Palace maid Shuoning

(One)

The Eastern Palace, the study.

The candlelight flickered quietly, and the hall was silent except for the occasional crackling of the candle flames, which made the atmosphere solemn and oppressive.

The Crown Prince sat upright before his desk, his fingertips tracing the pages of the memorial, his voice and expression revealing neither joy nor anger. He spoke calmly, "Jinghuai, do you know why I deliberately kept you here?"

Bao Zhong bowed slightly, the lingering smell of alcohol still clinging to his clothes, his voice steady and deep, measured and appropriate:

"At the banquet in the Eastern Palace tonight, Prince Jingchen publicly broke off all pretense of civility, and Huo Xiao made his stance clear, completely siding with Prince Jingchen."

The political situation at court has subtly shifted. Your Highness's decision to keep me here serves two purposes: first, to allow me to see through the current turbulent political landscape; and second, to remind me to completely sever ties with them.

The crown prince's lips curled into a meaningful smile, and he said in a nonchalant tone:

"The Huo family has always prided itself on its high moral character and integrity, remaining neutral for generations and never easily attaching itself to any prince's power. Grand Tutor Huo is a former official of my father's time in the imperial court, having spent half his life in court, feigning deafness and muteness, avoiding worldly affairs and appearing to be without desires, but in reality, he has always harbored a secret wariness of me. I have made several private attempts to win them over, but the Huo family has remained unmoved."

He tapped the table lightly with his fingertips, each tap low and deep, his words carrying a hidden sharpness:

"But tonight, Huo Xiao has gone against the prudent principles that Grand Tutor Huo has upheld for decades, and publicly sided with Zhou Zhengyin. This matter is quite interesting."

After this banquet, I finally see clearly who in the court can be kept and who should be eliminated.

The tone shifted abruptly, becoming full of contempt and disdain:

"But my ninth brother is ultimately not up to the task. I feel it's pointless to even expend energy to compete with him, and I have never regarded him as a true opponent."

Huo Xiao may seem shrewd and insightful, but he ultimately misjudged people. To oppose me for the sake of a mediocre prince was truly overestimating his own abilities.

Bao Zhong bowed deeply, his gaze fixed on the ground, and replied respectfully:

"Your Highness has keen insight. Huo Xiao is exceptionally intelligent, and his unusual choice to side tonight is a clear indication of his opposition to the Crown Prince. However, since he has publicly sided with Prince Jingchen, he has completely turned against the Crown Prince."

He carefully considered his words and phrases, and spoke slowly:

"However, he holds great power in the Dali Temple, with deep roots and heavy responsibilities. If he is suddenly forced to act forcefully, it may cause changes in the court."

Your Majesty, I believe we should not rush into action. Let's observe the situation and see just how far he can go for Prince Jingchen.

After a brief pause, he added a crucial reminder:

"Although Prince Jingchen is not a threat, he is now aided by Huo Xiao, making him even more formidable. We must not underestimate him and must be vigilant against the two of them secretly joining forces to plot against him."

Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince curled his lips in disdain, his eyes filled with the cold arrogance of a crown prince:

"How much trouble can those two cause? Besides, Jiang Shuoning certainly showed some courage at the banquet tonight."

But she was ultimately just a woman. Even if she could help Zhou Zhengyin regain his identity and establish himself, it would still be far from enough to contend with me.

With just a little manipulation, I can ensure she never sees the sunrise tomorrow.

Bao Zhong's heart sank suddenly, a chill running down his spine. Just as he was about to speak to advise the prince, the prince slowly rose and walked to him with his hands behind his back.

"Enough of that, let's not talk about them for now. I know perfectly well that you are absolutely loyal to me."

The most brilliant thing you've done is to plant a perfect pawn for me. You initially recognized Feng Xi as your godfather, and now you've handed over all his private ledgers to me.

The Crown Prince's eyes were deep as he said calmly, "Feng Xi is the most trusted attendant of the Emperor and is deeply favored by him. With him serving as my eyes and ears before the Emperor, my actions in the future will be much more secure."

Bao Zhong's back was slightly tense, his head bowed respectfully, his face calm and expressionless, but his heart was churning with turmoil.

The Crown Prince's words, threatening to take Jiang Shuo Ning's life, weighed heavily on my heart, making it hard to breathe.

He suppressed all his chaotic thoughts and answered in a low voice:

"Your Highness has a discerning eye for talent. Feng Xi has served the Emperor for a long time and enjoys great favor, making it difficult for others to get close to him. My arrangement this time is simply to add another layer of informants to Your Highness's inner circle."

However, this man is greedy, fickle, and extremely selfish; he can be used, but cannot be completely trusted. From now on, I will keep a close watch on all his movements, and report to Your Highness immediately at the slightest sign of trouble.

The crown prince looked down at him, who was bowing his head, his eyes revealing a mixture of light and shadow. He then gently patted the prince's shoulder.

"You have a heart, and I believe in you."

He paused slightly, his tone becoming more serious and forceful:

"But you must remember that when you hold such a crucial advantage, the worst thing you can do is let personal feelings interfere with your strategy. Once your mind is distracted, even the most meticulously planned game will collapse on its own."

The flickering candlelight stretched and overlapped the two figures, covering the cold wall.

Bao Zhong's heart skipped a beat, and he bowed deeply: "Your Highness's admonition will be remembered, and I will never dare to let personal matters interfere with public duty!"

The crown prince turned around, took out a tightly sealed secret letter from the table, and handed it to him.

"I have always trusted you to handle things. Although the case of Mengtuo Luo has been officially closed and the dust has settled, the planning behind the scenes cannot stop."

"With this letter in hand, change the name of the banned drugs, secretly consult with the Fifth Prince, and continue to circulate and sell them covertly."

Bao Zhong solemnly accepted the secret letter with both hands. His fingertips touched the paper, and he was deeply shaken. His brows furrowed, and he murmured in surprise and doubt:

"Your Highness, could it be that the true mastermind behind the Mengtuo Luo case is...?"

Before he could finish speaking, the Crown Prince raised his hand to interrupt him calmly, his voice placid yet concealing a calculated control over everything:

"The Fifth Prince will handle this matter entirely, while I will simply reap the benefits. As for the deeper plans, I will inform you when the time is right. You may leave now."

Bao Zhong bowed respectfully and slowly took his leave.

Stepping out of the study, he carefully concealed the secret letter in his sleeve, his face solemn and aloof as he walked alone through the deep corridor.

The night was deep, and the candlelight under the eaves flickered, casting an uncertain light on the road ahead.

Suddenly, a eunuch's figure strode past him, his hat brim pulled low, obscuring his entire face.

Yet a delicate, feminine fragrance wafted on the breeze.

Bao Zhong suddenly stopped and turned around to look back.

The figure didn't linger for a moment, but pushed open the door and entered the Crown Prince's study.

(two)

Inside the study, the candlelight flickered, casting a play of light and shadow.

The Crown Prince looked at Ye Wan, who had barged in disguise as a eunuch, and his eyes suddenly turned cold. His voice tightened, filled with overwhelming rage:

"You've got some nerve, daring to disguise yourself as a eunuch and sneak into my study in the Eastern Palace!"

Before she finished speaking, Ye Wan had already abandoned all palace rules and propriety and rushed forward.

She showered him with delicate, burning kisses, her fingertips carrying long-suppressed anxiety and obsession, frantically tearing at his clothes.

The crown prince's expression suddenly hardened. He raised his hand and shoved her away forcefully, his brows furrowed with deep disgust and wariness. He coldly ordered in a deep voice, "Leave immediately!"

But Ye Wan was already obsessed to the bone, and was completely unafraid of his crown prince aura. She threw herself into his arms again, her arms tightly wrapped around his neck.

She raised her bright, fair face and, disregarding everything, kissed his eyebrows, eyes, and lips again and again, concealing the grievances and madness of being neglected for a month.

"You've been avoiding me and hiding from me for a whole month, refusing to see me. Since you won't come looking for me, I have no choice but to come looking for you myself."

The crown prince, thoroughly annoyed by her persistent pestering, repeatedly turned his head to avoid her, his chest filled with irritation and disgust. He coldly rebuked her, "You're simply a madwoman!"

Upon hearing this, Ye Wan gave a low, cold laugh, her breath coming in short gasps, her eyes filled with a desperate, resolute determination.

"A woman like me, once she sets her sights on someone, will cling to them relentlessly, and you'll never be able to escape in this lifetime."

After speaking, she looked up at him, her eyes alluring and captivating, locking onto his gaze.

With a gentle lift of her jade-like hand, she slowly removed the silk robes from her body, the layers of soft silk falling silently to the ground.

She stood gracefully in the flickering candlelight, her figure radiant, open and fearless, exuding an extreme provocation and fervor:

"I crave this kind of unrestrained excitement, Your Highness, do you dare accept?"

The prince's pupils suddenly contracted, and his gaze swept heavily over her exquisite figure.

The disgust and anger from before had completely faded away, replaced by a deep and intense desire welling up in his eyes.

A wicked and unrestrained smile curled at the corner of his lips. He strode forward, bent down, picked the person up, and gently placed him on the desk piled with memorials.

The flickering candlelight concealed the intimate and ambiguous atmosphere in the room, while soft, lingering sounds spread layer by layer through the silent palace.

The night was deep and the dew was heavy; the roof of the East Palace study was deathly silent.

Bao Zhong bent down on the green tiles, held his breath and focused his mind, and gently moved a tile away with his fingertips.

The lewd scene inside the room streamed into his eyes through the cracks, causing his pupils to dilate suddenly, his blood to freeze instantly, and a thunderclap to explode in his heart, leaving him utterly horrified.

The crown prince of the mighty Zhou Dynasty, the future emperor!

How dare they secretly meet with the Emperor's favorite concubine, Ye Wan, in the forbidden study of the Eastern Palace!

Even more absurdly, Ye Wan is Jiang Shuo Ning's biological younger sister!

In an instant, Bao Zhong's mind went blank, and all the scattered clues were connected and suddenly made sense.

He finally saw through the entire game!

The Crown Prince insisted on intervening in the Mengtuo Luo banned drug case, knowing the danger but still determined to restart it, not only for the sake of profit.

It was because of Ye Wan!

Intrigue, personal desires, power, and money are intertwined and deeply entrenched, creating a shockingly chaotic situation.

A bone-chilling cold shot straight to the top of my head, and my skull throbbed with excruciating pain.

He dared not pry into any more secrets, held his breath and focused his mind, gently put the tiles back in place, and his figure, like a ghost in the dark, silently retreated from the roof.

He kept this earth-shattering secret, which was enough to overturn the court and shake the Eastern Palace, deep in his heart.

A moment later, soft footsteps could be heard in the corridor.

The Crown Princess stood outside the study door, holding a bowl of warm hangover soup, and softly called out, "Your Highness, it's late and the dew is chilly. I've brought you some hangover soup."

The hall was silent and deserted, and no one answered.

She called out several times, but there was no response. After hesitating for a long time, she finally reached out and pushed the door open to enter.

Just then, the Crown Prince slowly emerged from the inner room. His clothes were disheveled, his dark hair hung down, and the mottled, glaring hickeys on his neck were clearly visible and impossible to hide.

The Crown Princess's face turned deathly pale instantly, her heart sank heavily, and she frantically looked up to gaze into the inner room.

The crown prince stepped aside, blocking her view completely. His brows furrowed with impatience, and he said coldly, "Go back to your palace."

Those glaring traces of ambiguity are still vivid in my mind, and the vows we made on our wedding day have been shattered.

The Crown Princess's eyes instantly reddened, welling with tears, a sob choking her throat, filled with grievance and disappointment:

"Your Highness, why deceive me like this and secretly harbor another woman? On the day you married me, you swore before the Empress that you would never take a concubine and would never betray me. Were all those past vows just empty words?"

The crown prince frowned deeply, a sudden surge of anger rising within him. His tone was harsh and cold, devoid of any trace of past affection.

"When did I ever keep a mistress in a golden house? You insist on making trouble out of nothing! Last time, there was only a trace, and you ran to the Empress Dowager crying and complaining, causing chaos in the Eastern Palace. Are you really never going to stop?"

His eyes held a chilling disgust, and every word he spoke was wounding:

"Since you love to cry and complain so much, go ahead! I despise women like you who are always weeping and narrow-minded; I'm already fed up with you!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he raised his hand and slammed the palace door shut.

The heavy wooden door slammed shut, shutting out all the ambiguity and filth within the hall.

The Crown Princess stood alone under the desolate corridor, the cold wind biting through her clothes, and hot tears rolled down her cheeks silently.