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Ye Hongwei, the Marquis of Yongchang, pursed his lips and asked, "Madam, guess which prince does the Ningguo Mansion want to support in winning the throne?"

"It's hard to say." Qiao Shuyue frowned and said, "In the past, the Ningguo Mansion was close to the eldest prince, but since Gu Zhiyi became the housekeeper, it seems that there has been no contact. I don't know why."

Ye Hongwei tapped the table lightly, looking at his wife Qiao Shuyue with deep eyes. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Madam, what do you think is Gu Zhiyi's intention in doing this?"

Qiao Shuyue smiled slightly, with a shrewd look in her eyes: "Gu Zhiyi is a thoughtful and skillful person. She can manage the household and keep the Ningguo Mansion standing firm in the court. She must have her own unique qualities. If she suddenly changes her position, she must have her reasons."

Ye Chenxi sat aside, listening to his parents' conversation, and couldn't help but ask curiously: "Father, Mother, what does the struggle for succession have to do with our Yongchang Marquis Mansion? Why should we care about this?"

Ye Hongwei smiled slightly, turned his gaze to his son, and said earnestly: "Xi'er, the battle for succession is related to the country and society of Daqing Dynasty, and every aristocratic family must be cautious. Although our Yongchang Marquis Mansion is not as powerful as the Ningguo Duke Mansion, it cannot be ignored. If we can gain a foothold in this battle for succession, the position of the Ye family in the court will be more stable in the future."

Qiao Shuyue patted Ye Chenxi's hand gently and said, "Chenxi, you must remember that no matter when and where, the interests of the family are above all else. In this battle for the throne, we must try our best to remain neutral, but at the same time we must also pay close attention to the dynamics of all parties so that we can make the right choice at the critical moment."

Ye Chenxi nodded and said thoughtfully: "I understand, mother. Then, how should we deal with Gu Zhiyi's actions?"

Ye Hongwei pondered for a moment and said, "Madam, do you think Gu Zhiyi's move is to win over our Yongchang Marquis Mansion?"

Qiao Shuyue smiled and said, "Perhaps. However, we still need to observe further. Gu Zhiyi is a scheming person. If she really wants to win us over, she will definitely show it. Before that, we should wait and see what she is planning."

Sure enough, not long after, Gu Zhiyi sent an envoy to the Yongchang Marquis' Mansion and brought a generous gift.

Ye Hongwei and Qiao Shuyue smiled at each other, knowing that Gu Zhiyi was testing them. After the messenger left, the two immediately summoned Ye Chenxi to discuss countermeasures.

"Father, Mother, does Gu Zhiyi's action mean that she is interested in our Yongchang Marquis Mansion?" Ye Chenxi asked curiously.

Ye Hongwei smiled slightly and said, "Yes, she is testing our position. However, we cannot easily show our support for any of the princes, so as not to fall into a passive position."

Qiao Shuyue said, "Chenxi, you will go to the Ningguo Mansion to pay a return visit tomorrow. It is a courtesy to exchange gifts. This is what we should do. However, you must remember that too much talk will lead to mistakes. Try to speak less and observe more."

The next day, sunlight shone through the window lattices and spread throughout the Ningguo Mansion.

Ye Chenxi walked into the main hall with carefully selected gifts.

Gu Zhiyi had been waiting for a long time. She was wearing a lavender silk dress with delicate patterns embroidered on it, which made her look both dignified and elegant. Her face was as peaceful as autumn water, but her eyes showed expectation.

Ye Chenxi entered the main hall and saw Gu Zhiyi. He immediately bowed and said, "Madam Gu, Chenxi came to visit you. I wonder if this disturbed your pleasure?"

Gu Zhiyi smiled slightly and said, "It is an honor for the Ningguo Mansion that Master Ye can come. How can it be considered as a disturbance? Please take a seat."

The two of them sat down as host and guest. Gu Zhiyi personally poured a cup of tea for Ye Chenxi, and then said, "My Lord, what brings you here this time?"

Ye Chenxi picked up the teacup, blew on it gently, and said, "Chenxi came here this time mainly to discuss the current situation in our country with Madam. Now that nine princes are competing for the throne, the situation in the court is changing. Chenxi wants to hear Madam's opinion."

Gu Zhiyi smiled lightly and said, "Your Highness, you are too kind. I am just a woman, how dare I discuss the affairs of the court? However, I am curious about what your Highness thinks about the nine princes' fight for the throne."

Ye Chenxi's eyes flashed, and he said, "Chenxi believes that the nine princes have their own advantages and disadvantages in the fight for the throne. But no matter who wins in the end, it will be a disaster for the people of our country. Therefore, Chenxi hopes that Madam can give some suggestions on how to reduce the impact of this fight for the throne on the people."

Gu Zhiyi smiled slightly and said, "Zhiyi believes that we should first remain neutral and not favor any party. We should try our best to persuade the princes to understand that in the fight for the throne, the people will suffer in the end. Finally, our country needs someone who can stand up, unify the forces of all parties, and end this fight for the throne."

Ye Chenxi's eyes flashed with approval, and he said, "Madam, your opinion is great. Chenxi came here this time just to discuss this matter with you. The people of our country cannot be dragged into war because of the struggle for succession."

The two had a pleasant conversation. Gu Zhiyi poured tea for Ye Chenxi from time to time, and Ye Chenxi asked Gu Zhiyi in detail about his views on the current situation.

At this time, Luluo came in in a hurry and whispered to Gu Zhiyi: "Madam, there is a Hu merchant named Murare outside the door who wants to see you. He said he has something important to report to you."

Gu Zhiyi was slightly startled, a trace of doubt flashed in her eyes, and then she regained her composure. She gently put down the embroidery needle in her hand, raised her head, looked at Luluo, and slowly said: "Mullalei? Why did he come to see me? Please ask him to come in."

Luoluo nodded slightly, turned around and went out, and soon she came back with a foreign merchant dressed in exotic clothes. The merchant was tall and strong, with curly hair, dark skin, and a pair of deep eyes that sparkled with wisdom.

That person was Murare. When he saw Gu Zhiyi, he immediately bowed and said in stiff Chinese: "Hello, Madam Ningguo. My name is Murare, and I am a businessman from the Western Regions. I came to visit you today because I have something to report to you. This matter is very important to you and the Ningguo Mansion."

Gu Zhiyi nodded slightly, motioning for Murray to sit down. She looked at Murray, her eyes flashing with inquiry, and slowly said, "Mr. Murray, please go ahead. I'm all ears."

After Murare sat down, he began to tell the story. He said that recently during his business in the Western Regions, he accidentally learned a secret about the Ningguo Mansion. It turned out that the ancestors of the Ningguo Mansion had forged a deep friendship with a powerful country in the Western Regions. There was an important contract between the two countries. This contract was hidden in a mysterious treasure box, and the key to the treasure box was in the Ningguo Mansion.

The more Gu Zhiyi listened, the more frightened she became. She had never expected that such a huge secret was hidden in her family. She nervously pinched the silk handkerchief in her hand, with doubt and shock flashing in her eyes.

Luoluo stood aside, watching the lady's expression change, feeling confused and uncertain.