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  The Shen family had already fallen, incapable of stirring up trouble anymore. Now, it was time to focus solely on dealing with Yuan Hui, who would soon come knocking.

  Song Chuyi had it all pnned out—clear and methodical. She knew who needed to be eliminated at each step and was following the course precisely.

  When she was truly angry, she was terrifying.

  Qing Zhuo felt a chill on his arms as he stood before Song Chuyi, his head lowered obediently as he reported, “Sixth Miss, everything has been carried out as per your instructions. By now, Master Yuan Hui must know that it was you who abducted his mother and sister.”

  Qing Zhuo had a strong feeling that this Sixth Miss would one day become the Heir Apparent’s Consort, which made him take her commands even more seriously.

  After some thought, he added cautiously, “But Sixth Miss, you really didn’t have to take such a risk... Couldn’t you have just pushed the bme onto someone else? If Yuan Hui is driven into a rage and does something reckless, what then?”

  These past few days, both Qing Zhuo and Han Feng had been walking with their heads held high.

  The winds in the Eastern Pace had shifted—ever since the Crown Prince had awakened, the atmosphere had completely changed.

  The once obedient and devoted prince of Commandery, who listened to everything Consort Fan said, now refused to see her at all.

  Consort Fan had requested an audience four or five times, but each time, she was coldly rejected.

  Such a thing was unheard of!

  Had this happened before, no one would have even dared to imagine it.

  No wonder Sixth Miss Song had said, “Leave Consort Fan alone. Han Zhi will keep her occupied.”

  At the time, Qing Zhuo had been skeptical, but now, it had come true.

  Speaking of Han Zhi, although he had not yet aligned himself with His Highness, he had gone to Fujian. Given his nature, there was no way he went there to serve the country or seek military merit.

  Most likely, just as His Highness predicted, he had gone there for Fan Shikun.

  The Fan family had ruined Lady Fan’s entire life and indirectly turned Han Zhi into a fool for nearly twenty years—only to try to have him killed in the end to support Consort Fan.

  If Han Zhi could swallow that grudge, then he wouldn’t be the calcuting, vengeful man that he was.

  Now, His Highness had entrusted Young Master Guo to keep a close watch on Han Zhi.

  As long as he didn’t compromise Fujian’s stability or commit treason, whatever he did to Fan Shikun was his own business.

  Thinking of this, Qing Zhuo tried to persuade Song Chuyi again.

  "Sixth Miss, there's no need for such risky actions. Why not just get rid of them—bury them and be done with it? Even if Yuan Hui hates us, he won’t have any proof that it was us. What can he really do?"

  But Yuan Hui would dare to act.

  A man like him had self-restraint, but he was far more patient and ruthless than Han Zhi or Consort Fan.

  One moment, he was calmly predicting bloodshed, and the next, he was orchestrating assassinations within Song Chuyi’s estate, using Noble Consort Xian as a pawn to manipute Prince Duan’s remnants.

  Such cunning and merciless tactics—this was no ordinary monk.

  She was up against a future Imperial Preceptor.

  If she didn’t eliminate him at the root, he would continue to plot against her endlessly.

  She shook her head at Qing Zhuo, her stance unwavering.

  “Go back and continue guarding the hostages with Ma Changjiang. And don’t let them die—if they die, the show can’t go on.”

  She wanted Yuan Hui to pay the price.

  That high-and-mighty monk who looked at her with fake benevolence, treating her like some demon, thinking he could push her into hell with his so-called mercy.

  She would make sure he suffered.

  Even the Heir Apparent took orders from Sixth Miss Song now.

  Qing Zhuo, though worried, knew there was no room for argument.

  Since she wouldn’t listen to reason, he could only carry out her orders.

  With a resigned nod, he turned to leave—only for Song Chuyi to call him back.

  "Yuan Hui doesn’t py by ordinary rules.

  Even though you left obvious clues pointing to my other residence, a man like him would never fall for such tricks.

  If I’m not mistaken, by now, there are monks already snooping around our Song family estates in Tongzhou, pretending to beg for alms.”

  As she spoke, her lips curled into a contemptuous smile.

  “Be careful. If you slip up, even if you and Han Feng work together, you may not be able to handle Yuan Hui.”

  ____

  Both Princess Duanhui and Princess Rongcheng had sensed that something was off.

  They had visited the Crown Prince several times and immediately noticed that something was wrong.

  In the past, Consort Fan was always by his side, practically his shadow—yet this time, she was absent at every visit.

  Instead, the Crown Princess or pace servants were attending to him.

  For a man who had doted on Consort Fan for decades, this was highly unusual.

  Princess Rongcheng furrowed her brows and confided in Princess Duanhui.

  "Something has been off since the day he woke up.

  Mother Empress keeps questioning him about what Marchioness Jinxiang said to anger him so much, but he refuses to say.

  And yet, he won’t summon Consort Fan, either.”

  The Crown Prince refused to call for Consort Fan, and the Empress didn’t dare to push too hard.

  So the matter remained unresolved.

  Her younger brother had been sickly since childhood.

  Even Grand Empress Dowager Rongxian had never taken him seriously, believing he would die young.

  Yet, despite his frail health, he survived countless hardships and grew up differently.

  He was stubborn—rarely listening to advice.

  He insisted on doing everything his way, often behaving as if he were still a teenager, impulsive and difficult to reason with.

  Most of all, he had a deep-seated fear of abandonment.

  If Her Majesty the Empress so much as showed favor to Prince Gong or sent envoys to his fief, the Crown Prince would sulk for days—sometimes even weeks.

  With such a contradictory temperament—adoring what he loved to the heavens, yet completely ignoring what he disliked—Consort Fan must have provoked him in some way to make him this furious.

  And yet, Marchioness Jinxiang went and set herself on fire, making the entire situation even more chaotic...

  Now, it had become a complete farce.

  Though those with sense refrained from asking questions and pretended not to know anything, private gossip was rampant.

  The rumors grew increasingly exaggerated and scandalous, spreading like wildfire.

  Princess Duanhui sighed as well.

  “No matter what happened, there must be an expnation.

  After all, a marchioness died…

  Even though Royal Uncle isn’t pressing the issue for now—considering the Crown Prince is still recovering—once His Highness regains his strength, he will have to address it.”

  This was exactly what Her Majesty the Empress feared.

  The Eastern Pace and House of Jinxiang had always had an entangled, indistinct retionship—impossible to sever completely.

  Now, Marchioness Jinxiang had angered the Crown Prince to the point of fainting and then burned herself alive.

  If the Crown Prince failed to give a proper account of the situation, what would the world think of him?