After being reborn as a man, the woman improved her family's fortunes through education.

Chapter 672 The Fifth Prince's Big Move 3

Song Jinyang returned to report, and the Fifth Prince was truly relieved to learn that Ouyang Jue's family had indeed immediately gone to the main branch for help.

"Well done, go and rest. We'll just wait for the Ouyang family to come over."

"Yes, Your Highness, you will surely achieve your wish."

The Fifth Prince raised a slight smile, thinking that Ouyang Jue's disappearance might actually be a good thing.

As for treasure, it's uncertain whether we can actually find it, and even if we do, the wealth is limited.

She was just a princess from a previous dynasty. Even if she was a legitimate princess, how much wealth could she possibly have?

I had someone else look for it because I thought it would be a good deal to get something for nothing.

However, now that he has other things to rely on, he can put the treasure aside for the time being.

The matter involving Ouyang Jue has ironically become an opportunity to make contact with the Ouyang family, at least giving me a legitimate reason to interact with them now.

Being near the water tower gives you an advantage; that's the essence of the saying.

"Master, people are coming from the south."

"Let him in!"

A person wearing a gray-black cloak entered the Fifth Prince's study. A moment later, the Fifth Prince could only look up to the sky and roar.

He did indeed laugh out loud, "Hahaha, what's this? Heaven is on my side! It seems I've been accumulating strength for a long time, and the trend is inevitable!"

Fate? How can this not be fate? The private army camp that was originally Third Brother's was now his, and now the treasure he was looking for has been discovered near the camp.

The funniest thing is that his soldiers arrested his men, and Ouyang Jue was also in the private army camp.

Haha, now I've really got the Ouyang family by the throat; they won't be able to shake me off now.

"My lord, what makes you so happy?"

The Fifth Prince's personal eunuch was one of the few people he trusted. At this moment, he let his guard down and directly shared his joy with the young eunuch.

"I see! It seems even Heaven is on Your Highness's side. Your Highness is the chosen one!"

The eunuch's words hit the nail on the head for the Fifth Prince; even his advisors were unaware of the private army.

Song Jinyang and his sister were completely unaware of this. Although the person came from the Third Prince's place, the siblings were not involved in core matters and had no access to him.

Of course, if the two of them really knew about this, they wouldn't be alive and well now, still residing in the Fifth Prince's residence.

How kind can someone be to harm even their own mother?

What can be used will be kept for the time being, and what cannot be used will be disposed of to prevent future troubles.

Those who have taken a seat should naturally vacate it.

This was true for daughters of officials who were once betrothed, as well as for imperial concubines.

The Fifth Prince embodied cold-blooded ruthlessness to a degree that even the First Prince and the Third Prince, his predecessors, could not match.

Therefore, the eldest prince was demoted to a commoner, and the third prince was exiled three thousand miles away, and his fate remains unknown to this day.

Only the Fifth Prince, the one harboring the greatest malice and the most hidden "innocent flower," remains peacefully in his spacious and exquisitely decorated princely residence, issuing orders to his subordinates.

"Sigh, what do you mean by destiny? If it were truly destiny, I would be the Empress's legitimate son, not a prince who has never had any support since childhood."

The Fifth Prince still cares about his status. Just look at the Second Prince; even though he's a fool, he gets more care and attention from the Emperor because of his status.

This is the difference between legitimate and illegitimate children!

"Your Highness, don't get stuck in a rut. So what if he's the eldest son? He'll still live a muddled and aimless life."

Even the servants who followed him had lost all hope, Your Highness.

The Fifth Prince's expression softened slightly upon hearing the eunuch's words. "That's true, but the distinction between嫡 (legitimate) and 庶 (illegitimate) is truly a thorn in one's side."

"Your Highness, you now command a private army, have a treasure trove in sight, and have also found an opportunity to make contact with the Ouyang family."

They will have no shortage of money, military strength, and powerful family connections; their future is limitless.

"Those so-called legitimate sons, though of noble status, may not have the same opportunities as you," the young eunuch continued to comfort him.

The Fifth Prince nodded slightly, seemingly regaining his confidence.

“You’re right. Status is only temporary. With all these supporters, I will surely stand at the pinnacle of power in the future. At that time, even if I’m not a legitimate heir, I will still be one.”

"Your Highness is wise. With proper planning, you will surely achieve great things," the young eunuch flattered.

The Fifth Prince's eyes sharpened. "Pass on my order: have the private army keep a close watch on Ouyang Jue, ensuring his safety. At the same time, keep a close eye on the treasure's whereabouts; I want to make sure it's absolutely secure."

The group of people who were brought down earlier were all experts in tomb raiding; they should be able to take a small treasure without much trouble. Let the leader of the private army camp take them all with him.

With so many people, I refuse to believe we can't even unearth the treasure of a former dynasty's princess. We'll just have to pay with our lives!

"Yes, Your Highness, this servant will make the arrangements immediately."

The young eunuch accepted the order and left, while the Fifth Prince sat in his chair, pondering his future plans, a confident smile playing on his lips.

At this moment, another person emerged from behind the screen in the study, also dressed in a gray-black robe.

"Your Highness, the situation with the Fourth Prince, Ninth Prince, and Tenth Prince has been ascertained."

"Say!"

"With the support of the Tong family, the Fourth Prince has been making a lot of moves lately. In addition, I have also discovered that the Eighth Prince has been frequently interacting with the Fourth Prince recently, and it seems that they have formed an alliance."

"Oh? Finding a blockhead as an ally, what was the fourth brother thinking? The eighth brother? He's just a martial artist, do you expect him to train a divine army?"

"Heh, if the Eighth Prince were truly capable, would he need to be stuck in the lowly Kyoto garrison? Father would have sent him to the army long ago to hone his skills."

"Your Highness is right. The Fourth Prince is probably just grasping at straws in his desperation. The Sixth Prince and the Seventh Prince are closely related, so it's unlikely that he can be easily won over."

"It's not that they're hard to win over, it's just that on the surface, the sixth and seventh brothers are closer to me. However, the sixth and seventh brothers are even more mediocre than the eighth brother, so they're not worth winning over at all."

In comparison, if the ninth and tenth princes had no ambition to seize the throne, they could be won over. However, you've investigated thoroughly and now know it's impossible.

The person in the black and gray brocade robe sighed slightly, as if feeling quite helpless.

"Alas~ I knew long ago that Consort Liu was ambitious, but I didn't expect that the Tenth Prince and his mother, who are usually low-key, would also be making small moves in private."

The Ninth Prince is thirteen years old now, while the Tenth Prince is only eleven. What could someone so young be thinking? Isn't it all because of their ambitious mother stirring things up behind the scenes?

The Fifth Prince did not agree with what his subordinates said. So what if he was eleven years old? Does being young mean he has no ambition?

Take Zhao Hongjing himself, for example. Didn't he have that idea when he was only seven or eight years old?

Age has never been a measure of a prince's ambition!