Empress Dowager Lu immediately understood her meaning, and after thinking for a moment, she actually nodded in agreement. “You’re right. It’s better to resolve grievances than to nurture them.”

Yang Shi then gained a clear understanding of Empress Dowager Lu’s attitude—she naturally felt sorry for her son, but she also understood what was important. Now Emperor Jianzhang had made it clear he would trample Prince Gong into the mud while elevating Zhou Weizhao. Though she felt sorry for Prince Gong, at most she could only make Prince Gong’s days somewhat easier. Anything more than that was beyond her capabilities.

Having seen through this point, Yang Shi didn’t feel disappointed. This was human nature, something she had anticipated before coming. Previously, when choosing between the Crown Prince and Prince Gong, she would have chosen the Crown Prince. So how much more now when comparing the Grand Prince, who was healthier than the Crown Prince and more capable of accomplishing things, versus Prince Gong who had already been defeated? Only Prince Gong would fuss over whether he was loved or not like a child jealous over not getting candy. She herself was far more practical—only benefits truly grasped in hand were real. As for other things, why bother with them? Even if she did bother, there would be no advantage.

She patted her son’s head and sent him out to play. Seeing that Empress Dowager Lu’s eyes were still fixed on Zhou Weiyin, she called out “Mother Empress” to bring Empress Dowager Lu back to her senses before discussing serious matters. “That’s exactly the reasoning. Miss Song the Sixth also suffered this undeserved disaster. Your daughter-in-law heard that Miss Song the Sixth is greatly doted upon at Earl Changning’s manor and is also liked by sister-in-law. But since this matter hasn’t been made public, there’s no reason to send her gifts out of the blue. So we can only use this joyous occasion to make amends. Though it’s somewhat late, doing it is better than not doing it at all. When Miss Song the Sixth and His Highness the Grand Prince have their grand wedding, we’ll send other things.”

Empress Dowager Lu hadn’t expected this daughter-in-law to be so flexible and gentle in her approach. She squinted and looked at her for a long while, but the light in her eyes gradually dimmed. “What you say is right. In that case, you should send something.”

So clever. To say she didn’t know about Prince Gong’s plans would seem like a joke. But since she knew Prince Gong intended to do such things, with her sensible and cautious nature, why didn’t she write a letter back to give warning? Now she spoke well of making amends, but why didn’t she think to persuade Prince Gong not to do such things beforehand?

Moreover, judging from her tone, she clearly knew about Crown Princess Lu’s situation. To be able to tolerate her husband writing to his old flame to beg for rescue, and still not show any grievance or resentment after it failed—this was not something ordinary people could do.

Empress Dowager Lu had by now suffered enough losses from these younger generations. Hearts were separated by the belly—who could say for certain what thoughts others harbored? She was already unable to hold her head up before Emperor Jianzhang because of her two sons’ affairs, and had fallen out with both sons. She couldn’t afford any more incidents that would also offend her grandson.

Earlier, she had been willing to see the Princess Consort of Prince Gong out of maternal love, and for the sake of Prince Gong and Prince Gong’s son. But anything more than that was impossible—this time it was because she had been too greedy. Knowing Prince Gong’s life was not in danger, she still foolishly hoped to turn major issues into minor ones and minor ones into nothing, giving herself another layer of protection beyond her grandson. In the end, not only did she fail to keep Prince Gong safe, but she actually caused Prince Gong to suffer thoroughly. She was also troubled about how to explain things to her grandson. If the Princess Consort of Prince Gong still wanted to play tricks now, how could that be allowed?

However, the Princess Consort of Prince Gong was very careful and almost immediately detected this subtle change in Empress Dowager Lu. Her heart sank with a thud, but she showed nothing on her face. After finishing the discussion about sending gifts, she carefully inquired about the Crown Prince again. “Is it really that serious?”

Empress Dowager Lu had even less desire to continue the conversation. Lately, the way the Crown Prince looked at her made her shudder. She really couldn’t bear it anymore and hadn’t visited him for several days.

She nodded perfunctorily, wanting to send Yang Shi away, but unexpectedly Yang Shi opened her mouth to ask again, “I wonder if they’ve caught the person who administered the poison?”

Empress Dowager Lu’s scalp tightened. She raised her willow-leaf eyebrows and stared at her for a long while. The phoenix crown on her head pressed down painfully, and after a long moment she asked, “They already said it was Ma Yuantong’s remnants.”

This was already covering up for Prince Gong. Why bring it up again?

Yang Shi also seemed stunned, looking at Empress Dowager Lu with complete incomprehension. “It was really those bandits?”

After learning that Prince Gong had sent someone to deliver a letter to Zhou Weizhao to lure him out of the city, Emperor Jianzhang had stopped Lai Chenglong from investigating further—everyone knew it was most likely Prince Gong who had done it, so there was no need to investigate further.

But now, judging from Yang Shi’s meaning, it wasn’t? Empress Dowager Lu felt somewhat uncertain. “It wasn’t…”

Yang Shi immediately shook her head. “It wasn’t His Highness. How could it be His Highness? His Highness did have improper thoughts, but that was because he was so infuriated by His Highness the Crown Prince’s harmful tactics. He thought he might as well fulfill the Crown Prince’s expectations, eliminate the Grand Prince, then… then pin it on the Crown Prince. But how could His Highness make a move against His Highness the Crown Prince? He doesn’t have the people for it!”

Empress Dowager Lu listened until her scalp went numb.

If it wasn’t Prince Gong, then who could it be? She asked herself, and the more she thought about it, the more she trembled—this matter appeared calm on the surface, but underneath it had already stirred up enormous waves. And the one who benefited most was none other than the Crown Prince’s legitimate eldest son, the rightful Grand Prince Zhou Weizhao.

Empress Dowager Lu really didn’t want to think about Zhou Weizhao. He was her own grandson, the Crown Prince’s own son. All these years Zhou Weizhao had endured, never harboring any thoughts against the Crown Prince.

Then who could it be? She thought about Song Chuyi, who despite being attacked from both sides by the Crown Prince and Prince Gong, had suffered no harm at all. She then thought about how Song Chuyi had step by step lured her into taking decisive ruthless action against the Crown Prince, and had handed over the two groups of people captured outside the city to Emperor Jianzhang. Right after that, the matter had blown up before Emperor Jianzhang, leading to the Crown Prince’s complete ruin and Prince Gong’s ruin as well.

Before Song Chuyi went to Qingxu Temple, she already knew the Crown Prince would make a move against her and had specially prepared sufficient personnel. Sure enough, she caught the Crown Prince’s people off guard. Did this not also indicate that Song Chuyi had already anticipated how to deal with the Crown Prince beforehand?

There was something suspicious about the Crown Prince’s poisoning. He hadn’t had any incident at the Ministry of Rites—it was only after returning to the Eastern Palace that he collapsed. Then…

Though Empress Dowager Lu knew she shouldn’t think too much, she couldn’t help but think of Crown Princess Lu and Song Chuyi. If these two wanted to eliminate the Crown Prince, it was extremely possible.

Was it possible that the Crown Prince and Prince Gong were the mantises who thought they were hunting prey, while Song Chuyi was the oriole behind?

But if that was truly the case, then Song Chuyi was too terrifying. No, it should be said that both the Song family and the Cui family were too terrifying.

So, the fact that she was being treated coldly by Emperor Jianzhang because of her two sons, that the Crown Prince was paralyzed, and that Prince Gong was expelled—was all of this actually caused by Song Chuyi? All to clear the path for Zhou Weizhao?