The princess regretted it.

Chapter 60 Palace Banquet (4)

Jin'an was eating some snacks when he heard Changsun Wuwang's voice. Changsun Wuwang suddenly said to Jin'an, "Jin'an, today is the Mid-Autumn Festival. Third Brother would like to take this opportunity to wish our Jin'an peace, happiness and freedom from worries every year. Such a good day should be accompanied by fine wine. Would you like to taste this palace wine?" After saying this, he signaled Lanzhu with his eyes.

Lan Zhu understood and walked lightly to Jin An's side. She gracefully lifted the wine jug and slowly poured the mellow wine into the glass in front of Jin An. The wine rippled in the glass, exuding an alluring aroma.

Upon hearing this, Jin An first glanced at Lan Zhu who was pouring the wine, then raised his eyes to look at Zhang Sun Wuwang, smiled calmly, and said, "Third brother, you know that I can't drink much."

Changsun Wuwang raised the corners of his mouth slightly, revealing a warm smile, "Jin'an, don't worry, this wine tastes mellow but not strong. You can take a sip, it will suit the lively atmosphere of the Mid-Autumn Festival." He spoke sincerely, his eyes full of expectation.

Jin An's eyes turned slightly, still smiling faintly, he picked up the wine glass on the table and said to Changsun Wuwang: "Since that's the case, Jin An would like to wish Third Brother all the best, good health and a peaceful and worry-free life." After that, Jin An raised his head slightly and drank the wine in the glass.

When Changsun Wuwang heard the phrase "a life of peace and tranquility," he felt a pang of pain in his heart. But when he saw Jin'an drink the wine, a subtle cunning flashed in his eyes. He pretended to be nonchalant and chatted with Jin'an, intentionally or unintentionally persuading him to drink.

Jin An pretended to be unaware of Changsun Wuwang's intentions, continuing to chat with him with a gentle smile. However, she had already learned their plan from the secret guards yesterday. She had already made secret arrangements. She deliberately followed Changsun Wuwang's words, occasionally taking a sip of wine, to make Changsun Wuwang mistakenly believe that his plan was proceeding smoothly.

Changsun Wuwang was genuinely pleased with the smooth progress of the plan, a smug smile playing across his lips. Little did he know, someone else was also observing his actions. Zhong Chuzhou watched the interaction between Changsun Wuwang and Jin An, his eyes narrowing slightly, a glint of brilliance in his gaze.

Zhong Chuzhou gently swirled his wine glass. He already knew what Zhangsun Wuwang and Wu Changfeng were planning today, according to the shadow guards. His men hadn't yet fully infiltrated the palace, and he couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy about Jin'an. Seeing Zhangsun Wuwang trying to persuade Jin'an to drink, while Jin'an appeared completely clueless, he felt even more uneasy. He tilted his head slightly and whispered a few words to the attendant beside him, who quietly left the palace.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister's residence was also keeping an eye on Jin'an's actions. Prime Minister Mu had received two similar pieces of news yesterday, one from Jin'an and the other from an unknown source. Both reported on the plots being plotted by the Third Prince and the Jinwu Marquisate. Last night, he had instructed Zhong Wenqing to pay close attention to Jin'an's movements today so she could provide timely cooperation and assistance.

In truth, he had been restless and troubled since Jin'an's departure. He finally decided to tell his wife, Mrs. Xue, and his daughter-in-law, Mrs. Zhong, to alert them and put them on the alert. He held off on telling Mu Zixuan, primarily because he was still young and worried he might lose control and disrupt his plans. Unbeknownst to him, Mu Zixuan had known about Jin'an's predicament long before he did.

If looks could kill, Mu Zixuan would have already pierced several holes in Zhangsun Wuwang and Wu Changfeng's bodies. He lowered his eyes angrily, stuffed a grape into his mouth, and chewed it vigorously, his eyeballs rolling around. Suddenly, he paused, then leaned towards Zhong Wenqing and whispered, "Mother, I want to go find my cousin." Zhong Wenqing was naturally also paying attention to Jin'an's situation and was thinking about how to help him. When she heard Mu Zixuan's words, she said nonchalantly, "Go!"

Mu Zixuan stood up with the wine glass in his hand and quietly walked towards Zhong Chuzhou. He sat down next to him and whispered into Zhong Chuzhou's ear, "Cousin!"

Zhong Chuzhou tilted his head to glance at him, then turned his head back, raised his hand to fill his glass with wine, and whispered, "What are you doing here?"

Mu Zixuan said softly, "Cousin, you asked me to tell Mother to pay more attention to the Third Prince and Jin An, but you didn't tell us what to do. I'm getting anxious, so I came to ask you!"

Zhong Chuzhou narrowed his eyes slightly, and a faint arc appeared at the corner of his mouth. "Why are you in such a hurry? Just wait and see."

Mu Zixuan frowned, his face full of confusion, "Cousin, it's already this time, and you're still watching? What if something really happens to my cousin?"

Zhong Chuzhou took a sip of wine, his expression calm, "Don't worry, she won't get into trouble that easily."

Mu Zixuan became more and more confused, "Cousin, why are you so sure?"

Zhong Chuzhou put down his wine glass and looked in the direction of Jin An, "Because I am here."

Mu Zixuan stared at him intently. Although he felt that his cousin was indeed very powerful, this was after all in the imperial palace. He was still filled with worry, "But I'm still worried."

Zhong Chuzhou smiled faintly and shook his head, hooking his finger at Mu Zixuan, "What? Zixuan, you don't believe Qing Ge, you, calm down first. In a moment, listen to what I say and do it, can you do it?"

Mu Zixuan nodded when he heard this and didn't say anything else.