If she were younger, Yu Qingwu might have believed her words.

But after experiencing the tragedy of her family's extermination and escaping death from Yang Cheng's hands, she no longer easily trusted people.

Faced with Chuntao's tearful plea and surrender, Yu Qingwu did not answer.

Her beautiful eyes gazed at her, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. "Chuntao, you keep saying that you were threatened by A Yue, but how do I know you're not lying?"

"After all, you came here in full view of everyone. How can I be sure that your 'surrender' isn't another conspiracy between you and A Yue?"

Compared to Gao Minyue, Yu Qingwu always spoke gently, even her questions tinged with a smile.

But it was precisely this gentleness that made people feel uneasy.

Chuntao seemed not to have expected Yu Qingwu to say this. Her expression faltered slightly, and after a moment, she said, "Your Highness, I admit that I was disrespectful to you when I was with the Gao family, but you know how I was treated there. It looked good on the surface, but she scolded me a lot."

"Gao Minyue also has good martial arts skills and hits harder than the martial arts instructors in the courtyard."

"Moreover, she's very jealous. Any maidservant with even a little bit of beauty would either be sent to do rough work under some pretext or have their face ruined. Fortunately, I have plain looks and am good at flattering her, so I was able to serve her safely in the Chunfang Pavilion."

"Everything I did was out of desperation. Those were all small matters in the past, but now, I wouldn't dare to be involved in a plot to harm the imperial heir."

"If Your Highness doesn't believe me, I'm willing to eliminate the root of the problem for you to show my loyalty."

Eliminate the root of the problem for her?

How nicely put. Wasn't this clearly using her hand to get rid of Gao Minyue?

Yu Qingwu leaned back in her chair, a hint of sarcasm on her bright face. She leisurely scanned Chuntao for a moment, then chuckled and said softly, "Chuntao, you yourself said that you were good at flattery and that's how you made Gao Minyue happy. How do I know you're not flattering me now? Besides, you were once loyal to Gao Minyue. Although she beat you a lot, you also gained a lot of benefits from her. Now you're betraying her so easily. How can I trust a maidservant like you who betrays her master for personal gain?"

"Furthermore, you openly entered my courtyard and then turned around to poison Gao Minyue. If His Highness investigates, will I have any chance of survival? You know that I just escaped from a murder case. Now you want to drag me into another one. What are your intentions?"

"I..." Chuntao paused again, her gaze towards Yu Qingwu subtly surprised.

She didn't have much contact with Yu Qingwu. The Qingning Courtyard was heavily guarded, and her understanding of the Crown Princess mostly came from rumors and what she heard from Gao Minyue.

Therefore, Chuntao had always thought that Yu Qingwu was a brainless beauty who relied on her looks to get to the top, thinking that a few words of instigation would trick her. Now, Yu Qingwu's repeated questions left her speechless.

Reluctantly looking at that stunningly beautiful face, Chuntao's fingernails tightened. After a long while, she said again, "If Your Highness wants to question me like this, I have nothing to say. I admit that betraying one's master for personal gain is cruel. But I am different from those who betray their masters for personal gain. I just want to save my own life and the lives of my family."

"Let me ask Your Highness, if you were threatened with the lives of your family, and either way, you would die, what would Your Highness choose?"

Yes, if she were threatened with the lives of her loved ones, she probably wouldn't be any better.

Yu Qingwu frowned slightly, a hint of emotion flashing in her eyes, but she quickly returned to her usual calmness and asked Chuntao softly, "So, how do you want me to help you?"

Chuntao seemed not to have expected Yu Qingwu to suddenly agree. Her eyes widened in surprise, and then her face lit up with joy as she said, "Your Highness, my family is currently being held in a manor outside the city. Gao Minyue hired many thugs to guard the place. Because of her imprisonment, my younger brother died of illness a while ago. I originally thought of hiring some people to rescue my family, but as you know, many people in the capital know Gao Minyue's identity. Because they fear her and His Highness the Crown Prince behind her, they dare not offend her."

"But Your Highness is different. If you are willing to speak to His Highness..."

Realizing that Yu Qingwu was not as foolish as rumored, Chuntao no longer beat around the bush and immediately stated her request.

Yu Qingwu had been somewhat skeptical, but seeing that Chuntao dared to go to Xie Jin Yan, she no longer questioned her.

It seemed that Chuntao was eager to save her family, and with her brother's death, she harbored hatred and had long harbored the intention to kill Gao Minyue. Therefore, she came to her to instigate her to take Gao Minyue's life.

If Gao Minyue really harmed people's lives because of this, then she deserved to die.

But... it was not her turn to do it...

Yu Qingwu was silent for a moment, then took another deep look at Chuntao. Not seeing any traces of lying in her eyes, she nodded again and instructed softly, "You can go down first. I will talk to His Highness about this later."

"As for what Gao Minyue wants you to do, just do it."

"Wh... what?" Hearing this, Chuntao was stunned, her face full of surprise.

Yu Qingwu smiled faintly and said, "Go down. Don't worry, if something happens, I can still save your life."

"Of course, if you don't agree, I don't need to speak to His Highness."

Yu Qingwu's tone was calm, and Chuntao's already anxious expression became even more frightened.

What did the Crown Princess mean? Did she want to use the miscarriage to completely eradicate the Gao family?

The Crown Princess looked gentle and weak on the surface, as if anyone could bully her, but she didn't expect her heart to be so cruel and vicious.

Chuntao's face turned white inch by inch, looking at Yu Qingwu as if she were a ghost.

After a moment, she retreated in a panic.

Granny Xun on the side was also stunned. She stared at Yu Qingwu in shock, and after a long while, she came back to her senses and asked, "Master, is it that you don't want His Highness's child?"

"You... even if you don't like His Highness, you can't do this. The child is innocent..."

Granny Xun thought of Xiao Fengyun, who had once come to the Crown Prince's mansion, and couldn't help but think in that direction.

Seeing her expression, Yu Qingwu couldn't help but laugh and said gently, "Granny Xun, are you also confused? If I really didn't want His Highness's child, would I let you know?"

Ah, wasn't that right?

Hearing this, Granny Xun instantly breathed a sigh of relief and asked Yu Qingwu, "Then what are Your Highness's plans?"

Yu Qingwu smiled and said, "I'm going to find His Highness."