Miss Zhou was so angry she lost her words and turned to run away.

“Princess Changsheng is impressive.”

A young girl about eight or nine years old beside them lightly clapped her hands and walked toward Chu Changsheng.

“In my impression, the young princess of Prince Pingxi’s manor was a little mute. I never expected she would now be so eloquent and quick-witted. This truly proves the saying that one should look at someone with fresh eyes after three days of separation. I really like girls like this. Can we be friends?”

Tingshuang reminded her in a low voice, “This is the legitimate second daughter of Minister Qiu from the Ministry of War.”

“Miss Qiu.” Chu Changsheng curved her lips in a smile. “Do you like being friends with eloquent and quick-witted girls?”

Miss Qiu nodded. “Yes, exactly like you.”

Chu Changsheng fell silent for a moment.

She wasn’t really an eloquent and quick-witted person. She preferred to paint quietly by herself, and liked to sit together with Xie Xian and read books in silence.

What this Miss Qiu liked was not the real her.

But what did it matter?

Her brother said that at home she could freely be herself, but once she stepped outside the prince’s manor gates, she had to properly play the role of the young princess of the manor.

Thinking of this, she extended her hand. “Alright then, I’ll be friends with Miss Qiu.”

The two smiled and sat together.

When Yun Chu returned, she saw her daughter had made a new friend and couldn’t help but smile with relief.

Although she tried her utmost to protect Changsheng, she also knew that Changsheng’s status destined her to be anything but ordinary. She couldn’t possibly remain forever like a flower growing in a greenhouse.

The banquet soon drew to a close, and the guests gradually dispersed.

The Crown Princess also brought her daughter back to the palace.

On the way, she educated her daughter about getting to know the noble ladies of various families and maintaining network relationships… She continued talking all the way until they reached the Eastern Palace.

She walked to the main hall and saw at a glance that the Crown Prince was sitting inside drinking tea, with Imperial Concubine Wu sitting beside him attending to him. The two were extremely intimate.

She had thought that Imperial Concubine Wu was just a passing fancy for the Crown Prince. She never imagined that the Crown Prince would let Imperial Concubine Wu live in the main hall, and she had already lived there for over a year. The Crown Prince had never favored any woman for such a long time.

But she also knew that Her Majesty the Empress did not like Imperial Concubine Wu. After the Crown Prince ascended the throne, this Imperial Concubine Wu probably wouldn’t even be able to become a consort.

The Crown Princess didn’t even enter the main hall and turned to leave.

Xie Ping raised her head and saw the fleeting corner of the Crown Princess’s robe.

She slightly curved her lips. Although she didn’t have a dazzling appearance, didn’t have a graceful figure, didn’t have a distinguished family background, she had value in her existence. She could help the Crown Prince solve his problems and worries, could be an understanding companion flower…

“Your Highness the Crown Prince! Great news!” A young eunuch ran in from outside the hall. “Side Consort Fang is pregnant! She’s with child!”

“What!”

The Crown Prince immediately stood up.

He had three daughters and only one son. For the imperial family, one son was far too few.

He didn’t care about Xie Ping and followed the young eunuch to Side Consort Fang’s residence.

Xie Ping sat where she was, her lips pressed tightly together.

Side Consort Fang had a miscarriage a year ago and injured her body. Why had she conceived a child again so quickly?

She was even younger than Side Consort Fang. Why, after attending to the Crown Prince for so long, did her body show no reaction at all?

What she lacked most now was a child. Only with the Crown Prince’s bloodline could she truly establish a foothold in the Eastern Palace…

When the Crown Princess heard that Side Consort Fang was pregnant, her expression darkened.

The Crown Prince hoped for many offspring, but she did not.

However, as the Crown Princess, she had no way to show her thoughts on her face. She collected her emotions and went to Kunning Palace to announce the good news.

“Good, good, good.” The Empress was full of joy. “Although Side Consort Fang is foolish, her belly is competitive. Crown Princess, you must take good care of her. This pregnancy absolutely cannot have any problems.”

Now that the second prince, Chu Mo, had been placed under house arrest, the Crown Prince’s greatest threat was finally eliminated.

Now, the most urgent matter was to find a way to kick the third prince, Chu Yi, out of the game. However, the third prince wasn’t as aggressive as the second prince, so they could proceed slowly.

She already had a rough plan in mind. Although the third prince had a cold face and cold heart, he was a good father. Hadn’t he just had a legitimate son born? If they used that child to set up a scheme, perhaps they could completely kick Prince Pingxi’s manor out of the picture…

But thinking about these things now was still too early.

There were more important matters.

“Crown Princess, there’s something I need to inform you about,” the Empress spoke slowly. “That Imperial Concubine Wu cannot be kept. Find an opportunity to deal with her.”

The Crown Princess was stunned. “By ‘deal with,’ do you mean kill her?”

The Empress had originally wanted to continue concealing it, but thinking of the Crown Prince’s dullness, she could only hope that the Crown Princess would be more perceptive, so she revealed Imperial Concubine Wu’s identity.

“To think… it’s actually like this…” The Crown Princess’s hands were trembling. “If His Majesty the Emperor finds out, I’m afraid His Highness’s position as Crown Prince won’t be secure. His Highness is so confused…”

“The Crown Prince needs you to guide him more,” the Empress spoke earnestly. “You are the future mother of the nation. You must not have any romantic sentiments in your heart. Only when the Crown Prince does well can you do well, and only then can your son become the next Crown Prince. Do you understand?”

The Crown Princess nodded heavily.

As soon as she left Kunning Palace, the nanny waiting outside walked in and reported, “Your Majesty, Madam Jin requests an audience.”

A smile immediately appeared on the Empress’s lips.

Over the past year, she had lost the power to manage the harem under Li Jingshu’s schemes.

But now, the second prince Chu Mo had been placed under house arrest. Li Jingshu’s ally was gone. Had she come to admit defeat?

Soon, Li Jingshu walked in, lowering her head in courtesy. “I pay my respects to Her Majesty the Empress.”

“Madam Jin is too polite.” The Empress smiled slightly. “Please sit.”

She gave a look, and the palace servants in the hall lowered their heads and withdrew.

Li Jingshu sat in the lower position, raised her eyes to survey Kunning Palace, and a strange smile appeared on her face. “Everything Your Majesty the Empress is enjoying now should have originally belonged to me.”

“What did you say?” The Empress’s expression changed dramatically.

Although they both knew certain things in their hearts, they had never spoken of them openly.

Especially now, when Li Jingshu had lost all her support, how dare she speak so presumptuously in Kunning Palace?

“Isn’t it so?” Li Jingshu’s face was full of mockery. “His Majesty and I were in love with each other. His Majesty once vowed to marry me as his legitimate wife. Your position as Empress should have been mine. You stole His Majesty who belonged to me, stole the position of Empress that belonged to me. All these years, have you been able to sit securely as this Empress?”

“You’re insane!!”

When had the Empress ever been provoked like this?

She raised her hand and fiercely slapped her across the face.

The crisp sound of the slap rang out in the hall.

“At your age, still saying such shameless things.” The Empress was so angry her chest heaved violently. “I and His Majesty were matched by our parents’ orders, a marriage bestowed by the late Emperor. When is it your turn to criticize? You married the Duke, yet secretly seduced His Majesty. A loose woman like you should be drowned in a pond. That you’re still alive today is this Empress’s grace to you, yet you dare to be presumptuous in Kunning Palace!”

Li Jingshu’s hand felt around in her sleeve and slowly pulled out a dagger.

She forcefully drew the dagger out.

The Empress’s expression changed. She retreated several steps and immediately called out loudly, “Someone, quickly come!”

She thought Li Jingshu was going to assassinate her.

But she saw the woman opposite raise the dagger and plunge it into her own abdomen.

Li Jingshu slowly collapsed to the ground.

With Prince Gongxi under house arrest, no one would help her deal with the Empress anymore. She could only use her own life to carve out a bloody path…