The princess regretted it.

Chapter 305: The Wily Old Master

Zhang Chengde had been a minister for many years and possessed profound experience and a quick mind. He understood his father's intentions and hurriedly explained to Zhang Hengrui, "Rui'er, you're wrong. If the emperor heard this, he would undoubtedly become suspicious and suspect someone else of being behind Yundou! This clearly shows someone deliberately framing us."

"But Yundou was chosen from our Zhang family. The emperor must know that she is from our Zhang family!" Zhang Hengrui frowned, full of confusion, "There is no way the emperor can hide this from his eyes."

"So what?" The old Grand Tutor glanced at him coldly, his tone piercing his bones. "In this deep palace, the interests are intertwined and complicated. Who can guarantee that she won't be bribed? Or betray her master for personal gain? Even if she comes from the Zhang family, when it comes to life and death, people's hearts are unpredictable."

"Won't the emperor investigate further?" Zhang Hengrui still felt that this plan was full of loopholes and asked worriedly.

"Humph, I want the emperor to investigate!" The old tutor raised his voice again and said coldly, with a certainty and expectation in his tone.

"Huh? Why?" Zhang Hengrui was completely confused. He felt that his brain could not keep up with his grandfather's thinking at all. It was like a tangled mess and he couldn't make any sense of it.

"Have you forgotten that after your sister was imprisoned, didn't you activate Yundou and arrange for her to try to find out some information about the Third Prince, and let her have secret contact with the Third Prince's servant Xiao Xizi? Now, we have to let the Emperor investigate it himself. In this way, he will definitely find out such a complicated relationship. Only when the Emperor finds out the result himself, he will be convinced that Yun Ji was framed." When the old Grand Tutor said this, he shook his head slightly, his face full of fatigue, and he secretly sighed why this grandson was so stupid.

"Oh! Grandson, I understand." Zhang Hengrui pondered for a moment, finally realizing. It turned out that Xiao Xizi, the servant who had previously arranged for Yundou to approach the Third Prince, had secretly developed feelings for her. She was completely captivated, constantly seeking to show her affection, even boldly suggesting a sexual relationship with her. If the Emperor followed these leads and uncovered these hidden secrets, he would likely suspect the Third Prince of orchestrating all of this. This, in turn, might alleviate the Emperor's suspicions and mistrust of the Zhang family.

After figuring this out, the nervous expression on Zhang Hengrui's face subsided a lot. He straightened his clothes, bowed respectfully to his grandfather and father, and then hurriedly left the study.

After Zhang Hengrui left, the old Grand Tutor tilted his head back slightly, closed his eyes, and pondered for a moment, as if trying to sort out the complex situation in his mind. After a moment, he turned his head, cast his gaze at Zhang Chengde, and whispered, "Have they replied?" There was a subtle hint of anxiety in his voice.

Zhang Chengde shook his head lightly, his face full of helplessness and worry: "Not yet."

Upon hearing this, the old Grand Tutor's brow furrowed, deep wrinkles etched across his forehead like ravines. He fell into deep thought again. After a long pause, he spoke slowly, his tone solemn and resolute: "Wait two more days. If there's still no response, then we'll have to clean up all the correspondence and leave no loopholes. As for the female relatives, we must remember to make proper arrangements and avoid any mistakes."

Zhang Chengde couldn't help but understand the profound meaning of his father's words. If there was no response, it would mean that all their strongholds would be exposed and destroyed, and Zhenyuan—his only legitimate grandson, who held such high hopes—would then be left alone to bear the infamy and consequences. At this thought, his face instantly turned pale as paper, drained of all color. That was the child he'd cherished and held the highest hopes for, and now he faced such a desperate situation. The thought of potentially losing him to him pierced Zhang Chengde's heart, a wrenching pain. Yet, he also knew his father's actions were forced upon him, a desperate effort to preserve the Zhang family and secure a glimmer of hope amidst this turbulent situation.

In stark contrast to the depressing and gloomy atmosphere in Zhang's Mansion, since Mu En returned safely, the Prime Minister's Mansion seemed to be illuminated by the warm spring sun. The faces of the servants were all filled with joy and pride, and their spirits were as high as triumphant soldiers.

At the Prime Minister's residence, his wife, Mrs. Xue, and daughter-in-law, Zhong Wenqing, had received instructions from Prime Minister Mu that now that the Emperor's award had been received, a banquet must be held to celebrate. For years, this sort of thing had been Zhong Wenqing's responsibility, requiring her to simply arrange it.

But seeing her son and grandson return safely after surviving such hardships and becoming so successful, Mrs. Xue was so overjoyed that she felt as if she had eaten candied fruit. She seemed ten years younger and her spirits were incredibly high. She also felt sorry for her daughter-in-law, who had been running the prime minister's residence alone for so many years. Seeing that the couple had finally reunited, she spontaneously offered to help her daughter-in-law organize the banquet so that she could spend more time with her son and share this rare joy of reunion.

Zhong Wenqing was deeply moved by her mother-in-law's thoughtful gesture. Ever since she married Mu En, her mother-in-law, Mrs. Xue, had always treated her with unwavering care, tolerance, and love. She had never been subject to the tedious morning and evening visits typical of the inner court. Instead, she treated her like her own daughter, nurturing her like her own. This bond, in this complex and complex inner courtyard, was especially precious and deeply warmed Zhong Wenqing's heart.

Now that her husband had returned from military service, the palace boasted not only learned and resourceful civil officials but also renowned military commanders, renowned for their military prowess and formidable influence. This truly complemented the strengths of both civil and military. Furthermore, Mu En had been granted a new title, a truly remarkable honor. Even Young Master Mu had been made a general. From now on, whenever he went out, others would have to respectfully address him as "General." He was no longer the unlearned and dissolute young man he once was. Zhong Wenqing felt her life was truly nearing completion, with only one remaining wish, and she wondered when it would be fulfilled.

Speaking of dandy, the rewards bestowed upon Mu Zixuan and Zhong Chuzhou for their achievements had caused quite a stir in the capital. They acted like a mirror, reflecting the unlearned and inactive nature of other wealthy young men, effectively causing most of the city's dandy to suffer the wrath of their own families.

Those family heads who usually doted on their children were now filled with anger and anxiety as they watched their unsuccessful grandchildren grow up. They cursed Prime Minister Mu and the old Duke for being old foxes, secretly nurturing two such outstanding descendants and deceiving everyone. Then they began to consider whether to send these unruly children to the military camp to give them a good training, so that they could be reborn and achieve something.

Each of these wealthy young men, subjected to the family discipline, felt a pang of grievance and bitterness. The pain from their injuries hadn't yet subsided, and upon hearing the thoughts of their elders, they couldn't help but secretly curse Mu Zixuan and Zhong Chuzhou, blaming them for being too dazzling, stealing the show, and causing them to suffer this unwarranted fate. Yet, at the same time, they couldn't help but feel a surge of envy towards these two men. After all, they were now successful and famous, becoming role models admired by everyone in the capital.

But they didn't know that the young General Mu whom they envied was in the same situation as them at the moment, lying on the bed with no chance to get out.