The princess regretted it.

Chapter 101 You seem to know all this

The Grand Tutor let out a breath of turbid air. "Forget it, I won't say any more. Prepare the compensation as soon as possible and have Hengrui deliver it. Be careful to maintain your composure and don't let anyone catch you doing anything wrong. You should pay more attention to Jiaoyu and guide her. She's too deep-minded. Tell her not to pay too much attention to Jin'an. She can't influence anything. Sooner or later, she'll become a consort. Also, this matter has been exposed as somewhat suspicious. You should investigate who is behind this."

With that, the Grand Tutor stood up and slowly walked away, leaning on his cane. Zhang Chengde and Zhang Hengrui stood respectfully to the side, their heads bowed. Once the Grand Tutor had completely disappeared from view, they slowly stood up. Zhang Chengde, his face solemn, turned to Zhang Hengrui and said in a deep voice, "Hengrui, immediately arrange for the preparation of compensation. Be sure to do this thoroughly and without any mistakes."

Zhang Hengrui nodded slightly and replied, "I will arrange this matter, Father. I think the person behind this might be the Third Prince."

Zhang Chengde frowned and turned his eyes when he heard this. "Okay! I got it. I'll make the arrangements." Then the father and son went about their respective tasks.

Zhang Hengrui quickly prepared everything and personally led his men on foot to the Lin residence. Their orderly procession, carrying boxes of compensation, was particularly eye-catching. Along the way, they attracted a large crowd of onlookers, who chatted and discussed the situation. Patrons of teahouses and taverns lining the street also peered in to watch.

In one of the windows, two young men stood side by side, their gaze fixed on Zhang Hengrui and his group as they walked down the street, their eyes filled with irony.

Among them, Zhong Chuzhou raised the corner of his mouth slightly, revealing a disdainful smile, and said softly: "Zixuan, look at the Zhang family, they are so pretentious!"

Mu Zixuan scoffed, his face full of disdain. "Hypocrisy! They really think no one knows how filthy they are. Their pretentious demeanor is truly disgusting. They're usually so arrogant and domineering, but now they're just putting on a facade, trying to save face."

Zhong Chuzhou chuckled when he heard this, "Then Zixuan, do you know who made them act so ostentatiously?"

"Isn't he the emperor?" Mu Zixuan had a strange expression on his face, as if saying, you don't even know this?

"Of course not. The emperor only told him to deliver it personally, but he didn't tell them to go on foot with such fanfare." Zhong Chuzhou said lightly.

Mu Zixuan was even more confused. "Hmm? What do you mean? If it wasn't the Emperor's arrangement, then who was it? Minister Zhang?"

Zhong Chuzhou withdrew his gaze from the window and said slowly, "Zhang Chengde would never have thought of this. He has become a little arrogant after being in charge of the Zhang family for so many years. This move must have been arranged by their family's Grand Tutor, who has long since retired from worldly affairs."

"Really? How do you know?" Mu Zixuan asked curiously.

Zhong Chuzhou smiled and didn't answer. Instead, he asked directly: "Didn't you say you had an appointment with Jin An's sister? When will she come over?"

"It should be here soon. How can she miss this excitement?" Mu Zixuan replied with a doting smile on his face. "After all, our Jin'an has been taking the blame for this for so long. We have to let her vent her anger."

At that moment, the door was gently pushed open, and Jin An, dressed in a fresh, emerald green dress, entered with a charming smile. Today, she wore her hair in a simple yet delicate bun, a delicate tourmaline dragonfly-shaped peony hairpin in her hair, and a pair of translucent South Sea pearl earrings dangling from her ears. This attire gave her a refreshing and elegant look. Ziyun and Hanshuang, following behind her, stopped outside the private room.

As soon as Mu Zixuan saw Jin An coming in, he hurriedly stepped forward with a smile and said, "Cousin, you're here. Come quickly! You can just watch the lively scene of the Zhang family delivering the compensation from here." Zhong Chuzhou also had a happy look on his face, standing facing Jin An.

Jin An smiled faintly and said, "Cousin, Cousin Zhong," shuffling towards Mu Zixuan and Zhong Chuzhou. She glanced out the window, watching Zhang Hengrui and his group on the street, a thoughtful expression in her eyes. "This Zhang family's move is quite interesting," Jin An said softly, a hint of amusement in her tone.

Zhong Chuzhou looked at her with a smile in his eyes, which were full of tenderness and doting. He asked softly, "Jin An, tell me, how is it interesting?"

"Such a humble attitude is just for show, to show that they are benevolent and righteous! After all, it was only the steward of their mansion who committed a crime, and they were deceived. As a result, they did not send the compensation secretly, but sent it with such fanfare. It not only shows their awe to the emperor, but also allows everyone to see their magnanimity and ability to admit their mistakes. Humph, it's just a carefully planned performance." There was a hint of disdain in Jin An's words. She clearly saw through the intention behind the Zhang family's move.

"Pa pa pa!" Seal-like applause came from Mu Zixuan's hands. He clapped vigorously while looking at Jin An in amazement. "Jin An, when did you become so smart?"

"Cousin? What do you mean? Are you saying that I was stupid before?" Jin An pretended to be angry and stared at Mu Zixuan.

"Ah?! No, no! Our Jin'an has been very smart since he was young. It was my cousin who said the wrong thing." Mu Zixuan quickly bowed and apologized.

Jin An couldn't help laughing when he saw his cousin's anxious look. "Okay! Cousin, you're actually right. I did make a lot of mistakes in the past. But don't worry, I won't do it again."

Zhong Chuzhou looked at Jin'an thoughtfully. "Jin'an is right. People won't always be confused. But can you guess who came up with this idea for the Zhang family?"

"It goes without saying, it must be the old master of the Zhang family." Jin An answered without hesitation. Jin An's answer shocked Mu Zixuan. His eyes widened, and he thought to himself: How come my cousin's guess is the same as my cousin Zhong's?

"Oh? Why?" Zhong Chuzhou had a slight guess in his mind, but it was just a feeling. Jin An seemed different from the previous life. Did she discover something that started the change, or was she just like him?

Jin An narrowed his eyes slightly and said seriously, "The Zhang family is now extremely powerful in the court. The old Grand Tutor is the only one who can have such foresight. He has experienced the turmoil of the court and is fully aware of the seriousness of this incident. Sending compensation in such a grand manner can not only show the Zhang family's respect to the emperor, but also establish an image of benevolence and righteousness among the people. It's a two-pronged approach. Moreover, no one else in the Zhang family, not even Zhang Chengde, may have such strategy and courage."

"Jin'an seems to know a lot about this?" Zhong Chuzhou asked again.