The prince is fierce: Who dares to steal my woman?

Xiao Jinyan nodded and said, "That's right, Tan Lin is indeed still alive. He was seriously injured in the palace coup, but heaven does not forsake heroes, and I saved him in time."

Upon hearing this, He Qiongying's eyes flashed with delight: "That's wonderful! If General Tanlin were here, he would undoubtedly be a great help to us. But where is he now? Is he safe?"

Xiao Jinyan replied, "Your Majesty, I secretly sent him out of Jiankang, this place of trouble. He should have arrived in Pengcheng by now and be with my father."

He Qiongying nodded slightly and said, "Good, this arrangement is very appropriate. By the way, have you found out anything about who attempted to assassinate you?"

Xiao Jinyan frowned slightly, his expression complicated: "At first, I suspected that Yang Rong sent the assassin out of personal grudge, but after calming down and thinking it over carefully, I think I may have misunderstood her."

He Qiongying shook her head and continued, "The assassin couldn't have been sent by Yang Rong. Although it was your father, the Duke of Qi, who led the troops to destroy Qiu Chi back then, Yang Rong had enough reason to hate you. But now she hates Liu Kun even more. Her hatred for Liu Kun is deeper than for you, so she has no reason to send an assassin to kill you at this time."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jinyan couldn't help but think that this logic was indeed correct. Even if Yang Rong wanted to kill him, she would at least have to wait until he dealt with Liu Kun before making a move. On this issue, the usually shrewd Yu Xin'er made the wrong judgment.

However, it wasn't entirely Yu Xin'er's fault. She hadn't had a chance to tell Yu Xin'er about Liu Kun killing Yang Rong's younger sister, which led to Yu Xin'er making the wrong judgment. It was her own fault; she'd been kept in the room by Guan Lingxuan for days, failing to share such important information with Yu Xin'er in time. Chasing girls had ruined everything.

Xiao Jinyan paused, then said, "Then... Your Highness, who do you think sent the assassin? Could it be Liu Kun, or Wei Wuji?"

He Qiongying thought for a moment and said, "It's unlikely to be Liu Kun. He probably doesn't have any intention of killing you yet. Besides, Liu Kun is the emperor. If he wanted to kill you, he could easily frame you for a crime, or at the very least, find a reason to summon you to the palace and arrange for assassins to kill you. Why would he send assassins to kill you outside Jiankang City? As for Wei Wuji, that's a possibility..."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jinyan felt a chill run down his spine. He thought to himself that the truth of the matter was very likely that Wei Wuji had noticed his unusual behavior and persuaded Liu Kun to kill him. However, Liu Kun did not agree, so Wei Wuji took the risk and arranged for an assassin.

Xiao Jinyan then took a deep breath and continued, "Wei Wuji, that old scoundrel, should really be eliminated as soon as possible. Liu Kun is incompetent and not a threat, but if he has that old fox Wei Wuji by his side to devise schemes, then it's too dangerous."

“Wei Wuji is the current prime minister, with immense power, second only to the emperor. To bring him down is like pulling teeth from a tiger's mouth; the difficulty is unimaginable.” He Qiongying’s voice was soft, but every word was precious. “I’m afraid we need to win over more supporters in the court.”

Xiao Jinyan continued, "This is precisely the main reason why I came to see the Crown Princess. Before Tan Lin left Jiankang, he left me a list of the Crown Prince's remaining supporters. These people are loyal to the Crown Prince and are still serving in the court. They have not been discovered by Liu Kun. I would like to ask the Crown Princess which of these people can be won over?"

Xiao Jinyan had a vague worry in his heart: what if some shady people had infiltrated the list that Tan Lin had given him? After all, people's hearts are unpredictable and can change.

Upon hearing this, He Qiongying's eyes flashed, her urgency evident: "Where is the list?"

Xiao Jinyan's expression was solemn: "For safety's sake, I have burned it. But please rest assured, Your Highness, I have deeply engraved every name on the list and its corresponding official position in my heart."

Upon hearing this, He Qiongying urged, "Since that's the case, there's no time to lose. Quickly recite it to me."

Xiao Jinyan slowly began to speak, recounting each person on the list and their corresponding official position as if they were his own treasures. Every detail was clear and accurate, as if the list were right in front of him, vivid in his mind.

After listening to Xiao Jinyan recite the list, He Qiongying's eyes gleamed with wisdom as she slowly said, "No problem, all these people can be won over, but the list Tan Lin gave you still missed a few key figures. But it doesn't matter, I will fill them in for you one by one."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jinyan quickly replied, "Then please have the Crown Princess dictate it, and I will remember it."

He Qiongying nodded and said, "Alright, I will dictate it now."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jinyan's expression hardened. He knew that He Qiongying was not only exceptionally beautiful but also incredibly intelligent and well-versed in the political situation at court. He listened intently, afraid of missing a single word.

"The following people are crucial," He Qiongying's voice was gentle yet firm, "Li Mufeng, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice; Zhao Yuande, Attendant-in-Waiting; Cui Zhu, Imperial Censor; Du Xuan, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites..."

As Xiao Jinyan listened, she quickly sketched out the backgrounds and influence of these people in her mind, secretly admiring the Crown Princess's insight.

After He Qiongying finished speaking, she asked Xiao Jinyan, "Your Highness, have you remembered all these people?"

Xiao Jinyan nodded quickly and said, "Your Highness, rest assured, I will remember these people."

“However,” He Qiongying changed the subject, her tone carrying a hint of seriousness, “besides that, there is another crucial person you must win over.”

Xiao Jinyan asked curiously, "Who is it?"

Princess Liu Xiyu of Heyang.

He Qiongying slowly uttered the name, and Xiao Jinyan's heart skipped a beat.

Liu Xiyu was the late emperor's most beloved princess, He Jian's widow, and He Qiongying's sister-in-law. Relying on the late emperor's favor, she was arrogant and domineering. Most importantly, this woman was extremely licentious; she kept more than three hundred male concubines in her household, and He Jian was cuckolded countless times.

Even more absurdly, it's rumored that she recently started an affair with her own younger brother, Liu Kun...

So Xiao Jinyan said disdainfully, "Your Highness, please forgive my bluntness, but Princess Heyang is a notoriously lewd person. Moreover, she has recently become very close to Liu Kun. There are rumors that the two siblings are suspected of incest. Should we try to win over someone like her?"

He Qiongying smiled slightly upon hearing this, unconvinced: "Your Highness, please rest assured. I know my sister-in-law best. Her relationship with He Jian is excellent, not as strained as the rumors suggest. Moreover, she is by no means as promiscuous as the gossip suggests. All of this is just a facade. As for Liu Xiyu's recent close relationship with Liu Kun, I believe she must have her own reasons and difficulties, and is using this method to win Liu Kun's favor and gain his trust."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jinyan was immediately shocked, thinking to himself, "You, Liu Xiyu, you've got some serious tricks up your sleeve... I'm the fake playboy, and you're the fake harlot, but we seem like a couple..."

This Liu Xiyu not only had a few ounces of substance in her heart, but also some genuine talent.

The Crown Princess is not just a charming widow; she is also a crucial trump card in critical moments!