Then, I had my brother-in-law give a little help, watching these people closely, and at the agreed time, I spread the news that she had returned to the training field and found clues, thereby waiting for them to fall into our trap.
Crown Prince struggled furiously but could only resort to cursing loudly.
Yan Lingzhen rolled her eyes, "Gag her mouth, for heaven’s sake. She is a princess of a nation; how can she swear so filthily? It’s disgusting to hear."
She covered her ears, feeling as though she had been polluted.
With her mouth gagged, Crown Prince could only make muffled whimpering sounds.
These whimpers didn’t sound like anything pleasant either.
Yan Lingzhen stepped forward and pulled a brocade handkerchief out of Crown Prince’s hand, which indeed held a small object, but it was just a piece of broken stone she had randomly picked up from the ground.
Tossing the stone aside, she carefully put away the handkerchief.
Yan Lingzhen yawned, "I’m heading back to the prison now. The rest is up to you, Minister Xie. See you tomorrow."
"Ah! Take care, please," Xie Qun’s voice rang out clearly.
Watching Yan Lingzhen stride toward the carriage and climb in, he turned to look at Crown Prince lying on the ground, "What are you dawdling for? Help the Princess up, she’s to enter the palace tomorrow."
Yingtao had sat dry-eyed in the palace all night long.
She knew that something terrible had happened.
With dark circles under her eyes, she immediately went to King Chu Qi’s resting palace.
But before she could even enter, she was stopped by the guards.
"Brother, please, the Princess is in trouble, I must report to his Majesty immediately," she pleaded.
The guard glanced at Yingtao, "His Majesty has ordered that no one is to disturb his rest."
Yingtao tried to force her way in, but the guard drew his sword and placed it against her neck, scolding coldly, "One more step and you’ll be treated as an assassin!"
Yingtao had no choice but to look longingly at the doorway that was only a step away and then turn back.
What she failed to notice was the meaningful smile that appeared on the guard’s face as he watched her retreating figure.
All was ready except for an opportune moment.
Everyone was waiting for dawn to break.
That night, Yan Wanqing did not sleep well.
She wasn’t sure if it was because she missed someone’s embrace or because the baby in her belly was being restless.
She could already feel the occasional kicks against her belly.
What started as marveling at the miracle of life had turned into numb acceptance in just three days.
No other reason, the little one seemed determined to kick her hundreds of times a day, too active for comfort.
"Which outfit shall the lady wear today?" Cong Ge led the palace maids in, asking Yan Wanqing to choose her clothes.
She rubbed her temples while leaning on the soft couch, "The simpler, the better."
No sooner had she changed her clothes than a little eunuch from Xiao Pingfeng’s side hurried over, "Crown Princess Consort!"
"What’s the rush?" Yan Wanqing gestured for Cong Ge to pour him a cup of water.
The little eunuch named Ding Dang had a handsome appearance and was reliable in his duties, which is why Yan Wanqing had always liked him.
Ding Dang took the cup of water but didn’t drink it in haste. Instead, he said, "To report to the Crown Princess Consort, Princess Wuyang was arrested last night by the Minister of the Ministry of Justice!"
After relaying the important news, he picked up the cup and gulped down the water, then wiped his mouth, "Thank you, Sister Cong Ge."
Cong Ge smiled and took the cup from him.
Yan Wanqing pondered thoughtfully, "Is it really her?"
Xiaoliu had come into the palace late last night, seeking their help, and, to her surprise, they had actually caught this ill-intentioned person.
But Yan Wanqing always felt that Crown Prince was not the type to be so calculating.
"Where is the Crown Prince now?"
Ding Dang hurriedly said, "Crown Prince, the King of Chu Kingdom and all the ministers are now waiting in the grand hall."
"Let’s go have a look," Yan Wanqing said.
Atop the grand hall of the previous dynasty.
Xiao Pingfeng leaned against the dragon throne with a smile that was not quite a smile, while Chu Qi sat to his lower right, his complexion very unsettled.
These successive incidents had completely disrupted his plans.
The ministers were pointing fingers and chattering nonstop, the argumentative voices were endless.
They were all waiting for Minister of the Ministry of Justice Xie Qun to bring people into the palace, to settle this matter once and for all.
"It must be a frame-up; the Princess would definitely not do such a thing!" the people from Chu Kingdom exclaimed loudly.
They staunchly believed that the kind and beautiful Princess Wuyang could not be the villain who wished to sabotage the relations between the two states!
As soon as these words were spoken, several of Dawei’s ministers could not help but open their mouths to speak.
"Caught red-handed, what is there for you Chu people to argue about, how ridiculous!"
"Indeed, who would have thought Princess Wuyang’s acting skills were so good, a case of the thief crying ’stop the thief’."
Upon hearing this, the people from Chu Kingdom retorted, "Dare to insult Princess Wuyang, I’ll fight you to the death!"
"Come on then, who’s afraid of whom? Our princess is a princess, but our Miss Yan Six is still Red Buddha’s Hand, as if only your princess is so precious!"
"You really think this is Chu Kingdom, where Princess Wuyang can do whatever she wants and someone will cover for her, right!"
The argument below grew louder and louder, and the Crown Prince rested his chin on his hand, watching the commotion with no intention of stopping it.
"Such a noisy disturbance, what a disgrace!" A clear female voice came from outside the door, and Yan Wanqing, dressed in bright red, walked in from the entrance.
Her red attire was very different from that of General Rujin.
This shade of red worn on Yan Hongzhao was valiant and heroic, but when worn by Yan Wanqing, it carried a dash of enchanting allure combined with a rare sense of clarity in a world muddled by malice.
She coolly surveyed everyone in the court: "In front of the Crown Prince and the King of Chu, do you think you are children? So unruly."
When she commanded the army, her presence was imposing. Even now, though she was with child and had an added aura of motherhood, when her face turned cold, it was still enough to send a shiver down one’s spine.
The ministers, who usually did not respect her, had no temper left after being reprimanded.
"The Crown Princess Consort is correct in her reprimand, this servant has been disrespectful, I apologize to the King of Chu."
They had said things during the argument that should not have been said, and upon reflection, it sent chills down their spines. Now, with the ladder given by Yan Wanqing, the ministers quickly descended it, bowing and apologizing to Chu Qi.
After Dawei’s ministers finished speaking, Yan Wanqing then turned to look at Chu Qi: "Given the circumstances, it is inevitable that people become agitated, I hope you, Lord King of Chu, will not hold it against them, and not bear grudges against these old ministers."
In harmony, they played the game of ’all in the family behind closed doors,’ leaving Chu Qi’s irritation stuck in the middle, unable to dissipate.
His expression darkened, and he waved his sleeve without even wanting to talk anymore.
Yan Wanqing did not take it to heart, wearing a smile, she walked towards the high platform.
The Crown Prince sat lazily, waiting for her.
"Come here," he extended his hand towards her.
Yan Wanqing placed her hand in his, and he pulled her without hesitation, seating her on the dragon throne.
Her heart, for some reason, skipped a beat.
It wasn’t as comfortable as she had imagined; rather, it was quite hard.
This scene darkened the expressions of quite a few onlookers.
It seemed that the Crown Prince truly did favor Yan Wanqing.
She was even seated on the dragon throne.
Xiao Pingfeng had eyes for no one else and even took the time to have someone fetch a cushion and place it behind her, allowing her to lean against it.
After he was done with that, the eunuchs also brought news that Xie Qun had arrived with his people.
"Announce," the Crown Prince uttered a single word.
The eunuchs immediately echoed loudly, "Announce Minister of the Ministry of Justice Xie Qun for an audience—!"