Sure enough, in the next moment, the effeminate one began to twist the knife.

“What? Second Brother didn’t tell Father Emperor? If not for him waiting at the palace gates this morning to invite me to watch a performance, this son wouldn’t have known about this wonderful news! Unfortunately, this son disappointed Second Brother’s kind intentions because I had to work at the Shao Fu… Second Brother, don’t just stand there stunned, tell us quickly, is Qin Guan’er’s singing style authentic enough?”

The Second Prince panicked, wishing he could hook that sissy’s mouth with a fishing hook! He could only stammer in denial: “Crown Prince, what… what joke are you making! Today I went to inspect the city and comfort the soldier disciples who returned from disaster relief in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. How would I have time to watch any opera?”

Unfortunately, the look Father Emperor cast him was rather meaningful, clearly seeing through his little trick.

Knowing the Crown Prince’s chronic weakness, he had still tried to lure him to watch a performance on his first day of duty! Such behavior as an elder brother was malicious!

The Second Prince was so anxious that his forehead began to sweat. Just as he was about to explain further, His Majesty said in a deep voice: “Stop chattering, all of you. Focus on fishing!”

Since Father Emperor had saved his face, the Second Prince could only fall silent. However, his smiling tiger facade was difficult to maintain. After glaring fiercely at Yan Xiaoying, he could only hold his breath and pick up his fishing rod.

Damn it, how strange! What kind of skills had this effeminate one cultivated during his four years of confinement?

How had the former coward, who used to have his pants pulled down and be pushed into mud pits by his brothers for amusement, become so slippery and cunningly wicked?

That day’s fishing didn’t go very smoothly. Just as His Majesty had caught a fish, someone reported that the dikes in Jiangsu and Zhejiang had burst again, with various prefectures and counties urgently requesting aid.

His Majesty became troubled and lost interest in fishing. He let the younger ones continue while he took Ge Danian back to the imperial study.

Once Emperor Chunde and the Imperial Tutor had left, the remaining princes had no desire to pretend brotherly harmony.

The Second Prince, having been embarrassed, tossed his fishing rod and hurried off to consult with Consort Shang about countermeasures.

The other princes also dispersed in twos and threes. Only the Third Prince, Feng Qiwu, who had been having bad luck, suddenly kicked the wooden bucket into the lake and fumed: “Those corrupt officials who line their own pockets! All traitors like Meng Zhun! I almost managed to kill that traitor Meng, unfortunately, it was so close!”

Some days ago, he had captured the ringleader behind the Jiangsu and Zhejiang unrest, but regrettably, there had been a disturbance at Yicheng Prison, allowing Meng to escape.

As he was cursing energetically, the Third Prince turned around to see the Crown Prince standing behind him, hands clasped behind his back.

Though merely a slender youth like a willow, his sharp gaze was cold and penetrating, with an… indescribable pressure.

For a moment, even the bull-like Third Prince was stunned by that stare, but quickly recovering, he rose and shoved past the effeminate one blocking his way, stomping off angrily.

Jin Zhong approached behind the Crown Prince and quietly asked: “Your Highness, perhaps you should also return early for your meal?”

Xiaoying gave a meaningful look at the Third Prince’s retreating figure, then turned to gaze into the distance, her eyes falling on the lakeside.

Master Ge had been staring absently in that direction earlier, which had aroused Xiaoying’s curiosity.

She looked for a while, then pointed to the northwest corner of the palace lake: “I’ve always felt something strange about this lake. Why does it seem like it’s partially cut off by that palace wall over there?”

Jin Zhong stood on tiptoe to look, then immediately explained with a grin: “My master told this tale before. During the Late Emperor’s time, when he was restoring the ancestral foundation of Dafeng, after entering the palace, he greatly reformed extravagant customs, advocating frugality. He partitioned off a portion of the vast palace, building a brick wall, intending to convert it into mansions to reward meritorious officials. Unfortunately, it was opposed by the court’s elder ministers, who stated that the capital wasn’t some rural county—subjects had never lived adjacent to their sovereign. The matter was dropped, and the sectioned-off area was left desolate. After all, fewer palaces meant significant savings in daily maintenance costs…”

Xiaoying nodded in sudden understanding, finally resolving her days of confusion.

Several times she had walked according to memory, always ending up at the high palace wall where she had met Uncle Hai. Although she had patrolled back and forth, there was a secret door, but it used an anti-pry general’s lock that couldn’t be opened without a key.

Moreover, the palace wall was as tall as a city wall, impossible to climb over. Following along the wall, she had discovered this section that partitioned the palace lake.

Now, after Jin Zhong’s explanation, she suddenly realized why the palace map seemed to be missing something in the northwest corner, making the entire palace asymmetrical from east to west.

Uncle Hai had searched every corner of the palace these days without detecting any medicinal scent, nor could he find where Feng Qiyuan was hidden.

Could it be that her “brother” wasn’t within the palace walls but on the other side of that isolated northwestern wall?

After all, that place wasn’t far from the imperial palace. If something unexpected happened, Empress Tang could quickly move Feng Qiyuan into the palace through that secret door…

With this thought, Xiaoying strode back to Chuwen Hall.

When she returned, Song Ao was already waiting there like a soul-collecting ghost, with a face as long as a donkey’s.

Before the old servant could scold her, Yan Xiaoying pre-emptively said: “The Jiangsu and Zhejiang floods have risen again. I heard His Majesty chatting with the Imperial Tutor, saying he’s well aware of those messy accounts at the Shao Fu. He’s just waiting for ambitious people to make a move, to see who takes the bait. If the Empress insists on having me bring back the account books at this critical moment, wouldn’t that be falling into the trap set by the Western Palace mother and son? I don’t mind, but can the Empress withstand such trouble? In my opinion, with people closely watching the Shao Fu, the Empress should wait a while and avoid getting tainted by muddy waters.”

Song Ao hadn’t expected this young girl to articulate the crux of the matter so clearly. Though there was some logic to it, she hadn’t anticipated that a young girl could speak so knowledgeably, making her somewhat incredulous.

Yan Xiaoying grinned: “I may have little education, but I’m not stupid! When I was helping in shops before, I learned all the tricks of accounting! Remember, ‘stay away from messy accounts’—this is a profound truth, a gift for the Empress.”

Song Ao glared at her, then turned to relay the message.

After that, the Empress stopped troubling her.

Xiaoying’s words about His Majesty’s “fishing” had struck Empress Tang’s scheming mind. She seemed to have a sudden realization and busied herself gathering the Tang family to strategize!

Meanwhile, Xiaoying was busy with her affairs. Jin Zhong had procured the Department of Internal Affairs’ plant registry. Scanning through it rapidly, Xiaoying quickly discovered the location of the exotic orchid.

This rare orchid was a tribute from the Yunnan region years ago and had an elegant name: “Snow-Soaked.”

The orchid seemed to have entered the palace many years ago. The name of the palace where it was planted was unfamiliar and wasn’t on the palace map Song Ao had previously drawn for her.

So Yan Xiaoying casually asked Jin Zhong where the Tianlu Palace that housed the orchid was located.

Jin Zhong looked at the registry but didn’t know either, so he went to ask the old eunuch who had trained him.

When he returned, his expression was much more tense: “Crown Prince, in this servant’s opinion, there’s nothing particularly appealing about this orchid. Perhaps… you might choose something else?”

Xiaoying maintained a stern face, stating that her appreciation for beauty was exceptionally refined, and both the people and plants she admired couldn’t fall into common patterns. She insisted on having this orchid!

Seeing the Crown Prince’s stubbornness, Jin Zhong hastily reminded him: “Your Highness… that Tianlu Palace was sectioned off outside the palace walls during the Late Emperor’s time, and now it seems to house that person…”

Yan Xiaoying feigned confusion: “Who?”

Jin Zhong sighed helplessly: “It houses… the Grand Prince!”

Oh, that’s the Grand Prince with the hidden illness who was moved out of the inner palace? Xiaoying grew curious and asked Jin Zhong, “You served the Grand Brother. Do you know why he developed this madness?”

Jin Zhong hesitated, but couldn’t resist the urge to show off his knowledge. However, before gossiping, he cautiously stated that these were all hearsay and idle talk he had heard, of uncertain truth, and hoped the Crown Prince wouldn’t share it with others.

Seeing Xiaoying’s smiling agreement, Jin Zhong began to recount the palace’s old stories.

This Prince, who was as elusive as a dragon showing its head but not its tail, was born to His Majesty and his early-departed first wife when His Majesty was still a minor prince in Lingnan.

His first wife was a skilled woman named Ye Zhanxue. Her elder brother, General Yezhong, was Emperor Chunde’s sworn brother, now a highly regarded Great General stationed at the border, greatly relied upon by His Majesty.

Before marriage, Ye Zhanxue had been a female knight errant roaming the jianghu, the closed-door female disciple of Swordmaster Xiao Jiumu, Mu Yanyan’s maternal grandfather, and as close as sisters with the current Princess Anqing.

Though Lady Ye wasn’t of high birth, she and His Majesty were a harmonious couple, devoted to each other.

Unfortunately, later during the rebellion, Lady Ye encountered a formidable enemy’s ambush and was captured. His Majesty exhausted all efforts to rescue her.

Two months after that, Lady Ye became pregnant with the Grand Prince.

His Majesty, concerned for his beloved wife, felt her body was too weak and that bearing a child at this time would be too burdensome. He didn’t intend to keep the pregnancy.

But the physician advised against abortion, saying Lady Ye’s weakened body couldn’t withstand it without risking her life.

In the end, it was Lady Ye’s brother, General Yezhong, who knelt before his brother-in-law, pleading desperately to save the pregnancy.

After the Grand Prince was born, within a few years, the female general succumbed to accumulated illnesses and died, leaving behind the three-year-old Grand Prince.

It was said that Lady Ye showed signs of madness before her death, and perhaps the Grand Prince had inherited the condition from the womb.

Jin Zhong spoke evasively, but Xiaoying, after pondering these illogical events briefly, understood everything.

Discovering pregnancy two months after being rescued from captivity? Emperor Chunde likely suspected that Lady Ye had suffered unspeakable things in enemy hands, and the child’s bloodline was questionable.

That’s why, despite Lady Ye having just been rescued and being physically weak, he insisted on terminating the pregnancy.

It was only when her brother, who held military power, intervened to save his sister’s life, that Emperor Chunde, bound by sentiment and obligation, grudgingly accepted the green hat, allowing his wife to give birth to the child of uncertain bloodline, even permitting this child to assume the title of the legitimate eldest son.

After all, at that time, he was merely an obscure prince’s heir, likely never imagining that one day he would become Emperor.

Such a compromise made his subordinates believe in his loyalty and righteousness, showing he valued both love and righteousness.

Although Emperor Chunde managed to balance sentiment and righteousness, a rift had formed in the marriage, and they could never return to how they were before.

That deceased Lady Ye likely died from depression, her heart heavy with sorrow.

After recounting this heavily veiled episode, Jin Zhong spoke more freely.

Afterward, His Majesty married into the powerful Tang clan, embarking on a path of conquest and rapid ascent.

Meanwhile, the Grand Prince remained in the countryside, lacking discipline. Later, when he followed his grandfather and father into the palace, his temperament became perverse and violent. At twelve, after nearly drowning the Crown Prince, his condition worsened, and he was no longer seen.

These matters concerning the Grand Prince were known only to the old palace servants. He had heard all this from a drunk old eunuch who used to serve in the Grand Prince’s abandoned palace, who had spilled everything to curry favor with his new master.

Yan Xiaoying became increasingly convinced that this little eunuch Jin Zhong, though highly ambitious, lacked cunning discretion.

Such secret family matters from before the old Emperor’s rise to power, even if known by many in the palace, were topics no one dared to discuss frivolously.

Yet Jin Zhong dared to bluntly tell the Emperor’s son. No wonder he had been bold enough to slap the Empress’s niece’s face for advancement.

The subsequent events became clearer to Xiaoying.

The Grand Prince was ordered by His Majesty to be relocated to the abandoned Tianlu Palace isolated outside the palace walls, where he would “recuperate in tranquility” and was never seen again.

The palace imprisoning the Grand Prince was within that lakeside palace wall Xiaoying had seen while fishing today, also where the orchid was located.

Could it be… her “brother” was hidden there, confined with a madman?