Chapter 63: Alliance

Saying this, Xiao Jingheng raised his teacup to take a small sip to moisten his throat, and then continued:

"Theoretically speaking, this matter has nothing to do with me, and I shouldn't trouble myself with it. After all, my birth mother passed away many years ago. However, through my observations and analyses over the years, I have discovered that my birth mother's death was no accident. Coupled with the poison I was born with... Actually, I knew about this long ago, but I simply never found a suitable physician willing to detoxify me. Furthermore, I discovered that the Empress was the one who secretly plotted against my birth mother back then. Even though my mother passed away shortly after giving birth to me and we didn't have a deep bond, she was still my mother. If not for the Empress, I might have received some maternal love over the years. Even if life had been a little harder, it would still have been much better than growing up completely helpless like this."

"If it hadn't been for Nanny Zhao by my side who was willing to stay and take care of me, I would have perished in some forgotten corner of Guangzhou long ago. Nanny Zhao wasted the best years of her life precisely because of my mother. She had a very close relationship with my mother back then, and my mother had shown her great kindness, which is why she was willing to come and take care of me. If not for my mother, I wouldn't have known what to do. Even though I never met her, the legacy she left behind has influenced me, and that is why I am determined to seek justice for my mother."

"But as my cousin knows, His Majesty has ignored me completely all these years. It's not that I hold any resentment; I simply feel that telling His Majesty about this would likely be of little use. It is far more practical to take matters into my own hands and figure out how to resolve this myself. If His Majesty were to find out, he might even try to stop me. After all, no matter what, the Empress is the Mother of the Nation and His Majesty's primary wife, unlike my mother, who was merely a lowly palace maid meant to be humiliated."

At this, Xiao Jingheng lowered his head, his voice tinged with bitterness. Listening to him, Wen Qiao felt as though the man before her was on the verge of shattering.

"If I were to truly move against the Empress, let alone anyone else, even His Majesty would likely refuse to consent. Originally, I did not wish to speak of this to outsiders, fearing that it would only burden them once they knew. However, I know my cousin is different from others."

Here, Xiao Jingheng paused slightly.

A pang of anxiety struck Wen Qiao. She had not expected Xiao Jingheng's powers of observation to be so meticulous. Could it be that he had noticed her usual interactions with the Crown Prince were far from pleasant? Puzzled inwardly, Wen Qiao maintained a calm exterior, afraid of revealing any abnormality. Her eyes remained fixed on Xiao Jingheng, waiting for him to continue.

Receiving her silent cue, Xiao Jingheng nodded and resumed speaking.

"Although my cousin always appears cheerful every day, I know that my cousin possesses a very resilient heart. I suspect that unless it is truly meaningful, my cousin likely does not reserve a place in her heart for others. The Sixth Imperial Princess is an exception, because she lacks cunning and skips around all day long, so I was not surprised that my cousin could become friends with her. However, a few days ago, I inadvertently noticed the Crown Prince always standing and speaking with my cousin. While my cousin's facial expression betrayed nothing, I could always sense a faint reluctance emanating from my cousin. I do not know if my perception is flawed or not. Since my cousin shares some unspoken conflict with the Crown Prince, why should I conceal this from my cousin? It is far better to simply and honestly confide in my cousin. Perhaps my cousin might even join forces with me to see how we can first pull the Crown Prince down from his seat."

Wen Qiao was somewhat surprised that Xiao Jingheng could utter such words. She had assumed he was merely an imperial prince devoid of ambition. Since that was the case, having an extra person help her deal with the Crown Prince could be considered a favorable outcome. Furthermore, the Crown Prince was utterly unworthy of his position. If no accidents befell him, the other princes might lack his vile methods and fail to defeat him, ultimately allowing the Crown Prince to ascend the throne. In that case, what meaning would her rebirth hold?

Still, her heart leaned more toward assisting the Fifth Imperial Prince. She simply wondered how Xiao Jingheng intended to proceed after resolving the Crown Prince.

Seeming to sense Wen Qiao's inner doubts, Xiao Jingheng took the initiative to explain.

"I have lived a bitter life all these years. Theoretically, if I truly harbored intentions of bringing down the Crown Prince, according to my cousin's way of thinking, shouldn't I be scheming to secure the position of the heir apparent for myself? Yet, I have no such desire."

At this, Xiao Jingheng paused briefly, carefully observing the expression on Wen Qiao's face. He wanted to verify whether she found his words incredible. Finding no revealing information on her face after a long moment, he gave up the observation with a trace of helplessness and continued along his previous train of thought.

"I have no interest in the throne. I only wish to find a place to peacefully live out the remainder of my life, and that will be enough. There is far too much deceit in the imperial palace, and I refuse to stay here any longer. If I am fortunate enough to live a longer life, I hope to marry, have children, and spare my offspring from enduring this kind of existence. Therefore, my sole aim is to bring the Crown Prince down. As for that seat, if my other brothers have the ability, let them fight for it themselves; I harbor no other ambitions. Yet, my current strength is meager, my words carry little weight, and I lack any method to deal with the Crown Prince. That is why I thought of coming to the Marquis's Mansion first to see whether the Crown Prince has tried to win over the Marquis, before devising a countermeasure."

Wen Qiao was already aware of this point, so she simply nodded without adding much.

***

Seeing her remain silent for a long time, Xiao Jingheng assumed she did not believe his words and proceeded to offer further explanation.

"If my cousin does not believe me..." Xiao Jingheng stopped mid-sentence, seemingly at a loss for how to prove he truly lacked such intentions. Yet, unwilling to be misunderstood by her, he gritted his teeth and pressed on. "I also understand my cousin's reservations. Such a matter, such a temptation—no one could resist it. However, I truly harbor no desire for the imperial throne, nor do I believe the throne is all that wonderful. If my cousin does not believe me, consider that I never spoke of these things to my cousin tonight, and pretend you never saw me. I originally thought my cousin also resisted the Crown Prince's ascension, but it seems I was mistaken."

Lost in her own thoughts for quite a while, Wen Qiao realized Xiao Jingheng must be growing anxious.

She smiled and shook her head at him.

"I do not disbelieve the Third Imperial Cousin. It is simply that such matters are indeed baffling, and I never imagined the Third Imperial Cousin held such deep animosity toward the Crown Prince. To be frank with the Third Imperial Cousin, I hold no affection for the Crown Prince either. Yet, it always feels as though he harbors some ulterior motive toward me. Every time he approaches me, it feels calculated. I despise that sensation, as though I were a commodity awaiting a price, which is why I consistently resist interacting with him."

True or false aside, Xiao Jingheng spoke with evident sincerity, and she did not suspect him of lying.

Upon careful reflection, Xiao Jingheng's words seemed entirely credible. Thus, she chose not to conceal much further, selectively sharing what could be safely told to others.

Xiao Jingheng was somewhat astonished. He had not expected Wen Qiao to feel such deep aversion toward the Crown Prince. By all accounts, the two of them should have had no grievances between them. Furthermore, her previous background was merely that of a helpless orphan from the countryside; had she not been taken in by kind people, she might have starved to death long ago. What on earth could she possess that would draw the Crown Prince's plotting? Why did she harbor such intense hostility toward him?

Unable to fathom the reason, Xiao Jingheng nevertheless knew his relationship with Wen Qiao was not yet intimate enough for her to resolve his puzzle. He sensibly refrained from pressing further, willing to listen to whatever she chose to share.

Yet, watching Wen Qiao utter such statements with a calm demeanor, he increasingly felt that despite her youth, this young woman possessed profound depth.

In theory, he knew his current circumstances made it unwise to associate with someone like Wen Qiao, but the kindness she had shown him was absolute; he could never be an ingrate.

"Since that is the case, what does my cousin think of joining forces with me to deal with the Phoenix Residence?"

Xiao Jingheng paused before posing the question.

He did not know whether Wen Qiao would prove to be a reliable ally, but judging by her medical prowess, cooperating with her was undoubtedly a sound choice.

Wen Qiao lowered her head in brief contemplation. In that short span, Xiao Jingheng's heart leaped into his throat. Despite all his previous calculations of pros and cons, he had to admit that a faint ripple of anticipation was blooming within him, hoping Wen Qiao would agree to this alliance.

When Wen Qiao remained unresponsive, he suddenly felt his hopes dashed. Disappointment flickered in his chest, though there was nothing he could say. He managed a faint smile.

"If my cousin disagrees, it does not matter. Dealing with the Crown Prince is no trivial matter, after all, and it is only natural for my cousin to deliberate carefully. The night is deep; I shall not disturb my cousin's rest any longer."

Having said this, Xiao Jingheng made to take his leave, but just as he stood up, Wen Qiao abruptly spoke to stop him.

"I find what the Third Imperial Cousin suggests quite feasible. However, if we are to form an alliance, the Third Imperial Cousin must bring genuine capability to the table. Based on our current situation, I do not see how the Third Imperial Cousin can offer me substantial assistance. On the contrary, leaving everything else aside, my mastery of medicine alone can bring considerable benefits to the Third Imperial Cousin. So, how does the Third Imperial Cousin intend to reward me?"

An alliance required a dialogue between equals. If Xiao Jingheng could not prove his worth, allying with him would amount to letting him exploit her skills for free. Wen Qiao was no fool.

With her emotions currently dormant, her sole focus was on maximizing benefits.

If Xiao Jingheng could genuinely demonstrate his capability, gaining an ally was a desirable option. Even if he failed, given their existing rapport, the two of them would not turn into enemies. Whichever way she calculated it, Wen Qiao did not consider this a losing proposition—it all depended on Xiao Jingheng's own choice.

To her surprise, upon hearing Wen Qiao's words, Xiao Jingheng froze momentarily, looking slightly embarrassed, though he managed to keep his expression composed.

Unfavored since childhood or not, he was still an emperor's son; under no circumstances could he show cowardice. Recovering from his brief stupor, he immediately spoke:

"My cousin must have noticed that I possess some martial arts skills. However, due to my long years in the palace and my peculiar circumstances, it has never been convenient to display them. Therefore, I have concealed this from everyone and never mentioned it to a soul. Now that I have revealed it to my cousin, you can naturally deduce that I am reluctant to expose my martial prowess to the public. Since we are now discussing an alliance, I certainly have no intention of taking advantage of my cousin. I taught myself martial arts over the years without any formal instruction. While I cannot claim to take on a hundred single-handedly, dealing with ten members of the imperial palace's Feathered Forest Guard is well within my capability. If my cousin has any task requiring my action, I will naturally not hesitate. I only wonder whether this capital is sufficient to qualify me for an alliance with my cousin?"

Wen Qiao pondered the matter. Lacking martial arts proficiency was indeed a critical vulnerability for her; numerous tasks demanded someone agile and skilled.

At her age, taking up martial arts training was far too late. Besides, her own amateur skills amounted to little more than passable lightness kung fu, which was convenient for running away. To ensure self-preservation in a genuine crisis was already quite fortunate; attempting to sneak into the Eastern Palace to pilfer anything would certainly be out of the question.

If the Crown Prince's men discovered her, wouldn't she be entirely done for?

Of course, that was merely an example. Wen Qiao thought secretly: Can dealing with the Crown Prince truly be called stealing? Everything belonged to her by right of what Xiao Minghe owed her—she was merely taking it back!

"That is exceptionally good. With this arrangement, coming and going from the Eastern Palace should not pose too much of a problem for the Third Imperial Cousin, right?"

Even with a rough idea in mind, Wen Qiao needed confirmation. Should any flaw arise later, it would become troublesome, and finding someone else on short notice would be impossible.

Xiao Jingheng was momentarily stunned, seemingly caught off guard by the realization that Wen Qiao intended to have him break in and steal things. Yet, as long as it brought down the Crown Prince and made life difficult for the Phoenix Residence, he was willing to try any method whatsoever.