Was the Imperial Family About to See a Sea Change?

In Bamboo Cloud Pavilion, Jiang Yingcheng was still fretting over how to reveal the information 007 had given her to her beautiful mother when Consort Fang summoned the nanny responsible for her care with a wave of her hand, then hurried out of sight.

Jiang Yingcheng was just about to chase after her on her little legs as she always had, only for Nanny Zhang to rush over and scoop her up.

"Be good, little princess. Her Highness has something to attend to. Shall I keep you company while you play?"

007 took the opportunity to add:

[There's no need to rush this. Besides, we haven't figured out what to say yet. We can't just charge up and tell her outright.]

Seeing Jiang Yingcheng begin to waver, 007 pressed its advantage:

[And I have lots of other functions, too. Let's go back first, and I'll tell you all about them.]

Only then did Jiang Yingcheng lower her eyes and say in a pitiful little baby voice, "Chengcheng's sleepy."

Nanny Zhang coaxed her gently. "All right, all right. Let's have a little nap first, then. I'll wake you for dinner."

With that, she carried her into the room.

Meanwhile, Consort Fang dismissed all the palace servants, keeping only Qingbi at her side.

Waves of panic continued to wash over her, and even her fingers trembled involuntarily.

Consort Fang took several deep breaths, forcing down her palpitations, and said in a shaking voice, "I need you to leave the palace and secretly investigate something for me."

Qingbi had served her since childhood and was one of the few who knew about the princes being switched. Entrusting this to Qingbi would give her some measure of reassurance.

Affected by Consort Fang's state, Qingbi felt unease creeping into her own heart, but she held herself together and said, "Please give me your instructions, Your Highness."

Consort Fang slowly closed her eyes. Her slender, pale hands clenched the hem of her outer robe so tightly that her knuckles began to turn white. "I need you to leave the palace and go to my... to my sister and brother-in-law's Mansion..."

Then Consort Fang changed her mind. "No. Watch the area around my brother-in-law's residence for two days."

"See whether anything is amiss with my Jinshu."

That brief sentence seemed to drain every last ounce of Consort Fang's strength. Barely had she finished before she began coughing uncontrollably.

Startled, Qingbi suddenly realized the gravity of the situation. She hurried forward and gently patted Consort Fang's back twice, trying to help her catch her breath. "Your Highness, do you suspect someone means the young master harm?"

For fear that the walls had ears, they always referred to the little prince as "the young master" when discussing him. For Her Highness to use his name outright today showed how truly distraught she was.

Consort Fang suppressed the tickle in her throat and slowly shook her head.

If things were really as Chengcheng's inner voice had said, the person most likely to harm Jinshu now was her own elder sister, Fang Yiwan.

Worried that Qingbi would have no clear direction for her investigation, Consort Fang endured the bitterness in her heart and offered a few words of instruction. "Once you're outside, pay particular attention to how Jinshu and my sister interact in their daily lives."

If her sister had told Jinshu about his identity long ago, the atmosphere between them could hardly be as warm and harmonious as that of an ordinary mother and son.

There will always be some telltale signs, Consort Fang reassured herself.

Qingbi's heart sank to the depths.

For Her Highness to say such a thing, she must already have noticed some clues.

Had Her Highness's sister been mistreating their precious young master?

Indignation burned in Qingbi's heart.

How dare that woman?!

She nodded firmly. "Rest assured, Your Highness. I'm very close to the palace maid responsible for purchasing supplies. First thing tomorrow morning, I'll ask her to help me slip out of the palace. I'll get to the bottom of what you've entrusted to me!"

Consort Fang tightened her grip on that small piece of fabric and nodded gently.

At the same time, in Xianyang Palace.

Lu Yao, commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, stood respectfully before Emperor Mingze, waiting for his assignments.

Jiang Yanchuan had changed into a light robe. In the candlelight, even the sharp contours of his jaw appeared much softer, yet no one dared look freely at that extraordinarily handsome face.

Except for the little princess who resembled a ball of snow earlier that day.

After a long while spent pondering with his eyes closed, Emperor Mingze finally turned his head. The flickering candlelight cast shifting patterns of light and shadow across his face. Lu Yao, who had unwittingly become lost in staring at him, hastily lowered his head.

Jiang Yanchuan merely cast him a faint glance before slowly looking away.

"I summoned you today because there are three things I need you to do."

Lu Yao immediately bowed, adopting a posture of respectful attention. "Please give your orders, Your Majesty."

"First." Jiang Yanchuan's gaze passed over Lu Yao toward the vast expanse of snow outside the hall, his voice as cold as the wind and snow beyond. "Carefully inspect the embankment of the moat outside the city. Find out whether the Ministry of Works used worked soil or raw soil in its repairs."

Lu Yao could not distinguish worked soil from raw soil either, but the Embroidered Uniform Guard had many capable people, so this would hardly prove difficult. He answered succinctly, "Yes!"

Jiang Yanchuan continued, "Second, investigate Liu Zhengqing thoroughly."

The instruction came without any context, leaving Lu Yao uncertain of his intent. After considering it for a moment, he ventured to ask, "...What exactly does Your Majesty mean?"

What should they investigate, and how? Was there a complainant, or had His Majesty discovered some clue? None of that had been specified.

Liu Zhengqing was, after all, a senior official of the Principal Third Rank. Without explicit authorization from Emperor Mingze granting them special powers, their investigation would face restrictions in many areas.

At his question, Jiang Yanchuan once again recalled the inner voice he had heard from Jiang Yingcheng-

Over the years, Liu Zhengqing had amassed wealth by selling offices and titles, pocketing several hundred thousand taels of silver.

Although that sum was not particularly large, he had only just been promoted from vice minister of personnel to minister of personnel. There was no guarantee he would not become even more brazen in the future.

His eyes abruptly turned cold, and the icy aura surrounding him grew even more chilling. He gave Lu Yao only two words: "Investigate everything."

From head to toe, inside and out, every one of his crimes was to be uncovered in perfect clarity.

By any means necessary.

Lu Yao's expression sharpened, and he answered solemnly, "Yes!"

"As for the last matter..." Jiang Yanchuan's tone was very light. During his brief pause, he even seemed to chuckle. "I want you to send men into Pan Jifeng's Mansion undercover, to gather more confidential information."

Lu Yao froze.

Pan Jifeng was Noble Consort Rou's father and the Fourth Prince's maternal grandfather.

Although Emperor Mingze had long since appointed the empress's son as crown prince, there had always been people in the palace secretly supporting the Fourth Prince.

Was the imperial family about to see a sea change?!

Lu Yao dared not say more. After accepting his orders, he bowed and withdrew. As he passed Eunuch Changshun, neither raised his head to spare the other a glance.

Only after Lu Yao had gone far away did Changshun step forward again. "Your Majesty, would you like this servant to arrange for someone to take better care of the Seventh Prince as well?"

Earlier that day, Emperor Mingze had sent him personally to issue instructions and warnings, ordering everyone to take care over every aspect of Bamboo Cloud Pavilion's treatment, yet he had not said a word about the Seventh Prince's circumstances.

The little princess had clearly said that the Seventh Prince would lead Great Rui to glory in the future. Emperor Mingze should not have shown no response at all.

Changshun remained bowed as he waited for Emperor Mingze's instructions. Only after a long while did he hear a soft chuckle above his head.

"There's no hurry."

In a rare moment of explanation, Jiang Yanchuan added, "The two children clearly aren't on particularly harmonious terms yet. Give the little one some time to mend their relationship first."

As for whom he meant by "the little one," both understood without a word.