Although Qin Shuying’s voice wasn’t loud, her speech was extremely rapid, leaving almost no room for others to interject. In an instant, she had finished saying all this, and Princess Fuping immediately felt her heart leap with alarm. Where had this fool come from, who dared to speak such treasonous words in front of so many people?

The gardener women had already walked far away and hadn’t heard. The palace maids beside Fuping naturally turned pale with fright, trembling as they looked toward Fuping.

One of the palace maids, being somewhat more composed, pointed at Qin Shuying and said: “You, you, you—why don’t you shut your mouth immediately!”

Shut her mouth? Having achieved her purpose of attracting the princess’s attention, she would naturally shut her mouth now.

Qin Shuying smiled faintly and slowly performed a curtsy, saying: “This subject’s daughter greets Your Highness the Princess! This subject’s daughter is the niece of Minister of Justice Qin Yongtao, Lianpin’s cousin, ranked seventh in the Qin residence. Your Highness has always been magnanimous toward people and naturally wouldn’t hold my crude words against me. This subject’s daughter did not pick the Yao Huang, Your Highness.”

Princess Fuping was still young, but she was intelligent by nature. She naturally knew something about the matters between Consort De and Lianpin. This woman had actually laid bare the relationship between Consort De and Lianpin with just a few words. Princess Fuping couldn’t help but furrow her brow slightly and scrutinize Qin Shuying carefully.

The palace maid came to her senses. Seeing that Princess Fuping wasn’t speaking, she said: “What a clever tongue! If it wasn’t you, then who was it?”

“It was Auntie Han Dan from Lianpin’s side. She said the Yao Huang was beautiful and picked one. This subject’s daughter tried to dissuade her, but she wouldn’t listen to my advice and insisted on having her way. This subject’s daughter is merely Lianpin’s cousin who doesn’t receive much regard. Against a palace maid whom Lianpin relies upon, I was naturally helpless.”

How could Princess Fuping possibly believe her words?

She still remained silent, deep in thought.

Qin Shuying smiled faintly and said: “It’s natural that Your Highness doesn’t believe this subject’s daughter’s words. If Your Highness has nothing pressing today, you might as well observe how Auntie Han Dan will frame me.”

“Insolent!” Princess Fuping had merely been startled by Qin Shuying’s treasonous words earlier, but now she had recovered her senses and realized she was being led around by the other party. Moreover, Qin Shuying’s words were obviously unreasonable. The dignity of a princess naturally couldn’t tolerate such offense. “How dare you try to deceive this princess—what audacity!”

Qin Shuying’s eyes were like deep pools, gazing calmly and without ripples at Princess Fuping. “Your Highness, whether it’s true or not, Your Highness need only watch and see.”

Never before had a mere official’s daughter dared to speak to her like this. Moreover, what Qin Shuying said was indeed too shocking, even involving her mother consort’s strongest rival, Lianpin. Princess Fuping’s curiosity was inevitably aroused.

“Even if what you say is true, why would Lianpin do such a thing? Besides, rather than punishing you, this princess would have to help you perform a play. What benefit would this princess gain?”

Qin Shuying smiled faintly. Truly worthy of being a princess raised in the deep palace—she immediately understood the implication. She herself had never mentioned Lianpin explicitly, yet Princess Fuping was certain this was Lianpin’s instruction. And she even wanted to cooperate in performing a play—truly intelligent. To be so clever at such a young age was indeed rare.

“Your Highness, let’s speak plainly. This subject’s daughter has no conflicts of interest whatsoever with Your Highness. Why would Han Dan specifically scheme to have me offend Your Highness?”

“Clever words and fair appearance! How would this princess know whether Han Dan picked that Yao Huang or you did?”

“Your Highness, this is actually quite simple. The greenhouse is only so big. Since entering, this subject’s daughter has never left. With one command from Your Highness, you can have someone search and know the truth.”

Princess Fuping snorted lightly. “You’re quite clever, but if this princess insists that you picked the flower, what would you do then?”

“In that case, Your Highness would miss seeing a good play.”

Princess Fuping stared fixedly at Qin Shuying, who looked back fearlessly and frankly.

Suddenly, Princess Fuping put away her mature and steady expression and adopted an innocent and naive look. “Interesting, interesting. Since that’s the case, if this princess doesn’t watch this play, it would be a waste of this trip. Then speak—why would Lianpin do such a thing? Let’s see if you can convince this princess.”

“Yes. Lianpin’s action is nothing more than having this subject’s daughter offend Your Highness. Your Highness is a noble daughter of our Great Zhou—how could you be offended by a mere subject’s daughter? According to propriety, this subject’s daughter would naturally be punished. Under Your Highness’s authority, this subject’s daughter would be frightened and panicked like a startled bird. If Lianpin could preserve this subject’s daughter’s dignity, this subject’s daughter would naturally be grateful to Lianpin.”

Fuping asked curiously: “You just said you’re her sister. If she protects you, isn’t that natural?”

“Has Your Highness heard that recently in the capital there’s a type of red granulated sugar that in just over a month has devastated the brown sugar shops, while the red sugar merchants have made enormous profits?”

Princess Fuping slowly shook her head: “This princess has tasted that red granulated sugar—it tastes quite good. However, I truly don’t know about the shop matters.”

“I won’t hide it from Your Highness—the red granulated sugar is produced by this subject’s daughter. In just over a month, excluding shop costs, profits reached sixty percent. It’s an extremely profitable business. Currently, only I possess this formula. To speak boldly, if this subject’s daughter only produces this red granulated sugar, in one year the profits would be fifty to sixty thousand gold.”

Even Princess Fuping was shocked: “Such abundant profits!”

She, a dignified princess with rich fiefs, earned only about a hundred thousand gold per year. Of course, this didn’t include palace rewards and allocations.

“Precisely so. Your Highness, I am Lianpin’s cousin, orphaned at a young age. This red granulated sugar is the livelihood my late father left me—it’s unique to me. Your Highness naturally understands the principle of ‘possessing a treasure brings calamity.'”

A strange expression appeared on Princess Fuping’s face, as if she understood something.

Qin Shuying no longer spoke explicitly, but her implication was clear to anyone.

“However, telling this princess all this—what benefit does this princess gain? Besides, even if this princess helps you, you’re still Lianpin’s cousin. You share the same roots—behind closed doors, you’re still family.”

Qin Shuying smiled faintly: “Currently, border warfare is unstable. When His Highness the Crown Prince ascends the throne in the future, Your Highness is still unmarried. If border states require a princess for political marriage, how would Your Highness handle the situation?”

Princess Fuping was shocked, cold sweat breaking out on her back.

Qin Shuying was being diplomatic in her phrasing. The reality was that the Emperor’s health was failing—he probably couldn’t last more than two or three years. By then, she would just be reaching marriageable age. If the Crown Prince ascended the throne, she would be…

She had two princess aunts who had been married off to distant lands through political marriages.

Those two aunts were the Emperor’s half-sisters from different mothers.

Five years ago, Princess Yongxing had been married off to distant lands. Although Princess Yongxing wasn’t a real princess, that was only because there were no real princesses of suitable age at the time.

Qin Shuying’s words were quite blunt. The meaning was: since behind closed doors you’re family, why did your father, upon ascending the throne, immediately marry his sisters to distant places? It’s quite possible that when the Crown Prince ascends, you too might have to marry far away.

The imperial family sounded prestigious, but the internal struggles and machinations were incomparably more brutal than those outside the palace.

Qin Shuying added: “Your Highness need not help this subject’s daughter today—just let events unfold naturally. But this subject’s daughter will remember Your Highness’s grace in not punishing me. Should there be need in the future, I certainly won’t decline to help.”