The Eldest Daughter Returns with Power

In the Imperial Palace, inside the Imperial Study, the Emperor sat upright at his desk, holding the letter that Grand Tutor Qi had presented earlier that day to extricate the Third Prince from his predicament. His brows were furrowed, his gaze fixed on the letter, and his eyes flashed with anger. As he read the letter, the Emperor's expression grew increasingly grim, and his rage could no longer be contained.

Suddenly, he slammed the letter down on the table with a sharp sound. Seeing this, Eunuch Li quickly offered him a cup of tea at the perfect temperature and said cautiously, "Your Majesty, please have some tea to calm down. Don't let other people upset you and ruin your health."

The emperor took the teacup and drank it all in one gulp, but the anger on his face did not subside. He slammed the teacup down and said in a low voice, "Little Li, immediately go and summon the Crown Prince." Eunuch Li responded and hurriedly withdrew to make the arrangements.

Not long after, the Crown Prince hurriedly arrived at the Imperial Study. He bowed respectfully and said, "Your subject greets Your Majesty."

The emperor looked at the crown prince with a slightly cold expression and asked sternly, "Do you know why I summoned you here?"

The Crown Prince lowered his head slightly, hesitated for a moment, and then replied, "Your subject guesses it might be because of the letter that Grand Tutor Qi gave you today."

The emperor nodded, gesturing for Eunuch Li to hand the letter to the crown prince. "Take a look for yourself!" he said coldly.

The Crown Prince picked up the letter and began to read it carefully. With each line he read, his face grew increasingly grim, like a spilled palette of colors. After finishing the letter, he looked up, his expression a mixture of shock and anger, and said, "Father, this...this...Grand Tutor Qi is so perfunctory! He's utterly arrogant!"

The emperor snorted coldly, glaring at the crown prince, and said, "Hmph! They're really blatant now, too lazy to even bother with pretense. What's your opinion on this?"

"Your Highness, have any of the prisoners in the Ministry of Justice jail vomited anything?" The Emperor glanced at the Crown Prince again and asked in a calm tone, but his eyes were full of authority.

The Crown Prince stood respectfully, bowing slightly as he replied, "Father, what they revealed concerns the Imperial Seal. According to their account, there is a cooperative relationship between the Third Prince and them. They kill for the Third Prince, and in return, the Third Prince facilitates their entry into the palace. However, my third brother seems unclear about the Shadow Cult's true purpose in entering the palace; he only knows they want to enter, but not their specific motives. Nevertheless, they are indeed cooperating."

Upon hearing this news, the emperor's expression turned solemn. He frowned deeply and pondered for a moment before saying, "This matter is of utmost importance. The Shadow Cult has clearly entered the palace to search for the Imperial Seal of the previous dynasty."

After a moment's thought, the Crown Prince cupped his hands and suggested to the Emperor, "I believe that the Shadow Cult is probably not just after the Imperial Seal; there may be a deeper scheme behind it."

The emperor snorted coldly, his face showing anger: "Hmph! The Shadow Cult is truly audacious, daring to collude with a prince. In your opinion, how should this matter be dealt with?"

The Crown Prince raised his head, looking firmly at the Emperor, and answered without hesitation, "Father, I believe we should quickly and thoroughly investigate this matter, root out the remnants of the Shadow Cult in the palace, and absolutely not allow them any further opportunities to act. Only in this way can we ensure the safety of the palace. As for my third brother, although I do not know whether he knows the true purpose of the Shadow Cult, his involvement makes him equally culpable."

The Emperor nodded slightly, his expression stern, and said, "Hmm, what you say makes sense. But this matter concerns the face of the royal family, so it must not be publicized, lest it cause turmoil in the court and among the people." The Crown Prince quickly replied, "Your subject understands, and will certainly act cautiously."

The Emperor rose and paced back and forth, his brow furrowed, his face grave as he pondered how to handle the matter. He knew this affair concerned the reputation of the royal family and the stability of the nation; if not handled properly, the consequences would be unimaginable. After a while, the Emperor stopped, his gaze resolute as he looked at the Crown Prince, and said, "You immediately arrange for men to secretly investigate this matter, without letting a word leak out. You must ascertain the Third Prince's relationship with the Shadow Cult and their true intentions. If necessary, some measures may be taken, but be careful not to jeopardize the overall situation."

The Crown Prince cupped his hands and said, "Your subject obeys the decree and will proceed immediately." With that, he turned and hurriedly left. Knowing the seriousness of the matter, he dared not waste any time and immediately began arranging for people to conduct an investigation.

The emperor watched the crown prince's departing figure, sighed deeply, and felt a deep sense of worry. He feared this matter would bring trouble to the royal family, and might even trigger a storm. However, as the ruler of the country, he had to remain calm and uphold the dignity of the royal family and the interests of the nation.

…………

The Crown Prince hurried to the palace gate, boarded his ornately decorated carriage, and then turned to the shadow guard behind him and whispered, "Go to the Duke of Jing's residence."

Soon, the carriage arrived at the gates of the Duke of Jingguo's residence. The Duke was sitting in his study, reviewing documents that had recently arrived. At this moment, Gongsun Lin entered and respectfully bowed to the Duke. The Duke smiled and nodded in response.

"Uncle, the Third Prince has suffered a heavy blow due to the Shadow Cult. He should be able to live a relatively peaceful life in the short term, right?" Gongsun Lin looked at the Duke, his eyes shining with anticipation.

The Duke frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and then replied, "Yes, that's true. However, we cannot let our guard down and must continue to closely monitor the situation. After all, the Shadow Cult still has influence, and they may take some actions to recover."

Just then, Gongsun You, the heir of the Duke's mansion, also entered the study. He smiled and said to the Duke, "Yes, Father, this incident should allow us to have some peace and quiet. Moreover, Sister Yunruo is about to arrive in the capital."

The Duke smiled and nodded in satisfaction, saying, "Yes, indeed. Yun Ruo said before that she would return to the capital within three months, and now some time has passed, and the day of her return is getting closer and closer."

Gongsun You said excitedly, "Counting the days, there are only two months left until the New Year. When Sister Yunruo comes back, we can celebrate the New Year together!"

The Duke looked at Gongsun You with a smile, his heart filled with anticipation for the future.

However, just then, Butler He's voice came from outside the door: "Your Excellency, the Crown Prince has arrived."

The Duke's expression changed slightly, and his heart tightened, but he quickly regained his composure. He stood up and strode towards the door to greet the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince entered the hall with a group of guards, a faint smile on his face, appearing very approachable. The Duke immediately stepped forward and respectfully bowed to the Crown Prince.

"Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince!" the Duke said respectfully, bowing his head.

The Crown Prince smiled slightly and nodded in return. His gaze swept over Gongsun Lin and Gongsun You behind the Duke, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes.

"No need for such formalities, Your Excellency. Please have a seat," the Crown Prince said softly, gesturing for the Duke to sit down.

After thanking him, the Duke sat down in a chair to the side. His gaze remained fixed on the Crown Prince, waiting for him to speak.

The Crown Prince remained silent for a moment, then looked at the Duke and slowly said, "Duke, I have come here today to discuss an important matter with you."

Upon hearing this, the Duke immediately focused his attention and looked intently at the Crown Prince. He knew that the Crown Prince's personal visit must mean he had something important to discuss.

The Crown Prince's expression turned serious. He glanced at Gongsun Lin and Gongsun You, then slowly said, "The Shadow Sect has infiltrated the palace, searching for the former dynasty's Imperial Seal. This matter concerns the safety of the nation, and I have already ordered my men to investigate secretly. At the same time, I hope that the two young masters of your household can assist you in resolving this issue together."

Upon hearing this, the Duke was startled. He quickly stood up and said respectfully, "Thank you for your trust, Your Highness. Lin'er and You'er will do their utmost to assist you in resolving this issue."

The Crown Prince smiled and nodded, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes. He turned to Gongsun Lin and Gongsun You, and said softly, "That's good. I believe you won't let me down."

Gongsun Lin and Gongsun You exchanged a glance, their eyes flashing with determination. They said in unison, "Your Highness, please rest assured, we will do our utmost."

The Crown Prince smiled and looked at the Duke, saying, "Lin'er, You'er, you two come to the Eastern Palace tonight to find me and accompany me to the Ministry of Justice prison to interrogate those who have been arrested."