12dz Chapter 114 The Manipulator After the Conflict Between the Lü and Chi Families
Chapter 114 The Manipulator After the Conflict Between the Lü and Chi Families
Chi Guiwan had never imagined such a possibility, but after her cousin's analysis, she felt a glimmer of hope.
"Who could that be?"
"Anyone could be involved. It's been so long since there's been any good news from the palace, so Consort Jia's pregnancy has certainly angered everyone."
Haijin calmly analyzed the situation, and upon hearing these words, Qiao Er was the first to react.
"Wouldn't that mean His Highness the Crown Prince would also be suspected? After all, if Consort Jia's child is a prince, the person who would be most wary of him is His Highness the Crown Prince."
"What should we do then? Was Lingyi summoned by the people from the Crown Prince's Palace related to this matter?"
Chi Guiwan asked worriedly, but no one could give her a definite answer, so her worry was palpable.
"Don't worry, His Highness the Crown Prince always plans carefully before acting. He might be looking for Third Sister to discuss something else."
Haijin offered a word of comfort, but Chi Guiwan clearly did not believe his explanation.
Her worries, like the cold wind outside, blew from the Marquis of Haibo's residence to the East Palace. This was He Lingyi's first time visiting the East Palace!
As expected of a place where dragon veins are inherited, He Lingyi felt a faint sense of oppression from the moment he stepped through the door, yet it was also mixed with a bit of a gentle breeze, which seemed very strange.
When she arrived at the Wan Court, she finally understood where that so-called "gentle breeze" came from.
Winter should be the time when plum blossoms brave the wind to bloom, but here, thousands of magnolias are in full bloom, filling the courtyard with their fragrance, which is pure, elegant, and unblemished.
The Crown Prince likes magnolias? She had never heard of that before.
But just as the thought crossed her mind, her father-in-law, Xia Jing, who had been guiding her, kindly explained.
"These magnolias were Empress Wen's favorite flowers. After the Empress passed away, His Highness transplanted them here and had them cared for all four seasons, using every possible method to ensure they bloom continuously. Miss He, when you marry into the Eastern Palace, I will explain many things to you later."
"Thank you for your guidance, Eunuch Xia."
The Crown Prince's attendant is extraordinary. He can discern a person's thoughts with just a few glances. One can imagine how clever he must be. However, this eunuch Xia's cleverness is not annoying. Instead, he seems exceptionally steady and reliable.
The Eastern Palace is indeed full of hidden talents!
Soon, the two arrived at the door of the house. Eunuch Xia knocked lightly twice, and the Crown Prince's usual cold voice came from inside.
"Come in."
"Yes."
Eunuch Xia gestured for him to enter, but did not step inside himself. Seeing this, He Lingyi understood that this was a private audience, so he took a breath and pushed open the door to enter.
The furnishings in the study were much simpler than He Lingyi had imagined.
I had thought that for a prince of such high status, the room would have to be decorated with gold and jade carvings, but now it seems that it is fine. The objects are just a bit expensive, but the arrangement is elegant.
After scanning the room, He Lingyi finally spotted the Crown Prince playing a game alone by the window. Upon seeing this, He Lingyi stepped forward, bowed, and said...
"Lady He greets Your Highness."
"My teacher said that your chess skills are excellent. Play a game with me."
He Lingyi parted her lips slightly, originally intending to refuse, but unable to find a suitable excuse, she could only agree. She then sat down opposite the Crown Prince. When she picked up a white piece, a sense of familiarity washed over her.
So they began to place their pieces.
Both players played with lightning speed, and in less than a quarter of an hour, the battle on the chessboard was in full swing. The Crown Prince had studied chess for many years and rarely encountered an opponent. Haijin was one, and He Lingyi was another.
"Miss He is indeed very capable to remain calm and composed even after a hundred steps."
"It is my honor to receive Your Highness's praise, but I don't understand why Your Highness summoned me here today. Today is Sister Chi's homecoming day, and I would like to go and talk to her."
He Lingyi hadn't seen his mother for several days. Although he knew she was doing well at the Qiao family's house, he still needed to see her in person to feel at ease. Therefore, he was somewhat reluctant to accept the Crown Prince's sudden summons.
Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince didn't say much, but simply took out a secret letter and handed it over.
He Lingyi was puzzled, but after she finished reading the letter, her expression was quite shocked.
"The conflict between the Lü and Chi families was actually orchestrated by Consort Liang?!"
"Yes, she had someone administer the drug. Both Madam Lü and Young Madam Lü were affected, which is why their inner evil was triggered and this dispute arose. However, I am a little curious. During my investigation, I heard that a kind-hearted young lady had also paid close attention to the Lü family. I wonder if Miss He could clear up my doubts?"
The Crown Prince spoke frankly, and He Lingyi could not hide anything from him.
Looking into his deep eyes, He Lingyi felt that probably no one could lie to him, so he decided to tell only half of what he knew.
"The Lu family came to propose marriage because Madam Guo wanted to seize the marriage of Sister Chi. She deliberately provoked them. In order to protect her, I punished her by passing the trouble to Second Miss Chi. As for what happened later, Your Highness probably knows better than I do. Second Miss Chi refused to give up, so she secretly did some disgusting things to Sister Chi. I pay more attention so that I can make more decisions for Sister Chi. That's all."
"is it?"
The Crown Prince asked a question in return, and He Lingyi nodded firmly, her eyes unwavering. She wasn't lying!
"I've always been curious why Miss He seems to favor Miss Chi. Logically, since they both live in the Vice Minister's residence and have no prior acquaintance, shouldn't they be getting closer to each other?"
“I do not agree with Your Highness’s words. I can tell who is heartless and who is innocent. The reason I am biased towards Sister Chi is because she has a sincere heart. Second Miss Chi is scheming and always puts her interests first in her words and deeds. She either harms others or benefits herself. Most of the time, she climbs up by stepping on others. If I were to befriend her, I am afraid I would not have the chance to argue with Your Highness here today.”
He Lingyi switched from defense to offense, making his point clear directly.
If she were on the same side as Chi Guiying, how could she have gotten close to all sorts of people around the Crown Prince? So what she said was absolutely true.
"Indeed, she is a granddaughter personally taught by her teacher. She has a strong sense of right and wrong."
Upon hearing this, He Lingyi realized that she had passed the test.
So, looking at the secret letter, he changed the subject back to, "Since Your Highness has asked me, I also have something I'm curious about."
"Go ahead."
"As far as I know, Consort Liang comes from an unremarkable family and has no children. She seems to have no leverage for the lofty throne. Why would she take action against the Chi and Lü families? And why would she escalate this matter to the point of no return?"
The Crown Prince smiled and said, "You hit the nail on the head."
He Lingyi looked calmly at the Crown Prince, wanting to hear the most truthful reason. The Crown Prince did not hide anything and spoke directly.
"Consort Liang was eight months pregnant, but the fetus died in the womb. In addition to being heartbroken, her body was also greatly damaged and she could not have children again. At that time, Consort Jia was one of the concubines who was closest to her. Two months ago, someone told her that her pregnancy was caused by someone sabotaging her. Tell me, will Consort Liang seek revenge?"