Prince! The political conspiracy is not a play, the show is real

"My daughter is unfilial, carried away by success, and disregarding family rules. However, I also want to ask you, father. At the palace banquet, in front of the emperor and all the ministers, did you also disregard the laws of the country and family, and ignore the rules? If so, I am simply following your character. Why do you only discipline me and not reflect on yourself?"

After Tao Yao finished speaking, the hall suddenly fell into silence. In the Shi family, no one had ever dared to contradict the head of the family in public. Tao Yao was the first one in history.

Shi Yiqian's face went from pale to livid, his expression stiff and grimacing, as if he had swallowed a fly. For a moment, he seemed to have forgotten how to be angry. The hand pointing at Tao Yao remained suspended in mid-air, gradually trembling.

Tao Yao's retort left Shi Yiqian speechless for a long time, and he was so angry that he seemed to freeze into a stone statue on the spot.

Fortunately, Zhu Fengsheng was still clear-headed. She hurriedly helped Shi Yiqian sit back on the rosewood chair, and her face showed an angry expression - although she was angry, she looked nonchalant, and it was unclear whether she was really angry or just pretending to be angry.

Zhu Fengsheng took out a ruler from the table and handed it to Shi Yiqian, whispering, "Master, the second young lady is being disrespectful and disregarding family rules. Will she be punished according to family rules?"

At that time, Shi Lanxin, who had always been arrogant and domineering, was also frightened by Tao Yao's words just now. She couldn't help but move her body to the side and looked at Tao Yao as if she were a madman. She believed from the bottom of her heart that Tao Yao was really crazy, and was afraid that Tao Yao would pull out a knife from her sleeve in the next moment and chop anyone who displeased her.

"That's all."

After a long time, Shi Yiqian gently placed the ruler in his hand on the edge of the table and sighed deeply.

"Now that I'm guilty of a serious crime, the Emperor has only confined me to his house as punishment, which is already a great favor. During this period, everyone should be humble and calm, and practice harmony. Stop arguing. If word gets out, it will only lead to gossip about my family."

As soon as Shi Yiqian finished speaking, everyone in the room bowed in response. Tao Yao also lowered her head and echoed the greeting.

After the lecture, Shi Yiqian looked exhausted, as if all his strength had been drained out. Zhu Fengsheng was about to help him walk away, but he quickly waved Zhu Fengsheng's hand away and walked shakily towards his bedroom.

Zhu Fengsheng and Shi Lanxin hurriedly chased after him, both urging him not to lock himself in the room anymore, but he just waved his hands and said nothing.

Tao Yao looked at Shi Yiqian's depressed back, and doubts inevitably arose in her heart - Shi Yiqian always put self-preservation first in everything he did. Risking his life to assassinate the prince at a palace banquet was not something he could do. He must have been instigated by others.

Tao Yao suddenly thought of a name—Zuo Tang. She recalled how, when she was questioned by the emperor in the palace, Zuo Tang had been blaming her and Chu Huanjun for the crime, without mentioning Shi Yiqian at all. Furthermore, Shi Yiqian hadn't been implicated in the incident. He was clearly the main culprit in the assassination attempt on the prince, yet the emperor had only ordered him confined to his own residence, where he was allowed to eat and dress as usual. It was strange to think about it.

Shi Yiqian wanted to be a loyal minister in front of the emperor. If Zuo Tang and Shi Yiqian revealed the information that Chu Huanjun wanted to seize power and usurp the throne, if Shi Yiqian believed the slander, he would definitely show his loyalty in front of the emperor.

Tao Yao couldn't help but sigh. Thinking about it this way, she really felt sorry for Chu Huanjun. Her father would rather listen to others than trust his own son, and was even reluctant to severely punish the murderer who had harmed his son's life.

Tao Yao recalled Chu Huanjun's mention of his mother's death, which was also dealt with perfunctorily by the emperor who turned a blind eye and even held the funeral in silence. As the only prince of Chu, he was doted on on the surface, but in reality, if he took a wrong step, he might fall into the endless abyss, and then in the eyes of the emperor, he would be forgotten like a page of history book that was gently turned over.

When Tao Yao returned to the Shi Mansion this time, it seemed that everyone's attitude towards her had some subtle changes. Even Shi Lanxin was no longer as arrogant as before when she saw her. She always greeted her politely on the surface and walked away quickly. As for other people, although they still treated her as transparent air as before, they respected her a little more than before and at least regarded her as a lady.

Shi Yiqian still locked himself in the room, eating only one meal a day, and only a few bites at each meal.

Tao Yao secretly thought in her heart that Shi Yiqian must be regretting that he had believed Zuo Tang's words - now that he had assassinated the prince and was in the center of the storm, he might have to become Zuo Tang's follower in order to protect himself in the future. If he wanted to remain as noble and independent as before, he would have to be extremely careful with every step he took.

The entire Shi Mansion was in his hands, and if he prospered, they all prospered and suffered together. Moreover, if the emperor really wanted to convict him, assassinating the prince would be no small crime.

Although Shi Yiqian never went out of the house, there were spies everywhere in the Shi Mansion. They were either Shi Yiqian's subordinates or palace maids sent by the emperor to deliver food and tonics every now and then. Tao Yao had no chance to sneak out of the mansion.

Tao Yao was bored that day and paced back and forth in the courtyard, thinking that half a month had passed in a flash, and there was no news about Chu Huanjun. Zuo Tang had vowed before that the army under the Marquis of Zhenbei, plus two elite troops, would search the capital city in three days and would definitely find Chu Huanjun. But now so much time had passed and no one had found a trace of Chu Huanjun.

Chu Huanjun is really capable and patient enough to hide for so long - in such a big city like the capital, where on earth can he hide?

Suddenly, there was a light knock on the door. If the yard had not been extremely quiet today, Tao Yao would have almost not heard it.

"Who?" Tao Yao looked outside the door, but saw no one.

After a while, a little maid with an unfamiliar face came in from the archway on the other side. She walked over in two or three steps and handed a package to Tao Yao.

Tao Yao's eyes lit up. This package was clearly the one she had asked the eldest guard at Prince Yi's mansion to give to Huai Ling.

The maid winked at Tao Yao and whispered, "Second Miss, Huai Ling asked me to give this to you. I'm on duty in the front courtyard today, and the two gatekeepers are taking their lunch break. I'll take Second Miss out. Huai Ling and Master Song are waiting outside to meet her."