Chuzheng’s decision to divorce Changsun Hang quickly spread throughout the Imperial City.
People had heard of men divorcing their wives, but never of a woman divorcing her husband. Consequently, most people were secretly criticizing Chuzheng.
On the surface, Chuzheng was still Yann Qin’s sister, and the palace hadn’t reacted to her divorce, surely this owed something to Yann Qin’s influence?
Her brother supported her; who would dare to criticize her to her face?
The divorce stirred up quite a commotion, yet Chuzheng leisurely resumed her role as the eldest daughter at the Yann Residence.
Yann Qin visited her several times, but seeing her calm demeanor, he left quietly.
"I heard Zhen Rou has been confined to the West Garden by the Third Prince."
Ying Xiang gossiped with Chuzheng about the news she heard.
The West Garden... Wasn’t that where the original owner was held? Now Zhen Rou is confined there herself—talk about karma, if I don’t end up there, you do.
"Miss, do you think the Third Prince will forgive her?" It’s natural for the Third Prince to be angry over such a big matter.
But I’m worried the Third Prince will release Zhen Rou soon.
"Do you want to know?"
Ying Xiang blinked, nodding.
"Why don’t you ask the Third Prince yourself?"
"..." That’s not funny at all.
Ying Xiang fiddled with the tea set at hand, then slowly said, "Miss, people outside are saying terrible things, even claiming you’ll never... be able to marry."
"Then I won’t marry."
"Huh?"
"I can marry someone myself."
"..."
Ying Xiang twitched at the corners of her mouth, seeing Miss Yann completely unconcerned about what people outside were saying. She had been worrying about it for a long time...
"But they’re saying such awful things." Ying Xiang was still a bit uneasy: "Why do they say such things?"
At this rate, what would happen to Miss’s reputation?
"They can say whatever they want; it doesn’t matter."
"But this concerns your reputation, Miss!"
"..." If I’m not worried, why are you? What good is a reputation?
Can it help me squander my family’s wealth or what?
It’s useless in this dimension, why bother wasting time and energy on it?
Chuzheng sent Ying Xiang away and let out a breath.
She glanced out the window and called, "Shi Yi."
Shi Yi entered through the main door.
Of course, this wasn’t the Third Prince’s Mansion, he didn’t need to be so stealthy.
"Anything you need, Miss Yann?"
Chuzheng raised an eyebrow slightly, why has the way he addressed her changed?
"Nothing, just calling you."
Shi Yi was silent for a while, then said, "Miss Yann, my agreement with Lord Yann was to protect you while you were outside, but now that you’ve returned to the Yann Residence, I will no longer protect you."
Chuzheng: "???"
After Shi Yi finished speaking, he clasped his hands, bowed, and said, "Take care, Miss Yann." Then he left.
Chuzheng blinked and watched him disappear from view.
Have I been abandoned?
What’s going on!
Shi Yi didn’t leave the Yann Residence, Chuzheng occasionally saw him, but each time Shi Yi saw her, he would avoid her.
Chuzheng: "..."
The Good Person Card doesn’t seem to like me, I’m a bit worried.
Should he be locked up, or have his legs broken and then locked up?
"What are you looking at?" Yann Qin frowned, waving his hand in front of Chuzheng: "Eat quickly, you seem to have lost quite a bit of weight recently."
Chuzheng: "..." Where did you see that? I’m the same as before!
#FamilyAlwaysThinksYouAreLosingWeight#
"Shi Yi." Chuzheng pointed at the person hurriedly passing by, shamelessly said to Yann Qin, "I want him."
"Pfft... cough cough cough..."
Yann Qin was choked, using his fist to cover his mouth as he coughed softly for a while.
"What did you say just now?"
"I said I want Shi Yi." Chuzheng said earnestly, "Can I have him, brother?"
"Do you like him?"
"Mm."
"..." Yann Qin wiped his mouth with a handkerchief: "Does Shi Yi like you?"
"...He will." Chuzheng sat up straight; he definitely will like me!
"If you can make Shi Yi like you, I’ve got no objections." Brother-protective Yann Qin wouldn’t refuse, though he was a bit worried: "But Shi Yi is weighed down by a few things, he probably wouldn’t engage in romantic relationships."
"What’s he trying to do? Overthrow the Prime Minister?"
Yann Qin frowned: "How do you know?"
"Just a guess."
Yann Qin was suspicious: "Is it something he told you?"
"Why would he tell me that?" Chuzheng said seriously: "Really, just a guess." Trust me!
Considering Shi Yi’s character, Yann Qin knew he wouldn’t say anything.
Then how did she know?
Guessing?
Just trying to scare someone.
If it weren’t for that subtle feeling Yann Qin had that the person in front of him was his sister, he would really think she had been substituted by someone else.
"Shi Yi indeed wants to bring down the Prime Minister." Ultimately, it’s about that ledger.
Back then, Shi Yi’s father discovered someone in the court embezzling funds; after secretly investigating, he found some clues.
Later, he inadvertently got hold of the ledger.
Unfortunately, before the ledger could be handed over, he was silenced.
The person who silenced him was sent by the Prime Minister, Shi Yi fled for his life and was rescued by Yann Qin.
The ledger was supposed to be in the Prime Minister’s hands, but somehow, it ended up in Kou Da’s possession.
Kou Da, such a minor figure, shouldn’t have been able to secure such a thing.
But Kou Da was smart; he spread the word that if he were killed, the ledger would immediately be posted all over the streets, even delivered to the palace.
Kou Da might not hold a big position, but he had the ability to send something into the palace.
Especially since the Third Prince had his mother in the palace.
Later, the Third Prince married Minister Yann Qin’s sister; those people became even more cautious.
These matters, of course, weren’t important; Shi Yi simply wanted the Prime Minister to pay the price.
"So, brother, when are you planning the rebellion?"
"..." Yann Qin: "Why do you think I would rebel?"
"..." Isn’t your character meant for rebellion? Are you doing it for fun? Please adhere to your character setting!
"Do you really think rebelling is easy?"
Chuzheng nodded.
Isn’t it easy?
Alright then!
Yann Qin struck a pose, analyzed the current situation with Chuzheng.
Right now, the Minister of the Appointments and the Prime Minister have equal actual power; neither can do anything to the other.
Moreover, the Emperor favors the Prime Minister’s side, after all, the Prime Minister is the Emperor’s loyal lackey.
Yann Qin doesn’t yet have enough leverage for a rebellion.
Weakening the Prime Minister’s power is the most important thing.
"Why not just kidnap the Prime Minister?"
"How would you do that? That’s the Prime Minister, his sudden disappearance would quickly be discovered."
"Make it so they can’t find out."
"..."
It’s not that easy.
Recently, he and the Prime Minister had several confrontations, and finally, the Prime Minister targeted Chuzheng.
In any case... Now is not the time for rebellion!
Yann Qin reminded Chuzheng: "Don’t mention that again."
"Oh." Chuzheng was absent-minded, Yann Qin’s words went in one ear and out the other, they didn’t leave any impression on her.
She kept a straight face, Yann Qin couldn’t tell, simply assumed she heard him.