The male supporting character was actually myself.

Once everything was arranged, under the cover of night, a group of masked men wearing straw hats rode their horses across the deserted streets to the city gate. After using their tokens to open the gate, the horses disappeared into the night with a clatter of hooves.

Meanwhile, more Jinyiwei (Imperial Guard) units were active in the streets and alleys of the capital.

Based on intelligence personally written by Shangguan Xuanyu and secretly gathered by Xiaobaimao, Jiang Chen wiped out the Imperial City Bureau's intelligence network overnight.

"Brother, now that A-Yu has returned to Yong'an, what do you think his chances of winning are?" Shen Qingluan, unable to sleep late at night, knocked on the door and entered his study with a worried expression when she saw the candlelight still on.

Jiang Chen was organizing a travel guide when she heard her question. She smiled and said, "Don't worry, I've been making a revenge plan for Shangguan Xuanyu ever since I learned that Shangguan Yuntao was killed. His return this time will be smooth."

I recently captured a group of well-hidden secret guards sent by the Ninth Prince in the harem, and I'm currently interrogating them.

If they can be successfully turned to the side, they will become an asset to Shangguan Xuanyu in stirring up trouble in the court.

not to mention……"

With a confident smile, he comforted his sister, saying, "Don't worry, I'm here. I guarantee that Shangguan Xuanyu will return unharmed to reunite with you. Maybe you'll be even more distinguished then."

Shen Qingluan didn't know what the second half of her brother's sentence was, but since he was so confident, she could rest assured.

Even if Shangguan Xuanyu doesn't come back, the impact doesn't seem to be that great!

She stared blankly at the flickering candlelight, lost in thought, her worried expression gradually fading as a slight smile appeared on her lips.

Jiang Chen was filled with emotion. He had sent the velvet ball to follow Shangguan Xuanyu, so how could he possibly fail?

Not to mention that it can act as a living surveillance device at any time and secretly pass on "intelligence" to the protagonist in its own name; before leaving, he repeatedly instructed that if things went wrong, he should kill anyone who stood in his way, and with the help of the assassin cat, he believed that Shangguan Xuanyu would not be able to ascend the throne!

Chapter Thirty-Five: Stealing Half a Day of Leisure from a Fleeting Life

As the night deepened, Shen Qingluan had already gone back to rest, and Jiang Chen finally finished preparing the travel itinerary for taking His Majesty the Emperor on his inspection tour.

"Your Highness, it's so late and you're still not resting. Have a bowl of bird's nest soup to calm your mind." The study door opened, and Yinxiu came in carrying a bowl of porridge, gently placing it on the table. She also trimmed the lamp wick for him.

Since being taken from the palace to the royal residence by the regent to recuperate, Yinxiu has been living a life of unparalleled freedom.

No longer needing to serve her master in fear, nor worrying about offending others with a single word and bringing about her death, the Regent had originally instructed her to simply stay in the mansion and recuperate, without having to worry about anything else. However, Yinxiu still felt that she couldn't just eat and stay for free and had to find some work to do.

Seeing that the Regent was still busy with state affairs in his study late at night, he went to the kitchen and cooked a bowl of bird's nest soup and brought it over.

"Yinxiu, who gave you this name?" Jiang Chen asked with a smile.

The whip marks on the little girl's face had completely healed. Her fair, pale skin shone slightly in the candlelight, and her bright, clear eyes were lively and alluring. She was indeed a lovable little girl.

"When I was first selected to enter the palace, I wasn't allowed to use my real name. The nanny named me Mingyue. Later, I was assigned to Consort Qi's palace, and my name was the same as the head maid. So the head maid changed my name to Yinxiu."

Her voice was crisp and clear. She blinked and a hint of disappointment flashed across her face. Her voice also softened slightly. "Actually, I have my own name. My name is Yue Hongying. I have lived in Runan Prefecture, Taiping Prefecture since I was a child."

My father was a schoolteacher, and my family of four, including my younger brother, lived on the banks of the Jin River in Runan Prefecture. Although we were not a wealthy family, my father was a man of excellent character and was praised by many. The money he earned from his private school was enough for our family's needs.

My brother and I both studied at a private school with our father.

later……"

Lost in her memories, Yue Hongying suddenly realized that the Regent was too busy with affairs of state to have the time or energy to listen to her talk about these things. She had indeed become lax in her duties at the palace and had even forgotten the most basic rules and manners of a servant!

If we were still in the palace, I'm afraid I'd be dragged out and beaten half to death the moment I uttered those first words!

She looked up in slight panic, only to meet the other person's starry eyes. Her face flushed slightly, and she bowed and apologized, saying, "Please forgive me, Your Highness. I misspoke and disturbed Your Highness's peace."

“I told you, there’s no need to be so formal in my home.” Jiang Chen rested his chin on his hand and sat casually, gesturing for someone to sit over here and talk. “It’s late at night, the moonlight is bright, and it’s perfect for a chat. It’s a good way to steal a moment of peace from this busy life.”

Yue Hongying had been worried that the rumors circulating outside would lead to the ruthless Regent Prince punishing her, but hearing his words made her feel a little more at ease.

She walked over to the chair next to his desk and sat down on the edge, quietly thanking him for the seat.

"Why did you end up in the palace?" Jiang Chen tilted his head and looked her over, asking curiously, "According to the custom of our dynasty, the palace maids selected for the imperial concubine selection are all sent voluntarily. Since your father allowed you, a young girl, to learn to read and write, he shouldn't have been willing to send you into the palace."

She nodded, her voice tinged with sadness, "If only Your Highness had implemented new policies earlier to crack down on human traffickers and corrupt officials... I lived a happy and prosperous life in my family until I was six years old, and I was very happy reading and playing with my younger brother."

But when I was six years old, my younger brother, who was a year younger than me, was kidnapped by human traffickers.

I remember it was late spring or early summer, and cicadas were just starting to chirp on the branches. That noon, after school, my younger brother, being playful, put down his bowl and grabbed a bamboo pole to catch cicadas.

I never saw him again after that. Later, I heard from my father that my younger brother had been kidnapped by human traffickers. Someone saw a strong man carrying my sleeping brother towards the city. My father went to report it to the authorities and searched everywhere, but there was no trace of him.

After my younger brother went missing, my mother lost her appetite and cried every day. In less than half a year, she became delirious and fell into the Jinhe River and drowned. My father's hair turned white overnight and he lost his will to teach. The yamen runners would come every now and then with false information to demand money. We sold all the houses and land in the house, but we still couldn't find my younger brother.

When I was seven years old, my father entrusted me to my uncle and set off alone to find my younger brother, and I was never heard from again.

My aunt complained that I ate too much rice and noodles, and she argued with my uncle every day, insisting on finding me a husband to be her child bride. My uncle couldn't persuade my aunt, so he asked someone to find a match for me, and in the end, he sold me to a farmer's family in Dafu County for five taels of silver to be a waitress for a groom.

Those years were very difficult. My mother-in-law kept giving birth to daughters and couldn't have a son, so her whole family took their anger out on me.

When I turned eleven, his family still hadn't produced a son. They thought I was too old and were planning to sell me to another family as a wife. Later, they heard that the government was selecting young women to enter the palace, and if they were chosen, they would receive a reward of fifty taels of silver.

They took me to the government office to participate in the imperial concubine selection. I thought that being selected and entering the palace would be a way to escape my misery, but I never imagined that I had only escaped one tiger's den only to fall into another.

Realizing she had spoken out of turn, she quickly covered her mouth with her hand and looked at the Regent with terrified eyes.

Comparing the imperial palace to a wolf's den is a capital offense of disrespect!

Unexpectedly, the Regent showed no anger at all and instead smiled bitterly, saying, "A helpless little girl like you entering the deep palace is more terrifying than a wolf's den. At least you have a chance to fight against a vicious wolf."

Once you enter the palace, unless you receive a special pardon or are released due to old age, you'll spend your entire life there in loneliness and hardship; it's certainly not a good place.

"Your Highness won't punish me?" Yue Hongying blinked her big eyes and whispered, "You seem completely different from those rumors!"

Jiang Chen was quite interested. "What rumors? In the harem? What are they saying about me?"

"After I was selected by the government at the age of eleven, I stayed in the Xiu Nu Hall for two years to be trained. At the age of thirteen, I participated in the formal selection. Later, because of my excellent needlework, I was selected to work as an embroiderer in the embroidery room. I stayed there for more than three years, doing needlework every day. Later, when we were making birthday gifts for Consort Xian, she didn't like the colors chosen by the embroidery room. I, who was in charge of embroidery, was blamed and demoted to a rough maid and assigned to Consort Qi's courtyard."

It was around that time that I heard the young eunuchs often mention Your Highness in private!

They say you are a demon star descended to earth, born with extraordinary appearances, capable of thirty-two transformations. When you led troops into battle, you often transformed into a Rakshasa demon, with three eyes growing from your own, two arms growing from your back, wielding a sharp weapon, exuding a majestic aura. You were over ten feet tall, with a face like a door panel and fists like hammers, and a gaping maw that, when it opened its mouth, unleashed thunderous roars!

Jiang Chen: m(⊙▽⊙)m

Is this describing me?

He couldn't help but sit up straight, look down at his long, slender, fair hands, and then touch his face. With a hint of a smile, he asked, "Does Miss Yue think I look like a five-eyed, four-limbed demon?"

Yue Hongying also found it somewhat amusing, and playfully stuck out her tongue while covering her mouth and laughing: "Your Highness, listen to what comes next, there's more! They say that when you were guarding the border, you would go to the Yong'an military camp every night and eat dozens of Yong'an soldiers."

Those barbarian bandits of Yong'an were used to it; every night they would draw lots and wait for the Regent to come and eat them!

"Pfft!" Jiang Chen was completely amused. "I didn't expect that the eunuchs in the harem would be so good at making fun of me."

Seeing that he was chatting and laughing and not formal at all, Yue Hongying became even more curious about this Ninth Prince.

Handsome, dashing, young, and accomplished, yet so approachable—clearly, the real Ninth Prince is completely different from the demonized version portrayed by others. What kind of person is he really? From obscurity to immense power, his path must have been incredibly arduous…

Chapter Thirty-Six: The Imperial Preceptor Emerges from Seclusion, a Bugged Fortune Telling Technique

What are your plans for the future?

Yue Hongying tilted her head and carefully looked at his handsome features. She was so engrossed that she didn't realize it until the Regent coughed and asked a question. She then came to her senses and hurriedly lowered her head to fiddle with the handkerchief in her hand.

"I don't know either." Her voice gradually lowered. "Now all I can do is needlework, and I have no relatives or friends in my hometown to rely on. I don't know if I can make a living by selling embroidery."

I haven't seen the outside world for several years since I entered the palace. I heard that you are carrying out reforms everywhere, making things very different from before. I don't know if I can adapt..."

Jiang Chen carefully examined her and asked in a gentle tone, "Would you like to consider staying in the Prince's Palace? Perhaps I can help you find news of your father and brother. Although it will be very difficult, I believe that the Regent's Seal is quite effective when a missing person notice is issued throughout Southern Qi."

"Really?!" Yue Hongying was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, then excitedly knelt down. "Thank you so much for your help, Your Highness! I... I am willing to risk my life for you! I will do anything you need!"

Jiang Chen smiled slightly and quickly stood up to help her up, saying with a hint of a smile, "Why are you making such a dramatic statement? I don't need you to do anything. The manor has enough staff. Miss Yue doesn't need to serve me tea or water anymore. Just stay here in peace."

Describe in detail the circumstances surrounding your father and brother's disappearance, including their physical characteristics and birthmarks. If that doesn't work out, I'll have someone draw their portraits and distribute them to the various prefectural and county governments to see if we can find any clues.

Yue Hongying never imagined she would have the chance to find her family again. Tears welled up in her eyes as she hurriedly recalled everything she could remember and told him everything.

They waited until the eastern sky began to lighten, and then, too sleepy to keep their eyes open, they parted ways to go back and rest.

A fierce battle that night swiftly destroyed the Imperial City Guard's intelligence network embedded in the capital, and also eliminated many spies and informants in other cities and prefectures. The entire process was so rapid that the spies were completely subdued before they even had a chance to report back.

After that night, the Imperial City Guard lost its ability to know and control many matters in the Southern Qi Kingdom, and could even transmit false information in the future if someone was turned against them.

Around noon, a special painter came to the mansion and, according to the Regent Prince's request, perfectly painted the portrait described by Yue Hongying and sent it for printing. The next morning, the missing person notice, stamped with the Regent Prince's seal, was quickly transported to the government offices of various prefectures and counties.

Jiang Chen, meanwhile, leisurely pushed open the door of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, where the emperor was, carrying a thick stack of travel guides.

"Shen Qing, you've come at the right time! The Imperial Advisor has emerged from seclusion!" Upon hearing the familiar footsteps, the Emperor placed a white chess piece on the board and called out, "Come and try the new pastries made by the Imperial Kitchen. They're delicious!"

Across the chessboard stood an old man in a white robe, with long, flowing white eyebrows and beard, and a serene face. Upon seeing him enter, the old man quickly rose and bowed, saying, "Greetings, Your Excellency."

"No need for the formalities, Imperial Preceptor. You've been in seclusion for so long to pray for the country; you must be exhausted." Jiang Chen looked him up and down, and sure enough, he was exactly the same old swindler from the original owner's memories.

The original owner was a pragmatist and had never believed in or even looked down on this kind of pretentious, unseen nonsense. But now, taking a closer look, he did seem to have a bit of a bug-like quality about him.

The Imperial Advisor squinted and looked him up and down, stroking his long beard with a smile, and said, "Your Highness, a joyous occasion is approaching! Congratulations!"

"A joyous occasion?" The emperor's eyes lit up with gossip. "Imperial Advisor, quickly calculate what this joyous occasion is!"

The old man didn't mince words. He started calculating with his hands and muttered to himself for a while before laughing and saying, "August 28th is an auspicious day. If Your Highness wants to marry the princess, this is the best day!"

Previously, I observed the stars and foresaw that the Southern Qi dynasty was facing imminent annihilation. Therefore, I secluded myself to pray for the nation's survival, hoping that a divine general would descend to help the Southern Qi avert this calamity. This weighty responsibility of saving the nation and the world has indeed come true for the Ninth Prince, and the clouds have parted to reveal the clear sky!

This sense of responsibility is naturally blessed; for the rest of His Majesty, everything will go smoothly for the rest of his life, and even the Southern Qi Kingdom will benefit. This old Taoist congratulates Your Majesty on the peace and prosperity of the nation. The long-awaited imperial tour will soon commence.

Jiang Chen: w(°ｏ°)w

It's another bug, isn't it?!

The emperor's eyes lit up at the mention of "tourist tour," so Jiang Chen had no choice but to present a thick stack of travel guides for His Majesty to review the upcoming schedule.

He then took the opportunity to pull the old man aside and asked him to tell his fortune.

"Your Excellency has indeed changed a lot." The old Taoist priest, the Grand Preceptor, was still smiling and said without any hesitation, "Before I went into seclusion, Your Excellency would openly and secretly call me an old liar. Now you're not worried about me deceiving you? In that case, I'll do my calculations for Your Excellency!"

Wow, your sister's fate has turned around! She married a rich and powerful man, and her future will be incredibly bright!

With your younger sister's help and the protection of Heaven, Your Highness's future is bright and worry-free. However, things are only just beginning to look promising and haven't yet reached their full potential. It will probably take another two or three years for things to stabilize. Your Highness doesn't need to worry about your younger sister and her husband; they have their own destiny to help them. Even if there are minor hardships, the final outcome will be very good.

Is the Ninth Prince currently searching for someone?

Well, it will take some time to find them. We can try searching further in the southeast direction, as the two people are currently not far apart.

The future princess is a virtuous and capable wife, but her fate is somewhat weak. It is thanks to the favor of the Ninth Prince that her destiny can be reversed. In the future, the two of them will live a very happy life together in harmony.

Furthermore, Your Excellency, your destiny is... lacking something!

The old Taoist priest's skills are truly shallow; he can only perform a divination to see if there's any result.

As he spoke, he took out several shiny copper coins from his pocket, muttered to himself for a while, then tossed the coins up, caught them in his hand, and handed them to Jiang Chen.