Chapter 206: Zhu Yunxiao’s Busyness
One night passed, and the officials all knew about yesterday’s incident in the Imperial Palace.
Before dawn, they gathered at the Palace Gate, and when it opened, they all surged in.
However, the Emperor was busy, so the officials could only wait outside the hall.
Until daylight fully broke, Li Xuan walked out of the Hall of Diligent Governance in a dazed state.
“Lord Li.”
Zhu Yunxiao, who was standing at the bottom of the steps surrounded by officials talking, hurried forward first.
Li Xuan looked at him for a moment, seemingly just recognizing him: “Young Lord Zhu, you haven’t left yet?”
Zhu Yunxiao paid respects: “They just finished questioning me now, and I’m allowed to leave the Imperial City.”
Li Xuan let out an “oh”: “Thank you. If you hadn’t been there, besides the Imperial Consort, Princess Wuyang would also have met with misfortune…”
At this point, he choked up and fell silent.
The accompanying eunuch and the officials surrounding them all urged, “Doctor, condolences.”
“Lord Li, let me escort you back.” Zhu Yunxiao said.
Li Xuan nodded: “Yes, yes, home. We need to prepare for A Qing’s funeral. I must hurry back—”
With that, he walked quickly outward in a dazed state.
Zhu Yunxiao hurriedly supported him.
“Thanks for the trouble, Young Lord Zhu.” An eunuch said nearby, “It’s good for you to escort Lord Li back. The Li Family people at home also need to ask about the details at the time.”
The officials around also nodded one after another. Everyone knew that Zhu Yunxiao had been present when the Imperial Consort met with disaster.
Zhu Yunxiao supported Li Xuan as they walked outward, and coming face-to-face was Marquis Yichun being escorted over by several eunuchs.
“Marquis.”
Zhu Yunxiao paid respects.
Li Xuan glanced at Marquis Yichun.
Marquis Yichun raised his hand in salute: “Lord Li, condolences. The Imperial Consort acted with great righteousness, not losing the Li Clan’s style.”
Li Xuan nodded: “Yes, that’s right. A Qing did not disappoint me.” With that, he passed Marquis Yichun and left.
Zhu Yunxiao exchanged a glance with Marquis Yichun, then quickly followed Li Xuan.
The officials hurriedly paid respects to Marquis Yichun: “To think such a thing would happen,” “They say it’s the assassins from last time’s palace banquet.” As they discussed, an eunuch hurried over: “Marquis, His Majesty requests you inside.”
Marquis Yichun acknowledged and followed the eunuch to the Hall of Diligent Governance.
The officials watched Marquis Yichun’s back and began a new round of discussion.
“Chai Du is still at Dali Temple, right?”
“The officials checking the Border Army’s military affairs have already gone to the border prefecture, right?”
“Even if they arrive, what of it? I don’t think they’ll find anything.”
“This time the assassins are related to White Horse Town again?”
“The one who died is actually Imperial Consort Li.”
“Now the palace truly stands alone…”
……
……
“Your Majesty.”
Marquis Yichun said to the Emperor inside the hall.
“A Feng told me that this was your scheme.”
Of course, the Empress only knew that the Emperor wanted to draw out the assassins and did not know there was more to it, nor that this time the Emperor wanted Imperial Consort Li dead.
The Emperor’s face was grim as he nodded: “Yes, how can I allow such a poisonous woman to sleep beside my bed, but…”
He looked at Marquis Yichun.
“The assassins have indeed been drawn out.”
He picked up the case file from the desk and handed it to Marquis Yichun.
“The Embroidered Uniform Guard’s coroners checked. The assassins match the corpses of the villains from White Horse Town. They are the same group.”
Marquis Yichun hurriedly took it and flipped through.
“But there is still no concrete evidence that the Li Clan raised and instructed killers.” The Emperor said hatefully, “Although I killed the Li Clan, I still have to give her a good name and placate that dog thief Li Xuan!”
As he spoke, he smashed the teacup in front of him to the ground, then looked at Marquis Yichun.
“Father-in-law, I am waiting for you to root out all the Li Clan accomplices and dog thieves in the Gaoyang Army, find evidence of their crimes in White Horse Town, let the world see clearly the Li Clan’s deceitful nature, and avenge the dead civilians!”
Marquis Yichun gripped the case file, bowed in salute: “Your subject obeys the decree. Please rest assured, Your Majesty.”
……
……
White mourning cloths were already hung in the Li Residence, with cries shaking the heavens.
Zhu Yunxiao recounted everything he knew and experienced again to everyone in the Li Family, then was invited indoors for a cup of tea.
Li Xuan sat indoors, no longer dazed as before, his gaze dark and face grim.
“What did you tell His Majesty?” Zhu Yunxiao asked in a low voice, “Any leads on the origin of these assassins?”
Li Xuan took a case file from his sleeve.
“His Majesty said the Embroidered Uniform Guard found out.” He said, “These assassins are the same group as last year’s batch.”
Zhu Yunxiao looked surprised, genuinely surprised and puzzled: “Last year?”
“Last year, one night assassins committed murder in the city, said to be Sun Shu’s remnants.” Li Xuan said, “Actually not.”
Zhu Yunxiao realized: “That time, right, that time Miss Yang was also in danger. So that’s how it is, so that’s how it is.”
Li Xuan thought to himself, so that’s how it is.
At that time, he and A Qing had heard the news and said this Miss Yang was unlucky yet lucky.
Unlucky to encounter Sun Shu’s remnants causing chaos, lucky to have survived.
Now he knew it wasn’t Sun Shu’s remnants at all; it was an assassination targeting this Miss Yang.
“Then who did it?” Zhu Yunxiao said, “At that time, Miss Yang had just entered the capital; not many people knew…”
Li Xuan snorted coldly: “To be precise, only one person knew.”
“The Chai Clan.” Zhu Yunxiao took over, “Does the doctor mean that the Chai Clan wanted Miss Yang’s life all along?”
“What do you mean ‘all along’?” Li Xuan said coldly, “The Chai Clan has always wanted Miss Yang’s life, from beginning to end. It turns out it wasn’t me framing them; they had already acted and even killed A Qing—”
Zhu Yunxiao hurriedly soothed again: “Doctor, condolences, doctor…”
He looked at the case file.
“This can only confirm they are the same group, but there’s no evidence that Marquis Yichun’s family instructed them…”
“I will find the evidence.” Li Xuan said, “His Majesty has put me in charge of investigating the Imperial Consort assassination case.”
He looked toward the door.
Whether found or not, it didn’t matter.
What mattered was that he must eliminate the Chai Clan!
A Qing was already dead, but the Prince of Linhai was still alive.
And because of A Qing’s death, the Emperor felt indebted to the Prince of Linhai…
Thinking of how the Prince of Linhai had come crying, and the Emperor immediately embraced him, the father and son hugging and weeping…
Li Xuan took a deep breath and stood up.
He had to pull himself together. Although there was an accident, the result might still go as wished.
“This time, you also helped Miss Yang and let the Emperor see your bravery with his own eyes.” He looked at Zhu Yunxiao, “Go, go find Marquis Yichun, tell him what happened at the time, and have him fulfill his promise to arrange marriage for you and Miss Yang.”
Zhu Yunxiao acknowledged.
……
……
Leaving the Li Residence, Zhu Yunxiao planned to go home first. Marquis Yichun’s side would naturally send someone to summon him. Just as he walked out of the Li Family’s alley, someone stepped out from the roadside.
“Yunxiao.”
Jiang Rui looked at him uneasily.
Zhu Yunxiao was stunned: “A Rui, why are you here?”
Or rather, why haven’t you left yet.
Actually, when he was escorting Li Xuan out of the palace, he had seen Jiang Rui standing in the corner of the imperial street.
However, at that time, he couldn’t afford to talk to her, and…
In the future, he didn’t plan to speak with her in public anymore.
He had thought Jiang Rui would go home, but she had followed to the Li Residence.
“Yunxiao, are you alright?” Jiang Rui asked urgently.
Zhu Yunxiao shook his head, his expression grave as he grabbed Jiang Rui’s arm: “Get in the carriage and go home quickly. Don’t come see me these days.”
Don’t come see him—whether it was this sentence that scared her or Zhu Yunxiao’s sudden pull, Jiang Rui was caught off guard, stumbling a step: “Yunxiao, what happened?”
“Those assassins are extremely vicious; they entered the Imperial Palace twice.” Zhu Yunxiao said in a low voice, “I clashed with them twice; I’ve surely provoked them.”
He looked at Jiang Rui.
“I’m afraid they’ll retaliate against people around me, so you be careful. Don’t get close to me lately.”
So that’s it. Jiang Rui grabbed him: “Won’t you be in even more danger?”
“Don’t worry about me.” Zhu Yunxiao said, “Lord Li already has leads on the assassins’ origin; it’s about to be uncovered.”
With that, he helped Jiang Rui into the carriage.
“Alright, hurry back.”
“I’ll go home right now and tell Father and the others.”
Jiang Rui wanted to say something but couldn’t. The coachman obeyed Zhu Yunxiao’s order and urged the horse forward directly. Helplessly, she held the carriage window and looked at him.
“Be careful.” She said softly.
Zhu Yunxiao had already turned away, unclear if he heard or not.
The carriage turned the alley corner, and Jiang Rui’s gaze completely lost sight of Zhu Yunxiao. She sat back inside, her expression dazed.
Actually, she still had something to ask him.
Couldn’t she see him anymore these days?
Was it that dangerous?
……
…….
He suddenly thought of something.
Zhu Yunxiao reined in his horse and looked toward the direction the Jiang Family carriage left.
Since it was so dangerous, perhaps Jiang Rui could truly meet with danger… and perish.
Just like Imperial Consort Li.
That way, the assassins came from Marquis Yichun’s family or the Li Clan, having nothing to do with Miss Yang.
In the future, when he married Miss Yang, the Jiang Family wouldn’t resent Miss Yang.
Moreover, the Jiang Family, especially the people in Changshui Camp, would share a common enemy with Miss Yang and be even more united.
Thinking of this, Zhu Yunxiao couldn’t help but smile, looking toward the Imperial City.
A Sheng, see, now he was truly doing his utmost for Miss Yang.
……
…….
Zhu Yunxiao entered home with light steps. Duke Yongwu was pacing in the hall and hurried over upon seeing him.
“Are you alright?” He asked urgently, “That was really frightening. How are you so unlucky to encounter it again?”
There were many things he wouldn’t tell his father. Besides himself, he trusted no one.
Zhu Yunxiao smiled: “Father, rest assured. I’m fine. This is also a good thing; I’ve shown my face before His Majesty.”
That was true. Duke Yongwu became happy again.
Zhu Yunxiao didn’t say more: “Father, help me watch the door. If someone from Marquis Yichun’s family comes, bring them in immediately. They will probably ask about what happened at the time.”
Duke Yongwu let out an “oh,” thought of something, and smiled again.
“Marquis Yichun probably won’t have time to question you.” He said, “Just now in the palace, Wei Cui’s people came to see His Majesty, and His Majesty was furious.”
Just now? He was at the Li Residence and hadn’t heard this news. Zhu Yunxiao asked curiously: “What happened? It couldn’t be that Wei Cui is finally rebelling, right?”
Duke Yongwu shook his head: “No, he was just unlucky. At the time when the Emperor is handling funeral affairs, he asked the Emperor to arrange marriage.”
Arrange marriage? Zhu Yunxiao was stunned: “For Wei Jiao? Is it to marry a princess?”
Wei Jiao marrying a princess had always been a guess among the capital’s people.
The Emperor would surely be willing.
It was just that the timing right now was wrong; the Emperor could only pretend to be displeased.
Duke Yongwu shook his head with a smile: “Not a princess. He asked the Emperor to arrange marriage for Wei Jiao with the young lady of Duke Ding’an’s Mansion, that Miss Yang.”
Zhu Yunxiao’s face stiffened. What!
Earlier someone asked why Wei Cui had no reaction. Haha, Wei Cui said, I’m here~
Another month has passed! Thank you all for accompanying each chapter, for the feedback. I’m very grateful. Having someone listen to the story is true happiness.
