Chapter 188: Caught Off Guard
The people outside the hall were all persuaded to go back, and the Imperial Guards guarded outside the hall.
Inside the hall, it was noisy and clamorous, with discussions everywhere.
“They say there was an assassin.”
“Did they happen to break into Miss Yang’s place? Too unlucky.”
“A palace maid died.”
“Fortunately, Wei Jiao was there and saved Miss Yang.”
“But I heard that… Wei Jiao had an episode.”
“…So Wei Jiao killed the palace maid and threw Miss Yang into the lake water?”
“Enough, stop guessing wildly!”
With the female voice’s rebuke, the companion reader ladies on the princess’s seating side instantly quieted down.
Princess Pingcheng walked back from outside the hall.
When the assassin’s shout came, the princesses were immediately escorted away from the main hall.
Unexpectedly, Princess Pingcheng came back.
She looked at the companion reader ladies, her expression slightly stern, and then said: “What you see with your own eyes is not necessarily true, let alone we didn’t see it, so don’t speculate recklessly.”
The ladies hurriedly agreed.
Princess Pingcheng softened her expression.
“Everyone, rest assured, this is the Imperial City, there won’t be any danger.” She said, “I will wait with everyone for the inquiry results.”
Being able to be with the princess meant it was certainly safe, so the companion reader ladies all breathed a sigh of relief and happily sat down around the princess.
After soothing the companion reader ladies, Princess Pingcheng also slightly relaxed, she actually really wanted to go find out what happened.
A palace maid was killed, Miss Yang fell into the water?
Was there really an assassin?
Or did the palace maid have a conflict with Miss Yang?
It shouldn’t be that serious.
She just told them to drive Miss Yang away from the banquet…
However, Miss Yang had a willful temperament, could she have had a conflict with the palace maids?
Princess Pingcheng’s hand on her knee clenched.
But it didn’t matter.
Those palace maids wouldn’t implicate her, she was the princess, the master of the palace maids.
Even if they really said it was her instruction, Father Emperor and Mother Empress wouldn’t be angry.
After all, it was this Miss Yang who offended her first.
Princess Pingcheng raised her wine cup and smiled at the companion reader ladies: “Everyone, have a cup of wine to calm your nerves.”
The companion reader ladies all hurriedly raised their wine cups and drank together with the princess.
But after drinking, Jiang Rui still couldn’t suppress her anxiety and worriedly looked toward outside the hall.
Zhu Yunxiao was not inside the hall.
Where did he go?
……
……
“Miss, miss, I want to see my family’s miss—”
Yang Luo rushed toward the side hall but was blocked by layers of Imperial Guards at the door. As she approached, the Imperial Guards drew their weapons.
“His Majesty has ordered, no one is allowed to approach!”
Zhu Yunxiao hurriedly reached out and pulled her back.
“I am the Heir of Duke Yongwu, Zhu Yunxiao.” He said, “Please pass it on, this is Miss Yang’s maidservant.”
The Imperial Guards looked at him, then at the maidservant.
“Chief Eunuch Huang in front of His Majesty knows me.” Yang Luo hurriedly said, “Go tell him, I want to see the miss.”
Not sure if it was the title of Heir of Duke Yongwu or Chief Eunuch Huang’s name that made this Imperial Guard nod.
“Wait here.” He said, then turned and went into the palace room.
Zhu Yunxiao pulled the maidservant aside: “Calm down a bit.”
Yang Luo shook off his hand: “It’s all because of you, if you hadn’t stopped me, I would have seen my family’s miss!”
“If you rushed over, you would never see your family’s miss again.” Zhu Yunxiao frowned and said, “If I had been a bit slower to pull you back, you would have died on the spot.”
At the time of the incident, the first three eunuchs and palace maids who rushed over were not good people either. He and Zhu Yunxiao were closest to the palace room, and those people also attacked them.
Zhu Yunxiao pulled her back and kicked away the eunuch who pounced over. The Imperial Guards arrived and slayed those three.
Then they were also dispersed to the back.
Now they were blocked outside again.
He did intend to run, but he really didn’t abandon her. Yang Luo lowered her eyes and said indifferently: “What’s the use of saving me? You said you would help my family’s miss, but when something happened, you turned and ran. Why didn’t you go save my family’s miss?”
Zhu Yunxiao said indifferently: “Because only by living can you help. If something happens to your family’s miss, I can avenge her.”
Yang Luo sneered, very well, this person always had something to say.
She turned her head and ignored him.
This ungrateful maidservant! Zhu Yunxiao also turned his head and stopped speaking, his face sullen.
Of course he wouldn’t risk his life for Miss Yang.
He helped people to gain benefits for himself, not to risk his life.
In such a critical moment, he didn’t care about a noble young lady like a golden branch and jade leaf, let alone a maidservant.
But why did he stop and protect this maidservant at that time?
What did the life or death of a maidservant have to do with him!
Why did his eyes go to her!
If he was not careful, he would get hurt!
How could he get hurt for a maidservant!
It was really baffling!
“Miss Asheng!”
The Imperial Guard who went in earlier quickly returned, bringing an eunuch with him.
It was precisely the chief eunuch in front of the Emperor.
“Chief Eunuch Huang, my family’s miss—” Yang Luo hurried over, her voice somewhat choked.
The chief eunuch hurriedly said: “Miss Yang is fine, she just choked on water and is still unconscious. The imperial physicians are all there, Miss Asheng, come with me quickly—”
Yang Luo hurriedly followed him, but Zhu Yunxiao pulled her arm from behind.
“You—” Yang Luo turned back and glared.
“I am at least an eyewitness.” Zhu Yunxiao said through gritted teeth, “Doesn’t His Majesty need to inquire about the details?”
Yang Luo shook off his hand.
“This is the Heir of Duke Yongwu.” She said to the chief eunuch, “He just fought with the villain.”
The chief eunuch glanced at Zhu Yunxiao: “Oh, then go see His Majesty quickly, His Majesty is inquiring right now.”
Zhu Yunxiao agreed and followed Yang Luo.
Since he did a good deed, he had to get the benefits!
……
…….
“Your Majesty, Miss Asheng is fine, she has been sent to Miss Yang’s side.”
“Your Majesty, this is the Heir of Duke Yongwu, he also encountered an attack just now.”
With the chief eunuch’s introduction, Zhu Yunxiao stood in the side hall, bowed in respect, and with the corner of his eye saw several corpses lying on the ground.
There were eunuchs and palace maids, one of whom had a strange death, her head twisted to the back, still with eyes open, extremely terrifying.
This was twisted to death alive? Such brutal means, Zhu Yunxiao felt a chill in his heart.
He remembered, this should be the palace maid who entered the room holding incense at that time, the palace maid who attacked Miss Yang.
So, this palace maid was killed by Miss Yang?
Impossible.
It should be Wei Jiao.
So despite needing to send Wei Jiao away, Wei Jiao actually didn’t leave and stayed by Miss Yang’s side, so he could protect her at the moment of the attack…
“Zhu Yunxiao, which villain did you encounter?”
The Emperor’s inquiry came from above.
Zhu Yunxiao gathered his thoughts, lifted his head, and pointed at one of the eunuchs: “This one.”
Then he described in detail.
“At that time, I was outside the hall sobering up, and saw the maidservant Asheng pass by. Earlier, because of some matters, I had involvement with Miss Yang…”
At this point, he glanced at Marquis Yichun.
Marquis Yichun nearby lifted his eyes: “Heir is saying that I also have involvement with Miss Yang?”
Zhu Yunxiao hurriedly paid respects: “I did not mean that.”
Marquis Yichun lightly snorted and said no more.
The Emperor sitting above heard this and remembered that earlier Miss Yang had a conflict with Miss Chai, and it was Young Lord Zhu who stopped Miss Chai.
Then he remembered that during the hunt, it was this Young Lord Zhu who brought the maidservant over.
Who brought his Luo Ying over.
His gaze softened a bit.
“Young Lord Zhu, speak of what happened at the time of the incident.” The Emperor said.
Zhu Yunxiao faced the Emperor and solemnly agreed.
“I then went with Asheng to see Miss Yang. When we were almost there, I saw two palace maids coming from the southeast direction.”
Then he described the appearances of those two palace maids in detail.
One of them was lying inside the hall, the other…
The leader of the Imperial Guards nearby said: “Captain Wei said there was another villain who jumped into the lake and escaped. He was injured and had to save Miss Yang, so he couldn’t catch…”
Wei Jiao had not come over at this time. He was fished out from the lake water, simply changed his robe, told the sequence of events, and after seeing that Miss Yang’s life was not in danger, he also fainted and fell beside Miss Yang. The imperial physicians didn’t let him be moved again.
The Emperor impatiently waved his hand: “No need for that nonsense, I’m not blaming him!”
Then he pointed at the corpses on the ground.
“Have you found out who they are?”
Several palace maids and eunuchs knelt on the ground with frightened expressions: “They are not from the palace” “We have never seen them.”
The Emperor sneered: “Could they have come from outside the palace? Has my Imperial City become so rundown and leaky?”
The on-duty Imperial Guards knelt and begged for mercy.
Marquis Yichun stood up and paid respects: “It’s all because of this old subject. Your Majesty held a banquet, and villains took the opportunity to sneak in.”
The Emperor hurriedly said: “This has nothing to do with the marquis.”
“Your Majesty, the Imperial City is already searching and arresting and inquiring. Even if the villains could sneak in, they can’t escape.” The Empress said nearby, “As for the villains, better ask Miss Yang, after all, only she saw the villains….”
Before she finished speaking, the Emperor stood up: “Yes, yes.” And asked again, “Has Miss Yang woken up?”
Miss Yang was fished out of the lake water by Wei Jiao, her life was not in danger, but because she was in the water too long, she was still unconscious. The imperial physicians said it would take time to recover.
After asking, the Emperor didn’t wait for an answer and walked outside.
“This bunch of wastes.” He cursed, “I will go see personally.”
After a few steps, he stopped again and looked at the Empress and Marquis Yichun.
“This was meant as an intention for the marquis, yet such a thing happened at the banquet.” He sighed, “Empress, please trouble you to continue hosting the banquet.”
Saying that, he sneered.
“I absolutely will not let villains ruin the happy event.”
The Empress agreed.
Marquis Yichun paid respects: “Your Majesty, do not mind it, these are trivial matters.”
The Emperor nodded and said no more, only hurriedly went outside with the chief eunuch.
The Emperor left, and the Empress also stepped forward: “Let’s go, we’ll continue the banquet festivities.”
Marquis Yichun and Zhu Yunxiao both agreed. The Empress went out first, and Marquis Yichun followed behind. When passing Zhu Yunxiao, Marquis Yichun stopped.
Zhu Yunxiao looked at him: “Marquis, this villain really caught people off guard.”
He said it word by word, looking at Marquis Yichun with implication.
Marquis Yichun understood this was questioning if he arranged the attack.
“Indeed.” He said, “Things in the world are always so unpredictable and unexpected.”
Meaning it wasn’t him who arranged it? Zhu Yunxiao slightly frowned.
“Father, hurry up.” The Empress ahead stopped and turned back, “This matter is for His Majesty to investigate, we shouldn’t interfere.”
Indeed, His Majesty probably suspects them in his heart. Marquis Yichun smiled: “Then let His Majesty worry about it.”
Zhu Yunxiao lowered his head in respect: “Marquis, please.”
……
…….
Faint singing and dancing sounds came.
Wei Jiao was somewhat dazed. A long time ago, in this Imperial City, lying in the cold dog kennel, he could always hear the endless singing and dancing at night.
The next moment, he saw the young girl lying on the bed nearby.
His scattered gaze focused.
This was not the past; back then, there was no one by his side.
Wei Jiao’s gaze turned to the bed here: the young girl’s pale face, bloodless lips, fragile as if she would shatter at a touch.
She really existed, right?
Wei Jiao slowly extended his hand, carefully touching the young girl’s cheek: soft and warm.
It was real.
She really existed.
The singing and dancing sounds gradually faded, and speaking voices came from outside.
“…Are you alright?”
“…Your Majesty, it’s fine, don’t worry.”
It was the Emperor who came.
Wei Jiao slightly turned his head. The inner room door was closed, blocking the view, but he could tell it was the Emperor and that maidservant speaking.
“…Really scared me to death… Sigh, quickly drink this bowl of calming soup…”
The Emperor was indeed scared, his voice trembling, as if about to cry, Wei Jiao thought. But why, if His Majesty cared so much for his child, didn’t he come in?
Why keep talking to the maidservant outside?
