"Of course I don't mind." Li Jin replied with a smile, then immediately said with deep meaning, "However... it seems you have something else to say to me?"
Li Siyuan stared intently at Li Jin. "Third Brother, you still haven't answered my question from earlier."
Li Jin curved his lips into a smile and retorted, "Haven't you already figured it out in your heart?"
"So, all of this was indeed your design." Li Jin's words made Li Siyuan even more certain his conjecture was correct. Otherwise, how could their impromptu cooperation have been so seamless, not only entrapping Wei Shiwan but even Ying Zhengjing failing to notice anything amiss.
From the moment Ying Zhengjing ordered the door opened, Li Siyuan had felt regret. But this feeling of regret had barely risen before he forcibly suppressed it. Because Li Siyuan clearly understood he had no way back. If he wanted to live, he could only brace himself and continue the act.
Li Jin smiled slightly. "I merely went along with the situation."
Li Jin had always had Zhou Yunting secretly monitor Wei Shiwan and Zhou Xiaoru's every move, so he naturally knew about their underhanded deeds. However, the time wasn't right, so Li Jin had bided his time without revealing anything.
"Heh," Li Siyuan let out a self-mocking laugh. "Indeed, all of this was my own decision, and I have no one to blame but myself. What right do I have to lay the blame for any of it at your feet now?"
Li Jin looked at Li Siyuan and said, "The matter is concluded, and you have successfully become the Second Prince's principal consort. Isn't it time to fulfill your promise?"
"I haven't forgotten what I promised you."
After speaking,Li Siyuan took a handkerchief from his sleeve and handed it to Li Jin.
Li Jin took the handkerchief. Upon clearly seeing what was embroidered on it, he couldn't hide his surprise. "This is... a love poem embroidered by Wei Shiwan?"
On it was embroidered a deeply affectionate poem, beautifully and tenderly depicting a woman's admiration for a man. The signature was Wei Shiwan's maiden name, along with her personal seal. However, the person it was intended for was not Li Shiyun, but someone called Chongjin.
Chongjin... Chongjin...
Li Jin silently repeated these two words,then suddenly thought of a certain person's name, and his pupils sharply contracted.
His father, the Prince of Dingbei, had a capable deputy general named Yan Chongjin. Could that Deputy General Yan Chongjin be the same 'Chongjin' embroidered on this handkerchief?
"Perhaps. Third Brother, I've given you the item. We are even now."
Wei Shiwan was,after all, Li Siyuan's birth mother. Li Siyuan truly didn't wish to discuss her flaws further. After a brief reply, he took his leave from Li Jin and departed.
Incidentally, Li Siyuan obtaining this handkerchief was also a matter of chance. Back then, Li Siyuan was still young. Because Li Ruoyan was sent to be raised by Wei Rong, Wei Shiwan kept Li Siyuan by her side.
At first, Wei Shiwan was very attentive. But later, after some unknown incident, Wei Shiwan who usually valued etiquette the most, actually drank heavily in her room, completely ignoring the young Li Siyuan, repeatedly calling out the name 'Chongjin'.
Li Siyuan remembered this name. Later, while drunk, Wei Shiwan took out a handkerchief from her person and was about to burn it. The young Li Siyuan, who really liked the handkerchief, boldly swapped it, then hid the handkerchief away. He kept it hidden for years.
When Wei Shiwan sobered up and discovered that the handkerchief she always kept on her person had been reduced to ashes, she collapsed to the floor in utter despair. From that day forward, she began to restrain herself and never got drunk again.
Li Jin did not continue speaking, only watching Li Siyuan's retreating figure until it disappeared.
"Li Jin, how do you plan to handle this handkerchief?"
Ying Yuan walked out from the shadows, staring directly at Li Jin.
Li Jin turned around and smiled at Ying Yuan. "I'll keep it for now. It's not yet the time to use it."
Li Jin believed in striking only when sure of success, and when he did strike, he intended to leave Wei Shiwan no way out. Besides, although Wei Shiwan had been demoted to a secondary consort, her foundations within the Prince of Dingbei's mansion were deep; it wasn't something that could be changed overnight. Using this handkerchief now would, at most, cause Wei Shiwan some trouble, but it wouldn't be enough to topple her. It was better to keep it and wait, as this handkerchief might become a very useful tool.
"That works too." Ying Yuan nodded in agreement.
"Seventh Prince, I entrust the handkerchief to you for safekeeping." Li Jin handed the handkerchief he was holding to Ying Yuan.
"Mm." Ying Yuan acknowledged and took the handkerchief.
Li Jin gave a warm smile. "After this matter is fully concluded, I will repay Seventh Prince for your help."
With Ying Yuan's assistance, Li Jin had significantly reduced his troubles. Although Li Jin seemed to be in a glorious position now, having gained the personal favor of both the Emperor and the Empress, his actual situation was still as precarious as walking on thin ice.
Basically, apart from Ying Yuan and Gu Rushuang who treated him sincerely, everyone else had ulterior motives. Not to mention the spies Wei Shiwan and Zhou Xiaoru had placed in his courtyard, just the spies left by Ying Zhengjing gave Li Jin a headache; they were ruthless people with formidable martial skills. If Li Jin didn't take small precautions every time he left something in his room to prevent anyone from secretly tampering with his belongings, he would never have discovered that the people sent by Ying Zhengjing would sneak in to investigate every time he left his room.
Ying Yuan laughed. "Then just treat me to a meal at Fumanlou. I remember you said the dishes at Fumanlou are quite good."
"Good, it's a deal." Li Jin immediately stretched out his hand towards Ying Yuan.
Ying Yuan, understanding, also stretched out his hand and hooked fingers with Li Jin. "It's a deal."
This gesture was a habit Ying Yuan had maintained for many years, one that made him feel at ease. He almost always hooked fingers with Li Jin when making a promise, a practice that hadn't changed even after seven years.
___
Shen Qianxue looked at Shen Chaoyan, her eyes brimming with tears, looking as if she was about to fall to her knees. "Brother, think of a way to help Ziheng. You're the only one who can help Ziheng now."
As soon as Shen Qianxue returned to her own palace, she immediately sent someone to summon Shen Chaoyan for discussion.
Ying Ziheng also looked anxiously at Shen Chaoyan.
Shen Chaoyan shook his head. "The Emperor's word is final. There will be no reversal of the decision to depose the Crown Prince."
"How could this be..." Ying Ziheng, unable to accept Shen Chaoyan's words, turned pale.
Everything Ying Ziheng currently possessed, even the ministers he associated with in secret, was based on his status as Crown Prince. Without that title, the power Ying Ziheng currently held would undergo unpredictable turmoil.
"No, there must be a way." Shen Qianxue, with reddened eyes, stepped forward, grabbed Shen Chaoyan's clothes, "Brother, you are highly trusted by His Majesty, holding the position of Right Chancellor. You must be able to persuade the Emperor to revoke his decree!"
"Qianxue, the real reason for the Emperor's wrath is because the Second Prince was schemed against without even realizing it. Also, when the Emperor went to find the Second Prince, why didn't you send someone to notify me first?"
Looking at Shen Qianxue's increasingly unreasonable behavior, Shen Chaoyan's face darkened.
"I... I was just panicked at the time." Shen Chaoyan's words immediately drained the intensity from Shen Qianxue's demeanor, and she could no longer meet his gaze.
Shen Chaoyan's expression grew even colder. "Then do you realize that it was precisely this moment of panic that destroyed any chance I had to intervene?"
"Brother, that can't be true."
Shen Qianxue shook her head in disbelief, unwilling to believe that she herself had implicated Ying Ziheng.
"Qianxue, what's done is done. More words are useless." Shen Chaoyan sighed helplessly. "The best strategy now is to hide our capabilities and bide our time, waiting for the right opportunity."
Ying Ziheng pursued desperately, "Uncle, is there really no chance for a turnaround?"
"None." Shen Chaoyan gave a definitive nod, then added a stern warning, "Furthermore, once the two children from the Prince of Dingbei's mansion have married you, you may keep your distance, but you must not mistreat them."
"I never wanted to marry them in the first place."
Speaking of the marriage, Ying Ziheng felt deeply aggrieved.
In Ying Ziheng's heart, the only candidate worthy of being his principal consort was Shen Ningyu. However, contrary to his wishes, such an incident had occurred, and with Ying Zhengjing's decree, no matter how unwilling Ying Ziheng was, he had to marry them. Now that the position of principal consort was lost, how could Shen Chaoyan possibly consent to letting his treasured daughter marry Ying Zihang? Ying Zihang's one-sided wish to make Shen Ningyu his principal consort was almost certainly doomed to fail.
Shen Chaoyan couldn't be bothered to persuade him further and stated bluntly, "Right now, only they can help you make a comeback. If the Second Prince does not wish to become Crown Prince again, you may certainly refuse the marriage to the Emperor."
"I..." Involving the restoration of his position as Crown Prince, Ying Ziheng could no longer speak of refusal.
Seeing that Ying Ziheng was somewhat moved, Shen Chaoyan continued to persuade him, "Second Prince, although they are no longer the children of the princess consort, their mother is still Secondary Consort Wei, the most favored consort of Li Shiyun, and their father is the renowned Prince of Dingbei. Why not make good use of them?"
Shen Qianxue was the first to take this in. "Ziheng, the Right Chancellor is right. They are, after all, the Prince of Dingbei's children. The Prince of Dingbei definitely won't ignore them. If we use them properly, they could very well become our assets."
"But..."
"No buts." Shen Qianxue interrupted Ying Ziheng. "The Emperor has ordered you to marry them, so you will marry them. Do you understand?"
A mother's honor derives from her son.
For years, ever since Ying Zihang was made Crown Prince, Shen Qianxue had enjoyed all the privileges befitting an Empress. Wherever she went, she was the center of attention, like the moon accompanied by a retinue of stars. To be forced back to her former status now was utterly unacceptable to her.
Pressed by Shen Qianxue like this, Ying Ziheng ultimately compromised.
In the end,Ying Ziheng's choice to give up Shen Ningyu was because he couldn't bear to part with the power he once held.
Ningyu, my decision to marry someone from the Prince of Dingbei's mansion is forced by circumstances. You must understand me. In the future, when I regain my status as Crown Prince and ascend the throne, I will definitely have you marry me with great honor and splendor.
Hearing that Ying Ziheng had given up on Shen Ningyu, Shen Chaoyan finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Shen Chaoyan never intended for Shen Ningyu to marry Ying Ziheng in the first place, but had refrained from stating it clearly due to Ying Ziheng's noble status. Now, with Ying Zhengjing personally issuing a decree that dashed Ying Ziheng's hopes, it was undoubtedly the best outcome.
Shen Chaoyan then resolved to arrange Shen Ningyu's marriage as soon as possible, to prevent Ying Ziheng from continuing to harbor thoughts of her.
While Ying Ziheng compromised over here, the Prince of Dingbei's mansion was in an uproar.
Wei Rong could barely contain her anger as she stood up, furious. "I disagree! Yan'er is the legitimate daughter of the Prince of Dingbei. How can she become a lowly concubine?"
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