Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress
Chapter 468 - 465: Killing Two Birds with One Stone_1

Chapter 468: Chapter 465: Killing Two Birds with One Stone_1

Fang Lao, upon hearing this, stood up with a smile and said, "Your Highness, if you consider what I said and find it feasible, just send someone to inform me... I will arrange and prepare accordingly! However, the Princess of Zhen and Commandery Princess Gaoyi are returning to Shuoyang tomorrow. If Your Highness finds it feasible, a decision must be made quickly."

"Alright!" The Crown Prince nodded.

After Fang Lao left, the Crown Prince turned his head and looked at Quan Yu. With a hint of a smile, he picked up his tea cup and said, "Quan Yu, you are becoming bolder and bolder!"

"Your Highness, whatever courage I have comes from you! The Crown Prince is the most kind-hearted master I have ever seen. That’s why I dare to be presumptuous in front of Your Highness!" Quan Yu smiled warmly and said, "I just thought Your Highness has been busy all day and didn’t even have time to rest and take a sip of tea. You must be really tired, hence this idea."

Seeing the Crown Prince gently blowing on the hot tea, seemingly calming down, Quan Yu cautiously said, "Your Highness, I just heard from Fang Lao that he intends to use Commandery Princess Gaoyi. But... the Princess of Zhen and Commandery Princess Gaoyi are deeply connected. The Princess of Zhen is also unfailingly loyal to Your Highness! I noticed just now that Your Highness hesitated. Is it because you are afraid of alienating the Princess of Zhen?"

The Crown Prince nodded, "That’s correct. But Fang Lao’s words... also make sense. I still need to think it over."

Hearing this, Quan Yu did not dare to persuade further. He just nodded and said he would bring some refreshments for the Crown Prince.

When Quan Yu returned with palace maids carrying black lacquer and gold-painted food boxes, he saw someone leaving the Crown Prince’s study, seemingly heading towards Fang Lao’s courtyard.

Standing under an elaborately carved and painted corridor, Quan Yu frowned, worried that if the Crown Prince involved Commandery Princess Gaoyi, and the Princess of Zhen found out, she would certainly be at odds with the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince unbelievably hadn’t figured this out!

Quan Yu didn’t want to see the Crown Prince lose such a capable minister as the Princess of Zhen in the future, nor did he want to see the Princess of Zhen heartbroken.

Following behind Quan Yu, a palace maid with her head bowed and eyes downcast saw him standing still under a swaying hexagon lantern for a while and whispered, "Eunuch?"

"Let’s go!" Quan Yu snapped out of it and led the palace maids forward.

·

Ren Shijie had just, according to Fang Lao’s arrangement, sent someone to spread the news that King Liang had taken Miss Dong Tingzhen’s personal safety lock from the Dong family and entered the palace to ask the Emperor for marriage. Unexpectedly, there was news from King Liang’s residence that King Liang had gone to Dong Mansion shortly after Eunuch Gao left.

Upon hearing this, Fang Lao squinted his eyes, suspecting that King Liang might want to personally visit Minister Dong of the Court of Judicial Review.

Ren Shijie whispered, "King Liang going to Dong Mansion, could it be that His Majesty... wants King Liang to return Miss Dong’s safety lock, or is it that King Liang wants to plead with Lord Dong again?"

"Regardless of King Liang’s intention for going to Dong Mansion, this time... it’s our opportunity to hinder King Liang’s potential claim to the throne on behalf of the Crown Prince!" Fang Lao picked up his tea cup and said to Ren Shijie and Qin Shangzhi, "Think about it. Last time, King Liang tried to frame King of Zhen, Bai Weiting, for colluding with the enemy and meddled in the grain affair in the southern region. Why did His Majesty still pardon King Liang? That’s because King Liang is His Majesty’s son and hasn’t truly touched His Majesty’s bottom line!"

Fang Lao took a sip of tea, put down the cup, and continued, "The matter of the Second Prince leading troops to rebel years ago has always been a thorn in His Majesty’s heart. His Majesty might be indulgent with his sons due to their bloodline, but he would never tolerate them aspiring for military power! Hence... the more King Liang refuses to give up on the Dong family’s daughter, the more suspicious His Majesty would become of him!"

Under the glass lamp, Qin Shangzhi looked in Fang Lao’s direction. Although sometimes Fang Lao could be infuriating, one had to admit... he understood the Emperor well.

For Qin Shangzhi, stopping King Liang’s path to the throne was worth doing anything, even if it meant jeopardizing Miss Dong’s reputation, who happened to be the cousin of the Princess of Zhen, Bai Qingyan. After all, who asked Miss Dong to chose King Liang?

Qin Shangzhi lowered his eyes, suppressing the unease in his heart. The struggle for the throne always ends in life or death. The path one chooses can’t be blamed on others!

"Fang Lao, Mr. Ren, Mr. Qin!" A young eunuch bowed to the three counselors of the Crown Prince, "His Highness has instructed me to tell you that Fang Lao may arrange matters regarding King Liang. All unregistered death warriors in the Crown Prince’s residence are at Fang Lao’s disposal!"

Qin Shangzhi frowned and looking at the gleaming eyes of Fang Lao, wondered what more could Fang Lao be planning.

"Thank His Highness for his trust!" Fang Lao stroked his goatee and ordered a guard to summon the unregistered death warriors from the Crown Prince’s residence.

"Fang Lao, what else do you plan to arrange?" Ren Shijie hurriedly stood up and asked.

While waiting for the death warriors to arrive, Fang Lao briefly explained his intention to frame King Liang and ruin Commandery Princess Gaoyi’s reputation, provoking the Princess of Zhen to act against King Liang.

"Originally, Bai Mansion was heavily guarded, like a fortress, but with the Bai family moving back to Shuoyang, the guards followed! Bai Mansion is thus easier to enter. This matter shouldn’t be difficult!"

Fang Lao, satisfied with himself, smiled, "Imagine, with the Princess of Zhen’s concern for Commandery Princess Gaoyi, if she could break King Liang’s leg... that would be the best result. His Majesty would never make a cripple the Crown Prince, and this matter wouldn’t implicate the Crown Prince’s residence! Given the Princess of Zhen’s decisive character, she definitely wouldn’t let Commandery Princess Gaoyi marry King Liang! The Dong family is related by marriage to Bai Mansion. If such a thing happened, they naturally wouldn’t marry their daughter to King Liang! A double win!"

"Impossible!" Qin Shangzhi’s heart leaped to his throat. He stood up excitedly.

Fang Lao looked displeasedly in Qin Shangzhi’s direction.

Knowing that Fang Lao liked to put up an act, Qin Shangzhi gritted his teeth and bowed deeply, "Fang Lao, please calm down. Let me explain in detail. It is rare for His Highness to win the loyalty of the Princess of Zhen. The Princess of Zhen is unparalleled in intelligence and bravery. If she knew it was the Crown Prince’s residence that schemed to ruin Commandery Princess Gaoyi’s reputation, she would certainly be at odds with the Crown Prince!"

Fang Lao lowered his eyes and remained silent. What he wanted... was not necessarily for Bai Qingyan and the Crown Prince to be at odds, but for Bai Qingyan to feel indifferent to the Crown Prince. The most important advisor around the Crown Prince needed to be him!

But since Qin Shangzhi pointed it out, he couldn’t save face, and he also feared Qin Shangzhi would report to the Crown Prince.

Qin Shangzhi glanced at Fang Lao, becoming even more respectful, "Fang Lao has always had a keen eye for people! You deeply understand the Princess of Zhen’s firm and decisive nature. If the Princess of Zhen found out about this and sided with King Liang, the situation would be unfavorable to the Crown Prince!"