My Lord, your wife is spreading rumors about you again.

Chapter 60 Zhang Zhi's Plan

Mingli pondered for a moment, then slowly raised her eyes and said, "I have a question, Your Highness, can you answer it?"

"You said."

"Your Highness is the legitimate son of the Empress, but His Majesty dislikes him and he is trampled upon by his concubine's brother. Half of the officials in the court have become disciples of the Second Prince, and the position of the Crown Prince is in jeopardy. But Your Highness is still forbearing and giving in. Now, His Majesty is in his prime, and it is not difficult for him to dethrone the Crown Prince. Your Highness, do you think that in the current situation, you have a chance of ascending the throne?"

Shen Ke's expression froze. He really didn't expect Mingli to be so bold. Even Zhang Zhi had never told him these truths.

Everyone says that honest advice may be unpleasant to the ears but is beneficial to one's conduct, but only those in high positions know this. Even if there are loyal ministers around them, there are very few who speak the truth.

Shen Ke lowered his eyes and smiled, and his heart became more determined to take Mingli under his command and send her to the court. Zhang Zhi had been observing Shen Ke carefully. They grew up together, and he knew Shen Ke's every move best. As long as His Highness realized that Mingli had great talent and wanted to use her, then she would be able to leave the Ming Mansion safely.

Now that Mingbo has returned to the capital, the marriage is imperative. With the support of the prince, it will be more convenient.

Shen Ke said, "The girl is also the eldest daughter of the Ming family, but her life at home is even worse than that of a few first-class maids. Her father doesn't like her, her mother doesn't love her, her sisters don't get along, and her elders don't treat her well. So why did the girl endure it for more than ten years?"

Mingli opened her red lips and said, "A long-lasting accumulation of strength will lead to a fatal blow."

"Well said!" Shen Ke praised, and then he said: "The word forbearance is often more valuable than reckless fighting. When I am fully grown and the people of the world are loyal to me, Shen Heng, Yun Lan, Ming Boyuan, and even Your Majesty, I will ask them to pay ten times, a hundred times, a thousand times the price for the suffering I have endured over the years."

Seeing that Mingli did not respond for a long time, Shen Ke felt a little flustered. He really did not want to let go of such a helpful person like Mingli.

"Your Highness will be a wise ruler." Ming Li suddenly said, "I am willing to be the sword's tip and kill all those who stand in your way."

"Good, very good!" Shen Ke was delighted: "I'll be waiting for you. By the way, I said before that when the Mo family falls, I will give you two great gifts. The first one will be waiting for you right away. Miss Ming, please wait."

After Shen Ke left, Zhang Zhi looked at Ming Li anxiously and said, "Your Highness is a good man, but if you don't want to be a subject, you don't have to agree."

Mingli looked back at him and said calmly: "But, deep down you want me to agree. Don't you?"

Zhang Zhi was stunned.

"From the very beginning when we met at the Yong'an Marquis's Mansion, you deliberately led me to speculate about the salt transport case, making me think that you wanted to use me to investigate Mo Zhao. Later, you found the fake burial site set up by the Ming family before me, which made me know about the Kyoto water slaves. At the flower viewing banquet, you deliberately took away the people from the Zhenbei Marquis's Mansion in advance, allowing me to successfully detain Zhang Yang and Wang, which led to Meng's early return to the mansion and indirectly eliminated the third branch of the family."

The more Mingli spoke, the lower Zhang Zhi lowered his head. "Then, you captured Zhu Bi before me and got the source of the water slaves from him. I guess because you didn't have enough time, you didn't lead me to investigate Mo Zhengfeng's rape case, but directly sent the witnesses and evidence to me, which led to today's good show."

"You can obviously do these things by yourself, or you already have a plan for the downfall of the Mo family. We have known each other for a short time, but we know each other well. Young Master Zhang led me to investigate in such a roundabout way, not because he wanted me to become the target of public criticism, but because he wanted the Crown Prince, the Second Prince, and even more people to pay attention to me."

After saying that, Mingli curled his lips and smiled, "Your original purpose was to make the prince take me in, to make me become his disciple. Young Master Zhang, is there anything wrong with what I said?"

Zhang Zhi shook his head and smiled bitterly, "No. I already knew how smart you are. I didn't make a single mistake in what I said just now."

"Okay, that's it." Mingli's expression was not angry, she just said: "Ming Boyuan will definitely cause trouble when he comes back, I'm leaving first." After that, Mingli walked away, and the two passed by. After a while, Zhang Zhi turned around and wanted to call her, but Mingli's figure was gone.

Does her words mean that the marriage covenant is invalid?

Never mind. Even if she wanted to cancel it, it would be fine. After all, the prince had already extended the olive branch. From now on, no matter who in Kyoto wanted to touch her, they would have to think carefully before doing so.

明府
Meng was kneeling on the ground carefully, removing the shoes and boots for a middle-aged man in a bright yellow robe. The man had a white face and no beard, a fat body, but a cold look in his small eyes.

Being a subject, but wearing bright yellow is a crime punishable by the punishment of nine generations of clan.

A servant came in and reported to Ming Boyuan everything that had happened in the Kyoto government office.

Mrs. Meng came over with a basin of water for washing feet and put Ming Boyuan's feet in it personally. She said, "It sounds like the second young lady has joined the prince's sect? But we are on the side of the second prince. With what happened today, the second prince will definitely be suspicious. What if it involves the master?"

"Snapped--"

Unexpectedly, Meng was slapped to the ground by Ming Boyuan. Then he lifted his foot and the basin of foot washing water was splashed all over Meng.

The servant seemed to be used to such scenes, and stood aside silently with his head down, saying nothing. Meng Shi didn't even have time to wipe it, and hurriedly knelt at Ming Boyuan's feet.

"Master, please calm down. I said something wrong. I really deserve to die!"

Ming Boyuan stood up barefoot, bent down and grabbed Meng's throat, and lifted her up: "Who told you that I am on the side of the Second Prince? The country of Da Qi will belong to the Ming family sooner or later. He, Shen, is not worthy of being the emperor!"

Meng had been fighting desperately. She felt that she was only one step away from death. "Yes, yes, yes, I said the wrong thing. In this world, only the master has the spirit of a true dragon."

After he finished speaking, Ming Boyuan finally let go of her hand, and Meng's legs softened and she fell to the ground. She covered her throat and gasped for air.

Ming Boyuan put on his shoes and boots, stood with his hands behind his back, and looked into the distance through the window.

He originally thought that Mingli was the easiest to control, but the killing of the entire Zhou family, setting fire to the Earl's Mansion, and using a borrowed knife to wipe out the third branch of the family, all of these things were actually somewhat similar to his shadow.

After decades of decline in officialdom, he and Lin Wei have been fighting endlessly. Now, his people are everywhere in the court, but in the harem, the Ming family has never had a daughter who can be the most favored in the six palaces.

Mingli's change now has allowed Ming Boyuan to see a new path.

"The three-year selection period is coming. Although Mingli is a second-time bride, your majesty dare not say a word based on her true identity."

"Master, do you mean?" Meng was startled, "to send the second young lady to the palace as a concubine?"

(End of this chapter)