Transmigrated into a seven-year-old child, my fate is in my own hands, not in the heavens.

After settling things down here, Zhao Lian gave Yan Guihua ten taels of silver and asked her to take care of Zhao Di, saying that she had to go out for a while.

Yang Guihua held the ten taels of silver, feeling like it was a hot potato, and refused to take it, saying, "Zhaolian, why are you giving your grandmother so much silver? Where are you going?"

Without saying a word, Zhao Lian pushed the silver over again: "Grandmother, I have to go out and take care of some things. I probably won't be back for a while."

“Take this money. We’re new to this place and don’t know anyone. We have a large family and no food. We need to buy everything. We can’t manage without money.”

Hearing this, Yan Guihua accepted the gift, but didn't forget to remind her, "You have to be careful, get things done, and come back soon."

"it is good!"

Zhao Lian was extremely anxious. She had been delayed here for two days and didn't know how her godfather was doing.

……

Dali Temple

A guard reported to Tu Guoqiang: "Sir, according to our inside source in the palace, the Emperor and the Empress Dowager have fallen out, apparently over a few palace maids from the laundry department."

"Oh~" Tu Guoqiang frowned: "I didn't expect that the Emperor would have a relationship with a palace maid from the laundry department."

"My lord, it seems there's something else going on between them, not just because of this."

Tu Guoqiang was writing with his head down, without even looking up: "I understand, you may leave! Don't go to the palace for the time being."

After writing several letters, Tu Guoqiang finally stopped writing, looking thoughtful.

All signs indicate that the Empress Dowager is indeed hiding a big secret. If what the Third Prince and the others said is true, then the Empress Dowager is probably already feeling uneasy.

We must protect the Third Prince. When the time comes, we should gather a few veteran officials and join forces with General Song to overthrow the Empress Dowager's power and support the Third Prince to ascend the throne.

Tu Guoqiang carefully folded the letters, put them in his sleeve, and got into his sedan chair to head to the residence of Hong Tao, the Minister of War.

Upon hearing the gatekeeper's report, Lord Hong quickly ordered his servants to bring them in.

Upon meeting, Lord Hong teased, "Lord Tu, what wind blew you here?"

"What's wrong? Not welcome?" Tu Guoqiang laughed heartily.

"Not at all! Your presence at my humble abode, Lord Tu, is truly an honor!"

Lord Tu's smile vanished, replaced by a solemn expression: "Lord Hong, to be honest, I have important business to discuss with you today."

Seeing Tu Guoqiang's serious expression, Hong Tao felt uneasy.

Tu Guoqiang stared intently at Hong Tao: "Lord Hong, may I have a word with you in private?"

"follow me!"

Hong Tao led Tu Guoqiang into the study, closed the door, and looked directly at Tu Guoqiang: "Lord Tu, please speak frankly!"

Tu Guoqiang didn't speak, but took a letter from his sleeve and handed it to Hong Tao. It wasn't that he didn't trust Hong Tao, but rather that he was afraid of being overheard.

Hong Tao was a veteran of three reigns and held immense influence in the court. Before his death, the late emperor instructed Hong Tao to do his utmost to assist the new emperor.

Looking at the letter that Tu Guoqiang handed him, Hong Tao was completely baffled.

When he opened the letter and saw its contents, his expression changed from surprise to anger.

"Lord Tu, you are a veteran official of the previous dynasty. You should know that you cannot speak such words carelessly. This is insubordination, a crime punishable by death."

Tu Guoqiang said with a solemn expression, "I know, but this concerns the nation's well-being, so we must be cautious."

Hong Tao: "..."

Then Tu Guoqiang quietly recounted the suspicious points of the matter, and Hong Tao gradually fell silent.

Seeing that Lord Hong's expression had softened slightly, Tu Guoqiang continued slowly, "Lord Hong, the country is currently suffering from a severe drought, and many people have been displaced. Meanwhile, the current emperor neglects state affairs, indulging in revelry and extravagance every night. This is a misfortune for the nation."

"The Han River Dynasty cannot be ruined in his hands. Moreover, there are such voices in the court. This concerns the fate of the nation and the bloodline of the dragon. We must be on guard."

Tu Guoqiang appealed to Hong Tao's emotions and reason, starting with the national interest and the stability of the country. Hong Tao also understood the importance of the matter: "Lord Tu, what should we do now?"

Seeing that Hong Tao's tone had changed, Tu Guoqiang breathed a sigh of relief: "Lord Hong, this matter should not be publicized. We must be careful and not alert the enemy, otherwise we will all be in trouble."

The two had another in-depth discussion and decided to split up and work together with the court officials to find the key. If it was confirmed that the emperor was not a descendant of the late emperor, they would do their utmost to help the third prince ascend the throne.

The two discussed for a full half hour before Tu Guoqiang left. He still had two places to go, and Tu Guoqiang didn't relax at all.

After Tu Guoqiang left, Hong Tao burned the letter. If it was true, the fewer people who knew about it, the better, so as not to alert the enemy.

With the current Empress Dowager in power, she has tried to bring him down on several occasions, but fortunately he has escaped danger each time. He keeps these things to himself, feeling like he can't let out a sigh of relief.

Upon learning of this matter from the Third Prince and General Song, he felt his blood boil and it seemed he should begin to investigate the events of that year again.

Most importantly, he is not fighting alone; he has Tu Guoqiang, a tough nut to crack, along with several veteran officials. He should be able to put up a fight.

There was also the mysterious disappearance of the eldest princess during her marriage journey, which may all be related to the Empress Dowager.

He felt something was amiss back then, but he never pointed the finger at Empress Ulena.

Hong Tao didn't rest. He immediately summoned his disciples and gave them some instructions, telling them to act in secret.

……

Three Princes' Palace

Granny Su wiped the sweat from her forehead, breathed a sigh of relief, and turned to look at Zhu Yuanzhang: "Your Highness, I have done my best. Now it is up to this girl's fate."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded: "Yes, Granny Su, you must be exhausted. Go and rest."

"Your Highness, I'll take my leave now. Please feel free to call me if you need anything." With that, Granny Su withdrew.

Looking at the girl lying on the bed, Song Wenjie and the Third Prince Zhu Yuanzhang frowned deeply.

Granny Su had already done her best to save the girl, and had done everything she could. Now, she could only leave it to fate to see if the girl could wake up.

They discovered this girl after they were released from Dali Temple prison. The Third Prince and Song Wenjie were planning to look for clues in the Cold Palace when they unexpectedly found her.

At that time, the girl was hanging halfway down the side of a dry well in an abandoned palace when Zhu Yuanzhang happened to see her.

Seeing that no one was around, the two quickly stepped forward. After a careful examination, they found that the girl was still breathing.

The girl's breathing was so weak that if one didn't examine her carefully, one would really think she was dead.

Looking at the clothes the palace maid was wearing, he realized she wasn't a palace maid at all. If he wasn't mistaken, she was a girl from the laundry department, because he had seen palace maids from the laundry department come to collect the washed clothes before.