Unwilling to Accept It

Next came the New Year. The New Year was peaceful. The old lady and Lady Zhu specially sent some things to Gusu to comfort Zhao Yuanxun, who was spending the New Year alone Gusu.

That evening, Xiao Lingyan appeared in Zhao Ruxi's boudoir once again.

"Is everything planned out?" Zhao Ruxi's heart pounded as she thought about the Third Prince's crazy schemes.

The plot will likely continue along its original trajectory. According to the Third Prince's plan, on the third day of the month, the Crown Prince will be imprisoned for mistakenly killing the Fourth Prince, and on the sixth day, he will escape and storm into the palace, causing a palace coup.

However, with the addition of the Second Prince and the Fifth Prince, the Third Prince's strategy will inevitably change, and he will try to trap both the Second and Fifth Prince within his grasp.

However, with Zhao Ruxi's system notification and Xiao Lingyan's vigilance, Xiao Lingyan will only be the one who ultimately reaps the benefits.

Xiao Lingyan pulled Zhao Ruxi into his arms, resting his head on top of hers, his voice slightly muffled. "Xiaoxi, you don't think I'm heartless, do you?"

Now that they knew what was going to happen, all they had to do was tell Xiao Ge about the Crown Prince and the Third Prince's plans, and they could prevent this bloodshed from happening.

In the original novel, the Third Prince Xiao Lingheng used this incident to not only kill all those who stood in his way to the throne, but also to carry out a major reshuffle in the capital, uprooting many families and supporting many new nobles he liked to serve him.

The events of two days from now will shatter the peace of the capital. And they, knowing full well that people will die, will stand by and watch these things happen.

Although Zhao Ruxi didn't say it, she seemed to share the same thoughts as him. But Xiao Lingyan worried that she would think he was too cold-blooded.

He doesn't care about many people in the world, but Zhao Ruxi is naturally the one he cares about most.

People from the modern world value life. Although the two felt that the Crown Prince, the Third Prince, and some others deserved to die, they still felt uneasy about it.

Xiao Lingyan believed that as long as they informed Xiao Ge of the information and Xiao Ge stopped the incident, at least the second and Fourth Prince would not die. Although the capital would undergo a reshuffle, Xiao Ge was kind and not so ruthless or crazy, so many innocent families could be spared.

"We can't stop it. Even if we tell the Emperor about these things and prevent this incident from happening, given his temperament, he won't have the heart to kill the Crown Prince and the Third Prince. If they're left alive, the festering sore won't be punctured, and something fatal will still happen, perhaps even worse than this time," Zhao Ruxi said.

"Rather than having the Sword of Damocles hanging over our heads, it's better to let it fall sooner rather than later. This will benefit both us and the entire Great Jin. Therefore, we cannot be soft-hearted. Protecting the Emperor and letting him reshuffle the capital is the best approach."

Hearing Zhao Ruxi's words, Xiao Lingyan felt at ease.

That's what he thought, and that's what he believed. Now that Zhao Ruxi shares his thoughts, he has nothing to hesitate about.

"Compassion cannot lead an army, righteousness cannot manage finances, sentimentality cannot establish anything, and kindness cannot make one an official." He said, "Those who aspire to great things do not concern themselves with trifles."

He hugged Zhao Ruxi tightly and kissed her on the forehead.

After a moment of silence, he asked, "For the Emperor's birthday celebration, why don't you feign illness and decline the invitation?"

Zhao Ruxi shook her head. "No, it will arouse suspicion. I'm fine with the women. But you..."

She looked up at Xiao Lingyan: "Be careful to stay away, don't get too close."

Xiao Lingyan nodded. "I know, don't worry."

After thinking for a moment, he asked again, "Should I send a few people to serve your grandmother and mother?"

"At this critical juncture, aren't you afraid of arousing suspicion? I'll just give them two of my maids." Zhao Ruxi gave him a reproachful look.

Concern can cloud judgment.

Thinking it over, she said, "I'll pretend to be sick. When you hear the news, come to the women's side in the back to avoid the conflict. Otherwise, I'm afraid that person will try to kill four birds with one stone and take you down with him."

Xiao Lingyan nodded and said, "Okay." Even if Zhao Ruxi hadn't said anything, he was already planning to do it anyway.

Having been given a second chance at life, he cherishes his own life and doesn't plan to stay there and risk his life with everyone. He'll have people protect Xiao Ge and Xiao Lingpu, but he can't worry about anything else.

In a small courtyard in the back of the Prince Jingping's Estate, Zhao Ruyu paced back and forth anxiously.

Like Zhao Ruxi, she also clearly remembered what happened on the third and sixth days of the Lunar New Year.

That was an experience that no one who went through it can forget.

Although Zhao Ruyu had already married Fu Yunlang and even become the Wife of the Marquis of Pingnan at this time in her previous life, staying in the inner quarters to rest during her pregnancy and not witnessing all of this firsthand, just hearing Fu Yunlang and the servants' descriptions still terrified her so much that she had nightmares all night.

Now that she has been reborn and knows that this incident did not affect the Prince Jingping's Estate and that the Prince Jingping's Estate is safe, she is no longer afraid, but her heart is restless.

Knowing full well that such a major event was about to occur, she couldn't come up with a good way to use it to gain greater benefits for herself, and she always felt resentful.

What a great opportunity! If she could help Prince of Jingping gain significant benefits from this incident, her status in the Prince Jingping's Estate would be completely different. After Xiao Sijie's wife passed away, it would be much easier for her to be promoted to the position of official wife; it would only be a matter of a word from Prince of Jingping.

But she dared not say it.

How did she, a woman confined to the inner quarters and never allowed to leave the courtyard, obtain the news?

Would Prince of Jingping suspect she was some kind of spy?

To save her life, she revealed the existence of the system. Leaving aside how the system would punish her, what if Prince of Jingping Prince of Jingping greedy and, failing to seize the system, locked her in the courtyard day and night to play the zither and earn points, buying more things and information from the system, ultimately reducing her to a mere tool for Prince of Jingping to earn points and pills?

The thought of these consequences sent chills down her spine.

Her own strength was far too limited. She couldn't even leave this courtyard; the only person she could rely on Fushu. What could Fushu possibly do?

After thinking it over and over, she lay on the bed and desperately pounded the blankets, feeling utterly helpless.

Zhao Ruxi was also a reborn person, so she must remember this coup. Now that she was a princess consort, she would definitely use this event to help Prince of Qi seize the throne. When that time came, she would become the empress, while Zhao Ruyu would be an unfavored concubine in the harem of the fourth young Prince Jingping's Estate. This difference in status was enough to drive Zhao Ruyu crazy.

In their past life, she was the one standing on a cloud, while Zhao Ruxi was mired in misery and died tragically. Why is it that in this second life, their fates have been reversed?

Why why why why?