Fan Liangdi soon learned what the Crown Prince’s thoughts were. She prostrated herself on the ground, just as she had after forcing Little Fan Shi to death back then, with some trepidation and humility as she lay prone on the ground, tears streaming down her face, her trembling shoulders shaking with fear.

The Crown Prince’s sinister and cold gaze swept over her from head to toe, carefully taking in every detail of her expression. Then he suddenly laughed derisively, asking her in a tone inexplicably relaxed yet tinged with mockery: “Where did you get such audacity?”

He had thought that after the incident with Little Fan Shi, Big Fan Shi would have learned some lesson and would know what he was wary of. But now it seemed Big Fan Shi still hadn’t learned to behave herself. She was becoming increasingly unbridled.

The more flat the Crown Prince’s tone, the more frightening it became. Big Fan Shi felt a breath stuck in her chest, stifling her until she could barely breathe. She pressed her lips together and finally cried out: “I, I was truly afraid.”

The Crown Prince glanced at her lightly, as if he found her words somewhat incomprehensible, and responded absent-mindedly with an “oh”: “Afraid? What do you have to be afraid of?”

Big Fan Shi raised her eyes to look at the Crown Prince, her beautiful eyes brimming with tears: “This subject consort is afraid that after the Imperial Grand Grandson returns from this trip, we will no longer have any foothold. His Highness already receives exceptional favor and love from His Majesty and Her Majesty. He has also achieved such great merit. When he returns, who knows how delighted His Majesty and Her Majesty will be. I have long been a thorn in his side and flesh. Right now you are still here, but if one day…”

Fan Liangdi’s hand hanging at her side gripped her thin dress tightly. She half-lowered her eyelids with an appearance of complete helplessness and terror, but her back was already covered in cold sweat. Everything she said touched upon the Crown Prince’s thoughts, but whether the Crown Prince would listen or not, she had no confidence.

She didn’t dare continue speaking, but her unfinished words seemed profoundly meaningful. The Crown Prince stared at her for quite a while until she truly began trembling all over, before he shifted away his terrifying gaze and slowly laughed coldly.

Although it was all complete nonsense, all excuses for herself, what she said did have some merit. This son of his had never been close to him and had never been of the same faction. Back during the Yangzhou corruption case, he had created the incident wanting to take the opportunity to install his own people, but it was precisely this son who forcibly ruined it.

Whatever he wanted to do, this son of his who came down from Longhu Mountain seemed to disapprove. He slowly picked up the nearby treasure elephant carved auspicious incense burner and suddenly threw it viciously beside Big Fan Shi.

Incense ash scattered all over the ground. The remaining incense pieces still slowly emitted fragrance, the wisps of rising smoke wrapping around Fan Liangdi before dissipating. Fan Liangdi was almost startled enough to jump up, crying out “Your Highness” in terror.

Only then did the Crown Prince sit back in his original position, looking down at Fan Liangdi from above, watching her tremble like a rabbit, even revealing a trace of a smile on his face: “The Fan clan is a blade in my hand. Your Fan family is mine—you know this.” As he spoke, seeing Fan Liangdi trembling like a leaf in the autumn wind, his voice became several degrees more sinister: “You moved my things. You took my blade to kill my son. How impressive of you.”

He was like a cat that had caught a mouse, repeatedly releasing the mouse and then batting it back with his claws, until he had batted the mouse half to death before stopping.

“You may go back. You guessed correctly—this matter cannot be spread. He stood up, like a child who had eaten his fill and played enough, waving his hand with some ominousness and some warning: “I know you have already paid a price.”

Fan Liangdi raised her head to look at him. Her sharp nails had already clawed her palm until it was a bloody mess. She bit her lip, quite at a loss.

“Your mind has always been active, but it’s been a bit too active.” The Crown Prince continued speaking to her neither warmly nor coldly: “How could you be certain that I would want my own son to die just because I detest Lu Shi?”

Big Fan Shi couldn’t say a single word. The Crown Prince’s words, hitting one place then another, left her somewhat dazed. She had no idea where to begin speaking or what reaction to make.

Even after returning to her own bedchamber, she still felt her head was extremely heavy. As soon as Nanny Fang reached out to feel her forehead, she cried out in alarm: “She’s burning up. Quickly summon the imperial physician!”

Zhou Weiqi hadn’t expected that after Mother went to Father’s place once, she would end up in this state. His heart, which had already been anxious to the extreme, wrinkled into a ball even more, and he asked her with a heavy expression: “Did Father learn of this matter and become too angry?”

By this point, Fan Liangdi had instead calmed down. She knew where the Crown Prince’s anger lay. He was angry because he felt the Fan clan was not under his control. He was angry that she had acted on her own initiative. He had always extremely disliked others touching his things.

She needed to slow down and couldn’t continue taking action. Right now, the entire Fan clan had probably been noted in his heart. In this matter, she had been too hasty. She had only thought that Zhou Weizhao wasn’t favored, but had forgotten that the Crown Prince still needed to rely on him to ease his relationship with Emperor Jianzhang.

Most critically, the Crown Prince treated the Fan clan as the blade in his hand. Now that he had discovered others could also wield his blade, in his heart toward the Fan family and toward her, he probably now wished to eliminate them as soon as possible.

“This matter has nothing to do with you.” Big Fan Shi gripped his hand and shook her head: “You don’t need to worry about it.” As she spoke, looking at her son’s tightly furrowed brows, she softly instructed again: “You also don’t need to worry too much. At least your father will absolutely not allow this matter to spread. You should take advantage of this time to go to Huangjue Temple and ask exactly what happened, then ask what they plan to do in the future.”

Zhou Weizhao might have no way to deal with them, but after returning he would definitely hold onto Huangjue Temple and not let go. Given his current degree of favor, if he wanted to find an explanation for his injury, Emperor Jianzhang wouldn’t refuse to allow him to investigate thoroughly.

Zhou Weiqi knew this matter couldn’t be delayed. He had already sent Qian Ying ahead earlier. Now hearing Fan Liangdi say this, he hurriedly agreed: “I know this. I’ve already sent Qian Ying. Later I’ll personally go see Master Yuankong.”

Although Huangjue Temple hadn’t succeeded in this matter, they also hadn’t left Zhou Weizhao’s side with any evidence. Moreover, they had more than just this one power base in Jinzhou. Most importantly, Huangjue Temple was currently, aside from the Fan family, the only force Zhou Weiqi possessed that could be absolutely driven by him. If this force could be kept for the long term, naturally keeping it for the long term was best.

Fan Liangdi breathed a sigh of relief and only then nodded with a pale complexion.