Sheng Lengshuang, after a moment of thought, understood Princess Nanning's intention. "Princess Nanning, I am about to divorce Prince Mingrui. Is it not rather disadvantageous for you to approach me?"
Princess Nanning shook her head. "It is very advantageous."
"Has the Princess of Mingrui considered that with several kingdoms wanting to be the king, they are merely maintaining a superficial cooperation? If, something were to happen..."
Sheng Lengshuang raised an eyebrow, looking at the elegantly dressed Princess Nanning before her, and smiled. "Princess Nanning, with your intellect and strategy, if you hadn't come for a political marriage, you would have lived very well in the Northern Yuan Dynasty."
Princess Nanning's smile faded, her voice tinged with sadness. "If I had stayed in the Northern Yuan Dynasty, I would have been used by my father until death. As for my political marriage... the mountains are high and the emperor is far away. Even if my father wanted to use me, it wouldn't be so easy, would it?"
Sheng Lengshuang couldn't help but remark, "Princess Nanning, you are very clear-sighted and understand your situation perfectly."
Princess Nanning's mouth was bitter. "I wish I didn't have to be so clear-sighted. Many times I wonder, if I hadn't done certain things to compete for favor when I was younger, would things be different?"
"But I know very well that if I hadn't competed for favor, I might have already been harmed to death, or married off carelessly by my father, living a life worse than death."
Let alone royalty, even ordinary families were like this. Everyone wanted favor and a good life.
Sheng Lengshuang agreed with a hum. "Princess Nanning, are you sure you want my help? After I divorce Prince Mingrui, I will just be a daughter of the Sheng family, and I can't help you much."
Princess Nanning stated that she was sure she wanted Sheng Lengshuang's help. "Even if Prince Mingrui does marry someone else in the future, the Princess of Mingrui's position in Prince Mingrui's heart will not change. Moreover, Young Master Mo is the Crown Prince's most beloved cousin."
Sheng Lengshuang asked a palace servant to prepare chairs and refreshments, and sat down with Princess Nanning to discuss matters, while Mo Lingxi was responsible for taking care of Xiao Feng.
Sheng Lengshuang glanced at the father and son counting ants not far away and asked Princess Nanning, "What does your father want you to do? Is it related to harming Prince Mingrui?"
Princess Nanning's lips curved into a sarcastic smile. "It's more than just related to harming Prince Mingrui. As I just told the Princess of Mingrui, several kingdoms are already negotiating in secret, and my father wants to be the hunter."
Sheng Lengshuang said "oh" with no surprise. "These kingdoms have waited for a long time. Now that they have finally sat down to negotiate, naturally they all want to be the hunter."
Previously, the Eastern Jin Dynasty had been plagued by natural disasters and man-made calamities. It wasn't that other kingdoms didn't want to send troops, but they were unsure of the intentions and plans of other kingdoms. Firstly, they feared becoming pawns, and secondly, they feared being attacked from both sides, so they had not acted.
Princess Nanning sneered, "Being a hunter is not so easy. One wrong step, and you become the prey."
She paused and then said, "We've strayed too far. Let's get back to business. My father wants me to sow discord between Prince Mingrui and the Crown Prince, seize the opportunity to eliminate both of them, and then quietly send him a message so he can send troops to conquer the Eastern Jin Dynasty."
Sheng Lengshuang hummed and said, "Isn't your father a fool?"
"As a princess married for political reasons, you are already being watched at all times. Once you make a move, you will be immediately apprehended. Moreover, how can it be so easy to succeed? But I suspect your father wants to use you as a pawn for his subsequent arrangements."
Princess Nanning also knew this. "For my father, if he can exchange me for great benefits, he will abandon me without hesitation."
Upon hearing this, Sheng Lengshuang did not comfort Princess Nanning, merely saying "oh." She had no need or reason to comfort her.
Princess Nanning indeed did not need comfort. "Princess of Mingrui, if the Eastern Jin Dynasty were to form a good relationship with one or two other kingdoms, what do you think the situation would be?"
Sheng Lengshuang understood her meaning and pondered. "This matter is not so easily accomplished. The Eastern Jin Dynasty would have to pay a certain price, for example, the position of Prince Mingrui's official wife."
Princess Nanning smiled. "It's very worthwhile. Using the position of Prince Mingrui's official wife to sow discord among several kingdoms, and then doing something appropriate, would prevent the kingdoms from joining forces."
"Princess of Mingrui also understands that this matter is better done sooner rather than later. Once the kingdoms join forces, it will not be so easy to alienate them again."
Sheng Lengshuang beckoned to Mo Lingxi.
Mo Lingxi, holding Xiao Feng's hand, walked over. Without even glancing at Princess Nanning, he went directly to Sheng Lengshuang. "What is it?"
Sheng Lengshuang explained the situation in detail, narrowing her eyes as she looked at the man standing in the sunlight. "You now have two choices: first, resolutely do not divorce, and wait for several kingdoms to join forces and attack my Eastern Jin Dynasty; second, we divorce, and use your position as official wife and other things to alienate the alliances between the kingdoms."
"Which one do you choose?"
Mo Lingxi knew very well why she was asking this in front of Princess Nanning. He remained silent for a long time. "I need to think about this further and will give you an answer as soon as possible."
Sheng Lengshuang knew he was stalling and did not press the issue. "Consider it quickly. The initiative is no longer in our hands. If several kingdoms form an alliance, it will be extremely disadvantageous to the Eastern Jin Dynasty."
Mo Lingxi hummed in a low, deep voice, staring at her as if trying to see into her heart.
His gaze made Sheng Lengshuang's heart tremble, but her expression remained unchanged. "You should discuss this with the Crown Prince. Xiao Feng and I will be going back first."
She nodded to Princess Nanning and left the palace, holding Xiao Feng's hand.
As Mo Lingxi watched the figures of mother and son, he heard Princess Nanning's words.
"Prince Mingrui, enduring for a moment can bring lasting peace and happiness."
Mo Lingxi understood this very well, but he just couldn't let go.
"Prince Mingrui, there is only one position for your official wife. Who is suitable?" Princess Nanning said meaningfully.
Mo Lingxi glanced at her, then entered the side hall to find Zi Cheng to discuss matters.
...
After Sheng Lengshuang and Xiao Feng left the palace, the mother and son did not return directly to the Sheng family but went to a pharmacy owned by the Sheng family.
"Young Lady, Young Master," the shopkeeper greeted them with a smile and invited Sheng Lengshuang and her son to the backyard. "May I ask, Young Lady, what is your instruction?"
Sheng Lengshuang explained her need to recruit workers. "We need to recruit about twenty strong individuals who are good at farm work, regardless of gender."
The shopkeeper acknowledged. "There are quite a few people coming to the pharmacy looking for work recently. Many are refugees. If it weren't for the supplies distributed by the court and Prince Mingrui, these refugees wouldn't be able to survive."
Sheng Lengshuang inquired about the current situation and gave a few more instructions, then took Xiao Feng around. One was to let the child play, and the other was to buy some fruit and vegetable seeds.
Some seeds were not available in the space's medicinal garden, so she had to buy some, put half in the space's medicinal garden, and leave the other half in the mountains.
When they had finished buying the fruits and vegetables and were about to leave, they encountered someone.