With the Crown Prince gone, the guards no longer had a reason to stay. In the blink of an eye, the uninvited guests were completely gone.
Chang Yan heaved a sigh of relief and waved his hand to indicate to the aunties at the wedding banquet, "Everyone can relax and eat heartily."
The icy, venomous looks disappeared, transforming into passion for the food.
In the hearts of ordinary commoners, whatever Crown Princes or heirs apparent amounted to passing clouds. Being able to eat meat hot off the grill was what really mattered most.
The entire courtyard was bustling with noise and activity, chopsticks flying about like dancing dragons, passing dishes back and forth.
Chang Yan had just returned to his seat when he heard Jiang Sheng unstintingly singing his praises, "Fifth brother is truly amazing. With just a few words, he was able to drive away the ruffians, sparing us from the misery of chopsticks and dishes flying everywhere and tables and chairs being smashed to pieces."
The corners of his mouth quirked up in a smile, then slowly drooped back down.
Zheng Ruqian burst out in raucous laughter, "Little Five thought it was sincere praise, not realizing this lass was just happy to save money."
Without a fight breaking out, there was no damage to property. Without damage to property, nothing needed replacement.
It really was saving money after all.
Jiang Sheng was so angry her cheeks puffed out. Wen Zhiyun beside her couldn't resist poking her cheek with his hand.
Amidst the frolicking of his younger siblings, Xu Mo looked towards Chang Yan and asked, "What do you make of this matter?"
They all knew someone would not be able to restrain themselves for long, and a wedding banquet was a vulnerable chink.
But they didn't expect the one to show up would be the Eldest Imperial Prince, and that he would beat a hasty retreat after just a few words.
"I'm not surprised Zhu Changhong is capable of this kind of behavior," Chang Yan replied mildly. "Nor am I surprised that I was able to drive him away with just words."
What was surprising was how unclear his motives were.
The investiture of the Crown Prince was imminent. Those desiring the throne would no longer be able to restrain themselves.
According to conventional logic, whether it was the Eldest Imperial Prince or the Second Imperial Prince, they should be scheming to make their moves.
If they did not make a move, it meant they were brewing even bigger plots, on the scale of treason.
"Looking at the recent trends, both imperial princes have been discreetly keeping their silence. Yet today the Eldest Imperial Prince deliberately provoked us in such a clumsy manner," Xu Mo murmured thoughtfully. "Doesn't it seem like whoever is behind this is feigning weakness to get us to lower our guard?"
The two brothers exchanged looks and both nodded in agreement.
But if the mastermind knew they could see through such a simple explanation, would they still go through with it?
When it concerned the imperial throne, it was best to be wary.
"It looks like the Ju Family is making moves behind the scenes," Chang Yan said softly. "After all, the one who came to provoke us was the Eldest Imperial Prince. The only one who can compete for the position of Crown Prince is the Eldest Imperial Prince."
But what if this was precisely what the mastermind wanted them to think?
"You mean the Eldest Imperial Prince and the Ju Family deliberately made themselves a target?" Xu Mo narrowed his eyes. "While the low-key Second Imperial Prince Zhu Changyu is actually the one pulling the strings behind the scenes?"
"That's impossible," Chang Yan immediately shook his head. "The Eldest and Second Imperial Princes have never gotten along. How could the former possibly voluntarily help the latter?"
A self-proclaimed senior would never allow a non-senior non-heir to order him about.
With Zhu Changhong's cunning, he could not possibly conceal such a huge scheme.
Although their current goal was Chang Yan, they were still competitors for the position of Crown Prince and unlikely to collaborate.
"Are there no other possibilities?" Xu Mo frowned.
Chang Yan thought for a moment, hesitating, "Unless... unless Zhu Changhong himself doesn't know."
That was also implausible.
If the Eldest Imperial Prince didn't know he was being used as a scapegoat, how could the crafty Ju Family head not know? How could he not stop it?
Their train of thought hit a dead end for a time. Neither brother had any appetite.
Unable to find a lead or clue, yet knowing something big was about to happen with the imminent conferment of the Crown Prince, this feeling was truly unbearable.
Chang Yan tilted his head, his gaze settling on his chattering family.
Zhang Xianglian seemed to be recounting something that happened with an auntie at the workshop. Jiang Sheng was listening raptly on the side, interjecting to ask questions from time to time.
"Auntie, is what you said real? Did that auntie really get betrayed by her sister?" The young girl was brimming with curiosity. "Weren't they close sisters before? How could they suddenly betray each other?"
"They were close sisters before marrying out, but after establishing their own families, their priorities were their households. When it came to choosing sides, a sister would always come after her husband." Zhang Xianglian sighed sentimentally. "When all is said and done, family comes first."
A married out daughter is spilled water.
Crassly put, but priorities really did change.
Just like how the Ju Noble Consort cared about her maiden family, but the Eldest Imperial Prince even more.
Then what about the Ju Family? Did they care more about their imperial nephew or the glory and wealth of the Ju Family?
Chang Yan's heart gave a sudden lurch, and cold sweat broke out on his back.
He couldn't say whether it was relief or lamentation, but he calmly said, "Just now our thoughts ran into a dead end. We kept feeling the Eldest Imperial Prince and Ju Family had to be connected."
In fact that was not necessarily so. The Eldest Imperial Prince taking the throne would cement the close ties between the two families.
If the Eldest Imperial Prince lost in the struggle for the throne, wouldn't the Ju Family seek out a new path for themselves?
"The biggest connection between the nephew and maternal uncle is that mother of his," Xu Mo picked up on his train of thought. "Without the Ju Noble Consort to contend for him, even if the Ju Family chose someone else, the Eldest Imperial Prince would have no choice but to resign himself to his fate."
And that someone else could only be the one hiding in the imperial prince's residence, never even showing his face...the Second Imperial Prince Zhu Changyu.
This man's craftiness, cunning, and skill were all top-notch. His only flaws were his birth status, and his shortsighted choice of the Fang Family as his backer.
But with his status, how could he be picky in the imperial capital?
Perhaps the Fang Family back then was already the best choice he could make.
"First the Eldest Imperial Prince disrupted our vision, making us rack our brains figuring out how to guard against the Ju Family. By the time we realized something was off and tried to be wary of him, the Ju Family became the sharp blade." Xu Mo's voice was heavy. "No matter which one we guarded against, as long as we didn't associate the Ju Family with him, we would suffer a crushing blow sooner or later."
So what could the Ju Family do?
Recall that the Ju Family had two Grand Secretaries in the Cabinet, with hopes of rising to Vice Counsellor in the future.
But scholars had limited usefulness at this time.
On the other hand, military officers...
"I just remembered, the Ju Noble Consort has a nephew in the Imperial Guards," Chang Yan suddenly lifted his head. "It's just that his status is too low. He's merely a common soldier, so he's been overlooked repeatedly."
Being inside the imperial city, even if not the commander, could not be underestimated at critical moments.
It seems this Second Imperial Prince and the Ju Family have huge ambitions.
"Is it worth it? Betting so hugely just for that position?" Xu Mo roughly assessed the situation.
"Perhaps for some people, it's victor or loser, never settling for mediocrity," Chang Yan was exceptionally calm.
Zhu Changyu really was quite capable and skilled.
But this man had a fatal flaw—he liked using schemes too much.
To the extent that he overlooked how secrets would inevitably be exposed through actions. As long as one acted, traces would be left behind.
"I should thank him for his unwillingness to settle and actions too," Chang Yan murmured. "It's made me change my original plans."
He was still sitting properly, but in the blink of an eye, his jade crown became a golden one, and his clothes changed into magnificent golden robes.
The investiture ceremony for the Crown Prince was about to begin.
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