The cousin's family is extremely wealthy; she deserves to be a concubine.

He glanced at Shui's face; her brows furrowed and then relaxed.

"Although my aunt secretly provided us mother and son with a few informants, and we also accumulated some connections ourselves, the palace kept it very secret because it concerned the health of our father."

Even if we use up all the resources we have, we still won't be able to get any more accurate information.

Alas, in the end, it's all my fault for being too incompetent, having to rely on others for everything.

It's understandable that my aunt was disappointed in me.

My mother often told me in private that if she were as resourceful as my aunt, she would definitely be able to find out more useful information.

In this way, we can prepare a countermeasure before our brothers.

In the future, we will be able to better utilize the power we hold to repay the Leng family for their help to my mother and me.

Especially my aunt and cousin, who have sacrificed so much for my mother and me. How can we live with ourselves if we cannot repay them in the future?

Of course, at present, unless absolutely necessary, the mother and son do not want to reveal their relationship with the Shui family of the Marquis of Muqing's mansion.

At least to outsiders, they did not want to so openly reveal their kinship with the Leng family.

As for whether the Marquis of Muqing's mansion favors him more or the Second Prince, the Fourth Prince is also quite curious about Marquis He's choice!

It must be very interesting.

Privately, his mother had always been admonishing him to show respect to his aunt, at least on the surface!

After all, there are still many things that the mother and son need to rely on each other for.

Even if there is a day when they really break off relations, it will have to wait until the Shui family's value has been completely squeezed dry.

The fourth prince naturally heeded his mother's words.

But for a prince or phoenix, who is used to being high above others, it would be difficult to earn genuine respect from a concubine.

Today, his words, on the surface, seemed to be praising the Shui family, but the underlying meaning was that he was looking down on the Shui family for being all talk and no action.

In fact, in the struggle for the throne, he was unwilling to reveal all his true trump cards to his master!

He is a prince, how could he possibly need a concubine like Lady Shui, who can't even step out of the Marquis's mansion, to control the whole thing behind the scenes for such a major event as his struggle for the throne?

If she were truly loyal to the emperor, she should have willingly handed over the cards she held to him!

Not to mention the Fourth Prince's dissatisfaction, even Consort Bing in the palace harbored some resentment that she dared not express.

But she was just a concubine's daughter. No matter how high she climbed, she was afraid that one day her true identity would be exposed, leaving her with nothing but power and life.

The Fourth Prince could not fully understand the fear in her heart. After all, from his perspective, no matter how low his birth mother's status was, it could not change the fact that she was of noble royal blood!

This letter was written by the Fourth Prince at the instigation of his mother to test Shui's loyalty.

Shui Shi saw right through the ulterior motives of the Fourth Prince and his mother.

But she remained outwardly calm, while inwardly calculating the remaining pieces she could use.

As the saying goes, there's no smoke without fire; His Majesty's health is certainly not as good as it used to be.

But just how bad it is is something to ponder!

Shui lowered her brows, concealing the turmoil within, and after seemingly pondering for a moment, asked slowly and deliberately.

"Besides Your Highness, His Majesty has three adult sons."

"Does Your Highness know if your other three elder brothers have made any further moves?"

The fourth prince assumed that Lady Shui was not as cunning as his mother had described, and he couldn't even understand the implied meaning in her words!

He went to great lengths to conceal his identity today, and only just entered the inner quarters of the Marquis's residence. Could it be that he really wanted to discuss with Lady Shui whether his father was truly ill or faking it?

His purpose was very clear from the beginning: he wanted the Shui family to reveal their secrets!

He, a prince, did not want to be controlled by others!

A hint of impatience flashed in the Fourth Prince's eyes. Although he continued to deal with Lady Shui on the surface, it was clear that he was just going through the motions.

"According to the information sent back by the spies planted in their three prefectures, my three elder brothers have not made any unusual moves."

Shui felt a bit choked up. If His Majesty was truly ill and the Crown Prince of the Dynasty had not yet been established, which prince could truly be content?

Even if His Majesty is in good health, it is impossible for the grown princes to remain quiet and indifferent in private.

Therefore, the fact that the Fourth Prince said there was no unusual activity meant that he didn't take his aunt seriously at all, and his perfunctory attitude was far too careless.

She suppressed her anger, forced a smile, and spoke with far less respect for the imperial heir.

"If those three princes truly haven't made any unusual moves, then what are you worried about, Fourth Prince?"

“You are the fourth child. In terms of lineage and seniority, you are not the first choice. Even in terms of merit, there is still the Third Prince watching from the side.”

And you, ranked fourth, what's the rush?

Shui's words made the Fourth Prince momentarily furious and embarrassed.

If it weren't for the things in Shui's hands and the sudden flash of his mother's teachings in his mind, he really might not have been able to control his primal rage.

Shui Shi naturally caught a glimpse of the resentment that flashed across the Fourth Prince's face, but she was, after all, the Fourth Prince's elder. She had only spoken a few truthful words, and he was already refusing to listen.

So, what right does such a person have to ascend to that supreme position, and what ability does she have to restore the glory of her Leng clan?

Shui, the legitimate daughter of the Leng family, first became a courtesan, and later a lowly concubine in a marquis's household. How many ups and downs she endured along the way!

She didn't take the little brat's change of attitude seriously.

When her temper flared, she sat directly opposite the Fourth Prince and methodically recounted all the past incidents.

"What, Fourth Prince, are you still not convinced?"

Over the years, I've sent countless people to help you and your son pave the way for your success.

How come, in the Fourth Prince's mouth, it became just a few people?

Do you know that even a few people are spies that my Leng clan spent countless amounts of money and years to plant?

And then there's my third son, a notorious playboy in the capital, utterly useless and uneducated. He has neither talent nor reputation.

The places they frequented were brothels, gambling dens, and restaurants; they had truly reached the point of being utterly hopeless and universally despised.

But Your Highness, you should know that he is not such an incompetent person. Over the years, how much silver has been sent from him into the pockets of you and your son?

You know, I know.

"Your Highness, my son and I have done everything we could to help you. Yet now you are blaming me for holding back!"

Is His Majesty truly seriously ill?

"If I don't offer up all the people, money, and goods I have left at this critical juncture, will Your Highness miss this golden opportunity?"

They've barely gotten to the point, and they're already plotting to pin the blame for their failure to seize the throne on the mother and son?

She dared not take the blame!