They hadn’t seen the Crown Princess’s face clearly at the time, nor did they care whether the person on the bed was alive or dead.
“Empress?”
The two palace maids knelt with a thud, sobbing uncontrollably. They couldn’t utter a word at this moment. The incident had shaken them profoundly. The Crown Prince was dead, and if they returned, they would likely not escape death themselves; the Empress would never spare them.
Now with the appearance of Prince Ji, the Empress might also not spare them. They had long prepared for death, waiting for the culprit to be caught, but now?
“Your Majesty, what should we do?”
The two palace maids lifted their bloodshot eyes and gazed at the Empress on the high seat. The Empress of the Xuanyue Kingdom was incredibly intelligent. Since she had secretly brought them here tonight, she must have something she wanted them to do.
“You may go back first. I will send someone to inform you. For the next two days, you must act discreetly to avoid alerting Prince Ji.”
“Yes, Empress,” Mu Qingyao finished giving instructions and called out, “Mochou, Bingxiao.”
Two people immediately entered the pavilion and respectfully said, “Your Majesty?”
“Escort these two back. Be extremely careful not to alert anyone. Also, Bingxiao, you don’t need to return. Stay by their side at all times to protect them. If my guess is correct, they will likely be silenced.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Mochou and Bingxiao accepted the order. The two palace maids, tears streaming, departed.
Silence fell upon the Lingbo Pavilion, with only the sound of the zither continuing.
Murong Liuzun slowly raised his gaze to look at Mu Qingyao. His thin lips curved upward, forming a beautiful arc. His deep, resonant voice sounded:
“I didn’t expect the Empress had already ascertained the details, but how should we make Ji Xue confess now? If she doesn’t confess, there’s no evidence to prove her actions. Witness testimonies, and the jade pendant?”
“The so-called testimonies are merely figurative words, stating that the face was not seen, only the figure and clothing, which closely resemble Prince Nan’an. This can be easily refuted. As for the jade pendant, it was removed when Prince Nan’an and the Crown Princess were struggling. However, Your Majesty, please rest assured, I have a plan that will surely make Prince Ji personally admit to killing Crown Princess Ji Feng.”
“Excellent.”
A flash of inspiration struck Murong Liuzun’s forehead. His pupils flickered with a cold, sharp light.
“Yao’er means the ghost ruse.”
Mu Qingyao pouted slightly. This man was too shrewd. Couldn’t he let her have a little sense of accomplishment?
“Yes, those who do nothing wrong have nothing to fear. But those who have done wrong fear this the most, especially women. They believe in these things even more than men.”
“Good, it’s decided then.”
Murong Liuzun’s dark eyes deepened, a smile playing on the corners of his eyebrows, soft and radiant, dispelling the previous cold resolve. He personally poured two cups of wine, picked up one, and gently said:
“I toast Yao’er, hoping Yao’er will always fight alongside me.”
Murong Liuzun tilted his head and finished the wine in the jade goblet, adding in his heart, then I will cherish you for eternity, my Empress.
Mu Qingyao was displeased. Her expression turned cold, and she said faintly:
“Your Majesty, don’t forget, Qingyao only agreed to help this once and does not wish to be involved in other matters. You know, the imperial harem is not allowed to interfere in state affairs.”
This excuse wasn’t bad to use. She wasn’t seeking fame or fortune, so why should she get entangled with him?
The reason she intervened this time was primarily due to a promise he made. She had a premonition that she would need such a promise, which was why she decided to help.
Furthermore, her father, the Prime Minister, was the Left Prime Minister of Xuanyue. If Prince Nan’an were truly found guilty this time, then Xuanyue and Danfeng would inevitably go to war, and how many people would be displaced and suffer?
However, she would never get involved in his other affairs again. She didn’t know how deep these waters were, but she knew that protecting herself was the way to nurture her health and live longer.
Murong Liuzun smiled with a look of unfathomable depth. He didn’t want to spoil the mood at this moment. It was rare for them to progress from initial coldness to current ease, and it was best to maintain the status quo. Who knew what the future held?
“In any case, I thank the Empress for her assistance.”
Murong Liuzun swayed the jade goblet in his hand, indicating he had finished. Seeing that he wasn’t bringing up other matters, Mu Qingyao naturally couldn’t refuse. She reached out, picked up the jade goblet, and drank it clean.
The imperial wine of the court was indeed different from elsewhere. Although pungent, it was incredibly sweet and fragrant, flowing down her throat. A rich aroma enveloped her lips and teeth. Mu Qingyao couldn’t help but exclaim, “Good wine, as expected of palace fare. Everything here is the best.”
“Would you like another cup?”
Murong Liuzun’s magnetic voice was not much inferior to fine wine, exuding an alluring taste, flowing slowly like water. Mu Qingyao quickly shook her head. She couldn’t drink much wine; excessive drinking was harmful to health. A light tasting was sufficient.
“Qingyao has understood Your Majesty’s intentions. It is late. Your Majesty should rest early, as you have the morning court tomorrow. As for Prince Nan’an’s matter, Your Majesty need not worry. Qingyao will keep an eye on it and will notify Your Majesty to watch a good show once arrangements are made.”
As Mu Qingyao spoke, she rose from the table and moved away. Her graceful figure drifted towards the outside of the pavilion, neither hurried nor slow, neither ostentatious nor restrained, until her clear, elegant voice, like a secluded orchid in a valley, echoed: “Let’s go back.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” the palace maid’s voice sounded. Through the thin veil, one could vaguely see her boarding the soft sedan chair outside the pavilion. Eunuchs held lanterns in front, and palace maids followed behind. The group quickly departed Lingbo Pavilion.
A Jiu walked in from outside the pavilion. He glanced at the pensive Emperor and respectfully said, “Your Majesty, it is late. You should rest early, as you have the morning court tomorrow.”
The Emperor did not speak. His handsome and charming face was covered in a brilliant smile. He poured himself a cup of wine and took a slow sip, slowly saying, “A Jiu, do you think what the Empress said about the hand grenade is true?”
“Your Majesty? This?” A Jiu was stunned. How did the Emperor think of this? He was about to say something in confusion, but the Emperor had already risen. With a wave of his hand, he said sternly, “Let us return to the palace. I am tired. Rest early; there is the morning court tomorrow.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” A Jiu immediately called out towards the outside of the pavilion, “Prepare to return to the palace…”
The envoys from the five nations were secretly observing Emperor Xuan’s actions.
However, the news from the scouts indicated that the Emperor, besides attending court and handling state affairs, seemed to have completely forgotten that Prince Nan’an was still imprisoned…
Two days had passed, with only one day remaining. Tomorrow was the day the Danfeng Kingdom would return. If the true culprit was not apprehended, the Emperor would likely have to hand over Prince Nan’an. Once Prince Nan’an was handed over, Xuanyue would be in a weaker position.
If he refused, the two countries would inevitably go to war, leading to devastation and widespread conflict.