Help! The cunning and treacherous minister and I were reborn together!

Su Zhi left Dou Zhao behind to exchange pleasantries with the two men, and then a maid led her to the study.

The servants had informed Li Ji, so he wasn't too surprised to see her. He casually raised his hand to ask her to sit down, and continued to concentrate on practicing calligraphy.

He finished the last stroke, stretched his back, and paced closer.

"Madam Xiao is unwell, why did you come in person?"

Su Zhi rose and bowed, "Your Highness has shown great kindness to my husband, and I should thank you in person. How can I ask someone else to do it?"

Li Ji held her wrist. "Your father and I are bosom friends, no need for formalities. Besides, didn't you help me?"

"Not only this time, but also that time at the palace. If I count them all, I owe the prince a great deal."

"Madam Xiao, have you forgotten that I really tricked Xiao Zong back then? The two sides are even, so Madam, please don't dwell on the past."

Su Zhi nodded. "Then let's talk about why the Prince wanted to marry Zhao Xuanguang. Besides the Zhao family army, does she have anything else of value?"

Li Ji chuckled softly, "Indeed astute."

He invited her to sit down, then sat down next to her and said in a deep voice, "She still has five thousand private soldiers under her command. They may seem insignificant, but in the small capital city, they are enough to stir up a huge storm!"

Su Zhi felt sleepy and was somewhat absent-minded. "What are the conditions? Did Zhao Xuanguang agree to marry you on the condition that the eldest grandson of the emperor be enthroned?"

Although it was a marriage bestowed by His Majesty, Zhao Xuanguang was unwilling and had plenty of ways to sabotage the marriage.

Moreover, given the Crown Prince's dependence on Zhao Xuanguang, if she were to speak up, His Highness would undoubtedly side with her.

So, what kind of generous offer swayed General Fei Yuan?

Li Ji ordered someone to serve her a cup of refreshing tea, and said leisurely, "The conditions are in Madam Xiao's hands, and I have not yet obtained them."

Su Zhi suddenly gripped her cuffs tightly. "I understand. You want to retrieve the evidence that her subordinates murdered the Grand Tutor."

After Grand Tutor Mu died, she sent people to investigate the murderer's background. Just as they were getting some leads, news spread in the palace that the Crown Prince was not of royal blood, and Xiao Zong was almost implicated.

They were warning her not to meddle in other people's business.

Undeterred by threats, and knowing the evidence concerned the lives of Consort Liang and her son, she had promised to save them and could not break her word.

"Your Highness, please forgive me..."

"Madam Xiao, don't be in such a hurry to refuse. Think of your husband who is far away at the border. You wouldn't want your child to be born without a father, would you?"

Su Zhi trembled all over, and suddenly realized something, cold sweat pouring down her back.

"Aren't my father and you close friends? Why don't you ask him to persuade me?"

Before the man could answer, she interjected, "That's what he wanted too, isn't it?"

Li Ji's tone softened, finally revealing a hint of elder's affection.

"There's no need to ruin your family's harmony for the sake of unrelated people."

Su Zhi's nose and eyes stung, and her heart felt like it had been punched hard, so painful that she couldn't straighten up.

"I asked you why the Prince married General Zhao, and why my father ordered me to help him. Everything was part of your plan!" She slammed her hand down on the teacup and roared with all her might, "You two are wolves in sheep's clothing, you wanted to usurp the throne from the very beginning!"

Li Ji sighed, "Don't get angry, it's not good for the child."

Su Zhi sneered as she stood up. "Your Highness need not trouble yourself. Our family going to the Yellow Springs together is also a kind of reunion, isn't it? I will not hand over the evidence to you. If you have the guts, come and take my life!"

She paused at the door, saying, "I also trouble Your Highness to convey this message to my father."

After saying that, she left without looking back.

A handsome man emerged from the inner hall. Li Ji turned to look at him and asked, "Is this stubbornness something you inherited from?"

Chu Xia shrugged, sat down casually, and stared at him with a smile.

“I’ve always been opportunistic and always seek advantage over others, don’t you know that? Her nature comes from her mother.”

Thinking of Su Ying, he felt a pang of sorrow. That spirited, bright, and heroic woman had done everything in her power to leave him with his only child, yet he had conspired with others to drive the child to the brink of despair. If they met again in the afterlife, she would surely blame him!

"Do you regret it?"

His expression was ambiguous, and Li Ji was somewhat worried.

Chu Xia straightened his expression. "We met when we were young and swore to eliminate the long-standing evils and revitalize Daqi. How spirited we were! But I regret that I was involved in the murder of *** and Yuanpu and was absent for twenty years. Now that we have reunited, how can I abandon our former aspirations and leave you to face the turbulent currents alone?"

He swept away his bitterness and said firmly, "Changming, you should believe me."

Li Ji nodded slightly, still worried, "What about Zhi'er..."

Chu Xia smiled. "She's young and doesn't understand the wickedness of people. Sometimes, being too sentimental isn't a good thing. Xiao Congyun is smarter than her in this respect. Leave this matter to me. Don't worry, it won't ruin our grand plan!"

"Okay, then you should try to persuade her."

Chu Xia nodded, kicked a shard of broken porcelain at his feet as he stood up, and said goodbye.

"I'm leaving."

*

After returning from the Kang Prince's residence, Su Zhi's face grew even paler. Dou Zhao summoned maids to serve her and ordered someone to fetch a doctor.

Su Zhi said lazily, "Don't bother with anything for now. There are 300,000 taels of silver notes in the box. Take them and head south immediately to find Xiao Zong and ask him to postpone his return to the capital."

Dou Zhao asked in confusion, "Young Madam, what happened?"

Fearing he might notice something, Su Zhi shook her head. "His Majesty harbors resentment towards Congyun because of Consort Zheng's matter, and keeping him at the border was my plan from the beginning. Now that he has sent Zhao Xuanguang back to the capital, it means that things are progressing smoothly there, so I have nothing to worry about. We can proceed according to plan from now on."

Dou Zhao hesitated, "The master won't listen to me, especially since you're six months pregnant. How can he leave you alone in the capital?"

Su Zhi smiled and said, "With the Marquis of Changping's mansion here, who would dare to touch me?"

She pondered for a moment, then reassured him, "I will also have people look after my mother-in-law and the Marquis of Qingyang's residence, so he doesn't need to worry."

"But……"

Su Zhi put on a stern face, "What, does my word as the young mistress no longer carry weight?"

Dou Zhao panicked and hurriedly admitted his mistake: "Your subordinate knows his crime!"

"Okay, let's go."

Dou Zhao took the money, quickly packed his belongings, and rode out of the city.

When Chu Xia's carriage arrived at the gate of the house, Su Zhi, upon hearing this, refused to let him in.

Chu Xia did not insist and had the driver take him back to the Marquis of Changping's residence.

In the evening, Li Kai awoke and leaned against a soft pillow as a young eunuch served him medicine. When he saw the Empress Dowager approaching, he struggled to bow.

The Empress Dowager supported him, saying, "You've just recovered, don't move around too much."

He looked sickly and haggard, his cloudy eyes darting around. "It's so dark, and the snowy road is slippery. Mother could have just sent someone to inquire about my condition. Why did you come in person?"

The woman sighed, took the medicine, and dismissed the eunuchs and maids.

Her gray hair and wrinkles were especially noticeable under the lamplight, and the surrounding scenery, tinged with her sorrow, seemed to have lost its luster in an instant, as if it had endured many years of vicissitudes.

"I came here to discuss the selection of the crown prince while you are still lucid."

Li Kai's eyes darkened. "The timing is not right. We cannot change the crown prince now."

The matter of the Crown Prince has been widely discussed. If the Crown Prince is deposed now, it will confirm the rumors. What will become of the dignity of the Daqi royal family? What will become of his dignity?

"I'm not asking you to immediately change the crown prince, but you need an imperial edict, otherwise..."

She didn't finish her sentence, but scooped up a spoonful of herbal medicine and placed it in front of him.

Li Kai understood that his mother was afraid his health wouldn't hold up, so she passed away without leaving an edict, causing turmoil in the court and unrest in the country.

Whom does the Empress Dowager favor?