Tang Dynasty: Taking the Empress Dowager to a brothel, Father Emperor, what a coincidence!

Zheng Qiuying returned to the Zheng family compound with somewhat unsteady steps.

The maid Xiao Cui looked at her mistress's pale face and felt so sorry for her that she burst into tears.

"Miss, let's not be angry anymore. That so-called prince is just a boorish brute who doesn't know how to cherish women at all."

"What right does he have to humiliate you like this? This servant will go and tell Master right away, so that he can join forces with others to impeach him in court."

Zheng Qiuying didn't say anything, but after entering her boudoir, she immediately closed the door behind her.

She walked to the bronze mirror and looked at her slightly disheveled appearance in the mirror.

Immediately afterwards, a burst of laughter rang out from the room.

Startled, Xiao Cui knocked on the door and shouted:

"Miss? Are you alright? Don't frighten me."

The door was opened.

Zheng Qiuying grabbed Xiao Cui's shoulder.

"Get angry? Why should I get angry?"

"Xiao Cui, what do you know? Those so-called scions of noble families surrounding me on the rooftop are nothing but a bunch of good-for-nothings. They're not even worthy of carrying the Crown Prince's shoes."

Xiao Cui was stunned by what she heard.

Is our young lady going crazy from being too traumatized?

Zheng Qiuying released her grip and began pacing back and forth in the room, muttering to herself.

"To earn such high praise from Li Gang, such protection from Kong Yingda, and such a large sum of money from the Cui family."

This is no trash! This is clearly a true dragon hidden in the abyss.

He's too domineering. Only a man like that is worthy of me, Zheng Qiuying.

Xiao Cui timidly reminded him from the side:

"But Miss, he didn't even look at you properly today."

That's because my method was wrong.

Zheng Qiuying gritted her teeth.

"There's no use in putting on airs like a noble lady when dealing with this kind of man. I'll become whatever he likes."

She took out a few gold leaves from her purse and gave them directly to Xiao Cui.

"Go to the black market in Chang'an City now."

"Huh? Why are you going to the black market?"

"Go buy me books. Anything that teaches women how to win a man's heart, like 'The Art of the Bedchamber,' 'The Complete Art of Seduction,' or 'How to Control a Man's Heart.' Buy them all."

Xiao Cui looked at her young mistress, who was already somewhat bewildered.

Is this still the renowned and talented woman of Chang'an?

About an hour later, Xiao Cui sneaked into the villa through the back door like a thief, carrying a large stack of books wrapped in black cloth.

"Miss, I've bought them all. When that blind old woman who sells books heard I wanted to buy these, she almost mistook me for a newly recruited girl from Pingkang Lane."

Zheng Qiuying didn't hear what Xiao Cui said at all, and impatiently untied the black cloth.

"108 Techniques of Seduction," "The Self-Cultivation of a Green Tea Girl," "How to Make a Man Irresistible to You"...

The book titles are all incredibly sensational.

Zheng Qiuying casually flipped open a book titled "The Self-Cultivation of Green Tea," and her eyes lit up as she read.

"So this is the kind of woman men like."

For the next three days, Zheng Qiuying stayed indoors, locking herself in her room and studying day and night.

Xiao Cui stood at the door every day with food in her hands, listening to the sounds inside, and almost went to find the imperial physician.

"Brother, won't sister be angry if you do this?"

"Oh dear, it's all my fault. I've made my brother worry."

"Unlike me, I only feel sorry for my brother."

In front of the bronze mirror, Zheng Qiuying constantly adjusted her expression, repeatedly practicing these chilling lines.

Looking at her young mistress's crazed state, Xiao Cui thought helplessly:

Is my young lady going to become the Crown Princess, or is she trying to replenish her yin energy through yang cultivation?

On the morning of the fourth day, the gate of the villa was kicked open.

Zheng Jibo stormed in angrily.

The news about Qujiang Pool has spread throughout Chang'an in the past few days.

The story of his beloved daughter fawning over men and being ignored has been adapted into several versions by storytellers.

"Where's that rebellious daughter? Tell her to get out here."

As soon as she finished speaking, Zheng Qiuying walked out of the house with a calm expression.

"Dad, please calm down."

"Calm down? How am I supposed to calm down?"

Zheng Jibo pointed at Zheng Qiuying and cursed,

"You've completely disgraced the Zheng family. Why would a legitimate daughter of a prestigious family like yourself go and fawn over a crown prince who's about to be deposed? Have you lost your mind?"

Zheng Qiuying calmly walked behind her father and began to massage his shoulders.

"Father, do you really think Changsun Wuji can depose the Crown Prince?"

Zheng Jibo snorted coldly:

"Changsun Wuji has already contacted the five major clans and seven powerful families. As long as they all launch an attack in the court at the same time, His Majesty will surely depose the heir apparent and install the Prince of Yue in order to appease the powerful families."

"Father, you're confused."

Zheng Jibo was completely stunned.

"Think carefully about what happened at Qujiang Pool."

Zheng Qiuying began to analyze the situation for her father.

Who is Li Gang? A veteran of three dynasties. Who is Kong Yingda? A descendant of the Kong family, a role model for scholars throughout the land.

These two people are now so protective of the Crown Prince, even going so far as to beat someone in public for his sake.

Do you really think that a useless crown prince could make two of the Tang Dynasty's top Confucian scholars so devoted to him?

Zheng Jibo's anger vanished instantly, and he suddenly felt a chill.

Yes, if the Crown Prince were truly as Changsun Wuji said, how could he have gained the favor of two great Confucian scholars?

There must be something else going on here, which Changsun Wuji didn't tell the truth about.

"And there's also the 100,000 strings of cash and 300,000 dan of grain from the Cui family of Qinghe."

Why didn't the Crown Prince have the Cui family deliver the money and provisions directly to the Eastern Palace? Why did he send them to the Duke of Qi's residence instead?

This is clearly the Crown Prince trying to sow discord between Changsun Wuji and the Cui family.

Even that old fox Changsun Wuji might not be able to pull off such a shrewd tactic.

Zheng Jibo gasped.

If what his daughter said is true, then this crown prince is hiding his true nature far too well.

"Changsun Wuji's plan to depose the crown prince was a joke from the very beginning. As long as the empress is alive, do you think His Majesty would agree to it?"

"Father, if the aristocratic families follow Changsun Wuji down this dark path, they will be uprooted by the Crown Prince sooner or later."

Zheng Jibo stood up and began pacing restlessly.

"Then, in your opinion, what should my Zheng family do?"

Zheng Jibo looked at his daughter and asked.

"As long as Father is willing to use the full strength of the clan to cooperate with his daughter, his daughter will definitely be able to defeat the Crown Prince."

Once I, Zheng Qiuying, become the Crown Princess, I will become the Empress of the Tang Dynasty.

Father, you must have seen how the Changsun family rose to power.

"At that time, the Zheng family of Xingyang will be the most prestigious family in the world."

Zheng Jibo looked at his daughter as if he didn't recognize her.

He never imagined his daughter would have such great ambitions.

"Alright! I'll trust you this once. How do you need the family's cooperation?"

After much deliberation, Zheng Jibo gritted his teeth and agreed.

"It's very simple, just help me find out the Crown Prince's whereabouts every day."

I want him to know what it means to be bound by fate.