Chapter 63 Plotting

Poisoning the Crown Prince was originally part of her plan for the Fifth Prince!

She intended for the Fifth Prince to infiltrate the Crown Prince’s circle, gain his trust, accumulate enough power in secret, poison the Crown Prince, and then shift the blame to the Second and Third Princes, eliminating all three of them in one fell swoop. At that point, the Fifth Prince would be the sole heir.

But the Shu family’s people beat her to it!

In the future, the Crown Prince would undoubtedly be more vigilant, making it difficult to poison him again. How infuriating!

She had considered targeting the Crown Prince, but unfortunately, after that incident, Crown Prince, that old fool, claimed he was going into seclusion and couldn’t be found.

Even the Wise Consort’s people couldn’t be traced.

Ignoring An Shaoyu, Zhao Qing Qing turned the carriage around and headed to the Xinglong Restaurant.

In a private room at the back of the restaurant, Zhao Qing Qing waited for almost half an hour until a elegantly dressed woman walked in.

“You’re quite late, Madam.” Zhao Qing Qing wasn’t pleased.

“Don’t be upset, Madam. I’m just ensuring everything is secure. Now that the Second and Third Princes are no longer in the capital, only the Crown Prince the Fifth Prince remain. We need to be even more discreet than before.”

The woman replied nonchalantly.

But a mere merchant’s wife thought she had become a prominent figure in the noble circles of the capital just by marrying into the half-dead Marquis of Anding.

She had no idea why the Wise Consort and the Fifth Prince valued this woman.

“You didn’t have to be so late; I have a lot to do.” Zhao Qing Qing expressed her dissatisfaction.

“Alright, let’s not dwell on that. Since Madam  is in a hurry, please quickly tell me why you asked me to come here today.”

Zhao Qing Qing furrowed her brow.

After all, the Wise Consort was not the biological mother of the Fifth Prince. Once the Fifth Prince ascended the throne, there would be a struggle with those connected to the Wise Consort. Then those who looked down on her would see who had the last laugh.

For now, the Fifth Prince still needed the support of the Wise Consort and her family.

Suppressing her anger, Zhao Qing Qing spoke, “The Second and Third Princes have been sent to govern fiefdoms, and they must be very resentful. With the Empress Dowager supporting them in the palace, if we incite the Second Princes to rebel against the Crown Prince, engaging in a mutually destructive conflict, the Fifth Prince can reap the benefits.”

The elegant woman chuckled, “Madam , that’s a good plan, but it’s quite challenging. How can you ensure mutual destruction and not a clear victor on one side?”

“On the Crown Prince’s side, by having the Fifth Prince close to him, the Fifth Prince can subtly hint to the Crown Prince that the Second and Third Princes may rebel. As for the Second and Third Princes, we’ll need the assistance of the Minister of Personnel.”

The elegant woman became more enthusiastic, “Madam , you’ve come up with an idea that anyone could think of, but in the end, it’s up to us to make it work? I could have thought of this plan too.”

Zhao Qing Qing’s eyes gleamed with pride, “Madam, don’t worry, I will ensure you the success of our plan!”

“Although the An Shaoyu family is not as powerful as before, my father-in-law still has some military power. Despite being far from the capital, I have the means to recruit loyal soldiers under the father of my husband, disperse them, and hide them in the estates near the capital.”

“Most importantly, I have a real trump card that can conquer all.”

“In the future, whether the Crown Prince the two Princes, they will  both suffer losses or one side narrowly wins, we can crush them all!”

Zhao Qing Qing’s words were full of grandeur!

She appeared very confident.

The elegant woman also became more spirited, indicating that this merchant’s wife had some potential.

“Oh~”

“If that’s the case, Madam , why don’t you give me a hint so I can report back to the master and put our minds at ease.”

Zhao Qing Qing smiled, “Since following the Fifth Prince, I have always thought about adding support to him. This is a weapon I found overseas during my Zhao family’s business travels. Its killing power is more than ten times that of a crossbow arrow. When the time is right, I will ask His Highness and the Minister to visit.”

The Minister’s wife understood that Zhao Qing Qing wasn’t planning to reveal it at the moment, so she didn’t insist. After all, she was just a messenger, and the final decision would have to be discussed with the Wise Consort and her husband.

She then asked, “Is the Anding Marquis willing to assist His Highness?”

Zhao Qing Qing raised an eyebrow, “If he’s unwilling, how could the Anding Marquis residence allow An Shaoyu to marry me?”

The Minister’s wife and Zhao Qing Qing shared a smile. Zhao was indeed a perceptive person.

“In that case, Madam, I’ll trouble you with this matter.”

Both the tone and attitude were vastly different from when she first arrived.

Zhao Qing Qing nodded in satisfaction.

“Madam, you’re too kind. We’re all working for the Fifth Prince.”

“Madam  will leave first. I have nothing else to do, so I’ll sit here in the restaurant for a while to avoid suspicion.”

Zhao Qing Qing didn’t refuse. Since she had made the woman wait for a long time upon arrival, it was only fair for her to leave first and make the woman wait a bit longer.

“Thank you for your trouble, Madam.”

After exchanging polite words, Zhao Qing Qing left first.

The Minister’s wife went to another room through a secret passage and left the restaurant after waiting for half an hour.

—

On the other side,

Noticing that Zhao Qing Qing had left,

An Shaoyu also left the restaurant and headed to Chunxiu.

Chunxiu welcomed the person in, and An Shaoyu hugged Chunxiu, about to kiss her, when  Chunxiu gently pushed An Shaoyu away, her face blushing, “Young Master, I’m pregnant.”

Chunxiu stole a glance at An Shaoyu’s reaction.

An Shaoyu was momentarily stunned, feeling hesitant. He had some affection for Chunxiu, and besides, Shu Yuwan had already given birth to a daughter for him and had been recorded in the Shu family’s genealogy. He still didn’t have a son.

But this child~

If Zhao Qing Qing found out, there would likely be trouble.

Seeing An Shaoyu’s mixed emotions, Chunxiu felt a bit scared and quickly said, “Young Master, if you don’t want to keep it, I can drink an abortion potion. It’s not a big deal. The most important thing is not to cause trouble for you.”

Upon hearing this, An Shaoyu’s heart softened, and he became resolute in an instant. Oh, his Chunxiu always thought of him: “What nonsense are you talking about? How could I not want our child? It’s just that Zhao Qing Qing is jealous and might not tolerate the child. I can’t bring you into the mansion temporarily.”

Chunxiu nestled into An Shaoyu’s arms, “I don’t mind. Even if I never enter at the mansion, as long as I can serve the young master, Chunxiu will be very satisfied.”

An Shaoyu held Chunxiu’s hand firmly and said, “No, I will give our child a rightful status. Trust me. Once I gain that person’s trust and establish a position in the court, we won’t have to worry about Zhao Qing Qing’s disapproval.”

Chunxiu’s eyes flickered, then she said, “Yes, I believe in you.”