The villain prince is three and a half years old

I don’t know what use this method of questioning my conscience is now.

[Inquiry Level 1: A magical technique that allows you to search another person's inner thoughts. Each character can use this once per day. It can be used on the special NPC Yan Yushi without restriction.]

Can I get a piece of the other person's inner thoughts every day? Unlimited Yan Yu poetry?

Putting aside other things for now, did Yan Yushi offend the planner?

If you think about it carefully, the skills derived from Yan Yushi can be used on Yan Yushi without any restrictions, which is also a very reasonable thing to do. At least the Ninth Prince thinks there is no problem with it.

Yan Yushi was in Tongde Palace, and the Ninth Prince was too lazy to get up and run over to test her. He lifted the bed curtain and made a noise.

After a while, Yi Qiu walked into the dormitory.

Xia Jing used the "Self-Asking" technique, and a line of text floated out from Yi Qiu's head, accompanied by a voice.

"The lazy bastard is finally awake."

"...?"

"Young master, you got up so early today. You are so hardworking!" Yi Qiu walked to the bed and helped Xia Jing change clothes.

That's not what you think at all!

The Ninth Prince's hands and feet were numb and his whole body was trembling. This palace maid whom he trusted the most was actually so hypocritical and had a dagger hidden behind her smile!

After refusing Yi Qiu's service, Xia Jing put on his clothes and walked out of the bedroom.

Xiao Yue and Yunpin were drinking tea and chatting in the main room.

After her relationship with Concubine Duan deteriorated completely, Concubine Yun completely withdrew from Concubine Duan's camp, so she was able to come to Jingyixuan to hang out.

Xia Jing used the Conscience Technique on the two of them.

"Jing'er should eat less breakfast, otherwise he won't be able to eat lunch."

This is Xiao Yue. When chatting with her sisters, she never forgets to think about Xia Jing's diet arrangements.

"How can I get Sister Yue'er to ask about the hairpin on my head?"

This is Concubine Yun. Xia Jing looked up at her hair. A silver butterfly fluttered in her black hair. It was the butterfly hairpin Ning Xuenian had bargained for.

Xia Jing was shocked and hurried into another room to take out the kingfisher hairpin that the late emperor's concubine had given him yesterday.

"This was given to me by Grandma Zhuang yesterday. It's for my mother." Xia Jing handed the hairpin to Xiao Yue.

When Concubine Yun saw this, she patted the Ninth Prince's head and said, "Jing'er is so filial. He knows how to give jewelry to his sister. Coincidentally, my Nian'er also gave me a piece last night."

As she spoke, she demonstrated the butterfly hairpin.

"The Seventh Princess is so filial." Xiao Yue glanced at the kingfisher-emerald hairpin in her hand and smiled as she talked about jewelry with Concubine Yun.

Xia Jing breathed a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, he had the ability to question his conscience, otherwise, Yunpin would have been set up. Ning Xuenian gave Yunpin a gift, and if he hadn't given his mother one, wouldn't he have been outdone?

After successfully resolving a crisis, Xia Jing stepped out of the door and went to find someone else to try again.

Such an interesting skill, he can use it on everyone in the palace once.

"Eat breakfast before going out," Xiao Yue called him, "Come back early in the evening. The emperor has allowed my mother and I to leave the palace to visit relatives. We will leave the palace early tomorrow morning and return the day after tomorrow."

This is because Xiao Jida's side is progressing smoothly. To show his love for General Xiao, Emperor Kangning allows Xiao Yue to leave the palace and reunite with her family.

After breakfast, Xia Jing did not go out, but looked through the books carefully in the east side hall.

The East Side Hall was converted into the Ninth Prince's bedroom a few months ago, but the Ninth Prince seldom slept here and only used it to store some personal belongings.

He picked and chose, choosing the gifts to bring to the Xiao family.

……

The Xiao family is small. Mr. and Mrs. Xiao only have one daughter and one son, Xiao Yue and Xiao Jieda. Xia Jing only has three relatives to deal with.

After presenting gifts and accepting gifts from his grandparents, Xia Jing took Xiao Jida out for a stroll.

"The emperor has issued an order that I should go to the western border and serve as the deputy general of Laogu Pass." Xiao Jida explained the result of yesterday's meeting.

"Did you say anything else?" Xia Jing asked.

"On my way back from Tianmen Pass, I felt a sense of urgency and stayed in a village. I discovered that the riverbank behind me was in danger of bursting. I ordered the soldiers to evacuate the villagers, thus avoiding the flood. The Emperor praised me for this."

This was the mission Xia Jing had placed in his dream. He had originally intended for him to arrange for someone to monitor the flood, but unexpectedly, Xiao Jida had just come across it when he returned. This incident was of no benefit to either Xiao Jida or Xia Jing, but it was also worth celebrating.

Xiao Jida continued, "The emperor also said that we should go to Laogu Pass to monitor the Ge family's movements."

The Western Territory is a large Yuzhou, where good and bad people mix together, the forces are chaotic, and chaos often occurs. When the previous emperor was alive, the Western Territory had not yet been incorporated into the Daning Dynasty and was just a loose tribe.

After Emperor Kangning ascended the throne, the western border tribes attacked Daning with great momentum. Ge Hongsheng led all the available soldiers of Daning, defeated them, and incorporated them into Ningguo.

Recently, the Western Border has been in turmoil again. Emperor Kangning was uneasy and had to abandon the policy of suppressing the Ge family and re-employ Ge Hongsheng to guard the Western Border.

Because of the grudge between Emperor Kangning and Ge Hongsheng, he was worried, so he transferred some generals who had nothing to do with the Ge family.

Xiao Jida is one of them. Laogu Pass is the most important city in the western border. He is the deputy general and the task is arduous.

Emperor Kangning thought the task was arduous.

Emperor Kangning and the ministers in the court all believed that the Ge family had great influence in the western border.

In fact, the influence is indeed great, but it is not the Ge family that is big, but the imperial court. The Ge family plays power games, wears the cloak of the imperial court, and uses coercion and inducement to control the forces in the western border to a certain extent.

The turmoil in the Western Territory was also instigated by the Ge family. Ge Hongsheng saw that Emperor Kangning was planning to support the Qin family and suppress the Ge family. In order to keep his power, he chose to take a risk.

He wanted to be the King of the West.

In the game, Ge Hongsheng deceived both his superiors and his subordinates, telling the court that the peoples of the western border were about to rebel, and telling the nobles of the western border that the court wanted to overthrow their rule.

The imperial court increased its surveillance of the western border, causing fear among the nobles in the western border. Their self-protective actions in panic were interpreted by the imperial court as signs of rebellion.

The situation in the western border is getting worse and worse, and the power of the Ge family is growing.

Ge Hongsheng constantly made micro-managements, increasing pressure to maintain the tense situation in the western border, while reducing pressure to prevent the western border from becoming a flood that broke the dam.

The Ge family was among them, constantly increasing their strength and relying on the support of the nobles in the western region and the court.

However, a lie was just a lie. As this operation went on for a long time, both the imperial court and the western tribes realized something was amiss, but due to the tense situation, they were afraid their actions would become the trigger, so they hesitated to test the waters.

Finally, the imperial court bribed the generals around Ge Hongsheng and exposed his lies.

Ge Hongsheng eventually fled to Qi State with 3,000 private soldiers.

Xia Jing recalled the entire plot and told Xiao Jida: "The eldest princess said that we don't need to worry about the Ge family. Uncle should just make friends widely, whether they are in the military or with local forces."

Focusing on the Ge family would only make things more confusing, just like in a scam involving relatives and friends, it is difficult to spot the flaws if you just stare at the scammer, but when a few victims check their accounts, they can immediately spot the clues.

The western forces and the imperial court were both victims.

Xiao Jida took it all in mind and nodded in agreement.

Xia Jing used the technique of questioning one's mind.

"Do people in the Western Territory prefer yellow wine, rice wine, or fruit wine? Do they prefer to drink it in the morning, at noon, or at night? Old Xue mentioned he got a few jars of good wine, so take them all."

He is indeed worthy of being called the wine and meat general Xiao Jida.

That Old Xue, could he be referring to Xue Renli?

Chapter 176 Concubine Duan is released

After spending a night at the Xiao family, Xia Jing and Xiao Yue returned to the harem.

In Jingyixuan, Concubine Xian and Concubine Yi were already waiting. They surrounded Xiao Yue and explained the situation.

The two told Xiao Yue the bad news that Emperor Kangning, who had not summoned his concubines to sleep with him for a long time, summoned Concubine Duan into the palace last night.

Although it is unclear whether Concubine Duan was favored, it is certain that this is a sign of Concubine Duan's coming to power!

Sure enough, in the next few days, Emperor Kangning frequently rewarded Concubine Duan and even allowed her to leave the palace to visit her relatives for three full days.

The day after Concubine Duan returned to the palace, Emperor Kangning appointed Ge Hongsheng as the General Zhenxi, in charge of all military affairs in the western border.

The situation in the court changed immediately, and there was turmoil in the harem.

After Concubine Duan gained power, she changed her low-key attitude and turned all the punishment, neglect and grievances she had suffered into anger, which she poured out on others.

Concubine Yun stayed in Yonghua Palace and closed the door to refuse visitors.

Although Concubine Duan’s previous grievances and the decline of the Ge family were all caused by Emperor Kangning, it is obvious that Concubine Duan will not blame Emperor Kangning, but will only blame the Qin family who are qualified to replace the Ge family!

Xiao Yue asked someone to deliver a letter, but Yonghua Palace refused to accept it - this was to prevent Jingyixuan from being implicated.

The Yonghua Palace was closed, and Concubine Duan could not find a reason to deal with Concubine Yun, so she targeted the concubines who were on good terms with Concubine Yun.

Before, the Ge family was suppressed, the Qin family was promoted, and some low-ranking concubines leaned towards Concubine Yun.

Not all of those concubines were sycophants. There were also two sisters who were close to Yunpin, so Yunpin had to leave Yonghua Palace.

……

"Concubine He's craftsmanship is really good." Concubine Duan took a handkerchief and admired it carefully. The smile on the corner of her mouth looked a little sinister.

"Look, Your Majesty, Concubine Zhao's craftsmanship is not bad either." Concubine Duan's personal maid picked up another handkerchief and handed it to Concubine Duan.

He Zhaoyi and Zhao Jieyu are the two sisters of Concubine Yun. They live in the same palace. These days, they also dare not go out and just gather together to embroider.

Unexpectedly, they couldn't escape even if they closed the door. Concubine Duan pushed the door open and forcefully pulled them back into the vortex.

"Your Majesty, you are too kind. My cooking skills are far inferior to yours." He Zhaoyi flattered her.

"Whatever Your Majesty likes, your concubine and I will embroider a few for you." Concubine Zhao said flatteringly.

Concubine Duan glanced at the two of them and said, "I heard that Concubine Shu from Jingyixuan has the best embroidery skills. You are far behind. You can't embroider what I want."

"It is my two sisters who are arrogant. I hope Your Majesty will not mind." He Zhaoyi followed Concubine Duan's words and just asked her to leave quickly.

"Your craftsmanship isn't great, but it's not bad either. I like it, too."

Concubine Duan put down the handkerchief and smiled. "How about this? There are twenty-six maids in my palace. Each of you will embroider twenty-six handkerchiefs according to this handkerchief. Two per day, and we'll finish them in ten days."

He Zhaoyi and Zhao Jieyu's hands were shaking. How could they finish the embroidery in ten days?

The handkerchief that Concubine Duan mentioned was embroidered on both sides with a complicated pattern. It took four or five hours to embroider one piece, and that was when the work was rushed. Normally, it would take three to five days to embroider one piece!

Not to mention the twenty-six items, ten days to complete means more than two items a day. Even if we calculate it as two items a day, at the fastest speed, the daily workload will take eight or nine hours!

There are only twelve hours in a day! Eight or nine hours are spent hunched over the table embroidering!

"Your Majesty, please spare my life!" Concubine Zhao was young and knelt on the ground crying.

"Your Majesty, ten days is too short. Can you give us some extra time?" Concubine He also knelt down and looked at Concubine Duan nervously.

Concubine Duan ignored Zhao Zhaoyi and tilted her head to look at Concubine Zhao. "Spare my life? What? Are you saying that I want to harm you?"

She took a step forward and slowly walked in front of Concubine Zhao.

Concubine Zhao trembled even more violently.

"How should we deal with someone who falsely accuses a concubine?" Concubine Duan looked at her personal maid.

"Your Majesty, I deserve a slap in the face." The palace maid deliberately skipped the process of reporting to Kunning Palace and letting the Palace Administration Office handle the matter.

"Raise your face." Concubine Duan said to Concubine Zhao.

Concubine Zhao trembled and raised her head in fear. She saw Concubine Duan slowly take off the gold ring on her hand and open her palm.

Concubine Zhao lowered her head in fear at the thought of the hand about to fall on her face. The palace maids on both sides grabbed her shoulders and forced her to raise her face again.

Concubine Duan stretched her palms and raised her arms.

"Wait a minute." Concubine Yun hurried over, blocking Concubine Zhao and Concubine He's way, and looked at Concubine Duan pleadingly, "Sister, do you really want to do this?"

She and Concubine Duan were originally the best of sisters, but in just half a year, they became such enemies!

"Yunpin, are you going to help them embroider? I'm not demanding. For the three of you, it will still be ten days." Concubine Duan put down her hand and looked at Yunpin with a smile.

Concubine Yun asked Concubine He, and Concubine He told her everything.

"Your Majesty." Lu Hua tugged at Yunpin's clothes, trying to stop her own majesty.

"Okay." Yunpin gritted her teeth and agreed, "Ten days later, a total of fifty-two handkerchiefs will be sent to Concubine Duan's palace."

Concubine Zhao and Concubine He showed reluctance on their faces. Embroidering handkerchiefs was not only exhausting, but also humiliating. How could the master embroider it for a palace maid?

They were about to speak, but Yunpin looked them in the eye and shook her head gently. This matter was caused by her, and if she could resolve it by just suffering a little injustice, it would be great.

No one said anything in the room, but there was movement outside.