Yu Miaohua suddenly remembered the incident at the ancestral temple. "Your Majesty, has the pit in the ancestral temple been investigated?"
She was quite concerned about this matter. After all, she had nearly fallen into it!
Fortunately, the Crown Prince had asked her to offer incense at the time.
Thinking of this, Yu Miaohua felt the urge to curse her useless system. It hadn’t even detected the pit—what was the point of having it?
But knowing the system’s nature, even if it had discovered the pit, it might not have warned her in advance, just to stage a heroic rescue.
Pei Lingyue adopted an inscrutable expression. "We’ve already found some clues. It’s highly likely the work of the Tuo tribe from the grasslands."
Yu Miaohua was shocked. "Their influence reaches even into the palace?"
Pei Lingyue replied casually, "The officials overseeing the ancestral temple were negligent in their duties. I’ve already stripped them of their positions." If they hadn’t even noticed the pit he’d ordered dug, it was clear they hadn’t been paying attention. Pei Lingyue felt no guilt over their dismissal—it was only justified.
Yu Miaohua nodded. "They deserved to be punished."
This time, she had almost been the one to fall into it!
What if she had broken a bone?
Afraid that Yu Miaohua might dwell on the matter and secretly blame him or the system, Pei Lingyue quickly changed the subject. "The Fan Kingdom recently sent another batch of tribute. Later, you can visit the Empress and pick out a few items you like. Even if you don’t use them yourself, they’ll make good gifts for your sisters. Didn’t you invite your sisters to stay for a few days during your birthday?"
Yu Miaohua replied, "The palace has been busy lately. Since I can’t be of much help, I didn’t want to add to the chaos. I’ll invite them another time."
She then seized the opportunity to bring up the matter of the prescription she had received.
The system, witnessing its host taking rare initiative, was nearly moved to shed electronic tears.
[Host, I never thought I’d see the day you’d actively work on a mission. I’m touched.]
[It’s because I really want the reward. In this era, women’s suffering and hardships are often overlooked, especially when it comes to gynecological ailments. With so few female physicians, many are too ashamed to speak up, and minor illnesses can escalate into serious ones. For them, childbirth is like walking through the gates of hell—countless women die from it. Now that we have a chance to obtain a professional medical text, of course I have to get it.]
The moment Pei Lingyue saw the mission reward, his initial impulse to dismiss Yu Miaohua vanished, replaced by keen interest.
As a long-reigning emperor, it was impossible for him to truly empathize with the struggles of commoners. But Pei Lingyue understood one thing clearly: a reward that could reduce maternal mortality rates would directly increase the population.
Population growth had always been one of the metrics used to judge a ruler’s governance.
Naturally, he wanted as many subjects as possible under his rule.
Pei Lingyue was more than willing to support this mission. He even felt a faint sense of relief: for once, he wouldn’t have to rack his brains to help Yu Miaohua complete a task.
She was finally taking initiative!
As he listened to Yu Miaohua explain her thoughts, he quickly grasped the key point. "This prescription was given to you by Consort Xian? Is there anything wrong with it?"
Yu Miaohua blinked. "I had my mother consult a physician. The prescription is indeed beneficial. Consort Xian is a kind person—she was only looking out for me."
Yu Miaohua put on a righteous and solemn expression. "It’s just that this humble body of mine may not live up to Noble Consort Sister’s kind intentions. Due to revealing heavenly secrets, my body may appear healthy on the surface, but internally, it suffers from many ailments. It would take at least ten years of recuperation before I could bear children."
Yu Miaohua didn’t believe she could remain favored for ten years—by then, new favorites would surely take her place. A decade later, it would no longer be her concern. Perfect plan!
"For the sake of Great Qi, I have no regrets."
Pei Lingyue quietly observed Yu Miaohua’s performance. Heavenly retribution? All lies. The System’s deities would never harm her.
To avoid serving in the bedchamber, she could even fabricate such nonsense.
Yet this also proved that Consort Hui, despite her lofty position, harbored no great ambitions.
Had the System’s deities chosen the Noble Consort or any other imperial consort, the harem would have been thrown into chaos.
Though he had to rack his brains every time to help her complete tasks, compared to the alternatives, Pei Lingyue would rather endure the effort—Consort Hui was far less trouble.
The Noble Consort, however, had sinister intentions.
The System was also deeply moved.
[Sniffles… Host, you’ve finally grown up! You’ve learned the proper way to sow discord!]
Yu Miaohua was indignant.
[Nonsense! I’ve always been good at this! Look how well I completed my previous tasks! Every time I stirred the pot, it worked like a charm!]
The System couldn’t even respond. In its opinion, it was purely because the mission targets were blind—how else could the host’s amateurish tricks succeed every time?
After a brief pause, Pei Lingyue said, "Find an opportunity to discuss this matter properly with the Empress."
The Empress would surely be willing to help Consort Hui patch up any oversights, ensuring she didn’t make any mistakes.
Yu Miaohua responded brightly and, prescription in hand, went straight to the Empress.
Naturally, the Empress immediately discerned the Noble Consort’s scheme.
Looking at Yu Miaohua, whose face was practically shouting "I trust you," she suddenly felt the urge to laugh.
No matter what schemes the Noble Consort devised, Miaohua simply refused to fall into the trap.
Without desire, one remains unshaken. She had misjudged Miaohua’s temperament.
With a gentle smile, the Empress said, "This is indeed a virtuous act of accumulating merit. The Holy Mother will surely lend her aid."
She conveniently pulled the Empress Dowager onto the same boat.
Thus, in the following days, Yu Miaohua spent her time discussing the matter with these two.
After observing for some time, the Noble Consort noticed no medicinal brews coming from the Guanju Palace.
She couldn’t help but wonder: Had Yu Miaohua been investigating the prescription all this time?
The prescription itself was perfectly sound—had it not been for her cousin’s wife’s connections to a family of renowned physicians, she would never have obtained it.
In this matter, Consort Hui had made herself look petty for nothing.
……
Yu Miaohua was so preoccupied with the prescription that she nearly forgot about the Emperor’s arrangement for the Tanhua, Shen Sushang, to paint her portrait—until Chai Xiu reminded her.
After some thought, she set aside the opulent gowns and opted for an understated, elegant look.
Having one’s portrait painted wasn’t uncommon in the palace, though usually, court painters handled such tasks. This was the first time a Tanhua had been personally invited for the job.
Mostly, it was because the System kept nagging her about the mission, and since Shen Sushang was indeed one of her targets, Yu Miaohua felt somewhat awkward around him.
She reminded herself again: She had never intended to pursue him. She should treat him as an ordinary painter and interact with him openly and honestly.
After repeating this several times, she finally managed to calm down.
When she saw Shen Sushang, she flashed him a radiant smile. "Lord Shen, thank you for your trouble today."
Shen Sushang bowed slightly, his gaze sweeping over Yu Miaohua's face as he replied with neither humility nor arrogance, "Because of Your Highness, this humble official has the honor of being remembered in history. It is my good fortune—many would envy such an opportunity."
His words were not mere flattery to please Consort Hui but spoken with genuine sincerity.
Consort Hui enjoyed an impeccable reputation in the Hanlin Academy. To avert the suffering brought by natural disasters, she had once willingly sacrificed herself—a selfless act of compassion that inspired deep admiration.
Within just a year, she had also generously shared countless innovations.
Shen Sushang had overheard several officials discussing the matter, speculating that Consort Hui must have paid a personal price for these contributions. Yet she never spoke of it, nor sought recognition, remaining indifferent to fame and fortune.
He felt a pang of guilt—his previous portraits had captured only her beauty, failing to convey even a fraction of her grace and dignity.
Yu Miaohua’s fondness for the handsome scholar soared.
Who wouldn’t be pleased by such praise from a charming man?
Pressing her lips into a smile, she said, "Then I shall take your words to heart."
Shen Sushang gestured politely. "Your Highness might try sitting here."
Perching sideways on the railing?
Ah, that pose would accentuate her right profile—undeniably her better side.
Yu Miaohua settled into position.
To spare her from idle waiting, Shen Sushang handed her a storybook to pass the time.
To her surprise, the tales were quite engaging, their style reminiscent of the plays staged during the New Year’s banquet.
Curious, she asked, "Who wrote these stories?"
Perhaps she could commission a few personalized volumes later.
Shen Sushang paused in thought. "This humble official found them in the library—the second shelf from the left on the second floor holds several of the author’s works."
He suspected a fellow Hanlin scholar might have penned them for leisure before discreetly slipping the books into the collection.
Yu Miaohua memorized the location, planning to explore further.
Meanwhile, Shen Sushang’s brush never stilled, tracing delicate, flowing lines across pristine paper—a product of the new papermaking technique, whiter and more ink-resistant than its predecessors.
Yet another innovation attributed to Consort Hui.
Amid the vibrant hues of the imperial garden, Yu Miaohua leaned against the railing, so absorbed in reading she forgot she was being painted.
Shen Sushang studied the serene maiden before him—the scene was picturesque, yet incomplete. It lacked her essence, as if she still wore an invisible mask.
Suddenly, a fish leaped from the lake, splashing droplets onto Yu Miaohua.
Startled from her book, she blinked wide-eyed, her irises striking in their contrast.
Annoyance flickered across her exquisite features. "How wicked!" she exclaimed instinctively. "Cuiwei! Let’s have this fish made into tofu soup tonight!"
But Cuiwei’s usual gentle assent never came.
Glancing around, Yu Miaohua abruptly remembered her surroundings—she was in the imperial garden, posing for Shen Sushang.
Wait—where was everyone else? Why was she alone with him?
Meeting Shen Sushang’s stunned gaze, Yu Miaohua froze in place.
Ahhhh, her image!!
Shen Sushang spoke as if nothing had happened, "The weather is indeed perfect for a bowl of hot fish head and tofu soup."
He lowered his head and continued painting, though the corners of his lips curled up slightly.
In that moment, he had finally understood how to proceed with his work.
The Virtuous Consort was indeed a gentle and compassionate goddess, but she was also a young girl in her teens, with joys and sorrows like any ordinary person.
His previous paintings had only emphasized her divine aspect, as if she were merely an aloof deity seated high in a temple.
No wonder the Emperor had been dissatisfied and ordered him to repaint it.
Now, Shen Sushang was utterly convinced.
Seeing him paint so intently, as if the earlier incident had been nothing more than a trivial interruption, Yu Miaohua’s embarrassment eased somewhat.
[System, where are the others? Ugh, why didn’t you warn me!]
[Someone accidentally knocked over some pastries and paint earlier, so Chai Xiu and Cuiwei went to fetch fresh ones. The atmosphere between you two was so perfect—such a match of talent and beauty—why would I interrupt?]
[Ahhh, Host! It’s just the two of you now! This is the perfect chance to complete the mission! Go for it!]
Yu Miaohua wouldn’t recklessly endanger herself for the sake of a mission, but with such an obvious opportunity before her, doing nothing wasn’t in her nature either.
Though this era had bath beans, they weren’t as convenient as soap, nor did they clean as well.
Since Cuiwei and the others hadn’t returned yet, the conditions for the mission were perfectly met.
Yu Miaohua lifted her head and said to Shen Sushang, "Lord Shen, thank you."
Shen Sushang remained composed. "This humble official is merely following His Majesty’s decree."
Yu Miaohua replied, "I’m thanking you because you painted me so beautifully. I love it."
[Congratulations, Host, for completing Side Mission 1.1: Meet Scholar Shen Sushang alone and personally express gratitude. Reward: Soap-making technique.]
Hearing the mission completion notification, Yu Miaohua’s smile brightened even more.
Sunlight fell upon her cheeks and hair, making her seem to glow.
Shen Sushang lowered his eyes. "It is my honor."
With the mission accomplished and feeling like she’d struck gold, Yu Miaohua happily turned to her book.
Shen Sushang, meanwhile, continued painting.
A faint rustling came from the flower bushes, though neither of them noticed.
Before long, Cuiwei and the others returned with fresh pastries and dried fruits.
Half an hour later, as the sun began to set, Shen Sushang had roughly completed five sketches. All that remained was refining them.
Yu Miaohua packed up and headed home.
As for the newly delivered pastries, she had no interest in them and simply distributed them among the others.
That evening, Chai Xiu dutifully reported the events in the imperial garden to Pei Lingyue.
Though Chai Xiu didn’t understand why the Emperor had insisted on finding an excuse to send the others away, the Emperor’s will was inscrutable. His duty was only to obey, not to question—curiosity could cost him his life.
Given how dearly the Emperor cherished the Virtuous Consort, surely he meant her no harm.
Pei Lingyue smiled in satisfaction. "It seems the Virtuous Consort was at ease. Scholar Shen should now be able to capture her true spirit in his paintings. That puts my mind at rest."
The mission must have been completed smoothly.
Chai Xiu suddenly understood: So this was the reason behind the Emperor's actions.
When Pei Lingyue learned that Shen Sushang had let Yu Miaohua lean against the railing while reading a romance novel, a thought flashed through his mind: If only he had tampered with the railing beforehand, then Noble Consort Hui would have accidentally fallen into the water.
At that time, with no one else around, Shen Sushang would undoubtedly have played the hero and rescued the beauty.
A heroic rescue—surely that would trigger a "CG reward," right?
Though he had no idea what those two strange symbols "CG" stood for or which language they belonged to, Pei Lingyue had a vague sense of their meaning.
He filed the idea away for future use.
A few days later, when Shen Sushang submitted the finished paintings, Pei Lingyue praised him lavishly and rewarded him with high-quality brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones.
Almost overnight, word spread that Shen Sushang had won the Emperor's favor. Neither the top scholar nor the second-place candidate from the same imperial examination could match his newfound prestige.
Pei Lingyue sent the paintings to Guanju Palace, instructing Yu Miaohua to pick her favorite one to keep.
After some hesitation, Yu Miaohua chose the painting where fish leaped in the background. That portrait captured her true self—less rigid, more natural.
"I like this one. I'll keep it."
The others were returned.
Just as Yu Miaohua was about to invite Consort Fu and others over for a game of mahjong, Noble Lady Sun arrived.
Seeing her, Yu Miaohua smiled. "Perfect timing. Stay and play with us."
Noble Lady Sun, torn between amusement and exasperation at her carefree demeanor, teased, "Your reputation as a 'money-giving fairy' is well-known now. Are you trying to hand me some coins?"
Yu Miaohua grinned. "Why not? I’ve even set aside a grape-patterned silk brocade for you—perfect as a prize."
Noble Lady Sun couldn’t help but reflect that since she’d grown closer to Noble Consort Hui, she’d never lacked fine fabrics.
But that wasn’t why she’d come today.
Her expression turned serious, and she gave a meaningful glance.
Yu Miaohua, no longer the naive newcomer to the palace, dismissed the others.
Noble Lady Sun frowned. "A couple of days ago, when Lord Shen painted you in the imperial garden, were the two of you alone?"
Yu Miaohua blinked in surprise. "How did you know? The refreshments and paints got spilled, so Cuiwei and the others went to fetch replacements."
"I was gathering peach blossoms for drying and happened to see it. It was improper. No matter what, you should have kept at least one attendant with you."
"The bigger issue lies with Chai Xiu. He shouldn’t have taken everyone away. After serving the Emperor for so many years, he ought to know better."
Yu Miaohua’s face darkened. "Could someone have bribed him to frame me?"
How infuriating! She’d have to report this to the Emperor. After all the trust she’d placed in Chai Xiu—even sharing her snacks with him!
All those treats had been wasted!!
Noble Lady Sun nodded. "It’s possible."
"Don’t worry. I was watching from a distance. If anyone tries to harm your reputation, I can testify for you."
She hadn’t approached at the time because, from afar, the atmosphere had seemed… pleasant.
She couldn’t be sure whether Yu Miaohua had dismissed the attendants herself or if someone had orchestrated it.
If it was the former... she would simply pretend not to know about it. Noble Consort Hui was young, and Scholar Shen was exceptionally handsome—it was only natural for her to want to spend more time with him. Besides, was the Emperor entirely blameless in this matter? He was the one who assigned Chai Xiu here, and he was also the one who arranged for Scholar Shen to paint Noble Consort Hui’s portrait.
Yu Miaohua said sincerely, "Thank you for telling me this."
[Lady Sun is truly a good person!]
She had been calling her "Lady Sun" all this time... only now did Yu Miaohua realize she didn’t even know her name.
"Sister, I still don’t know your name."
Lady Sun was momentarily stunned, then a faint smile appeared on her face. "My name is Shan Lan. It was given to me by my mother."
Her mother had hoped she would be as brave and steadfast as a mountain.
Back then, after losing her child and failing to find the culprit, she had drowned in grief. It wasn’t until her mother was driven out by her stepbrothers and fell ill, with no one to care for her, that she forced herself to pull together and focus on recovering.
Yu Miaohua said, "Then I’ll call you Sister Shan Lan."
After a pause, she added, "Sister Shan Lan, Virtuous Consort gave me a prescription to help regulate my health, hoping I’d conceive soon."
Lady Sun tensed. "You didn’t take it, did you?"
Yu Miaohua shook her head. "No. I’m not that foolish—I know her intentions! The prescription itself is good, but it won’t work on me. If Heaven doesn’t grant me children, I won’t have any."
[Being a divine maiden is so great—I can just blame the heavens without guilt. Hehe, I’ll keep being one in my next life too!]
Yu Miaohua had already grown accustomed to the perks of being a divine maiden, often using it as an excuse.
Lady Sun’s expression softened with sympathy.
Yu Miaohua said solemnly, "This is my own choice, and I accept it willingly. My mother had some physicians examine the prescription, and it truly does help regulate health. If you’d like, Sister, I can copy it for you."
Though it required some rare medicinal ingredients, Yu Miaohua had received so many precious herbs from the palace after her recent illness that no other consort could rival her stock.
Lady Sun was momentarily taken aback, then slowly smiled. "Thank you, Sister."
Yu Miaohua’s eyes curved. "I won’t hide it from you—I have another use for this prescription. I plan to use it to raise funds. Even if I didn’t tell you now, you’d eventually get it anyway."
Lady Sun sighed. "Next time, don’t reveal everything so easily. You’re too trusting."
No wonder she had been tricked into the Cold Palace by a fellow townsman not long after entering the palace last year. And after half a year there, she still hadn’t learned much caution.
Yu Miaohua said, "I only speak from the heart with you, Sister. I trust you, just as you trust me. I’m not that naive in front of others."
Sister Shan Lan had a loyalty score of forty toward her! Of course she believed in her.
Lady Sun was touched, but also a little exasperated.
Ah, Noble Consort Hui was too innocent.
[Host, I feel like I’ve heard these lines somewhere before.]
[Really? They did come out smoothly—maybe I picked them up from a drama.]
The system quickly flipped through its records and found the source.
"Hmm, you said something similar to Consort Hui last month. And the month before that, to the Empress. No wonder it rolled off your tongue so smoothly. If only you used your sweet-talking skills on the Emperor and your mission targets, you’d have completed a bunch of tasks by now!"
The system lamented, exasperated.
Yu Miaohua suddenly realized—had she really been saying such things to the Empress and Consort Hui so often?
After discussing with Noble Lady Sun, Yu Miaohua decided she should also put on the act of brewing medicinal tonics to "nurse her health."
So every day, she prepared the concoctions, only for them to end up being drunk by Noble Lady Sun.
Meanwhile, Yu Miaohua also went to the Emperor to lodge a complaint. On her own, she couldn’t possibly uncover who had bribed Chai Xiu, but the Emperor certainly could.
Besides, investigating the Emperor’s personal attendants would easily alert him and raise suspicions. It was better to be upfront about it—after all, she was the victim in this matter.
When Yu Miaohua solemnly declared her suspicion that Chai Xiu had been bribed, Pei Lingyue was stunned. "How did you even come up with that idea?"
Yu Miaohua repeated Noble Lady Sun’s reasoning.
Pei Lingyue asked, "Was this your own conclusion?"
Yu Miaohua nodded, not betraying her good friend.
Pei Lingyue scoffed inwardly. If Consort Hui had truly thought of this herself, she would’ve come to him immediately that day. Clearly, Noble Lady Sun had told her. At least Noble Lady Sun seemed genuinely fond of her.
Pei Lingyue naturally wouldn’t let Chai Xiu take the blame—finding a replacement would be too much trouble.
"It was me who worried you might feel uncomfortable that day. Knowing you dislike being crowded, I had him find an excuse to dismiss the others."
Yu Miaohua was shocked. After spinning conspiracy theories for so long, the culprit turned out to be the Emperor himself?
Well… this was awkward.
She’d even spent half the day cursing him to the system in private.
All she could do was smile stiffly. "I see."
Pei Lingyue pretended not to notice her expression. "You did seem much more at ease afterward."
Yu Miaohua grumbled internally: That’s because the romance novels Scholar Shen brought were actually quite entertaining. She’d even gone to the imperial library recently and borrowed a whole stack of them. Along the way, she’d discreetly slipped in the soap-making technique among the books.
She changed the subject. "This concubine recently came across a recipe in a book and plans to gather some flowers from the imperial garden to try it out."
Pei Lingyue had someone escort Yu Miaohua there.
Later, Yu Miaohua found a chance to clear up the misunderstanding with Noble Lady Sun.
Noble Lady Sun didn’t know what to say either.
The Emperor’s handling of this matter was truly… questionable.
Still, she secretly felt relieved.
Now that the Emperor had openly acknowledged the situation, anyone who tried to stir up trouble over it later would only be inviting misfortune.
Meanwhile, Pei Lingyue publicly announced the findings of the ancestral temple investigation.
The officials of Great Qi wasted no time in condemning the grasslands, cursing them vehemently.
The grasslands had colluded with salt merchants to secretly procure salt and weapons, and now they’d even reached into the palace—proof of their wolfish ambitions.
Many military officers sharpened their blades, eager to teach those grassland barbarians a lesson.
In the end, Pei Lingyue reined them in.
The grassland issue could wait until after this year’s natural disasters were dealt with. The earthquake next month and the drought in August weighed far heavier on his mind.
…
At Qiongming Palace,
Pei Chiyao noticed his father’s recent attitude toward him had seemingly returned to normal, so he set aside his worries and focused entirely on currying favor with more officials to bolster his faction’s influence.
He spoke to his mother, the Noble Consort: "I've heard that those from the grasslands have already infiltrated the capital. If we can wipe out their strongholds here in one sweep, it will surely impress His Majesty."
The Noble Consort smiled gently. "If you need assistance, you can turn to your maternal grandfather's family. They still hold some influence."
Pei Chiyao vowed, "If I ever ascend the throne, I will not forget to reward them for their support."
The Noble Consort maintained her usual serene smile. "I have faith in my son's capabilities."
As part of an old aristocratic family, her maternal relatives still wielded considerable power.
In high spirits, she remarked to her son, "The Guanju Palace has been brewing medicine daily, and the Emperor spends over ten days a month there. It won't be long before good news spreads."
Once that happened, the palace would surely become livelier.
Pei Chiyao replied, "I owe it all to Mother's careful planning."
Lately, his expenses had been mounting, leaving him somewhat short on funds. He decided to wait until his finances improved before carrying out charitable deeds in his mother's name—acts like distributing porridge or repairing roads, all of which required silver.
Silver—what he lacked most at the moment was silver.
The thought of a prince like himself being troubled by money cast a shadow over his previously cheerful mood.
Meanwhile, in an inn somewhere in the capital...
A group of men huddled together, discussing a recent event.
"Did you hear? A pit was dug in the ancestral temple of Great Qi—apparently by one of our people. Who knew we had someone so bold among us?"
These men were spies sent by the grasslands, carefully selected for their resemblance to the people of Great Qi.
"Bold? If they had such skill, they should have assassinated the Emperor of Great Qi instead of digging a pit," scoffed a spy dressed in black.
"You don’t understand. This was a message to the Great Qi imperial family—that if we wished, we could take their heads just as easily."
The spies argued fiercely over the identity of this "hero," only to realize none of them had been responsible.
Disappointed, they dropped the subject.
"Then what about the rumors concerning Consort Hui? Have you confirmed whether she truly is a divine maiden, or just a fabrication by Great Qi?"
Originally, they had come to negotiate deals for salt and weapons, but upon arriving in the capital, they had heard of the legendary Consort Hui—a figure of great renown.
"If there truly is a divine maiden, she should have appeared in our grasslands. We are the ones most devoted to the Buddha! His blessings should be ours."
"Consort Hui predicted the earthquake in March. Whether it’s true or not, we’ll know by next month."
"And if it is true?"
A spy in green gritted his teeth. "If it is, then Consort Hui’s ancestors must have been from the grasslands. Those deceitful Great Qi people must have lured her away. We must report this to the Khan and bring our divine maiden back where she belongs!"
The others clapped in agreement.
Yes, that was the only logical course of action!
...
At the residence of Prince Feng...
Prince Feng, Pei Lingyou, was discussing the grasslands with his son.
"The Emperor claims the pit in the ancestral temple was dug by the grassland people. What do you think?"
Pei Yuheng’s expression turned cold. "That excuse would only fool idiots. The grassland people don’t have such capabilities."
His voice hardened with frustration. "His Majesty must be covering for the true mastermind behind this."
"Then who do you suspect?" Pei Lingyou asked.
Pei Yuheng answered, "I believe it was Pei Chiyao. If he succeeds, he stands to gain the most from this."
He immediately dismissed the Crown Prince as a suspect from this angle.
Pei Lingyou showed a relieved expression. "This matter is indeed related to Pei Chiyao. The Qin family has been secretly tracking the movements of the nomads recently—likely to frame them."
Pei Yuheng clenched his fists. Back then, he had fallen into a trap set by Consort Hui and even shattered the hairpin. All because of Pei Chiyao!
Pei Lingyou said, "Courtesy demands reciprocity. We should also send our second nephew a gift."
Otherwise, he might think the Feng Estate was some spineless pushover.
If he couldn’t manipulate the Emperor, outmaneuvering a not-so-bright nephew would be child’s play.
The Second Prince wanted to curse.
