Chapter 55
The court officials found that the political climate in the court was becoming increasingly unpredictable. Since the Crown Prince began attending court in Qiulanxi, his behavior had become more and more extreme, with almost no attempt to conceal his confrontations. Several princes were also eyeing him covetously, making life increasingly difficult for them.
The Emperor seemed unwilling to get involved in the struggle, only trying to restrain them when they went too far. However, he was also stirring up trouble, because Qiu Lanxi's series of actions would not have progressed so smoothly without his support.
At first, they thought that Yan Qingli and Qiu Lanxi were in cahoots, since Qiu Lanxi came from the princess's residence. But now, no one can be sure of such a guess, because she seems to be using Yan Qingli as a stepping stone. After entering the court, she pledged allegiance to Emperor Qinghe and often clashed with him. Yan Qingli, on the other hand, seems to be a subject bewitched by a vixen.
The storm is brewing, and everyone can sense it. With several princes targeting him, the topic of whether the Crown Prince is the best candidate for the throne is gradually spreading.
While it was out in the open that the matter could not be discussed, the Crown Prince's cronies were frequently targeted in private, and the Crown Prince himself was also impeached in a subtle way. Almost instantly, he seemed to have become a lonely figure.
Strictly speaking, the Crown Prince wasn't that incompetent, but he wasn't that strong either. Therefore, he wasn't able to subdue the other princes, and the other princes felt the same way: if the Crown Prince could do it, then they could too.
Emperor Qinghe did not interfere much. Qiu Lanxi could sense that he did not have much intention of deposing the crown prince. However, he also did not care which son would eventually ascend the throne. He was like raising a venomous insect, and whoever had the ability would be the victor in the end. As for whether they died or were injured in the process, the emperor did not care.
This is probably because he himself came from that path, so he doesn't want to raise his future heir to be a hothouse flower.
Qiu Lanxi didn't care about this at all. She completely separated her private affairs from her public affairs because she would never allow her cultivated followers to benefit others, even if that person was essentially the person closest to her.
No one has to sacrifice everything for love. Yan Qingli is like that, and so is Qiu Lanxi. In the end, love is just a part of life. Yan Qingli can't give up her long-held ambition for it, but she also doesn't want to give up the latter. So she will try her best to find a balance between the two.
No one can deny the efforts she made; she has done everything she could think of and do.
As for Qiu Lanxi, she didn't think there was anything wrong with Yan Qingli. Everyone is an independent individual, and it's unreasonable to demand that others do what you can't do yourself; that would be too hypocritical.
Their only conflict is that they work in the same company, which inevitably leads to conflict. If their careers were unrelated, their relationship would undoubtedly be smoother than most people's.
Even couples can't avoid competing with each other, so for Qiu Lanxi, it was more about setbacks than anything else. Although she had long understood that there would always be people more outstanding than herself in this world, her competitive spirit was unavoidable.
Objectively speaking, the biggest reason why Qiu Lanxi couldn't leave was not because of Yan Qingli, but because of the power she held. She didn't think about what would happen if one day Yan Qingli no longer regarded her as a lover but as a threat. When the emperor was strong, no court official could stop the emperor's decisions. When the emperor was weak, the court could even become a place where powerful ministers had the final say.
Qiu Lanxi had no ambition to be the latter, but she also didn't want to be the former. In the end, love is nothing more than the East Wind prevailing over the West Wind, and the West Wind prevailing over the East Wind. There will always be one side that has more initiative.
She couldn't leave this era, yet she didn't want to be controlled by it, so she could only stand firm and make herself unshakeable, and only power could make someone do all this.
Love requires equal footing; she will only be herself until death, and if someone is dissatisfied with her, they can die before her.
Of course, Qiu Lanxi's current workaholic tendencies are also due to her genuinely feeling ashamed. She had been too complacent, and under Yan Qingli's careful maneuvering, she hadn't noticed anything amiss. Although this was partly due to her unstable mental state, she had ultimately sold herself out completely.
You should know that Qiu Lanxi had always thought that they could barely be considered to be in a good position. She had her advantages, and Yan Qingli had her own skills. In fact, they were indeed in a good position, but she died from a sliding tackle, and Yan Qingli flipped over, and a feast fell from the sky.
Temporary gains and losses are nothing. Qiu Lanxi doesn't care if they fight fiercely or get really angry. If it gets out of control, then it can only mean that they are not a good match.
The person she loved was also her. This was originally just an ordinary thing, but for the two people in the same situation, it was a once-in-a-lifetime coincidence.
So even if the love fades in the end, what does it matter? It's just a low-probability event, isn't it?
Neither Qiu Lanxi nor Yan Qingli were people who indulged in romantic relationships.
...
While they still harbored thoughts of crossing boundaries and expressing their love for each other under such circumstances, the Crown Prince was truly overwhelmed by a host of troubles.
Previously, because the crown prince had not yet been established, the princes would have exercised some restraint in their actions, fearing that it would ultimately benefit others. But now that the crown prince has been established, their common goal has become to bring the crown prince down first. The pressure has suddenly increased. The crown prince has not shown the same drive as Yan Qingli, and is restricted in many ways, unable to act freely.
This resulted in him serving as crown prince for a year, but instead of achieving anything that would convince everyone, he suffered a lot of trouble—he was the future emperor of Da Ning, and those court officials not only didn't come to surrender, but also caused him trouble everywhere!
The Crown Prince did not feel that some of these people were simply judging him by the high standards of the heir apparent; he only felt that he was being restrained at every turn, which led to him having many complaints about Qinghe and the capital.
He was chosen as the crown prince, yet he allowed others to bully him and even treated the constant pressure from others with leniency. The crown prince always had an indescribable fear that Emperor Qinghe would depose him.
This fear gradually evolved into resentment.
Some people, the more they value themselves, the less tolerant they are of others, and the less they can bear to lose everything they are about to gain.
Emperor Qinghe fell ill during the winter this year.
He was getting old, and had worked hard all these years, exhausting himself for the sake of the Great Ning Temple. If it weren't for his martial arts skills, he might have been even older. But martial arts can't prolong life, so naturally, he fell ill due to the changing seasons and his overwork.
Qiu Lanxi had anticipated this situation. Perhaps it was the power brought by martial arts that made Emperor Qinghe feel that he was still young and strong. He had no taboo against staying up late at all. If this continued, he would get sick one day.
Fortunately, a cold didn't kill him, but after he recovered, his health deteriorated significantly.
After recovering from his illness, he became restless and no longer allowed his sons to fight amongst themselves as before. Instead, he began to treat the crown prince as if he were the heir apparent, hoping to cultivate him into a capable leader before his death.
Ultimately, the crown prince is the foundation of the state and cannot be easily shaken. The choice of who Emperor Qinghe made as crown prince actually reflects his inner inclination.
Under such pressure, the Crown Prince became even more anxious. He was eager to prove himself, but he was also suspicious. Or rather, his confrontations with the princes and the instigation of those with ulterior motives made him suspicious. As a result, he couldn't help but want to take control of everything and do everything himself.
However, it should be understood that everyone has their own area of expertise. Forcing oneself to venture into a field one is not good at will not yield good results.
Emperor Qinghe would not comfort him; in front of his son, he was always a strict father rather than a loving one.
His wife advised him, and the minister rebuked him.
All goodwill, under the crown prince's suspicion and resentment, turned into malicious intent.
The emperor wanted to depose the crown prince, but the ministers felt he was not the heir apparent they desired, and no one wanted to see him succeed.
"The Crown Prince can no longer sit still."
Qiu Lanxi and Yan Qingli sat facing each other. They exchanged a glance, and Qiu Lanxi picked up her teacup: "Just today?"
It's understandable that the Crown Prince couldn't sit still. Not everyone can remain calm under pressure. The Crown Prince couldn't see that Emperor Qinghe was grooming him, but others could. As a result, the princes' methods became more and more intense, and the ministers stopped watching and started to truly groom the Crown Prince in accordance with Emperor Qinghe's wishes.
However, the Crown Prince could only sense that Emperor Qinghe had begun to frequently reprimand him, and that the court officials were pressing him relentlessly.
The oppressive feeling from this pressure is driving the crown prince crazy.
In particular, there were whispers and rumors circulating among the people that someone was more deserving of the title of Crown Prince.
Qiu Lanxi used to be a psychologist, and she could tell that the Crown Prince was being driven crazy. Today, when his project, which he had been preparing for nearly half a year, was submitted, he overlooked a major problem and was scolded by Emperor Qinghe. At that moment, his mentality completely collapsed.
The person who led this project was Pan Xunzhen.
Qiu Lanxi immediately deduced that the Crown Prince was about to make a move.
As for what kind of action to take?
With Emperor Qinghe dead, he could immediately become emperor legitimately. After all, he was the crown prince. Generally speaking, such a thing as a coup would only happen to a prince who was not the crown prince. But the crown prince was different. He already believed that he was just a target set up by Emperor Qinghe and was about to be deposed. So why not strike first?
The victor is king, the loser is villain. So what if I bear the infamy of patricide and regicide?
Yan Qingli hummed in agreement. She was dressed neatly, clearly not intending to fall asleep.
This was a matter between the imperial family's children, and Qiu Lanxi had no intention of getting involved. She was simply curious whether, given the complicated relationship between Yan Qingli and Emperor Qinghe, she hoped that Emperor Qinghe was still alive or dead.
Qiu Lanxi had no feelings for Emperor Qinghe. Even though he gave her a high position, Qiu Lanxi was also clear that once she lost her usefulness, Emperor Qinghe would never allow her to retire like he had tolerated other powerful ministers who retired gracefully. She saw it clearly, and Emperor Qinghe also knew it clearly. She had no reverence for imperial power.
"The mantis stalks the cicada?" Qiu Lanxi looked at her, resting her chin on her hand, not worried about her safety. The deeper she went into the court, the more she could see that compared to Emperor Qinghe's gambling nature, she was terrifyingly steady and methodical, especially after the other party learned how to control people's hearts from her.
Yan Qingli shook her head and said calmly, "I went to rescue the emperor."
Qiu Lanxi was surprised, but after thinking about it, she could understand. She was not a heartless person. If she really watched Emperor Qinghe die, she would not be able to live with herself. But what about after she saved him?
She could tell that Emperor Qinghe had never considered her as a potential successor.
This became even more apparent after Emperor Qinghe fell ill and lost his energy. He preferred to hand over power to his ministers and sons rather than to Yan Qingli. He never even suggested that she assist the crown prince. He knew very well that Yan Qingli would not accept this arrangement, so he simply cut off all of this from the beginning.
Qiu Lanxi was conflicted. She wasn't surprised by Yan Qingli's decision, as it was a fundamental difference between her and others. However, on the other hand, she didn't want Emperor Qinghe to be an obstacle. For the Crown Prince, Emperor Qinghe's death removed a huge mountain from his head, and the same was true for Qiu Lanxi and Yan Qingli.
However, interests and feelings often cannot be aligned.
Yan Qingli held her hand and comforted her, "My father is a man who is easily swayed by emotions."
A person who doesn't act on emotion wouldn't risk their life or force a court official by dressing as a woman. Did he really have no other choice at the time? Of course not.
Did he not know that sending Yan Qingli to marry into a foreign power would give him more time to prepare for dealing with the enemy country? Of course he did.
But emotions can sometimes overwhelm reason in an instant.
But even in such situations, they can still think calmly, so even if they regret it afterward, they will not go back on their word, but will try their best to make up for the losses caused by the decision.
No one understands Emperor Qinghe better than Yan Qingli. She has seen him clash with his court officials and also witnessed his loss of composure in private. He cannot reveal his feelings to anyone else, but he can only do so in front of Yan Qingli.
Because he had sacrificed so much for her, subconsciously, Yan Qingli became his outlet for emotional outbursts, even though he knew it shouldn't be this way.
Therefore, Yan Qingli did indeed have a long-term relationship with Emperor Qinghe, acting as his daughter. While others were first ruler and subject and then father and son, their relationship was reversed.
When Emperor Qinghe was alive, she would only try to show herself off, but she would not try to take anything, unless Emperor Qinghe deprived her of the ability to take anything while he was still alive.
But as people get older, their hearts soften. He should have sentenced her to death, but he couldn't bear to. So as soon as he left, she would never endure it again.
He understood this, so he was eager for the crown prince to become successful, and that's why he had the crown prince begin to take over military power.
However, these rights further fueled the Crown Prince's ambition, so he could not tolerate being scolded by others and no longer tolerated the position that was within his grasp, because he no longer needed to wait for Emperor Qinghe to abdicate and could take it by his own strength.
Therefore, this situation is not surprising.
Yan Qingli would tell him that in this world, only she would put their feelings before power.
Whether that's really the case or not, who knows?
Qiu Lanxi said, "It's good that you know what's going on."
She had no interest in interfering with Yan Qingli's choices. Everyone has to be responsible for their own decisions. Even if Yan Qingli loses power, she can still rely on her own strength to fight back against others, unless the other party is reckless. But even so, she can still make things difficult for the other party before she dies.
So there's nothing to be afraid of.
She held Yan Qingli's hand: "Go soon and come back soon."
Yan Qingli responded.
Chapter 56
In the princess's residence, Qiu Lanxi stood by the window, watching the pattering raindrops outside, but it wasn't as calm as she had imagined.
Ultimately, swords and spears have no eyes, and her actions were not without risk.
Most importantly, the Crown Prince was driven mad by everyone. Logically speaking, Yan Qingli shouldn't have done that, because she is a very magnanimous person and shouldn't have waited until this time to take action.
A failed coup attempt is different from a successful one. In the former case, the prince could remain a carefree prince, while in the latter, he was either sent to guard the imperial tombs or imprisoned. Judging from Yan Qingli's behavior in front of Emperor Qinghe, this has already somewhat distorted his public image.
Unless, the Crown Prince did something she could not tolerate.
Thinking of this, Qiu Lanxi frowned, her thoughts gradually becoming clear. It was obvious to everyone that Emperor Qinghe still had more than ten or even several decades to live, so the one who would sit on the throne at this time would have to be the crown prince for at least ten years. Of course, if the crown prince could withstand this pressure, his position would be as solid as a rock and no one could shake it.
If Yan Qingli could contribute to this, she would definitely push the person she hated the most to the top, because she knew that the other person's fate would not be good.
Qiu Lanxi reached out and caught some raindrops, stood quietly for a while, and then went back to sleep. When she woke up the next day, the rain had stopped and the sky was clear. Everything that had happened the night before was kept quiet and unknown to anyone.
However, Qiu Lanxi could guess that those in the capital who needed to know what had happened must already know by now, but they would still pretend to be nonchalant when they went to court. After all, if they stayed at home and didn't come out, wouldn't that be like handing a knife to someone else to cut?