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The Second Prince and the Empress had been whispering in the Emperor's ear recently, secretly instructing their followers to spread rumors about the Crown Prince in the court. They slandered him, claiming he was forming factions for personal gain and plotting rebellion. They even forged letters that appeared to show the Crown Prince in secret correspondence with ministers, presenting these as evidence to the Emperor.
The Emperor, who already favored the Second Prince, gradually grew dissatisfied with the Crown Prince amidst the incessant rumors and ministerial accusations. Thoughts of deposing the Crown Prince began to take root in his mind.
The Crown Prince's mother had passed away shortly after giving birth to him, and her family had faded from court influence under the Empress's suppression and the Emperor's tacit approval. As a result, the Crown Prince lacked support from his maternal family.
However, Crown Prince Xiao Tianming had always been cautious and prudent, committing no substantial errors, which caused considerable frustration for the Second Prince and the Empress.
Thus, they decided to take decisive action and frame the Crown Prince with charges of treason.
They arranged for several trusted generals from the border regions to forge secret letters implicating the Crown Prince in collusion with foreign enemies, claiming he intended to use external forces to seize the throne. Their goal was to ruin the Crown Prince's reputation completely, ensuring he would never rise again.
As these schemes progressed, the Crown Prince's influence faced severe blows.
Some ministers who had initially supported him began to waver, choosing instead to protect themselves by distancing from him. The atmosphere in the court became tense and fearful.
In the Chancellor's Residence, Lin Yue felt a surge of satisfaction at seeing the Crown Prince weakened. She intensified her persuasion efforts around her father, the Chancellor.
“Father, look at the current situation; it’s clear that the Crown Prince’s downfall is inevitable. The Second Prince has won the Emperor’s favor and has numerous ministers backing him. If we continue to hesitate, once the Crown Prince falls, our residence will surely be implicated.
It would be better for us to align with the Second Prince now; we could secure a promising future for our Chancellor's Residence,” Lin Yue urged passionately, her eyes gleaming with greed and urgency.
The Chancellor furrowed his brow, still feeling a twinge of hesitation in his heart. However, under the persistent persuasion of Lin Yue and the influence of the current situation, he gradually leaned towards supporting the Second Prince.
He knew well that this was a dangerous gamble, but the temptation of power and the encouragement from his precious daughter ultimately pushed him to take this step.
"Very well, very well, I will follow your words. But this matter is of great importance; you must not speak of it outside. We must proceed with utmost caution," he said with a heavy sigh, his expression serious as he addressed Lin Yue.
Unbeknownst to them, all their plans and secret discussions were being closely observed by Shen Qing.
Recently, Lin Yue's behavior had been strange, frequently entering and exiting the Chancellor's study, each time emerging with an air of mystery that caught Shen Qing's attention.
At first, Shen Qing dismissed it as just Lin Yue's usual ploys for favor and thought little of it.
However, as time passed, she noticed that the conversations between Lin Yue and the Chancellor seemed increasingly secretive, to the point where even the old steward of the household was deliberately sent away.
One night, unable to sleep due to her worries about the Crown Prince, Shen Qing decided to take a stroll in the garden.
In the hazy moonlight, she vaguely saw that the candlelight in the Chancellor's study was still burning and could hear low murmurs of conversation.
Driven by curiosity and concern for the Crown Prince, Shen Qing quietly approached the study and peered through a crack in the window.
She saw the Chancellor and Lin Yue conspiring about something, mentioning words like "Second Prince," "Crown Prince," and "when the time is right." These phrases struck Shen Qing like thunderclaps in her heart.
Shen Qing was filled with anxiety. She knew all too well the dangerous situation the Crown Prince was in; if measures were not taken promptly, he would surely fall into an irretrievable abyss.
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