The Reborn Princess Has Turned Evil

Chapter 182 Discussion in the Study Room

"It's been two months since I last saw you, Uncle. How have you been?" Jing Anle stepped into the house, her voice ringing out.

Upon hearing the sound, the person inside immediately stopped writing and came out to greet them.

Qin Xu looked up and saw a beautiful young woman with eyebrows like emerald feathers, skin as white as snow, and a striking red lip. His gaze moved down and landed on the soft fur brocade cloak.

In just a moment, Qin Xu bowed and said, "The princess has arrived. Greetings, Your Highness!" But Jing Anle stopped him, saying, "Uncle, there's no need for such formalities."

The two exchanged a smile and then sat down to talk.

"I'm sure you've already heard about Prince Qing's matter," Jing Anle said bluntly.

Qin Xu nodded. "Although His Majesty did not announce the commotion that day, all the officials already knew about it." After he finished speaking, he turned to Jing Anle and said, "Now that His Majesty has taken away his military power, he probably won't be able to cause any trouble for the time being, which is a good thing for us. However, we don't know who is behind this."

"It seems His Majesty had this in mind all along." Qin Xu glanced at Jing Anle, his meaning clear.

“My uncle and I share the same idea. Now we need to plan carefully and find out who is behind this.”

"Princess, rest assured, I will do my utmost. Furthermore, since Qi Zhi entered Jing Kingdom, I have been conducting investigations and have not yet discovered any unusual activities."

Jing Anle looked at Qin Xu with deep emotion and said, "Thank you for your trust, Uncle."

In truth, Qin Xu himself hadn't expected that a general who had fought countless battles would actually believe a child. But he did believe him; Jing Anle's innate nobility and regal aura commanded respect without anyone noticing.

"The princess's wisdom and foresight are a blessing to the Jing Kingdom."

Jing Anle nodded and said, "But Qi Zhi didn't come from afar, not to study. I'm afraid he'll seize any opportunity to make a move." As she spoke, the image of Jing Rou appeared in her mind again.

"What the princess means is..."

"Now that Murong Peifeng is crippled, the Qi Kingdom will not accept a disabled monarch, and the Prince of Qing will not support him."

"Could it be that Prince Qing intends to cooperate with Qi Zhi?" Qin Xu pondered for a moment.

Qi Zhi's initial goal was to eliminate Murong Peifeng, as he didn't want anyone to compete with him for the throne. Now that Murong Peifeng is crippled, Prince Qing will naturally change his focus and keep an eye on Qi Zhi. As for the tool, it will naturally be Jing Rou.

Helping Prince Qing seize the throne, winning the heart of a beautiful woman, and having the Jing Kingdom as a ally—Qi Zhi certainly wouldn't refuse such a good deal.

"In short, I would appreciate it if you would continue to keep an eye on Prince Qing and Qi Zhi, just in case. Also... do you know Prince Su?"

Qin Xu suddenly stopped stroking his beard. "Prince Su?"

"Exactly."

A wise person always speaks with a single point that is immediately clear. Qin Xu said quietly, "How could I have forgotten that old scoundrel?"

If Prince Qing harbored rebellious intentions, Prince Su would naturally be implicated. Although he had long since retired, the years of planning and intricate connections behind him could not be easily severed.

“I understand what the princess means,” Qin Xu said.

"Thank you uncle."

At this point, Jing Anle hesitated for a moment, "but..."

Qin Xu knew that Jing Anle had something to say, and said warmly, "Princess, please speak your mind."

Jing Anle sighed and slowly said, "Uncle, do you know how...how my mother passed away?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, Jing Anle almost burst into tears.

Qin Xu was stunned, his body felt as if he had been struck by lightning, unable to move for a while before he recovered.

“Princess…” Qin Xu felt a little reluctant. This was the first time Jing Anle had asked about this matter in all these years.

Recalling that day, Qin Xu felt as if his body had been drained, and his voice became ethereal. "On that day, I accompanied His Majesty on the expedition. A Yin was alone in the palace. When we returned victorious, we were told that she had fallen ill and died suddenly."

“Sudden death…” Jing Anle muttered to himself, thinking: This Consort Yu is truly too vicious.

"Although Ayin is weak, she has never suffered from any acute illness. I wanted to continue the investigation, but I was held up by important military matters, so I had to let Qin Mu investigate. His medical skills are superb, and he can see what ordinary people cannot see."

"And then?" Jing Anle asked.

Qin Xu's expression was pained. "On the eve of A Yin's burial in the imperial mausoleum, he finally managed to sneak into the palace and finally found out the cause of A Yin's death."

"It's poisoning!" Jing Anle's voice was filled with anger.

Qin Xu's voice trembled, "How did the princess find out?"

Since it concerned Qin Yin, the two of them found it difficult to remain calm.

Jing Anle's eyes were filled with sorrow, and two lines of tears streamed down her face as she choked out, "It was Consort Yu who used a rare poison that is difficult for ordinary people to discern."

"She was jealous of her mother's favor with the emperor, and while her father was away on a military campaign, she harmed her mother."

"What!" Qin Xu stood up in shock, then sat down weakly. The general who once fought on the battlefield looked old in an instant. He sighed heavily, "No wonder... no wonder Qin Mu could only suspect poisoning when he investigated back then, and could not identify what kind of poison it was."

"But how do you know?" Qin Xu looked at Jing Anle.

Jing Anle awkwardly turned her head away, "This is a long story..."

It's no secret that women in the palace would stop at nothing to win the emperor's favor, and Qin Xu had already guessed a bit about it.

"Does His Majesty know?"

Jing Anle shook his head. "I probably don't know."

"Father loves Mother deeply, and this matter will surely bring back his pain. With enemies in front of us, now is not the time."

Qin Xu was heartbroken and thought of his sister. He sat down sadly, "It's a pity that the real culprit is dead and has not been able to clear A Yin's name."

"No, Mother Empress will surely rest in peace in the afterlife."

At this point, Qin Xu suddenly looked up, his gaze fixed on Jing Anle. A bold guess formed in his mind: could it be…

Two lines of clear tears fell down the girl's beautiful cheeks, but her eyes were stubborn and determined.

"Uncle, rest assured, Anle will not let the villains get away with it. As for the poison called Aconitum carmichaelii, it is likely related to Consort Yu's father, Yu Chong. I will have to ask you to investigate this matter."

Qin Xu was taken aback. "Old man Yu Chong." A murderous glint flashed in his eyes.