Meanwhile, an investigation report arrived at Ji Yu's hands.
Ji Yu carefully unfolded the report regarding Gu Shengyin.
"So her name is Jiang Lingzhen, the daughter of Aunt Wencheng." Ji Yu murmured to himself, quietly repeating her name a few times.
Ever since his exile to Qianlong Temple, most members of the imperial family had been eager to avoid him. Wencheng, however, was one of the few who had shown him genuine concern, a kindness he hadn't forgotten.
"Hm?" Ji Yu's gaze fell on a particular line in the report.
"Engaged to the Crown Prince since childhood?" He couldn't help but recall the woman he had recently conversed with in the bamboo forest. The thought of her being given to Ji Ye, that undeserving man, seemed like such a waste.
However, Ji Yu had already made up his mind. This engagement was destined to be annulled.
He set the first report aside and picked up another, this time concerning Jiang Yunshan.
"A younger sister attempting to seduce her elder sister's fiancé?" Ji Yu's hand clenched as he read further, the paper crumpling under his grip.
"So, Jiang Yunshan wishes to climb into my brother's bed?" A sly smile spread across Ji Yu's lips. "I suppose I can assist her… in my own way."
Facing a discreet area of the room, Ji Yu clapped his hands, and a shadowy figure appeared, kneeling before him.
"I have a task for you…"
While Ji Yu set his plan into motion, Wencheng had already returned to the Great General's residence.
"Such a disgraceful incident?" The general was both shocked and furious. Jiang Yunshan, the subject of their conversation, had left little impression on him over the years. The product of a deceitful night when a concubine had taken advantage of his inebriation, she had never truly been a part of his heart.
"This rebellious girl! I will personally administer the family punishment!" The general's voice thundered through the room.
"Wait," Wencheng interrupted her husband's tirade. "Disciplining Yunshan is a minor issue. Our most pressing concern is canceling ah-Zhen's engagement with the Crown Prince. She's nearly of marriageable age, and if the Empress issues an imperial decree to formalize the match, it will be too late to act. I will not allow ah-Zhen to marry someone who has been entangled with her own younger sister."
"You're absolutely right." The general forced himself to calm down, his wife's logic prevailing over his anger.
The couple began to deliberate on how best to present their case to the Imperial family. However, before they could finalize a plan, an imperial summons arrived.
Before the throne, Wencheng and the general bowed deeply to the Emperor.
"Long live His Majesty!" they greeted in unison.
"You may rise." The Emperor's voice was steady, though his expression revealed a trace of discomfort.
The Emperor looked at his sister, Wencheng, for a moment before speaking. "The Empress and I have been experiencing recurring dreams."
Wencheng and the general exchanged a glance. What could this possibly mean?
The Emperor continued, "In our dreams, the Sun falls from the East and enters the Eastern Palace."
The Eastern Palace, the general immediately thought, was the residence of the Crown Prince. He stepped forward and said, "Congratulations, Your Majesty. This is surely an auspicious sign."
But the Emperor's next words made their hearts drop. "Yet shortly after, the Moon descends as well and remains in the palace."
Wencheng's mind raced. What could this mean? If the Sun was the Crown Prince, then who could the Moon represent?
Her thoughts stopped at the only possibility: ah-Zhen.
Cold sweat formed on her back. In an era steeped in superstition and spiritual symbolism, omens such as these carried immense weight. If ah-Zhen was deemed to bring such a celestial sign, there would be no way to annul her engagement to the Crown Prince, no matter what they might desire.
The couple exchanged another anxious glance, realizing that their plans were quickly spiraling out of their control.
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