Nangong Qi stared at Jiang Mingzhu's calm face, unable to discern her emotions. He assumed this was another tactic of hers to manipulate him, and irritation boiled in his heart.
"Fine! Since Mother has spoken, I will handle this matter myself. But I hope Mother won't secretly obstruct or harm Wanwan again. Otherwise, don't blame me for turning against you!"
After saying this, Nangong Qi stormed out. Even with Jiang Mingzhu's now tempered personality, she couldn't help but feel a surge of anger.
Fangruo looked at her mistress with a heart full of pity. "The prince has truly crossed the line. Is it really worth all this over a commoner woman?"
"In his heart, this so-called mother of his isn't even worth a finger of his beloved. Very well then, I shall grant his wish. Let's see if they can truly live a lifetime of wedded bliss."
She knew her son all too well. In her previous life, she had meticulously prepared everything for him, giving him honors no other prince could dream of. If all of that were stripped away, she wanted to see if his determination to marry Xie Wan would hold strong.
"Master, the prince is young and ignorant. You can't truly wash your hands of this. That Xie Wan—she's not even worthy of being a concubine, let alone the prince's official wife."
Fangruo, too, looked down on Xie Wan. A woman of such humble origins had no place standing beside a prince.
"Fangruo, didn't you tell me before to let go? This time, I mean it. Otherwise, did you see the way he behaved just now? He truly sees me as his enemy now."
Fangruo sighed and said no more. Even as a servant, she found the prince's behavior chilling.
At Qianqing Palace
"Your Majesty, this is the information we've uncovered. All evidence points to Her Majesty, the Empress Dowager."
Lin Xian placed a report on Nangong Qing's desk.
Nangong Qing's face darkened as he reviewed the documents, his eyes growing colder with each passing moment.
"It seems there are forces within this palace with the ability to manipulate everything behind the scenes, even keeping it hidden from me."
Had it not been for the rarity of the Heart-Saving Pill, Nangong Qing might have believed the investigation's findings.
The Empress Dowager had regarded him as an eyesore for years, sparing no effort in her attempts to harm him. Assassination, poisoning—her methods had always been ruthless and direct. But this time, Nangong Qing was certain the attempt on the Crown Prince's life hadn't come from her. The Empress Dowager wasn't foolish enough to act so openly.
"Your Majesty, the Crown Prince went to the imperial garden at the Empress Dowager's suggestion. Those who targeted him also came from her palace. If we are to dig further, we'll need Her Majesty's approval."
To continue the investigation, Lin Xian would need to interrogate people directly connected to the Empress Dowager. But given her personality, getting permission was nearly impossible.
"Then I will go to Cining Palace myself."
A hidden force within the palace capable of endangering his son was unacceptable. The Crown Prince had almost died. For Nangong Qing, this was a greater threat than anything the Empress Dowager had ever posed.
At Cining Palace, Jiang Mingzhu received Nangong Qing with the same detached demeanor as always.
"Your son greets Mother. How is your health?"
"Quite well. Why has the Emperor come? Have you discovered who was behind the attempt on the Crown Prince?"
Jiang Mingzhu's disdain for Nangong Qing had always been evident. He rarely visited unless compelled by formalities.
"My men have uncovered many leads, but all of them point to Mother. I know this was not your doing, but to pursue the investigation further, I need your cooperation."
Nangong Qing, having long been familiar with her temper, wasted no time in stating his purpose.
Jiang Mingzhu wasn't surprised by the results of his investigation. In her previous life, the Emperor and Empress had gone to great lengths to bring her down, so she was sure they had conducted thorough investigations.
She didn't doubt Nangong Qing's intelligence. He wouldn't make hasty decisions, especially regarding the Crown Prince. The mastermind behind this had hidden themselves too well, even managing to disguise their actions under her name.
"Tell me, who are the suspects?"
Jiang Mingzhu's expression was cold and unyielding, her ruthless nature evident. Everyone knew the Empress Dowager was a merciless figure, feared across the land. And no one understood this better than Nangong Qing.
He handed her the list. Jiang Mingzhu glanced over it.
Among the names, four were from her own Cining Palace, and two were from the household of Princess Anle, her beloved daughter.
"Yiqing, take this list and work with Lin Xian to arrest everyone named here. If anyone dares resist, bring them directly to me."
After issuing her orders, Jiang Mingzhu turned her gaze to Nangong Qing.
"Emperor, I will hand over these people, but I have one condition. Yiqing must remain involved in the investigation. Any findings must be shared with me, without exception. Similarly, I will share whatever I uncover with you."
Her words made it clear: she didn't trust Nangong Qing. It wasn't that she doubted his resolve to protect the Crown Prince, but rather that palace intrigues often led to concealed truths.
This wasn't a baseless suspicion; it was an inevitability.
If Nangong Qing couldn't agree to her terms, she would investigate on her own. The only reason she was willing to cooperate was to show goodwill and possibly mend their strained relationship.
Nangong Qing had anticipated a much fiercer negotiation. The simplicity of her condition surprised him.
"Very well. I promise that no information regarding this matter will be withheld from you."
Jiang Mingzhu wasn't surprised by his agreement. She nodded at Yiqing, who handed over their findings to Nangong Qing.
"Our investigation has uncovered more than yours. I've suspected for some time that another force was operating within the palace, but their actions were so subtle that I dismissed them as coincidences. This recent attack on the Crown Prince has confirmed my suspicions."
While Jiang Mingzhu had her guesses about who was behind it all, she needed evidence to be sure.
The following day, the Crown Prince awoke. The Empress brought him to Cining Palace to express their gratitude to Jiang Mingzhu.
Jiang Mingzhu sat at the head of the hall, watching as the Empress solemnly led the young prince to kneel before her in gratitude. She accepted the gesture without hesitation.
"It was wrong of me before, Mother, to doubt you and behave so offensively. I've come today to ask for your forgiveness and to accept whatever punishment you deem fit."
This time, the Empress's apology and gratitude were sincere.
When she had given birth to the Crown Prince, the process had left her unable to bear more children. Her son was her everything.
Jiang Mingzhu idly toyed with her nail guard as she regarded the Empress with a cold gaze.
"Empress, I won't deny that I am ruthless and far from a good person. It's no surprise that you and the Emperor resent me. But let me make one thing clear—I have never laid a hand on the Crown Prince."