“My Lady, I don’t understand.” It was late at night. Jian Tao sent Noble Consort Gui away from Xuan Qing Palace.

There were many people living in this palace now, so even in the late night, there was not as desolate as before. There were lights everywhere and faint talks from several rooms. The new Cai Nv who were too uneasy and confused to fall asleep.

Jian Tao was very familiar with the whole palace. She led Noble Consort Gui around to avoid being seen by others along the way, getting more and more remote.

Seeing the corner door in front of her, she couldn’t help slowing her pace and asking in a low voice, “My Lady, Jie Yu Mao was recommended by Noble Consort Shu, but she stood in the same side with Her Highness soon after she joined the Imperial Harem. For your coming tonight, she is also happy to agree… For such a person, even if we hold the evidence that she framed Ji Muzi, will she be definitely obedient? If you just want to find a concubine who doesn’t have noble family background to raise an imperial heir in case of bad things in the future… why don’t you find a person more obedient?”

“Jie Yu Mao is indeed untamable.” Hearing Jian Tao’s words, Noble Consort Gui lightly lifted the skirt, walked up a few stone steps, and said softly with a smile, “But do you forget? I am to form an alliance with her rather than to solicit her… Therefore, I don’t need her to be obedient. I just need her to be ambitious.”

She turned her head to Jian Tao, “You are right. Jie Yu Mao is recalcitrant, and she will not surrender to anyone at all. Thus, she not only betrays Noble Consort Shu or Empress Ji quickly, but even doesn’t feel guilty. Therefore, from the beginning, I haven’t been intending to treat her as a subordinate. All I want is to determine her ambitions, and then… help her!”

Therefore, Noble Consort Gui was not afraid that Yun Fenghuang would betray her.

The reason was that Noble Consort Gui only wanted to help Yun Fenghuang do what she planned to do and had to do, and then get profits from her. If Yun Fenghuang wanted to frame Noble Consort Gui, the first thing she had to face was to overthrow her overall plan… But in view of the current situation in the Imperial Court and the Imperial Harem, how could she give up taking advantage of the imperial heir born by Yun Qingman to threaten Duke Yi’s Mansion?

It was impossible. After all, due to her family background, Yun Fenghuang had to find a strong backer if she wanted to have a solid foundation in the Imperial Harem and go further!

In a short time, Xie’s Family could not become Yun Fenghuang’s strong backer; the Empress who accepted Yun Fenghuang tried her best to cut off Yun Fenghuang’s route of retreat, which was definitely resisted by Yun Fenghuang who was easy to be suspicious of others; and as for Prince Regent’s Mansion, Cui’s Family, and powerful eunuchs, they all had representatives whose status was stable and grades were high in the Imperial Harem. They might not refuse Yun Fenghuang if she sought refuge, but based on the facts that they had no friendly feelings with Yun Fenghuang and Yun Fenghuang betrayed others before, they couldn’t trust her too much.

Yun Fenghuang might not care much about their trust, but she must care about their support.

Therefore, thinking about it carefully, the new Jie Yu could only start from Duke Yi’s Mansion. In this regard, she had the advantages given by Noble Consort Shu and her father in person: she was a daughter of Yun’s Family now, and she sought refuge with the Empress. As long as she controlled Yun Qingman and suppressed Yun Qingman’s grade, once Yun Qingman became pregnant, the imperial heir would be definitely raised by her!

At that time, even though Yun’s Family was unwilling, they had to support Yun Fenghuang for the safety of the imperial heir.

After all, the importance of an imperial heir was enough to make Yun’s Family willing to bury the hatchet with Yun Fenghuang. In addition, with Yun Fenghuang’s character, no one could know what she would do if Yun’s Family reject her threat.

After all, the child was not born by her, so she wouldn’t love the child so much.

“Besides, Jie Yu Mao is not stupid.” Noble Consort Gui thought about her own plan, and sneered, “Yun’s Family has been being rich for three dynasties. Even if it is fooled by her carelessly for once, will it be trifled with easily? She indeed needs my help to balance the pressure from Yun’s Family… At the same time, she can give Xie’s Family which she really trusts the opportunity and time to become powerful. Therefore, as long as I keep my promises in the future, she will also honor her promises.”

Speaking of this, she sighed, “In the final analysis, we are helpless that His Majesty we meet with is of great strength and tolerance. My uncle once served the Emperor Shenzong and Emperor Xiaozong, but he is not sure about the future of His Majesty… Zheng’s Family can’t be comparable to Ji’s Family, Cui’s Family and Prince Regent’s Mansion. Ji’s Family supported His Majesty to be enthroned. No matter how has His Majesty been thought of it over the years, he won’t destroy it only if he wants to keep his reputation in the future!”

“Cui’s Family is the leader of scholars. Unless it commits a heinous crime, in accordance with the practice, His Majesty will not destroy it to show his magnanimity.”

“Prince Regen is similar. He is the legitimate elder of the royal clan, the offspring of Gongxiang’s Family like His Majesty, and the only male of Emperor Shenzong’s bloodline… No matter what Prince Regent’s Mansion did, His Majesty at least will not kill them directly. Otherwise, what will the world think of him?”

Zheng’s Family was the most embarrassing one. It was the family of a powerful eunuch. Although it was noble nowadays, in the final analysis, it was just the Emperor’s slave.

If the Emperor wanted to kill his own slave, was there anything he couldn’t do?

The scholars who controlled the public opinion would never feel that the Emperor was cruel. They even could only clap their hands and praise that the Emperor was wise to exterminate the treacherous eunuch.

Therefore, in Zheng Ju’s view, once Emperor Chunjia reproduced the scene during the reign of Emperor Shenzong… Zheng’s Family was the most dangerous. Because of the natural disadvantage of the prosperous process of Zheng’s Family, it was so suitable to be chosen as the scapegoat after Emperor Chunjia controlled the Imperial Court.

Originally, all the people standing the same side with Zheng’s Family were very happy about Noble Consort Gui’s pregnancy, because this was their best way out.

But Noble Consort Gui encountered the sudden plot and they didn’t even know who did it until now…

It was true that Noble Consort Gui said she didn’t plan to give birth to children for the Emperor again. Not only was she afraid to be sad again, but she felt that before the chief culprit who hurt the imperial heir was found out, it was nothing more than bedeviling herself if she was pregnant again.

Unsurprisingly, it was very difficult for Zheng’s Family to own an imperial heir of their own bloodline, so they could only try to adopt an imperial heir born by other concubines.

But it was not just Noble Consort Gui who could adopt the imperial heir born by others.

Zheng Ju privately told Noble Consort Gui that if someone wanted to adopt an imperial heir to scheme major events, there were two people who were the most advantaged. The first one was of course Empress Ji. She was Emperor Chunjia’s principal wife, so the imperial heir adopted by her had the advantage of natural legitimacy. The second one was Yun Fenghuang.

Yun Fenghuang’s family background was not noble, and she didn’t belong to the core direct line of descents of any party that currently controlled the Imperial Court.

However, she was also essentially different from the large number of concubines from good and non-aristocratic families in the Imperial Harem. She was a troublemaker who was more ambitious and rebellious than many high-ranked consorts… With such characters, she must get knocked out in a normal environment of taking a wife or selecting a concubine.

However, under the circumstance of this dynasty, Emperor Chunjia was very likely to support her as Queen Mother instead of Empress Ji.

The reason was very simple. Yun Fenghuang’s natal family was weak and was unlikely to become a second family who was as powerful as Ji’s Family. But she was very restless and was good at making trouble, so she had the ability to control the situation for the next young emperor and keep the imperial power.

From the perspective of the next young emperor, since Yun Fenghuang was not his biological mother, his affection for her was not so deep that he would not be vulnerable to emotional kidnapping. After he grew up, he was able to do things without limitation.

Jian Tao asked with hesitation, “But My Lady, even though His Majesty has always been generous and will forgive Jie Yu Mao, the one in Hu Zhu Palace…”

Mentioning Yuan Lianniang, Noble Consort Gui who was originally kind-faced couldn’t help becoming cold-faced, “In the past, considering for Gongxiang’s Family, Emperor Xiaozong tried to set up a Huang Tai Di even though he had no heirs… Although he failed in the end, my uncle said Emperor Xiaozong had tried his best to work for the royal family and the world. His Majesty is young and strong now, but he hasn’t been dissipated when he has been treated coldly for eight years in the Imperial Harem. With such an age and an ambition, he won’t be stupid just because of a fool woman. Otherwise, my uncle and me would have no need to fight so hard for the future of our family!”

After concluding these words in one breath, Noble Consort Gui slowed her tone again, “Besides, I just told Jie Yu Mao that there were too many people in the Imperial Harem who wanted Yuan Lianniang to die. Jie Yu Mao is young and has little experience, so she can’t gain such a chance!”

The plan on Yun Fenghuang was the route of retreat of Zheng’s Family in case of unexpected changes. Noble Consort Gui originally didn’t like Yuan Lianniang. Even if she liked her, the family’s future was certainly more important now!

She said then, “I will deal with this woman, so don’t worry about it.”

“My Lady, you treat Jie Yu Mao so kindly, but if…” Jian Tao pondered again and again, and finally asked, “If in the future, His Majesty… um, His Majesty comes back to the Imperial Harem, then?”

The Emperor started to take over the reins of government, and Ji’s Family was still watching him and had not done something yet!

In case Emperor Chunjia lost the game and became a puppet again, then?

“That’s okay.” Noble Consort Gui said disapprovingly, “The worst results are just that the grade of Noble Consort Shu is taken by another person, the grandson of Yun’s Family is adopted by their enemy, and we secretly kill some offspring of Yun’s Family for Xie’s Family… Do these things matter for us?”

Thinking about it, Jian Tao agreed with her. No matter how it was considered, Duke Yi’s Mansion would be the most miserable one.

If the Emperor succeeded to take over the reins of government, Duke Yi’s Mansion would not only lose their biological daughter, but also watch Yun Qingman’s child calling the chief culprit “mother”, the culprit step by step sitting on the throne of Queen Mother, and the whole clan kneeling under the phoenix and kowtowing to her.

If the Emperor failed to take over the reins, they would still lose their biological daughter, and they were still forced to watch their grandson calling the chief culprit “mother” and the culprit living a good life in the Imperial Harem.

She really wanted to make a bitter tear for Yun’s Family.

Well, after careful consideration, Jian Tao withdrew the above sentence.

If you didn’t do evil things, you wouldn’t die.

This sentence should be more suitable for Yun’s Family.

“Rong Hua Yun’s status is still too high now.” Noble Consort Gui remembered one thing now and told Jian Tao, “When you are serving in the side hall, think of ways to make her be degraded a few more grades again… I have done it today. Although I have deceived Noble Consort Shu and Empress Ji this time, I’d better not continue to do it in person, so as not to let them know our real target. If they really suspect us then, it will be troublesome.”

Jian Tao promised respectfully, but she was a little coy.

Noble Consort Gui raised her eyebrows, “What’s wrong?”

“My Lady, I still have a doubt.” Jian Tao whispered to her furtively, “How do you know that when His Majesty dies, it is the young prince who is enthroned? If His Majesty can really control the Imperial Court…”

His life wouldn’t be decided by the courtiers, so he could wait for the imperial heir to grow up!

If the imperial heir had grown up then, was it necessary to let Queen Mother to dominate the Imperial Court?

Noble Consort Gui sneered when she heard the words, “I wondered what you wanted to say… You are so stupid. It’s fortunate that you are sent to serve Rong Hua Yun, and you have almost never met with Jie Yu Mao. Otherwise, I’m afraid you would have long since been suspected by Jie Yu Mao!”

She stretched her fingers and pressed the maid’s forehead hard, saying, “Since ancient times, the Emperors have never been long-lived! Besides, the biological father of His Majesty died before he was 40 years old! Both Emperor Shenzong and Emperor Xiaozong were dead at similar ages… His Majesty is 23 years old this year, and has no children until now! For ordinary clans, a master less than 20 years old needs to be supported by the elders, let alone an Emperor who is the master of the whole country?!”

Referring to the age of Emperor Chunjia’s biological father and adoptive father, no one expected him to live long. Well, even if he was of longevity unexpectedly so that the plan of Zheng’s Family to secretly invest in the future crown prince failed, was this a big loss?

In the case of Yun’s Family being framed by Yun Fenghuang, the loss was really nothing for Zheng’s Family.

Compared with the lives and security of the whole family, this loss was even more unremarkable!

“By the way, let our people see if there is any suitable choice among the new Cai Nv. Support some Cai Nv to make trouble.” Seeing Jian Tao lowering her head and admitting her mistakes again and again, Noble Consort Gui finally cooled down a little and ordered, “I hope that the supported Cai Nv can make the Empress think highly of Jie Yu Mao especially… This Jie Yu is so scheming. She is even able to change the original bad cards in her hands to good cards by herself. To be honest, even if my uncle and me don’t help her, she may be able to do a big thing by herself in the future. Although I was not condescending tonight, I hold her weakness. She must have some resentments to me in her heart… There is no need to let such a person hate us. Therefore, make things more beneficial to her as possible as you can. Understand?”

Seeing Jian Tao remembering it carefully, Noble Consort Gui nodded slightly, “That’s it. I’ll leave. Go back to the side hall and watch Rong Hua Yun.”

At this moment, Yun Fenghuang was holding her cheeks to listen to the report of what the Emperor did with Yi Xing’en from a servant, “… His Majesty asked many questions to care about Cai Nv Yi for a while… and didn’t go to bed until now?”