Leave the capital?
Shi Zijin wouldn’t ask many questions, but simply nodded!
Preparing to follow orders.
Ji Yunshu said seriously: “These next few days, Brother Lang will be here, and moreover, I won’t be going out. You don’t need to stay by my side anymore. So leave the capital as quickly as possible and catch up with that Master Su from Qujiang. After he safely returns to Qujiang, then you can come back.”
“Yes!”
Still not asking why.
The next moment, Ji Yunshu quickly added: “But this matter cannot let His Highness know. Understand?”
“Understood!”
“Good, you may go.”
Shi Zijin lowered her head slightly, and her figure darted out through the open window.
She immediately disappeared!
And Lang Bo standing outside didn’t notice what was happening inside the room, nor did he hear the conversation between the two just now!
Ji Yunshu sat down at the desk and sighed softly.
Then she placed the skull squarely in front of herself and spread a clean sheet of white paper on the desk.
From her sandalwood box, she selected the smallest brush, dipped it in some ink, and began to work.
…
At this time, in the palace’s Zhangjue Hall!
His Majesty’s birthday was approaching, and the Crown Princess was to be selected.
The entire palace, after sending off the Qujiang people, naturally had to bustle into activity!
This spring was destined to be tumultuous!
Because Empress Xuanshu had already died, the rear palace had no mistress, and the only one with relatively great authority who could make decisions was Consort Xiao.
So these two tasks naturally fell on her shoulders.
In others’ eyes, this was a glorious task!
Some consorts wanted to take it on but couldn’t get their hands on it.
But for Consort Xiao, this was a thorny matter.
A hot potato!
Inside the hall!
At this moment, Jing Yi was also present!
Consort Xiao waved her hand, dismissing the eunuchs and palace maids, even sending out her confidant Sang Lan.
“What do you think about this matter?”
Consort Xiao asked Jing Yi with a grave expression.
Not far away, Jing Yi held a small bamboo stick in his hand, teasing a small bird in a cage hanging from a pole.
The small bird, poked several times by the bamboo stick, desperately flapped its wings and cried out in alarm.
The sound was quite piercing!
Yet the more this happened!
The deeper the smile at the corner of Jing Yi’s mouth!
He completely ignored Consort Xiao’s question.
Until—
The bird grew somewhat tired and huddled into a ball in the cage.
But he refused to stop, his interest intense as he tilted his head, a fierce look gathering between his brows, still using the small bamboo stick in his hand to continuously poke at that bird.
Pouting his lips, he even made several clicking sounds.
Playing with great delight!
The bird, however, seemed dead and no longer moved.
Only then did he, with his back to Consort Xiao, reply: “Of course we must find ways to prevent the Ji family from being connected with the Crown Prince.”
Consort Xiao said: “This time the Crown Prince’s consort selection is being handled together with His Majesty’s great birthday. In name, daughters from various manors and provinces will participate in the selection, but in reality, when the Empress was alive, she had already designated the legitimate daughter of the Ji family as Crown Princess. This time is just going through the motions.”
After speaking!
The movement in Jingrong’s hands stopped. He left the small bamboo stick in the cage, wiped his hands, walked over, and sat down across from Consort Xiao.
Picking up the teapot, he leisurely poured a cup of tea.
Hot steam rose and swirled!
He said: “Then what if that legitimate daughter of the Ji family had no opportunity to enter the palace?”
No opportunity to enter the palace?
Consort Xiao thought about it.
“Difficult. After all, with General Ji and Minister Ji there, those two won’t let anything go wrong.”
“But what if something really did go wrong?”
Jing Yi smiled!
With a trace of eeriness.
Consort Xiao took a deep breath, her phoenix eyes lifting and narrowing slightly: “Actually, this palace has other ideas.”
“Mother Consort, please speak directly.”
“When Empress Xuanshu was alive, she designated the title of Crown Princess to the Ji family. At the end of the day, it was just because of the military power in Ji Huan and Ji Li’s hands. But if the person who marries the Ji family’s legitimate daughter is not the Crown Prince, naturally Ji Huan and Ji Li won’t stand on the Crown Prince’s side.”
Her words carried deep meaning.
Even a fool would understand.
Jing Yi remained unhurried, bringing the teacup to his mouth for a sip, saying: “Is Mother Consort suggesting that I marry the Ji family’s legitimate daughter?”
Consort Xiao nodded: “Yi’er, you must understand the current situation. The Crown Prince is ultimately the Crown Prince. Even if he’s a good-for-nothing, His Majesty doesn’t mind, and moreover, quite a few ministers in court stand on the Crown Prince’s side. To pull him down—it’s both not difficult and difficult. It would be better to win over the two Ji brothers and have them stand on our side. For us, this would absolutely be beneficial with no harm.”
This calculation was perfectly rounded!
Resoundingly so!
Consort Xiao seemed to have already imagined that day, imagining Jing Hua stepping down, imagining her own son wearing the Crown Prince’s robes, even sitting on the dragon throne.
The corner of her mouth couldn’t help but curve!
Jing Yi was pondering in his heart, his slender knuckles tapping on the teacup’s rim, gripping tightly, his fingertips slightly pale.
“Then… the candidate for Crown Princess will have to be changed.” He said.
“Exactly. And the other person selected must not have any power.”
“Does Mother Consort have a candidate in mind?”
Consort Xiao smiled and slowly uttered two words: “Kong Yu.”
Kong Yu?
The Crown Prince’s cousin!
However, cousins marrying cousins—in ancient times, that was too common.
Jing Yi couldn’t help furrowing his brow, saying: “Change the Crown Princess to Kong Yu? I’m afraid Father Emperor and the Crown Prince won’t agree. Moreover, Kong Yu has already been enfeoffed as Princess Huiwen. How can she marry an imperial prince?”
Consort Xiao: “On this point, you don’t need to worry. Mother Consort will find a way.”
“What way?”
“Kong Yu didn’t get to go to Qujiang for the marriage alliance this time, so the princess title is just a decoration. The Kong family is Empress Xuanshu’s natal family. Having a Crown Princess come from there is appropriate. In short, Mother Consort will find a way to make the Crown Prince have to marry her, and make His Majesty have to issue an edict establishing Kong Yu as the consort candidate.”
Full of confidence!
In her tone, there was also much sinister scheming.
Since it was already said like this!
Then—
“Everything will be according to Mother Consort’s wishes.”
Jing Yi agreed!
His expression was extremely cold!
“Now the only thing to consider is how to prevent the Ji family’s legitimate daughter from having the opportunity to enter the palace.” Consort Xiao twisted the jade ring on her finger, already beginning to plan in her heart.
Then she quickly added: “By the way, have you prepared your Father Emperor’s birthday gift?”
He shrugged his shoulders lightly: “No.”
“This palace has heard that Jing Hua has already begun searching everywhere for treasures. Last year, the flat stone fish jade he gave your Father Emperor—your Father Emperor was very pleased. This year, you must put in much more thought.”
Mentioning that flat stone fish jade, Jing Yi’s heart filled with anger, and the teacup in his hand nearly smashed to the ground.
Clearly, the person who obtained the flat stone fish jade last year was him.
Who would have known that on the second day when presenting it, the Crown Prince actually pulled a bait-and-switch—the flat stone fish jade ended up in the brocade box the Crown Prince presented.
And in his own brocade box was just an ordinary blue jade!
Fortunately, the Crown Prince still had some conscience and didn’t let his box go up completely empty.
Otherwise, that truly would have been a great disrespect!