Yan Zhi’an spoke while straightening her clothes. Only after she had finished did she beckon to Xunqi. “Prince Ji has many children. Three legitimate sons, and who knows how many illegitimate ones. The third legitimate son isn’t married yet. Next time you see him, beat him up first.”
“Alright, I’ll do as you say.” Xunqi readily agreed. She looked around, found a stool, moved it to the front of the couch, and sat down. “Should we go back to Jinling? Aren’t you going to bring the Madam back?”
“If she doesn’t want to come back, she doesn’t have to.” Yan Zhi’an had been lying down for most of the day and her bones were lazy. She had stolen half a day of leisure, feeling completely languid. She directed Xunqi to move a soft pillow over, leaned back on it, and said earnestly to her daughter, “She loves to play, and we’re busy. Where would we find the time to take care of her? The people in Jinling all love to play. Let her play. When she can’t play anymore, she’ll come back to me. She can still run around now. Calling her back is a waste of effort.”
Her mother had spent half her life playing with her father, living a carefree life. She still hadn’t changed her ways, going wherever it was lively.
“I’ll do as you say. I’ll send someone to deliver some New Year’s gifts. Do you want to send anything?” Xunqi didn’t insist either, asking the Left Prime Minister.
Yan Zhi’an waved her hand. “Let the steward arrange it. Whatever I send her, she won’t like.” She just wanted a son-in-law to come to the door.
Yan Zhi’an knew her mother’s temperament well. She lacked nothing. All she wanted every day was for her to get married. After her dream was shattered, she had left in a huff.
The two talked for a while. As dusk fell, just as they were about to have dinner, the Female Emperor arrived in person.
Yan Zhi’an sent Xunqi away and personally welcomed the Female Emperor into the study. Wuqing stood guard outside the door.
“Your Majesty, have you come at night for Princess Zhaohui’s matter?”
“No, it’s about the Crown Prince.” The Female Emperor’s expression was indifferent. She bent down and sat down. “Your move to divert attention has drawn Prince Ji’s people to Jiangnan. The court is temporarily quiet. The Crown Prince came to pay his respects yesterday and wanted to enter the court to participate in politics. After the New Year, he’ll be eleven.”
Over the years, she had always kept the Crown Prince down, not letting him touch politics, always using his youth as an excuse. But now he was growing up, and this excuse was no longer suitable.
“Your Highness, we can discuss this after he enters the court.” Yan Zhi’an agreed. “You’ve kept him in the Eastern Palace. The subjects of the world respect him, thinking he will be a benevolent ruler. But don’t forget, behind him is Prince Ji.”
Yan Zhi’an knew exactly what kind of person Prince Ji was. A diligent person raises good seedlings. What about a lazy one?
The Female Emperor was silent, not answering Yan Zhi’an’s question immediately.
“Your Majesty, you’re reluctant, aren’t you?” Yan Zhi’an understood immediately. The Female Emperor couldn’t bear to see the Crown Prince despised by the world.
Under the lamp, the Female Emperor frowned, but her beauty was still hard to hide. Xunqi’s brows and eyes resembled hers, bright and heroic.
Yan Zhi’an wasn’t in a hurry. On the contrary, she spoke calmly. “Your Majesty, you must make a choice. If you can’t bear to part with the Crown Prince, that’s fine. Kill Prince Ji, protect the Crown Prince, and let Xunqi be the Yan family’s Young Mistress. Everyone will be happy.”
“No.” The Female Emperor hesitated, and being provoked by Yan Zhi’an, she immediately refused.
Yan Zhi’an was waiting for her refusal. “Your Majesty, if not, I will not let Xunqi return to your side. The Crown Prince cannot tolerate her. Since you hesitate, let Xunqi stay by my side.”
“Yan Zhi’an, that’s not what I meant.” The Female Emperor retorted, her gaze heavy, her heart torn.
But Yan Zhi’an didn’t think her benevolence was a good thing. Indecisiveness was a great crime, harming others and oneself. She stepped forward, her aura pressing. “Your Majesty, I understand your meaning. But will the Crown Prince be willing? You are his mother. The throne was left by his father. Will he voluntarily give it up? You are being naive. Your indecisiveness will harm Xunqi. Either we end our agreement here, or we continue.”
Yan Zhi’an’s words plunged the Female Emperor into hesitation. But Yan Zhi’an didn’t intend to stop there. She continued, “You should be very clear. The moment Princess Zhaohui shows her face, she becomes Prince Ji’s target. You want her to return to your side and do nothing? That’s impossible. The day before you die, Prince Ji can kill her the day after.”
“I understand.” The Female Emperor breathed rapidly, irritably holding her forehead, covering her eyes with both hands.
“Your Majesty, you should know Xunqi’s temperament. She is a kind person. As long as the Crown Prince doesn’t go too far, she won’t kill him. Enfeoff him as a prince, give him a fief, and let them each rule their own domain. That’s the outcome you want to see. If you do the opposite, the Crown Prince might not let Xunqi live.”
Yan Zhi’an’s words brought the Female Emperor out of her hesitation. She stood up and stared at Yan Zhi’an. “Yan Zhi’an, can you swear that Xunqi won’t kill the Crown Prince?”
“I can’t do that. If you can’t do it, why force me? I’ve only raised her for a few years. How can that compare to your gift of birth?” Yan Zhi’an found it amusing. “Why do you think I can do what you can’t? I’m also worried about whether Xunqi will hate me when the truth comes out. She said she has no ambition. But I’m the one pushing her onto the path of power.”
The Female Emperor had her difficulties, and Yan Zhi’an had her own sorrows. For now, she just wanted to get along well with Xunqi. Otherwise, there would be trouble in the future. She could run away, but what about the Yan family?
“I’m not hesitating. I want to return the throne to Xunqi. It rightfully belongs to her.” The Female Emperor was also troubled. “I don’t want to see them kill each other.”
Yan Zhi’an looked at the Female Emperor levelly, her tone cold. “Your Majesty, then let Zhaohui continue to stay among the people.”
The Female Emperor looked up at her. “You’re deliberately opposing me, aren’t you?”
Yan Zhi’an remained still. “I am thinking of a way out for Your Majesty. Until you are certain, I will not let Xunqi return to your side. Your Majesty can’t just come and snatch my daughter for no reason.”
“You…” The Female Emperor’s aura was suppressed. She truly had no heart to argue with Yan Zhi’an. She could only wave her hand. “In that case, let the Crown Prince have his way. I’m leaving.”
“I will see Your Majesty out.” Yan Zhi’an bowed.
The Female Emperor stepped into the pitch-black night and quietly left the Left Prime Minister’s Residence. Yan Zhi’an sent a team to quietly escort her back to the palace gate.
When she returned to her room, Xunqi was sitting in her seat, reading a military text.
“You’re back. Has she left?” Xunqi put down the military text and instinctively glanced outside. “Something important?”
Since she asked, Yan Zhi’an didn’t hide it from her. “The Crown Prince wants to enter the court to participate in politics.”
“The Crown Prince’s actions are very normal. Her Majesty doesn’t dare agree, right?” Xunqi knew more or less about the Imperial Clan’s affairs. She couldn’t help but sneer. “Her Majesty is too soft-hearted. In that case, she shouldn’t have brought Her Highness back. This isn’t letting her daughter come back to enjoy blessings. It’s sending her to her death.”
Yan Zhi’an spoke up for the Female Emperor. “She is also her child.”
In fact, Sima Shenrong had given birth to the Crown Prince back then to extricate herself from a difficult situation. With an heir, she had a backing. She killed Emperor Hui and supported the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince was like the medicine that saved her.
Xunqi said, “Then kill Prince Ji. Kill these troublemakers.”
“Prince Ji is always protected when he travels. Ordinary people can’t get close.”
“Then they’re stupid.” Xunqi sneered. “Let me try. But I won’t be stupid enough to do it myself.”
“What’s your plan?” Yan Zhi’an asked in confusion.
Xunqi beamed. “Gun. Powder. The Right Prime Minister knows how to make it too. I’ll discuss it with her later. But the Crown Prince is also getting older.”
Yan Zhi’an was also troubled, unable to speak for a long time. Xunqi stood up. “I’ll be going now.”
“Alright. Mind your step.” Yan Zhi’an was surprised, but she let her go.
Strange. Yesterday she had eagerly stayed. Today she couldn’t wait to run off. She didn’t know what she was thinking.
On the third day after the snow, the sun came out. Wherever you went, you could hear the sound of icicles melting, dripping into water.
Xunqi patrolled the streets. For three days, she wandered around, finding her way to the gate of Prince Ji’s Mansion. She strolled around twice, then left.
After repeating this for five days, Prince Ji left the city. Xunqi followed. She jumped into a sparsely populated alley and pushed a small jar under Prince Ji’s carriage.
Boom! Prince Ji’s guards drew their swords. “Protect the Prince! Protect the Prince!”
The carriage was blown open with a hole. Prince Ji fell out, unable to get up.
Xunqi climbed onto the wall, clicking her tongue. “The power is still too weak. The jar is only that big. It can’t hold much gunpowder. Otherwise, it would have blown him to bits.”
Prince Ji’s guards were in chaos, tightly surrounding the carriage. Xunqi escaped.
She went home first to bathe, then burned the clothes that smelled of gunpowder. But she didn’t dare go out. She plunged into the Plum Blossom Grove and walked three circles inside before going out to continue her patrol.
Xunqi returned to the Patrol Battalion. Her superior had been summoned away. She was puzzled. A subordinate came to report. “The Commander was punished by Her Majesty. Thirty strokes, and sent home. Her Majesty has put you in temporary charge of the Patrol Battalion.”
“Why was he punished?” A bad feeling rose in Xunqi’s heart.
“Prince Ji was attacked. The Commander happened to be drinking nearby. Drinking while on patrol.”
Xunqi held her forehead. Drinking while on patrol, thirty strokes was a light punishment. Xunqi was angry for a while, then summoned the other Commander. The two discussed for a while and took over the duty.
Xunqi had inadvertently screwed over her superior and felt guilty. After returning to the residence, she had the steward pick out good tonics and send them over.
“Drinking while on patrol, is he a pig’s brain?” Xunqi couldn’t help but curse.
She ran into the Left Prime Minister. She immediately suppressed her frustration and walked over quickly. “How is Prince Ji?”
“His leg is broken.” Yan Zhi’an lovingly touched her head. “You did very well.”
With one move, she had broken Prince Ji’s leg. He wouldn’t be seen at court for a while. She felt very pleased. She believed Her Majesty would be happy too.
It was just that the Crown Prince probably wouldn’t be happy.
Xunqi smiled and hugged her shoulder. “I did a good job. Won’t you reward me?”
“The entire Yan family is yours. What do you want? Take the money. Take the treasures from the storehouse too.” Yan Zhi’an couldn’t think of any other reward to give her.
“You’re really taking the easy way out.” Xunqi was dissatisfied. She rubbed her head against her shoulder. Looking up, she caught sight of her rosy, soft lips. Her heart trembled.
She quickly lowered her head, but felt unwilling. She moved closer to her. “Then kiss me.”
Yan Zhi’an: “…”
“You’re quite bold, trying to take advantage of me?” She reached out and grabbed Xunqi’s head, applying a little force. “Who gave you the guts?”
“Just saying it casually.” Xunqi knew her limits. She had tested the waters, and sure enough, the Left Prime Minister’s face changed.
Fake is fake. How could she delude herself into thinking it was real?
Xunqi obediently released the Left Prime Minister, maintaining a faint smile on her face, her gaze sincere. “Stop pinching. It was just a joke.”
“Are you sure it was a joke?”
Xunqi: “A joke. It was really a joke.”
![After the Cannon Fodder Awakened, She Married the Female Lead! [Quick Transmigration]](https://i1.wp.com/dobytranslations.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/quick.png?resize=151,215 "After the Cannon Fodder Awakened, She Married the Female Lead! [Quick Transmigration]")
