Report to the Empress and the Eldest Princess: They're using the system to poach your men.

"I just wanted to give it to you..."

"Ah."

After Wen Yuening softly hummed in agreement, neither of them touched the candied fruit on the table.

To ease the awkward atmosphere, Shen Sangwan quickly resumed the previous topic.

"Do you think it's possible that Prince Ming and Prime Minister Wen didn't actually have any connection, and that they just happened to run into each other yesterday because they both had plans?"

"That is certainly possible. Although King Ming is not in good health, he is always thorough in his work, so it would be difficult to find any fault with him."

Shen Sangwan nodded in agreement, after all, she had already pinned all the blame on Cen Zhouyuan last night.

"I'm wondering if things will go wrong if Prime Minister Cen falls from power now and the Wen family becomes too powerful?"

She had actually considered simply going along with the other party's wishes and making Cen Zhouyuan take all the blame, which would also eliminate a major scourge.

However, they were also afraid that if Wen Yunhe seized all the power, it would do more harm than good, and all their efforts would be in vain.

"If Your Highness can stabilize the situation of having two prime ministers missing at the same time, I can make my father bedridden from now on."

Hearing Wen Yuening say these words so calmly, she was momentarily taken aback.

Is she going to personally deal with her father, or leave him paralyzed in bed, living a life devoid of dignity?

"Don't touch him for now. Removing Wen Yunhe and Cen Zhouyuan from the court at the same time will cause unease among other court officials."

Previously, someone I arranged in Yuanzhou sent a message saying that Dongrui might be planning to start another war. If the two countries really go to war, internal and external troubles will follow one after another, and Nanjing will probably be in big trouble.

Besides, someone like him isn't worth getting your hands dirty dealing with, and most importantly, I don't want you to create more negative karma for him.

Shen Sangwan stood up and touched Wen Yuening's cheek. "I will make up for the suffering you endured in the past. People should always look forward and live happily and freely."

For a moment, Wen Yuening felt dazed. She remembered that in her past life, Shen Sangwan seemed to have said the same thing to her.

She raised her hand and placed it on the back of Shen Sangwan's hand, smiling gently, "Alright, Your Highness, I will do as you say."

"Cen Mansion"

"Get out, all of you, get out."

Cen Zhouyuan smashed many things in his study in a fit of anger, while the clerk stood by and watched calmly.

The maids who were cleaning the courtyard and the servants who were guarding it fled as if they were escaping.

"Say, what's going on?"

After everyone had left, Cen Zhouyuan pressed his still-aching temples, sat down in a chair, and looked at the advisor.

"Prime Minister, please calm down. Someone is deliberately trying to smear you. You must not fall into their trap."

I must quickly sever all ties with Yuan Qi of the Military Commandery. I have already sent people to erase some of the things we did together in the past.

A thorough investigation will reveal that the assassination attempt on the eldest princess has nothing to do with the prime minister, but it is inevitable that the person behind the plot will take the opportunity to fabricate something.

"We are not clean to begin with; if we were to do this with such intent, the Prime Minister would likely suffer a great loss."

Cen Zhouyuan carefully recalled what happened at Xuyang Palace yesterday and felt that Wen Yunhe was acting strangely.

"Do you think it's possible that old fellow Wen Xiang is behind this? He said something innocuous yesterday."

"If I am truly implicated and found guilty of plotting the assassination of the Princess, wouldn't he be afraid that once I fall from power, I will expose everything else?"

“Your Excellency, I think it’s unlikely that it’s Prime Minister Wen. If you’re dragged into this, Prime Minister Wen will become too powerful, and His Majesty will target him alone. For him, it will do more harm than good.”

After listening to the Prime Minister's words, Cen Zhouyuan calmed down a bit and began to carefully analyze the power dynamics within the court.

Before the late emperor passed away, the court was basically controlled by Wen Yunhe and himself. Only a few stubborn people persisted in their original intentions, but they were also suppressed by the two of them to the point that they had almost no way out.

He really couldn't think of anyone else besides Wen Yunhe who would target him.

"How is Yu'er?"

"The eldest young master has locked himself in the courtyard since returning to the manor yesterday and has not come out since."

"Go and call him here. I have something to ask him."

The advisor hesitated, then slowly began, "Prime Minister, do you suspect that the young master..."

“Yesterday, the way Yu’er looked at me seemed to confirm that I was the one who did it. I suspect that Yuan Qi must have said something to him before he died.”

The advisor nodded upon hearing this and left.

The study was in a mess. After the advisor left, Cen Zhouyuan summoned his bodyguards.

They were instructed to destroy all the evidence in the secret room, and to hide all the bribes and embezzled funds in a manor in the suburbs.

Now everything has been transferred, and an order has been issued to find an account book in the Yuan government office, which must be destroyed as soon as possible.

Even if the charge of assassinating the princess was orchestrated by someone with ulterior motives, he would still find a way to escape. After all, it was baseless, and it would be quite difficult to fabricate perfect evidence.

What he was worried about was that the things he and Yuan Qi had done, as well as the things he had done to deceive the emperor when the late emperor was alive, would be brought up again, and he would be accused of assassinating the eldest princess. At that time, he was afraid that he would be powerless and unable to deal with both sides.

Once he suffers a setback, he will likely never have a chance to serve in the imperial court again for the rest of his life.

"By the way, has the matter with the second wife's family been resolved?"

Cen Zhouyuan was still somewhat apprehensive, feeling that the mess at Cen Zhounan's residence would implicate him.

"Your Excellency, the matter has been resolved, but when I sent men to Li Xiucai's house again, I discovered that two groups of people from different departments had also gone to Li Xiucai's house one after the other, and they had also conducted several secret investigations in the vicinity regarding the exchange of examination papers. I suspect..."

Before the guard could finish speaking, Cen Zhouyuan picked up another box of chess pieces and angrily threw it on the ground.

"The second branch of the family has always been a troublemaker. Now that they have finally been promoted and can return to the capital, if it is because of that unfilial son, the Cen family will probably suffer a great loss."

"Have they found anything?"

"I had already disposed of everything related to Scholar Li's family, except for the prefectural government... It seems there are people from the Princess's faction there."

The guard, struck by the chess basket, dared not move, but simply lowered his head and continued to report.

"The previous prefectural government of Wuzhou has been dealt with by His Majesty, and the new prefectural government is still being decided. It seems that the former Left Official is temporarily serving as the prefectural government. Go and see if you can find any clues from him."

"My subordinate understands."

At this moment, the guard heard a noise in the courtyard and guessed that it must be Cen Qingyu and the clerk. He kowtowed and left the study.

Upon entering, Cen Qingyu noticed the scattered chess pieces and books on the ground, but knelt on them as if she didn't see them. "I wonder what Father wants to tell me?"

Cen Zhouyuan dismissed the clerk.

"Did Yuan Qi say anything to you before he died yesterday?"

Cen Qingyu guessed Cen Zhouyuan's intention in calling her over, and her face remained expressionless.