In the Eighth Prince's fu, Xuan Li threw the letter into the flames. In an instant, the flames licked the words on the paper and turned it into a pile of ashes. The advisor behind him could not help but ask, "Why did Your Highness refute Jiang Zhaoyi's idea?"
Jiang Dan's proposal to join forces with Xuan Li to overthrow Jinying Wangfu was tempting. Since Jiang Dan had said so, she must have an idea. With Xuan Li's cautious temperament, he should have listened, but Xuan Li had rejected Jiang Dan without hesitation. This was really strange.
"She is anxious now, that's why she can't keep her cool. Presumably, she has something on Jiang Ruan and wants to borrow my hand to deal with Jiang Ruan. At the same time, she also mentioned Jinying Wangfu. What good ideas can she have? Moreover, it's really not worth my help. " Xuan Li looked at the dancing flames, "Moreover, this woman is very scheming and has already mixed with Lao Wu."
The advisor followed Xuan Li's gaze and looked at the flames. He knew that it was a secret protection from the palace. For Jiang Dan to have a relationship with Xuan Hua in such a short time, it was indeed obvious that she was anxious. The advisor pondered for a moment, "Then Your Highness means ….?"
"Just an idiot." Xuan Hua absent-mindedly said, "It would naturally be good if these two people could join forces to overthrow Jinying Wangfu. Xiao Shao's existence will always be a stumbling block. There will be a day when I will also get rid of this stone. If someone does it for me, why not?" He seemed to find it a little funny, "If their skills are inferior, with Xiao Shao and Jiang Ruan's temperament, what benefits do you think they can gain?" Xuan Li said, "Lao Wu has been an eyesore in the court for a long time. Now, there is Xuan Pei. If Lao Wu disappears from this world, it is also a good thing for me." He looked at the golden buttons on his sleeves and said, "In any case, I have nothing to lose, why should I get involved in this muddy water?"
"Your Highness is wise." The advisor sighed, "When the sandpiper and the clam fight, the fisherman benefits. In the end, Your Highness has picked up the benefits." He thought for a moment and suddenly said, "However, Jiang Zhaoyi is Your Highness's person. If she suddenly joins forces with Fifth Prince, she can no longer be used by us and has become an abandoned chess piece. In the future, news in the palace …."
"She is already useless." Xuan Li interrupted him, "Yuan Chuan has already entered the palace, what use is Jiang Dan? Why don't you make use of your last chance to help me with something? At least this trip won't be in vain. "
In this game, it would be better to help me finish this game. " Your Highness is indeed the best chess player. In the end, it will still be up to Your Highness to end this game. "
…
Jiang Ruan stretched herself and subconsciously hugged the source of warmth in her hands. She opened her eyes in a daze, only to discover that her hands were still wrapped around Xiao Shao's waist, and Xiao Shao's peaceful sleeping face was right before her eyes.
The sunlight faintly shone through the curtains, clearing her muddled mind a little. Suddenly, she remembered what happened yesterday. In the end, she had kissed Xiao Shao for some reason. The passion had come so suddenly that Xiao Shao had taken advantage of her dazed state to carry her out of the study. Perhaps the passion could also dilute some of the pain. In the moment of intense sweat and intimacy, all the painful emotions had been released.
And then? Jiang Ruoyi was slightly stunned. She felt an aching pain all over her body, as if she had been ruthlessly crushed. It had to be said that Xiao Shao was really smart. Things that others had learned several times, he only needed one try to master. It was the same for these things. How could there be such a good coincidence? It almost made her dizzy in that strange sense of bliss. Moreover, this person was usually steady and cold, but she did not know why he was so vile on the bed. Every time he deliberately bullied someone until they could not speak, he would coldly watch them struggle and admit defeat.
She propped up her chin with one hand and carefully sized up the young man lying on his side. Xiao Shao's eyelashes were long and straight, casting a shadow on his face. The bridge of his nose was high and elegant, and his lips were thin and rosy. The sleeping Xiao Shao looked very quiet. It was hard to imagine that such a quiet and cold person would sweat and move crazily in the night. As long as she had those memories in her mind, she felt a little embarrassed.
Just as he was thinking, his hand was suddenly pulled by someone, and he actually fell into a warm embrace. Xiao Shao's eyes did not open, but his voice was very clear, with a faint satisfaction of a gluttonous woman, he said, "It's still early."
"It's not early," Jiang Ruoyi replied casually. She immediately reacted and asked, "You're awake?"
Xiao Shao's lips curved. He opened his eyes to look at her and said, "En."
This person seemed to be very mischievous when he was not in front of his subordinates. Occasionally, he was also very childish. He probably thought that teasing others was very fun. In Jiang Ruoyi's eyes, this kind of behavior was very similar to Xuan Pei's. It was just that Xuan Pei was cute when he did this, but in the eyes of someone like Xiao Shao, who usually had a cold face, it seemed a little strange.
"You …" Jiang Ruoyi pushed him, but Xiao Shao did not let go. His strength was great, so as long as he used a little bit of skill, Jiang Ruoyi would not be able to do anything. At this moment, she could only lie in his embrace. She thought of something and asked, "Yesterday, I said those things to you, but you were not able to hear them in the end. When do you plan to say it?"
Thinking of this matter, Jiang Ruoyi felt very uncomfortable. Yesterday, her emotions were in turmoil. Most likely, when Xiao Shao carried her back to the room, it was seen by the servants of the wang fu. What would those people think? As soon as the wangfei returned to the fu, she couldn't wait to have sex with her mistress in the study. Wasn't this a little too thirsty? As for housekeeper Lin, he was afraid that he would be even more puzzled. They were just talking about a secret, so how did they end up talking about the bed?
Now that she had lost all her face, Jiang Ruoyi only felt that it would be even more difficult to establish her prestige in front of the servants. She could not help but sigh in her heart. Xiao Shao's expression slightly paused and he said, "Yesterday, you were too impatient. I thought you wanted to do something more important."
"Something more important?" Jiang Ruoyi glared at him, "What do you mean by something more important?" It was clear that this person harbored ulterior motives. Originally, he had only wanted to gently comfort her, but this fellow had actually taken advantage of her when she was in a difficult situation.
Xiao Shao could not help but laugh again. Jiang Ruoyi glared at him for a while and also laughed. She pushed Xiao Shao, "Alright, get up first. I don't have anything to do today, so I can listen to whatever you want to say. " She teased, "Even if you say that you are like me, a person who has also died once, I will not despise you."
"If you want to listen, I will tell you." Xiao Shao stroked her hair, "Get up first."
After breakfast, Jiang Ruoyi and Xiao Shao walked to the courtyard. The pavilion in the courtyard was adjacent to a pond. The water in the pond was so green that the bottom could be seen. Red fish swam back and forth in the pond, embellishing the monotonous winter sky. Jiang Ruoyi kept Xiao Shao's words in her mind. At this moment, she saw that his expression was no longer as relaxed as it had been in the morning. It could even be said to be somewhat gloomy. She also realized that there was something different about this matter, so she just silently followed by his side.
"Ah Ruan," Xiao Shao said, "You have paid respects to my parents' memorial tablets."
"Yes," Jiang Ruoyi nodded, "On the day of our marriage." On the day she had married into the Jinying Wang fu, she had personally paid respects to her parents-in-law in front of the memorial tablets of the old Jinying Wang couple. At this moment, hearing Xiao Shao mention it, she remembered.
"Actually, you have not paid respects to them." Xiao Shao lowered his eyes. It was unknown what he was thinking of, but he slowly said, "There is nothing for you to pay respects to."
Jiang Ruoyi was startled and looked at him inquiringly. The meaning of these words was really thought-provoking. Did he mean that the memorial tablets that were enshrined in the ancestral hall were actually not the Jinying Wang couple? Or did he mean something else?
"Do you remember that one day when you came to the fu and saw me paying respects to someone here?" Xiao Shao stood with his hands clasped behind his back. At this moment, his tall and straight figure seemed somewhat desolate, "That is the person you should be paying respects to."
Jiang Ruoyi was startled. She recalled that there had indeed been a day when Xiao Shao was drunk and had kissed her. It was precisely when she had bumped into Xiao Shao paying respects to someone. On that day, she had found it strange because it was not the memorial day of the Jinying Wang couple. But she could not think of any other reason. Her suspicions at that time had finally been confirmed at this moment. As she pondered over Xiao Shao's words, she heard Xiao Shao's voice coming from beside her, "I am not the son of Jinying Wang."
Jiang Ruoyi raised her head. Xiao Shao's pitch-black eyes were indescribable as he said, "My father is the Crown Prince, Hong Xi."
Jiang Ruoyi stared blankly for a moment. Then, a monstrous storm set off in her heart. Crown Prince Hong Xi, the eldest son of Empress Dowager Yi De, the elder brother of the current Emperor, should have been the current ruler of the Great Jin dynasty. However, on the eve of the founding of the dynasty, the Crown Prince who had died under the trampling of thousands of horses was actually Xiao Shao's father?
Xiao Shao glanced at Jiang Ruoyi, then turned his face away. He stood at the edge of the pavilion and slowly began to narrate his story.
Empress Dowager Yi De had two sons and one daughter. The eldest daughter, Princess Yuan Rong, was intelligent, gentle, generous, and appropriate. The second son, Crown Prince Hong Xi, was also famous in the capital at a young age. The current Emperor was the youngest, so he was greatly spoiled by his two elder brothers. In the end, he was also intelligent. The relationship between the three of them had always been good. When the late Emperor was alive, he had been rather fearful of Empress Dowager Yi De's domineering style. He had even suppressed Empress Dowager Yi De's maternal family. Although Empress Dowager Yi De's actions were swift and decisive, and she had quite a few tricks up her sleeve in the court, the biggest blow had come from her own husband. The late Emperor was afraid that Empress Dowager Yi De would monopolize power, so he had always pampered the imperial concubines. He had even intentionally promoted other princes to balance the power. This indeed prevented the possibility of the imperial relatives monopolizing power. However, after the late Emperor's death, the originally balanced situation was disrupted. The Great Jin dynasty faced an unprecedented crisis as the eight princes fought for the throne.
Crown Prince Hong Xi was the Crown Prince in name, but his position was not very stable. Not to mention his eight ambitious brothers, even among the court officials, there were few who supported him. The late Emperor had left a terrible mess for Empress Dowager Yi De to clean up, but it was Crown Prince Hong Xi who was in charge of this chaotic country.
The eight brothers each occupied a mountain and wanted to force the Empress Dowager to abdicate. Empress Dowager Yi De had no choice but to seek outside help. At that time, one appeared. It was the Princess of Nan Jiang, Qi Man. Crown Prince Hong Xi was not only truly virtuous and talented, but also had a heart for the world. He was also extremely handsome and had an elegant demeanor. At that time, Nan Jiang had not yet been destroyed, so its strength could not be underestimated. This princess had once met Crown Prince Hong Xi when she had come to Great Jin. She had secretly set her heart on him, but unfortunately, Crown Prince Hong Xi had tactfully declined.
Crown Prince Hong Xi's Crown Princess was the number one female doctor in Great Jin at that time, Xiang Xiaoyuan. Although Xiang Xiaoyuan was not as beautiful as Qi Man, she had good medical skills, and her mind was filled with many new and strange things. She was not born into an official's family, but had come from the wilderness. Once, she had helped a first-rank official who was on the verge of death to save his life. It was said that she had performed some kind of 'surgery' and entered the palace to obtain the official position of female doctor. Crown Prince Hong Xi and she were finally able to get married, but it was a good thing that he had finally gotten the beauty. Crown Prince Hong Xi had always been clean in the matters between men and women, and he and Xiang Xiaoyuan were truly in love. Apart from Xiang Xiaoyuan, the Crown Princess, the concubines in the inner court had all been privately dismissed. How could he agree to the Princess of Nan Jiang's proposal to divorce Xiang Xiaoyuan and marry the Princess?
But in Empress Dowager Yi De's view, this was not rational. It was true that she was also very fond of Xiang Xiaoyuan's intelligence and breadth of mind, which was different from any other woman's. However, to give up the country for a woman was not a wise ruler. Perhaps Crown Prince Hong Xi really was not a competent ruler, and his heart was not ruthless enough, but he was indeed a good husband and a good father.
Qi Man had spread the word that if Crown Prince Hong Xi agreed, the Southern Border would lend a hundred thousand troops to help the Great Jin dynasty quell the rebellion of the Eight Princes. Crown Prince Hong Xi did not agree, but the current Emperor was not willing. The Emperor and Crown Prince Hong Xi had always had a close relationship. The two brothers had always thought of the same thing, even the women they liked. Xiang Xiaoyuan's intelligence was different from any other woman. Crown Prince Hong Xi liked her, and so did the Emperor. But in Xiang Xiaoyuan's eyes, the Emperor was only a little brother. He could only watch as she married his older brother.
Perhaps it was because of the jealousy and unwillingness in his heart, or perhaps it was because his heart was more suitable to be an Emperor than Crown Prince Hong Xi's, but he had promised Qi Man that he would first think of a way for Qi Man to obtain Crown Prince Hong Xi, and then send troops to help the Great Jin dynasty. The Emperor's original intention was actually just a stopgap measure. He thought that it was nothing more than a love affair between a man and a woman. In the end, Crown Prince Hong Xi would not suffer any losses. As long as Qi Man was temporarily appeased, after the rebellion of the Eight Princes was quelled, he could find a reason to kick Qi Man away.
The only variable was Xiang Xiaoyuan. Xiang Xiaoyuan's feelings were different from any other woman in this world. She was particular about how a man could only have one woman in his lifetime. Having three wives and four concubines was a sin. This was treason in the Jin dynasty, but Crown Prince Hong Xi had agreed. No matter how many people had tried to intimidate them, Crown Prince Hong Xi's attitude had always been firm. The Emperor knew that he could not do what Crown Prince Hong Xi had done. He did not ridicule Xiang Xiaoyuan in his heart, but to everyone's shock, the smile on Xiang Xiaoyuan's face was dazzling with happiness. Crown Prince Hong Xi had done it.
If Xiang Xiaoyuan knew of this, it was unknown how many variables it would cause. But for the sake of the Great Jin dynasty, or perhaps for the sake of the Emperor's own dark thoughts, he had finally made a decision that he would regret for the rest of his life.
At that time, Xiang Xiaoyuan had just given birth to Xiao Shao. Xiao Shao had just turned one month old. On the day of the full moon banquet, countless guests came and went.
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