Quick Transmigration: Why did you provoke him? He's love-struck!

The next day, Yan Zhen took a carriage to the experimental fields on the outskirts of Beijing.

The carriage stopped for a moment in a secluded spot.

When the coachman started the horses again, there was another person in the carriage, Rongniang, who was wearing a veil.

"I've met the princess."

"No need for formalities." Yan Zhenxu helped Rongniang up and asked in a low voice, "Did Father bring any news?"

Rongniang nodded: "The general has made full preparations after learning that the emperor is seriously ill. Half of his troops have been left to guard the border. With just one word from you, he will personally lead 300,000 troops back to the capital to help you."

"No rush," Yan Zhen said. "Liu Su has also returned with his 300,000 troops, and they will arrive in the capital soon."

Rong Niang's expression changed slightly: "What should we do?"

If Liu Su's 300,000 men were to fight Xiao Dingfang's 300,000 troops in Shangjing, wouldn't it be a fight to the death?

Putting aside how detrimental such a large-scale internal strife would be, if foreign vassals were to intervene, the entire Great Jin Dynasty would be plunged into a state of internal and external troubles.

The people had only been living in peace and prosperity for a few years, and Rongniang secretly did not want to see things turn out this way.

Yan Zhen saw through her thoughts: "It's not as bad as you think. I won't let the people under the Liu and Xiao families fight each other. Go back and tell your father not to act rashly and to follow my secret letter. If we plan it properly, maybe we can play the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind."

Upon arriving at a farm on the outskirts of Beijing, Rongniang quietly got out of the car and left, while Yan Zhen continued on to the experimental fields.

After spending most of the day in the outskirts of Beijing, Yan Zhen did not return to the palace until dark.

She had just returned to Yihua Palace when a palace servant came in to report that the Noble Consort of Yongchun Palace had sent someone to invite her over for a chat.

Yan Zhen changed his clothes, took Hongyu with him, and left with the people from Yongchun Palace.

It was already completely dark by then, and lanterns were lit in the palace.

As Yan Zhen walked along the long corridor beside Taiye Pond, he keenly noticed a detail—the palace servant leading the way would subconsciously lower his head as soon as he stepped onto the brighter part of the corridor.

It's as if they're trying to hide their face.

Yan Zhen was always sensitive to unknown dangers. As soon as he sensed something was wrong, he slowed down and made small talk with the palace servant.

"Are you new here? I've never seen you at Yongchun Palace before?"

The palace maid answered cautiously: "Your Highness, the Imperial Concubine is kind-hearted. A few days ago, she released a group of palace maids who had reached marriageable age to leave the palace and get married. I was recently transferred to Yongchun Palace to fill a vacancy."

"I see, no wonder you looked unfamiliar." Yan Zhen said, then asked, "Have you had a flare-up of your leg ailment these past few days due to the cold weather?"

The palace maid paused slightly: "Thank you for your concern, Princess. Her Majesty is well."

As soon as she finished speaking, a dagger was pressed against the back of her neck.

The palace maid stopped abruptly, her back stiffening.

Yan Zhen sized her up: "You're not from Yongchun Palace. Who sent you? Where are you taking me?"

The palace servant remained silent for a moment, then suddenly turned around with lightning speed, throwing the white powder hidden in his palm toward Yan Zhen's face.

Yan Zhen quickly dodged to the side, the blade slicing across her arm. The other woman groaned and staggered back several steps, taking advantage of the opening to leap into the Taiye Pool.

By the time Yan Zhen and Hong Yu reached the edge of Taiye Pond, the person had already vanished.

Yan Zhen frowned slightly as he looked at the blood left on the blade.

Hongyu asked, "Princess, should we pursue them?"

The other party hasn't gone far. If they call in the Imperial Guards on night patrol to search the entire Taiye Pond, they might be able to catch them.

Yan Zhen sheathed his dagger: "No need to chase."

After she finished speaking, she pondered for a moment and then said, "Go back to Yihua Palace and ask Green Pearl how many princes entered the palace today and how many stayed overnight."

In the end, all of this is inextricably linked to those few people vying for power.

"Yes."

While Yan Zhen was taking a bath at Yihua Palace, Hongyu returned with a message: "Today, the Second Prince, the Third Prince, and the Fifth Prince all entered the palace to attend to His Majesty's illness. The Second Prince and the Third Prince stayed in the palace overnight."

The Second Prince is Xiahou Chuan, and the Third Prince is Xiahou Xiao.

Yan Zhen seemed to be deep in thought: "I remember that the Yongqing Palace of the Third Prince's mother, Consort Xian, was right next to the Yongchun Palace."

Hongyu asked, "Was it made by the Third Prince?"

Yan Zhen shook his head: "No, it's Xiahou Chuan."

Leading her towards Yongqing Palace was just a ruse. Firstly, Yongqing Palace is close to Yongchun Palace, so she wouldn't suspect anything along the way.

Secondly, if something unexpected happens along the way, such as what is happening now, the person who set up the scheme can shift the blame to the Third Prince Xiahou Xiao.

If Yan Zhen wasn't mistaken, there was an ambush waiting for her after she passed Taiye Pond. As for where they would eventually take her and what they would do to her...

In ancient times, a woman's reputation was of paramount importance; the only thing that could be done was to ruin her reputation and force her to submit.

She originally intended to sit back and watch the tigers fight, waiting for the Xiahou brothers to fight to the death before reaping the benefits.

But now it seems these people won't let her go; they'll definitely drag her, the Crown Princess, down with them.

Since that's the case, she might as well strike first and stir things up even more.

Thinking of this, Yan Zhen whispered to Hongyu: "Tomorrow, spread the news that Liu Su has led his troops back to the capital to all the princes' residences. It would be best if they thought that the other princes already knew about His Majesty's secret summons of Liu Su back to the capital, and that he was the last to know."

Hongyu was taken aback at first, but quickly figured out the intricacies of the situation.

"Yes!"

-

The next day, at the Prince's residence.

Xiahou Chuan received news from his strategist as soon as he left the palace and returned home that Liu Su was leading an army of 300,000 men on his way back to the capital and would arrive in three days.

His heart tightened, and he quickly asked, "Do the third and fifth brothers know about this?"

The strategist hesitated and said, "They should already know."

Xiahou Chuan immediately flew into a rage: "What do you mean 'should already know'? I need definite information!"

Even so, he recalled the third brother who had been eager to attend to the sick and curry favor in the Hall of Mental Cultivation yesterday, and the fifth brother who was calm and composed. The more he thought about it, the more suspicious he became of each of them.

One of them must have known about this all along, and it was the Emperor himself who told them!

Is Father Emperor planning to pass the throne to the third or fifth son?

So he secretly ordered Liu Su to lead troops back to the capital to help one of them rise to power.

Upon thinking of this, Xiahou Chuan's anger surged, and he suddenly swept all the writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones on the table to the ground.

When Xiahou Jin was still alive, because he was the eldest son of the emperor and was highly regarded by his father, everyone assumed that he would be made crown prince.

So no one dared to compete with him for it.

But he died.

With his death, several of his brothers, who were similar in age, qualifications, and family background, began to have designs on him, feeling that if they competed, they might be able to take that position.

Over the past five years, Xiahou Chuan has been constantly scheming and fighting openly and covertly with the third and fifth brothers, expending countless efforts.

But now, he finds himself being used as a whetstone, by his father to sharpen the knife he has his eye on.

How could he accept this!