The princess regretted it.

Chapter 213 Zhang Chengde's Careful Scheme

When Jin An returned to the palace and went to report his safety to his father as usual, he noticed that his father was not in a good mood. His father sat upright on the dragon throne, his usually gentle face now shrouded in a gloom, his brow furrowed, and his eyes revealed a trace of fatigue and irritation that was difficult to conceal.

When he saw Jin An come in, the cold expression on his face softened slightly. He said to Jin An calmly, "Are you back? Are you happy at your grandparents' house today?"

Jin An smiled cooperatively and said, "I'm happy! Grandpa and the others are very caring and nice to me."

Changsun Hongze's face froze for a moment, as if something had hit the softest corner of his heart, but it soon relaxed.

But even this fleeting abnormality had caught Jin An's attention. Her mind raced, and she recalled what her grandfather had said to her. Combined with the sight of the Zhang family's carriage entering the palace as she left, she couldn't help but wonder if the Zhang family's plea had made her father think of himself, having to compromise for the sake of maintaining stability, and perhaps felt a little guilty about himself.

After pondering it for a while, she felt it was very likely. She decided to test the waters and said casually, "Father, my grandfather advised me today. He said that as an emperor, you have a lot to consider. Every decision you make must first consider the cause of your family and country. Many times, you have no choice. He also told me to spend more time with you and to understand your difficulties."

As she spoke, she slightly raised her clear eyes and looked at the emperor with admiration. "Father, I'm not unhappy or aggrieved at all. On the contrary, I feel this incident has taught me that some people and some things can't be judged superficially. I feel I've gained a lot, so this isn't a bad thing for me."

Changsun Hongze remained silent, staring at Jin'an silently. Emotions surged in his deep eyes, and his heart felt like a whirlwind of mixed feelings. He truly couldn't directly attack the Zhang family over this matter. The Zhang family held deep ties in the imperial court, their intertwined power structure like a vast, hidden web, and any single move could affect the entire system. Furthermore, he also had to consider Yunji. While he felt sorry for his daughter's injustice and wanted to vent his anger on her behalf, he also had to consider the greater good and weigh the pros and cons of all parties involved. This dilemma already weighed heavily on him, leaving him feeling frustrated and unable to vent his anger.

When he heard the announcement today, he originally thought that Zhang Chengde must have come to plead for mercy regarding the matter of Concubine Zhang and Jiaoyu, and he was just thinking of using this as an excuse to have a good rant and to relieve his frustration.

As a result, when the old man entered, he slumped to his knees without a word and immediately burst into tears. His face was filled with remorse, tears streaming down his wrinkled cheeks. His voice trembled with excessive emotion as he kept blaming himself for his incompetence, for not raising his daughter well, and for his guilt, asking His Majesty to punish him.

Zhang Chengde's sudden action left Changsun Hongze stunned. The rebuke he had prepared was stuck in his throat, and for a moment he didn't know how to respond. The breath was stuck in his throat, unable to flow in or out, making his chest feel stuffy and his face flush slightly.

In this situation, not only could he not punish the Zhang family, but he was also forced to patiently comfort the weeping Minister Zhang. Changsun Hongze had doubts in his heart whether this was a tactic of the Zhang family to retreat in order to advance. After all, the Zhang family had been in the court for many years, and with a veteran of three dynasties at the helm, they were naturally shrewd and cunning, with a variety of tactics.

Zhang Chengde's tearful crying might have been an attempt to win his sympathy by seeming to admit his mistakes sincerely, so as to make him give up the idea of further punishing Concubine Zhang, Jiaoyu and the Zhang family.

But even though he had doubts in his heart, Changsun Hongze couldn't show them right away. After all, the other party had already lowered their stance so low, and if he continued to insist, it would make him, the emperor, seem too harsh and unkind.

He suppressed the frustration in his heart and comforted Zhang Chengde, "My dear Zhang, there's no need to be so. This is all due to the inappropriate words and deeds of Concubine Zhang and Jiaoyu. I have already punished them, and this matter will not implicate the Zhang family. I punished them for the sake of peace in the harem, and also to let them know that they must always be cautious in their words and actions and must not act recklessly."

Zhang Chengde heard this and looked at the emperor's calm face. He couldn't help but feel a little hopeful, wondering if he could plead for them. Sobbing, he climbed to his feet, wiping his tears and snot with his sleeve as he spoke through his sobs, "Your Majesty is wise and wise. I am deeply grateful for your generosity and kindness. However, I feel deeply guilty. I have raised such unfilial daughters in my family, all due to my inadequate parenting. I hope Your Majesty will give them another chance to mend their ways."