I started as a concubine, and I made the crown prince cry with my delicious food.

The news of His Highness the Crown Prince falling off a cliff and going missing in the southern borderlands was like a boulder thrown into the seemingly calm lake of the capital, stirring up towering waves.

Initially, the news was kept secret within the palace and among a few top nobles.

But paper cannot contain fire after all.

Three days later, at dawn.

"Selling steamed buns! Hot, fresh meat buns!"

In front of the steamed bun shop in the East Market, several people waiting to buy breakfast huddled together, whispering among themselves.

"Old Zhang, have you heard? Something big has happened in the palace!" a man dressed in shorts said in a low voice.

"What's the big deal?" Old Zhang, who sells steamed buns, poked his head out.

"His Highness the Crown Prince...has encountered trouble in the Southern Frontier!"

"Huh?!" Several people around exclaimed in unison, "What happened?"

"My cousin told me that he works in the Ministry of War. He said that His Highness the Crown Prince led troops to fight the barbarians in the southern borderlands, but... but he was defeated and fell off a cliff!"

"Oh my god! Then...is there any chance of survival?"

"Who knows! Anyway, the imperial court hasn't given any definite answer yet, don't you think this is..." The man made a throat-slitting gesture.

Old Zhang sighed, "Alas! His Highness the Crown Prince is a wise, brave, and most skilled warrior! A few years ago, he fought against the Northern Rong and made those barbarians run for their lives. How come this time..."

"Who can argue with that!"

Similar conversations are taking place in every corner of the capital.

In the teahouse, just as the storyteller was about to begin, someone in the audience started to clamor: "Stop telling those old, tired stories! Tell us about His Highness the Crown Prince!"

"Yes, yes, yes! What exactly happened?"

The storyteller waved his hand awkwardly: "Ladies and gentlemen, how could I, an old man, dare to speak carelessly about such things..."

"What are you afraid of! You weren't the one who spread the rumor!"

"Exactly! Everyone's saying it, so why don't you say something too!"

Seeing that he couldn't refuse, the storyteller cleared his throat and said, "Then this old man will tell you some rumors circulating in the streets. Just listen and don't take them seriously..."

"I heard that His Highness the Crown Prince's expedition to the Southern Frontier was intended to be a swift and decisive victory, to achieve great merit. However, the barbarians of the Southern Frontier are incredibly cunning and laid an ambush. His Highness fell into their trap and was trapped on the edge of a cliff, with pursuers behind him and a bottomless abyss ahead..."

"And then? And then?" Everyone listened intently.

"Then... to avoid capture, His Highness the Crown Prince spurred his horse and leaped off the cliff! It was a bottomless abyss, with a raging river below..."

"Hiss—" Everyone gasped.

"Then...is there any chance of survival?"

The storyteller shook his head: "I don't know. The imperial court only said they are 'missing,' but it's been more than half a month, and they haven't even found a trace of them..."

Silence fell over the teahouse.

A moment later, someone in the corner suddenly sneered, "In my opinion, this matter isn't that simple!"

Everyone looked over and saw that the speaker was a middle-aged scholar dressed in a blue robe, who looked like a down-on-his-luck scholar.

"Sir, what do you mean by that?" someone asked.

The scholar picked up his teacup, took a slow sip, and then said, "Who is His Highness the Crown Prince? He led troops at the age of sixteen and quelled a plague at twenty. Every time he achieved great merit, how could such a person make the mistake of underestimating the enemy and advancing rashly?"

"So you mean...?"

"What I mean is, there's probably more to this than meets the eye!" the scholar said in a low voice. "Perhaps... someone doesn't want His Highness the Crown Prince to return alive!"

"Hiss—" Everyone gasped again.

"Sir, watch your words! Watch your words!" The shopkeeper, his face pale with fright, quickly stepped in to smooth things over. "Gentlemen, please have some tea, please don't say anything more..."

But these words are like a seed that has been planted in everyone's heart.

By the afternoon, the rumors had taken a different turn.

"Have you heard? His Highness the Crown Prince didn't die in battle; he was murdered!"

"Who did this?"

"Who else could it be! It must be those princes! With the Crown Prince dead, the position of heir apparent will be vacant, won't it?"

"That makes sense!"

By evening, the rumors had become even more outrageous.

"I heard from my uncle, who works in the Ministry of Revenue, that the officials there said His Highness the Crown Prince hasn't even received enough pay for his expedition! Don't you think this is going to harm people?"

"And what else! I heard that many of the soldiers His Highness the Crown Prince led were greenhorns who had never fought a battle before!"

"Isn't this sending His Highness the Crown Prince to his death?!"

In other places, however, the rumors take a completely different turn.

Outside the Imperial College, several young students gathered together, discussing the matter animatedly.

"Alas! His Highness the Crown Prince is likely in grave danger this time." A scholar dressed in a Confucian robe shook his head and sighed.

"Who says otherwise!" another student chimed in. "But to be honest, His Highness the Crown Prince was indeed a bit overconfident this time. Although the Southern Barbarians are not as powerful as the Northern Rong, the terrain is complex and rife with miasma; they're not so easy to defeat."

"Exactly! I heard that His Highness the Crown Prince only brought five thousand men this time, yet he dared to venture deep into the southern border region. Isn't that underestimating the enemy and being reckless?"

"Sigh! Youthful impetuosity!"

"Exactly! They won a few battles in the past few years and thought they were invincible. Well, look what happened, they've fallen!"

"Shh! Keep your voice down! You can't say things like that!"

"What are you afraid of! We didn't say anything wrong! His Highness the Crown Prince is indeed too arrogant!"

Such discussions arose in every corner of the capital.

In just a few days, Xiao Jingshi's formidable reputation, built up over the past few years, began to fade and become indistinct, like clouds scattered by a strong wind.

Some say he was a hero who sacrificed his life for his country.

Some say he was a reckless fool who underestimated his enemy and acted rashly.

Some say he was framed and died unjustly.

Some people say he was afraid of death and deserted his post.

Rumors spread like a plague throughout every corner of the capital.

Behind these rumors, there are unseen hands fueling the flames.

The Eastern Palace.

Ye An'an stood by the window, looking at the gray sky outside, her face as pale as paper.

"Your Majesty, the rumors outside are getting increasingly outrageous," Fuyun said angrily. "Those people are talking complete nonsense! How could His Highness the Crown Prince be a coward who fears death? And those who say you bring bad luck to your husbands are even more absurd!"

Ye An'an didn't speak, but just tightly gripped the handkerchief in her hand.

She knew these rumors didn't appear out of nowhere.

There must be someone pushing this from behind.

And this person, or rather these people, have only one goal—

While Xiao Jingshi was away, they completely destroyed the Eastern Palace.

"Your Highness, we can't just let this go!" Chenzhu was also furious. "How about I find some people, arrest those who spread rumors, and give them a good beating!"

"No." Ye An'an finally spoke, her voice weak but firm. "We're in the eye of the storm right now. The bigger our moves, the more guilty we'll seem."

"So...so we're just going to put up with this?"

"Endure it." Ye An'an turned around, a cold glint in her eyes. "But not indefinitely. Now is not the time. Just wait, the more enthusiastically you jump, the harder you'll fall in the future."

As she said this, her hand unconsciously touched her slightly protruding belly.

Jing Shi, don't worry.

I will protect our home.

I'm waiting for you to come back.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the capital, at the Grand Tutor's residence.

Inside the study, Grand Tutor Fu Yuanshan sat upright, holding a cup of tea in his hand, slowly sipping it.

Opposite him stood a middle-aged man dressed in fine clothes and slightly overweight, none other than Wang Hai, the head of the Zhang family, the largest imperial merchant family in the capital.

"Grand Tutor, you've heard what's been going on outside, haven't you?" Wang Hai said with a smile.

Fu Yuanshan put down his teacup and glanced at him indifferently: "I've heard about it."

"So what do you think...?"

"What do you want to ask?" Fu Yuanshan interrupted him.

Wang Hai chuckled awkwardly and leaned closer: "Grand Tutor, in your opinion, is it... possible for His Highness the Crown Prince to return this time?"

Fu Yuanshan did not answer immediately, but picked up his teacup and slowly took another sip.

After a long pause, he slowly spoke, "What do you think?"

"In my humble opinion..." Wang Hai lowered his voice, a glint of greed flashing in his eyes, "I'm afraid they won't be coming back. That's a sheer cliff, with a raging river below; even a god couldn't survive there!"

Fu Yuanshan didn't speak, but simply tapped the table lightly with his fingers.

Seeing his silence, Wang Hai assumed he was hesitating and continued, "Grand Tutor, I know you are a loyal minister and unwilling to say such things at this time. But... this is a rare opportunity!"

"Opportunity?" Fu Yuanshan raised his eyelids and glanced at him.

"Yes! An opportunity!" Wang Hai rubbed his hands excitedly. "With the Crown Prince gone, the position of heir apparent is vacant, isn't it? Which of the princes isn't eyeing it? But His Majesty is in his prime and may not immediately appoint another heir. But the Eastern Palace cannot be without a ruler for even a day!"

"so what?"

"So..." Wang Hai leaned closer, lowering his voice, "we need to plan ahead!"

Fu Yuanshan finally put down his teacup and looked at Wang Hai: "Tell me your thoughts."

Wang Hai's eyes lit up, knowing there was a chance, and he immediately said, "This is my idea. We can unite some court officials and submit a memorial to His Majesty, saying that we are willing to vouch for His Highness the Crown Prince!"

"Guarantee?" Fu Yuanshan raised an eyebrow.

"Yes! We'll vouch for him!" Wang Hai explained. "We'll say that His Highness the Crown Prince is not one to fear death, and there must be more to this defeat than meets the eye! We are willing to support the court in continuing the search and rescue operation for His Highness in the southern borderlands to clear his name!"

A glint of light flashed in Fu Yuanshan's eyes.

That was a brilliant move.

On the surface, they appeared to be speaking up for the Crown Prince, sharing the burdens of the royal family, and were utterly loyal.

In reality, it was at this critical juncture that the power and loyalty of the Fu and Zhang families were firmly imprinted in the emperor's mind.

"And then?" Fu Yuanshan pressed.

"Then..." Wang Hai lowered his voice, a calculating glint in his eyes, "we can then suggest that the Crown Princess is currently six months pregnant and overwhelmed with grief, making it unsuitable for her to continue managing the affairs of the Eastern Palace. For the safety of the Crown Princess and the grandson, shouldn't someone help share the burden?"

"What do you want to do?"

"Well..." Wang Hai's eyes darted around, and he lowered his voice, "I do have an idea. Perhaps we could... remind His Majesty of something."

"What is it?" Fu Yuanshan narrowed his eyes.

"Grand Tutor, think about it," Wang Hai leaned closer, "The Crown Princess is currently pregnant with the only child of the Eastern Palace, which should be a good thing. But her father commands 100,000 iron cavalry in the Northwest, wielding absolute power. When His Highness the Crown Prince was alive, the Ye family was an ally. But now His Highness's fate is uncertain..."

He paused, then said meaningfully, "If the Crown Princess gives birth to a grandson of the Emperor, and that child inherits the throne, wouldn't the Ye family become in-laws? At that time, the Ye family would hold the reins of the court and the military, and the Eastern Palace would also be in their hands. The empire... might very well belong to the Ye family!"

A glint of light flashed in Fu Yuanshan's eyes.

That hit the nail on the head.

The abuse of power by maternal relatives has always been something emperors feared most throughout history.

"Therefore, we can join forces with some officials to submit a memorial to His Majesty," Wang Hai continued. "We can say that for the safety of the Crown Princess and the grandson of the Emperor, and to prevent those with ulterior motives from taking advantage of the situation, we should arrange for several reliable people to be stationed in the Eastern Palace. Ostensibly to protect the Crown Princess, but in reality..."

"Actually, it's surveillance," Fu Yuanshan continued.

"Exactly!" Wang Hai exclaimed excitedly. "Moreover, we can secretly work together to find a way to make the Crown Princess... lose this child. Without this child, the Ye family will lose a trump card. Then, we can recommend other princes and strive for the credit for supporting the new emperor!"

Fu Yuanshan pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded: "What you said makes sense. However, this matter needs to be handled in several steps."

"I humbly request your guidance, Grand Tutor!"

"The first step is to have someone raise concerns about the Ye family in court to test His Majesty's attitude," Fu Yuanshan said slowly. "The second step is to use the pretext of protecting the Crown Princess to plant people in the Eastern Palace. The third step..."

A ruthless glint flashed in his eyes: "The third step depends on that child's fate."

"Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!" Wang Hai nodded repeatedly. "Then, Grand Tutor, which prince should we recommend?"

"The Third Prince, Xiao Jingyuan," Fu Yuanshan said calmly. "His mother comes from a humble background and has no powerful relatives, making him easy to control. Moreover, he has always been at odds with the Crown Prince, so he will certainly be willing to cooperate with us."

"Brilliant!" Wang Hai clapped his hands in praise. "I'll arrange it right away!"

"Remember, everything must be done discreetly," Fu Yuanshan reminded him. "On the surface, we are loyal ministers, sharing His Majesty's burdens. But what we do behind the scenes must not leave any evidence."

"I understand! I understand!"

Wang Hai took his leave and departed.

The study fell silent again.

Fu Yuanshan stood up, walked to the window, looked at the darkening sky outside, and a cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

Ye An'an, do you think it's enough to just protect the Eastern Palace?

too naive.

The imperial court is not a place where a woman like you can manage.