Great General Wei Yuan was beginning to realize that everything he had just said might have sounded more like he was praising Princess Sheng An than plotting against her.
Scratching his head, he looked thoroughly troubled. "Then… what are we supposed to do next?"
"What else is there to do?"
The Eldest Prince let out a cold laugh. "Fifth Sister's birthday is nearly upon us. Naturally, we must prepare a generous gift for her."
"A… generous gift?"
Great General Wei Yuan, who had been speaking with confidence just moments ago, now faltered. His booming voice softened with hesitation. "Your Highness knows full well that my wife keeps a tight grip on our household funds. This generous gift…"
"Who said anything about spending real silver to prepare her a gift?"
The Eldest Prince rubbed his temple in frustration. This brute of a general was good for swinging a sword, but utterly useless at subtlety.
"Has she not been encouraging people everywhere to plant Zhibei flowers? Even declared that she would buy their fruits at five wen per jin? The harvest season is upon us, is it not? Let her follow through then."
What advantage did Yun Shu hold now? Was it the people's trust? Her wealth?
Whatever it was, there was no way she could possibly buy up all the Zhibei fruit at five wen per jin.
And if she failed to do so, or if after collecting the fruits she allowed them to spoil or be wasted, then he could simply spread the word.
Let the common people see her for what she truly was—indulgent and wasteful, a girl who failed to keep her word, one who deceived the hardworking folk into planting flowers just to amuse herself.
Once the damage was done, her silver would be gone, the public's trust would shatter, and she would be branded with a bad name.
Even if Imperial Father favored her, there was no way he would elevate someone so fickle and useless to the position of Crown Princess.
And when that time came… his own opportunity would finally arrive.
"I understand now!"
Great General Wei Yuan slapped his thigh, eyes lighting up with sudden comprehension. Once he grasped the winding scheme hidden within the Eldest Prince's words, a wide grin spread across his face. "His Highness truly is wise and far-sighted. I shall see to it at once!"
Day by day, schemes moved behind the curtain.
And before long, the day of Yun Shu's birthday arrived.
Perhaps in an effort to dispel the lingering shadow left by the deposed Crown Prince, Emperor Xuanwu ordered a grand banquet held in the Hall of Linde. He personally arranged for it and invited the court ministers along with their family members.
Cen Yiyi and Tang Xinhua came as well.
Thanks to their close friendship with Yun Shu, the two were allowed to visit Fengyang Palace before the official start of the banquet. Each brought her own carefully prepared gift.
Tang Xinhua even delivered additional gifts on behalf of Tang Yuanlin and Tang Muzhi.
"This peace charm was personally requested by Grandfather from a temple. He said it was consecrated by a great master and is highly efficacious. Your Highness may carry it on your person," Tang Xinhua said solemnly.
"As for this…"
She paused, lips twitching slightly, clearly a little embarrassed.
"Muzhi said he had just arrived in Qiongzhou and truly had nothing suitable at hand. All he could do was send a few local specialties. These dried lychees… were best eaten fresh, but unfortunately the season had just passed."
Yun Shu was speechless.
So he really did send her lychees?
She let out a soft laugh. "Grandfather and Cousin were thoughtful nonetheless."
She instructed her maids to store the gifts, then chatted idly with the two girls for a while. When the time came to leave for the Hall of Linde, Yun Shu gently took Tang Xinhua's arm and fell back a step. In a quiet voice, she said,
"No matter what happens later, trust me… and protect Grandfather."
"What?"
Tang Xinhua blinked, briefly confused, then seemed to grasp something. Her hand around Yun Shu's arm tightened slightly. She looked ahead to where Cen Yiyi was bouncing along cheerfully.
"Does Your Highness not wish to warn Yiyi as well?"
"Yiyi is young and not good at hiding things on her face. Besides, she came with Marquis Wu'an. With him there, she will come to no harm." Yun Shu offered this brief reassurance, then said nothing more. Her expression light and easy, she led the two girls toward the banquet.
By the time they arrived, the hall was already bustling with guests.
When Yun Shu stepped in, several noble daughters of similar age, prompted by their parents, stepped forward to greet her.
She looked across the unfamiliar faces. Not a single one was known to her.
Maintaining a courteous smile, she replied to each in turn with practiced grace.
Fortunately, the introductions did not drag on too long. Just as her cheeks were beginning to feel stiff from too much smiling, Emperor Xuanwu arrived.
He waved a hand casually, motioning for the crowd to relax and carry on.
Today, he seemed to be in excellent spirits. Spotting Yun Shu surrounded by guests, he approached to draw her out from the crowd. After a few words of warm conversation, his gaze turned toward the princes gathered nearby.
"Today is Xiao Wu's birthday. You all remembered to prepare her a gift, We trust?"
"Of course, Father Emperor!"
Yun Chuhuan immediately lifted his chin with pride.
"Your Son even asked Consort Mother to grant next year's allowance in advance, so that I might commission a fine set of hair ornaments for Fifth Sister. I helped design part of it myself."
"You?"
Emperor Xuanwu could not stop his mouth from twitching.
It was not that he did not believe in Sixth Prince's sincerity…
But truth be told, might the gift have turned out better if he had not participated in the design?
Emperor Xuanwu hesitated several times, tempted to speak his mind, but in the end, he let it pass. The boy had shown good intentions, after all.
He turned instead to the Eldest Prince.
"And you?"
"Your Son is ashamed to admit that I was, at first, uncertain of what Fifth Sister might appreciate. I know little of her personal tastes."
The Eldest Prince bowed his head, voice mild and regretful.
"However, I recalled her fondness for Zhibei flowers. I had initially hoped to gather more and see whether something meaningful could be crafted from them. Unfortunately, the blooming season has already passed."
He paused, then shifted with quiet fluidity.
"That said, I heard the Zhibei fruit has begun to ripen."
The Eldest Prince raised his eyes slightly.
"And I remembered... during a wager with the Right Prime Minister, Fifth Sister once proclaimed she would purchase all Zhibei fruit at five wen per jin. It may have been spoken in jest, but once words are uttered before others, they cannot be so easily withdrawn.
Thus, Your Son did what little he could and assisted in acquiring a portion on her behalf."
"That was… quite thoughtful of you."
Emperor Xuanwu's smile faded somewhat.
Words like "spoken in jest," "they cannot be so easily withdrawn," and "assisted in acquiring a portion" were all cloaked in civility, yet what was this if not a veiled attempt to stir up old matters and trouble Xiao Wu?
He was not offering a gift. He was delivering a problem wrapped in silk.
Emperor Xuanwu's eyes cooled.
"Just what exactly was the Eldest Prince trying to do?"
Could it be he believed that, because the Emperor disapproved of hidden squabbling among his children, that laying one's schemes openly would somehow make it acceptable?
Did he think imitating Xiao Wu's forthrightness would earn him favor?
Fool.
Did he truly not see that Xiao Wu never plotted harm against anyone? That her boldness was born from clear conscience and open heart?
Even when retaliating, she always did so with restraint, even in the presence of her Imperial Father.
This idiot… could not even copy properly.