The princess regretted it.

Chapter 337 Kidney Beans Cannot Be Left Behind

It would have been fine if Zhang Chengde hadn't mentioned the past, but as soon as he did, Jiaoyu's mind immediately flashed back to the past. She had once trusted the Zhang family so much, but now it seemed they had only been treating her and her mother as pawns, plotting something unknown behind the scenes. Thinking of this, Jiaoyu's anger burned even more fiercely. She said coldly, "Before? Didn't you all benefit from Mother's favor? Back then, everyone was like a family, living in harmony and loving each other. But now that Mother has lost power, you've all become unreliable. I've seen through you completely!"

After saying this, Jiaoyu suddenly flung her sleeves, straightened her back, stood up with her head held high, and slowly said, "Minister Zhang, have you ever considered that simply because your mother went out without permission once, your father would be furious and banish her to the cold palace? Yundou is now in the hands of the Imperial Guards. How can you know if she will say something detrimental to the Zhang family to save her own life? If your father heard of something outrageous, do you think you can really protect everyone in the Zhang family?"

Zhang Chengde's expression darkened instantly at these words. The unfamiliar "Minister Zhang" made him realize Jiaoyu had already estranged from the Zhang family. The subsequent mention of kidney beans and the treasonous act was like a hammer, hammering down on his heart, sending a wave of intense unease welling up within him. A flicker of panic flashed across his eyes, but he quickly tried to conceal it, trying to maintain composure. However, the slight beads of sweat on his forehead betrayed his inner nervousness.

Zhang Chengde was filled with unease, unsure if Jiaoyu knew anything. But then he thought again, it was unlikely. However, Jiaoyu's words were like a warning bell, ringing in his mind. Yundou was indeed a hidden danger, and he probably couldn't let her stay. His eyes suddenly became sharp, staring at Jiaoyu, and asked, "Do you mean to get rid of Yundou? But what did she say?"

"What? Yundou can't be moved? Does the Minister have other plans?" Jiaoyu asked with a mocking smile, not showing any weakness. "She is in the hands of my father's men now. How can I know what she said? I am just guessing. Could she really know some secret that cannot be revealed?"

"Jiaoyu, I know you're angry," Zhang Chengde said, suppressing his rage and trying to sound gentle. "But if you truly know something, you'd better tell us. Don't forget, Yundou has been following your mother's instructions since entering the palace. If she says something she shouldn't, it would be extremely detrimental to both your mother and you two siblings."

Zhang Chengde was very angry when he heard Jiaoyu's unfamiliar way of addressing him and her arrogant attitude of calling herself "this palace", but he had to swallow his anger and could only put on a sincere look.

"Are you threatening me?" Jiaoyu squinted her eyes and glared coldly at Zhang Chengde. "Everything my mother did in the harem was for your Zhang family, wasn't it? Or do you think you can still distance yourself from my mother now?"

"Jiaoyu, although you are a princess, I am your grandfather after all." Zhang Chengde could no longer suppress the anger in his heart, and his voice unconsciously rose a few degrees.

"Do you really have to make things this far? I've made it very clear, it's not that I don't want to save your mother, but we have to have a comprehensive plan. You, your second brother, and your mother, if it weren't for our Zhang family's status in the court over the years, would you have the honor and wealth you have today? You never thought that your father didn't attack suddenly, he has long been unable to tolerate our Zhang family, let alone your mother and you brothers and sisters. This incident is just an excuse for him to take action." Zhang Chengde finished speaking in one breath, his chest heaving violently, obviously very angry.

Despite the resentment she felt at Zhang Chengde's words, Jiaoyu had to admit that he wasn't entirely unreasonable. But when she thought of her grandfather and his clan's secret plots, she felt a weight of pain weighing on her heart. She turned away, refraining from further confrontation with Zhang Chengde. The tension in the room eased slightly.

Seeing Jiaoyu's attitude soften, Zhang Chengde struck while the iron was hot and continued, "Jiaoyu, you rushed here in such a hurry today, are you just trying to hurt Grandfather with these hurtful words? In this situation, you are the only one the palace can rely on. If you still want to rescue your mother and restore everything to its former glory and favor, you must calm down and hold your composure. We must work together inside and outside to handle this matter properly."

Jiaoyu had almost vented her anger, and she knew full well that her purpose in coming here today was to draw on the help of her grandfather and the others. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. She turned around, her tone much calmer, but still a little stiff: "What are you going to do? What do you need my cooperation for?"

Zhang Chengde breathed a sigh of relief and said, "As you said, Yundou can't be kept here. It's just that it's not clear yet whether she has revealed any key information." Zhang Chengde pondered for a moment, then slowly approached Jiaoyu and said in a low voice, "So, after you return to the palace..."

After he finished speaking, Jiaoyu's eyes sparkled and she nodded gently: "I understand. But if anything happens in the future, how can I contact you? I leave the palace so frequently that it will easily attract attention."

Zhang Chengde hesitated for a moment and said, "You go back to the palace first. I will ask your grandmother to send someone to the palace to stay by your side and serve you. If you have any problems in the future, please contact us through her."

Jiaoyu understood that her grandfather had arranged this because he didn't want her to know about the Zhang family's spies in the palace. Since she knew what her grandfather was thinking, she stopped dwelling on it. Since they would arrange for someone to be around her, as long as they could contact those spies, she would be able to find out.

However, after this reminder, she remembered what her mother had told her before. She was so angry just now that she was only concerned with venting her emotions and had forgotten an important matter.

"Okay, I'll do as you say. But there is one more thing. My mother asked me to tell you. She asked Qiuwen to contact the informants in the palace to pass on the message to you, but she never received a response. And Qiuwen couldn't contact those people. She was worried that something had happened, so she rashly left the palace. As a result, she was discovered by my father and was punished." Jiaoyu hurriedly told Zhang Chengde the news.