Tyrannical Wang's Beloved Wife

Chapter 547.2: All Sides Ready

While Hei Mei and Gong mama were serving Jing Wan, Li Hong Yuan learned about the situation from Eunuch Mu.

Le Cheng Emperor assembled all of the Black Clad Guards to replace the Imperial Guards, encircling the imperial kitchen as well as the Bureau of Theater^[1], having the people inside all arrested and detained. As for the Imperial Guards, it was just catching whoever they can, similarly getting kept under watch. Shortly after, a large scale search was carried out, digging three feet under. Those that were relatively close with the assassins for the most part were all out of luck.

Afterwards, in the search, quite a few dead bodies were discovered. After comparing, they finally noticed that those were all the people that got their identity stolen by the assassins. Then, going back to look at those assassins again, turns out, they’d all used a disguise. Their skill actually wasn’t considered that brilliant either. If they were to interact with people a little more, then the people familiar with them for the most part would all discover something wrong. That’s why, those people were simply eyeing the timing, taking advantage of the fact that the people of these places were going to be busy tonight, finding a loophole.

As for where these people came from, and how they entered the palace, no one was able to find out. At the various entrances of the imperial palace, all didn’t discover anything suspicious.

Of course, saying that nothing was discovered, aside from really not discovering anything, it was also trying to push the blame.

It already wasn’t the first time that an incident occurred in the palace. There was also the emperor’s birthday celebration last year, which also ended with the matter left unsettled.

However, Le Cheng Emperor just refused to accept this outcome, giving Li Su Yan a death command to investigate to the end. For anyone that’s suspicious, all dragged back to the Black Clad Guard prison to interrogate.

As such, by the time Le Cheng Emperor arrived in Ganlu Palace, it was more or less already four hours later…..

Emperors were all paranoid by nature. Although he didn’t suspect Li Hong Yuan, Le Cheng Emperor still instinctively asked a few words.

Li Hong Yuan carried a cold expression, but very much cooperated, just that expression truly was too mocking.

For Le Cheng Emperor to still be standing right now, it already can very much prove his ability to withstand, but to still get sneered at by his son, no matter how high his tolerance was, he still couldn’t help but fly into a rage, and Li Hong Yuan didn’t yield in the slightest. In the end, it was Shu Consort Qin and Jing Wan, with each urging one, stopping the ‘war’ between this father and son pair.

At the end, “Get lost for this emperor!” Le Cheng Emperor pointed outwards.

Li Hong Yuan couldn’t ask for more, taking Jing Wan and swiftly getting lost.

Seeing him leave this happily, Le Cheng Emperor’s anger rose even more, “Previously this emperor had said that much, yet he never listens, but this while, he’s rather perceptive. He was just waiting here for this emperor? Ah? This unfilial bastard!”

“Your Majesty, your Majesty, please quell your anger.” Shu Consort Qin lightly stroked his chest, helping him calm his breathing. “It’s not like your Majesty doesn’t know, wangye has had such a temper since childhood, unable to bear the slightest wrong. Tonight’s matter, the two of them leaving their seats, that was just a coincidence. Your Majesty didn’t suspect him, but for you to ask like that, he certainly won’t be happy inside. Moreover, wangye seemingly has anger towards your Majesty. This consort doesn’t know the reason, but with these two matters adding together, he naturally will just retort you. Wangye just has a straightforward temper, everything all displayed on the surface. On the inside, there actually isn’t any twists and turns.”

Le Cheng Emperor got consoled by Shu Consort Qin’s soft words, his anger dispelling quite a bit. Recalling that unfilial son of his, since childhood, when has he ever been obedient and well-behaved like his other sons? Wasn’t he long used to it? If one day he were to suddenly become very obedient, then he would really worry. That’s why, in the end, he could only helplessly sigh.

Shu Consort Qin didn’t ask anything, just serving Le Cheng Emperor to rest together with the palace servants.

TN: All

After Le Cheng Emperor fell asleep, Shu Consort Qin waved away the palace servants, quietly sitting by the bedside, staring at Le Cheng Emperor. The other party was frowning, clearly not sleeping very peacefully.

Shu Consort Qin’s expression on the surface didn’t have any changes. However, in her eyes, there wasn’t the tenderness and warmth from before. She was still that tranquil and wonderful person, just carrying a bit of coldness.

Shu Consort Qin sat for a moment, before getting up and walking to the window side. Raising her head, she looked to the round moon in the sky. Clearly, it was supposed to be a lively and festive day where the family gathered, yet such a tragedy occurred, don’t know in the end, how many people died, and how many people got hurt. In fact, she didn’t even dare to go inquire.

In normal households, it should be the most joyous time, but in this imperial palace, the more it was this kind of day, the more likely it would be for various incidents to occur. On the light side, it was just mutually taunting openly and mocking secretly, but on the serious side, it was just various traps emerging one after another. Moreover, at times like this, because those with the most esteemed status all gathered together, if taken advantage of by someone with ulterior motives, then it would just be like tonight.

That’s why, Shu Consort Qin actually disliked the various holidays the most.

The more wonderful it was, the more tragic it would feel afterwards.

Because of Gong Jiu, Li Hong Yuan instead learned of even more things even earlier than Le Cheng Emperor. Although Gong Jiu was still staying in Yucui Palace, there was always a way to have the news passed out. For instance, there was Yu Zhong Qing who after curing the poison, even if that cut extended from the shoulder blade all the way to the lower back, he still didn’t crease a single brow.

Li Hong Yuan looked at the two finger wide paper slip, “The snake venom originated from a kind of viper distinctly within the borders of Former Wei?”

Former Wei, Li Hong Yuan murmured these two words. This provided him a pretty good direction.

For Li Hong Yuan, it was a pretty good clue, but when Le Cheng Emperor learned of this bit, Xian Consort Wei just suffered a calamity. Even if clearly knowing that it wasn’t too possible for it to be her handiwork———-Xian Consort Wei was trapped in Qi Yuan’s imperial palace, and the ones worth trusting by her side were also just the servant girls that once served her, being completely isolated from the outside, but who let her be Former Wei’s princess. Now that there were clues pointing towards Former Wei, for her to get blamed, that was also expected.

That’s why, while Xian Consort Wei was currently bored, dressing herself in front of the mirror, Le Cheng Emperor angrily charged in, grabbing Xian Consort Wei, and just fanned a slap over. Xian Consort Wei knocked against the dressing table. The sharp tip of a hairpin just happened to point towards her skin, while the other end pressed against the dressing case. The sharp tip directly pierced into her flesh. Her skin was soft and tender to begin with, so with this, Xian Consort Wei’s face almost distorted from the pain. But, it’s been almost two years living in Qi Yuan’s imperial palace. The arrogance and pride in Xian Consort Wei’s bones have been more or less grinded down. That’s why, even if seething in anger, she still didn’t dare to express it in the slightest.

“Your Majesty, what did this consort do wrong to let you be this angry?” Appearing sorrowfully pitiful.

“Last night’s assassins, the poison on their weapons came from Former Wei, what do you say to this?” Le Cheng Emperor clutched her throat, sinisterly questioning.

Xian Consort Wei was alarmed, “Your Majesty, this consort doesn’t know, really doesn’t know. Ever since one entered Qi Yuan’s imperial palace, becoming your Majesty’s consort, this consort’s everything have all been under your Majesty’s eyelid, so how can one do anything? Besides, to obey the husband when married. Since this consort is your Majesty’s consort, then even if Qi Yuan and Former Wei go to war, this consort certainly will still stand on Qi Yuan’s side. Your Majesty, please believe this consort, your Majesty———–”

The dark and cold look on Le Cheng Emperor’s face didn’t fade, but right at this time, the little prince in the cradle to the side suddenly started crying.

Le Cheng Emperor blanked, his hand unconsciously releasing a little. Xian Consort Wei’s eyes flickered, seeing the hope in escaping this dilemma, “Your Majesty, seeing on behalf of our child, believe this consort, alright? This matter really doesn’t have anything to do with this consort. This consort is your person in life, and Qi Yuan’s ghost in death, absolutely won’t have a second heart.”

Le Cheng Emperor glanced at the cradle. That was his youngest son. Producing compassion, he had Xian Consort Wei tossed aside, “This matter best be unrelated to you, else once this emperor finds out, have you skinned alive, hmph———”

Xian Consort Wei fell onto the ground, not getting up for a while.

At the time, she’d deathly refused to go to Xiongnu for political marriage. Staying in Qi Yuan, she believed that there was at least a life of luxury here. Just look, this was precisely her life of luxury. She clearly was Great Wei’s di princess, pampered and loved growing up. If she’d stayed in Great Wei to select a husband, then she would still be able to call the shots, and be high and above.

The palace maid stood at the doorway, her expression indifferent, just like not seeing Xian Consort Wei’s sorry state.

This was the current state of Yihe Palace, and also the most cold and heartless reality. Without support, and without favor, anyone can all step on her head. Xian Consort Wei also once got angry, but what she got in return was just mockery.

Assassins appearing at the mid-autumn palace banquet was no small matter, so it won’t be kept a secret, and also unable to be kept a secret. Those that were well-informed had already learned the news last night. Today, everyone more or less all knew.

The court officials’ first reaction was just exactly who was this daring?

Some perhaps would grumble about how Noble Consort Su was lucky, just happening to let her encounter an opportunity to save the emperor so that she can turn her situation around.

But, even more people immersed in conspiracy theories. The most simple line of thought was just whoever benefited, whoever was just the main culprit. However, words like this also can’t be easily said. Never mind not having evidence, it might even anger his Majesty. That’s why, the crucial point right now was just to clearly investigate this matter. And the unrelated people best just sit to the side, not inserting a word and further not getting involved.

Of course, this was just on the surface. The things that need to be done in the dark nevertheless were a lot. The most basic was just having the matter understood fully in detail as much as possible from all information channels available to oneself, so as to avoid other matters from arising, and when time comes, be caught unprepared. If some things land on one’s head, then that would just be terrible.

Following such a master as Jin Qinwang, often times, it was still very beneficial.

They not only know about the process of the entire matter, knowing some clues, they further knew about Jin Qinwang’s suspicions, being many steps ahead of the others.

While others were still running around like headless flies, they already can plan the next step.

[1] Bureau of Theater – The department/bureau that trained dancers and musicians for court entertainment.