I died tragically in my previous life, and I want to be an empress in my next life

Back at Yime Garden, Yinliu quickly took the cloak from Pei Zhiyan, shook it gently to remove the dust and coldness, and hung it carefully on the hanger next to her. Then she took out a small double-breasted jacket for indoor wear from the side and gently put it on Pei Zhiyan.

Yin Ping followed closely behind, holding a cup of steaming hot tea in her hand, walked up to Pei Zhiyan, bowed her head slightly, handed her the cup with both hands, and said respectfully and gently, "Miss, have a cup of hot tea to warm yourself up."

Pei Zhiyan took the teacup, took a sip, the fragrance of tea filled the air, and a warm feeling instantly spread throughout her body.

"The second young lady has finally been sent away, and our house can now be a little quieter." Yin Liu let out a long sigh and a relaxed smile appeared on her face.

She then said mischievously, "Mother Xue has been cooped up in that farm for too long. Now that the Second Miss is here to keep her company, she is not bored anymore."

Pei Zhiyan smiled gently. Mother Xue was not an easy person to get along with. There had been a grudge between them when they were in the palace. She had sent Pei Zhixuan over there on purpose.

The master and his two servants were chatting and laughing when a little maid from the outer courtyard came in and said that Steward Yu wanted to see them.

Manager Yu has been managing Pei Zhiyan's dowry shop, so it is normal for him to frequently go in and out of the palace. In fact, Manager Yu also has another identity, which is the contact person between Pei Zhiyan and Fuyun Building.

Sometimes when there was urgent news from Fuyun Tower, it was inconvenient to pass it on to Pei Zhiyan, so the steward would come to the mansion to report it.

"Greetings, Princess." Steward Yu walked in and bowed respectfully.

"Manager Yu, please don't be so polite." Pei Zhiyan said with a faint smile.

Yinping and Yinliu also stopped smiling. They knew that Manager Yu came to see the young lady because he must have something important to report.

Yinping sent the little maid in the house to work, leaving only Yinliu to serve.

"Princess, Commander Xiao reported that a well-trained army of about 5,000 people has been quietly stationed ten kilometers south of Beijing."

Pei Zhiyan was stunned when she heard this and frowned slightly. An army of 5,000 people was stationed ten kilometers south of Beijing. This distance was enough to threaten the safety of the capital.

Where did this army come from and what was their purpose?

"Do you know which army this is? Are there only 5,000 people in total, or are they just the vanguard?" Pei Zhiyan asked.

Steward Yu shook his head slightly and replied, "Commander Xiao is still investigating this issue. He asked me to report this news to Princess Yu first."

"Manager Yu, notify Commander Xiao immediately and have him closely monitor the actions of this army and report any abnormalities to me immediately."

Upon hearing this, Manager Yu immediately nodded in agreement and quickly left the room.

Pei Zhiyan sat in a chair, lost in thought.

The emperor has been ill recently, and various forces are ready to make a move, with undercurrents surging inside and outside the capital. This sudden appearance of the army has undoubtedly added a layer of haze to the already tense situation.

After much thought, she decided to go to the General's Mansion.

"Miss, the snow outside hasn't melted yet. It may not be convenient to go out at this time." Yin Liu said with some concern.

Pei Zhiyan smiled slightly and said, "I know the situation outside, but this matter is very important. I must go to the General's Mansion in person."

Seeing this, Yin Liu knew that Pei Zhiyan had made her decision, so she stopped trying to dissuade her. She immediately prepared travel clothes and a carriage for Pei Zhiyan to ensure that she could reach her destination safely.

Pei Zhiyan closed her eyes and rested in the carriage, but she was thinking in her heart how to deal with the current situation.

When she arrived at the General's Mansion, Pei Zhiyan didn't bother to see Old Madam Lin and went straight to General Lin's study.

When she walked into General Lin's study, she saw General Lin deep in thought while looking at a city defense map.

"Grandfather." Pei Zhiyan called softly.

Hearing the voice, General Lin looked up and saw Pei Zhiyan. He put down the city defense map in his hand, walked to the table and sat down, motioning Pei Zhiyan to sit down and talk as well.

"Grandfather, I heard that there is an army of 5,000 people secretly stationed ten kilometers south of Beijing?" Pei Zhiyan asked.

General Lin nodded slightly. "Yes, they have been there for three days. Judging from their movements, they seem to be waiting for some opportunity. I have sent people to investigate their origins and purpose, but there is no definite news yet."

Pei Zhiyan frowned. She understood what this meant. An army of 5,000 soldiers stationed near the capital was undoubtedly a huge threat to the court. Moreover, their purpose was unclear, which was even more worrying.

"Now that His Majesty is ill, the court has begun to request the appointment of a crown prince." General Lin said, "The one with the highest support now is Prince Jing."

"The Second Prince is far away in the northwest. The Sixth Prince is the only one in the capital who has the ability to fight against Prince Jing. There are also many forces in the court that seem to support the Sixth Prince."

After hearing what General Lin said, Pei Zhiyan couldn't help but think that she hadn't heard from Xuanyuan Che for several days. The last time they met, he seemed to have the desire to compete for the throne.

Could it be that he was the one who arranged this army?

General Lin looked at Pei Zhiyan and said comfortingly, "Don't worry too much. The current situation is still in the favor of Prince Jing."

Pei Zhiyan nodded.

After leaving the study, Pei Zhiyan walked towards Old Madam Lin's yard and met Lin Xiaoyu halfway.

"Hello, second cousin." Pei Zhiyan said with a smile.

Lin Xiaoyu stopped and looked back at Pei Zhiyan, with a hint of surprise in his eyes, "Sister Yan is here."

"Well, I was just about to go pay my respects to my grandmother, but I didn't expect to run into my second cousin first."

"That's great. I'm also going to pay my respects to my grandmother. Let's go together."

Pei Zhiyan nodded, and the two walked side by side, chatting about family matters along the way.

When she was almost at the gate of Madam Lin's courtyard, Pei Zhiyan suddenly stopped, hesitated for a moment, and asked, "Second cousin, have you seen the Sixth Prince recently?"

Lin Xiaoyu shook his head. "Ever since the news of His Majesty's poor health came out, he has been accompanying His Majesty in the palace all day long. I haven't seen him for more than half a month."

Pei Zhiyan felt uneasy after hearing this. The emperor was not feeling well, and the Sixth Prince was accompanying him in the palace, which undoubtedly increased the complexity and uncertainty of the court.

She was well aware of the Sixth Prince's influence in the court, and understood the significance of his accompanying the emperor, but all this seemed closely connected with the doubts and worries in her heart.

"Second cousin, what do you think of the emperor's condition?" Pei Zhiyan asked tentatively, hoping to get some information from Lin Xiaoyu.

Lin Xiaoyu glanced at Pei Zhiyan, and a hint of deep meaning flashed in his eyes. He was silent for a moment, and then whispered: "The emperor's condition does not seem optimistic. The news from the palace is very closed, but I can feel an uneasy atmosphere. The Sixth Prince is accompanying him in the palace, which also shows the seriousness of the situation."

"Well, let's go. Don't keep grandma waiting for too long." Pei Zhiyan said, and walked towards Madam Lin's yard.

The two went to Mrs. Lin's yard together.