¹打草惊蛇: act rashly and alert the enemy

²跳梁小丑: a buffoon who performs antics

Chapter 65: A Plan Within a Plan Part 1

The next morning, Li Chang Le went to pay her respects to DaFuren. Seeing her unwell expression, she indistinctly exposed joy and thencouldn’t help but say: “Mother, what great news is there?”

Da Furen smiled, she gazed at Li Chang Le’s beautiful andcharming eyes: “Of course, I’ve already arranged everything, just rest assured.”

Li Chang Le’s face revealed a trace of delight, she had alreadyguessed, Mother wanted to get rid of the bitch Li Wei Yang. She smilingly said:“Mother, I’ve already arranged a few people to keep a close eye on Li Wei Yang …….”

“No, we can’t beat the grass and frighten away the snake¹ now, this damn yatou is always on the alert,you have to know, less people the better.

“But ---“ Li Chang Le really wanted to punish Li Wei Yang withher own hands.

Da Furen calmly said: “Just watch what I do.” She didn’t plan ontelling Li Chang Le her entire plan; in the past it was because she didn’t wantto dirty her hands with the blood-infested things, now she doesn’t want her todivert her attention. “Your priority is how to let the Crowned Prince or theSeventh Prince like you.”

Li Chang Le frowned: “You all always talk about the CrownedPrince, Da ge had called him an idiot, and this Seventh Prince, his age issimilar to mine, he only relies on Emperor’s favoritism to establish hisposition. Da ge also said the Third Prince is not the same as the otherprinces, his actions are those of a man with a noble character.”

Da Furen listened as she shook her head: “How can you believewhat your Da ge said, he is only an erudite, he completely doesn’t understandthe situation. No matter how powerful the Third Prince is, he can never becompared with the Crowned Prince and the Seventh Prince.”

Even though Li Chang Le didn’t open her mouth to speak, TuobaZhen’s handsome face was lingering in her head. In her heart, she honestlycouldn’t think favorably of the distant Crowned Prince and the cold SeventhPrince.

Da Furen’s expression sank, she said: “I know what you arethinking about, the Third Prince seems refined and courteous. I heard he’seagerly attentive towards you, he asked about your favorite things and boughtit back from afar. But I have always feel that he has ulterior motives.Perhaps, he wants to control you through this, and from there control yourfather.”

It was worth mentioning that even though Da Furen was a woman,but staying by Prime Minister Li’s side for a long time, she was able to tell.Her daughter, if she was to marry a prince with an impressive background, itwould be great if she became the empress, why would she choose a riskier path?

Li Chang Le lived a comfortable life, she had already becometired of the family chef’s dishes. After knowing this, Tuoba Zhen sent a chefthrough Li Min Feng; this chef’s specialty dish was Jiangshan’s layeredosmanthus cake. Each layer was thin and tender, soft yet wasn’t waxy, sweet yetwasn’t greasy, which made Li Chang Le unable to part with it. Originally sheheld a bit of admiration towards him, now it has increased. Li Chang Le deeplybreathed in, she slowly said: “Mother is thinking too much, Third Prince mightnot be what you described him to be.”

Da Furen coldly groaned and said: “I’m only afraid that you don’tuse your brains --- based on background, Tuoba Zhen’s birth mother is of low birth,which is poor compared to the Crowned Prince and Seventh Prince. But he is veryprudent and he moves carefully at every step so the Emperor trusts him a lot,the Empress also treats him well. It seems like he wholeheartedly consideredfor the Crowned Prince …… he probably has ulterior motives.”

Li Chang Le heart jittered: “If he seriously has other motivesand if he becomes the Emperor one day ……”

Da Furen coldly smiled, she said: “But he is merely a rascal², how would he dare to hope for greaterthings. So what if his scheming is profound, it can’t cover up his lowbackground and a mother without any family backing. If he had a matriarch clanlike Seventh Prince’s, your father might have supported him but he is only ---“Da Furen suddenly thought of something, she stared at Li Chang Le, “Don’t tellme you like him?”

In the end, Li Xiao Ran faintly guessed Tuoba Zhen’s ambitionyet he was reluctant to support and indulged his ambitions; even more, hewouldn’t place his bet on him.

Li Chang Le lightly uttered a sound, her face turned red and shesaid: “Who said so, Da ge has been continuously praising him, this is actually ……”

Da Furen sneeringly said: “Your Da ge and him traveled together,their relationship is naturally on good terms, but he views everything toosimple. Your father originally wanted to let your Da ge interact more with theCrowned Prince and the Seventh Prince, he didn’t want to, to let him interactmore with the Fifth Prince, he also didn’t want to. He believed these peoplealready has a powerful matriarch clan and thus, once they ascend the throne, hewill not gain any credit, so he wanted to choose another path. But he didn’tthink about how could a Tuoba Zhen without any power or allies can overcome allthe obstacles. You shouldn’t fall for his frivolous behavior.”

Li Chang Le’s heart vaguely had a shadow appearing distinctlyyet she softly spoke: “Yes, I understand, Mother.”

Da Furen’s eyes glimmered, changing unpredictably, she spoke ina low voice: “Don’t worry, the husband Mother finds for you will indubitably be a matchless ruler and noble.”