The princess regretted it.

Chapter 225: The person Jin An likes?

"I'm worried about my Third Brother," Jin An said slowly, her eyes filled with deep worry and alarm. "In fact, my Third Brother has been quietly cultivating his own power for years. According to the information I've gathered, Marquis Jin Wu, the Minister of War, and the Minister of Personnel are all his subordinates. However, I don't yet fully understand who else is in his camp, or who he has within the palace. He's now single-mindedly focused on marrying Grand Tutor Liu's daughter. Fortunately, thanks to the close surveillance I've placed in the dark, he's been unable to succeed so far. Grandfather, after much deliberation, I'd like to ask my aunt to arrange a meeting with Grand Tutor Liu's family to give them a heads-up. If we can find a suitable candidate and convince Miss Liu to finalize her marriage as soon as possible, we'll be able to put an end to my Third Brother's ambitions in this regard."

Also, I wonder if I could trouble Grandmother to speak with the Imperial Aunt and ask her to help thoroughly investigate the Imperial Hospital. I've always suspected that Third Prince might have bribed one of the doctors there, or perhaps he's infiltrated the hospital with his own people. However, the manpower at my disposal is limited, and I can't investigate these matters. Furthermore, if I were to speak to the Imperial Aunt in person, she might not fully believe me. Jin An expressed all her concerns.

She had always suspected that her father's worsening illness and eventual death in his previous life were the result of deliberate manipulation and conspiracy. Now, after connecting the dots and carefully considering the situation, she had firmly zeroed in on the Third Prince. Jin An speculated that the Third Prince, in order to clear the way for his ascension to the throne, had most likely manipulated her father's condition, exploiting his position at the Imperial Hospital to covertly carry out his schemes, causing his father's health to deteriorate until he was no longer recoverable.

After hearing Jin'an's words, Prime Minister Mu knew that regardless of whether what Jin'an said was true or not, he had to take precautions in advance. After all, once caught in the vortex of the struggle for the throne, the slightest mistake could lead to eternal damnation.

As for Grand Tutor Liu's daughter, Prime Minister Mu remembered having seen her when the Crown Prince was still alive. She seemed to be around Zixuan's age. As a child, she was extremely intelligent and beautiful, with a striking appearance. He wondered if she had anyone she liked. He had asked his daughter-in-law to investigate. If she already had someone she admired, he could facilitate her marriage. If not, and if his daughter-in-law was satisfied, he could arrange for Zixuan to settle down with her. By preventing her from getting involved with the Third Prince and thwarting his marriage plans, he would undoubtedly create a solid barrier to his expansion.

Mu Xiang nodded solemnly but firmly, and responded, "Okay, Grandfather will take care of these. Don't worry too much. However, you are not young anymore, do you have someone you like?"

Jin An's heart had just settled down a little after listening to her grandfather's reassuring words, but she didn't expect the second half of the sentence to suddenly change the topic and directly touch upon her own feelings, which made her feel at a loss.

Her thoughts drifted back to the days she spent with Zhong Chuzhou. The scene of him pouring out his heart to her unfolded like a picture scroll in her mind. His sincere eyes and heartfelt words didn't instantly make her heart flutter, but she couldn't deny that she had developed an indescribable fondness for him deep down. She secretly thought that if they really wanted to talk about marriage, Zhong Chuzhou might be a pretty good choice.

Thinking of this, her fair cheeks instantly turned a faint blush, her eyes became a little evasive, and with a bit of girlish shyness, she whispered, "Grandfather, why do you suddenly ask this?"

Minister Mu had a reason for asking this question. He had just been contemplating Mu Zixuan's marriage, and as his thoughts turned, he recalled a letter his son had sent back, in which he mentioned his intention to marry Mu Zixuan to Jin'an. He also knew that Jin'an and Mu Zixuan had no such feelings for each other. He had dismissed the idea at the time. Now, watching the strife in the harem, he thought that if Jin'an could find a suitable husband and marry, she would have someone to rely on in the future, an additional layer of security to protect her.

Seeing Jin'an's shy demeanor, typical of a young girl, Mu Xiang already had a clear understanding of her situation. The corners of his mouth curled up slightly, revealing a loving smile. He looked at Jin'an with tender eyes and said gently, "Grandfather is thinking that you're ready for marriage. If you really have someone you like, why not tell us? Your grandmother, your aunt, and I can help you carefully consider the matter. After all, you are a legitimate princess of our dynasty, of unparalleled status. This matter of marriage must be handled with the utmost care and without any hesitation."

"So, what does Grandfather think of Cousin Zhong?" Jin An didn't act coy. After a moment's deliberation, she asked softly. Though her tone was a touch shy, it also revealed a frankness about her feelings.

"Zhong? Are you talking about Chu Zhou?" Mu Xiang was stunned at first, his eyes filled with surprise. But then, as if remembering something funny, he couldn't help but laugh, his eyes full of memories, and he slowly said, "When you were little, you loved following him around, calling him 'handsome brother' every day. Chu Zhou was always good-looking. Back then, you were so little, chasing after Chu Zhou all day long. You looked so adorable. Have you ever been attracted to him since you were little?"

After saying this, Mu Xiang gently stroked his chin, narrowed his eyes, and pondered for a moment, as if carefully sorting out his impression of Zhong Chuzhou in his mind. After a while, he continued slowly, "Chuzhou is a really good kid. I've heard some rumors about him before, and I thought he was as impetuous and frivolous as the rumors said. But after these few interactions with him, I find that those rumors are really biased. This kid is not only courageous, but also very planned and calculated when doing things. He is truly a promising talent."

When Mu Xiang said this, he looked at Jin An gently, with some concern and love in his eyes, and continued: "How about this, I will ask your aunt to take some time to go back to the Duke of Huguo's Mansion to find out what they think about Chu Zhou's marriage. If their family has no other approved candidates, then we will ask your father for an order to grant the marriage, so that we can settle this marriage as soon as possible. What do you think?" After speaking, he smiled and waited for Jin An's response.