Chapter 1906: The Crown Princess's Methods

Soon after, a young woman dressed in white mourning clothes entered the imperial court.

The previously contentious court instantly fell silent. Everyone gazed at her, marveling at her delicate beauty. Due to her reserved nature, she had lived a secluded life even after becoming the Jin Princess Consort. Many officials in the court were seeing her for the first time and couldn't help but feel a touch of awe.

Her delicate brows were slightly furrowed, as if burdened by sadness, making one long to embrace and comfort her. Her watery eyes seemed on the verge of tears, evoking a sense of pity.

Mourning clothes enhance a woman's beauty! However, if she were entirely pale, she might appear too dull. Yet, her vibrant, luscious cherry-red lips provided a perfect contrast, bringing her entire appearance to life. The Jin Princess Consort was already beautiful, and the added aura of a grieving widow gave her a unique charm. Most of the officials in the court were men, and at their status, nearly all had multiple wives and concubines, making them seasoned connoisseurs of beauty. Yet, upon seeing her delicate figure, they instinctively felt a surge of protectiveness.

Under the collective gaze of the entire court, the Jin Princess Consort felt flustered and instinctively lowered her head. She continued to walk with small, hurried steps until she reached the front of the hall, where she paid her respects to the Empress, the Crown Prince, and the Crown Princess Consort.

"Sister-in-law, please rise quickly," the Crown Prince said. Though dim-witted, he could still distinguish between beauty and ugliness. He found his sister-in-law exceptionally beautiful and, staring at her attire, wondered when he could have Linglong wear something similar, thinking she would surely look good too.

"Thank you, Crown Prince," the Jin Princess Consort said, lowering her head as she moved to the side, where she happened to spot the embroidered-uniform envoys. She subconsciously felt a flicker of joy, but upon realizing that Xiao Jianren was not the Grand Commander, a hint of disappointment crept in. She covertly glanced around but didn't see the familiar figure, and her heart immediately grew anxious.

"Grant the Jin Princess Consort a seat," Bi Linglong said, feeling a pang of sympathy upon seeing her appearance.

"Thank you, Crown Princess Consort," the Jin Princess Consort said, quickly bowing.

After she was seated, Meng Yi was the first to speak, pointing at Zu An and saying, "Has the Jin Princess Consort been too overwhelmed with grief lately? This man is the true murderer of Prince Jin."

The Jin Princess Consort looked in the direction of the voice and saw Zu An standing there. She was taken aback. Was this the vicious murderer they spoke of? He appeared dignified and extraordinary... After the explanation from last night, she had already understood that he was not the culprit. Now, seeing him in person, so handsome and dashing, her last lingering trace of resentment vanished. And for some reason, looking into his eyes, she felt a vague sense of familiarity. It must be said, appearance matters in any world.

She lowered her head and replied, "Yesterday, the embroidered-uniform envoys examined my husband's body. He did not die by Lord Zu's hand but succumbed to a fit of rage that his body could not withstand."

Hearing the victim's widow confirm this, many in the court breathed a sigh of relief. Meng Yi's faction, however, frowned deeply. He was filled with regret, realizing his carelessness in not immediately sending someone to examine Prince Jin's body and secure the evidence. But who could have foreseen such an outcome? So many people had witnessed Zu An snapping Prince Jin's neck, yet the man was actually able to twist the truth. What was going on with the embroidered-uniform envoys? Weren't they always impartial? Had they secretly pledged allegiance to the Crown Princess Consort? No, that's impossible. The Empress still held control in the palace; she wouldn't have remained unresponsive if that were the case.

At this moment, Bi Linglong spoke again: "The embroidered-uniform envoys just provided their investigation results: Prince Jin appears to have been incited by Prince Dai and Princess Consort Dai, which led to his impulsive actions. Is this truly the case?"

At her words, everyone's gaze in the hall fell upon the Jin Princess Consort. Prince Dai, the subject of discussion, looked relaxed, thinking to himself that he had a good relationship with the Jin Princess Consort; she had even thanked him for his care yesterday. How could she possibly give testimony detrimental to him? His only concern was when he could visit the Jin Prince's Residence again. The "good deed" from yesterday had been interrupted by that Grand Commander. He needed to find a safer time to go, as the "Forget-Sorrow Rosemary" was limited and could only be used one more time. Wasting it again would truly be cause for tears.

The Jin Princess Consort's heart also trembled. She immediately understood that the Grand Commander of the embroidered-uniform envoys was fulfilling his promise. How could everything be so similar to her dream...? Originally, she hadn't wanted to cause trouble, believing it best to stay out of harm's way. But then she considered that the Grand Commander had dared to offend a prince for her sake, and that her husband had died mysteriously. Gritting her teeth, she bravely stated, "Indeed, a few days ago, Princess Consort Dai and then Prince Dai visited the residence and spoke with my husband. Afterwards, my husband became very angry, shouting that he wanted to go out and avenge the Emperor."

"I beg Her Majesty the Empress and the Crown Princess Consort to administer justice for your humble concubine!"

Her words caused an uproar in the hall. Everyone had already felt sympathetic towards her charming and pitiable appearance, and upon hearing this, they glared angrily at Prince Dai. Some short-tempered ministers even began to openly curse him. Besides the Crown Prince's faction and Prince Dai's Meng family faction, there were also many neutral parties in the court. They wouldn't side with anyone but would act according to their personal inclinations.

Prince Dai's mouth gaped open. He had never imagined that the "little white rabbit" in his eyes would bite him back. Although he dreamed of being bitten by her, this was not the kind of bite he had in mind. At this moment, Meng Yi discreetly nudged him, finally bringing him back to his senses.

Prince Dai, both angry and anxious, cried out, "Jin Princess Consort, I've been so good to you, why do you want to harm me?"

His words made the expressions of the assembled ministers turn strange. Your brother died, and you immediately went to offer comfort to his widow—any man could guess your intentions. The Jin Princess Consort was not foolish either. While she might not have realized it when she was caught in the situation before, now, upon reflection, she saw that his intentions had been anything but good. He had not only harmed her husband but also harbored improper designs on her.

Trembling with anger, she retorted, "You are the ones who harmed my husband! You wanted to instigate him against Zu An, thereby crippling the Crown Prince's influence, and then seize power yourselves!"

These words stunned Prince Dai. Why had the Jin Princess Consort, whom he had seen as knowing nothing, suddenly become so clever and accurately guessed everything? The hall erupted in commotion. What was initially a case of a murdered prince had unexpectedly become entangled with the succession to the throne? Many well-informed high-ranking officials secretly nodded, as they had long known of Meng Yi's ambition to support Prince Dai's ascent. This revelation made everything clear.

Meng Yi could no longer remain silent. "Jin Princess Consort, stop spouting nonsense! These are not words you could have come up with. Who taught you to say this? Confess immediately!"

The Jin Princess Consort was inherently delicate, and under his harsh intimidation, she immediately began to tremble, unable to speak.

Zu An scoffed, stepping forward. "Lord Meng, what a display of power. Are you intimidating a witness?"

Seeing him stand before her, the surrounding pressure instantly vanished. The Jin Princess Consort's gaze towards him became exceptionally complex. Although another mastermind was behind her husband's death, Zu An was still somewhat involved. Yet, for some reason, after seeing him in person, she felt no aversion, but rather a sense of gratitude.

Meng Yi also snorted. "This Jin Princess Consort is clearly being incited by someone. She couldn't possibly say such things."

At this point, Bi Linglong spoke: "Jin Princess Consort, has anyone instructed you to say these words? You don't need to worry. Speak freely; your sister-in-law will ensure justice for you. Don't be afraid!"

She played the kinship card, and only then did everyone realize that Prince Jin and the Crown Prince were brothers by the same mother, making their relationship as sisters-in-law the closest. The image of the tall, burly masked figure flashed in the Jin Princess Consort's mind. Her heart inexplicably quickened, and a blush appeared on her cheeks. "No one taught me," she said. "I am simply telling the truth. Indeed, Princess Consort Dai came to the residence and said something to my husband, and later Prince Dai frequently visited as well. After that, my husband became exceptionally irritable and prone to anger."

At this moment, Zhao Ruizhi suddenly let out a strange cry, leaped from his chair, grabbed a golden gourd from nearby, and swung it at Prince Dai's head. "You scoundrel, how dare you harm Yongyong! This Crown Prince will beat you to death!"

With a thud, Prince Dai was somewhat dazed by the blow. Though the fat man's cultivation wasn't high, his strength was considerable. If Prince Dai's own cultivation hadn't far surpassed his, his head would probably have been smashed open by now. He was furious, but in front of the assembled officials, he dared not fight back. He could only cover his head and run around the hall. The two, one chasing and one fleeing, bumped into people in the crowd, turning the dignified imperial court into a chaotic theatrical troupe.

At this point, the Empress coughed lightly. "Enough! What kind of conduct is this, fighting and brawling? Guards, separate them!"

"Yes!" Soon, some eunuchs ran over and tightly embraced the Crown Prince, and only then did the grand hall gradually quiet down.

Then, Liu Guang, the State Duke, spoke: "Jin Princess Consort, did you personally hear Prince Dai and Princess Consort Dai inciting Prince Jin to deal with Zu An?"

The Jin Princess Consort paused. "Not exactly, but..."

Liu Guang directly interrupted her. "Exactly. It's quite normal for brothers to chat and visit each other frequently. The Princess Consort might have misunderstood something."

Bi Linglong's expression changed. The Liu family was openly siding with one party, which surely indicated the Empress's wishes. As expected, the shrewd officials in the court immediately understood the situation: after all this, it was yet another struggle between the Empress and the Crown Princess Consort. Many who had previously been indignant now quieted down. Although the Jin Princess Consort was pitiable, she wasn't their woman, so why fight so hard for her? With this clear signal, ministers from the Meng family, Prince Dai's faction, and even the Liu family began to speak on Prince Dai's behalf, and the voices from the Crown Prince's faction were gradually suppressed.

Finally, the Empress declared, "This matter is riddled with doubts. The current evidence is insufficient to conclude that Prince Dai and Princess Consort Dai were the masterminds. Further investigation is required; do not jump to conclusions easily."

Prince Dai, Meng Yi, and others hurriedly bowed in salute. "Your Majesty is wise."

The Empress glanced at Zu An, a hint of apology flashing in her eyes, then continued, "However, the existing evidence is sufficient to prove Lord Zu's innocence in this matter. From today onward, his freedom will no longer be restricted."

"Furthermore, I have an announcement: As Zhu Xie Chixin sacrificed himself at Mount Zi, the Embroidered Uniform Guard cannot remain leaderless. Therefore, Golden Badge Eleven is hereby appointed as the new Grand Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. All other Golden Badge Embroidered Uniforms will be under his command; all major and minor affairs of the Embroidered Uniform Guard will be decided solely by him."

The court erupted in an uproar. This authority was significantly greater than what Zhu Xie Chixin had held in his time. It was known that back then, the Emperor had assigned ten Golden Badge Embroidered Uniforms to counterbalance Zhu Xie Chixin. While nominally under Zhu Xie Chixin's command, they were each responsible for a large region, taking orders but not direct proclamations, and also had a direct channel to submit secret reports to the Emperor. Furthermore, major personnel and financial powers within the Embroidered Uniform Guard required the Emperor's review and approval. But now, the Empress seemed to be granting all these powers to Golden Badge Eleven? If so, wouldn't the Embroidered Uniform Guard become a state within a state, and wouldn't this new Grand Commander become an even more formidable figure than Zhu Xie Chixin?

Zu An frowned, knowing this was her deliberate compensation. The struggle between her and Bi Linglong had indeed reached a fever pitch. Prince Jin was, in fact, born to her elder sister, yet for the sake of the conflict between the Liu and Bi families, she had sided with Prince Dai.

At this point, Prince Dai cried out, "Your Majesty, please reconsider! This does not conform to regulations. All past Grand Commanders have been personally appointed by the Emperor. Golden Badge Eleven has shallow roots and no significant accomplishments; how can he assume the position of Grand Commander!" He had suffered a great loss at that person's hands yesterday, and the more he thought about it, the more he hated him. Afterwards, he had even investigated to find out when the embroidered-uniform envoys had acquired a new Grand Commander. The dismissal of his guardian, Elder Chen, was too significant to be concealed. Upon returning to his residence, Princess Consort Dai quickly learned of it and found out he had gone to the Jin Prince's Residence to provoke the Jin Princess Consort, whereupon she gave him a severe scolding. However, as they were a married couple and in the same predicament, she patiently explained various subsequent strategies. Indeed, as Chan'er had predicted, the Empress would publicly announce the appointment, and he would seize the opportunity to reclaim his standing in court.

"Golden Badge Eleven, you're quite a fighter, aren't you? This Prince is indeed no match for you, but those who use their minds govern others, while those who use their brawn are governed. When it comes to politics, ten brainless warriors like you combined are no match for my Chan'er."