After the carriage stabilized!

Shi Zijin first stuck her head out to look. It turned out a small child had rushed out and nearly been hit by the carriage. Fortunately, the coachman had pulled the reins in time.

The little girl stood in the light rain, bent down to pick up a doll from the ground, and made several hand gestures to the coachman. The coachman looked completely bewildered.

“She’s saying sorry,” Shi Zijin translated.

By the time the coachman understood, the child had already run away.

Ji Yunshu was quite surprised: “You understand sign language?”

She nodded: “Yes, I learned it when I was young.”

Ji Yunshu’s eyes lowered. She suddenly remembered the hand gestures A’Li had made to her from the city tower before. She began making vague approximations of the gestures A’Li had made at that time to Shi Zijin.

“What does this mean?” she asked as she gestured.

Because the gestures weren’t standard, Shi Zijin thought for a moment and said: “It should mean ‘kill.'”

Kill?

Ji Yunshu immediately made another gesture.

“What about this one?”

“This one seems to mean ‘other person,'” Shi Zijin said.

Ji Yunshu’s heart suddenly tightened. Kill? Other person?

What did it mean?

What had A’Li been trying to tell her at that time? She still remembered that A’Li had been extremely anxious. What matter was related to the word “kill”?

For a moment, she fell into deep thought.

After arriving at Bamboo Creek Garden, Ji Yunshu continued to lock herself in her room. Regarding the matter of Jingrong still being in the Heavenly Prison, she didn’t mention another word.

As if she was waiting for something shocking to happen…

The Imperial Palace!

Zhang Quan had just emerged from His Majesty’s sleeping quarters, preparing to make a trip to the Imperial Kitchen to personally select some food for His Majesty.

His front foot had barely left Fuyang Hall when his back foot was intercepted by a young eunuch.

“Eunuch Zhang, the Crown Prince is waiting for you in the Eastern Palace.”

The Crown Prince wanted to see him?

Zhang Quan had lived this long, and though he was a eunuch, his mind was extremely sharp. He didn’t ask many questions and simply followed the young eunuch to the Eastern Palace.

Because the Crown Prince’s grand wedding was in three days, the entire Eastern Palace had begun preparations. The whole Eastern Palace was completely refreshed, resplendently decorated, and impressively magnificent.

After Zhang Quan entered, the Crown Prince was waiting for him in the great hall.

“Eunuch Zhang has arrived. Come, sit.”

The Crown Prince looked very spirited, greeting Eunuch Zhang with a face full of smiles.

His face was full of flattery, which made him look quite punchable!

Eunuch Zhang bowed: “This servant pays respects to the Crown Prince.”

“No need for formalities—there’s no one else here.”

As he spoke, he tried to pull Eunuch Zhang to sit down, but Zhang Quan quickly retreated several steps.

He said: “This old servant is a servant—how could I sit together with the master? This old servant will stand.”

Unable to persuade him!

The Crown Prince had no choice but to give up. He ordered someone to bring a pot of the finest tea and some precious pastries, almost as if he were making offerings to a Buddha.

“Eunuch Zhang has always been by Father Emperor’s side. All these years, you’ve truly worked hard,” the Crown Prince said.

Zhang Quan bowed: “Being able to stay by His Majesty’s side is this old servant’s fortune.”

“Having you by Father Emperor’s side to care for him all these years, this Crown Prince is also very reassured.” After finishing, the Crown Prince hurriedly asked: “How is Father Emperor’s health? What do the imperial physicians say?”

Zhang Quan replied blandly: “The imperial physicians have come twice. His Majesty’s health has no major problems. The Crown Prince need not worry.”

Jinghua covered his chest and breathed a sigh of relief: “That’s good. By the way, has Father Emperor seen Prince Yi again?”

“No,” Zhang Quan said with a bowed waist. “I wonder what matter the Crown Prince has summoned this old servant for?”

Jinghua smiled mysteriously, his fingers lightly tapping on the table several times. He organized his words, his focused eyes gazing intently at Zhang Quan.

“Actually, it’s nothing important. I just wanted to ask Eunuch Zhang what Father Emperor and Prince Yi discussed when Father Emperor met with Prince Yi alone that day?”

“This old servant doesn’t know!”

“Don’t know? How could you not know?”

Zhang Quan answered truthfully: “His Majesty met with Prince Yi alone. This old servant truly doesn’t know what His Majesty and Prince Yi discussed.”

Jinghua wouldn’t give up and continued asking: “Then has Father Emperor summoned any inner court officials for an audience?”

“Also no.”

Not knowing anything when asked!

Jinghua grew somewhat anxious. His expression wasn’t as good as before. Looking at Zhang Quan standing before him with his head constantly lowered, he was truly about to die of frustration.

He took two steps closer to Zhang Quan and said: “Eunuch Zhang, let this Crown Prince speak frankly with you. Has Father Emperor mentioned anything to you about the matter of the Crown Prince position?”

In other words, the matter of replacing the Crown Prince!

Pan Chong had told him to probe Zhang Quan indirectly, but this was good—he went straight to the point.

And it wasn’t even a small door he opened!

It was the South Gate of the Imperial Palace—ridiculously huge!

However, Zhang Quan showed not the slightest surprise and maintained that calm, composed demeanor.

He said in a low voice: “The Crown Prince grew up by His Majesty’s side since childhood. His Majesty has always held great expectations for you, hoping the Crown Prince would possess both virtue and ability, be beloved by the common people, and also hoping the Crown Prince would cultivate both writing and learning, and like Prince Yi, relieve His Majesty’s worries.”

Like Prince Yi?

The corner of Jinghua’s mouth twitched: “This Crown Prince understands Father Emperor’s expectations, but what does Eunuch Zhang mean?”

“This old servant is just a servant. Some words truly shouldn’t be said, but since the Crown Prince has asked, this old servant will speak plainly. All these years, the Crown Prince has lived in comfort in the Eastern Palace. Three years ago, when there were floods in Jiangnan and drought in Weibei, His Majesty entrusted the Crown Prince to handle it, originally wanting to give the Crown Prince an opportunity. But ultimately you were unable to resolve it. Instead, it was Prince Yi who solved everything in less than three months. In this old servant’s presence, His Majesty has mentioned this matter many times and greatly praised Prince Yi.”

Zhang Quan’s words sounded vague and ambiguous—why bring up the floods and drought from three years ago for no reason?

But the meaning within was already very clear!

Jinghua wasn’t truly foolish to an irredeemable degree, so he also understood the meaning in Zhang Quan’s words.

His sense of crisis exploded!

It seemed His Majesty truly did have thoughts of replacing the Crown Prince.

Seeing the Crown Prince silent in contemplation, Zhang Quan bowed: “This old servant still needs to go to the Imperial Kitchen to order some refreshments for His Majesty. I take my leave.”

Jinghua was too lazy even to wave his hand.

After Zhang Quan left, Pan Chong arrived. Jinghua told him everything he had just learned.

“Sir, what should we do? If it’s really like this, then…” After speaking, he clenched his fist and heavily pounded it on the table.

He was utterly distressed!

Pan Chong thought for a moment, murmuring: “Currently, in the court above and below, the Crown Prince’s and Prince Yi’s forces each occupy half. Moreover, Prince Yi also has Noble Consort Xiao. This time with the Chengqing Hall fire, it was Prince Yi who saved His Majesty. Now His Majesty is also having the Crown Prince marry Princess Huiwen, whose maternal family is insignificant. All these signs are unfavorable to the Crown Prince. If His Majesty truly wants to replace the Crown Prince, it’s not without possibility.”

“How can that be acceptable? What qualifications does Jing Yi have to be Crown Prince?”

In Pan Chong’s mind, a terrifying thought suddenly sprouted.

He said: “If the Crown Prince wants to ascend to the imperial throne, currently speaking, there is only one method.”

“What?”

“Before His Majesty replaces the Crown Prince, the Crown Prince must ascend the throne!”