An Jin raised an eyebrow, speaking with a hint of mockery. “What, don’t you trust your husband’s methods? Did you think I was just leisurely playing around in Nanrui these past few days?”
I suddenly understood, both surprised and delighted.
I remembered that Nanrui also had secret agents, and Anjin must have been thriving in the imperial court, establishing contact with these covert operatives. The secret service that served the Qi royal family had become an independent entity, now only answering to Anjin – something I never expected would prove useful again.
“If I wasn’t confident about the situation in Nanrui, how could I have sent you here?” Anjin smiled. “At the very least, I had to ensure your and your family’s safety. That was my bottom line.”
“So – you knew that the Emperor truly wanted to pass the throne to me, and that Jiang Yunqiao would not harm me,” I realized. Thinking back to how cautious I had been when first arriving in Nanrui, I now understood that Anjin had already made all the arrangements in advance.
Anjin shook his head. “At the time, I couldn’t be completely certain that the Emperor truly intended to favor you. I just made sure to protect you and your family no matter what. It was a risky move, but fortunately, we ultimately won.”
“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” I felt regretful. If I had known about these people’s existence earlier, perhaps I could have done something to help him, instead of being anxious and cautious.
He seemed to see through my thoughts. “Because I didn’t want you to do anything. Just learning to protect yourself was enough. I’ll take care of the rest.”
Anjin’s investigation quickly yielded results. When Jiang Yunqiao returned from her travels, she brought an additional male companion to the Princess’s residence. Although they couldn’t discern the man’s appearance, there was no doubt he was likely the snow-clad youth she had been thinking about. Whether their reunion was accidental or deliberately sought, the direct consequence was that Jiang Yunqiao changed her mind and decided to compete for the heir’s position for his sake.
