云胡不喜（四十）

"Miss."
想起侍郎刚才说的话，海棠就一阵心惊。
这件事不单单把太子牵扯进来，还关系到静山寺。
静山寺是皇城第一大寺，地位尊崇。
If this matter were to be exposed, Hai Tang didn't dare to think further.
"Have someone inquire about Master Nian An."
Nan Wan frowned slightly; this matter was probably not as simple as they thought.
```htmlShe felt an inexplicable familiarity when she first met Master Nian An.
Moreover, it was evident from the conversation that the other party prioritized Prince An over the Crown Prince.
Yet now, that person is surprisingly standing on the Crown Prince's side.```
```htmlThe muddy waters of the imperial city are getting deeper and deeper.
"Yes." Upon hearing this, Haitang quickly left.
“Wife.”
Yunhu had been eavesdropping in the shadows and had a general understanding of the situation.
Hearing the name Master Nian'an, his feelings were quite complicated.```
He has a good impression of the other party, but the other party turns out to be someone from the Crown Prince's side.
It’s hidden so deeply that even the Empress might not be aware of it.
Can they really escape unscathed from this matter?
Yun Hu no longer felt confident.
“Don’t worry, it will be fine.”
Nán Wǎn held Yun Hu tightly, gradually increasing the strength in her grip.
The Crown Prince could stir up the entire Da Ze just with one minister, so the imperial city would...
Nan Wan slowly shook her head.
The Empress is currently in good health, so it’s unlikely that the Crown Prince could easily succeed.
Yun Hu tightly grasped Nan Wan's sleeve for no apparent reason.
He didn't understand the twists and turns, but he clearly knew that what the Crown Prince wanted to do was not simple.
If the other party succeeds, the wife who is against the crown prince will be the first to bear the brunt.
He is unwilling.
In Yun Hu's eyes, a trace of ruthlessness flashed by quickly, but soon disappeared, as if what had just appeared was merely an illusion, even Nan Wan did not notice.
The imperial city.
The Empress has been seriously ill for several days and has not attended court for three days. The major affairs of the court are entirely handled by the Crown Prince.
Now that the Crown Prince holds great power, his actions have become increasingly reckless, making the court officials lament endlessly due to his whims.
What they currently hope for is someone who can step in and manage the situation.
However, there are not many who can control the Crown Prince.
The Empress is gravely ill, Prince Ning is away, and the Prime Minister is shutting himself away…
Each of these individuals is not easy to deal with.
The Imperial Palace.
"How many days has it been?"
The empress was faint and her mind was unclear due to illness.
"Your Majesty, it has been three days."
The maid replied with utmost respect.
The empress's illness came on mysteriously; even the imperial doctors could not explain it, only advising that valuable medicinal herbs should be used for proper care.
“Three days?”
The Empress raised her hand, trying to stand up, but her limbs felt weak and powerless.
The maid hurried forward to assist her in getting up.
“What’s happening in the court?”
“Replying to Your Majesty, the major matters in the court are currently being handled by the Crown Prince.”
The maid closely observed the empress's expression and, noticing her somewhat displeased demeanor, became increasingly cautious in her actions.
“The Crown Prince?”
The empress slightly narrowed her eyes.
“Didn't I hand it over to Prince Ning?”
She remembered that the Crown Prince was still under house arrest at this time.
The maidservant did not dare to respond.
After all, no matter how she answered, it would be wrong.
“The Crown Prince is quite good.”
The Empress coughed heavily a few times, a trace of a cold smile appearing at the corners of her mouth: “Send someone to invite the Chancellor and the General to come over, just say that I have important matters to discuss with them.”
"Yes."
```htmlThe maid went to convey the edict without a word.
Taizi Mansion.
"Secret discussions."
The crown prince clasped his hands, then casually released them.
"Do you know what they are discussing?"
"Replying to Your Highness, I do not know."```
This is an important matter after all, and the Empress intends to dismiss the maidservants nearby.
Even if they wanted to listen, there would be no way for them to do so.
"Alright, you can go now!"
The Crown Prince waved his hand.
The servant felt as if he had received a reprieve, quickly leaving.
"Your Highness."
The loyal minister beside him was anxious and asked, "Has Your Majesty discovered something?"
Recently, the Crown Prince has been making a lot of small moves.
Anyone with a discerning eye can see what the Crown Prince intends to do, but due to his status, they choose to remain silent.
"No, he won't."
The Crown Prince smirked: "If my good mother Empress were to find out, I wouldn’t still be standing here properly."
```htmlShe understood that the queen was quite fond of her. However, this favoritism came with the condition that she did not infringe upon the other party's interests.
The close attendants were silent.
She vaguely sensed that something was amiss, but she couldn't articulate exactly what.```
The news that Your Majesty woke up to invite the Prime Minister and General for a secret discussion quickly spread among the court officials.
"What is His/Her Majesty up to?"
"Not sure."
They have known the Empress for many years and are well aware of each other's ways of doing things.
However, inviting someone for a private conversation about this matter seems inconsistent with the queen's previous style.
They were intent on finding out a thing or two from someone in the know, but the chancellor and the general were tight-lipped and refused to divulge anything.
Even the Crown Prince returned empty-handed in his desire to know.
“What a good Chancellor.”
After being treated this way, the Crown Prince went back and erupted in anger.
All this time, she had regarded the Chancellor as someone on her side.
```htmlBut from today's actions, it's clear that the other party isn’t just a prince party; they are clearly royalists.
“Your Highness, please calm down.”
"Get lost."
The crown prince kicked the person kneeling on the ground in annoyance.```
The man took a sharp breath in pain and left while forcing himself to endure it.
Seeing this, no one dared to advise further.
Compared to the tumultuous waves of the Crown Prince's residence, the Prime Minister's residence was as tranquil as water.
“Wife.”
Chang sighed softly, "Do you think Wanwan is doing well?"
大泽穷苦，以南挽的身体指不定要受多少苦。
他几乎恨不得立即跟过去。
但丞相府少不得他。
“我前几日收到了挽挽的信。”
Recalling the contents of the letter from Nan Wan, the chancellor's expression was tinged with a hint of trepidation.
The crown prince's recent actions were indeed outrageous.
“How is Wanwan?”
Madam Chang exclaimed anxiously.
“Everything is fine.” The chancellor instinctively concealed some details.
Some things are better left unknown.
“That's good.”
Chang sighed in relief.
He was afraid that Wanwan would not adjust well, but now that he knew everything was fine on her side, he felt at ease.
"Just..."
Thinking of the rumors on the street today, Chang worriedly said, "Madam, what does His Majesty want with you?"
Some guessed it was for arranging funeral matters, others speculated it was about abdicating the throne; with so many voices, none were credible.
The Prime Minister shook his head: "His Majesty did not speak to me."
When she and the General entered the palace, the Empress had already retired.
In fear of disturbing Your Majesty, they had been waiting at the palace gate. They waited for two full hours before the Empress finally woke up.
As soon as she woke up, she called them back.
When asked why the Empress had summoned them, they had no idea.
But even if they spoke the truth, no one believed them, not even the Crown Prince, who was convinced that she was deliberately deceiving him.
As for the Crown Prince, the Prime Minister was not worried about him; she only worried about the Empress's intentions behind her actions.
```htmlThe other party never does things without confidence.
"It seems the sky over the imperial city is about to change."
The Prime Minister sighed.
Previously, she could glimpse the Empress's thoughts about the Crown Prince, but now it has become increasingly unclear.```
The General is about to head to the border, leaving her alone in the imperial city.
To be on the safe side, it's better for her to feign illness and not attend court.