The Second Prince served in the Ministry of Clans, primarily assisting the Old Imperial Uncle in managing old scrolls, past histories, and so on.
Occasionally, he would also handle conflicts between members of the Imperial Family, gradually shedding his neglected and dispirited prince's reputation.
What Chang Yan entrusted him to find were the old scrolls of his mother, Lady Yan.
The Second Prince devoted himself wholeheartedly and delivered them personally within a few days.
He remained as honest as ever, always wearing a sincere smile. He lacked the imposing arrogance of the Eldest Prince and the boisterous pride of the Fourth Prince. He was calm and modest, unlike a typical member of the Imperial Family.
"Fifth Prince, I have brought you what you wanted." He wiped the dusty scrolls clean with his sleeve, displaying his honesty and even a hint of eagerness to please.
Chang Yan smiled and took a few steps forward. "Thank you so much for your efforts, Second Imperial Brother. You have managed to find the old editions from ten years ago, and I don't know how to express my gratitude."
"Hey, why talk about gratitude between brothers?" The Second Prince did not shy away from physical contact and handed over the scrolls with a smile.
The two of them stood close, but their relationship was not intimate enough for physical contact. However, it didn't stop Chang Yan from deeply inhaling when he received the scrolls.
A wounded person carries the scent of blood, even if it's covered with ointment and bandages.
Yet, what entered Chang Yan's nostrils was only a faint fragrance of osmanthus.
He straightened his posture, his mind filled with countless thoughts and emotions.
"Fifth Prince, take a look and see if these scrolls are correct." The Second Prince smiled innocently, rubbing his palms together unconsciously.
These actions were consistent with the characteristics of an honest person being nervous and timid.
Chang Yan replied casually, "They are correct. Thank you, Second Imperial Brother."
After exchanging only a few words, the Second Prince used the excuse of having other matters to attend to at the Ministry of Clans and left.
The entire Imperial Garden fell into complete silence.
Finally, the guards dared to speak up and inquire, "Your Highness, is it him?"
Yes and no.
Ever since the incident involving the Fang family, Chang Yan's speculation had been one-sided and lacked conclusive evidence.
The Fourth Prince's drunkenness might have been a means to avoid questioning. He didn't dare to take risks and it wouldn't be impossible for him to use a legitimate descendant of the Mu family, like Jiang Sheng, as a hostage.
The Eldest Prince was obviously foolish, but who knew if it was intentional deception to lower the enemy's guard.
The Second Prince, likewise, used his honest and sincere demeanor as a protective shield, meticulously crafting every move to avoid any flaws.
Placing too much trust in one person could easily lead to falling into someone else's trap.
In the royal family, even a cat could be suspicious.
"So, Your Highness, you've been analyzing it for quite some time. Do you have any conclusions?" The guard became anxious.
Chang Yan smiled and said, "Don't worry, I have reached a conclusion."
Doubts were more or less present. The Eldest Prince pretending to be foolish had a relatively low probability, followed by the Fourth Prince's evasiveness. The Second Prince, with his honest and sincere facade, was the most suspicious, especially with that lingering scent of osmanthus.
An honest person who has been mistreated should not use floral fragrances to cover themselves." Chang Yan's tone was calm.
Moreover, it was a sweet and strong osmanthus fragrance.
"Because a regular fragrance cannot cover up the scent of blood." The guard was greatly shocked. "It's truly unpredictable. The Second Prince possesses such cunning and strategy, not only knowing how to target a young lady but also resorting to the ploy of feigning injury."
As he spoke, Chang Yan's gaze grew colder.
As a member of the royal family, he couldn't confirm the truth until the very last moment, but he still decided to deal with the Second Prince and disrupt the power struggle within the imperial court.
Not for any other reason, but because they dared to catch his sister's attention and provoked the one person in Fengjing City who should never be touched.
"So, Your Highness, how do we deal with the Second Prince? Should we bribe someone close to Lady Ju to leak information?" The guard asked eagerly in a low voice.
Chang Yan chuckled and turned back to the West Third Court.
There was no need for such trouble. They only needed Jiang Sheng, the representative of the Jiang family, to thank the Second Prince. During this moment of selecting consorts, it would naturally arouse suspicion from Lady Ju.
The reason the Second Prince could hide in the shadows before was because nobody noticed him, because he was humble enough.
With his honest facade torn apart, and with Lady Ju's resourcefulness, Fengjing City was about to become lively.
"But how do we implicate the Fang family? We can't leave them out of this," the guard asked again, his figure and voice growing distant.
This was actually underestimating Lady Ju's capabilities.
As the undefeated master of the harem for twenty years, with no official title but with real power, she was even able to rival Empress Yan in her prime.
This was thanks to the imperial family's special favor, the support of the Ju and Fang families, and her own cunning and resourcefulness.
Those secret conversations, unless all the people who knew about them were killed, would always leak out.
Fire couldn't be contained by paper.
Needles couldn't be hidden in cotton.
The Jiang family cherished Jiang Sheng, so when they received the letter from their little girl, there was hardly any hesitation. Jiang Jizong went to their door with great fanfare, thanking the Second Prince for extending a helping hand to the Jiang family.
It was said that the face of the Second Prince turned pale at the time, wanting to deny it instinctively, but he was recognized by Jiang San and Jiang Si who had come along. "It's this young master, turns out he is Your Highness. I've seen Your Highness before."
He could no longer refuse and could only accept it with a bitter smile.
The news reached Chengqian Palace, and Lady Ju smashed a set of teacups on the spot.
"They say a biting dog doesn't bark. Today, this palace realized that the Second Prince is so conniving," she gritted her teeth, her face full of disdain. "But is it a loss for him to calculate and help a bastard who has been cast aside, or does he think that with his background, he can only be matched with a bastard?"
No wonder Chang Yan directly had the Jiang family express their gratitude, showing no fear that Jiang Sheng would be coveted by other princes.
It turned out that in the eyes of aristocratic families, Jiang Sheng, a girl who had been wandering since childhood, was no different from a bastard, even if she was the legitimate daughter.
She couldn't compare to the noble status of Jiang Chengyu, not even in the hearts of the Jiang family.
That was the rule, the upbringing, the bias, and the aristocratic families.
"Does he think he can easily seize the throne by climbing onto the Jiang family? He's dreaming!" Lady Ju smashed the last cup, her face cold, and gave an order, "If he can focus his attention on the Jiang family, it means there is other support behind him. Find out for me!"
With this investigation, the Fang family couldn't avoid being flustered.
It was also at this time that the controversy over examination fraud reached its peak in the Wenchang Pavilion.
There was no more cheerful conversation within the pavilion, only angry students shouting together, demanding to find the cheaters, to find the ones causing trouble in the imperial examination.
"Give us a fair imperial examination!"
"Expel the filthy cheaters!"
"Even the imperial examination is not fair and just. Those of us from humble backgrounds have no hope!"
"Ordinary people have no path to climb upward. Are we born only to be farmers, laborers?"
"Why is it that you're born as gentlemen, while we're born as commoners? And now you cheat in the imperial examinations, ruining my prospects!"
"Give hope to everyone, ensure fairness in the imperial examinations!"
On that road paved with blood, there stood figures advancing one after another.
From youth to adulthood, from middle age to old age, without exception, they all came from impoverished families.
They may lack ability, but when they unite, their strength is formidable. Joined together like a solid rod, they have the power to shake the noble families.
"The Fang family has been unwilling to give an explanation for so long. It's pointless to howl here; we might as well go to the Fang family's doorstep," someone cleared their throat and made a crucial suggestion.
Indignant intellectuals are most prone to wielding weapons.
The anger that has accumulated to its breaking point erupts at this moment. The people who yearn for fairness, mixed with resentment toward the wealthy, surge out of the Wenchang Pavilion in great numbers.
