The princess regretted it.

Chapter 304 The Old Master’s Decision

Following the emperor's call, several dark shadows flashed out from hiding like ghosts in an instant. They moved swiftly and agilely, knelt on one knee silently, and said in unison: "Your subordinates are here!" The golden armor they wore gleamed with a cold and hard luster in the dim light, and the eyes behind the visors revealed a well-trained coldness and loyalty, as if as long as the emperor gave an order, they would charge forward without hesitation even if it was a sea of fire and swords.

The emperor glanced sideways slightly, and his eyes swept over these elite soldiers. The coldness in his eyes did not fade away, but became stronger. His voice was low and unquestionable: "Go, divide into groups, and secretly keep an eye on Concubine Zhang and the Third Prince for me. If there is any unusual movement, report to me immediately. I want to know what they are doing." After that, he waved his hand slightly, signaling the golden armored guards to retreat.

The armored guards obeyed the order and departed, disappearing into the surrounding darkness in the blink of an eye, as if they had never appeared. The emperor sat back on the throne, slowly leaning back against the chair. He raised his hand and gently rubbed his temple, a trace of fatigue crossing his face. These days, the troubles of the court and the harem have been intertwined, like a tight web, trapping him and leaving him with a rare moment of peace.

When he heard Jin'an talking about the third son's people and the second son's people talking together, he didn't say anything about the third son in front of Jin'an. He was mainly thinking that he only had these two sons, and he couldn't have problems with both of them at the same time. If he did that, he would lose all his face in front of his daughter, which would be a failure.

Now he had to investigate and resolve the matter privately. Only in this way could he preserve the royal family's reputation while leaving a way out for his two sons.

Outside the palace, the atmosphere within the Zhang family had been shrouded in a gloomy haze ever since Concubine Zhang was punished, and it hadn't improved. Today, at court, Zhang Chengde, following the orders of the old Grand Tutor, had his own people advise on the selection of a crown prince.

After returning from the dinner last night, the old tutor listened to the information brought back by Zhang Chengde and Zhang Hengrui, and keenly perceived the changes in the court situation. He saw through at a glance that the emperor intended to reuse the Mu and Zhong families in an attempt to check the growing power of the Zhang family.

This revelation left the old Grand Tutor feeling uneasy, a strong sense of crisis welling up in his heart. He secretly thought, the situation is urgent now. If the Second Prince's succession is not confirmed, the future will be even more difficult. The Emperor is in his prime and full of energy. Someone in the harem is already pregnant, and his granddaughter has fallen from favor, not even allowing her to attend the celebration banquet last night. Clearly, power in the harem has fallen into the hands of others. This means that the number of princes will inevitably increase in the future.

Furthermore, if the emperor were to suddenly appoint another empress and have a legitimate son, Yun Ji would completely lose his hope of succeeding to the throne. All the Zhang family's years of painstaking efforts and planning would then be wasted.

Last night, Hengrui returned home and detailed the plight of Jiaoyu and her daughter in the harem, the truth behind the fire, and the Emperor's decision to grant him leave and forbid him from participating in the investigation. The old Grand Tutor was incredibly astute; he immediately understood that the Emperor was already suspicious of the Zhang family. Furthermore, there had been no news of Zhenyuan, and his son had said the child was most likely in trouble. He felt a nagging sense of unease, worrying that Zhenyuan was already in Mu En's hands. Or perhaps Mu En had secretly handed him over to the Emperor, which was why the Emperor was so wary of and suppressing the Zhang family.

The thought of this made the old Grand Tutor, a veteran of three dynasties, feel a chill run down his spine. Having reached this point, there was no turning back. He acted decisively, having Zhang Chengde contact officials who were close to the Zhang family and had influence in the court, to plan a proposal to establish a crown prince in court today. This was their last resort. If this move failed, they would be forced to take the final one.

Previously, according to their plan, if Mu En hadn't returned so smoothly, the Zhang family felt they had a sure win. After all, without the powerful support of the Zhenbei Army, the situation at court would have been completely different, and many of their plans could have been carried out step by step.

But now that the Zhenbei Army had returned in such a complete force, the old Grand Tutor was indeed filled with concerns. This sudden change was like a huge rock dropped into a calm lake, disrupting their original plan.

After leaving court, Zhang Chengde went straight to the old Grand Tutor's study. Father and son sat opposite each other, their faces solemn, as they analyzed the ministers' reactions at the morning court session. Just as they were reaching a crucial point, Zhang Hengrui hurried in, his steps so hurried and frantic that he didn't even knock, but simply pushed the door open and entered.

Seeing his reckless expression, the old master was immediately displeased. However, the situation was urgent and he could not afford to be distracted and reprimand him. He could only suppress his anger and asked, "Why are you so panicked?"

"Grandfather, Yundou in the palace sent an informant to report that she may have been exposed!" Zhang Hengrui was so anxious that veins on his forehead were throbbing and he stuttered. "The emperor got some news and has asked Zuo Quan to investigate the people around Yunji. If she is found, then the crime of intending to kill the concubines and the royal heirs may involve Yunji. It may even..." He didn't finish his words. The other two people in the study also understood that their Zhang family might also be convicted. After all, Yundou came from the Zhang family.

Upon hearing this, the old Grand Tutor slowly closed his eyes, as if trying to calm his inner turmoil. A moment later, he suddenly opened them, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. Then, calmly and decisively, he ordered, "Find a way to get her a message. If she's caught, make sure she firmly declares that Yun Ji was behind everything. We'll take care of her family. Don't worry, just follow my instructions."

Zhang Hengrui and Zhang Chengde were stunned when they heard this. They looked at each other and shouted anxiously: "Why? What's the reason? Are we going to abandon Yun Ji?" Their voices were full of astonishment and confusion.

The old Grand Tutor's eyes were cold, revealing deep helplessness. He snorted coldly, "The heart of the Emperor is extremely suspicious. Yundou was a maidservant by Yunji's side. Once captured, how could she easily betray her master? But now, if she insists that she acted at her master's behest, it would be too abnormal to anyone. Anyone with a discerning eye would know that someone was deliberately trying to drag Yunji into this. Guess what the Emperor is thinking."

Zhang Hengrui was still in a state of panic, his mind still swirling. He blurted out bluntly, "What else can I think? Isn't it just that she's afraid of death and wants to expose someone to gain merit in order to protect herself?"

As soon as he said this, the old Grand Tutor's eyes flashed with disappointment. This was the reason why his eldest grandson had been unable to advance to the position of Left Commander of the Imperial Guard for so many years. He could only be a reckless man.