Poisonous Goddess: I'm just lazing around in the mortal realm.

"Then Your Highness must not know that it was the Emperor who forced the throne and plotted to kill the former Crown Prince."

Pei Nanyue lowered her voice to a whisper, making sure only the two of them could hear it.

Ning Wan'er's expression changed upon hearing this.

"You mean to say that the Emperor killed the Crown Prince from back then?"

She suddenly lost her grip and dropped the jade pendant at her feet.

Although she grew up in the desert and was used to life and death, she never imagined that something like fratricide and regicide would happen to someone close to her.

Not to mention that person

Will it be my bedmate?

Pei Nanyue glanced at the jade pendant that had fallen to the ground, then got up and picked it up.

The rough jade pendant gleamed with an eerie, pale yellow light in the candlelight.

"Many years have passed since then, and no one knows the truth of what happened back then. But Nan Yue remembers that the emperor of Nanyang could only be succeeded by succession...

She placed the jade pendant back into Ning Wan'er's hand; the icy coldness of the pendant startled Ning Wan'er.

"You mean... the seven people before the Emperor..."

Ning Wan'er could no longer suppress her agitated emotions. She grabbed Pei Nanyue's hands in return, oblivious to the increasing strength she was applying.

Pei Nanyue merely glanced at her hand, which had been pinched painfully, but continued to patiently explain.

"When the former crown prince passed away, besides the current emperor, only General Gu and the Gu family's Eagle Guards were present. But less than a year later, the Gu family's Eagle Guards suddenly disappeared. Can you guess why?"

"Wasn't it said that General Gu was guarding the border with his personal guards? That should be on the southern border."

Ning Wan'er frowned, recalling that when she entered the palace, she had the good fortune to see the Gu family's Eagle Guards from afar.

That was an extremely well-trained army.

At that time, the new emperor Duan Yuan relied on the Gu family army, which struck fear into the hearts of the enemy, to conquer several cities in the Western Regions and cause her father to die on the battlefield...

Thinking back to that terrible news

More than ten years have passed

The victor is king, the loser is villain.

In order to save her remaining people in the Western Regions, she had no choice but to volunteer to become a defeated subject of the Western Regions and be sent to Nanyang to become the new emperor's woman, in order to ensure the peace of her Western Regions.

If it weren't for that Gu family army

How could her family have been destroyed?

Thinking of this, Ning Wan'er couldn't help but apply even more force to her hands.

Pei Nanyue watched as her hands went numb from being gripped so tightly; her usually composed face was now covered in sweat.

"Miss……"

A Meng quietly spoke up, wanting to step forward and stop Ning Wan'er.

"No need."

Pei Nanyue gave A Meng a cold look, signaling her to be quiet.

Turning her head, her face was still somewhat pale, and she endured the pain in her hand as she spoke.

“I think there must have been a conspiracy behind the death of the former crown prince. But if the emperor hadn’t gotten rid of the former crown prince, he would have been ridiculed by the world for his illegitimate accession to the throne. That’s why the Gu family’s Eagle Guards, who knew the truth back then, suddenly disappeared.”

Ning Wan'er's breath hitched, and she forced back her discomfort.

"You mean... the Emperor wants to eliminate everyone who knew the truth back then?"

She truly hadn't expected there to be this reason.

"This is a reminder to Your Majesty... If the Third Prince wants to become emperor, then those ahead of him in line..."

"He needs to kill the Crown Prince and the Second Prince to inherit the throne!"

Ning Wan'er was lost in thought, and when she looked up, she met Pei Nanyue's sharp, cold eyes.

Her face suddenly turned deathly pale.

She understood

Pei Nanyue only just used this incident to wake her up.

If the third prince were to ascend the throne, he would need a legitimate reason to do so.

Since ancient times, Nanyang has followed the primogeniture system, meaning that only if Duan Yuchuan's two older brothers both die for some reason will he have a chance to become the new emperor.

But if that day really comes...

It will all be too late...

Thinking this, Ning Wan'er finally realized something. Looking down, she saw that she had tightly gripped Pei Nanyue's hands, which had turned gray from being squeezed so hard.

She quickly let go of his hand and apologized.

"I'm sorry... So what should we do next?"

Pei Nanyue pulled her hand into her bosom and gently squeezed it; a tingling sensation spread from her palm throughout her body.

"Next, we need to make the An family fall into disarray. Since the Duke of An wants to use the child in Consort An's womb as a bargaining chip for his future ascension to the throne, he will inevitably be at odds with the Third Prince."

“But the Third Prince… no, I’m afraid even the Duke of Anguo couldn’t persuade me with my identity.”

Ning Wan'er shook her head

Although she rarely participated in court affairs

But who in the entire Nanyang doesn't know...

The Third Prince and the Crown Prince are at odds, each holding their own faction and irreconcilable.

She is still the Crown Prince's foster mother, and no matter which perspective you take, her words will not be convincing at all.

"But if the Duke of Anguo finds out that the Third Prince was behind today's events, what do you think they will do?"

Pei Nanyue seemed to regain her rationality and composure. She walked to the window and, through the windowpane, could see the bright moon in the sky.

The soft moonlight shone on her.

It was so peaceful and beautiful.

"You mean to let them fight amongst themselves? But the Fourth Princess is getting married in less than half a month... What are you going to do then?"

Ning Wan'er stood up and slowly walked to her side.

“She is not the only princess in Nanyang, and that is what Nan Yue needs to do next.”

Ning Wan'er frowned, recalling carefully.

Suddenly, as if remembering something, she quickly spoke.

"You mean Duan Yuning? The princess born to the late empress's maid?"

Pei Nanyue turned to the side, a glint of light flashing in her cold eyes.

"It is she. If an unknown princess becomes the new Khan's wife, then the Third Prince's scheme will fall apart on its own."

"This plan is too dangerous. Do you have detailed arrangements? And how can I help you right now?"

Ning Wan'er was naturally persuaded by Pei Nanyue. If even she couldn't protect herself in the future, how could she talk about her people?

If one day she is fortunate enough to become Empress Dowager

Is it really possible to achieve what Pei Nanyue said?

Protect her peace in the Western Regions

She protected the son entrusted to her by her old friend.

"Your Majesty, the Pei family is now bound to openly oppose the Crown Prince. The road ahead will be very difficult. Have you... thought it through?"

Pei Nanyue turned around and looked at Ning Wan'er.

Her bright eyes were crystal clear, seemingly devoid of any scheming or trickery.

But only she herself understood at this moment.

Ever since the last letter Thirteen sent, she seemed to finally understand the truth she was searching for.

That is

Disrupting the entire capital city

Ning Wan'er seemed to be affected by her emotions. She lowered her head slightly, stroked her hands again, and gently patted them.

“Prime Minister Pei is an upright man. He has spent the first half of his life protecting the Crown Prince as he grows up. Now that he is far away at the border, it is my duty to stay and take good care of you.”

Although she always complained about the Pei family

But she also clearly understood

If it weren't for Prime Minister Pei's efforts to suppress the gossip in the court back then, the Crown Prince wouldn't have been able to be raised under her care.

Not to mention the past ten years

It was all thanks to Prime Minister Pei that they had this.

Now that she has decided to stand against the Third Prince, she will also keep the two daughters of the Pei family in her heart.