Chapter 179

Chapter 179: It Wasn’t for Her

Qi Shu Xian always felt puzzled about this.

Third Prince was a noble of the highest rank. If Third Prince didn’t intend to rebel, then no matter how Qi Shu Xian thought about it, Third Prince shouldn’t need that much silver.

Unless Third Prince intended to rebel.

But His Majesty’s favor toward Third Prince was obvious to everyone. Why would Third Prince take such a risk?

When Sheng Yuan Hao saw the doubt in Qi Shu Xian’s eyes, Sheng Yuan Hao suddenly laughed loudly. “Qi Shi Zi, what do you think was the most important thing in a country?”

“The commoner!” Qi Shu Xian blurted out, remembering what Sheng Zhi Wan once said.

Sheng Yuan Hao nodded with a smile. “Right, and also not right. commoner were important, but only useful commoner were important. Useless commoner were like worms to Sheng Kingdom. They clung to Sheng Kingdom’s great tree, yet they offered nothing in return.”

Qi Shu Xian’s heart shook. Qi Shu Xian couldn’t believe it.

Sheng Yuan Hao continued, “Actually, for Sheng Kingdom right now, the most important thing was filling the State Treasury. With a full State Treasury, we could raise an army. With strong soldiers and sturdy horses, Sheng Kingdom could stay safe. With Sheng Kingdom safe, the commoner could be safe.”

“So, Qi Shi Zi,” Sheng Yuan Hao asked, “who do you think I was gathering wealth for?”

Sheng Yuan Hao’s smile was hard to read.

A thought surged up in Qi Shu Xian’s mind. Qi Shu Xian looked up in disbelief, and Qi Shu Xian’s sleeve knocked the wine cup off the table.

Bang-

Wine splashed everywhere.

Qi Shu Xian breathed hard and looked up.

Sheng Yuan Hao smiled and raised Sheng Yuan Hao’s cup toward Qi Shu Xian, but Sheng Yuan Hao didn’t say a word.

Qi Shu Xian’s mind was in chaos.

Even Meng Yang, who transmigrated here, was shaken by the meaning hidden in those words.

“If the lives of some useless people could buy Sheng Kingdom a hundred years of peace, then so what if we do it?” Sheng Yuan Hao said.

“Your Highness, what did Your Highness plan to do?” Qi Shu Xian felt uneasy.

Sheng Yuan Hao stood up. “Burn the cotton. Pull in the cotton merchants. I can have the Ji Zhou Du Clan cooperate with Miss Meng. As for what we do specifically, we’ll see Miss Meng’s plan.”

“Burn the cotton?” Qi Shu Xian’s face went pale.

Right now, to the commoner of Mo Bei, cotton was their chance to survive. Yet Third Prince said two light words and erased countless chances to live.

Qi Shu Xian sat there, unmoving.

Qi Shu Xian didn’t even hear what Meng Yang said afterward. Only when Third Prince nodded and left did Qi Shu Xian finally stand up in a haze and salute.

The private room door closed.

Meng Yang’s voice was suppressed, but Meng Yang couldn’t hide Meng Yang’s joy. “Heir Apparent, I didn’t expect His Majesty valued Third Prince this much. It looked like… His Majesty already intended to pass that seat to him!”

But Qi Shu Xian didn’t look happy.

Qi Shu Xian only stared at the closed door.

After a long time, Qi Shu Xian suddenly looked at Meng Yang. “Why did you bring up that kind of idea?”

If Sheng Zhi Wan’s cotton was gone, or if Sheng Zhi Wan met with an accident, then it wouldn’t affect their plan.

If Meng Yang hadn’t said that, Third Prince might not have thought of burning cotton at all.

Third Prince wasn’t burning cotton. Third Prince was burning the lives of the Mo Bei commoner.

“I… I didn’t expect Third Prince would bring up burning cotton!” Meng Yang’s smile turned bitter. “I only thought it would be better if the Princess never sent anyone to Mo Bei with cotton… Who knew Third Prince would decide like that!”

“If Heir Apparent didn’t want it, I’ll go explain to Third Prince right now!” Meng Yang forced a pained smile and tried to rise.

But the moment Meng Yang moved, Qi Shu Xian grabbed Meng Yang’s wrist.

“Forget it…” Qi Shu Xian sighed at the sight of Meng Yang’s wronged eyes. “Since Third Prince already decided, how could you and I interfere? Just remember this. In the future, when you spoke and acted before Third Prince, you had to be more careful.”

“I understand,” Meng Yang said.

But Meng Yang didn’t truly take it to heart.

Meng Yang’s goal from the start was to make Third Prince step in and solve this.

The two of them returned to the Duke residence in silence.

After Qi Shu Xian sent Meng Yang back to Wei Yang Courtyard, Qi Shu Xian turned to leave.

“Heir Apparent…” Meng Yang lightly tugged Qi Shu Xian. “Was Heir Apparent still angry at me? Or did Heir Apparent still think of the Princess even now?”

Qi Shu Xian frowned. “Sheng Zhi Wan already divorced me. Why would I think of her? It was just that those cotton bales were the Mo Bei commoner’ hope.”

“I understand…” Meng Yang said. “I just felt it was unfair for Heir Apparent. Heir Apparent thought of the Princess everywhere, but the Princess was cold and heartless. The Princess didn’t leave Heir Apparent any face at all, and even used caning on Heir Apparent in public!”

“Enough. I said it wasn’t for her!” Qi Shu Xian felt even more stifled.

Qi Shu Xian shook off Meng Yang and strode away.

The “cold and heartless” Sheng Zhi Wan was already at Ci Hui Palace.

This was Sheng Zhi Wan’s first time entering the palace since the divorce.

The Empress Dowager was fifty-eight this year. Even with careful upkeep, wrinkles had still begun to show on the Empress Dowager’s face.

Sheng Zhi Wan’s eyes reddened.

The Empress Dowager sent everyone away and only left Nanny Xiu outside. “You girl, you were too bold. You actually used your own life to trade for a divorce?”

“It was all Wan’er’s fault,” Sheng Zhi Wan said softly. “Wan’er made Grandmother worry.”

Sheng Zhi Wan sat obediently in front of the Empress Dowager and rested Sheng Zhi Wan’s forehead lightly against the Empress Dowager’s knee.

The Empress Dowager couldn’t bring herself to say any scolding words after that.

When Sheng Zhi Wan was little, Sheng Zhi Wan was always good at using this to soften the Empress Dowager’s heart.

“You,” the Empress Dowager said, “why were you still like you were when you were little? That method you used to treat Lu Chuo – your Imperial Father said you learned it from medical books?”

“What did Grandmother think?” Sheng Zhi Wan smiled faintly.

The Empress Dowager sighed. “You weren’t allowed to do such risky things again…”

“Grandmother!” Sheng Zhi Wan suddenly looked up and stared at the Empress Dowager. “Why did Grandmother always make Wan’er hide Wan’er’s abilities?”

Sheng Zhi Wan asked that before.

More than once.

Every time, Grandmother avoided the question.

Over time, Sheng Zhi Wan stopped asking. Later, Sheng Zhi Wan had some guesses, and Sheng Zhi Wan feared asking even more.

But now, Sheng Zhi Wan had thought it through. Whether it was fortune or misfortune, it couldn’t be dodged. Only by understanding the danger could Sheng Zhi Wan prevent it at the source and respond properly.

The Empress Dowager’s hand, resting on Sheng Zhi Wan’s hair, paused. The Empress Dowager smiled. “You were only a Princess. If you showed too much intelligence and outshone your Imperial Brothers, they would hate you out of jealousy.”

It was that excuse again.

Sheng Zhi Wan pressed Sheng Zhi Wan’s lips together. “Grandmother was wrong. Even if I pretended to be foolish, would no one hate me? Uncle Wei, Mo Bing, and Hong Yan…”

“Enough!” the Empress Dowager snapped, eyes turning red.

The Uncle Wei Sheng Zhi Wan mentioned was once the head eunuch of the Empress Dowager’s palace. It was said he served at the Empress Dowager’s side from the moment the Empress Dowager entered the palace.

But once, on the road while protecting Sheng Zhi Wan on the way to the temporary palace, Uncle Wei was shot to death by a storm of arrows.

He was like a hedgehog full of arrows, yet he still held four-year-old Sheng Zhi Wan tightly in his arms.

“Enough! Stop talking!” The Empress Dowager turned her face to the side.

Sheng Zhi Wan took a deep breath and pulled something out. “Grandmother, did Grandmother recognize this?”

A gold bell the size of a pigeon egg appeared in Sheng Zhi Wan’s palm.

The moment the Empress Dowager’s eyes touched it, the Empress Dowager’s pupils shook violently.

The Empress Dowager’s fingers trembled as the Empress Dowager reached out, but right before touching it, the Empress Dowager pulled back in fear.

Tears rolled down the Empress Dowager’s cheeks.

“Y-you…” The Empress Dowager’s hands clutched Sheng Zhi Wan’s shoulders, trembling with force. “Where did you get it?”

Sheng Zhi Wan bit Sheng Zhi Wan’s lip and was about to speak.

“His Majesty-” Nanny Xiu’s voice came from outside at that moment.