Chapter 442: Chapter 442

"No schemes? How could that be possible?"

Through the screen, An Ning glanced at Concubine Yu, who was currently deep in thought but was actually plotting something, and made no comment.

As expected, this person's next target was already quite clear...

Even so, the next morning, after once again prying off someone who was clinging tightly to her, An Ning's mood over the following days seemed unaffected as usual.

She tended to flowers, boated on the lake, played with her young lady friends, and occasionally, on a whim, designed a set of clothing she liked.

As for little A-Bao, who used to follow behind her, since turning four, the little one had already officially begun her education under the Grand Princess's instruction.

Don't be fooled by her small size; poor little A-Bao's coursework was no small matter.

Classics, history, philosophy, literature, the Four Books and Five Classics, music, chess, calligraphy, and painting were just minor subjects. At such a young age, she was already learning by example at her grandmother's side.

If not for the fear that starting martial arts too early might stunt her granddaughter's growth, the Grand Princess would have even wanted to teach her personally by now. Even so, archery was still included.

It was practically the polar opposite of her two slacker parents.

Separated by a single wall, it felt like two different worlds.

Ahem... To some extent, the four masters of the Grand Princess's Residence could be considered clearly demarcated.

As the saying goes, leisurely times always pass especially quickly. Due to the palace sealing off the news last time, not many people outside the palace knew about the Worthy Consort's affair.

Of course, An Ning had no doubt that her mother-in-law was certainly well-informed.

Given the Grand Princess's intelligence, she had probably even guessed the mastermind behind it and their next move.

The reason? Just look at how, lately, using Xie Huai's serious illness as an excuse, she had been dragging her feet, not allowing the family of three to enter the palace even during festivals.

It was a pity. The current emperor was clearly not the Grand Princess and lacked her ability to see through everything...

Not long after that palace banquet, news came from the palace that the Worthy Consort had conspired to harm the imperial heir, was deposed, and executed in the Cold Palace. The Second Prince was adopted out, followed by news of the Yang clan being demoted in various ways, and even the whole family being convicted and exiled...

The system couldn't help but sigh, but then immediately reacted and couldn't help feeling puzzled:

"What's wrong with this emperor? He was clearly so furious this time, yet he only dealt with the Yang clan, not implicating their wider relatives. But in the previous life..."

Could it be that the original host's eldest sister, an obscure little consort, being involved in an incident was more stimulating than the birth mother of a prince?

That doesn't make sense!

"What doesn't make sense? It's just the emperor's will, going with the flow."

"Nine clans?" An Ning couldn't help but chuckle lightly:

"Don't be fooled by all the 'extermination of the nine clans' on TV. In actual history, there are very few cases where one family's actions implicated such a wide circle.

The nine clans, besides the immediate family, even include the wife's family, the mother's family, and even wider circles going further up. Just consider that intermarriage within the noble circles is often inevitable. It's no exaggeration to say that among the nobility and officials, at least more than half are related by marriage."

If not careful, one might even implicate the emperor himself?

"In fact, in the previous life, the original host's situation was likely not truly due to the emperor's rage. Taking that opportunity to cull another wave of military nobles was probably what best suited his intentions."

It's just that Eldest Sister Zhou's incident gave him an excuse to act.

Otherwise, where did those rumors of debauchery in the harem from the previous life come from? If not to make his actions appear more justified, how would such palace secrets, which anyone who knew them would rather they had never heard, be spread?

In the darkness, An Ning said softly:

"Don't look down on the Changping Earl's Manor just because it's in decline now. A worn-out ship still has three thousand nails. It's an old-line noble family that fought its way up from the battlefield. Its influence in the military, and even its kinship connections, are not few."

The system's mouth twitched, and it couldn't help but complain:

"Is this emperor holding a grudge against the military nobles?"

Its answer was its host's still exceptionally calm tone:

"In fact, for an emperor, grudges are fundamentally unimportant. This is a political act from start to finish.

As long as the current ruler lacks military strength, has no martial prestige for a single day, or none of the princes below are capable, he will continue to suppress the deeply entrenched military nobles and even powerful ministers of outstanding ability."

"Just like now, when her son's ability is insufficient, that Concubine Yu's first move is also to clear away obstacles!"

Although the two seem different, in An Ning's view, there isn't much difference in their essence.

"So, is this why you targeted Concubine Yu but only ruined the Third Prince's aptitude?"

Let them kill each other directly? Create chaos, and even use this to truly confirm the culprit from the previous life.

An Ning did not deny this, only sighing lightly:

"Actually, the current emperor's thinking isn't wrong. It's a pity his methods are too crude!"

They simply couldn't hide from the eyes of those cunning individuals in the court. The result was few achievements, but instead making all the ministers feel insecure.

An Ning had no doubt that, apart from earlier promotions, favors, and life-and-death camaraderie in the military, this was also one of the reasons why these courtiers had so firmly supported the Grand Princess's Residence all these years.

For no other reason than that once the Grand Princess fell, these people would truly be living in constant fear...

The Yang family, still immensely powerful just a few months ago, seemed like a drop of water, sinking into the sea in an instant, leaving no trace.

Combined with the Worthy Consort's death and the Second Prince's forced adoption, everyone smelled something unusual.

The "official business" that needed handling at the Grand Princess's Residence also increased somewhat.

"Ah, a storm is brewing!"

After court adjourned, an old minister couldn't help but sigh deeply.

At the same time, having witnessed nearly a hundred members of the Yang family die or be exiled just like that.

The palace, Jade Gargle Hall

Such tragedy, even for a system that lived by palace intrigue and constantly urged its host to fight and scheme, couldn't help but fall silent:

"Just to bring down the Second Prince, so many innocent people, host, you..."

Isn't this too much? But before the words could be spoken, she heard her host's utterly indifferent cold laugh:

"Innocent? Since they stand on the opposite side from me, they are mortal enemies. What innocence is there to speak of?"

As if seeing what the other was thinking, before the dressing table, looking at the increasingly familiar face mixed with allure in the mirror, Murong Qing snorted coldly again:

"This is a struggle for political power, not children playing house. In the political arena, there are no innocents on the opposite side."

Only victory or defeat is the truth.

Without even this level of awareness, why chase supreme power?

As for involving too many people, Murong Qing cared even less.

As long as the goal could be achieved, as long as that supreme power could be grasped, what did a few hundred, or even a few thousand or tens of thousands of people matter?

One general's success is built on ten thousand skeletons. On the road to power, ask which ruler didn't tread over blood, didn't implicate innocent people, didn't use underhanded methods.

How did Liu Bang treat his wife and children in his early years? How did almost all emperors treat their meritorious officials after ascending the throne? Empress Wu Zetian almost wiped out the entire Li Tang imperial clan.

Did that prevent them from being remembered and revered by later generations?

"Hah!" After a moment, a snort of laughter came from the person in the mirror:

"No matter how many methods, how ruthless or dirty, as long as I one day reach that highest position, no words are needed. In the future, countless sycophants will rush forward one after another to sing my praises and extol my virtues!"

These aren't even a minor interlude.

"The Grand Princess is really too cautious!"