Chapter 75: Secret
But Yue Tang’s gaze was piercing, showing no sign of yielding at all.
Chu Yan finally parted her lips: “Shen Family originally wanted to kill me, that’s true!”
Yue Tang narrowed her eyes and loosened her grip slightly.
Tears rolled down Chu Yan’s face as she still clutched the sword blade: “But before I say it, let me first have someone brought in.
“—Bai Zhi! Go carry Fang Ling over.”
Hearing this name, Yue Tang’s brows twitched, then she looked toward Yan Bei under the back window.
Yan Bei nodded and signaled with his eyes to the shadow guard in the shadows.
The shadow guard then left with the trembling maidservant standing under the door who had received the order.
Inside the hall, Chu Yan knelt on the cushion and said, “Chu Family initially had me marry into the prince’s mansion. On the surface, it seemed like a natural and good match, right? After all, everyone knew your brother and I were childhood sweethearts.
“But for Chu Family, it wasn’t.
“They weren’t aiming to bring us together; from the start, they were after the Imperial City Department’s power in the prince’s mansion’s hands.
“I think you all knew that too. Among great clans, whose marriage alliance isn’t for expanding influence? It’s understandable.
“But for Shen Family, allying Chu Family—who they had a feud with—and the prince’s mansion was a major threat.
“Of course they didn’t want this marriage to succeed.
“Before and after the wedding, they kept waiting for a chance to strike at me. At first, it was just inner residence intrigues that failed. Later, they sent assassins directly, but it still failed before the wedding. After all, Chu Family wouldn’t let this marriage have any mishaps, so Shen Family had no chance to act.
“Before the wedding, Chu Family protected me out of selfish motives. After the wedding, when Shen Family struck again, your brother discovered it.
“The first time, he was afraid I’d be scared, so he handled it privately, hid it from me, and warned Shen Family. There were two more times later, but I don’t know why he never told me.
“I know you have many questions.
“For example, he was poisoned over a few months and should have noticed himself, so why have you never heard about it?
“In fact, I don’t understand either.
“All those dangers were resolved by him for me, but I was completely unaware!
“It wasn’t until you and Father King had your incidents that I realized I was also one of Chu Family’s scheme targets, and I became alert that his death was suspicious. I questioned Fang Ling and learned the reason.
“Don’t think I’m not worth Shen Family persistently doing this. Chu and Shen families already had a feud; killing me was just killing the daughter of an enemy.
“Moreover, at your fourteenth birthday, we had just married not long and hadn’t conceived a child yet, so there was still time to sabotage this marriage alliance.
“And Empress Dowager Shen had already risen to Consort Shen after giving birth to the Fourth Prince. At that time, the First Prince was coincidentally impeached by Father King and reprimanded by the Former Emperor. Crucially, the Former Emperor had never clearly established a heir, so they still had hope—”
“Wait,” Yue Tang interrupted her, “Why did Father King impeach the First Prince that year?”
Chu Yan swallowed a mouthful of saliva: “It was just a minor matter. Father King said the First Prince was catching birds in Zichen Hall where Empress Mu had lived, which was disrespectful to the Former Empress, so the Former Emperor punished him to guard the tomb in front of the Empress’s mausoleum for three months. You should have heard about this, right?”
Yue Tang did not respond.
Ever since childhood when she was backed by the Emperor and Empress and successfully tamed the First Prince Yue Yuan, for many years afterward, she had occasional letter exchanges with Yue Yuan. If she returned to the prince’s mansion, Yue Yuan would come to see her, and they’d have a meal together, go fishing, or walk the birds.
She had naturally heard about the punishment of guarding the tomb.
But when she later met Yue Yuan and asked about it, he avoided the topic.
Chu Yan continued: “At that point, Shen Family’s position was worth fighting for.
“Otherwise, think about it—wouldn’t Chu Family strike hard at Shen Family?
“At that time, they didn’t know Consort Shen would later become Empress Shen, or that the Former Emperor would grant them the privilege of holding the seal!
“In short, killing one me doesn’t cost much, so why not do it?
“These are all real events, yet your brother never mentioned a word.”
Chu Yan steadied her breath and slowed her voice to continue: “To this day, I don’t understand—why did he never tell me things I should know?
“If he told me, couldn’t I have guarded against it?
“But so many times! He must have spent a lot of kung fu in secret to make it foolproof. He couldn’t have not investigated the reasons and must have found some evidence.
“He never told me.
“Even on the verge of death, he didn’t reveal it to me!
“If you say he didn’t want me worried, do you believe that?!”
Yue Tang frowned silently.
Yue Rong had been ill for two or three months; every time she visited, he just said it was nothing serious. In the end, his condition suddenly worsened, and soon after, he died from a sudden attack of chest paralysis and heart failure.
If it was also mixed with him tracking Shen Family’s matters, there indeed was something suspicious.
“I know you don’t believe it, and I don’t either.” Chu Yan slowly inhaled, “Naturally, if he knew Chu Family’s intentions back then, guarding against me was proper.
“But wasn’t it Shen Family striking at me? What’s there that can’t be said?
“Since he eliminated crises for me, it shows he cared about me. If he cared, then when he was gravely ill, why still not reveal a single word to me?
“Crucially, he guarded against me and didn’t tell me, but you didn’t know either, so he was guarding against you too.
“So what exactly was he hiding?!”
Her eyes reflecting the lamplight began to look somewhat piercing.
Yue Tang looked at her: “What do you think it was?”
Chu Yan laughed mockingly: “Hiding it so tightly, not even saying it on his deathbed, not even telling me about Shen Family trying to kill me—that can only mean in the process of investigating Shen Family, he found some unspeakable matters.
“For example—secrets about you!
“He couldn’t let you or me have the chance to follow Shen Family trying to kill me and dig deeper.
“After all, you were later worth Chu Family scheming so meticulously to murder—how could there be no story behind it?
“I don’t know if your brother didn’t dare say it or was obstructed from telling you and me.
“But that said, if he really died because he discovered secrets about you, that wouldn’t contradict being killed by you, right?”
Hatred reappeared in Chu Yan’s eyes.
Yue Tang ignored her and repeatedly mulled over her words.
After a moment, she asked: “Who else have you told these things to?”
“Do I dare tell anyone?” Chu Yan gritted her teeth, “Your brother was the prince’s mansion heir apparent, and even he died. Do I think I’m tougher than him?”
“Reporting to the Heir Apparent’s Consort, Fang Ling has arrived…”
As soon as she finished speaking, Bai Zhi’s voice sounded from below the hall.
This maidservant, who had always served in the prince’s mansion and was pushing a wheelchair, instantly reddened at the sight of Yue Tang. After all, with so many people in the prince’s mansion, since Chu Yan had kept it secret from Chu Family for three years, she naturally couldn’t easily leak it. The old servants in the prince’s mansion couldn’t help but be deeply shocked by Yue Tang’s “death and resurrection.”
“Prin, Princess…”
The person on the wheelchair was no longer a complete “person.”
His right eye was gouged out, both legs lost, and arms reduced to stumps.
Seeing Yue Tang, he instinctively tried to stand, but with all his effort, he only managed to straighten his upper body slightly.
“Fang Ling?” Yue Tang walked to him, “How did you end up like this?”
“If you must say, it can also be said to be caused by me.” Chu Yan said, “He was your brother’s most trusted guard. After you and Father King had your incidents, I could only question a few of their most loyal subordinates. They told me the truth about how Yue Rong secretly blocked Shen Family assassins for me several times.
“But they also didn’t understand what Yue Rong later investigated and why he hid it from you and me.
“So I sent him along that lead to investigate Shen Family.
“As a result, he was ambushed midway, faked death hiding in a corpse, and was found and brought back by the people I sent after waiting too long for his return.
“Later, I didn’t dare let him appear and kept him hidden in the prince’s mansion.
“I didn’t dare investigate further either.
“But his words, you should believe, right?”
Yue Tang stroked Fang Ling’s severed arm: “Do you know who did it?”
Fang Ling shook his head: “No, the opponent’s skills were good.
“Both Shen and Chu families have highly skilled guards, both possible.
“But if I must choose between Shen and Chu families, this subordinate chooses Chu Family.
“Because at that time, the Second Prince had just ascended the throne, Prince Jingyang who suddenly returned to the capital by decree had an unclear stance, Shen Family’s position was unstable, and they were focused on vying for power with the Emperor, probably with no time to watch a prince’s mansion left only with the Heir Apparent’s Consort.
“While Chu Family hadn’t yet actually obtained the Imperial City Department; they needed to control the Heir Apparent’s Consort.”
Being able to ambush midway naturally could only be done by those watching Prince Duan’s Mansion.
“Princess!”
While Yue Tang pondered silently, Fang Ling said again: “Shen Family did indeed attempt to kill the Heir Apparent’s Consort several times that year! This subordinate swears on my whole family’s lives—because I personally followed the Heir Apparent to handle those matters back then, I absolutely dare not lie.”
Yue Tang frowned and asked: “Since you think it was Chu Family blocking you from investigating further, why do you still believe brother was killed by Shen Family?”
“The medicine your brother took back then was from the Imperial Hospital—you know that too! Later, I made an excuse to check the preserved prescriptions at the Imperial Hospital, and his medical records were gone.
“Looking at the time, only Shen Family could pull off such tricks, and I’m certain Chu Family had no one in the palace.”
Fang Ling also said: “Princess, Chu Family indeed has no insiders in the palace. Even now, to act in the Imperial Clan Court, they still need to go through Du Family! They’re still trying to use Xu He to approach the Emperor and probe news from Zichen Hall!
“If they had insiders, they could strike directly from the imperial palace, even more undetectable!
“If not Chu Family, we can only suspect Shen Family. Moreover, over these years, Shen Family knew it was us who acted but never openly responded. If not guilty, why endure it so submissively?”
Yan Bei outside the window was also gazing intently at Yue Tang at this time.
But then the shadow guard came again: “Reporting to the Prince, Chu Xin has started pounding the door! If we don’t let him through soon, he’s going to force his way in!”
“Then hold it with your lives!” Yan Bei said in a deep voice.
The shadow guard left.
Yan Bei looked back inside through the window but still frowned.
Chu Xin had come so urgently, and he and Yue Tang couldn’t reveal themselves; the guards couldn’t hold out much longer no matter what.
Yue Tang, who had been silent for a long time, then picked up the nearly burned-out candle and lit two new ones with it.
“Since Shen Family tried to kill Chu Yan several times, their guilt could be from harming Chu Yan—how does that prove it’s certainly because of brother?
“Chu Family must have accomplices. Because the night Chu Family killed me, Father King also died in the palace.
“What Chu Family couldn’t do, their accomplices might be able to.”
Fang Ling pondered silently for a moment: “Who would be the accomplices?”
“If Shen Family didn’t know this secret, the remaining suspects aren’t many.” Yue Tang said, “At that time, Empress Mu had only passed four years prior; there must still be people she brought from Mu Family into the palace. If Chu Family and Mu Family joined hands, one laying plans outside the palace to kill me, the other setting an ambush inside—wouldn’t that be seamless?”
Yue Tang’s speech slowed: “Look at the end—the Second Prince encountered danger but survived and successfully took the throne. Mu Family became the Emperor’s in-laws, firmly holding the Grand Tutor position, while Chu Family successfully made Du Family a puppet in the Imperial City Department.
“Without the only two accidents of Prince Jingyang being decreed as Regent and Empress Dowager Shen decreed to hold the seal, the Second Prince would have monopolized imperial power. Mu Family would be the top power minister in the land. Unless Prince Jingyang from Mobei raises troops in rebellion, who else could contend with them?
“And with Chu Family and Shen Family as enemies, if they were content with their current status plus the Imperial City Department to come, after eliminating Shen Family, Mu Family might well tolerate Chu Family as supporters in the Imperial Court.”
Yan Bei outside the window heard “raise troops in rebellion” and his back stiffened—this guy could say anything?
Under the candlelight in the hall, Fang Ling was already stunned.
Chu Yan stood stunned for a moment, then said: “Indeed, what Chu Xin lied to me back then—that you would ultimately be killed by the Former Emperor—was nonsense, and you don’t believe the Emperor and Empress harbored ill intentions toward you. Mu Family, as the Empress’s maternal home, could naturally tolerate you, so why join Chu Family in plotting conspiracy?
“Moreover, Prince Duan’s Mansion originally supported the Empress, naturally also the Second Prince’s faction.
“With Shen Family’s power at the forefront, why cut off their own arm to harm Prince Duan’s Mansion?
“And why join Chu Family to kill you?!
“The one on the dragon throne now shares interests with Mu Family and couldn’t possibly hide from Mu Family to kill Prince Duan’s Mansion!
“In short, Mu Family has no reason to target the prince’s mansion.”
Yue Tang took a deep breath and picked up the sword on the table: “That’s naturally because they also knew the secret your brother knew.
“If brother died for this so-called secret, it naturally means Chu Family and their accomplices conspired to kill me and Father King also because of this secret.
“Whether Mu Family is accomplices or the masterminds doesn’t depend on Prince Duan’s Mansion’s public stance toward Empress Mu.
“It depends on the stance of Prince Duan’s Mansion and me toward them in this secret—whether we posed an obstacle to them.”
