Transmigrated into a cunning princess, she sets her sights on a celibate royal uncle.

"Princess, news has come from Chen County that our men were exposed and killed!"

At night, Jiang Xi was playing chess with Su Huanqing in her bedroom when Lu Ye came in to report.

The carved windows were wide open, and with just a turn of the head, one could see the full moon on the horizon.

A gentle breeze blew, scattering the glistening white blossoms from the old pear tree outside the window.

The pear blossoms have fallen; it's time for them to bear fruit.

Jiang Xi wasn't surprised by Lu Ye's words; instead, she smiled.

"With the Langya Wang clan as his backing and Jiang Tang himself having a reputation for virtue, if he couldn't even detect this little clue, he wouldn't be worthy of competing with Jiang Gu for the throne!"

While still in Yunmeng Mountain, Jiang Xi sent someone to Chen County to infiltrate the Prince Xian's residence and seize the opportunity to kill Jiang Tang.

"Does the princess have some hidden plan?" Even Su Huanqing, who was playing chess with Jiang Xi, couldn't help but ask.

"My second brother is good in every way, except for one flaw: he loves to cultivate a good reputation!"

Jiang Xi, playing white, placed a piece in an unexpected position on the chessboard.

She, who had been driven to the brink by Su Huanqing's haters, suddenly found herself resurrected.

Su Huanqing looked at the chessboard where the situation had suddenly reversed. Although she didn't know what Jiang Xi meant, she could guess that Jiang Xi must have other plans.

"Still playing chess so late? You should get some rest!"

Chuntao coaxed Jiang Fu to sleep and then came over to serve tea to Jiang Xi.

Jiang Xi turned to look at Chun Tao, who had come close to her, and frowned: "Didn't I tell you not to do these things?"

Chuntao smiled gently: "But these are all I know how to do! Fu'er is asleep, so I came to check on you!"

At this moment, Su Huanqing stood up and bid farewell to Lu Ye, leaving together.

Only Jiang Xi and Chun Tao remained in the room.

Seeing that no one else was around, Chun Tao dared to ask Jiang Xi, "Princess, are we really going to join forces with the Regent? But didn't you say..."

Looking at the pear blossoms outside the window, Jiang Xi replied after a long while, "I will not let Fu'er become a second puppet!"

With Jiang Xi's words, Chun Tao felt much more at ease.

It wasn't that she didn't trust Jiang Xi, but rather that the Regent was so intelligent he was almost supernatural, and Fu'er was still young; she might not be able to defeat him in the future.

At the same time, Huo Jingxuan was also gazing at the moon through the window of his Nongyue Pavilion.

Shang Que stood behind him, watching his senior brother's robes billowing in the wind, his entire back view appearing solitary and quiet.

"You forced His Majesty to draft an edict in public. I'm afraid His Majesty has reached his limit of tolerance towards you. Aren't you afraid of him...?"

Shang Que spoke softly, his voice filled with worry.

Huo Jingxuan remained motionless, gazing calmly at the bright moon hanging high in the sky.

Even if I don't pressure him, do you think he'll let me off the hook?

Shang Que gave a self-deprecating laugh. In the struggle for imperial power, whoever is soft-hearted is doomed to die.

Why did you help him up in the first place?

"No matter who I help up, this day will come!"

Huo Jingxuan, however, saw things very clearly.

"What I mean is, why didn't you choose to help Jiang Ji from the beginning? That way, things would have been better between you and Xiao Qi..."

Upon hearing this, Huo Jingxuan turned around and glanced at Shang Que, before finally speaking softly after a long pause.

"I didn't realize my feelings for Jiang Xi at first, and even if I had, I still wouldn't have chosen Jiang Ji!"

I fought alongside Jiang Ji, and I know his abilities and his ambitions.

If I support him to ascend the throne, I will inevitably suffer the same fate of being discarded after my usefulness is over. Moreover, he knows my weaknesses better than the other two princes!

That was a frank statement, and Shang Que could understand it; in the end, they were bound to fight each other, like the snipe and the clam.

So instead of supporting someone who is capable, it would be better to support someone who is easy to control.

"So what do you plan to do about you and Xiao Qi? Are you really going to give up Xiao Qi and marry the Fifth Princess?"

Shang Que is still worried about the fate of his disciple.

Speaking of this, Huo Jingxuan sighed again, his head aching: "Accepting the arranged marriage was just a temporary measure; I never intended to marry Jiang Yuan!"

"But I think the Fifth Princess is quite interested in you, isn't she?" Shang Que teased.

"What does it mean? Jiang Yuan was spoiled by the late emperor since childhood and is not mature enough. She thinks she likes me, but it's just admiration!"

Looking at Huo Jingxuan's clear-eyed expression, Shang Que sometimes really didn't know what to say to him.

"Since you understand other people's feelings so well, what about your own? Have you figured out what you really want?"

Huo Jingxuan was slightly taken aback by Shang Que's question.

Shang Que looked directly into his eyes and continued, "If you could only choose one—the world or Xiao Qi—which would you choose?"

Huo Jingxuan froze, remained silent for a long while, then slowly turned his back, his slender, jade-white fingers gripping the window frame tightly.

His tone was as heavy as cotton soaked by seawater: "Why choose? I want them all!"

Even if he marries Jiang Xi, it will become a sword hanging over his head.

But as long as she's by his side, he'd be willing to live the rest of his life in constant fear!

Shang Que was taken aback for a moment, then laughed and said, "I really should have brought Xiao Qi over so she could have a good look at you. If she knew what you were thinking, let's see who she would choose between Jiang Fu and you!"

“She doesn’t need to know any of this. It doesn’t matter who she chooses!” Huo Jingxuan laughed, a smile that spoke of his certainty.

Shang Que couldn't stand his confident demeanor, as if nothing in the world could make him panic.

"Xiao Qi did like you, but if she chooses between you and Jiang Fu, aren't you afraid that she'll put away those feelings or transfer them to someone else?"

Meanwhile, in Shen Garden, next to the Regent's Palace, Chun Tao was also trying to persuade Jiang Xi.

“Princess, since you have chosen to help Fu’er, why not put away your feelings for the Regent?”

Chun Tao spoke earnestly, firstly because she worried that if Jiang Xi let her feelings run wild, she wouldn't be able to make a decision when the time came.

Secondly, he genuinely didn't want to see Jiang Xi suffer a lifetime of pain.

There are plenty of good men in this world, why hang yourself on one tree?

Jiang Xi turned to look at Chun Tao: "Don't worry, I don't have the concept of unwavering loyalty. It's just that I haven't met someone I like better yet!"

At the Xie residence, Xie Jiayun was restless and uneasy.

He called all three of his sons to the front hall.

Since his eldest son, Xie Qingyun, lost one eye and his right to be the heir of the Xie family, he has devoted himself to a life of debauchery.

He had become a notorious playboy in the capital, spending his days admiring flowers and walking birds, without any proper conduct.

The second son, Xie Qingshan, appears to be the most promising, not only holding official titles but also serving as the Vice Minister of the Censorate.

Seeing that Grand Censor Xiao Bailu is getting old and it will soon be his time to retire and return to his hometown, it is likely that this position will belong to Xie Qingshan in the future.

Although the youngest son, Xie Qinglin, is also very accomplished, currently working at the Imperial College.

The disciples they cultivate will be found throughout the imperial court, and will be of great use to the Xie family.

"This Xiao Bailu is still reluctant to resign from his post. I really don't know what he's waiting for!"

Xie Jiayun was furious when he mentioned that stubborn old man, and he pounded the armrest of the mahogany armchair he was sitting on.