Nong Nu Jiao

Mingde Hall.

"In this freezing weather, how could the Crown Prince, so frugal, not have he lit the underfloor heating?"

The Second Prince, Yan Qingci, entered the hall, glanced at the charcoal brazier beside him, and spoke with a smile.

He was dressed in a plain brocade robe, with a gentle demeanor. He slowly and deliberately twirled a string of dark sandalwood prayer beads between his fingers, and looked at Yan Chenghui with a gentle smile in his eyes.

"Second Imperial Brother, please sit down." Yan Chenghui sat upright behind his desk, put down the documents in his hand, and said in a calm tone, "It's not yet the dead of winter, a charcoal brazier will suffice. Yun Que, serve tea."

Yun Que responded and quickly brought in the tea.

"It has a refreshing, sweet aftertaste, and the aroma of mountain dew. Could it be cloud and mist tea produced at Baiyan Peak in Xishan?"

The second prince took a sip of tea and asked with a smile.

"Hmm." Yan Chenghui nodded: "It was a gift from my mother when I entered the palace a few days ago."

He held the brush and rinsed it in the brush washer.

"Your Highness, you should know why I've come today, shouldn't you?"

Yan Qingci stared at him and asked.

"I don't know." Yan Chenghui glanced at him: "Second Brother, please speak frankly."

Yan Qingci smiled, her words carrying a hint of pleading: "I told you last time that the Zhou official who embezzled funds in the palace renovation project is a distant relative of my father-in-law's family. You should remember that, right?"

Yan Chenghui put down his purple-tipped brush, looked up at him, and remained silent.

Yan Qingci had no choice but to continue, "I know you are always fair and impartial, but this matter was entrusted to me by my father-in-law, so I have to bother you again..."

"Since Second Brother already knows, there's no need for further explanation."

Before he could continue, Yan Chenghui spoke up.

"If it weren't for my father-in-law's repeated pleas, I wouldn't have visited so many times," Yan Qingci said. "That Zhou clerk is naturally dull-witted and made a mistake due to momentary greed. But it's not a big mistake. I hope that Your Highness will spare his life for the sake of our brotherhood. Rest assured, Your Highness, I will remember your kindness."

"The crime of Chief Clerk Zhou is not limited to embezzling funds for the repair of the palace. He cannot be forgiven. I beg Your Majesty for your understanding."

Yan Chenghui calmly declined his request.

He had a clear understanding of everything.

Although the man surnamed Zhou was said to be Yan Qingci's father-in-law's man, he was actually Yan Qingci's man.

He has investigated everything thoroughly.

For several years, Chief Clerk Zhou was in charge of the imperial palace. He consistently falsified the market prices of materials, and the treasury silver he embezzled each year ended up in Yan Qingci's private coffers.

This is a small matter.

The other thing is the real big deal.

Taking advantage of his official privileges as a purchasing official in the royal palace, Chief Zhou used the pretext of "transporting royal building materials" to open up land and water checkpoints between the north and south, secretly smuggling high-value timber, salt, and silk. He traveled to various places to evade taxes and sell them, creating a secret private trade route in the Jiangnan and Huaiyang areas.

Over the years, Yan Qingci used this official position to amassed a vast private fortune, which he used to win over officials in the capital, cultivate retainers and loyal followers, and thus carry out his grand plan to seize the throne.

He could not let this go, neither for his own sake nor for his personal interests.

This time, by taking action against Zhou and others, he has shaken most of Yan Qingci's financial foundation.

How could Yan Qingci not be anxious?

After Yan Chenghui finished speaking, the hall fell silent.

The Second Prince paused slightly as he twirled the prayer beads, his smile gentle: "Younger brother Crown Prince, this is just a minor case of embezzlement related to repairs. Such cases occur every year in the court. Why do you insist on making a fuss about it and trying to eradicate him completely? At worst, you can fine him a little more silver and spare his life. That would be a good deed."

He was filled with suspicion. Yan Chenghui said that the Zhou ruler had done more than just this one thing. Could it be that Yan Chenghui had already discovered something?

Yan Chenghui's eyes were sharp, and his tone was indifferent: "It is a small matter for Chief Clerk Zhou to embezzle the palace's official funds, but it is a big matter to smuggle for profit under the guise of imperial procurement and to set up private trade routes. Yesterday, I submitted some evidence I had found to Father Emperor's court. How to convict him is up to Father Emperor to decide."

It shouldn't be long before Father Emperor summons Yan Qingci to inquire about this matter.

Therefore, he had nothing to hide.

Upon hearing this, the Second Prince's gentle and compassionate expression crumbled slightly.

He hadn't expected that Yan Chenghui would not only notice, but also act so quickly.

His purpose in coming today is less to plead for Yan Chenghui and more to test his abilities.

Let's see how much Yan Chenghui actually knows about business.

Unexpectedly, Yan Chenghui had found out everything.

This matter will surely enrage the Emperor, who will investigate it thoroughly.

In this way, he lost not only Zhou, the mastermind, as a pawn for accumulating wealth, but also a large portion of his private wealth and influence.

He had painstakingly built up this fortune over half his life, and this was a devastating blow to him.

The hall was deathly silent.

Yan Qingci remained silent for a moment, then turned on his phone again, still with a gentle and unconcerned demeanor: "So it turns out that my younger brother, the Crown Prince, has investigated so thoroughly. If this is true, it is a serious crime that cannot be lightly forgiven. Since my younger brother, the Crown Prince, has already presented this to Father Emperor, then we await Father Emperor's judgment. I will say no more."

He forcibly concealed the surging ferocity and ruthlessness in his eyes, maintaining an air of nonchalance.

If we turn against each other now, wouldn't we be exposing ourselves?

"Thank you for your understanding, Second Brother."

Yan Chenghui nodded slightly.

"Then I will not disturb my younger brother, the Crown Prince, from carrying out his official duties. I will take my leave now."

Yan Qingci rose to take his leave.

The moment he turned around, he gripped the prayer beads tightly with his fingertips and gritted his teeth.

Yan Chenghui's move was clearly intentional.

Without making a sound, they cut off his source of income, destroyed his foundation, and ruined his years of planning.

He will surely repay today's losses a hundredfold or a thousandfold in the future.

"Farewell, Second Prince." Yan Chenghui glanced at his retreating figure. "Yun Que, see the guest out."

"Your Highness, please."

Yun Que stood by the door, smiling as she raised her hand.

Yan Qingci smiled slightly at him, stepped out the threshold, and walked outside.

"Your Highness! Please make way and let me in. I have important business with you."

As soon as Sun Peihuan got off the carriage, she tried to rush into the courtyard.

They were stopped by the guards at the door.

"His Highness has guests, please forgive him, Consort Sun."

Two guards held their spears in front of her, offering a curt warning.

"I have urgent business, please let me in quickly."

Sun Peihuan didn't care about any of that and tiptoed to look into the courtyard.

"Since Your Highness wishes to see me, I will not disturb you and will return to the side hall now."

Hearing that something was wrong, Cen Lingyi glanced out from the carriage.

Seeing the carriage parked outside Mingde Courtyard, he frowned and got off the carriage.

She didn't want to see Yan Chenghui at all.

"Don't go!"

Seeing that she was about to leave, Sun Peihuan turned around and grabbed her.

They came here for her. If she leaves, how can this play continue? How can His Highness execute her?

"His Highness only instructed me to assist Consort Liang in preparing for the arrival of the young prince..."

Cen Lingyi was about to argue with her.

At this moment, Yun Que accompanied Yan Qingci out and, hearing voices at the door, asked, "Who's making such a commotion?"

Cen Lingyi stopped talking.

Upon seeing Yan Qingci, everyone curtsied and bowed.

"Greetings, Second Prince."

Yan Qingci immediately spotted Cen Lingyi being pulled along by Sun Peihuan, and he stopped in his tracks, a thought stirring in his heart.

These days have been so busy that I forgot he still had this chess piece in the Eastern Palace.

Cen Lingyi felt uncomfortable as he stared at her directly.

She never really interacted with the Second Prince.

But back then, Huai Jiao was truly carried away by him, causing her to worry for so long and shed countless tears.

She knew that the Second Prince harbored ill intentions towards her, and that Lu Huaiyou was in cahoots with the Second Prince.

One must be extremely careful when dealing with Yan Qingci.

"Your Highness, please."

Seeing that Yan Qingci was staring at Cen Lingyi without moving, Yun Que smiled and reminded her.

Yan Qingci snapped out of her reverie, stepped out of the courtyard, and looked at Cen Lingyi with a smile: "I heard you went on a long trip a few days ago?"

He recalled that Lu Huaiyou had come to him, saying that Cen Lingyi had gone missing and asking him to send people to search for her.

He did not agree.

Because he heard from his informant that Yan Chenghui didn't care about Cen Lingyi and even disliked her, he treated Cen Lingyi as a pawn and stopped paying attention to her.

At this moment, he suddenly remembered that Yan Chenghui had not been in the capital during the days that Cen Lingyi had been away.

Yan Chenghui claimed to the outside world that he was worried about Prince Jingyuan and wanted to take this opportunity to observe the local customs along the way.

He had sent people to investigate, but Yan Chenghui was very secretive and they found nothing.

Seeing Cen Lingyi now, all the fragmented clues he had found suddenly came together.

Was Yan Chenghui going to see Cen Lingyi?

So, is Cen Lingyi's relationship with Yan Chenghui not as insignificant as he thought?

"Yes."

Cen Lingyi lowered her eyes and softly replied with a single word.

She dared not say more.

Yan Qingci was also scheming.

In any case, Yan Qingci was determined to seize the throne.

She was afraid that she might say something wrong and that it would be detrimental to Yan Chenghui.

Yan Qingci chuckled, but said nothing more, and then walked away.

"Yun Que, hurry and tell His Highness to let me in. I have something important to tell him."

Sun Peihuan still held onto Cen Lingyi tightly, giving instructions to Yun Que in a very fast voice.

"What brings you here, my lady?"

Yun Que smiled and bowed to her, glancing at Cen Lingyi in the process.

It seems that Consort Sun is going to make things difficult for Miss Cen again.

"Never mind that, it's not your business to ask. Just do as I say!"

Sun Peihuan was very impatient.

This Yun Que doesn't know how to fulfill his duties as a subordinate; he talks too much nonsense.

"Yes, please wait a moment, Lady."

Yun Que turned and left.

"What exactly does Liangyuan want to do?"

Cen Lingyi frowned, trying to pull her arm away from her grasp.

Unfortunately, she had not fully recovered and had little strength.

Sun Peihuan may not be the brightest, but she's incredibly strong and held her tightly.

She struggled several times, but couldn't shake off Sun Peihuan.

Sun Peihuan glanced at her, gave a smug snort, and looked like she was confident of victory and didn't want to say anything more to her.

Cen Lingyi couldn't help but wonder if Sun Peihuan had some kind of leverage over her.

She didn't do anything wrong today, did she?

Could it be that Sun Peihuan found out about the abortion pills?

Before she could think it through, Yun Que returned: "Lady Liang, His Highness invites you in."

"Walk."

Sun Peihuan pulled Cen Lingyi along as they walked towards the main hall of Mingde Hall.

"Please release me, my lady. I can walk by myself."

Cen Lingyi really disliked being pulled along by her all the time.

"You're not getting away."

Sun Peihuan still wouldn't let go of her, and pulled her straight to Yan Chenghui's desk.

"Your Highness!"

She shouted loudly.

Yan Chenghui raised his eyes and glanced at Cen Lingyi: "What is it?"

"Consort Cen is of immoral character, having an affair and becoming pregnant. I caught her red-handed buying abortion pills. She has ruined the reputation of our Crown Prince's Palace. I beg Your Highness to execute her!"

Sun Peihuan held her chin high, exuding confidence and determination.

"Liangyuan, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want."

Cen Lingyi withdrew her arm and glanced at her sideways.

As expected, Sun Peihuan discovered that she had bought abortion pills.

Sun Peihuan now mistakenly believes that she is pregnant, and she has come to Yan Chenghui to complain about it.

This is really troublesome.

If she had known this would happen, she would have bought the medicine another day.

Yan Chenghui closed the document, looked at them indifferently, and directly pinched a deep mark on the cover of the document.

Abortion pills.

He naturally knew why Cen Lingyi bought this thing.