In the blink of an eye, several years had passed since he left Tianmen Mountain.
Ji Qinglin was drinking with several officials from the Imperial Observatory in the Moonlit Tower. They were talking about the marriage of Prince Yu.
The prospective princess was his junior sister. When he left Tianmen Mountain, Song Jinyu was still a beautiful little girl, the most beloved young lady on the entire Tianmen Mountain.
The master doted on her, and the senior and junior brothers protected her whole - heartedly. Everyone among the thousands of people on the mountain knew not to offend this girl.
Now, she was going to be the Princess of Yu. A smile curled up on his lips, and a calculating light glinted in his eyes.
"Lord Ji, come and have a drink!"
"Now that you've won the emperor's favor, have you taken a fancy to any young lady?" One of the chubby officials was a bit drunk.
Following his lead, many people started to make a ruckus. They wanted to act as matchmakers for him, but Ji Qinglin declined calmly, only saying, "I already have a betrothal. She is the daughter of my late father's old friend."
After drinking for a few rounds, his vision became a bit blurred. Ten years ago, the entire Ji family was executed and their property confiscated. Only thanks to the wet - nurse Lin's desperate protection did he manage to escape. Only Miao Yunshen, because of his good relationship with Ji's father, took him in at the risk of his own life. In order to take revenge, he studied the law of criminal cases hard and took the imperial examinations under different identities many times.
Finally, three years ago, he won the title of the third - place finisher in the highest imperial examination and was then favored by the emperor. He had been in the court for three years, making outstanding political achievements and winning the emperor's appreciation. He had become a well - known fifth - rank young official in the court.
Going to court every day, he saw that the enemy, Grand Tutor Shen, was still in good health. Grand Tutor Shen always made things difficult for him. However, the Shen family was so powerful and deeply rooted that he had to be extremely careful not to get himself into trouble. At first, he was committed to rehabilitating the Ji family, but later his heart was gnawed at by hatred day and night. A few days ago, Prince Cheng was demoted to a county prince, which made it even more difficult for him to clear the Ji family's name. He had to look for another opportunity.
Now that his junior sister Song Jinyu had been bestowed a marriage, maybe it was a good opportunity.
Another official stood up, drunk, and said, "A few days ago, Grand Tutor Shen even praised Lord Ji, saying that you are a young and promising man."
Hearing this, Ji Qinglin's face turned ashen! But he couldn't lose his temper...
"Didn't you hear? If the princess were not so young, Lord Ji could have been the princess's husband."
"Absolutely not. I wouldn't dare to have such thoughts about the princess." Ji Qinglin was cautious and careful, afraid that his true intentions would be exposed.
Prince Cheng was lying low now, and he had to be even more careful.
Grand Tutor Shen had just lost a son. There was no need to be in a hurry... Take it slowly... Ji Qinglin's heart was entangled with hatred. It had been ten years!
He was getting impatient. He originally wanted to destroy Grand Tutor Shen through the power struggle in the court. However, compared with Grand Tutor Shen, his efforts were like a drizzle, having no real effect. Even if one of Grand Tutor Shen's sons died, he still had other sons.
Thinking of this, Ji Qinglin became even more resentful! He still remembered Miao Yunshen's teachings. Lie low. A blunt knife cutting flesh was the most painful.
But... he had missed an opportunity. Now... his junior sister was going to marry into the royal family and would surely come to the capital sooner or later. This gave Ji Qinglin another opportunity.
As for how to use it? He decided to think it over carefully.
In Liuzhou City, Song Jinyu was busy. "All these should be sent to Tianmen Mountain!"
She asked Aonao to pack a lot of medicinal herbs, food, etc. "I was still with the master last year..." She felt a bit sad for no reason. The master had asked her to go down the mountain to prepare for the marriage, actually to keep her away from Tianmen Mountain.
But how could Song Jinyu easily let go of her feelings for Tianmen Mountain? "These, and those, should all be packed well. They are afraid of moisture. Be careful of insect damage!"
"These health - preserving pills are especially for the sect leader..." She carefully instructed Cheng Song and Aonao.
This time, she asked Cheng Song and Aonao to send a lot of New Year gifts to Tianmen Mountain.
Zhongli Mingye had just walked into Mingjin Pavilion. Seeing her busy, he also stepped forward to help. "The prince's mansion has also prepared a set of gifts for you. Let's send them together."
"Are you really not going back to the capital?" Although Song Jinyu really wanted him to stay, the capital was after all Zhongli Mingye's home, where his mother concubine was.
"What for? It's the same old thing every year. What's the fun?" Zhongli Mingye said casually.
Song Jinyu thought about it and realized that he was right. There were too many rules in the palace, and it was really not interesting.
Seeing her looking at him, Zhongli Mingye teased her. "I'll spend this year with you... Please take me in, Miss Song!" After saying that, he looked at Song Jinyu pitifully.
This made her feel pity for him. "Um... Spend it with me..."
After saying that, she felt that this was really inappropriate and shyly lowered her head. "Have you prepared New Year gifts for Concubine Shu?" After saying that, she wanted to slap herself. How could he not prepare? However, Zhongli Mingye was touched by her question. He reached out and pulled her into his arms. "Mother concubine lacks nothing in the palace..."
"...She just lacks you!"
The teasing in his words made Song Jinyu blush. She pounded him a few times.
The New Year in the palace was hard to get through. Under the daily worry and fear, Concubine Cheng actually went crazy. After the queen saw her, she ordered to stop her meals.
"A crazy person has no point in living!"
Prince Cheng got the news in his mansion and was almost on the verge of collapse. Fortunately, Yu Duanya was by his side. Otherwise, he might have rushed out.
Now, the entire Prince Cheng's mansion was in seclusion to reflect. At this critical moment, if anything happened, the emperor might be so angry that he would execute this son.
"Good... Haha..."
Zhongli Shuoyi was going crazy. He originally had an opportunity, but now one by one, his helpers had been removed by the emperor.
"Bang!" He punched the wall, and his hand was bleeding.
Gradually, he understood that in fact, the emperor never wanted to change the crown prince. Even though he was a hundred times better than the crown prince, according to the ancestral laws, Zhongli Shuoyi had no chance! Unless the crown prince died!
Unfortunately, the crown prince couldn't die. Liao Zhengye's last attack only scared the crown prince. Now, the officials who used to be close to him no longer cared about him. The Prince Duan'an's mansion had even handed over the military power and was lying low.
The world still belonged to the emperor. The position of the crown prince still belonged to Zhongli Chengze, while he had become a pariah.
Yu Duanya was very afraid of his state, but now that she was pregnant, she didn't dare to persuade Zhongli Shuoyi too much.
After Zhongli Shuoyi calmed down, another year came.
The New Year in the palace was extremely cold - hearted. The empress dowager in the palace was seriously ill, Concubine Cheng had "gone crazy", and several princes and lords didn't return to the capital.
Only the crown prince was in high spirits. Unexpectedly, the emperor ordered everyone to wear plain clothes and eat plain food to pray for the victims, which dampened his enthusiasm.
This New Year in the palace was dull.
The queen became even more cautious. Although the crown prince had been taught to be more restrained, he still couldn't help but go to Prince Cheng's mansion and tortured Zhongli Shuoyi severely.
Liao Zhengye's knife had almost scared the crown prince out of his wits! If it weren't for Ouyang Jinse's secret medicine, he wouldn't have recovered so quickly.