would she always pay attention to what he did, what he thought, and understand his every move? But when Qi Feng seriously looked at Jiang Ruan's expression, he secretly shook his head. Jiang Ruan's eyes were calm, and her smile was gentle, but it lacked affection. Looking at her actions and words, it did not seem that she was interested in Xuan Li, which made Qi Feng even more confused.
"Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated." Jiang Ruan saw Qi Feng's puzzled gaze and smiled slightly, "Sooner or later, Jinying Wangfu will have to confront the Eighth Prince. Since it is a state of irreconcilable enmity, it is natural to make early preparations. Otherwise, it would not be good to be treated as a fool and end up dead." Her words were spoken softly, but Qi Feng was startled to hear that she was gnashing her teeth in anger. However, the other party's appearance was beautiful and her eyes were gentle. It was as if everything that had happened just now was an illusion.
"Even if Xuan Li wants to fight for the throne, it will not be so easy." Qi Feng smiled proudly. "In this world, there are also people that he does not dare to provoke. Isn't Third Sister-in-law worrying too much? I guarantee that he doesn't have the guts to attack Jinying Wangfu. "
Jiang Ruan's smile slowly turned cold. It was true that Qi Feng was well-versed in the politics of the imperial court, and he might be able to use it to achieve his own goals. However, Qi Feng also had a weakness, and that was that he was not good at guessing people's minds. From Qi Feng's point of view, he regarded Xuan Li as a politician, a fighting prince, and predicted his actions. However, Xuan Li's behavior would not be that of a fixed prince. Jiang Ruan viewed Xuan Li as a selfish and cunning man who was good at enduring silently. This man would use everything that could be used, including timing. She had been by this man's side for so many years, and her understanding of him was deep to the bone. Qi Feng was not as good as her.
"So, is Young Master Qi willing to help me?" Jiang Ruan said lightly.
Qi Feng was stunned. He suddenly realized that in the short words that Jiang Ruan had just said, he had already been shaken. Jiang Ruan's words had indeed made him suffer a lot. Unconsciously, he had already agreed with Jiang Ruan's words. He frowned. "Third Brother and I will prosper together, and we will both suffer together. I am duty-bound to help Third Brother. Third Sister-in-law, "he said slowly." We cannot beat the grass and startle the snake in this matter. We might as well let the secret guards continue to monitor Zhang Ji, and then find someone to guard the Xia fu and Jiang fu. At least, if we want to stop him, we need to find a foolproof plan. "
"Why should we stop him?" Jiang Ruan asked lightly.
Qi Feng was startled and looked at her puzzledly. "What do you mean?"
"There is a kind of bitterness in this world. It is that one cannot share success with others, and one cannot talk about grievances with others. Since Xia Jun and Jiang Chao want to do this in the dark, I will make them suffer in silence, unable to voice their bitterness. Young Master Qi is used to playing politics in the open, but I feel that sometimes, it is more convenient to do things in the dark. This time, I want them to pay the price! "
Shocked by the sudden burst of coldness in that pair of beautiful eyes, Qi Feng could not help but be stunned. He felt that when this charming young girl became ruthless, there was a kind of threatening beauty that bloomed in an instant. He had never met such a woman, and could not help but let out a long sigh. "So, Third Sister-in-law, what do you think we should do?"
Jiang Ruan looked at him with a smile. "I know that Young Master Qi also has a status in the court. The Eighth Prince will certainly put on a big show, and Young Master Qi will arrange someone to go and call for this show. This way, it will be fun."
"He even told you this?" Qi Feng was startled again, and then smiled bitterly. "Forget it, you are the Young Madam of Jinying Wang fu, there is nothing wrong with telling you. In the future, please take care of me, Third Sister-in-law. This time, please advise me. "
Jiang Ruan nodded lightly, and a trace of coldness flashed in her eyes.
…
In the palace.
In the Imperial Garden, the Empress was drinking tea and talking with a few beauties. The courtyard was full of orioles and swallows, and all of them were graceful and charming. However, the Empress, who was sitting on the main seat, could not hide the old look on her face even though she was dressed in fine clothes.
The Crown Prince was increasingly not favored. Although the Emperor did not explicitly order the Crown Prince to be deposed, the Crown Prince's participation in the court's affairs was not as good as that of the Eighth Prince and the Fifth Prince. This was enough to change the minds of those who were still watching. Originally, there were still some people who were neutral, but now, almost all of them had secretly joined the Eighth and Fifth Factions. As for the Crown Prince's people, there were not many left. At least everyone in the court knew that the title of the future Crown Prince of the Great Jin dynasty would not fall on the Crown Prince. Now, it all depended on whether the Eighth Prince or the Fifth Prince was more capable.
Sitting beside the Empress, one was Wang Lian 'er, and the other was Jiang Dan. Wang Lian 'er was dressed in a pink silk dress that tightened at the waist, making her fair skin look like goat's milk. She was beautiful, but there was a kind of gentleness and elegance in her gestures, as well as a faint scholarly aura. As the daughter of the Hanlin family, she was naturally a talented woman who lived up to her name. Now, she was the Emperor's favorite flower.
Jiang Dan was dressed in a jade-green dress. In terms of appearance, she was not as beautiful as Wang Lian 'er. She did not look as gentle and generous as Wang Lian' er, but she had a fresh and lively feeling. Compared to people like Wang Lian 'er, Jiang Dan was quite popular in the palace. Even the Empress found it difficult to dislike her. She had a kind of naivety in the way she did things. She treated the servants in the palace well, and she would not take the initiative to fight for favor. Therefore, compared to Wang Lian 'er, everyone in the palace liked her. Now, she often followed the Emperor and occasionally said something to make the Emperor laugh. The Emperor also valued her very much.
Mu Xirou did not come today. She had always been arrogant and cold. She never interacted with concubines in the palace. Concubine Xian was even more so. Ever since Imperial Concubine Chen and Concubine Shu were defeated, she spent her days in the palace pretending to be pure. It was because the battle between the Fifth Prince and the Eighth Prince was getting more and more intense that she had to retreat. She could not be arrogant because she was favored.
The rest were the new and lower ranked beauties. Among these beauties, there was no lack of lively and beautiful ones, but among the new beauties, there were only three who were favored the most. The Empress looked slightly tired and said, "The weather is getting colder."
It was indeed getting colder. It was winter, and the wind was stronger every day. Wang Lian 'er smiled and said, "Yes, but it is still warm in the capital. I heard that there are paper-sized snowflakes in the Kingdom of Tianjin. It should be the coldest. "
The Empress looked at Wang Lian 'er. Wang Lian' er's words revealed that the Emperor liked her very much. Otherwise, why would he tell Wang Lian 'er about the border? Her expression turned cold and she said, "It is true. The soldiers are suffering in the cold outside. It is really hard."
"Her Majesty the Empress is right," Jiang Dan smiled. "The Great Jin Dynasty's rivers and mountains need to be guarded by these soldiers. His Majesty's good fortune will last for a long time. Over at Tian Jin, we will definitely be able to win a battle. When the soldiers return home, it will certainly be a glorious day. However, every time I think about how the soldiers are working so hard, I feel very ashamed of myself for being so extravagant. I am willing to donate some silver and jewelry in exchange for some rations and supplies to be transported to the border. I will do my part. "
Hearing Jiang Dan's words, the Empress was a little surprised. Then she looked at her with admiration. As the mother of the country, no matter what thoughts the Empress had about the court, she always hoped that the Great Jin Dynasty could continue to prosper. Naturally, she also hoped that the war with the Kingdom of Tianjin would be fought beautifully. But everyone knew that this was not an easy task. Now that there was a shortage of rations, it was not easy for Jiang Dan to volunteer to donate some supplies. As a beauty in the palace, Jiang Dan naturally could not donate much. But once this news spread, the beauties in the palace followed suit, and so did the important officials of the court. Together, it would be a considerable amount of supplies. Moreover, Jiang Dan had instinctively mentioned this to the Emperor, but she had mentioned it to the Empress. This showed that she had no intention of competing for favor. This made the Empress feel more at ease. The Empress's expression toward Jiang Dan became even gentler. "It is rare that you are so considerate. I will mention this to His Majesty." Her words were obviously praising Jiang Dan.
Jiang Dan smiled. "Thank you, Your Majesty. I can do nothing but make a small contribution."
The surrounding beauties all looked at Jiang Dan with jealousy and envy. Wang Lian 'er's expression changed slightly. A moment later, it returned to normal and she smiled as if nothing had happened.
After the Empress ordered the crowd to disperse, Jiang Dan returned to her courtyard. Wan 'er, the maidservant beside her, handed her a letter and said softly, "Miss, there is a letter."
Jiang Dan returned to her room and asked the palace maids to leave before opening the letter. When she saw the contents of the letter, she was stunned at first. Then, she quickly read through it. After putting down the letter, she thought for a while and suddenly smiled slowly.
…
The supply troops would set off in about three days. Because Jiang Dan had volunteered to donate supplies, the beauties in the palace did not want to be outdone and donated their own jewelry. Even the women in the palace were so considerate, so the officials naturally had to follow suit. Everyone in the court more or less contributed a sum of money, which added up to a large sum. Now that the war had consumed a large amount of money from the national treasury, it also consumed a lot of rations. This temporarily alleviated the urgent problem of the shortage of rations. The Emperor was very pleased and doted on Jiang Dan even more.
Every day, Zhang Ji was busy gathering rations and planning the route. This war with Tianjin could not be underestimated, and everything had to be done without fail. On the third day, when they were supposed to set off, a piece of news came out of the palace. It was that the leader of the supply troops, Zhang Ji, had abused his power and withheld all the rations, reducing them by more than half.
This news came out of nowhere, but it shocked everyone in the court. If it was proven that the soldiers' rations had been withheld, not even ten heads would be enough for Zhang Ji to chop off. However, this was no small matter. The Emperor immediately sent someone to stop Zhang Ji and quickly summon him back to the capital.
At that time, Zhang Jizheng had just left the city with the supply troops and provisions. He did not expect that he would be captured by the Imperial Guards sent by the Emperor on the way. This matter immediately spread throughout the court and almost everyone felt insecure.
In a short period of time, the Emperor gathered all the court officials to discuss their views on this matter. Xuan Li straightened his collar, his expression as leisurely as ever, and could even be said to be like a spring breeze.
Jiang Chao stood to the side with his head bowed and said respectfully, "Your Highness, everything has been arranged. Enough news has been released to lure people into the trap. Once this matter comes out, not only will it increase His Majesty's trust in Your Highness, it will also suppress His Highness's side."
"This is just the beginning." Although Xuan Li was in a good mood, he did not show an expression of arrogance. No matter the time, he maintained a calm and forbearance.
"Your Highness is wise," Jiang Chao said. Suddenly, he seemed to think of something and looked at Xuan Li. "This time, it is all thanks to Beauty Jiang who released the news. It looks like this cooperation was good. In the future, it will be much more convenient with her." The news had been spread by Jiang Dan. There were many women in the imperial harem, and it was easy to spread rumors. In addition, each person had a faction behind them. It looked like a harem, but in reality, it was more complicated and easier to use than the previous court. With a little guidance, the desired effect would be achieved. Jiang Dan was smart, had no one to rely on, and did things cleanly. No one would suspect her. Jiang Chao sighed. "This subordinate originally thought that she was timid, but now it seems that this is not entirely the case. Your Highness is wise and has long predicted that she will cooperate with us. "
Xuan Li shook his head. "Do not underestimate women. Women are very cunning. As long as they know how to use their bodies and beauty, they can easily do many things that men cannot. Jiang Dan is not a timid person. Her ambition is higher than the heavens. As for why she is willing to cooperate with us and agreed so readily, on one hand, it is because she understands that she needs to rely on our strength in the palace. On the other hand — "Xuan Li's gaze darkened." She and Jiang Ruan have a grudge. "
"A grudge?" Jiang Chao was puzzled. "In the fu, she has never done anything to Jiang Ruan. At the time, it was Jiang Ruan's mother who raised her. Where did this hatred come from? "
Xuan Li laughed coldly but did not answer. There were some things that Jiang Chao might not know, but he might be able to find out. How exactly did Zhao Mei die? When Xia Yan had first entered the fu, she had been very careful and had used Jiang Dan's hand. When he had found out about this, Xuan Li himself had been astonished. After all, Jiang Dan had only been a child at that time, yet she had not hesitated to lay her hands on her own di mother. However, from this point, it could be seen that Jiang Dan had been vicious and merciless from a very young age.
If such an outstanding chess piece could not be used by him, it would be too much of a pity. He was afraid that Jiang Dan did not have a grudge. If he could make good use of the fact that Jiang Dan had poisoned Zhao Mei, it might be a great help in the future. It was just that he needed to carefully consider where this matter should be put to use. Jiang Chao was bold but not astute. He did not intend to tell Jiang Chao about this beforehand.
When Jiang Chao saw the Emperor, the crowd of civil and military officials had already been divided into two distinct factions. One faction insisted that Zhang Ji had misappropriated the army's provisions, while the other faction firmly believed that Zhang Ji had been wrongly accused.
Everyone knew that Zhang Ji's eldest son, Zhang Ming, had been close friends with Xuan Li. So when Xuan Li walked in, everyone's gaze turned to him. Some were filled with righteous indignation, some were taking pleasure in other people's misfortune. But when it came to Xuan Li, it was only resisted by a gentle expression, as if nothing major in the world could shake his composure.
Xuan Hua watched coldly as Xuan Li approached, a cold smile on his lips.
Coincidentally, a court official was bowing and arguing, "Your Majesty, Zhang Ji considers everyone beneath him. For his own greed, he disregarded the lives of tens of thousands of soldiers, and even threw the great favour of the Great Jin court to the back of his mind. This is truly a heinous crime!"
"Minister Wang's words are incorrect. Official Zhang has been in charge of the military supply troops for many years. How could he have made such a mistake? He must have been incited by someone with ulterior motives. This official does not believe it," another official said.
"Incited? Official Zhang has been an official for so many years. To be incited by someone, it is only because he listened to slanderous rumors. " Another voice said with a deeper meaning, "I heard that Official Zhang's three sons are now growing up …"
In these words, the spearhead was pointed at Xuan Li, intentionally or unintentionally. These words were strange. Indeed, Zhang Ji currently did not lack fame or wealth. If someone had really promised him something to make him not hesitate to commit such a grave mistake, then the promise must have been very generous. Under the heavens, what kind of promise did people yearn for the most? Naturally, it was the promise of the Emperor. And the relationship between Zhang Ji's sons and Xuan Li made people wonder if there was anything fishy going on.
The Emperor's gaze darkened as he looked at the court officials. It was just a matter of one Zhang Ji. To think that the factions in the court were so clearly divided. He actually did not know that the world now did not regard him, the Emperor, as their master. Was it because he was old? If anything happened to him, he would not hesitate. Without waiting for his decree, the world would immediately change its master!
Eunuch Li noticed the Emperor's expression and sighed in his heart. The competition between the princes was becoming more and more intense. They could not even hide it. But who knew the Emperor's thoughts, and that person … Ai. Eunuch Li had a trace of doubt in his heart. Why was Zhang Ji's matter so abnormal today? Normally, before the truth came to light, these court officials who saw the wind should sit and watch the situation develop. They should not be in such a hurry to express their stance. They should wait for Zhang Ji's crime to be proven or if he was wrongly accused before they all began to speak. Today was really too strange.
Naturally, they did not know that the reason these court officials had expressed their stance so early was because someone had already warned them. Everyone thought that the information they received was accurate. Now, they were arguing with reason because they were certain that the side they stood on would definitely be good.
A trace of pride flashed across Xuan Hua's face. Xuan Li saw it and only found it funny. Xuan Hua was too impatient. All these years, Xuan Hua had relied on Consort Xian's guidance to safely stay in the palace and even reach his current position. His impatient personality had not changed at all. If it was in the past, this would definitely cause the Emperor to feel suspicious. But since ancient times, Emperors were often suspicious. The more the situation looked to be unfavorable to Xuan Li, the more the Emperor would trust Xuan Li. Naturally, if something really happened to Zhang Ji, the first person to suspect who had ordered him to seduce him would naturally be Xuan Li. The more Xuan Li was at a disadvantage, the more people condemned him, and the more hesitant the Emperor would be. Because Xuan Li looked too isolated and helpless. People always sympathized with the weak, and the Emperor was the same. This was human nature.
But … A trace of doubt flashed across Xuan Li's eyes. Was today's matter too smooth? It was so smooth that he had a strange feeling in his heart, as if it should not be like this. When he had Jiang Dan release the news, it had only been a fixed number of people. But the people who spoke today were not in the plan. It was true that these people had pushed his plan forward and even made it smoother. But it was too smooth, and it made people suspicious.
"Lao Ba, what do you think of this matter?" The Emperor finally asked. The gaze he looked at Xuan Li was like a sharp sword, as if if Xuan Li said one wrong word, there would immediately be blood splattered on the spot.
"Justice is in the hearts of the people," Xuan Li said lightly. "I believe that Father has already made a decision. I believe in Father, and I also believe in Father's officials. We only need to wait for the person who reported to present the results of the investigation, and we will know."
He had already expressed his position with these words. He believed that Zhang Ji was innocent, but he had used the words "officials who believed in the Emperor", and this was already very polite. The Emperor's expression gradually eased. Xuan Li's actions made people feel more at ease.
Xuan Hua saw this and the corner of his mouth rose. It was just a struggle before death. Today, was the day Xuan Li died!
At this time, the captain of the soldiers who had been inspecting the army's provisions had already returned to report. He walked in with large strides and knelt down to report, "Replying to Your Majesty, we have investigated under orders. There is no shortage of provisions for the troops, and everything is in place."
Xuan Hua's smile froze. He heard Zhang Ji's angry voice from outside, "Your Majesty, I have been wronged —"
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