Of course, this was within his expectations.

He closed the fake edict and looked at Qin Shiyu sitting beside him. “Minister Qin, what exactly is going on?”

Qin Shiyu lifted the carriage curtain and glanced back before explaining with relief, “As soon as Your Highness approached the capital, this official learned of it. I thought that Prince Yi absolutely wouldn’t let Your Highness return to the capital so easily, so I came up with this plan, hoping to prevent all this before Prince Yi could issue a kill order. But I was still a step too late and nearly put Your Highness in danger.”

Oh!

Jingrong said, “Not late—you arrived at just the right time.”

“How so?”

“If Minister Qin hadn’t arrived a step late, this Prince wouldn’t have known that Magistrate Ji truly colluded with Jing Yi and was determined to put this Prince to death. At least this way, this Prince can be more vigilant toward him and won’t suffer losses in the future.”

You certainly have an optimistic outlook!

Qin Shiyu sighed. “Everyone in the court knows that Magistrate Ji is cautious in his dealings and never openly participates in factional struggles. Now that Prince Yi has married the Ji family’s legitimate daughter as his princess consort, if he chose to follow Prince Yi because of this, it would be understandable.”

“It absolutely won’t be that simple.” Jingrong said, “Even if that were the case, Magistrate Ji couldn’t possibly let Prince Yi manipulate him so easily. There must be… some hidden intrigue in this matter.”

Qin Shiyu shook his head. “I don’t know.”

After a moment—

Jingrong was concerned. “Minister Qin sent this fake edict, so what about Father Emperor’s decree?”

“Your Highness can rest assured. This official knew His Majesty would certainly issue a verbal decree granting Your Highness permission to return to the capital, but the edict might arrive after Prince Yi issued his kill order. That’s why I took the liberty of sending a fake edict first to resolve Your Highness’s predicament. If His Majesty holds this official accountable for falsely transmitting an edict, I alone will bear this crime.”

“Minister Qin, doing this truly makes this Prince feel deeply ashamed.”

“As long as Your Highness can safely enter the capital, everything is worthwhile. Besides, the Linjing Case has been dragging on since Your Highness left the capital months ago, so Your Highness must enter the capital smoothly and investigate the case with Scholar Ji as soon as possible.”

Jingrong nodded!

It had indeed dragged on too long!

Suddenly—

The carriage stopped.

A capital officer blocked the carriage procession.

Jingrong and Qin Shiyu exchanged glances but didn’t exit the carriage.

They only heard from ahead, “His Majesty’s verbal decree: Prince Rong is to bring the late emperor’s testament to the palace immediately without error.”

Finally—

The decree had arrived!

Jingrong’s thin, cold lips curved slightly.

After several months, he had finally returned to the capital!

The carriage continued forward, the wheels rumbling over the official road, gravel crunching, accompanied by horses’ hooves as they smoothly entered through the capital’s city gate.

Just as when he had left, the capital remained splendidly prosperous.

On the wide thoroughfare, pedestrians walked leisurely back and forth, shops on both sides bustled with business, vendors hawked their wares, merchant caravans passed through, and children played joyfully…

Extremely lively.

After Jingrong’s carriage procession passed through this main road, it split into three directions.

One toward the palace gate.

One toward Prince Rong’s manor.

One toward Yuhua Pavilion.

…

The Imperial Palace, Zhangzhi Hall.

Consort Xiao had recently developed headaches. The imperial physicians had prescribed numerous medicines to no avail, and she had consumed many supplements as well.

But none showed any effect.

The imperial physician came again today to take her pulse.

Consort Xiao lay on her side on the noble consort’s couch, extending her hand to rest on a soft cushion. A thin handkerchief was placed over her smooth wrist, allowing the physician to take her pulse through the silk.

Jing Xuan sat quietly to the side.

Hearing that her mother consort’s health wasn’t good, she had rushed over immediately.

Extremely worried!

After the physician finished examining her pulse, she quickly asked, “Imperial Physician, how is my mother consort?”

“The weather hasn’t been good recently. Your Ladyship has caught a chill, which is why you feel discomfort in your body and your headaches have intensified.”

“But over and over, you’ve prescribed so many medicines. How is it that after drinking them, there’s no effect?”

“This is a chronic condition requiring time to rest and recuperate. It cannot be cured immediately. Your Ladyship works day and night, which is why this happened. As long as she takes medicine and supplements on time, she will gradually improve.”

Works hard?

What does she work hard at!

All day in the palace she strolls around and trims flowers—clearly she’s bored with idleness.

Now she’s the highest-ranking person in the harem, and she doesn’t need to spend time fighting with the consorts below her!

The only thing causing her concern is her son.

Jing Xuan waved her hand. “Alright, alright. Every time you come, you say the same things. Hurry up and leave.”

The imperial physician didn’t dare linger.

He quickly responded, “Yes, this minister takes his leave.”

He packed up and left.

Consort Xiao lay there with a pale face, her eyes weak. She reached out and pulled Jing Xuan. “Child, why take your frustration out on the imperial physician?”

“Mother Consort, look at yourself in this state. The imperial physician has prescribed who knows how many medicines, and you drink them with no effect. Xuan’er is worried.”

“This is my own body—I know it well. It’s just that the weather hasn’t been good recently, sometimes sunny, sometimes rainy, which is why things have gotten like this. You don’t need to worry.”

“As long as Mother Consort is alright.”

Jing Xuan ordered someone to bring a thick blanket to cover her. “Mother Consort, sleep for a while.”

“Mm.”

Consort Xiao slowly closed her eyelids.

Then Jing Xuan stood up and ordered someone to bring over the incense she had brought earlier. She personally lit it and placed it in the incense burner.

The fragrance gradually filled the entire inner hall.

Refreshing to the heart!

She placed the incense burner beside the noble consort’s couch and glanced at Consort Xiao, who had closed her eyes to rest.

At that moment, her hands gripping the incense burner tightened, and her innocent, harmless eyes darkened.

She clenched her teeth tightly in secret.

At this moment, a young eunuch hurried in.

“This servant pays respects to Your Ladyship, Princess.”

Jing Xuan instantly withdrew the deep meaning from her eyes and removed her hands from the incense burner.

Hearing the sound, Consort Xiao opened her eyes. Seeing the approaching eunuch, she said to Jing Xuan, “Xuan’er, you should return to your bedchamber. You don’t need to look after Mother Consort here.”

“Yes, then Xuan’er will take her leave.”

She bowed slightly.

Obediently and compliantly, she left the inner hall.

However—

She didn’t actually leave.

Instead, she hid outside, straining her ears to listen.

She heard the eunuch step forward and say, “Your Ladyship, Prince Yi’s people failed to block Prince Rong outside the capital.”

Consort Xiao immediately became alert.

She sat up from the couch, her face full of worry, her long, delicate eyebrows furrowing several times.

She asked, “Where is Prince Rong now?”

“He has already entered the palace and is heading toward the Council Hall.”

Just as he finished speaking—

“Bang!”

With a sweep of her hand, Consort Xiao knocked the incense burner Jing Xuan had placed nearby to the floor.

The incense burner hit the ground, and the incense that had only burned a little rolled out and immediately extinguished.

The eunuch dared not make a sound, kneeling on the ground with his body prostrated.

At this moment, Consort Xiao clearly had a sickly appearance, delicate and graceful.

But now, she was hideously terrifying.

…

Outside the door, Jing Xuan made no sound and left.

After returning to her own bedchamber, she summoned Duan’er and instructed, “Go prepare a large red kite for me.”

“What does Princess want a kite for?”

“Just go prepare it. Don’t ask so many questions.”

Duan’er quickly acknowledged and left.

Jing Xuan gazed toward the Council Hall, filled with anxiety.

Yet she also seemed to release a long, long breath of relief.

“Imperial Brother, you’ve finally returned to the capital.”