Jian Guozhi was coming back to his chamber from the court when he saw Yongzheng and Rong Zemin. Both of them greeted the First Prince. "How is the First Brother doing?" Yongzheng asked, slightly moving the fan under his chin.

"I am good. I will see you two later as I have some important work outside," Jian Guozhi replied and stepped forward when Yongzheng stopped him.

"Brother, there is something you need to know. Please spare some time for us then you can leave," Yongzheng requested. Jian could not refuse the request of his brothers and went to his chamber along with them.

In the chamber, the three princes took a seat around a floor table. Jian Guozhi asked the Second Prince to speak.

Yongzheng put the fan down at the table and said, "Brother, you know that the Fourth Prince has now firm support with him — the Crown Princess. Mother told that she had a conversation with the Empress regarding this. Last time Sheng Li was almost dead but then his wife saved him."

Jian Guozhi knitted his brows. "What are you trying to say?"

"Brother, I am saying that we need to limp Sheng Li. Generals are not easy to kill. Sheng Li's relationship has grown beautifully with Ying Lili. If she is dead, then he is going to die on his own. Remember Brother, when his mother died. He almost took the poison, but then Sister Qing stopped him and saved him. Suppose if he does not take it then it will be easy for us to kill him. A broken heart person is easily defeated," proclaimed Yongzheng and smirked.

Jian Guozhi could not believe that his mother was still after the life of Ying Lili. What had Ying Lili even done to her? Jian Guozhi wanted to get the throne but he did not want Ying Lili to die in that. He told his mother not to hurt Ying Lili but she was not paying heed to his own son's request.

"Have you all joined hands then?" Jian Guozhi, coming out of his thoughts, asked from Yongzheng and Rong Zemin.

"Our hands have joined long ago, Brother. The Crown Princess shall not be taken lightly. She asked for political power from our father. No woman has dared to reply to me but she…" Yongzheng paused and then said, "Brother, the Empress said that either the Crown Princess must not return to the Palace or both of them."

"I will talk with my mother regarding this. I do not think that killing the Crown Princess is

important in any way. Our primary target is Sheng Li, so we shall focus on that only," Jian Guozhi affirmed.

"Brother, what are you saying!?" Rong Zemin astonishingly questioned. "The Crown Princess must die. She went to the late Prime Minister's Residence and then brought out the biggest evidence against him. In the end, he was executed. See, the Crown Princess is far more daring and brave than we had imagined. The beauty is just to lure the person in front of her," Rong Zemin remarked and snickered.

"Don't speak a word against her. The Ex-Prime Minister was foolish. He died because of his foolishness," Jian Guozhi pronounced.

Xue Yu-Yan, who just arrived there, happened to hear that. "What are you saying?" Xue Yu-Yan was angry. Both the Second and Third Prince stood up from their respective seats.

"What are you doing here? I have not permitted you to come here," Jian Guozhi said with exasperation.

"Why did you call my father foolish? He did everything for you and you are speaking like this about him." Xue Yu-Yan was angry to see the behavior of Jian Guozhi. Yongzheng and Rong Zemin took their leave from there, leaving the two behind.

Jian Guozhi stood up from his seat and walked past Xue Yu-Yan, as he did not want to ruin his mood by arguing with her when she stopped him. "I am not interested in talking to you," said Jian Guozhi.

"I cannot believe that you are not taking revenge for my father's death. You are taking the side of Ying Lili whom I hate to the core of my heart. Believe me, if you will not kill her then I will," Xue Yu-Yan threatened Jian Guozhi who turned back and looked at her.

"Xue, don't dream of becoming the next Empress. I will not let it happen. You shall look at yourself. Sheng Li used to love you, right, or was he just playing with you? Despite being his lover you could not find what was in his mind but he found out everything related to you," Jian Guozhi proclaimed and left from there.

"No one can harm Lili," Jian told himself and went straight to his mother's chamber. He recalled when for the first time he had seen Ying Lili in the Water Lantern Festival. She saved him that day else he would have died but Ying Lili did not remember that. He had expressed his desire to marry her but his mother did not agree with that.

He now regretted listening to his mother. He was hurt that his mother wanted to kill Ying Lili. Although his love for her was one-sided, it was true in essence. Indeed, he wanted

the throne but not the way his mother had crafted for him.

He reached outside the chamber of his mother and told the servant at the door to inform the Empress about his visit. After a while, he went inside when Weng Wei stood up from her seat and hugged her son. Pulling away from him, she told him to take a seat.

"You have reduced your visit to your mother," Weng Wei stated.

"Forgive me, mother for not visiting you lately. I was busy with the Capital's work," Jian Guozhi replied. "Mother, do you really think that Yingér must die?" Jian Guozhi asked without beating around the bush.

"Indeed. She can be proved dangerous for us later. Son, before they reach the Capital we need to kill them in the mid-way. I have been informed that they used a different route to go to the Southern Province. Sheng Li might use that path again, so we will attack them in the midway. If they both die, then it's good but if our forces cannot kill them, then the Crown Princess will be the target. You have to do this," Weng Wei said with a smile. Jian Guozhi clenched his fist.

"Mother, earlier you were targeting Hu Jingguo? Then, why Yingér now?" Jian Guozhi wanted to know.

Weng Wei grinned and said, "Hu JIngguo will also die during their return journey but the chief target is An-Ying Lili. I want to cripple Sheng Li to the extent that he will forget to love someone." Jian Guozhi peered into the eyes of his mother and passed her a tiny smile.