“And tell me, who framed you?”
The words “it was the second” almost came out of his mouth, but the eldest prince held back, he had no proof now, and saying it now would only make his father even more angry.
“I have already sent someone to investigate, there should be a result soon, please believe me, I don’t know anything about what happened back then, how could I let someone spread the news?”
The Huang eunuch kneeling on the side glanced at the Grand Prince out of the corner of his eye and shook his head gently in his heart, the Grand Prince was in a mess, he didn’t know what to say and what not to say, the matter back then was a taboo to the Emperor, if he didn’t say so, he could still prove that he didn’t believe it, there was still room for turning things around, but he said it like this ……
The eunuch Huang withdrew his gaze and his head hung even lower.
Whether or not the grand prince had someone spread the word, he was no longer connected to the crown prince’s throne.
Sure enough, the Emperor was furious, “You think what happened back then is true?”
Only then did the eldest prince realize that he had said the wrong thing and raised his hand to give himself two heavy slaps, “My son said it wrong, nothing happened back then, it was all deliberately spread by someone who wanted to provoke the relationship between my son and you, yes, yes ……”
“What is it?”
The first prince’s body was covered in cold sweat, beads of sweat mixed with blood fell in large pellets, wetting his lapel.
“Yes, it’s the Abolished King’s Party, yes, it’s the Abolished King’s Party! They, they hate you for killing that traitor, that’s why they spread such rumours.”
“Father, Father ……”
The first prince kneeled and took a few steps forward, “You must not condone this matter, find those people and kill them by a thousand cuts.”
The emperor stared at him grimly.
The Grand Prince was horrified and tried desperately to turn his confused mind to say something else, but he was so scared that his mind went blank instead.
“Stand down, all of you!”
Eunuch Huang got up and led a group of palace staff to exit, gently closing the door.
Looking up at the sky, the wind has picked up, a very big wind!
……
In Kunli Palace, Consort Xiao Xianfei has also heard the rumours.
The first time she punished the people who were discussing the matter, she took a sedan chair and came to the front of the Hall of the Nurtured Heart, kneeling straight down against the closed door of the hall, her voice echoing with anger, “I implore Your Majesty to send someone to investigate the matter thoroughly and clear my sister’s name!
Eunuch Huang was dumbfounded by her action. He knew exactly how the death of Concubine Qin was, as the Emperor’s personal chief steward, and he thought that the people of the State Duke’s residence must also know. At first, the Emperor had thought that the Ding Guo Mansion would rise up in revolt, but to his surprise, the Ding Duke did not make any move at all and later sent his daughter to the palace.
The emperor had speculated countless times about the purpose of the Duke of Ding sending someone to the palace, and had repeatedly revealed his weaknesses in front of Consort Xiao, waiting for her to make a move so that he could take down the Duke of Ding in one fell swoop and relieve his worries. But Xiao Xianfei has never had any mischievous intentions towards the emperor, could it be that the people of the Dingguo Mansion really did not know about the incident back then?
Thinking like this, she quickly stepped forward and bowed, “Your Majesty, the Emperor is reprimanding the Grand Prince, please get up first.”
The court said, “If the emperor does not agree, she will kneel down and die here.
Eunuch Huang was at a loss as to how to persuade her.
The emperor inside the room naturally heard Consort Xiao Xian’s voice, and he did not let the woebegone prince get up, raising his voice, “Let Consort Xian come in.”
Only then did Consort Xiao Xian get up and follow Eunuch Huang into the Hall of the Nurturing Heart, kneeling down again, raising her head and saying, word for word, “I implore Your Majesty to investigate this matter thoroughly and clear my sister’s name.”
The Qin Wang couple was a taboo to the Emperor, no one had ever dared to mention it in front of the Emperor, and Consort Xiao Xian had never mentioned it over the years, so today she was obviously furious.
“Although my sister is the wife of a sinner, she is also the daughter of the Xiao family, she can be spurned by the world for being a sinner, but she cannot bear the name of undeserved infamy, I won’t allow it, and neither will the Xiao family.”
The emperor narrowed his eyes, his sharp gaze seeming to penetrate her skin to see deep inside her.
Xiao Xianfei did not dodge or evade, she just looked at him, anger and fire in her eyes, but no hatred alone.
Did she really not know what had happened back then?
As soon as the thought occurred, the emperor immediately denied it. If he really didn’t know, the Duke of Ding’s nature would not have sent his only remaining daughter to the palace, nor would he have stayed quiet for so many years.
What a dream!
The emperor snickered in his heart, but his face took on an angry look, “If Concubine Xian does not request this, I will also have someone look into it, this matter is not only about your sister’s reputation, but also about me, I will not just tolerate it, I will catch the person who spread the news and execute their nine clans!
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
The Emperor got up and personally helped Consort Xiao Xian up, touching her cold hand, he was very distressed, “Your health is already bad, you still don’t know how to love and cherish it, have Huang De send you back to the palace to rest, I will personally go and tell you if there is any progress.”
Consort Xiao Xian nodded her head.
“Huang De.”
Eunuch Huang entered and bowed to help Consort Xiao Xianfei out.
The Emperor stood in place, watching Consort Xiao Xianfei walk away, before withdrawing his gaze and looking towards the Grand Prince who was still kneeling, “You are given three days, in three days I want to know who is the one spreading the rumours.”
When she saw Consort Xiao Xianfei get down from the sedan chair, she came forward and took her hand, “I heard about the rumours outside, is sister alright?”
Consort Xiao Xianfei forced a smile, “Thank you for your concern, I am fine.”
As if not seeing Eunuch Huang, Consort Zuo pulled Consort Xiao inside, “How can you be fine? I can see that you have a very ugly face, it’s true, anyone would be angry to hear such a thing ……”
The two of them were walking away from each other, Eunuch Huang always secretly shook his head, there is no such thing as a pure heart in the palace, even Consort Zou also took this opportunity to step on Consort Xiao Xian? Her words seemed to comfort Consort Xiao Xianfei, but in fact they came to ridicule her, but it was not possible for Consort Xiao Xianfei to lose her temper.
In the courtyard, Consort Xiao and Concubine Rou stopped to see that Eunuch Huang had already left, and Consort Xiao whispered and then raised her voice, “Go back, sister, I’m not in a good mood today, I can’t accompany you. ”
Consort Zuo’s face changed a few times, but she managed to keep the smile on her face, “Alright then, sister, have a good rest, I will come back to see you tomorrow.”
“Take care, sister.”
Consort Soft went back to the palace, wrote a note and had it sent to the Second Prince’s residence.
The Second Prince read it and walked around the house a few times. It was surprising that his father had not chastised the eldest, was he suspicious or did he intend the eldest to be the crown prince?
Whichever it was, it was not in his favour.
“Come, men!”
The butler walked in.
“Send someone to stand guard at the palace gate, and report to me whatever the boss does when he comes out, wherever he goes.”