It is said that Qin Shihuang was controlled by a daughter

Chapter 522 Shen Zhi is His Majesty's Eyes
The various palaces within Xianyang Palace were far apart, and Ganquan Palace was located outside the main palaces. The first to arrive at Ganquan Palace were not the women of the inner palace, but rather the court officials, who came by carriage.

The Imperial Clan Minister, followed by the Minister of Ceremonies, then the Director of the Imperial Secretariat, and then the Imperial Historian and the Diviner.

It seemed that everyone who hadn't visited Ganquan Palace in the past ten years had gathered on this evening.

The Empress Dowager and the Emperor had a strained relationship, a fact known to the more experienced court officials. It was difficult to predict whether the Empress Dowager's death would be a good one or a bad one. In any case, to prevent any unforeseen events, the Imperial Physician Feng Quji quickly mobilized the guards, surrounding the Ganquan Palace tightly and arranging for officials of all ranks to come in accordance with the law.

They were unaware of the Empress's coma. Among the palace secrets, many still remembered only the old stories of the Emperor and Empress.

"Why don't we go to Qiuyue Palace to invite Madam Hu?" the scholar suggested.

"That's not appropriate," someone interrupted.

Zhang Han then said, "Lady Hu never gets involved in such matters. Young Master Hu Hai is just a child; how could he be involved in funerals?"

"Prefect Zhang, you are mistaken. Madam Hu's rank is second only to the Empress. Meanwhile, the eldest son and the Prime Minister are away..."

Feng Chang glanced at Feng Quji, and the two exchanged a look, reaching some kind of agreement. Feng Chang then bowed to Ying Teng and said, "The Grand Master of the Imperial Clan is currently the most senior official and is also His Majesty the Emperor's uncle. I believe that the matter of the funeral arrangements should be decided by the Grand Master of the Imperial Clan."

Ying Teng was well aware of the thorny issues surrounding the funeral preparations—whether to hold a grand funeral for Empress Dowager Zhao or to keep it simple… With Ying Zheng not in the palace at the moment, he dared not touch upon the emperor’s past, which had been kept secret for nearly twenty years.

Other officials may well be aware of this.

Just as the ministers were urging Ying Teng to take the lead and were declining the offer, a female official with an extraordinary demeanor, dressed in a dark blue robe, appeared at the end of the long steps.

A scarlet sash hung from her waist...

"Lady Shen?" The court officials exchanged glances, then suddenly realized something. They had almost forgotten that Princess Yong'an had returned to Xianyang from Chu. However, she was still under house arrest and was not allowed to leave the palace without permission, much less meet with court officials without authorization.

Feng Chang wanted to mention Madam Hu again.

The Grand Master of Ceremonies (Fengchang) was the head of the Nine Ministers. Although his duties were few, he was particularly important during weddings, funerals, and other important events. The Grand Master of Ceremonies was very resistant to Princess Yong'an because ten years ago, Zhang Liang almost held this position for life. However, later, the Zhang family was implicated by Lord Changping and got into trouble, which also made the Grand Master of Ceremonies and the Imperial Censor a hot potato.

The atmosphere was tense, and it was difficult to determine the outcome.

Shen Zhi met the current Fengchang, who had been recommended by Li Si. The righteous young man was being prepared for his burial; from afar, one could see a person in a long robe performing a soul-summoning ceremony. The palace servants who had long served the Empress Dowager held their breath in silence before the hall.

"Your Highness is deeply saddened by the sudden passing of the Empress Dowager."

"Your Highness is still under house arrest, why have you come here?"

Shen Zhi countered, "But with all of you gathered in front of the hall, are you worried about disturbing the Empress Dowager?"

Upon hearing the sound, Feng Quji left the side hall and saw a seal in Shen Zhi's hand... He was shocked. Could it be that the person behind Shen Zhi was not Princess Yong'an?

He solemnly replied, “Your words are incorrect. His Majesty the Emperor will not return to the palace for some time, yet the Empress has not appeared to preside over the sacrificial rites. The encoffining is now complete. When His Majesty the Emperor was our King, he informed us of this. We have all come here secretly, and certainly not without permission.”

“Do you, sir, realize that times have changed and the current situation is different from twenty years ago?” She glanced around. “Aren’t you all gathered here? Aren’t you afraid of displeasing His Majesty?”

"..." Feng Chang paused, "Then what do you think..."

Shen Zhi put away the seal in her palm: "It has been three months since Her Highness the Princess returned to Xianyang, and His Majesty the Emperor has not reprimanded her. The Prime Minister and the Court of Justice found nothing unusual after questioning her. The Princess welcomed Wang Ben back to court at the city gate. Why don't we go to Zhilan Palace and invite the Princess to Ganquan Palace?"

Feng Chang was pondering.

The doctor suddenly interjected, "In that case, His Highness Yong'an is indeed capable of shouldering this important responsibility." This was followed by many voices of agreement.

Not far away, inside Meng Yi's car, Xu Zhi remained motionless despite hearing all this.

Meng Yi knew that Ying Zheng's feelings for Zhao Ji were actually quite complex, far more complex than the superficial estrangement and hatred. The scholar-official was trying to force Ying Hehua to take responsibility.

Just as he was about to get up and get out of the car, she pressed his arm down.

She quickly let go, "It's not time yet."

Meng Yi looked at her with a puzzled expression. "Do you know that the seal can only be obtained by those in the inner secret chamber?"

She didn't answer.

"Do you trust Shen Zhi?" "I trust Father." She raised her eyebrows. "If Father wants Shen Zhi to come to my side, it's not necessarily a bad thing."

Meng Yi was stunned. He bluntly recounted the incident from many years ago at Guxiakou... "At that time, His Majesty the Emperor already knew about Lü Ze and Zhao Jia's affair. Shen Zhi was Lü Ze's betrothed, and His Majesty the Emperor knew this long ago. Including the fact that the people who accompanied Huai Qing to Qin had connections with Cheng Jiao... If Li You hadn't said that you were willing to fall off your horse to save Shen Zhi at Bolangsha... If she hadn't failed to protect you, His Majesty the Emperor would have exterminated her entire clan long ago."

“I saved her. Isn’t that good?” She fiddled with the wide coral and agate bracelet on her wrist, answering her own question, “Whether she did things for my father or for me, it was all for the Qin state. It’s good that she survived.”

Meng Yi was stunned. "Since the princess knew... then why did you ask Shen Zhi to return to Qin first when you were in Chu?"

She said sincerely, "Actually, it was only after seeing the reaction of that official that I was convinced that Azhi was indeed Father's person. As for why she had to return to Qin first, it was not an easy task for me to keep it from Zhao Gao that I was still in Chu with some people. I thought that using a counter-plan was a good idea."

"Just to frame Zhao Gao, you're willing to go through such a long and complicated process?"

Before getting out of the car, she turned around and said seriously, "Meng Yi is a very cunning person. If we make the slightest mistake, we will all die without a burial place."

He suddenly felt numb all over his body.

She saw the disbelief on his face. "The remnants of the Six Kingdoms are the root of all evil. When Father Emperor was alive, they were nothing but clowns. But look, Zhao Gao made his move, trying to use Zhao Rong to kill me, and then seriously injured Li Xian. Then the Empress Dowager died, and Mother Emperor fell seriously ill. I'm afraid that for Father Emperor, these are the sharp knives that pierce straight into people's hearts. We can't let them all come at once."

After she finished speaking, she suddenly noticed a pleasant surprise on Meng Yi's face, which had always disliked her.

"If what the princess says is true, wouldn't your intervention be playing right into his hands?"

"The Ganquan Palace was suddenly embroiled in an incident, and Zhao Gao's background became a mystery. Few people would believe it if it were told. However, some things cannot be understood by telling others. They must see it with their own eyes to know the truth."

After Xu Zhi finished speaking, she bent down to lift the curtain.

"Yong'an..."

Meng Yi unexpectedly called out to her.

"?" Xu Zhi turned around.

Meng Yi's voice was as deep as usual, but it was not as cautious as it used to be.

“If what the princess says is true, I will never allow such wicked people to run rampant here.”

"Meng Yi?"

He gripped the sword at his side and stepped out of the carriage before Ying Hehua.

He felt subconsciously uncomfortable hearing that she was getting involved.

He simply didn't want to see a scene like the one in Guxiakou. He believed there was no need for acting to expose the crimes.

Meng Yi turned to the side, sunlight shining on his official robes with mountain patterns, as if mountain mist were floating.

"His Majesty the Emperor has not yet returned to the palace, but the court officials have already gathered here in front of Ganquan Palace. The Empress Dowager's matter is already thorny, and now the Empress is seriously ill. As the Empress's daughter, the Princess should be at the Empress's bedside to show filial piety while the eldest son is away. Don't get involved in this mess. If you shouldn't be involved, then don't be involved."

"I once played chess with a former official of the Han dynasty and heard a piece of advice: 'The player should sit on the chessboard, observing the changing winds and clouds with composure and tranquility.' Since Your Highness has received this advice from this person, you must understand its meaning."

"But what if I'd rather be an insider? How can that be explained?"

Meng Yi was slightly taken aback. He wondered if Chunyu Yue or Zhang Liang had corrupted her, causing her to forget everything she had learned from Han Fei in her youth. This was hardly the way of a ruler; she was clearly made for a minister…

He said, "Then I can only tell the princess that I was able to report this person and get him imprisoned back then, and now that I am the Minister of Justice, I will never forget my original intention."

"With Lord Meng's words, I feel that even if you told me that Father Emperor sent you to stay in Xianyang to monitor me, I would still think it was worth it."

Meng Yi is truly a very honest person; after all, he never hides the fact that he hurts people when he speaks the truth.

“What the princess said is true, it is indeed so.”

Before he finished speaking, he waved for the car to move forward.

As Meng Yi watched the carriage heading towards Xianyang Palace, he felt that the person inside must be cursing him.

He seemed to see the last vestige of stubbornness in her already dwindling conscience, so much so that the ice on the summit of Kunlun Mountain finally began to soften.