Looking at the man who suddenly appeared before her, An Ning was montarily stunned, then quickly perford a slight bow:
"I wonder what important matter Lord Jing Guo has in stopping this humble girl?"
As she spoke, the nurous servants who had been on the small path monts before quickly vanished without a trace. Noticing this, An Ning couldn't help but frown, her expression puzzled as she looked at the visitor.
Dispensing with excessive pleasantries, after a mont of silence, the person before her soon spoke:
"Ahem... It was improper of to disturb you so abruptly, young lady. But... Fifth Young Lady, are you aware of the true condition of that Heir of the Duke of Wei?"
Before An Ning could answer, he eagerly continued:
"Miss Zhou, just a few days ago, I specifically inquired with Physician Zhang, who frequently visits the Duke's household. The Young Master Wei has been frail since childhood; not only is his constitution detrintal to his longevity, but Physician Zhang also explicitly stated that he will face considerable difficulties in producing heirs in the future..."
As he spoke further, as if finding the topic sowhat difficult to broach, or perhaps due to other reasons, a trace of gloominess unconsciously appeared in this young master's eyes.
An Ning: "..."
Well, yes, that is indeed the truth, but hearing it co from *his* mouth feels so... inexplicably strange?
Seriously, with *your* own physical condition, is it really appropriate to co here and gossip about soone else? What is this, the pot calling the kettle black?
Staring directly into the seemingly quite sincere gaze of the person before her, the corner of An Ning's mouth twitched involuntarily, though her expression remained unchanged. She took a slight step back before speaking calmly:
"Thank you for the reminder, Young Master Xie!"
Xie Huai, the sole son of the Grand Princess and the previous Lord Jing Guo. Due to that layer of connection with her cheap father, invitations from the Grand Princess's Residence would occasionally include a copy for them. Therefore, An Ning wasn't entirely unfamiliar with the person before her.
Of course, in her view, he was rely a kept man. The Grand Princess herself likely didn't pay him much special attention; it was probably just a gesture of courtesy and completeness from her subordinates.
However, to have been noticed by the Grand Princess and married into her family, the previous Lord Jing Guo must have possessed remarkable looks. This could be seen, at least to so extent, in the strikingly handso features of the current Young Master Xie, which even his three parts of pallor couldn't conceal.
Staring directly at his face, which was clearly etched with nervousness.
An Ning was no fool. If she didn't understand his implication now, all these years would have been for nothing. She wasn't particularly flustered either, instead quietly waiting for him to speak.
Sure enough, the next mont, she heard him say anxiously:
"The Young Master Wei's condition is like this. If Fifth Young Lady is unwilling, I... I will naturally help diate. As for the Changping Earl's Manor, you need not worry either..."
So he thought she was forced to agree due to family pressure? One has to admit, this gentleman is quite the imaginative one.
What a pity...
"How does Young Master Xie know this humble girl is unwilling?"
Casually plucking a fallen petal from her shoulder, An Ning's tone was noticeably light and casual.
Her words clearly stunned the person opposite for a mont:
"Fifth Young Lady... doesn't mind?"
Mind what? His frail health, its detrint to longevity, or the difficulty in producing heirs?
eting his dazed gaze, after a mont, An Ning couldn't help but laugh. It was like a red lotus blooming, misty and fragrant:
"Young Master Xie, for soone like , is there anything in this world that is absolutely perfect? And even if such a thing existed, it certainly wouldn't fall into my hands, would it?"
The height of sumr had passed. In the courtyard, crabapple flower petals and leaves occasionally rustled as they fell. The originally lush branches had long beco bare and empty.
Yet this scene, which should have carried a hint of desolation, felt inexplicably bright and vivid at this mont, as if withered plants had been instantly reinfused with vitality.
Even after that figure had completely disappeared from sight, Xie Huai remained standing motionless in place, still dazed.
"Young Master? Young Master? Her Highness the Princess has ordered this servant to summon you."
***
After leaving the waterside pavilion and returning to the banquet, An Ning's expression remained as usual. To Third Sister's inquiry beside her, she rely said she had felt slightly unwell, which was why she was delayed.
However, within her spiritual sea, the system was clearly anxious:
"Ahhh, host, aren't you worried? With a troublemaker suddenly appearing, won't your previously perfect, leisurely retirent plan be ruined!"
"What's there to fear? You said it yourself, it's retirent. Is there any difference where I do it?" This one is even more handso!
Casually swirling the clear tea in her hand, An Ning was clearly unconcerned. What truly caught her attention was another matter:
"System, if I didn't see wrongly just now, the weak constitution of this Young Master Xie doesn't seem congenital. Instead, it looks more like aftereffects left by so kind of poison, doesn't it?"
It was only autumn now, and it was still afternoon, yet he was already wearing a thick, fur-lined fox cloak.
Considering a certain system's frequent habit of eavesdropping on gossip everywhere, after a mont of contemplation, An Ning soon spoke to confirm:
"It's a cold poison, isn't it?" And a rather potent one at that.
The system imdiately nodded, then soon said mysteriously, "Hehe, host, your guess is correct. And host, do you know who administered this poison?"
The system wore an expression that said, 'I know everything, this is shocking gossip, host, hurry up and ask.' It seed convinced she absolutely couldn't guess who it was.
Unfortunately, the next second, it heard its host say:
"It was the Late Emperor, wasn't it?"
The system: "..."
The system: "!!!"
"You... how do you know?"
"So it is indeed him."
Shooting it an amused glance, An Ning continued to toy with the teacup in her hand:
"Is there any need to guess? To successfully bypass the Grand Princess's vigilance and target her only son, and having the motive to do so, the candidates are limited to just those few sitting on the dragon throne."
"Seeing that the current emperor is still alive and well, the only possible candidate is undoubtedly the Late Emperor."
"But... but don't you find that utterly shaless?"
An emperor, targeting his own grandson, and with such a sinister, ruthless thod—isn't that terrifying?
Why does my host not seem the least bit surprised!
Holding its own dog-like head, the system was uncharacteristically frantic.
"Shaless? Yes, it is indeed extrely shaless. But one has to admit, this move... was indeed very effective, wasn't it?"
Savoring the slightly astringent tea in her mouth, An Ning's tone turned cool.
The Grand Princess, the first child to survive after several consecutive infant deaths for the Late Emperor.
Only two years older than the current emperor, yet her political acun and physical prowess far surpassed his by several tis. Most importantly, as the key figure who successfully reversed the precarious situation at the border, she held considerable military authority. Not to ntion her prestige in the army, the number of generals who owed her favors was countless.
She also had no shortage of private soldiers in her residence.
For such an iron-willed political figure, bearing royal blood and natural nobility, was it that she didn't want to ascend the throne?
The answer is, she couldn't.
Apart from her gender, the crucial issue was actually the lack of a successor. As long as she couldn't ensure the throne's inheritance for another generation, she could never truly set her followers' minds at ease.
Forget about adopting from the imperial clan after ascending the throne.
In this era that emphasizes bloodline, biological children represent not just emotional bonds and legitimacy, but also the true, effective transfer of political resources.
To put it bluntly, even if one's own children ascend, they might still carry out extensive purges of old ministers and overturn various policies from the previous emperor's reign. How much more so for an adopted heir who has biological parents, especially when the preceding ruler seized power through ard force and was a female emperor?
One could say the disadvantages were stacked to the maximum.
In such a situation, how many would be willing to take the risk? Aren't they afraid the successor might later initiate a 'correction of errors'?
Even the Grand Princess herself had to consider the fate of her son and these followers after her death, should she truly take the risk and ascend.
One could say that if only her descendant was healthy and sound, even if it was a sowhat intelligent daughter, given the Grand Princess's decisive and ruthless nature displayed on the battlefield, she would never have retreated this step.
"So, although the Late Emperor was sowhat incompetent, he wasn't exactly foolish either, was he?"
Rubbing the teacup in her hand, An Ning couldn't help but smile.
"In such a scenario, even if the Grand Princess truly seized power recklessly and ascended the throne, the ultimate ownership of that throne would still remain within 'the Shangguan family,' among his own descendants."
Royal family mbers... sigh!
The system couldn't help but let out a long, drawn-out sigh.
An Ning: "..."
After so many lifetis, the system still hasn't gotten used to how royalty, or those in high positions, generally are, has it?
This mory of yours, tsk!
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