Chapter 969: 450 Water Recedes, Stones Emerge (First Update) Chapter 969: 450 Water Recedes, Stones Emerge (First Update) The consort of Prince Rui did not know what had happened in the East Palace, and why the Empress had summoned her.

Moreover, she was summoned to the East Palace, not the Empress’s Kunning Palace.

As it happened, Prince Rui was not at home, and the consort of Prince Rui had no one to make decisions on her behalf, so she had no choice but to ride in the carriage sent by Eunuch Su.

When the consort of Prince Rui arrived at the East Palace, Empress Xiao, following the leads of Ning Wang and Wo Linlang, had finally traced the cause of Wo Yang’s death.

The matter of Wo Yang’s death had been dealt with cleanly, to the point that even Empress Xiao could not find any flaws.

But sometimes, the absence of flaws is the biggest flaw of all.

Since the consort of Prince Rui was a prince’s consort, Empress Xiao would not use torture on her, let alone the fact that she was pregnant; Empress Xiao simply got straight to the point and questioned her about the Crown Princess and Ning Wang.

The consort of Prince Rui was utterly confused, “My elder brother? What’s the matter with her and my elder brother? The man behind the rockery was her maternal brother, Wo Yang.”

Sometimes, a woman’s intuition is terrifyingly accurate. Even though Empress Xiao did not clarify what the matter between the two was, the consort of Prince Rui instinctively connected it to the scene behind the rockery.

She had a feeling that the Empress was referring to something unsightly.

Empress Xiao looked at her with a dignified and gentle expression, “Qianqian, recount the whole incident from the beginning.”

Before the consort of Prince Rui could speak, Empress Xiao added, “Including your friend.”

The consort of Prince Rui: “…”

As expected of the Empress, she knew everything with just one move.

The consort of Prince Rui dared not conceal anything and spoke of the noises she had heard behind the rockery: “… At first, I thought it was the hostage son from Chen Country, because I saw injuries on his face. My elder brother said not to act rashly and that he would look for evidence. Later, when the evidence was found, it turned out that the hostage son from Chen Country was innocent, and the man meeting the Crown Princess in private was Wo Yang. Wo Yang tried to blackmail the Crown Princess and also acted inappropriately towards Chun Yin, so he knocked Chun Yin out.”

Chun Yin had already confessed to this matter.

It was Ning Wang who had knocked her out.

The testimonies matched.

Chun Yin did not lie, and neither did the consort of Prince Rui; the consort of Prince Rui was just unaware of the entire truth.

“Mother, could it be that day…” After the consort of Prince Rui finished her account, a bold speculation suddenly surged in her heart.

Empress Xiao smiled faintly and said in an unhurried manner, “You’re about to give birth, right? Don’t overexert yourself, I am quite fond of you and the third child. Do visit Kunning Palace when you have time.”

This was a sign of extending an olive branch to the Prince Rui couple.

In terms of capability, the Prince Rui couple didn’t have much to speak of, but if we talk about maternal relatives, Du Qianqian’s maternal grandfather was a Duke from Luo, and even if her mother was just a concubine of the Duke, this still amounted to a connection.

Moreover, Empress Xiao was very puzzled about one thing: the young couple seemed to have good luck, accidentally saving lives in a bridge collapse, and again accidentally gaining face in front of the emissaries from Liang Country.

If Ning Wang really got into trouble, the Prince Rui couple, who were close to Ning Wang, would inevitably be implicated. At this point, Empress Xiao stepping in to protect the couple was akin to sending charcoal in snowy weather.

It all depended on whether the Prince Rui couple were willing to side with Empress Xiao.

Empress Xiao continued her investigation until midnight before she gathered all the evidence, after which she went to Huaqing Palace.

Noble Consort Zhuang received the news later than Empress Xiao and encountered Empress Xiao upon her arrival at Huaqing Palace.

“Empress…” Noble Consort Zhuang intended to inquire about the matter concerning the Crown Prince and Ning Wang.

Before she could finish, Empress Xiao raised her hand and slapped her across the face!

Noble Consort Zhuang was stunned on the spot!

The two consorts had always been at odds. Although Empress Xiao was the empress, Noble Consort Zhuang, backed by the Empress Dowager, did not show any weakness in the Imperial Harem.

Neither could prevail over the other.

For Empress Xiao to disrespect Noble Consort Zhuang in such a way was a first.

The palace maids nearby were all terrified and knelt down together.

Noble Consort Zhuang covered her swollen cheek, looking at Empress Xiao in shock and anger.

Empress Xiao gave her a cold glance, showing no apprehension or fear after hitting her: “Such a fine son you have raised!”

With that, she left Noble Consort Zhuang behind and strode into Huaqing Palace.

Empress Xiao handed over both the witness and evidence to the emperor, the witness being Chun Yin: “… This is a matter of great importance, lest it be solely based on the word of this servant. Your Majesty may also wish to inquire the consort of Prince Rui and the Sixth Prince of Chen Country, as they are also crucial witnesses.”

The emperor did not expect the matter to be so extensive, involving even the Sixth Prince of Chen Country.

The emperor naturally intended to inquire.

As for the consort of Prince Rui, the emperor did not summon her; instead, he called for Prince Rui.

The prince from Chen Country was unrepentant about drugging Ning Wang and the Crown Princess this time, but it implied that past events were not necessarily so.

“He tried to have me killed first; I just fought back a little, and I didn’t really do much to him…” Yuan Tang muttered.

The emperor was exasperated to the point of rolling his eyes at Yuan Tang.

Ning Wang had been pressed down and pounded into the wall, and that was considered not really doing much to him?

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Zhan Country has Xiao Ji, and Chen Country has Yuan Tang, both shamelessly unscrupulous!

The King of Rui was also aware of what happened behind the rockery; he had told the King of Rui’s consort about mistaking Yuan Tang at the Palace Gate and expressed his suspicions about his own affair with the King of Ning, without omitting a single detail.

It’s mainly because the emperor is also cunning and never mentioned the King of Ning, so the King of Rui thought the emperor only had suspicions about the death of Wo Yang.

The King of Rui felt a deep affection for the King of Ning and would not have spoken if he had known it was he.

Afterward, the emperor interrogated Chun Yin.

Taking into account the testimonies of several people and the silver that the King of Ning and Yuan Tang gave to Chun Yin, the case of the King of Ning’s illicit affair and murder was settled.

The emperor was heartbroken and couldn’t accept the fact that his eldest son was so cruel.

He then summoned the King of Ning’s consort, hoping to get some other clues from her.

What the emperor was expecting, even he could not say.

But he understood that the charges against the King of Ning were basically established.

“Do you know…” The emperor had just spoken when the King of Ning, who had been silent this whole time, suddenly interrupted. “She doesn’t know anything. She knows nothing at all.”

The emperor gave his son a sidelong glance with indifference.

Empress Xiao and Noble Consort Zhuang had gone to the side hall, leaving only the emperor with the King of Ning and the King of Ning’s consort in the study room.

After playing mute all night, now you’re willing to speak?

Kneeling on the ground, the King of Ning lowered his brows and said, “Whatever Father Emperor wishes to ask, ask your son, Chu Yue is unaware.”

The King of Ning’s consort did not look at him, kneeling beside him with a posture that was upright yet thin.

The emperor looked at them both heavily.

“Your Majesty, Noble Consort Zhuang and Empress Xiao are quarreling.” Eunuch Wei hurriedly entered and reported to the emperor in a low voice.

The emperor frowned slightly and said to the King of Ning’s consort, “You may go back.”

“Yes.” The King of Ning’s consort got up, stood respectfully to the side, and waited for the emperor to leave the study room before she turned and left.

“Suxin.” The King of Ning called out to her, opening his mouth to say, “That umbrella from that year… Was it you who had someone give it to me? Why didn’t you give it to me yourself?”

With her back to the King of Ning, she didn’t turn around but smiled towards the moonlight, “Does Your Highness no longer dare to even mention that person’s name?”

The King of Ning was choked up.

Finally, the King of Ning’s consort turned to look at him, her lips curving into a self-mocking smile, “If I had personally delivered it, would Your Highness have taken a fancy to me?”

Her face paled in comparison to the number one beauty Wo Linlang.

She had not been scarce in the King of Ning’s line of sight, yet he never noticed her once. The King of Ning only remembers the umbrella Wo Linlang gave her, but does the King of Ning know that before the umbrella was sent, she had already been sheltering from the rain in a pavilion with him?

She was with her maid.

The King of Ning glanced at her maid but never looked at her.

Watching the receding figure of the King of Ning’s consort, the King of Ning couldn’t find his voice for a long time.

He asked himself, if she had personally delivered the umbrella to him that day, would he have taken a fancy to her?

The answer was no.

He wasn’t as frivolous and lustful as the youngest prince, and indeed, women of average appearance hardly caught his eye. Marrying the King of Ning’s consort was Grand Tutor Zhuang’s idea; one should marry for virtue, and Grand Tutor Zhuang thought Chu Yue, with her ordinary looks, was far better than those pretty but useless ladies from the capital’s noble families.

Wo Linlang was also outstanding, but first, she was too young, second, her family background wasn’t sufficient, and third, the most important point, she was betrothed to Xiao Hen.

Grand Tutor Zhuang would never permit him to make a fool of himself like the Crown Prince.

Marrying a woman who had been betrothed to someone else, wouldn’t that be like saying he didn’t want the throne badly enough?

He respected Chu Yue because she was his legitimate wife, something he should and must do.

Only, when he was drugged and lying in the bed at the inn, his mind was filled with the image of Chu Yue to the extent that when Wo Linlang mistook him for Xiao Hen and said to him, “Let’s live a good life together in the future,” he thought it was Chu Yue speaking to him.

So he hugged “her” tighter and said to her, “Yes.”

…
In the middle of the night, Yuan Tang came again, bringing significant news for the emperor–Xiao Liulang’s incident was perpetrated by the King of Ning, who had hired the Twin Saber Sect to assassinate Xiao Liulang.

“Why would he harm Xiao Liulang?” the emperor wondered.

Yuan Tang smiled and said, “Your Majesty, have you forgotten who Xiao Liulang resembles? He was probably worried that the Crown Princess, upon seeing someone who looks similar to Lord Xiao, would revive her feelings, so he decided to eliminate his rival in love first.”

The emperor had not considered why the King of Ning had not acted sooner and had delayed until now; his brain was too muddled and he had not thought it through yet.

If simply because Xiao Liulang looked like Xiao Hen, the King of Ning harbored murderous intentions, then what about the real Xiao Hen?

The emperor subconsciously thought of the fire four years ago, a coldness spreading in his eyes…
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