Complaining About the Second Prince
"Uncle, I've already investigated the case thoroughly," Cassidy announced, practically glowing with self-satisfaction as she looked for a pat on the back.
The Emperor eyed her skeptically. "It's been one morning. You're telling me you've already solved it?"
Cassidy nodded, beaming.
"Alright, then. Tell me," he said. "Did the Stonehaven family really commit treason?"
"Nope!" she answered, without a flicker of doubt.
At that, the Emperor sat up straighter. "And you have proof?"
Cassidy shook her head. "No proof. But I went and asked the Stonehavens, and they said they didn't do it."
A long silence filled the room.
"Your method of investigation," the Emperor said slowly, "is just... asking?"
"I asked them sincerely," Cassidy said with a firm nod. "They answered sincerely. So I believe them."
The Emperor felt his patience fraying. This was a complete waste of his time. "If you have nothing better to do, go see your grandmother in the Serenity Wing. I'm busy."
"I'm not going. I'm busy with something important, too." Cassidy pulled a folded slip of paper from her sleeve. "Uncle, want to know who framed the Marquis of Stonehaven?"
His curiosity piqued, the Emperor reached for the note, but Cassidy snatched it back with a grin.
"Do you want to hear the *real* story behind the marquis's troubles?" she teased.
He leaned back in his chair, unimpressed. "Fine. Talk."
Cassidy held out an open palm. "Fifty taels, and the truth is yours."
The Emperor stared at her hand, a laugh bubbling up out of sheer disbelief. "Are you really this obsessed with money?"
"Hey, I worked my butt off for this," she said, completely unfazed. "You're telling me the truth isn't worth a measly fifty taels?"
The Emperor sighed and waved a hand. "Steward Payne, give her the fifty taels." He had to see what kind of "truth" this whole performance was leading to.
Steward Payne, whose eyes were still bruised and swollen, looked utterly baffled. What had he done to deserve this? Feeling the sting, he grudgingly pulled the banknote from his robes and handed it to the princess.
Cassidy happily pocketed the money before turning to the steward with a touch of theatrical sympathy. "You should get more rest, Steward Payne. Take care of yourself."
Then, she immediately smoothed out the note on the desk. "Uncle, look! The mastermind is none other than your second son!"
The Emperor snatched the note. As he read, his face drained of color, replaced by a dark, rising fury. "That scoundrel," he snarled. "This is outrageous!"
His voice was a low growl. "The Stonehavens are my people, even under house arrest! And he, a prince, instead of showing sympathy, uses their misfortune to try and force the marquis's daughter into becoming his mistress? That's the move of a common street thug!"
Cassidy eagerly fanned the flames. "Exactly! A prince should be concerned with the nation, not spend all his time chasing women. It's disgraceful!"
"Unlike your favorite niece, of course," she added with a dramatic sigh, "who thinks only of the court and its people. I'm busy every single day, just racking my brain for ways to make their lives better and take some of the weight off your shoulders, Uncle."
Her words hit their mark. The Emperor's anger boiled over, and he slammed the note down on his desk.
"Send the order! Arrest that miserable excuse for a son and drag him here! I want to ask him personally who gave him the audacity to act like a lawless thug in my capital and disgrace this family's name!"
Guards outside the study immediately headed for the second prince's residence.
Cassidy, nodding so fast she looked like a pecking chicken, kept stirring the pot. "Exactly! He's so out of control. Our ancestors must be rolling in their graves!"
The Emperor glanced at Cassidy, who looked like she was enjoying the chaos a little too much. His lip twitched. "Did your cousin do something to you personally?"
"Not at all! We get along just fine." Seeing the Emperor had calmed a fraction, Cassidy jumped back in with her theory. "Uncle, I think your son framed the marquis for treason just to get him locked up. That way, he could force Lady Genevieve to be with him."
She leaned in, delivering the next line with the certainty of a seasoned prosecutor. "Then he can swoop in, play the hero, and say he'll save her father, but only if she agrees to be his mistress."
The Emperor nearly choked. "You think it's that simple? You think my own officials wouldn't have seen through it? Do you take me for a fool?"
"Who knows!" Cassidy scoffed, clearly unimpressed with his officials. "Then tell me this," she shot back. "If it wasn't your son, how did he know the Marquis of Stonehaven was planning to hang himself in his cell tomorrow?"
A seed of doubt took root in the Emperor's mind. *That's right. How did that scoundrel know the marquis planned to hang himself? Unless... he was the one who orchestrated it all.*
"Is that rebellious son planning to overthrow me?!" The Emperor was so shocked he shot to his feet.
*Now things were getting interesting.* Cassidy quickly checked her lifespan, it had shot up to over two months. A wave of relief washed over her, followed by a giddy thrill. Since she wasn't about to drop dead, she could enjoy the show.
She hurried to her uncle's side. "Don't you worry, Uncle. As long as I'm here, no one will harm you."
The Emperor appreciated the sentiment, but he was fairly certain anyone else in the room would be a more capable bodyguard.
The idea of a rebellion had Cassidy buzzing with curiosity.
"Uncle, if your sons really try to overthrow you, what will you do? Will you have them beaten to death? And by the way, why did you have so many wives and kids? Look at this mess. The inheritance is a nightmare, you have to support all of them... it's such a waste of money."
She went on, a proud smile on her face. "My father's the smart one. I'm the only child at Ashworth Manor, so I don't have to fight anyone for the family fortune, and he doesn't have to worry about anyone trying to kill him. Plus, he has a great daughter like me to take care of him. Honestly,
sometimes I even envy my own dad."
Listening to his niece's nonstop chatter, the Emperor rubbed his temples, a headache blooming behind his eyes. "I am not your father."
"How are you different? You're both Grandma's sons!" Cassidy shot back, instantly on the defensive. "Are you saying you look down on my dad?" She looked ready to disown him if he dared say a single bad word about her father.
Seeing her fierce defense of Prince Ashworth, the Emperor felt an unexpected and frankly irritating twinge of jealousy.
"Could you possibly be quiet," he said, his patience worn thin, "for one single moment?" Her mouth hadn't stopped moving since she'd walked into the study.
Cassidy looked genuinely hurt. "Uncle, you've changed."
Her voice dropped to a mumble. "I knew it. It's because Princess Clara is coming to Argent, isn't it? You're already getting ready to like her more, and you've forgotten all about me. The one who gives you shoulder rubs and everything."
She'd heard from the Fourth Princess that the Emperor and the Empress Dowager were huge fans of Princess Clara, who was not only well-behaved and mature but also an expert in the Four Accomplishments. Compared to that, she and the Fourth Princess felt like a couple of useless clowns.
Cassidy sighed. She hadn't even fully secured her place with her powerful uncle, and now a rival was coming to steal the spotlight. Her plan to just take off and see the world was starting to look better and better.
The Emperor just stared at his suddenly downcast niece, completely baffled. What on earth was she talking about now? When had he *ever* not shown her favor?
Just then, the guards returned.
The Second Prince, who had been happily awaiting Genevieve Redgrave's reply, was unceremoniously hauled into the Imperial Study. Confused, he quickly composed himself and bowed before the throne.
"Father," he began, "you summoned me so urgently?"