The princess regretted it.

Chapter 386 Beating

As Changsun Wuwang spoke, his thoughts raced. "At the time, I was simply thinking that this peace negotiation, which concerns the peace of our dynasty's borders for years to come, is of great significance and must be handled with caution. I thought that since Second Brother is the oldest of the princes, if he were to be in charge of the reception, it would demonstrate our dynasty's importance to the peace negotiations. He is a generous person, and would surely make the Yu Kingdom envoys feel our dynasty's sincerity. This would also be an opportunity for Second Brother to train, and also help relieve the emperor's worries. This was my original intention, and I have absolutely no intention of usurping power or seeking personal gain. I hope your majesty will understand."

"Third brother," Jin An said softly, his voice filled with just the right amount of doubt, "You're wholeheartedly devoted to the court and second brother, and you mean well! Besides, the Yu Kingdom envoy's visit to the capital isn't a confidential matter, so why would you inquire about it?"

The emperor's eyes flickered upon hearing this, like a streak of cold light streaking across a icy pond. He sat upright on the dragon throne, his posture erect, his expression profound and unfathomable, making it difficult to discern his inner thoughts.

Zhangsun Wuwang secretly resented Jin An, and secretly exerted force with his fingers, but he had to maintain a respectful expression on his face and whispered, "My sister is right, and it is my brother who is wrong."

Jin An didn't say anything more, just curled the corners of his mouth slightly.

The Second Prince finally realized, belatedly, that he shouldn't have mentioned the Yu Kingdom envoy. His brow furrowed slightly, a flicker of suspicion in his eyes as he slowly turned to Changsun Wuwang. He recalled how his Third Brother had been deliberately or unintentionally guiding him to bring up this matter before arriving at the Health Preservation Palace. Could it be that from the very beginning, his Third Brother had been setting a trap for him, waiting for him to fall into it?

The Second Prince felt a chill in his heart at the thought, but he simply didn't want to believe that his third brother, who was usually so close to him, would plot against him. Although he was simple, he wasn't completely clueless. Now wasn't the time to question him, and he had brought up the topic himself.

So, he also knelt on the ground with a plop and said, "Father, this is all my fault. My third brother was just offering good advice, and he didn't mean to do it. This is all due to my stupidity and lack of consideration. Please punish me, Father, and don't blame my third brother."

The emperor tapped his fingers lightly on the armrests of the throne, his gaze darting back and forth between his three children. After a long pause, he suddenly chuckled, "Third child, you're quite considerate of your second brother."

Zhang Sun Wuwang lowered his head very low, not daring to look up, "Your son, your son is just..."

"Alright!" The emperor interrupted him with a wave of his hand. "I understand what you mean." Then he turned to Changsun Yunji and asked, "Do you know about the second and third brothers' recommendations? What do you think?"

Changsun Yunji's expression shifted wildly. Although he was straightforward, he was not dull. His third brother's words, ostensibly a plea for him, were actually...

"Your Majesty," he clasped his fists in salute, his voice a little tense, "I, your son, know that I am not talented enough to take on this important task. Receiving envoys is a matter of great importance to the diplomatic relations between our two countries, so it should be presided over by a more experienced minister."

The emperor remained silent, leaning against the side of the dragon throne. He gazed into the thoughtful eyes of the Second and Third Princes, a look as if a deep, unfathomable undercurrent was surging. The atmosphere in the hall was momentarily stagnant, with only the occasional crackling of the candlelight emitting a faint sound.

The two people kneeling below were breathing very softly, feeling the gazes falling on them like steel needles piercing their bodies.

"Alright, I'll take care of this matter. You don't have to worry about it." Just as they were feeling uneasy and unsure what to do, the emperor's deep voice slowly rang out, "Get up and go back. Second son, have you paid your respects to your mother, Concubine Cen? You must know that you are now succeeded by Concubine Cen, so you must observe filial piety."

After saying this, he turned to Changsun Wuwang and said, "Third Brother, it's freezing cold out here, don't run around for nothing. In your spare time, you might as well study more classics, history, and miscellaneous works to consolidate your knowledge and improve your character."

"Thank you for your teachings, Your Majesty! I will keep them in mind." The two of them kowtowed in unison to express their gratitude.

After they left the hall, the emperor turned his gaze to Jin An, who was standing beside him. "Jin An, what do you think?"

"Your Majesty asks this of your son?" Jin An pursed his lips in thought. "Your Majesty is very perceptive and I believe he has made his own decision. I just feel..."

Having said this, she paused for a moment, as if choosing her words, "The real intention of what the Third Brother said later..." Having said this, she suddenly stopped, pursed her lips and looked at the emperor, a hint of hesitation flashing in her eyes. Her eyes clearly revealed the dilemma of wanting to say something but being afraid of crossing the rules and not daring to speak rashly.

"What's the matter?" The emperor raised his eyebrows. Although his voice was as calm as ever, a hint of inquiry flashed in his eyes. "Just tell me! Father is not angry."

"I think Third Brother himself wants to take over the reception of the Yu Kingdom envoys." Jin An blinked. "But he might be worried that the court officials will compare him with Second Brother. After all, Second Brother is older, and the Zhang family's influence in the court cannot be underestimated. He probably knows he has no chance of winning. So he wants to use Second Brother to come forward, and he can assist and offer advice. This way, he can show his brotherly friendship with Second Brother and naturally participate in the peace talks."

"As for those words he said later about thinking about the second emperor's consideration, I have a feeling that he was just trying to cover up for himself." Jin An frowned, as if thinking, "From the second emperor's reaction earlier, I knew that before coming here, the third emperor should have discussed it with the second emperor, and the second emperor was going to propose it to father. I just don't know why the second emperor didn't mention it at the beginning." Jin An finished speaking slowly, looking at his father with bright eyes.

The emperor listened but didn't respond immediately. Instead, he lapsed into a brief silence. He knitted his brows, his fingers tapping the armrests with a rhythmic "tap-tap" sound. After a moment, he nodded slightly, a flicker of admiration in his eyes. "Jin'an, you're quite insightful."

"Father, you said you weren't angry, so I made this bold guess. But it may not be true. Maybe the third brother really wants to help the second brother." Jin An had a faint smile on her lips and spoke in a gentle tone.

.......

After the Second Prince and the Third Prince left the Health Hall and left the sight of the Health Hall with their respective attendants, the Second Prince's eldest grandson Yunji suddenly stopped, turned around and signaled his attendants to leave, and then looked dimly at the Third Prince who was following behind him.

The Third Prince had been watching the Second Prince's reaction since he came out, and seeing this, he also stopped. He gave Xiao Xizi a look, and Xiao Xizi understood and followed the Second Prince's attendant to the side, with his back to the two princes, to guard their surroundings.

"Third brother, tell me the truth. What exactly is your intention in having me come here today to talk to father about the envoy from the State of Yu?" The second prince secretly clenched his fists in his wide sleeves, staring at the third prince with his eyes, scrutinizing and questioning.