The princess regretted it.

Chapter 224 Jinan’s Speculation (1)

Soon, Han Shuang returned to report that everything was ready. Jin An put on his cloak, led Han Shuang and Zi Yun out of the palace quietly, and headed straight for Prime Minister Mu's residence.

Upon arriving at Prime Minister Mu's residence, Jin'an rushed straight to his study. There, the grandfather and grandson conversed for a long time, carefully deliberating on a strategy. Then, Prime Minister Mu summoned a trusted confidant and whispered to him to secretly travel to the Lin residence and personally hand over a secret letter to Lin Song. The confidant, bearing the letter, hurried away.

Mu Xiang then turned to face Jin An and said solemnly, "Jin An, the Duke of Protectorate told me something today, and I thought you would be quite interested."

"What's the matter, Grandfather?" Jin An asked anxiously with a hint of curiosity in his eyes.

"The old Duke recently appeared before the Emperor in the palace and reported a matter of vital importance to the nation. The Emperor subsequently issued a decree. While the Protector of the Country doesn't know the details, the old Duke specifically instructed him to keep a close eye on the Zhang family. I suspect the Zhang family must be operating in secret, and the old Duke has already noticed." Mu Xiang's voice was low and gentle, but it struck Jin'an like a hammer. "Jin'an, do you have any information on this?"

Upon hearing this, Jin An frowned slightly and fell into deep thought. She carefully reviewed the recent events related to the Zhang family in her past life. Transporting grain to the northern border had been a top priority recently. After much difficulty in securing the necessary supplies, something unexpected had occurred during the delivery process.

When the enemy attacked, my uncle led his troops to meet them. It was a bitter battle, and though they managed to emerge victorious, it came at a heavy price. The Zhenbei Army suffered countless casualties, severely weakening its vitality, and my uncle was severely wounded, unable to lead troops in battle again. The question of the Zhenbei Army's leadership sparked a heated debate and a long stalemate. Shortly after my uncle's death, Zhong Chuzhou was given command of the Zhenbei Army by order of my father, the Emperor.

"Something's wrong." Jin An suddenly felt a surge of doubt. He wondered, "Why did my father allow Zhong Chuzhou to take over the Zhenbei Army?" The Zhang family was at its peak of power and influence at the time, so why hadn't they taken control of the Zhenbei Army? And why did his second brother ultimately suffer defeat?

She strained to recall, the hazy fragments of memory gradually becoming clearer. She vaguely recalled a dire situation within the Zhang family, one that had been discovered by her third brother's men, who had quickly reported it to her father. Upon hearing this, her father was furious and, without hesitation, ordered the Zhang family's property confiscated and all exiled to the frontier, never to return.

Concubine Zhang was also ruthlessly banished to the cold palace, where she lived out the rest of her life in a desolate and lonely space. Jiaoyu was already married by then, her husband being Li Yuan, the son of the Minister of Works, which allowed her to escape punishment. Meanwhile, the Second Emperor, once a highly respected and distinguished figure at court, was implicated in the Zhang family affair and stripped of his title as a prince. His former glory and power vanished in an instant, leaving him devastated.

The blow of this incident seemed to drain the Emperor's energy and spirit from his body, and his once robust frame collapsed. He began to fall ill frequently, and his spirits grew increasingly weak. Despite the best efforts of the imperial physicians, his condition worsened. Not long after, the Emperor passed away, leaving behind a mess of unresolved palace affairs and a turbulent court situation.

At the time, the only eligible heir to the throne was his third brother, so he had no choice but to inherit the throne. Leveraging his father-in-law, Grand Tutor Liu's prestige and connections within the court, he secured the support of numerous ministers, and thus ascended to the throne naturally and legitimately. At the time, he was trapped in the backyard of the Jinwu Marquis's mansion, spending his days fighting with the Liu family for Wu Changfeng. Later, with the passing of his father, he became completely depressed.

Thinking of this, Jin An's face grew solemn, his eyes revealing deep worry. What could have caused his father to be so enraged that he would impose such severe punishment on the Zhang family? Besides the heinous crime of treason, it seemed difficult to imagine any other reason that could lead to such serious consequences.

She stood up suddenly, the shock and uneasiness in her heart making it impossible for her to sit still. Mu Xiang was also startled by her sudden action and asked with concern: "Jin An, what's wrong? Did you remember something important?"

"Grandfather, the Zhang family must be secretly plotting something treasonous, and there's something wrong with my third brother." Jin An said hurriedly, with a certainty and urgency in his voice.

"What do you mean?" After hearing what Jin An said, Mu Xiang's expression became more cautious. He leaned forward slightly, staring at Jin An intently, waiting for her next words.

"Grandfather, is there any news from my uncle? The food and fodder should have arrived at the barracks by now, but there's still no reply?" Jin An didn't answer, but asked several more questions in succession, his brows furrowed, his eyes full of worry.

"There is no news yet from your uncle, and the same goes for the food supplies. According to common sense, it should be within the next two days. But what did you say just now that the Zhang family was plotting with the third prince?" Mu Xiang was made nervous by her nervous look and responded quickly.

"Grandfather, what I am going to say next is just my guess, but it is very likely to be true. I hope you will believe me." Jin An spoke every word very seriously, and his eyes met Mu Xiang's firmly.

"Okay! You said it, grandpa believes you." Mu Xiang gave an affirmative answer without hesitation.

"There's a high chance something might go wrong with the food supplies this time. I didn't think much of it when you mentioned your great-aunt had made arrangements. But the Zhang family father and son certainly don't want my uncle to win easily. The more stable my uncle is in the army, the harder it will be for them to control him. They want Concubine Zhang to be crowned empress, and they want my second brother to succeed the throne. From now on, the entire court will belong to the Zhang family."

But if my uncle holds the military power, they will be wary. And if something happens to my uncle, you will fall, and my aunt will also be hit. The only place that can compete with them is the Duke of Protectorate. So they must have made a lot of preparations in private for this position. I suspect they are very likely to commit treason. That's why the old Duke asked the Duke of Protectorate to make such arrangements. Now that they are watching the Zhang family, I am worried about another person. " Having said this, she paused, her eyes fixed on Mu Xiang.

Minister Mu was deeply shocked by her words. He knew the Zhang family wanted the Second Prince to ascend the throne, which was perfectly normal. The major families, driven by their own interests and glory, would often scheme and fight over the succession to the throne. However, he had never imagined that the Zhang family would completely abandon the stability of the country and disregard the lives of the people in order to achieve this goal.

"It's okay, just continue and tell me what you want grandpa to do." He took a deep breath and spoke slowly.