Jia Li left her mother's manor after having arguments with her grandmother and aunts. All of them were together. She never thought a day would come when she had to fight with her cousins. Wangjie was a nice person in her eyes until she experienced the death of not only her but her both parents.
"Your Royal Highness, it is not good to speak before Grand Empress Dowager. She may try to use it against the Crown Princess," Court Lady Xuan worriedly said.
"I do not want to stay silent anymore," Jia Li affirmed.
"But that can put the Crown Princess in danger," Court Lady Xuan concernedly said.
"I was always in danger," Jia Li replied and stopped by the pillar. The decorations on the palace ground had started and it worried her. 'I hope Chen Xin catches the person, who will mix poison in my father's meals,' she thought.
Court Lady Xuan had watched Jia Li growing up closely. Since a young age, Jia Li had a keen interest in politics, governance, and listening to people's complaints. She was also aware of how weak her position was just because she was a woman. Her humbleness and kindness was the reason many liked her, but because she was a woman, many disliked her seeing as the Crown Princess.
When others went to play, she went to study. It used to be vigorous. Seating for more than eight hours in front of her teachers was not easy for her. However, Jia Li did that. Her mind was sharper than all the four royal princes. But one thing Jia Li could not learn was swordfight, archery, and horse riding, the basic skills that the majority of the men in the Empire knew.
Jia Li felt weak when the general and the soldiers were chasing her, which clarified one thing— the military was not loyal to the Emperor. The moment the arrow hit her chest, she felt the immense pain of being good to everyone around her. The Chief General was her biggest target and she wanted to strip him off that position. However, that was the most difficult task for her.
"Your Royal Highness, it would be good if you find a man, who will support you and love you with all his heart," Court Lady Xuan stated.
"Is there any such man?" Jia Li questioned her.
"Indeed, there are. The Crown Princess has to take out time to explore such a man," Court Lady Xuan advised her.
Jia Li smiled and did not respond to her. She had no time to find a man for her. She needed time to train herself. She could not either tell Chen Xin about it because he was loyal to her mother and would inform her immediately even if she would request him. She already had a place in her mind where she could train in peace. It was the abandoned temple in the forest, which fell direct behind the imperial palace.
"I heard the Prime Minister's son is the top bachelor in the Empire. He is considered the number one choice among the women who see him as their future husband," Court Lady Xuan recommended Jia Li since she herself was not ready to look for a man, which suited her personality. Also, Court Lady Xuan knew that the Crown Princess would reject the proposal sent by the Grand Empress Dowager.
"Who is number two?" Jia Li asked her and narrowly gazed at the Court Lady.
"I do not know about number two," Court Lady Xuan answered.
"I desire a man who will be like my father," Jia Li stated. "Father never stopped me from doing anything in life. She never reminds me that I am a woman and I should stay in the inner walls of the chamber. I want a man who will be the same. However, it is tough to find such a man," she asserted.
Court Lady Xuan agreed with Jia Li. Men wanted women to serve them all their lives. To have many kids and become a virtuous wife. Jia Li definitely did not wish for such a life.
"Greetings to the Crown Princess," a familiar voice reached Jia Li's ears and she turned her head to look.
Lee Shimin was standing in front of her. For a second, Jia Li thought of pushing off that tower. She could not stand that face and curled her fingers into a fist.
"I heard Her Royal Highness take back the scroll from the Prime Minister. May I know why?" Lee Shimin inquired.
"Shouldn't the Chief General be focused on his work? Since when did the military start getting involved in palace affairs?" Jia Li questioned him.
Lee Shimin noticed the sudden change in the Crown Princess's tone.
"Why does the Chief General need that scroll?" Jia Li then asked.
"I wanted to check the decree, which the Crown Princess has written on it," Lee Shimin replied.
"I felt like making a correction there, so I took it back before the Prime Minister could make it official," Jia Li answered. She was foolish to write about a policy from her perspective, which became the main reason to make everyone believe that she used the Emperor's trust and independently declared herself as the next Empress after the Emperor was poisoned. However, in her second life, she already rectified her mistake.
With this, she also got sure that Lee Shimin was one among them who planned to poison the King. She was not sure about it because there was someone above Lee Shimin, who had already bought him.
Lee Shimin bowed and left Jia Li's sight.
"Court Lady Xuan, how many generations of the Lee Family have served the previous Tang Emperors?" Jia Li queried.
"Five generations, Your Royal Highness," Court Lady Xuan replied. "However, General Lee Shimin's eldest son is useless. I do not think he will walk in the footsteps of his father and his forefathers," she asserted.
"What does the Court Lady mean?" Jia Li asked out of curiosity.
"His eldest son has failed the civil services thrice and also refused to join the military. It is the first time in history that a general got a useless son. The rumors are that his eldest son does some immoral things," Court Lady Xuan explained and showed her disgust toward Lee Shimin's son.
"What about the other two?" Jia Li inquired.
"One works in the office of the governor and the other has passed the military exam already. The eldest one is useless only," Court Lady Xuan replied. She didn't leave the ground to humiliate the eldest one while she praised the other two.
"I don't think anyone is useless in this world. Perhaps, his eldest son has some hidden talents," Jia Li stated and asked Court Lady Xuan not to believe in rumors.