The Double-Chapter 446 - 145 Hai Tang

"Prince Cheng knew of Consort Li’s dissatisfaction. He beguiled her, and she fell for it."

Jiang Li could hardly conceal the shock on her face.

She knew that Consort Li was from the Ji family, favored by Emperor Hongxiao, but she had never imagined that Consort Li had long been colluding with Prince Cheng. Perhaps it wasn’t an entanglement of emotions, but simply a fallback for her own future. This was an imperial secret, and at least from her current position, Jiang Li was in no position to inquire into the affair. Had Jih Heng not revealed it, Jiang Li would never have even considered this possibility.

"But... is it just because the Ji family members wanted to send someone to the palace that Consort Li would collude with Prince Cheng?" Jiang Li asked, "That doesn’t make sense. After all, Consort Li is a concubine favored by the emperor, and she is not that important to Prince Cheng. Rather than attaching herself to Prince Cheng, it would be better to please the emperor. Even if the girls from the Ji family were to enter the palace, with Consort Li’s means, if she really wanted to control them or set traps, she would always find a way to deal with them. Why take the risk?"

"That’s what you think," Jih Heng said, looking at her meaningfully.

Jiang Li paused, then said, "Perhaps."

"A man without offspring can only end up one way in the palace: sooner or later, he will be replaced," Jih Heng said indifferently. "Consort Li is a smart woman, and she saw this earlier than others. Besides, in Consort Li’s eyes, the emperor’s throne may not be so secure."

Jiang Li was taken aback, "But the Ji family has never sided with Prince Cheng!"

"The Ji family is cowardly," Jih Heng chuckled, "Even if they choose sides, they would only follow the Jiang family. Though Consort Li is a concubine, to the Ji family, she is still just a daughter who has been married off and cannot influence the overall situation. Ji Yanlin’s career is characterized by cowardice and opportunism; he doesn’t have the courage to openly defect to Prince Cheng," Jih Heng said, her lips curling up slightly. She took a sip of tea before continuing calmly, "But his daughter is different, she has much more courage than he does."

"Consort Li detached herself from the Ji family and turned to Prince Cheng," Jiang Li said, "If Prince Cheng wins, the Ji family can avoid disaster, but if the affair is exposed, the Ji family will also be implicated."

"It’s not so easy for the affair to be exposed," Jih Heng said, "Ji Yanlin is unremarkable, and just a single concubine won’t arouse suspicion."

Jiang Li suddenly thought of something and had a revelation, "No wonder, no wonder when the case concerning the Xue Family was presented, Prince Cheng knew its contents so quickly. At that time, I suspected there must be Prince Cheng’s inside help in the palace, but I never thought... I never thought it would be Consort Li."

To have access to the secret memorials presented by Ye Shijie, one must be very close to Emperor Hongxiao. Jiang Li had even considered the Imperial Attendant, but never suspected Consort Li. After all, Consort Li was immensely favored by the emperor, and it seemed unlikely she would betray him. Now that Jih Heng had revealed the truth, Jiang Li felt a profound sense of irony, not knowing whether to lament the fickleness of human nature or admire Consort Li’s foresight in securing a backup plan.

"However, if the emperor knows about this, why hasn’t he taken action against Consort Li?" Jiang Li asked. Any emperor who learns that his woman is colluding with someone coveting his throne would find it unbearable. If he must bear it, there needs to be a reason beyond simply praising his extraordinary willpower.

But no matter how she looked at it, Jiang Li could not find a reason. Perhaps Emperor Hongxiao didn’t know? Or was it just suspicion, not yet verified?

Jih Heng did not respond directly to Jiang Li’s question, instead looking at her with a smile, showing no intention to solve her dilemma—as if wanting her to figure it out herself.

Jiang Li thought for a moment, then asked hesitantly, "Does His Majesty want to take action against Prince Cheng?"

Jih Heng’s eyes narrowed slightly, then quickly returned to normal. He asked nonchalantly, "Why do you ask?"

"If His Majesty plans to deal with Prince Cheng sooner or later, he would need a proper reason. Although Prince Cheng is cunning, he doesn’t leave traces behind in his actions. Aside from Princess Yongning’s arrogance, he hasn’t left any weaknesses in public. Even if there were plans to deal with him, there’s no excuse for now, and rashly moving against him might even lead to Prince Cheng biting back. Keeping Consort Li could one day serve as ’evidence’ against Prince Cheng during a standoff with His Majesty, making the clearing of Prince Cheng seem justifiable," she explained.

Jih Heng laughed, "Did Jiang Yuanbai teach you this?"

Jiang Li was taken aback, then looked down, "It’s just hearsay."

His smile grew more playful, "What you’ve heard through the grapevine seems clearer than what those involved can see." ƒгeewёbnovel.com

Jiang Li sighed. Her father had been the Minister of Works, a man of great talent. Although he kept a low profile, her upbringing had given her insights that ordinary girls lacked. Fortunately, with Jiang Yuanbai as an elder statesman, she could count on him to shield her if anything came up. If Jiang Yuanbai had just been an ordinary citizen, her unorthodox views would have been indefensible.