With the imperial examination as the trigger, a true political storm had finally been whipped up.
The farce at the entrance of the examination compound came to an abrupt halt with the oral decree from the Eastern Palace's head eunuch. Like grabbing onto a final saving straw, disregarding her disheveled hair and the slap marks on her face, Shen Biwei scrambled to her knees at the eunuch's feet to receive the decree. And Lu Yanzhu, who had spat out a mouthful of blood and passed out earlier, now miraculously and slowly regained consciousness, struggling to crawl up. A fanatical ambition flickered in his eyes.
The Crown Prince's oral decree was very simple. Considering Lu Yanzhu's immense talent, his failure to pass this exam was truly due to unfairness in the examination hall. Thus, he was specially summoned to the Eastern Palace to temporarily take up an eighth-rank minor post handling documents.
To ordinary people, this was undoubtedly a pie falling from the sky. But sitting inside the carriage, I smelled a strong scent of conspiracy and blood.
In my past life, because of my step-by-step planning, Lu Yanzhu fairly and squarely won first place in the provincial exam. So there was never this drama of being exceptionally promoted by the Crown Prince. Now that he has failed the exam, instead of being dragged into the dust, he was targeted by the Crown Prince, a venomous snake coiled in the imperial court.
"What? Still haven't figured it out?"
Behind me, Xiao Jingyan had dressed himself at some point. The black brocade robe with subtle patterns made him look even more unfathomable. He slowly and methodically wiped the black-gold dagger that never left his side, his tone cold as frost. "The Crown Prince is a fool. He has no capable men left under him, to the point of recruiting such useless trash. Though what he fancies is not Lu Yanzhu's talent, but rather your good brother-in-law's identity as the son-in-law of the Pingyang Marquis Mansion."
I let out a cold laugh in complete agreement. Although the Marquis of Pingyang is the Crown Prince's uncle, he has been playing both sides in recent years, as slippery as an eel. The Crown Prince summoned Lu Yanzhu into the Eastern Palace, first, to treat him as a dog that can be discarded at any time, to keep the Marquis of Pingyang in check. And second, because this dog could be used to bite our Prince Qi's manor.
After all, Lu Yanzhu's so-called administrative talent was, to the examiners, nothing short of a joke. With the Crown Prince keeping him close, there would be a great show to watch sooner or later. But I never expected that this dog couldn't even hold out for a month, and couldn't wait to come barking in front of me.
Half a month later, at the side door of the back rooms of Prince Qi's mansion, I had just finished checking the mansion's account books for this month and was about to return to Snowfall Pavilion to prepare the next round of medicinal baths for Xiao Jingyan, when my personal maid, Banxia, rushed in with a strange look on her face to report.
"Side Consort, the eldest young mistress of the Lu family, from the Pingyang Marquis Mansion, is requesting an audience outside."
Shen Biwei. I raised an eyebrow and put down the cinnabar brush in my hand.
This woman, ever since Lu Yanzhu entered the Eastern Palace, had been like a peacock flaunting its feathers, showing off among the noble women of the capital. It was just a pity that her husband's salary from his eighth-grade idle post was not even enough for her to buy a box of decent rouge, not to mention her vicious mother-in-law in the Lu family, who found every possible way to squeeze her pitiful private savings. Her coming to the prince's manor today was certainly not to catch up with me.
"Have her wait in the front hall."
I stood up, tidied my pleated skirt embroidered with drifting clouds and a hundred blessings, and walked unhurriedly toward the front hall.
Just as I stepped over the threshold, I saw Shen Biwei sitting on a red sandalwood armchair, holding a cup of freshly brewed pre-rain Longjing tea in her hand. Her eyes greedily swept over the exquisite coral and Ru ware vases displayed in the hall. Her eyes were practically dripping blood from envy.
Hearing the sound of footsteps, she whipped her head around. Seeing my elegant bearing and radiant complexion, her face instantly turned extremely ugly. But soon she suppressed the malice in her eyes and put on a hypocritical smile.
"Sister Nanzhao, it has been a long time. It seems you are living a very comfortable life in the prince's manor." She set down her teacup, stood up, and deliberately puffed out her chest, trying to overpower me in presence. "Not only is your complexion better, but even your entire attire carries the air of a princess consort."
She deliberately emphasized the words princess consort, her tone filled with sarcasm.
I walked over to the main seat and sat down, not even bothering to spare her a glance, merely gently playing with the mutton-fat jade bracelet on my wrist. "If sister's grand visit today is merely to shower me with compliments, there is absolutely no need. There are many matters to attend to in the manor, and His Highness is still waiting for me to return and attend to him. Just speak your mind."
Seeing that I was completely unsparing of her feelings, Shen Biwei's fake smile finally slipped. She took a deep breath, stepped forward twice, and her gaze suddenly turned cold and haughty.
"Shen Nanzhao, don't celebrate too early. How much longer do you think that crippled prince of yours can protect you? His Highness the Crown Prince already highly regards my husband, Lu Yanzhu. Once my husband secures his footing in the Eastern Palace, his future will be boundless. Believe it or not, with just a single word from my husband to the Crown Prince, he can bring the prince's manor down in ruins."
Her smug, sycophantic expression was truly laughable.
"Oh." Feigning fear, I patted my chest, my eyes filled with mockery. "Then did you come here today, sister, to warn me to prepare for my funeral in advance?"
"You!" Shen Biwei choked on my words and faltered. Then she gritted her teeth, suddenly lowered her voice, and revealed the true purpose of her visit. "For the sake of our sisterhood, I came here today to show you a clear path forward. As long as you cooperate, I can guarantee that after the prince's manor falls, you will still have a way to survive."
Holding back my laughter, I asked, "What clear path?"
Thinking I was intimidated, Shen Biwei proudly lifted her chin. She drew a small white paper packet from her sleeve and slapped it onto the side table with a thud.
"My husband said His Highness the Crown Prince has always been very concerned about the prince. This medicine is colorless and tasteless. You only need to add some to the prince's daily decoctions. In less than half a month, he will pass away quietly from illness, without anyone knowing. When the time comes, in appreciation of your contribution, the Crown Prince not only won't implicate you, but will also grant you a generous reward, ensuring you have food and clothing for the rest of your life."
Speaking of this, she suddenly leaned in close to me and lowered her voice. Her tone betrayed an undisguised malicious expectation. "Nanzhao, this is your only chance to redeem yourself. What is he worth, risking your life for? You are nothing but a shield brought in to ward off bad luck. Once he dies, you can take the Crown Prince's reward and run far away. Isn't that much better than being buried with him?"
I looked at the packet of poison lying lonely on the table. In my heart, I wanted to applaud the Crown Prince for his stupidity and this couple for seeking their own death.
So, they are already too impatient to wait and want to administer poison now. In my past life, Lu Yanzhu had at least struggled in the imperial court for a few years before he dared to secretly trip up Xiao Jingyan. Now, he is nothing more than a dog wagging its tail and begging for pity beside the Crown Prince. Yet he actually dares to imagine using such clumsy methods to poison a prince to death.
The most laughable one is Shen Biwei. She was actually stupid enough to run over here and try to turn me against him. She has probably forgotten how Xiao Jingyan had shattered a teacup in Lu Yanzhu's face.