The princess regretted it.

Chapter 323 "Rebirth"

Mrs. Zhong also nodded in agreement: "Yes, Jin'an. You have always had a good eye. Please help your aunt to decide which of these banquets are worth attending. Your aunt used to dislike these occasions the most, but now for the sake of my son, I have to treat them with dignity." After saying this, she laughed heartily.

The grandmother glared at her daughter-in-law who had a bad temper, pointed at her and said, "You!" Then she laughed out loud.

Seeing this relaxed scene, Jin An couldn't help but laugh along. He took the invitation and carefully flipped through it. As he read, he analyzed it seriously: "Aunt, in my opinion, the banquets hosted by these famous families are worth going to. Firstly, their families have deep heritage and upright family traditions. Secondly, at the banquet, you can meet many young talents and famous ladies, which will also be beneficial for your cousin to expand his network. However, these families..."

Jin An tapped a few names on the post. "I heard their family tradition is a bit extravagant. If we go, I'm afraid we'll have to deal with some unnecessary scenes. It's better to focus our energy on more meaningful banquets."

Grandmother and Mrs. Zhong nodded frequently, fully agreeing with Jin'an's opinion. The three of them chatted animatedly about the banquet invitations, a warm atmosphere filling the room.

After bidding farewell to her grandmother and the others, Jin An, burdened with worries, slowly boarded the carriage back to the palace. The wheels rolled rhythmically on the cobblestones. She leaned back against the cushions, her thoughts drifting to the Zhang family's machinations, her cousin's marriage, and the complexities of the palace situation. Seeing this, Han Shuang quietly sat by the side of the carriage, accompanying her silently.

Halfway through the journey, the carriage jolted suddenly, waking Jin An from her reverie. Subconsciously, she reached out and gently lifted a corner of the carriage curtain, wanting to see the road conditions outside.

As his eyes casually swept across the street, a familiar figure caught his eye. The man walked with a limp, a hunched back, and walked slowly towards a medicine shop.

Jin An peered at him, a wave of emotion stirring in her heart. That figure, surprisingly, resembled Wu Changfeng. Her memories instantly flooded back, and memories of the past flooded back. It seemed as if this person had vanished from her life without a trace at some point, so much so that she had almost forgotten they even existed.

She no longer had the time or interest to follow him and Lanzhu's current situation, but she seemed to have heard that he didn't marry his cousin. It seemed that there was a story behind this that she didn't know about.

Now, my uncle had returned safely and been conferred the title of Marquis. Furthermore, my father was in good health. The Zhang family's influence in the court was no longer absolute, and the harem was no longer dominated by Concubine Zhang. A new structure had emerged. And I was engaged to Zhong Chuzhou. Now, not only did I have my father's love, but I also had the support of my maternal family and the Duke of Huguo's mansion.

Jin An still felt a lingering fear when she recalled the days of being ignored, neglected, frustrated, and miserable. But now, everything was completely different. She had severed her ties with Wu Changfeng, freed herself from those constraints, and was about to embark on a brand new life. Thinking of this, Jin An's brows softened, her eyes filled with anticipation for the future.

As she thought about this, a sudden thought struck her. She suddenly realized that her maternal grandfather and uncle already knew about the Zhang family's private army. What about her father? Could he have also seen through everything? Jin An began to carefully recall her father's various actions in the court during this period. Those seemingly ordinary decrees and personnel transfers now seemed to hold a deeper meaning when connected together.

The more Jin An thought about it, the more certain he became that his father must have known. With his father's wisdom, how could any disturbance in the court escape his eyes? Thinking of his grandfather and uncle's calm responses, Jin An suddenly realized that they must have been playing a grand game with his father, at his father's behest.

After realizing this, Jin An's worries instantly vanished. The heavy burden that had weighed on her heart for days finally fell to the ground, and she felt a sense of relief, as if even breathing became easier.

Han Shuang, sitting nearby, keenly noticed Jin An's change in mood. Previously, Jin An had frowned and looked solemn when he boarded the bus, but now he was smiling brightly, his eyes sparkling with life. Han Shuang, filled with surprise, couldn't help but ask, "Princess, what did you just see? Why are you so happy all of a sudden?"

Jin An smiled and said slowly: "There's nothing special. I just saw the people on the street. They all looked peaceful and their lives were in order. The streets and alleys were full of fireworks. This shows that our country is now thriving and becoming more and more prosperous. As the daughter of the emperor, I am full of pride in witnessing all this. I am very proud of the emperor." After that, she leaned back on the cushion in the carriage, a smile on her lips, immersed in her own thoughts.

The wheels of the carriage rolled forward, raising a cloud of dust that sparkled in the afternoon sun, and soon the pharmacy was left far behind.

At the same time, Wu Changfeng walked out of the pharmacy, clutching a paper bag of herbs. The aroma of the herbs filled the air. He subconsciously turned his head and looked in the direction the carriage was leaving.

After a moment, he withdrew his gaze, lowered his head slightly, and walked slowly in the opposite direction of the carriage. His back seemed a little lonely on the street, out of tune with the bustling city scene around him.

In the distance, the afterglow of the setting sun gradually spread out, stretching Wu Changfeng's figure very long.

As the New Year draws closer, the biting cold wind carries the festive atmosphere through the streets and alleys of the capital, but in the court, the atmosphere is indescribably weird.

Everyone who attended the celebration banquet knew that a concubine in the emperor's harem nearly perished in a fire that night. The news shocked the entire court. Later, it was revealed that the concubine was pregnant—a crucial event for the continuation of the imperial bloodline—and yet she had suffered such a tragic loss. Normally, upon learning of this, the emperor would be furious and determined to investigate thoroughly.

However, the situation in the court was far from everyone's expectations. The Imperial Censor, filled with righteous indignation, was the first to step forward and earnestly plead with the Emperor to have the matter fully investigated by the Dali Temple, to uncover the culprit behind the incident and restore peace to the harem. But the Emperor simply listened with a calm expression, saying nothing, lacking the usual wrath upon hearing of major events. He neither nodded in agreement nor rejected the request; he remained silent.

Even more puzzling was the behavior of Zhang Chengde's faction. They were strangely quiet, offering no comment on the matter. Furthermore, his eldest son, Zhang Hengrui, hadn't yet returned from his rest and hadn't appeared at court, yet Zhang Chengde showed no sign of anxiety.

Seeing this, the other ministers in the court also understood the situation and chose to play it safe. They knew that there was an undercurrent behind this incident and that if they were not careful, they might be caught in the vortex and get into trouble.

Therefore, in the court, except for the Chief Censor, everyone else kept their mouths shut and did not mention the matter on their own initiative. They just hoped to get through this storm safely and not get themselves deeply involved in it.

The entire court, at this special moment when the end of the year is approaching, fell into an inexplicable silence, like the calm before the storm, which made people feel vaguely uneasy.