The princess regretted it.

Chapter 350 Borrowing Strength

Having made the decision, Jin An immediately called Ye Yi upon returning to the palace and asked him to arrange for the secret guards to keep a close eye on Concubine Zhang and her two children.

After arranging everything, she thought of Concubine Cen. Concubine Cen had been suppressed by Concubine Zhang in the palace for many years, and her hatred for the Zhang family must be deep. For so many years, Concubine Cen could not have no foundation in the palace, but in the past, Concubine Zhang was so powerful that she could only endure and hide her power in the dark.

Moreover, Concubine Cen is now nominally the mother of the second prince, and she can also use this title to restrain the second prince.

Jin An secretly thought that if he could use the help of Concubine Cen's men, and add the hidden forces of Ye Yi and others, a two-pronged approach, one open and one covert, he would definitely be able to better control the situation in the harem. However, if he wanted Concubine Cen to help him willingly, he would probably have to help her rescue Mingyue first.

But Mingyue was detained by her father. She knew what her father meant. He just wanted to protect Jiaoyu and the royal family's reputation. This matter was a bit tricky.

Thinking of this, Jin An took a deep breath and straightened her clothes. She knew that if she wanted to rescue Mingyue and convince her father, she would not be able to avoid this trip. She had to go find her father.

When Jin'an arrived, he was enveloped by the warm air of the house, the faint scent of sandalwood filling the air. It was almost the end of the year, and the court would soon be closed until the New Year. The various ministries were particularly busy with matters. The Emperor sat at his desk, reviewing a mountain of memorials, his brow slightly furrowed, his expression focused.

Jin An took a deep breath, bowed, and said in a clear voice with a hint of nervousness: "Your son greets the emperor."

The emperor raised his head and saw that it was Jin'an. His originally serious expression relaxed a little, and a trace of kindness flashed in his eyes: "Jin'an is here, get up quickly."

Jin An stood up and slowly walked to the emperor's side. The emperor looked up at her, the fatigue in his eyes slightly reduced the moment he saw his daughter. A smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, and he asked in a gentle voice, "Why did you come here so suddenly? Is there something wrong?"

Jin An did not directly state the purpose of her visit, but her eyes moved and she said with concern: "Your Majesty, you must have worked hard with so many memorials." As she spoke, she stretched out her hands, gently placed them on the emperor's shoulders, and began to massage him with skillful techniques.

The emperor sighed softly and slowly closed his eyes, as if finding a bit of comfort in this moment of relaxation. He said slowly: "At the end of the year, there will be more things to do. As long as the country is peaceful and the people are safe, it doesn't matter if I work harder." There was a barely perceptible fatigue in his tone.

Jin An paused slightly after hearing his subordinate's movements. He couldn't help but feel even more resentful towards the Zhang family. He whispered softly, "Today, I saw that the people were busy buying New Year's goods. The streets and alleys were bustling with activity. With a wise ruler like my father, the Jin Kingdom is naturally peaceful and prosperous."

The emperor smiled slightly, "As long as the people are happy, it is my blessing."

Seeing that his father was in a good mood, Jin An changed the subject and said casually, "Father, we are going to hold the annual banquet soon. Will Concubine Cen be in charge of organizing it?"

The emperor closed his eyes and hummed softly, "She is the highest-ranking official in the harem now, so she should be in charge."

"But I see that Empress Cen's health seems to be getting worse, and she looks like she is worried." Jin An said without stopping his hands, still massaging the emperor's shoulders slowly and slowly with just the right amount of strength. "The maidservants beside her should have only been serving her for a short time, and it seems that everything has to be handled by Empress Cen. Can her body bear it?" Jin An frowned slightly, his face full of worry, and his tone revealed genuine concern.

Upon hearing this, the Emperor opened his eyes slightly, his expression becoming more thoughtful. "Now that you mention it, I've overlooked something. Concubine Cen has always been frail, and the annual banquet has so many trivial matters that it's truly too much for her body."

"The annual banquet is a very important matter and no mistakes can be made. If the people around her are capable, she doesn't have to do everything herself. She just needs to arrange and confirm." Jin An said again with a hint of meaning.

Jin'an has said this. If the emperor still doesn't understand, he would be unworthy of being the king of this country.

The Emperor reached out and pressed Jin'an's hand, then tilted his head to look at her. His gaze was filled with scrutiny, yet also revealed a hint of indulgence towards his daughter. He slowly said, "Jin'an, you've mentioned Concubine Cen repeatedly today. I'm sure it's not just because you're worried about her being unable to organize the annual banquet. Could you please tell me frankly? What exactly are you planning?"

Jin An withdrew his hand, walked to the emperor, and bowed. "Father, please forgive my boldness. Your Majesty should be aware of my visit to my great-aunt today, right?"

The Emperor nodded gently, as if feeling helpless, and sighed deeply, "These matters shouldn't involve you, but your great-aunt is worried about the safety of the harem. She thinks you are thoughtful and courageous, and can take on some responsibilities, so she suggested it to my father."

"Your Majesty, your son, understands your father's good intentions," Jin An raised his eyes, his face full of sincerity and admiration, staring straight at the emperor, and answered respectfully and firmly.

"Although I cannot help you with state affairs, I will do my best to help you with the affairs of the harem." Jin'an's eyes were firm and his back was straight.

The Emperor looked at his daughter, a flicker of emotion in his eyes. He raised his hand and motioned for her to stand. "Rise, I'm very pleased that you have this intention. However, this matter is extremely dangerous. You must act with extreme caution and avoid acting impulsively. Always prioritize your own safety."

"Your Majesty, your son will follow your father's instructions." Jin An stood up, bowed slightly, and responded seriously, "Your Majesty, your son came here to discuss with your father about releasing Mingyue. Now that we know that the Zhang family has evil intentions, the harem must be on guard. But for many years, the harem..."

Jin An quietly glanced up at the Emperor at this point, noticing his expression change slightly. She swallowed the rest of her words and continued, "I'd like to leverage Concubine Cen's connections in the harem. If we could get her full support, it would definitely help us deal with the Zhang family's turmoil. But right now, she has to worry about preparing the annual banquet, and she needs someone around her right now."

Jin An paused slightly, then looked up at the emperor with a hint of expectation and inquiry in his eyes: "Father, has the Imperial Guard investigated whether Mingyue has any connection to the arson case?"

When the emperor heard this, he did not answer immediately, but just turned his eyes slightly.

Seeing that his father didn't say anything, Jin'an felt a little uneasy, but he mustered up the courage and continued, "Father, Mingyue grew up with Concubine Cen since childhood, and they have a deep relationship. As long as Mingyue doesn't return safely, Concubine Cen will be restless and will be very worried. If Mingyue is sent back to her, I think Concubine Cen will feel relieved, and her mind will be relaxed, and she will be able to organize the New Year banquet more easily. In this way, you can devote more energy to dealing with the complicated affairs of the various palaces." Jin'an explained his thoughts clearly, and every word was well thought out.