The next day, the elderly master of the Feng family personally delivered a greeting card to the palace, requesting an audience with the Emperor.

To pave the way for his son, Feng Yishan had retired early. As an imperial relative, Feng Yishan was very clear-headed. As long as his daughter didn't make any major mistakes and his grandson could smoothly ascend the throne in the future, the glory of his family could continue for a long time.

Therefore, Feng Yishan never interfered too much in court affairs. Even for his own son, Feng Yishan only allowed him to perform his duties properly and never covet power or meddle in affairs. As a result, the Feng family had always kept a low profile. Even if any family had any issues, Feng Yishan would always claim illness and not get involved. He hadn't been to the palace for a long time.

"Greetings, Duke Guozhang." Fu Hailu, the chief eunuch of the Qianqing Palace, stepped forward to greet Feng Yishan with a smile. "His Majesty was quite surprised when he saw your card this morning. It must have been a long time since you last entered the palace."

Feng Yishan gave a bitter laugh. "My family was muddled and didn't choose a good servant for the Second Prince, causing such a mess. It's all due to my lack of discipline in managing the household. I couldn't sit still at home, so I thought of coming to apologize to His Majesty. It's all my fault."

Fu Hailu quickly waved his hand. "Oh no, don't say that, Duke. You don't know, but His Majesty was quite moved after reading your card. He said it's hard to believe that you still have to worry about these things at your age. He told this servant to postpone this morning's affairs to make time to see you. Look... the ministers are about to come out. You'll be able to have an audience with His Majesty in a moment."

Feng Yishan nodded. It was good that the Emperor was still willing to see him.

Back when the Emperor was able to smoothly ascend the throne, the Feng family had contributed a lot. Moreover, in recent years, the Feng family had been quite sensible and rarely caused trouble for the Emperor. Therefore, the Emperor still had some affection for his father-in-law.

Although the Emperor had the intention of supporting other princes, it was not something that could be done overnight. Besides, Qi Xiao was still firmly seated on the crown prince's throne. Before eliminating the external threat of Qi Xiao, the Emperor would not take the first step to deal with internal concerns.

In the past few days, the Emperor had also figured it out. The princes were gradually growing up. Instead of focusing on cultivating the unworthy Qi Hua and suppressing the other princes born of concubines from showing their heads, it was better to value them all and let them fight for Qi Xiao's position as crown prince. In the future, whoever emerged victorious would be up to their own abilities.

The Emperor didn't care which prince pulled Qi Xiao down from his horse. As long as they had the means and strategy, even a prince born of a concubine would be fine.

But these were all matters for the future. Before a suitable successor appeared, the Emperor didn't want to tear his face with the Feng family, although... the recent string of events made the Emperor really want to severely reprimand the Empress.

However, no matter how dissatisfied he was with Empress Feng, the Emperor didn't vent his anger on Feng Yishan. Feng Yishan had been content with his lot in recent years, which the Emperor had always been very satisfied with. Therefore, in the Qianqing Palace, the emperor and the minister appeared to be very harmonious on the surface.

Feng Yishan's biggest purpose for entering the palace this time was to personally confirm the Emperor's attitude.

Before that carriage driver died, Feng Yishan could be certain that the Emperor hadn't suspected Qi Hua. But now, as luck would have it, after Empress Feng's people made a trip to the Court of Judicial Review, that carriage driver died of poison!

Not to mention the Emperor, even Feng Yishan couldn't help but suspect that the previous matter might have really been a reckless and muddled act done by Qi Hua in a moment of impulse.

Feng Yishan had been in the court for many years and still had some scheming. He first chatted with the Emperor about family matters and slowly led the conversation to the Court of Judicial Review, trying his best to dispel the Emperor's doubts.

Feng Yishan had come prepared, and seeing that the Emperor treated him the same as usual, he thought that making up for Empress Feng and Qi Hua probably wouldn't be an issue.

Who knew that as soon as he mentioned yesterday's matter, the Emperor picked up his tea and said lightly, "Father-in-law, you're overthinking. The Empress manages the inner palace on a daily basis. How would she have the time to meddle in the court affairs? I know she didn't do this and have never doubted her. Speaking of which..."

The Emperor took a sip of tea and smiled. "The Empress has also been working hard all these years, and her health has always been poor. Now that Qi Hua is unworthy and keeps angering her, I sometimes think... I should let the Empress rest."

Feng Yishan's heart skipped a beat. He tried his best to steady his mind, slowly put down the teacup, lowered his head and said, "For Your Majesty's care for the Empress' phoenix body, my entire family... is bathed in Your Majesty's grace."

The Emperor made his point and smiled lightly. "But unfortunately, the qualifications of the other concubines in the palace are far inferior to the Empress. They really can't help much. I've never let them add to the chaos, so let the Empress continue to work hard for now..."

The Emperor had given a stick and a sweet date. Feng Yishan was still trembling with fear. He had previously noticed that the Emperor had the intention of supporting other princes, but he never thought that the Emperor would want to promote both the son and the mother together.

Feng Yishan had already prepared for the worst-case scenario, which was that the Emperor would completely abandon Qi Hua and change the crown prince to a prince born of a concubine after dealing with Qi Xiao. Feng Yishan had even instructed his son that even if the Emperor was truly this heartless in the future, they should not act rashly and only secretly eliminate the mother of the new crown prince.

In the future, Empress Feng would still be the only Empress Dowager. As long as Empress Feng didn't fall, the glory of the Feng family would not decline.

Feng Yishan never expected that the Emperor had already had the intention of establishing a new empress.

The Emperor valued face the most and naturally couldn't do something like deposing the Empress. But if he really wanted to give the future crown prince a legitimate identity as the son of the first wife, he could simply let the Empress die of illness without a sound and then establish a new empress.

Feng Yishan broke out in a cold sweat. He silently recited a few words, "It won't end here," and forced himself to remain calm. "With Your Majesty's consideration, the Empress will naturally not be afraid of hard work."

The Emperor stopped at that and started chatting about family matters again. At lunchtime, he even rewarded Feng Yishan with an imperial meal.

Feng Yishan sat on pins and needles. The meal tasted like chewing wax. After leaving the palace and returning to the residence, he hurriedly called Feng Guozhong to his room. After closing the door, the father and son talked for half a day, analyzing the pros and cons. Feng Yishan sighed. "Tomorrow is the fifteenth. Let your wife enter the palace."

Feng Guozhong instantly understood his father's intention and nodded. "Father, don't worry. I will definitely explain it clearly to Madam Fang and have her persuade the Empress. Surely... surely the Empress won't do anything foolish again."

Feng Yishan let out a long sigh. "The tide of fortune turns..."

Seeing his father sighing like this, Feng Guozhong also felt uneasy. Thinking back to what happened before, he felt like he had swallowed a fly. The Prince of Lingnan was just staying in the side hall, but his nephew, the prince, had to go and provoke him, wanting to give him a lesson.

But what happened in the end? He didn't manage to show off his might, only scratched the other party, and got twenty beatings himself. Then there was the incident in the Academy's Alley.

Feng Guozhong knew that it wasn't done by Empress Feng or Qi Qiao, and he didn't blame them. But what happened after that? They just had to send a eunuch to take a stroll around the Court of Judicial Review, and right after he came back, the carriage driver died of poisoning!

After all, Feng Guozhong was not as steady as Feng Yishan. He spat and said, "It's fine if outsiders break in, but this... what a mess!"

Feng Yishan shook his head, "The Empress is anxious... it's human nature."

"What is she anxious about? Those princes are not so easy to bring up! My sister is just too impulsive." Feng Guozhong took a big gulp of tea, "It's just that Prince! There's nothing to be afraid of. If something happens, just say it. Why bother with those useless things and give people a handle..."

Feng Yishan gave a bitter laugh, "You're worried about this? Father has other worries."

Feng Guozhong looked at Feng Yishan in confusion, "What else is Father worried about?"

Feng Yishan slowly turned the jade thumb ring in his hand for a while and said, "The Emperor has other thoughts, so naturally I'm anxious. But now what I'm more worried about is... the Crown Prince."

Feng Guozhong raised his eyebrows, "The Crown Prince? This time... it has nothing to do with the Crown Prince. Oh, yes, the marriage between the Crown Prince and the Princess of Lingnan was ruined because of what happened in the side hall. But it's not a big deal. Even if the Crown Prince is unhappy, he can't do anything about it..."

"Fool!" A flash of fierceness passed through Feng Yishan's already muddled eyes, "Don't you think everything that happened before was too coincidental?! Everything has nothing to do with the Crown Prince, but in the end, the Crown Prince always benefits! If this continues, with the Emperor and Empress distracted, the princes harboring their own agendas, and you and I fighting, who will benefit in the end?!"

Feng Guozhong was stunned and said dumbfoundedly, "Father means... all these things were arranged by the Crown Prince? How could he..."

Feng Yishan shook his head, "I'm not sure, and I don't have any evidence. But if you connect these things and think deeper, you can't help but think of the Crown Prince. If all these were arranged by the Crown Prince, and he could do all these things under the Emperor's nose... Zhong'er, Father underestimated him before."

Feng Yishan sighed in a low voice, "After all, he is Emperor Wu's offspring..."

"Then the Emperor..."

"I have already explicitly and implicitly mentioned it to the Emperor today, to make the Emperor more alert and also to give him a wake-up call." Feng Yishan rubbed his blurry eyes and said in a low voice, "If the Emperor can't resolve the Crown Prince issue early, then there's no need to worry about which prince to establish as the heir. If I guessed correctly about what happened before... Crown Prince Qi Xiao has never taken these princes seriously or considered them as rivals. Even this position of Crown Prince, he probably never cared about it."

Feng Guozhong laughed in disbelief, "Then... then what does he want?"

Feng Yishan closed his eyes wearily and sighed, "The dragon throne."