After being jilted, the entire neighboring village was filled with deep regret.

Chapter 498 The Zhao Family Crisis
Grand Tutor Zhao struggled to sit up, his expression gloomy.

Zhao Qinghe brought him some tea to moisten his mouth.

Grand Tutor Zhao took a sip and then smashed the teacup.

"His Majesty's actions are clearly a warning to others! He... he won't allow his subjects to take sides! He's asserting his supreme status! I thought His Majesty doted on the Second Prince the most, that the Second Prince was different from everyone else, but I never expected... hehehe... one wrong move and he'll be doomed!"

The princes grew up in the palace from a young age. Before the birth of the sixth prince, all the princes were born out of wedlock, but only the second prince was adopted by the empress, making him half a legitimate son. The emperor placed high hopes on him, gave him the best treatment, and even taught him to read and write by hand.

All the civil and military officials tacitly agreed that the second prince was the future crown prince. Even if the third and fourth princes were unwilling and wanted to compete, they could only do so secretly and dared not do so openly.

It can be said that if the emperor hadn't done all this, they wouldn't have supported the second prince so much.

Now that the emperor has pulled this stunt, what is his true intention?

Madam Zhao turned pale with fright. "Then what are we going to do? Furong's body is barely cold, and now Wanyi has been demoted to a commoner. What will become of our Zhao family?"

Zhao Qinghe looked at the distraught Princess Qingkang, "Princess, now that things have come to this, do you have any ideas?"

Princess Qingkang's unfocused eyes slowly fell on Zhao Qinghe, and she laughed self-deprecatingly, "Ideas? My two daughters, one dead and one demoted, what other options do I have?"

She was determined to seek justice for her youngest daughter, but she never expected that her daughter's death was related to her eldest son-in-law.

She dared not investigate further, fearing that her eldest daughter might also be implicated, a result she could never accept.

She had already convinced herself to let bygones be bygones over her younger daughter's death, but then her older daughter was demoted to a commoner on New Year's Eve. She fell from grace and never regained her former glory.

It's laughable, pathetic, and lamentable that the Zhao family sacrificed her two daughters for power!

Seeing her like that, Zhao Qinghe felt terrible. "Princess, things have come to this. We must pull ourselves together. Wanyi has only been demoted. She still has us. We cannot abandon them!"

"What else do you want?" Princess Qingkang suddenly roared, "The lesson of the Cen family is right there. Do you think our Zhao family is any different from the Cen family? The Emperor can even deal with the Second Prince. At this time, any slight movement could cost the lives of dozens of people in the Zhao family!"

Let me tell you, Zhao Qinghe! Not only can the Zhao family not do anything, but they also have to take the initiative to sever ties with Wanyi at this time to make their stance clear.”

Princess Qingkang burst into tears and could no longer speak.

Madam Zhao was furious. "Qingkang! Wanyi is your first daughter, the one you carried for ten months and risked your life to give birth to. How can you say such cold-blooded and heartless things?"

"I'm cold-blooded and heartless? Mother-in-law, am I really cold-blooded and heartless, or are you just afraid to face the facts? You said it yourself, Wanyi is my own daughter. Making this decision will only cause me more pain than you! If the Zhao family had kept to themselves back then, we wouldn't be in this mess today!" Princess Qingkang bluntly exposed Old Madam Zhao's hypocrisy and left in anger.

Old Madam Zhao was so angry she almost fainted. "What a fine daughter-in-law you married! She's so disobedient to her mother-in-law!"

Zhao Qinghe was at his wits' end. "Alright, Mother! The Princess is right. She only has two daughters, and both of them are in trouble. Why are you arguing with her at a time like this?"
"Father! I think the Princess's method is the safest. At least it can guarantee our Zhao family's wealth and glory while the Emperor is on the throne. But if the Second Prince rises to power one day, our Zhao family will probably be in trouble." It was precisely because of this concern that he did not say a word when Princess Qingkang openly proposed this method.

Grand Tutor Zhao was filled with resentment. "Now all the court officials are watching me, waiting for my decision, but what can I do? To put righteousness before family is too opportunistic and heartless. After all, the Second Prince is my grandson-in-law. I have poured so much effort into him, hoping that our Zhao family will produce an empress! What have I done wrong?"

"But if we continue to associate with the Second Prince, it would be tantamount to putting the Zhao family in dire straits. If the Emperor ever becomes displeased, he will surely use this as an excuse to target our Zhao family, and perhaps, as the Princess said, turn the Zhao family into a second Cen family."

"In the end, the Second Prince is still not a good candidate!" Old Madam Zhao didn't care about the future; she only wanted to preserve the present.

As for her descendants, to put it bluntly, she won't live to see that day, so why take such a big risk?
"But besides the Second Prince, who else is qualified to be the Crown Prince?" Zhao Qinghe asked the most crucial question.

Grand Tutor Zhao gave him an approving look and pondered, “Among the princes, the Ninth Prince, who is still a minor, will not be discussed for the time being. Among the adult princes, the Sixth Prince is of the noblest birth, but unfortunately he is born disabled and is not qualified to compete. Excluding the Second Prince, that leaves the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince.”

The Third Prince is too mediocre, lacks his own opinions, and simply follows the crowd. It would be better to choose the Second Prince than him.

The fourth prince has some cleverness and cunning, but lacks great wisdom and is not worthy of high society. His only advantage is that he has a son born out of wedlock, which makes him somewhat better than the second prince.

But so what? That alone is far from enough. These two princes are worlds apart from the second prince. Unless the emperor has lost his mind, there is absolutely no way he would appoint either of them as crown prince.

Zhao Qinghe's eyes darted around, and a sudden thought flashed through his mind. "Father, if that's the case, the Emperor certainly won't give up on the Second Prince easily. Could this just be a test and a lesson for the Second Prince? As long as the Second Prince repents and performs well, perhaps the Emperor will change his mind one day!"

The three people inside looked at each other, and the more they thought about it, the more likely it seemed.

Grand Tutor Zhao instantly recovered most of his spirits and laughed heartily: "I knew it! After all, the Second Prince was carefully cultivated by the Emperor and Empress. How could the Emperor and Empress be so heartless to him!"

"I understand! Eldest brother, secretly send someone to find Wanyi later and tell them our suspicions. Make sure they behave well so the Emperor sees the Second Prince's sincerity. Once the Emperor's anger has subsided, we'll petition for their release, and we'll definitely be able to restore their status."

Zhao Qinghe immediately went to do it.

At this time, Xu, a commoner, moved with Zhao Wanyi, two maids and nannies, and their attendants to a small house in the west of the city. This house was part of Zhao Wanyi's dowry.

Although the emperor demoted them to commoners and confiscated the Second Prince's property, he did not touch Zhao Wanyi's dowry.

Her dowry is still at her disposal.

Zhao Wanyi, distraught, entered the main courtyard with the help of her maid Qiuju. Less than twelve hours had passed since the incident. Just twelve hours ago, she was the high and mighty Second Prince's Consort, but now she was a commoner, and a person with a criminal record.

The enormous contrast made her so desperate that she wanted to die, and she was on the verge of collapse.

(End of this chapter)