Time Travel: He is My Dad!

Chapter 113 The undercurrent is surging

Undercurrent

After the Third Prince's apparent cooperation, Princess Shen, while seemingly ensconced in his arms, secretly laid countless dangerous traps. She understood that the Third Prince's eagerness to win her over must be due to his growing influence within the palace. However, Princess Shen was no easy pawn. She understood that to control her own destiny, she must utilize every available resource while carefully managing all potential dangers.

On this day, another earth-shattering event occurred within the palace, shaking the court to its core over the Crown Prince's affairs. Tensions between the Crown Prince and the Emperor intensified, and rumors even circulated that the Crown Prince was about to be deposed. While unconfirmed, this news had already stirred agitation within the court. Princess Shen's composure was particularly striking at this moment. She didn't immediately choose sides, but rather remained a spectator, quietly observing the unfolding situation.

After news reached the palace that the Crown Prince was about to be deposed, Princess Shen began her meticulous planning. She knew that if the Crown Prince was truly deposed, the power structure in the court would inevitably shift dramatically, and the struggle between the Third Prince and the Crown Prince would become the biggest focus for the coming months and years. Princess Shen's forte was finding opportunities in such situations and skillfully intervening.

As her collaboration with the Third Prince gradually deepened, she maintained a delicate relationship with the Crown Prince, particularly with key figures around him, whom she never relented in her efforts to win over. Princess Shen was not eager to expose all her power, but instead, through meticulous observation, she gradually assessed the potential risks and opportunities of each situation.

While the Third Prince was busy dismantling the Crown Prince's influence and strengthening his own position within the palace, Princess Shen quietly embarked on a path she had never abandoned—she planned to expand her influence by establishing connections with powerful merchants and warlords outside the palace. She knew that while imperial power was profound, without sufficient economic and military strength, truly controlling the entire empire was impossible.

Princess Shen was doing all this quietly.

Late one night, the lights in Princess Shen's chambers remained brightly lit. She sat at her desk, her gaze blazing, a plan already forming in her mind. Her purpose that night was far from simple. Her superficial alliance with the Third Prince gradually exposed some of her shortcomings and oversights. In particular, her "ungrateful" former subordinate, Eunuch Li, a trusted confidant of the Shen Palace, had been increasingly siding with the Third Prince, clearly aiming to gain a foothold in the impending power struggle.

While Princess Shen maintained a friendly and cooperative relationship with the Third Prince on the surface, she had long sensed something was amiss in Eunuch Li's behavior. He had once been one of her spies, long lurking within the palace, monitoring the Crown Prince and the other princes' forces. But now, Eunuch Li was not only secretly passing on information to the Third Prince but also actively engaging with other factions within the palace, clearly attempting to distance himself from her and side with the Third Prince.

"Eunuch Li, you betrayed me after all." Princess Shen whispered, a cold light flashing in her eyes.

She did not intend to directly break up with Eunuch Li, but chose a more subtle path. She decided to use some covert means to force Eunuch Li to reveal his true intentions, and then use this opportunity to completely eliminate him from her power.

That night, Princess Shen summoned another of her close confidants from the palace—Marquis Wu. Marquis Wu was an intelligent and calm young man adopted by Princess Shen from an outsider family in her early years. Skilled in political schemes and military tactics, he had always been Princess Shen's most capable assistant.

"Princess, what do you want me to do?" Wu Hou knelt in front of Princess Shen's desk, his eyes steady and his voice low.

Princess Shen glanced at him and said slowly, "Go and make arrangements. We need to trap Eunuch Li tonight. He's secretly providing information to the Third Prince. We must uncover his true intentions."

Wu Hou nodded slightly, a glint of understanding flashing in his eyes. "I understand."

Princess Shen watched Marquis Wu depart, her mind already forming plans for the future. She wasn't in a rush to act, instead leaving everything to Marquis Wu. She knew that matters like these required careful handling. Failure to do so would only lead to unnecessary trouble. She needed to proceed steadily, keeping all clues in the palace under her control.

The next morning, Eunuch Li was secretly detained, and Princess Shen dispatched Wu Hou to personally interrogate him. Eunuch Li showed no signs of panic during the interrogation, having been well prepared. Facing Princess Shen's questioning, he remained calm.

"Princess, there's no need to ask. Your cooperation with the Third Prince is obvious, so why bother asking?" Eunuch Li sneered, his tone tinged with disdain. "Princess, the Third Prince's promise to me is far better than yours."

Princess Shen raised her eyebrows slightly, a hint of coldness flashing in her eyes. "Do you think that the Third Prince's support can buy your future? You are just a pawn on his chessboard. If he finds you useless, he will abandon you immediately."

Eunuch Li's expression shifted slightly, evidently struck by Princess Shen's words. But he quickly regained his sneer. "Princess, the Third Prince has promised me more power and wealth than you ever could. If you truly wish to preserve your possessions, you must understand this: in this palace, power is the only thing you can trust."

Princess Shen snorted coldly, then stood up and walked to the window, her eyes sharp as a knife. She knew that Eunuch Li's words had some truth to them, but in her eyes, he was nothing more than a useless waste.

"Well, Eunuch Li, since you trust the Third Prince so much, then go and meet him." Princess Shen said lightly and turned to leave.

As night fell, Princess Shen's every move seemed to be secretly observed. The power struggle within the palace had reached a fever pitch. And she, the master manipulator at the center of this storm, was unpredictable. Yet, her gaze never wavered.

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Chapter 114: Storm Rising Again