The eldest daughter's scheming, the crown prince's exclusive favor to the venomous concubi

As she said this, a sarcastic smile appeared on her face. She looked at Murong Chuan and continued, "However, there is one thing that Jian Yue understands: only by grasping what we have now can we have an immeasurable future."

As for you, Crown Prince, you cannot grant me the rights befitting my status. With court officials by my side, how can you allow a woman to disrupt the balance of the court? Among the three thousand beauties in the harem, who can claim to favor only one person for a lifetime?

The Crown Prince is a man of great talent and ambition, with the determination to achieve great things. Naturally, he will not stop for a mere woman. Therefore, Jian Yue will never take a path that leads nowhere.

Jian Yue could feel the Crown Prince's affection for her, but she was not fortunate enough to receive it, nor dared to. From beginning to end, all she wanted was a peaceful life.

Therefore, Your Highness, sometimes, a choice is not a beginning, but an end. We are separated by thousands of miles, destined to be together but not meant to be. Why doesn't Your Highness let go?

As Jian Yue finished speaking, she was already disgusted with herself. She finally realized how disgusted Yue Leyun was when she smiled and called her "sister" back then.

Heaven help her, now she has become one of these scheming people, and can never go back to her innocent self.

Watching Jian Yue's eyes shift from indifference to listlessness, and then from listlessness to sorrow, Murong Chuan felt a sudden surge of smugness. However, he was then provoked into extreme anger by Jian Yue's words.

But in the end, he calmed down.

People are just strange sometimes.

The more unattainable something is, the more it fuels his desire to obtain it. Jian Yue's coy yet firm demeanor, contradictory yet sincere and unpretentious, truly makes him unable to resist.

After a long while, he walked step by step to Jian Yue's side, reached out and brushed the stray hairs that had fallen on her forehead behind her head. This action was extremely ambiguous, but Jian Yue did not dodge, as if she wanted to put a perfect end to everything.

Murong Chuan looked at Jian Yue and smiled gently, "You're right. Before you fall in love with me, you do need to maintain your own values. Otherwise, it will be difficult to survive in this cannibalistic capital city."

So, you think I won't give up everything for you, and I admit that I can't do that right now. So, we can both wait until you see my determination for you and my unwavering commitment to you.

Jian Yue, you are like moonlight suddenly entering my world. You had no reason to leave, so I won't stop you from getting married today. But I also know that Bai Jianan is not a good man. You will understand one day, and when that time comes, I will be waiting for you to come to me.

As he spoke, he smiled with unwavering conviction, his already handsome face appearing even more gentle. After he finished speaking, he left through the window. As for Jian Yue, after Murong Chuan left, she felt the tension in her body suddenly dissipate. She slammed her clenched fist onto the table, the broken table making a creaking sound, but it stubbornly did not collapse.

"Ah, she's still so gentle and affectionate. I almost believed her again."

Jian Yue glanced at where her hands were, cold sweat dripping from her sleeves onto the table, dampening a section of the tablecloth, but a smile appeared in her eyes.

There was another knock at the door. Jian Yue looked over sharply and saw the person outside say, "Miss, it's me."

"Come in."

Jian Yue turned and sat down. Zhang Baicheng pushed open the door and entered, standing in front of her and saying, "The things you asked me to do have been done."

As he spoke, he took out a stack of papers from his pocket and handed them to Jian Yue. Jian Yue took them, glanced at them, nodded, and said, "Thank you for your hard work."

Zhang Baicheng said, "It's no trouble at all. Miss, this is all for the General's Mansion, it's worth it."

Upon hearing this, Jian Yue raised an eyebrow and looked at Zhang Baicheng with interest, but Zhang Baicheng remained expressionless and said, "I am a rough man, but that doesn't mean I'm brainless, otherwise I wouldn't be able to fight."

The young lady's current approach is to move supplies first without deploying troops, a move that is no different from the prince's. The only explanation is the general's mansion, which is why I made this guess.

Jian Yue smiled, her eyes filled with approval, and said, "Well said, but don't you think that exposing yourself like this might bring you death?"

Zhang Baicheng shook his head, his firm gaze fixed on Jian Yue as he said, "A soldier's duty is to obey orders. I am Zhang Baicheng's personal guard in the General's Mansion, and I will be for life. If Miss wants me to die, I will obey without hesitation."

Upon hearing this, Jian Yue shook her head and retorted, "You're so pedantic. Why would you want to die? You're being stupid and foolish."

Zhang Baicheng blushed slightly at what she said, but he still held his head high with a determined look. Jian Yue sighed and said, "The General's Mansion is in such a state now. Don't you know that a good bird chooses a good tree to perch on? Otherwise, look at Xiao Cui. This is called clinging to a big tree for shade."

At this point, Jian Yue's lips curled up into a cold smile, and Zhang Baicheng's eyes also flashed with anger as he said, "Those who betray their masters, Zhang Baicheng despises."

He didn't say much, only this one sentence, and Jian Yue smiled and said, "Where are the pigeons?"

Zhang Baicheng glanced around and said, "I strangled her to make soup and prepared dinner for the young lady."

Jian Yue paused, then burst into laughter. After laughing for a while, she rubbed her stomach and said, "Zhang Baicheng, what can I say about you? One moment you're a stubborn and inflexible person, and the next you can do something so petty."

"Hmm, the soup tonight is really good. So it's made with homing pigeons. I'm quite impressed. Looks like I should raise more homing pigeons to use as ingredients for soup."

As she spoke, her tone suddenly changed, and she looked at Zhang Baicheng, saying, "What happened today must not be told to anyone. Are your men all reliable?"

Zhang Baicheng nodded: "The guards in the mansion are all reliable; they are all people who follow the young master."

"In that case, I will give you a task. From tomorrow onwards, no matter what happens, you must stand by the old general's side and protect him with all your might. If any accident occurs, you must escort the old general away."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Baiheng immediately realized the seriousness of the matter and replied solemnly, "Your subordinate obeys."

Jian Yue nodded and told Zhang Baicheng to leave. She then sat on the edge of the bed and took out the jade pendant that Bai Jianan had given her from her bosom.

The token of the Qilin Pavilion; seeing this token means seeing the Pavilion Master. However, it is credible, but she has never used it and doesn't know if it is still in use now.

Jian Yue suddenly chuckled, stroking the token with her hand, her heart filled with disbelief.

Humans are truly strange creatures. She and Bai Jianan had only met a few times and known each other for two months, yet their souls had already become intertwined, intimately inseparable.

Back then, she treated Murong Chuan no better.

Murong Chuan, you'll probably take some action when you go back today! The Qiu family, Qiu Zhenzhou, will definitely suppress them even more fiercely than before. His sons will all suffer as a result, and their official positions will be damaged.

As for the inner quarters of the Qiu family, what can the old lady do even if she comes out of retirement? Qiu Lingfeng is already ruined, and the Qiu family's backer, the Sun family, has also become estranged. As for Sun Shixin, he probably won't let it go easily. Such a beautiful woman can't just be taken for a bite.

Therefore, the Sun family and the Qiu family are having some trouble.

As for the Sun family, without their support, the restless Jiang family will inevitably make a comeback, and there's also Xiao Rou who rose to power through pregnancy. It seems that the commotion in the inner quarters will continue for a long time.

It's a pity that Jian Yue won't be able to see all of this.

Murong returned to the palace late at night. He had left in secret, so he also avoided the guards on his way back. However, after returning to the Crown Prince's Eastern Palace, he saw Sun Rouxiang.

At this moment, Sun Rouxiang was sitting in his bedroom with a cold face. When she saw him come in, she looked at him with piercing eyes and asked, "Where did you go?"

Murong Chuan paused, then said perfunctorily, "It's so late, why is Mother coming over? Perhaps she'd like to go for a walk and think about some things that are bothering her?"

"Something you can't figure out? Is it related to Shangguan Jianyue?"

Sun Rouxiang spoke coldly. Murong Chuan frowned slightly and looked at Sun Rouxiang. Suddenly, Sun Rouxiang stood up and slapped the bed angrily, saying, "How dare you! Do you know who you are? If someone finds out what you're doing, do you know what will happen?"

Murong Chuan turned around calmly, taking off his outer robe as he said, "Didn't no one see us?"

"How do you know no one saw us? There are so many people in the capital, who knows who is whose? Chuan'er, you're such a thoughtful child, how can you be so ignorant?"

As she spoke, Sun Rouxiang suddenly rubbed her temples and continued, "And about Lingfeng, tell me, was it you who did it?"

Murong Chuan walked over to Sun Rouxiang, sat down next to her, and casually raised his hand to rub her head, asking, "Why would Mother ask such a question? Who has been gossiping in your ear?"

Sun Rouxiang sneered: "This matter has been widely publicized, and your father even gave me instructions. Do you think I'm an idiot? Tell me, does this have anything to do with you?"

Murong Chuan didn't even raise an eyebrow, and said very calmly, "Does Mother not trust me? Why should I do this? Isn't it me who will suffer in this matter? Although this has the meaning of supporting and warning the Qiu family, aren't I afraid of the Qiu family's backlash?"

I always act with method and would never do anything to harm myself. I've heard the rumors circulating these past few days, but I thought it didn't concern me and I didn't want to get involved, so I didn't say anything. I never imagined someone would tell the Empress Dowager. They deserve to die.

Upon hearing this, Sun Rouxiang felt a little relieved and sighed, "Since it wasn't you who did it, it's good. You should know that no matter what, the Qiu family is still considered part of our Sun family, and they are ultimately a source of help for you."

And that child, Lingfeng, I originally had high hopes for her, but I never expected this to happen. Luckily, your father didn't agree in the first place. This whole thing went so smoothly that she didn't even have the ability to retaliate. If she really ascends to the throne, how will she suppress the restless women in the harem?"