Time Travel: He is My Dad!

Dangers lurk everywhere, and murderous intentions surge.

Inside Princess Shen's chambers, the dim light of a palace lantern cast a cold shadow on her face. She sat quietly before her bed, her heart already swirling with turmoil. The Crown Prince's death was no simple palace infighting; it was the product of a meticulously orchestrated conspiracy. And behind all this lay even more hidden secrets.

Cheng Jiahong walked in with a new investigative report, his face solemn. "Princess, there's been new progress in the investigation. We've uncovered some clues." He placed a document in front of Princess Shen, his expression serious. "The Crown Prince's poison did indeed come from outside the palace, and is inextricably linked to a certain chamber of commerce. We haven't fully grasped the individuals behind this chamber of commerce, but one thing is certain—their influence extends deep into the palace."

Princess Shen picked up the document and carefully leafed through it, her brow furrowed. The name of the chamber of commerce was familiar: the Qingyun Chamber of Commerce. In recent years, this chamber of commerce had grown rapidly, leveraging its vast capital and powerful resources, even forging hidden connections with some of the most powerful officials in the imperial court. However, the true mastermind behind this chamber of commerce remained a mystery.

"Qingyun Chamber of Commerce?" Princess Shen repeated in a low voice, a hint of thought flashing in her eyes. "I'm afraid the group behind this chamber of commerce is more than just a simple financial group. Its power must be closely related to the Crown Prince's death."

Cheng Jiahong nodded. "That's right, Princess. We're still pursuing further leads, but there's a clear trend: the Qingyun Chamber of Commerce's actions are becoming more frequent, and have infiltrated every level of the palace. The Crown Prince's death is most likely the result of their conspiracy."

"The palace has begun to block the news." Princess Shen said slowly, "The Qingyun Chamber of Commerce was able to secretly orchestrate this murder in such a short time. There must be extremely powerful forces behind it. And these forces clearly have no intention of stopping after the Crown Prince's death."

"If the Qingyun Chamber of Commerce has truly infiltrated the palace, the situation will become extremely complicated." Cheng Jiahong took a deep breath and whispered, "Princess, have you considered cooperating with external forces? For example... forming an alliance with certain princes or kings?"

Princess Shen was silent for a moment, a chill flashing in her eyes. "External forces? You mean, cooperating with those princes who covet the throne?" She smiled faintly, her eyes sharp as a knife. "Perhaps, but we must be clear about who our most trustworthy allies are."

Cheng Jiahong remained silent, knowing that Princess Shen's description exemplified the palace's greatest challenge. Behind every prince and every crown prince lay complex interests and intrigues. Alliances were possible, but trust was a luxury. In this power struggle, every faction harbored ulterior motives, and any misstep could trigger a fatal counterattack.

Princess Shen slowly opened her eyes, her voice low and powerful: "Cheng Jiahong, go contact Prince Zhao and tell him that I will meet him in person tonight."

Cheng Jiahong was stunned: "Prince Zhao? Princess, are you sure you want to cooperate with him?"

"We have no choice," Princess Shen said coldly. "Although Prince Zhao is not as outspoken as other princes, he is scheming and possesses considerable military power. What we need now is not just the support of power within the palace, but also a force that can deal with external threats."

Cheng Jiahong's heart moved. Although Prince Zhao's reputation in the court was not prominent, he was indeed a person with potential. Whether for the expansion of personal power or for resisting the increasingly powerful external forces, Prince Zhao should not be underestimated.

"Okay, I'll arrange it right away." Cheng Jiahong replied with his head down.

Late at night, under the moonlight, Princess Shen, dressed in a deep blue palace dress, sat quietly at her desk. Her eyes were filled with determination and calmness. Tonight's meeting with Prince Zhao would be a crucial step in her plan. Through this encounter, she must further understand Prince Zhao's true intentions and strive to win him over, making him her most important ally in the palace.

The night wind outside the palace carried a hint of chill, and the shadows of the palace walls stretched long and far. Everything within the palace seemed to have fallen into a kind of silence, waiting for the next impending storm.

When Princess Shen arrived at Prince Zhao's residence, it was already fully prepared. Prince Zhao, unlike his usual condescending attitude, personally came out to greet her with a meaningful smile. "Princess Shen, it's late. I'm really sorry to trouble you to come in person."

Princess Shen nodded slightly, her eyes calm, "Prince Zhao, it's been a long time since we last met. I wanted to talk about something."

Prince Zhao led her into the inner chamber and, after they sat down, signaled his attendants to leave. The room was dimly lit, and a subdued silence permeated the air. Princess Shen didn't rush to speak, but instead examined Prince Zhao's expression.

Prince Zhao chuckled, "Princess Shen, there's no need to beat around the bush. You've come here in person, so you must have something important to discuss."

Princess Shen didn't reply, but simply stared at him. After a moment, she slowly spoke, "Prince Zhao, I know you've also been following the recent death of the Crown Prince. The court is in turmoil, and the situation in the palace is turbulent. I'm afraid you know more about the background of the Qingyun Chamber of Commerce than I do."

Prince Zhao's eyes dimmed slightly, but he quickly regained his composure. "Of course, I know a little bit. But, you're not just here to talk about this, are you?"

Princess Shen took a deep breath and said slowly, "I know you have your own plans. I came here hoping that we can join forces to deal with the coming storm. With the Qingyun Chamber of Commerce outside and the Emperor inside, I'm afraid it will be difficult for us to escape alone."

Prince Zhao's eyes flickered, and the smile on his face gradually deepened. "Oh? Princess Shen is indeed discerning and knows how to choose. In that case, cooperation is a natural thing."

"Cooperation?" Princess Shen sneered, "More than that, I hope you can provide me with the necessary support during this storm."

Prince Zhao stared at Princess Shen for a long time, with a hint of amusement in his eyes: "Princess Shen, what conditions do you have that can convince me?"

Princess Shen's smile gradually turned cold. "Trust is based on interests. Prince Zhao, I can help you get what you want, and I can give you the support you desire, but the prerequisite is that you must stand on the same front with me."

The atmosphere in the room froze instantly. Princess Shen's gaze was as sharp as a knife, and Prince Zhao's expression darkened slightly. He knew that Princess Shen was not just a simple woman. There were too many elusive meanings in her eyes.

After a moment's silence, Prince Zhao finally spoke: "Okay, in that case, we will cooperate. However, Princess Shen, you must make sure you don't betray me."

Princess Shen smiled coldly: "Betrayal? That's something only the weak would do."

At this time, the cooperation between Princess Shen and Prince Zhao was finally finalized. Undercurrents began to surge in the palace, and a magnificent power struggle had begun.

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Chapter 59: Conspiracy, Swords and Shadows