mtl008 Chapter 149 Princess Jue Ling's Choice
Chapter 149 Princess Jue Ling's Choice
As luck would have it, a carrier pigeon flew towards here at this time.
The maid removed the small bamboo tube containing the secret letter from the carrier pigeon and, with a humble expression, presented it to Princess Jue Ling. Princess Jue Ling's eyes never left Ji Zhao, as if the tube contained no secret but something insignificant. She casually extended her right hand, her delicate white fingers curling slightly in the air, signaling the maid to place the object in her hand. The maid gently placed the tube in Princess Jue Ling's palm, then stepped back, head bowed, and stood still.
The small bamboo tube felt cool to the touch, smooth and delicate, evidently crafted from the finest jadeite bamboo. Its surface was intricately carved, evoking a subtle, ancient air. Princess Jue Ling gently stroked the mechanism at the top of the tube with her thumb. The mechanism was carved into a magnolia bud, its petals layered and lifelike.
With a soft click, the mechanism of the magnolia flower was triggered, and the top of the bamboo tube popped open, revealing a thin roll of paper. This paper was not the usual off-white color, but a strange dark red, as if it were dyed with some special flower juice. In the dim candlelight, it exuded an indescribable strangeness.
Princess Jue Ling's gaze finally settled on the scroll of letter paper. She slowly unfolded it, revealing the delicate, flowing calligraphy of a woman. However, as Princess Jue Ling's gaze swept over the contents, the color drained from her previously calm face, and the delicate fingers gripping the paper began to tremble slightly.
Her breathing became rapid, and her chest rose and fell violently, as if a nameless fire was burning in her chest, almost swallowing her whole. She bit her lower lip tightly, trying hard to restrain the turmoil in her heart and not lose her composure in front of Ji Zhao.
"Sister Cen Xiao, you..." Princess Jue Ling gritted her teeth and squeezed out these words. Her beautiful eyes were full of fire, as if she wanted to burn a hole in the letter paper in her hand.
Ji Zhao observed Princess Jue Ling's expression and saw her face change. He was secretly delighted, knowing that his master's plan was already halfway successful. He pretended to be casual and asked, "Your Highness, what does the letter say? Could it be that... this Sister Cen Xiao is really as I described?"
Princess Jue Ling slammed the letter shut. Her once clear eyes seemed now covered with a layer of frost, and her tone was icy and piercing: "Humph, this is more than just an unforgivable crime! This Cen Jiexiao is so audacious that she even dared to plot against the Emperor!"
"Oh? What do you mean?" Ji Zhao asked in surprise, but he was actually very happy in his heart. It seemed that Princess Jue Ling had been completely led by the master's plan.
"Look for yourself!" Princess Jue Ling threw the letter in her hand to Ji Zhao, with undisguised anger in her tone.
Yoshizho took the letter and held it with feigned respect. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of Princess Jue Ling's moody expression, and he felt a surge of satisfaction. He feigned a careful reading, his brow furrowed, his head shaken, his sighs etched in his lips, perfectly portraying the image of a loyal subject who couldn't bear to see his master deceived.
The letter, however, contained no irrefutable evidence of Cen Jiexiao's collusion with the Xixiang people. Instead, it used an extremely obscure method to describe Cen Jiexiao's recent actions in an exaggerated manner. For example, the letter mentioned Cen Jiexiao's frequent dealings with Xixiang merchants, implying that she had close ties with the Xixiang people. Another example was that the letter mentioned that Cen Jiexiao had privately contacted some court officials during the reform of Zhaoyin Academy, suggesting that she was forming a clique for personal gain. Furthermore, the letter fabricated some treasonous remarks made by Cen Jiexiao before the emperor, implying that she was dissatisfied with the emperor and had rebellious intentions.
These so-called "evidences", taken individually, are nothing but groundless rumors, but after being carefully arranged and coupled with Yoshiaki's superb acting skills, they are like cancers that planted the seeds of doubt in Princess Jue Ling's heart.
Ji Zhao read, shook his head and sighed, adding fuel to the fire, "Your Highness, this Cen Jiexiao is truly terrifying! It's a shame the Emperor trusted her so much, handing her such an important position at Zhaoyin Academy, but I never imagined she would harbor such evil intentions! Everything described in this letter was witnessed with my own eyes, and there's absolutely no falsehood!"
Princess Jue Ling already had a grudge against Cen Jiexiao. Now that she saw what was written in the letter, which coincided with her own guess, her suspicion of Cen Jiexiao increased a bit.
She smiled coldly and said, "Completely conscienceless? I'm afraid this is just the tip of the iceberg! I wonder, is her reform of Zhaoyin Academy really for the benefit of those common women? It's a joke! She just wants to use this opportunity to win over people, cultivate her own power, and prepare for a rebellion in the future!"
Ji Zhao pretended to be enlightened and exclaimed, "So that's how it is! Your Highness is truly observant, having seen through Cen Jiexiao's schemes at a glance! It seems that Cen Jiexiao is much more dangerous than we imagined!"
He paused, lowered his voice, and said mysteriously, "Your Highness, think about it. Cen Jiexiao has only been the dean of Zhaoyin Academy for a few months, and she has already received such praise from the Emperor. Isn't there something fishy going on? Moreover, she has founded a newspaper and a press corps, recruiting so many strange people. Who knows what she is up to? Maybe she wants to use these things to spread rumors, deceive the people, and prepare for her rebellion!"
Ji Zhao's words were heartbreaking, portraying Cen Jiexiao as a sinister, cunning, and treacherous traitor.
Princess Jue Ling, though spoiled, was not foolish. She pondered for a moment and asked, "You've seen all this with your own eyes. Also, is the authenticity of this evidence correct?"
Ji Zhao had anticipated Princess Jue Ling's question. He sighed with feigned embarrassment and said, "Your Highness, are you still unsure of the evidence Your Majesty has provided? Besides, I witnessed Sister Cen Xiao colluding with the Xixiang people with my own eyes! But... but the evidence is so shocking, I'm afraid to disclose it and it would be a nuisance to Your Highness!" Princess Jue Ling hated being kept in suspense. Her eyebrows shot up, and she raged, "Just tell me what I'm telling you! Why are you spouting so much nonsense!" Seeing the time was ripe, Ji Zhao feigned utter resignation and said, "Since Your Highness is so eager to know, I'll speak the truth. I witnessed Sister Cen Xiao meeting privately with Prince Xixiang's men, speaking in the Xixiang language! They even... even had physical contact, and their behavior was incredibly intimate. It's a pity I was too far away to see if they exchanged any intelligence-related correspondence."
"The language of the Xixiang people?" Princess Jue Ling frowned slightly, with a look of doubt and scrutiny.
Ji Zhao was secretly delighted, but remained calm as he replied, "Yes, Your Highness. When they met privately, their conversation was incredibly intimate, unlike the usual exchanges between officials. I think they were so confident they were alone that they let their guard down and spoke in Xixiang." He paused, observing Princess Jue Ling's expression. Seeing she didn't interrupt, he continued, "Although I'm not very talented, I do understand a bit of Xixiang, which is why I was able to pick up on the clues. It's just that we were a bit far apart at the time, so I couldn't see if they were exchanging letters."
After hearing this, Princess Jue Ling's beautiful eyes flashed with suspicion. She asked calmly, "Do you understand Xixiang language?"
Ji Zhao was pleased with himself, but feigned obedience, replying, "Your Highness, I will naturally do my utmost to serve my Lord and Your Highness. Although the Xixiang language is unfamiliar, I have done some research to better assist Your Highness."
Princess Jue Ling's suspicions about Ji Zhao receded slightly after hearing this. She pondered for a moment, then said slowly, "Since that's the case, tell me everything you heard, word for word."
Ji Zhao, already prepared, immediately unleashed his concocted story. To win Princess Jue Ling's trust, he meticulously portrayed Cen Jiexiao as a ruthless, ruthless Xi Xiang spy intent on subverting the Great Zhou. He vividly described how Cen Jiexiao conspired with Xi Xiang's envoys, how she exploited her power to facilitate Xi Xiang's actions, and how she persecuted loyal officials. He even embellished the story with fabricated, erotic plots, portraying Cen Jiexiao as a fickle woman who would do anything to achieve her goals.
Princess Jue Ling's face darkened terribly after hearing Ji Zhao's description, her heart churning like a raging sea. Though she had never met Cen Jiexiao, she had heard of her virtuous reputation. She had also heard of Cen Jiexiao's recent contributions to the people of Great Zhou. Yet, Ji Zhao's description was so real, so convincing.
She stood up suddenly and paced back and forth in the room, the contents of the letter and Ji Zhao's exaggerated words constantly echoing in her mind. On the one hand, there was Cen Jiexiao's contributions to the country and the people, and on the other hand, there was Ji Zhao's solid accusation. This made Princess Jue Ling fall into a deep dilemma.