Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot

This was indeed beyond Gongsun Yanming's expectations.

Your Majesty and the Miao King fell into the dry well, and the Crown Prince Mansion was unjustly accused. The urgent task was to immediately send someone to the trap to search for them.

However, this did not happen.

Was it because after Lu Yuan and the others left, there was no one available around the Crown Prince?

No.

It should be known that Your Majesty had previously given several Imperial Guards to Lu Zhaoyan.

Then there is only one possibility: Lu Zhaoyan has ordered that no one is allowed to go and throw themselves into the trap.

To be able to make such a bold decision in such a critical moment, Lu Zhaoyan truly has nerves of steel.

If he and Lu Yuan were not mortal enemies, Lu Zhaoyan would indeed be the more suitable ruler to support.

Gongsun Yanming said solemnly, "Your Highness, I have no reason to do so. Lu Qi is my son-in-law. Why would I want to harm him?"

Prince Jin remained unmoved: "The son-in-law you set your sights on is the Guardian Qilin, isn't it? The incident of your daughter wanting to elope with Lu Yuan dishonoring the marriage on the wedding day—you think I, the prince, am unaware?"

Gongsun Yanming said gravely, "Your Highness, I am irreconcilable with Lu Yuan, and I have a blood feud with his wife, Meng Qianqian. He won't spare me, and I won't spare them either."

Prince Jin found it increasingly absurd: "Meng Qianqian is just a merchant's daughter, and you dare say you have a blood feud with her? State Preceptor, do you really think I am that easily fooled?"

Gongsun Yanming knew that further argument was futile.

He turned to Hu Lie, who had been watching from the sidelines: "Great General Hu, do you truly believe I have betrayed Prince Jin?"

He didn't say "also believe."

Prince Jin had never doubted his loyalty; the only person who could cause Prince Jin to harbor suspicion towards him was this uncle.

Hu Lie said nothing, merely scrutinizing him without any reservation.

Gongsun Yanming asked calmly, "I heard that Great General Hu broke into the Cold Palace tonight; I wonder for what purpose?"

Hu Lie narrowed his eyes and said coldly, "I captured the Eldest Princess's concubine and learned from him Qi'er's whereabouts. I rushed to the Cold Palace to rescue him but was a step too late."

He was explaining not to Gongsun Yanming but to Prince Jin.

Gongsun Yanming continued, "I wonder where that man is now?"

Hu Lie secretly clenched his strong fists: "He escaped."

Clearly, he had dispatched so many Hidden Guards to watch him, yet he let a pretty boy slip through his fingers.

It was utterly humiliating!

Once someone has emotions, they also have vulnerabilities.

Gongsun Yanming said sternly, "Great General Hu, have you not realized that ever since the Eldest Princess returned to the Imperial City, she has been toying with Your Highness, the Great General, and the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion like pawns, plunging us into complete passivity? If internal strife erupts now, we will only fall into her trap and face disintegration, betrayal, and isolation!"

Hu Lie suffered setbacks tonight and needed a release for his anger, so he directed it at Gongsun Yanming.

However, Gongsun Yanming's questions regarding the concubine successfully redirected his hatred to the Eldest Princess.

Ultimately, they found solidarity against a common enemy.

Hu Lie wasn't foolish; he could see through Gongsun Yanming's thoughts.

However, he had already calmed down.

And through his earlier observations, Gongsun Yanming hadn't lied.

At least for now, he had no reason to bear disloyalty towards Prince Jin.

Prince Rui was already dead, and though King Qi was alive, he likely no longer had the qualifications to compete for the throne.

That left only Prince Fu and Lu Zhaoyan.

If Prince Fu dared to conspire with him, Consort Jiang would have no hesitations about harming her own son.

Lu Zhaoyan was even more of an enemy.

After weighing the choices, Hu Lie decided to dispel his doubts about Gongsun Yanming.

"The matter with Gongsun Yu is likely also orchestrated by the Eldest Princess."

He said this with a furrowed brow and a sigh, "The State Preceptor is right; we mustn't fall for her schemes."

Prince Jin said to Gongsun Yanming, "Since Uncle speaks on your behalf, I shall believe you once more."

"Thank you for the grace, Prince Jin."

Gongsun Yanming cupped his hands and bowed.

Prince Jin said, "Since you are here, would you like to visit Liuying?"

Gongsun Yanming declined, "Liuying is at the mansion, with Your Highness and the Princess Consort taking care of him. I, as a father, need not worry."

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, he took his leave.

Upon returning to the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion, he sought out Elder You.

An hour later, he had someone send a box of nourishing elixirs to Gongsun Liuying.

In the days Lu Qi was away from the mansion, Gongsun Liuying lived quite comfortably.

If only Lu Qi never returned, how wonderful it would be.

The maid brought the elixirs inside, "Eldest Miss, these elixirs were sent by the Pavilion Master."

Gongsun Liuying's expression brightened, "Father still cares for me."

No matter how much discord there had been with her father before leaving the house, now there was only longing and dependence.

"Pour a glass of water."

She instructed.

"Yes, Eldest Miss."

The maid poured a glass of warm water for Gongsun Liuying but suddenly blacked out and collapsed to the ground.

Gongsun Liuying was shocked and looked up cautiously.

Only to see Meng Qianqian entering her room unhurriedly, closing the door behind her and securing the latch.

Her expression darkened, "It's you? You're really daring, to trespass the Jin Prince Mansion in broad daylight! Come—"

Meng Qianqian interrupted her, pointing at the brown pill between her slender fingers, "If I were you, I would throw away that elixir."

Gongsun Liuying frowned.

Meng Qianqian said nonchalantly, "Sterilization Medicine, very harmful to the body."

Gongsun Liuying said coldly, "What Sterilization Medicine? This is clearly the Blood Replenishing Pill my father sent!"

Meng Qianqian sighed, "It's precisely the Sterilization Medicine."

Gongsun Liuying said icily, "I am a doctor! How could I not tell the difference between a Blood Replenishing Pill and Sterilization Medicine?"

Meng Qianqian shook her head, reversed her hand to gather the brocade box with Inner Strength.

Then, she retrieved a pill with her hand wearing the silver thread gloves, and carefully crushed it on the table in front of Gongsun Liuying.

Hidden within a pile of deep brown powder was a small, pitch-black pill.

Meng Qianqian tutted, "Don't be fooled by its rice-grain size, it's extremely potent. Your father gave you an entire box, as if afraid you'd become a mother."

Seeing this, Gongsun Liuying wrapped her hand with a handkerchief and crushed the Blood Replenishing Pill in her hand.

At the sight of the black Sterilization Medicine, she felt as if she fell into an ice cellar.

"Impossible... Someone must have made a mistake..."

She crushed the remaining pills one by one.

When the last Sterilization Medicine appeared among the powdered remnants, she sat dazedly on the stool.

"Why... why is this happening... why would my father want to harm me?"

With reddened eyes, she glared fiercely at Meng Qianqian, "It's you! Isn't it you? If you can sneak into the Prince Mansion unnoticed, you can switch the medicine my father gave me!"

Meng Qianqian scoffed, "I have no such idle time. Let me tell you the truth, because of your elopement attempt, Prince Jin has grown suspicious of your father. Now, with Lu Qi trapped by your father's mechanism within the secret passage, if you were to become pregnant again, Prince Jin would definitely think that your father wants to support the child in your womb to become emperor and eliminate him and his father!"

"To protect himself, your father can only sacrifice you, his daughter."