Transmigrating into a book to save her best friend, her sickly husband vies for her affections every

Once a secret is known to one person, only more people will know it.

When Consort Xian saw her son suddenly appear in the room, she was initially overjoyed, but then slowly sat down as if she was about to get up. "You've come to kill me too?"

She sat on the edge of the bed, the curtains hanging outside, her son's image blurred in her vision—this was also her true feeling about her son now.

It's as if she raised a fake son; she watched the child grow up little by little, but in the end, she couldn't understand him at all.

They were mother and son, each relying on the other for survival, and everything she did was for Zhao Siwei. Yet, her son always seemed to oppose her.

She went to great lengths to win over Prince Fan, simply because she knew about his quirks.

Even if Zhang Zhan follows Prince Fan, so what? Aren't there plenty of similar things in the capital?

If Zhang Zhan truly remembers Zhao Siwei's kindness, then he should help him better win over Prince Fan.

That's good, they've killed Prince Fan directly!

Prince Fan! Zhao Fucang felt guilty towards his younger brother who was allowed to stay in the capital. Therefore, Zhao Fucang would tacitly agree to any request Prince Fan made that he could.

So what if Zhang Zhan is Zhao Fucang's biological son?

Anyway, it was something that couldn't be presented in public. What could Zhao Fucang say if it was given to King Fan?

It also created a stumbling block on Zhao Siwei's path to seizing the throne.

Is it necessary to concern ourselves with what Fan Wang might be up to?

Once Zhao Siwei ascends the throne, whether Prince Fan lives or dies will be a matter of a single word.

Rather...

Fine, she, as the mother, will back down. After all, Zhao Siwei already knows that Zhang Zhan is his younger brother.

Killing Prince Fan was one thing, but at least he gained Zhang Zhan, who was completely devoted to him, so it was a worthwhile trade.

At least Zhang Zhan would not stand in Zhao Siwei's way because of this favor, and might even help him clear the road ahead.

As for her grudges with Zhang Zhan, she can just give Zhang Zhan some benefits after she becomes Empress Dowager.

However, Zhang Zhan was clearly not enough. He was not the legitimate heir of the Pingyang Marquis's mansion, so the Pingyang Marquis's military strength was still insufficient to completely serve Zhao Siwei.

Therefore, she turned her attention back to the Duke of Xia Xu's mansion.

Xu Tutu had always liked Zhao Siwei. If it weren't for that unexpected incident at the palace banquet, Xu Tutu would have been Zhao Siwei's official wife.

Unfortunately, fate had other plans, and Ji Tingyao caught Zhao Siwei's eye.

No, it's the Bai family behind Ji Tingyao.

But, but Xu Tutu can also be taken.

Bai Shi has already spoken in the palace, saying that even if Xu Tutu were to become a concubine, she would do so willingly.

At that time, the principal wife will have the Bai family behind her, and the concubine will have the Xu family behind her.

If one can rise to power so easily through marriage, then the Crown Prince is nothing!

It's truly a complete loss...

Zhao Siwei raised his hand to lift the curtain, but hesitated for a moment before slowly lowering his hand.

"Now that I'm here, is there anything else Mother wants to say to me?"

Consort Xian: "You should ask your father what he thinks." She then laughed, "The heart of an emperor is the most ruthless. I'm just a pawn in his game. Zhao Siwei, do you think you can't see that you've been hiding your talents and acting foolish? Your father is still worried about the unrest at the front..."

Consort Xian's voice suddenly stopped, and there was a sobbing sound, but it wasn't hers.

A sob came from Zhao Siwei's throat.

"Mother, why did you—"

"For your sake, for my sake, you are too soft-hearted, too kind. Then I can only be more ruthless. Otherwise, how can I protect you and Zhang Zhan as you grow up?"

Consort Xian's eyes welled up with tears, but with the curtains separating her from the others, she didn't have to worry about her son seeing her disheveled state.

"Yes, I did do something to wrong Zhang Zhan, but only that one time. Before I knew his identity, I felt sorry for him and didn't even intend to use him. At that time, what do you think was the reason you held a place in your father's heart?"

"It's all thanks to my flattery of the Emperor. Other concubines have their families to back them up, but we only have your father. So, in your father's eyes, I'm just a caged bird—no, whatever he wants me to be, I have to be."

"She is the emperor, the most noble man in the entire dynasty, yet he is also the most pathetic man in the entire capital. He ascended the throne with the help of his first wife, Empress Yan, and then the power of the other concubines' families allowed him to consolidate his power. He desperately needs a woman to let him experience the power of imperial authority."

"You and Zhang Zhan both grew up smoothly because of my pampering. I only did something that you consider wrong, and you want to kill me? Are you even human? You're worse than pigs and dogs!"

"Why are you treating me like this? You and Zhang Zhan would both die without me! Have I ever asked Zhang Zhan for anything in return? Never! My son and I received good things, and whatever we kept, we gave it all to him!"

"I... I only made this one mistake, and you want to kill me and abandon me? I am your mother! Zhang Zhan is just your half-brother!"

“I… I regretted it too. When you rescued him from the Prince of Fan’s residence, didn’t you meet my carriage at the palace gate? I regretted it. I wanted to save him.”

After all, he watched the child grow up, Luo Zhu's child, and Zhao Siwei's only friend.

Even if it's for the sake of my son, I have to stop it.

I just arrived late, and I didn't think to explain at the time.

There was no time to explain. Zhao Siwei went to the Prince of Fan's mansion with a knife and caused trouble. She had been crying and begging Zhao Fucang for a long time.

Who would speak up for a prince who does nothing?

Prince Fan, that's Prince Fan!

Fortunately, this matter was not honorable, and King Fan did not want to be lectured, so Zhao Fucang turned a blind eye.

“I killed his grandparents. It was me, I had no choice. His identity has started to spread like wildfire. If he returns from the hunting grounds as the Tenth Prince, Old Master Zhang will probably hold a grudge and make the Pingyang Marquis’s Mansion serve Zhang Zhan. Zhang Zhan, Zhang Zhan is no good. If your father also thinks about supporting Zhang Zhan, thinking about making up for his guilt and debt to Luozhu by supporting Zhang Zhan, then you and I will have no good days left.”

"Look at your father and Prince Fan, and you should know that once you're in a position of power, all your brothers and sisters are meaningless!"

Consort Xian exhaled hot air and clenched her hands. "Only when you sit in that position yourself can you make all the decisions. Can you rely on others? If Zhang Zhan were reliable, why would he follow the Crown Prince and say he's helping you plot things for him? What exactly is he plotting?"

"It's all fake, all betrayal, all scheming and plotting. Only I, your mother, am truly for you. Your well-being is my well-being; we share both glory and ruin. Consort Xian, Noble Consort Xian, it was all you who stopped us! It was all you!"

As Consort Xian spoke, she gripped the hairpin in her hand even tighter, a hint of hatred rising in her heart. "Zhao Siwei, do you think your life will be better after I die?"

"As long as I'm alive, your father will still cherish both relationships and believe that I can keep the Empress in check. But if I die, you'll know that your father despises you, and there will be no one to listen to your side!"

"And you, do you really think you're so smart? You're just a fool, all talk and no action, but you're short-sighted! Fool! I should have just abandoned you and raised Zhang Zhan as my own son!"

Each word struck Zhao Siwei hard.

"Mother, all you want is a son, a son who will help you gain a foothold in the harem and then ask for the position of Empress Dowager, right?"

"That's right!" Consort Xian stood up. "What use are you to me! Women in the palace who want to rise above others can only do so by winning the emperor's favor, but if they want to maintain their status, they can only give birth to sons. But I gave birth to you, haven't I thought enough about you?"

"Kill me? Are you going to kill me? If you kill me, Zhang Zhan, will Ji Tinglan think you're a good master, or will she think you're a ruthless scoundrel!"

"Your father forbids me from killing you because he's afraid you'll be stigmatized. I don't want to die now, do you think it's for my own sake?"

Zhao Siwei looked at the person behind the gauze curtain, slowly shaking his head, unable to utter a single word.

Seeing that the person had left, Consort Xian laughed heartily.

"Zhao Siwei, you will pay the price for your soft heart!"

"I'm a woman, and I can tell that Ji Tingyao likes you, but more than that, she's plotting something against you!"

"My son, be careful! The most unassuming woman is the one who's truly vulnerable!"

**

Ten days later, Zhao Fucang went to court to announce the imperial decree, ordering the Yan family to retire and return to their hometowns, and Consort Xian to be sent to the imperial mausoleum for safekeeping.

Crown Prince Zhao Sicong claimed that his wife had suffered a miscarriage and both mother and child had died, and that he was ill and staying in the Eastern Palace, refusing to come out.

At this point, the prevailing opinion in the capital shifted to Zhao Siwei's lead.

Then, Zhao Fucang acknowledged Zhang Zhan's status as a prince.

The identity of the tenth prince was now confirmed, but Zhang Zhan turned around and recognized Zhang Ruizhe as his godfather, thus binding himself to the Marquis of Pingyang's mansion.

Unlike his previous life where he lived in the palace, Zhang Zhan now wishes to live outside, rather than within the palace walls.

Zhao Fucang immediately bestowed upon him the title of Prince Jing, a princely title.

Several residences were given to him to choose from, and Zhang Zhan ultimately chose Zhao Siwei's private residence.

This house was a gift from Zhang Zhan to Zhao Siwei for his seventeenth birthday, and now it can be considered to be taken back openly and legitimately.

Zhao Fucang nodded without even needing Zhao Siwei's consent.

The tide turned again. Zhao Fucang assigned the Ministry of Personnel to Zhang Zhan for oversight. At the same time, Zhang Zhan volunteered to clean up the mess that was the Ministry of War. If he could manage to do so, the Ministry of War would naturally be his for the taking.

As for his name, although he is called Zhao Sizhan, people in the capital still prefer to call him Zhang Zhan in private.

The private residence was transformed into the Prince Jing's Mansion.

Zhang Zhan was cleaning the house in Zhongyouling himself when he heard footsteps and saw Ji Anzhi enter. He paused in his work and his gaze fell on the ruyi wooden hairpin in her hair.

“If His Highness Prince Jing wants to exonerate Zhong Youling, then we are all in this together,” Ji Anzhi said proactively. “My sister is my sister, and His Highness the Ninth Prince is His Highness the Ninth Prince. I can tell the difference.”

Zhang Zhan looked at the tea that was poured for him and asked, "Second Miss, what's the current situation?"

"The fact that the Crown Prince has not been deposed means that His Majesty still holds a place for him and the Yan family in his heart. Therefore, Your Highness, why don't you go and help the Yan family?"

"The Xu family will definitely support the Ninth Prince because of Xu Tutu. My sister doesn't care much about whether Xu Tutu will become a concubine, so if she can't stop it, she will accept it."

“Therefore, I am willing to marry His Highness the Crown Prince, whether as the principal wife or a concubine, please make the arrangements, Your Highness,” Ji Anzhi said, kneeling directly on the ground and holding up a teacup.

"That's a good idea. That way, we have the same goal, so cooperation won't be a problem. However, it's not very fair to you."

"Marrying the Crown Prince isn't unfair. I'd marry whoever I want. My mother is now disgraced, I have a younger brother, and my father will remarry. So, my marriage might be better, and I can protect my brother."

"Let me think about it," Zhang Zhan did not agree immediately. "If it is the principal wife, you will have to wait a year. If it is a concubine, it will be fine after forty-nine days. There are still some days left, so there is no rush. You go back first. I still have some things to take care of. I will contact you when I am done."

The tea in Ji Anzhi's hand was ultimately not taken.

"Can I understand why Your Highness suddenly wants to help me and Zhong Youling?"

"You'll understand later," Zhang Zhan said as Xu Yuan entered. "Consider this cup of tea a toast to you. Finish it and go back."

As Zhang Zhan walked out, Xu Yuan said, "The Ninth Prince has arrived."

"not see,"

"I can't refuse to see him, he's right here in the main hall," Xu Yuan said, forcing himself to speak.

After returning from the imperial tombs, Zhang Zhan and Zhao Siwei's relationship completely soured.

Watching from the side, he also felt it wasn't a big deal. Hadn't Zhao Siwei made a similar fuss once before? And they made up quickly, didn't they?

Not to mention, once Zhang Zhan knew he had suddenly gained an older brother, he stopped pretending at all and acted as if he had someone backing him up.

Now, why has she suddenly turned cold?

Even more terrifyingly, there was a special room where Zhong Youling's memorial tablet was placed, and he would personally worship there every day.

"Then let them ignore me," Zhang Zhan said, turning around to leave through the side door.

Xu Yuan exclaimed, "Master, that is indeed the Ninth Prince."

Although you are a prince, that is Zhao Siwei.

Zhang Zhan: "I didn't tell you to kick him out. Just give him whatever he wants to eat and drink."

Xu Yuan: "..."

They came here specifically to see you.

Zhang Zhan didn't care about any of that.

What I didn't expect was that as soon as I stepped out of the small door, I saw this little darling.

The appearance of the "Persimmons Bring Good Fortune" directly indicates who is inside.

Tingyao came out and smiled gently at Zhang Zhan.

"I had a disagreement with the Ninth Prince, so we made a bet to see who would see you if we appeared in different places today."

Zhang Zhan ignored Tingyao and asked, "What does this have to do with me?"

What, do I have to talk to every person who sees me?

Tingyao stepped forward and said, "Your Highness told me that you were going to kill Consort Xian for Zhongyou Ridge."

Zhang Zhan looked at the blocked road and laughed. "Ji Tingyao, if I kill you now, do you think it will have any impact on me?"

Tingyao felt it had a great impact on her; her eye mask, which was particularly bright, took two steps back.