Chapter 222: The Imminent Collapse
Li Zhao stared at Xue Sui’s reddened eyes, slowly stood up, and clasped his hands behind his back, his robe corner stirring up a gust of wind.
“Summon him in!”
The Crown Prince’s authority was greater than a Prince’s.
Li Zhao, without changing his expression, put on the airs of the Crown Prince and paced slowly to the prison gate, intending to strike first…
The jailers knelt on the ground in panic, not daring to breathe.
Li Huan walked over slowly and stood outside the prison gate. Dressed in mourning clothes, his figure was buffeted by the wind blowing through the hall under the flickering candlelight, exuding a chilling aura of killing intent.
“The Crown Prince visits a major criminal in the dead of night. Is it to show favoritism, or to silence them?”
He spoke with a direct question, devoid of his usual gentle benevolence, his voice deep and cold.
“Imperial Brother’s words are rather interesting.”
Li Zhao leisurely adjusted his sleeve cuff, his eyes, like those of a hawk, glinting with a sharp, cold light under the oil lamp.
“I am acting on Imperial Father’s verbal decree to preside over the investigation of the Qing Hui Hall concubine murder case. My visit is legitimate—here is the approval from the Ministry of Justice.”
With that, he gestured for Guan Ya to hand over the document.
He then glanced at the food box Li Huan was carrying, the corner of his lips curling into a mocking arc.
“On the other hand, Imperial Brother, today is the Grand Consort’s funeral. You are not keeping vigil at the mourning hall, yet you barge into the great prison in the middle of the night. Could it be that you’ve come to visit Consort Xue?”
Li Huan scanned the document with its bright red seal, then glanced at Xue Sui’s disheveled hair. The smile on his lips was sharper than a blade.
“My Consort, of course, I must personally attend to.”
With that, he stepped into the prison cell where candlelight flickered. He glanced at the food box Li Zhao had placed on the ground, chuckled softly, his breath carrying a chilling malice.
“The Crown Prince is so solicitous. Aren’t you afraid of rumors spreading, saying you and the guilty woman are colluding?”
Li Zhao’s expression remained unchanged. He smiled faintly and said coldly, waving his sleeve.
“What does it matter? Didn’t Imperial Brother already frame me before Imperial Father with the charges of ‘disrupting the imperial harem and disregarding the rites of human relations’? Since that’s the case, I might as well do as you wish and be even more shameless…”
The implication in his words was that it wouldn’t matter if he were to collude…
Li Huan’s expression changed, a hint of gloom flashing in his eyes.
“Crown Prince, speak with caution. Spreading baseless rumors, aren’t you afraid of disgracing the royal family’s dignity!”
Li Zhao looked at the ashes of the paper money staining his plain white mourning clothes, the corner of his lips pulling into a chilling arc.
“Isn’t this precisely what Imperial Brother desires? Only when I am ruined and disgraced, and have completely lost Imperial Father’s favor, can you seize the opportunity to ascend…”
For years, the two had been locked in a struggle, exchanging barbs, but never before had they been so confrontational, pouring out their accumulated grievances without reservation…
The atmosphere in the prison cell instantly dropped to freezing point.
Li Huan suddenly chuckled softly and, without a trace of awkwardness, walked closer to Xue Sui. He moved the food box Li Zhao had brought aside and placed his own down.
“Why is the Crown Prince in such a hurry? If you have nothing to do, don’t throw stones into the well. Don’t forget that the water can also wet your own clothes.”
In the musty prison cell, the scent of Angelica and Astragalus mingled with the warm aroma of bird’s nest porridge—
The two food boxes placed side by side made the scene even more absurd and bizarre…
After all, both Princes had come to interrogate a major criminal of the court.
Yet, they had both, without exception, brought food and medicine…
Their intentions could not help but spark speculation…
Li Zhao sneered mockingly at his gentle and affectionate expression.
“The Imperial Brother visiting the prison with a food box in the dead of night is not for investigating the case…”
Li Huan paced closer, a provocative smile on his lips. “My Consort is not eating or sleeping well in prison. As her husband, how can I not be concerned?”
Li Zhao narrowed his eyes and slowly turned the thumb ring on his finger.
“If you are so concerned, why didn’t you show mercy at Qing Hui Hall?”
“The evidence is conclusive, and the law of the land cannot be defied.” Li Huan turned, meticulously straightening the cuff of his mourning clothes, a cold smile on his lips. “However, as long as Consort is willing to confess the mastermind behind this, I will definitely plead with Imperial Father… to spare her life and ensure her future favor remains unchanged.”
These words were ostensibly spoken to Li Zhao.
In reality, they were also meant to pressure Xue Sui.
“Are the two Princes done?”
Xue Sui looked at the two food boxes and suddenly let out a scoff.
“If you want to interrogate, do it quickly. If not… it’s late at night, why not save your strength?”
Li Huan stared at Xue Sui’s haggard appearance, bent down, and slowly opened the food box.
“I heard you were ill. Your elder sister is very worried.”
Saying this, he took out a clean silk handkerchief from his sleeve, spread it on her lap, and then placed the chopsticks in her hand.
“Eat it while it’s hot. This bird’s nest porridge was simmered for three hours. Your elder sister was afraid you would be wronged in prison and didn’t even have time for dinner, so she watched the kitchen until it was done before she felt at ease…”
Xue Sui twitched the corner of her lips, her smile not reaching her eyes.
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
The two looked at each other, undercurrents surging in their eyes, as if invisible blades were clashing…
And this scene, in Li Zhao’s eyes, was her familiarity and closeness with Li Huan…
That respectful address of “Your Highness,” that adherence to their status, pierced him to the core, causing him unbearable pain…
Li Zhao clenched his fists tightly and strode away, waving his sleeve.
–
The peony lanterns outside Tianxiang Pavilion in the west of the city swayed in the autumn wind.
On the street covered with fallen leaves, a few young children were imitating adults, singing lewd songs.
“Little widow, take off your hemp clothes… Black hair twirls around a silver spear, the general’s tent is filled with fragrant jade…”
Amidst the childish, off-key singing, the loud laughter of a few drunken revelers could be heard. No one noticed that inside the Qing Zhu carriage curtain at the corner, fingers hidden in wide sleeves were digging into the palm.
“Princess, these unruly children have no fear of heaven or earth. We should send the guards to teach them a lesson,” Dong Xu said, pulling the cloak tighter around her shoulders, his voice low and fierce.
Wen Jia lifted the carriage curtain and looked at the children jumping and playing, their clothes tattered. She clutched her handkerchief and turned her face away, her brow furrowed deeply.
“Forget it. We must hurry to the Lu Mansion!”
As they moved forward…
They saw in the blacksmith shop on the street, the young blacksmith was swinging his hammer, drenched in sweat. A dagger was already taking shape on the anvil…
The embroidery women at the Xianchun Embroidery Workshop were comparing patterns, their needles flying…
The owner of the wonton stall next door was sprinkling scallions into boiling water, the oil mill worker was pushing the wooden press with all his might, and the candied haw vendor was tapping his bamboo clapper as he walked through the streets…
Everyone was busy making a living, living their lives in an orderly fashion.
A few children’s rhymes were merely a passing breeze in the alleys, unable to disturb the daily human life.
–
In the private room on the second floor of the Hongfu Gambling House, Tianshu threw the secret letter into the cast-iron brazier.
The flickering flames reflected his refined and ethereal face.
The letter paper curled into ashes in the fierce flames, and the smell of burning filled the air…
Yaoguang sat by the wooden desk, a half-smile on his face, meticulously flipping through the Shangjing Marsh Collection Posts.
These Marsh Collection Posts were filled with evidence of Princess Ping Le’s crimes.
“It’s time to cast the net,” Tianshu said, looking at him calmly.
Yaoguang nodded. “The Imperial Envoy’s order has been given. It’s time.”
Years of hidden secrets, shocking conspiracies, and irrefutable evidence were laid out before them.
The intelligence clues and evidence pieced together by the Old Mausoleum Swamp through various small figures formed a heavenly net and an earthly web, gradually capturing all of Princess Ping Le’s actions, waiting only to tighten the ropes and ensnare the prey…
Yaoguang smiled nonchalantly, leaning against the bamboo chair, tossing a hollow gilded skull.
“I only hope that this time, Junior Sister Thirteen will not be soft-hearted again and let Ping Le linger on.”
“She is not soft-hearted,” Tianshu said, brushing over the token on the desk, his eyes like ice-cold blades.
“What Thirteen wants is never the life of an enemy, but to make them fall from the clouds into the mud, and to rot slowly in despair…”
Yaoguang’s body trembled violently, and he looked at Tianshu as if he had suddenly understood something.
“Senior Disciple Brother is indeed the one who understands Junior Sister Thirteen the best. You have silently protected her and taken care of things in secret for years… You must make plans early and not let that brat Li Zhao get ahead of you…”
Tianshu glanced at her indifferently, his gaze chilling imperceptibly.
“Don’t talk nonsense. Go and do your work.”
Yaoguang straightened up, bowed, and clasped his fists.
“Yes.”
–
In the main hall of the Lu Mansion.
Upon hearing of Princess Wen Jia’s visit, Old Prime Minister Lu, along with his wife, hurried to the manor gate to greet her.
The two children, Guan Chen and Tong Tong, who had been peeking out from behind the carved lattice windows, heard the news and bounced out like startled deer, following behind their grandmother.
As soon as they saw Wen Jia, they cried out in their childish voices.
“Auntie! Auntie! You’re finally here!”
Wen Jia smiled, bent down, and opened her arms.
The two children rushed into her embrace with cheers, calling out incessantly…
Wen Jia asked Niu Niu to go play with her younger siblings, while she followed the Lu couple into the mansion, chatting and laughing as they walked.
Outside the Lu Mansion, on the street corner shrouded in autumn colors, Ping Le watched with her own eyes as Wen Jia was ushered through the gate by the old and young of the Lu family, while her own flesh and blood, like fledgling swallows, ran towards Wen Jia with faces full of joy, as if they had seen their own mother…
Towards her, they only called her “monster,” which pierced her heart!
Ping Le trembled with anger, closed the carriage curtain, her eyes almost spitting fire…
Upon returning to the Princess’s Mansion, she kicked the brazier.
“That slut is trying every way to please them at the Lu Mansion. Is she so eager to become Lu You’an’s concubine?”
The brazier tipped over, and embers scattered on the ground like bees.
The two maids, having never seen the Princess throw such a tantrum, knelt on the ground in fright, their faces ashen.
“Princess, please calm your anger!”
“Calm down, calm down! You can’t even get a piece of information. What use are you useless people?”
Ping Le said indignantly, “That slut is shameless, using her looks to seduce my Imperial Son-in-law, and she wants to be my children’s stepmother? Unless I die, Li Fuyin will never enter the Lu family’s door in this lifetime…”
Before she finished speaking, Nanny Zhou stumbled in, hastily stepping on the embers on the carpet to extinguish them.
“Princess! Something terrible has happened! Bi Yu, who is by Second Young Lady Lu’s side, insists that it was the agarwood bracelet you sent, and that you instructed her to poison Empress Xie with snakeberry juice. She also said—”
“What else did she say?” Ping Le asked with a cold laugh, her eyes red. “Is she going to say I murdered my mother?”
“Yes… yes…” Nanny Zhou said with a trembling voice, kneeling forward half a step, her forehead touching the ground in a kowtow, before raising her head again and reporting in an even lower voice.
“I received news that Wen Jia, that slut, has been frequently visiting the Lu Mansion recently. She gets along well with Duke Lu and Old Madam Lu, and the two young masters also like her very much… Duke Lu has even been persuaded by her to take the lead in uniting the Censorate and officials from the Six Ministries to impeach the Princess…”
Ping Le’s eyes widened in fury, her voice like a roar.
“That old man Lu! Deceiving my children, sowing discord among my kin, and now he wants to tear down the facade with me…”
Nanny Zhou saw her trembling with anger, almost crying, “Duke Lu has truly become senile. With his status as a veteran official, he is not afraid to bring out the iron certificate and imperial decree personally bestowed by the founding emperor… He is willing to vouch for the Lu family’s century-old reputation to vindicate Xue Liu… This old fool, daring to oppose the Princess for a slut, is he abandoning his ancestral heritage…”
Every word was like a needle prick…
Ping Le’s breathing became rapid with anger. She trembled as she grabbed the bronze incense burner on the desk and hurled it at the candlestick.
“Go! Summon Gu Wulang to see me.”
The maids and eunuchs all prostrated themselves on the gold bricks, kneeling on the ground. They all held their breath.
Seeing that they didn’t move, veins bulged on Ping Le’s forehead, and she pointed at them, scolding.
“What are you standing around for? Hurry up!”
The maids looked up tremblingly, their voices choked with tears, trying to persuade her.
“Princess, the Grand Consort’s mourning period is not yet over. It is not appropriate to summon an outsider…”
“Are my words like the wind in your ears?” Ping Le was furious and suddenly swept her sleeve, knocking over the teacups on the desk.
“If you dare to obstruct me again, I will have you dragged out and beaten to death!”
Li Zhao: Tsk, this Gu Wulang is… quite fortunate.
Gu Jie: This fortune is yours, do you want it?
