Chapter 99

“A very good question,” Xie Xiaomo said, sipping his wine glass. “Didn’t you come to me first? I didn’t invite you to the island.”

"..."

That's true. Asking that question is a bit like the thief crying "stop thief!"

"But how do you know we... went to the island?" She believed that Xie Sui'an had given Ying's mother the real poison, and she also believed what he said.

Therefore, it would be unlikely that Ying's mother would risk her life to betray them.

Xie Xiao sneered: "Do you really think this island is a place where just anyone can come and go as they please?"

Qin Sang: "..."

"To be honest, I haven't decided what to do with you and my little nephew. Apart from you two, probably no one else can find me. But I can't bear to just kill you both."

Perhaps feeling the room was too dark, Xie Xiao picked up the tinderbox on the table as he spoke, blew on it with a "poof," and tilted it to light the white candle in the candlestick on the table.

The dim light enveloped Xie Xiao's face, casting a hazy glow over him and illuminating the faint sense of loss in his eyes.

After doing all this, he stood up, looking gentle and refined, and tilted his head slightly to look at Qin Sang, as if he had no way to deal with her: "Actually, you shouldn't have come. Since someone went to the trouble of sending you out, you should have gone to live your own life and not waded into this quagmire again."

He sighed, "So, you'll have to stay here for now. Once everything is over, I'll safely send you away from Kyoto."

After saying this, he walked towards the main gate.

Seeing that the other person was about to leave through the gate, Qin Sang moved first.

She knew martial arts, and she was certain that Xie Xiao didn't know she knew martial arts, so his defenses wouldn't be that strong.

She doesn't want to be locked up here; there are so many things waiting for her to do.

Before she could even take two steps, a gust of wind came straight at her. Qin Sang immediately dodged to the side, but before she could even regain her footing, another palm strike came right after her.

With a loud bang, Qin Sang felt as if her shoulder blades were about to crack, and her body was thrown backward uncontrollably.

She had just felt the thin veil brush against her cheek when her body began to fall.

Oh no, he's going to fall and cough up blood and be completely disoriented... Xie Xiao, that guy, his kung fu is actually this good!

Just as she finished thinking, she fell into the water with a splash, her whole body instantly enveloped by the hot spring water.

Even with the water cushioning the fall, I still felt like my whole body was being shattered.

Xie Xiao, you really don't know how to cherish a woman!

Her back touched the bottom of the pool, and she immediately pushed off with her feet to leap up. After emerging from the water, she stood still and took a deep breath.

The pool wasn't deep, but it still reached chest height.

The warm spring water greatly relieved the pain in her shoulder; her fractured shoulder was left with only a pricking pain.

Qin Sang clutched her shoulder and looked towards the gate; as she expected, the person was long gone.

The palace was pitch black, its gates tightly shut.

The entire stone palace was like a cage, locking her inside. Only a dim candle on the table illuminated a corner of the room.

Qin Sang gritted her teeth, only then realizing the sharp pain in her shoulder injury.

***

Crown Prince Zhao Bing was the Empress's legitimate son; his older brothers had all died, making him the rightful Crown Prince.

Moreover, his reputation for virtue is no less than that of the former King Su. He is a wise and benevolent crown prince known throughout the country of Namo, possessing both literary and military talents, and deeply loved by the people.

But Xie Sui'an knew that this was just a facade.

When Zhao Bing was a child and not yet the crown prince, he often hung out with the Four Young Masters of the Capital and the Seventh Prince at the Imperial Academy.

Zhao Bing was the shortest, liked to follow Xie Suian around, loved to tattle when he lost a fight, was very petty, and loved to cry.

If he cries, the palace maids and eunuchs will complain, and the older ones will be punished.

Actually, nobody likes to play with him.

Who would have thought that he would now be so refined and cultured, with an air of strategic mastery, holding a high position in the government and looking down on all living beings?

Just like now, he sits upright at the top with a kind smile, listening to the people below speak.

Xie Sui'an was puzzled. What was the purpose of this commotion?

Has the imperial court been moved to this lewd island?

But he kept his head down, not daring to look too much. The room was surrounded by guards, all of whom were experts, and they were eyeing the group of women with predatory intent, not letting go of even a single glance.

At the signal of the chief eunuch, the leading woman headed towards Zhao Bing's main seat, while the other women moved nimbly and silently to either side.

As if afraid of disturbing the distinguished guests' conversation, she barely made a sound as her skirt swayed.

Xie Sui'an tried to walk with small, quick steps, but felt a cold sweat break out on his back, fearing that he would be recognized by someone he knew.

Fortunately, he applied a thick layer of foundation, and even his eyes and nose were covered, making his makeup routine very comprehensive.

Following the order, he knelt down beside a middle-aged man with a gray beard to serve him.

As luck would have it, he recognized the old man. He was Cao Kuo, the Commissioner of the Salt and Iron Bureau. He had even attended Cao Kuo's sixtieth birthday banquet before.

He imitated the other women and poured wine for the old man. The old man immediately turned his head to look at him and smiled, his face full of wrinkles.

"..."

Xie Sui'an thought to himself, "Money can make the devil turn the millstone; money can also make people young again and rejuvenate."

They've come here working themselves to the bone, not afraid of being bedridden.

"Cough cough!" After all the maids were seated, two loud coughs suddenly came from across the table.

The room fell silent.

Xie Sui'an pulled on his ear and heard someone say in a deep voice, "The matter is urgent, let's get to the point quickly."

Xie Sui'an recognized the voice; it belonged to the Empress's elder brother, the Imperial Uncle Han Sizhong.

A deep, resonant voice is a sign of a broad-minded and generous nature.

That's right, he's definitely one of the Crown Prince's men, he wouldn't be absent.

Zhao Bing, who was above, then spoke, his tone calm and respectful: "I have summoned you all here today out of sheer necessity, due to the circumstances. The Prince of Ning'an's spies have now infiltrated my residence. A few days ago, spies were also discovered in the residences of Lord An, Lord Liang, and Lord Zhu. It is truly impossible to guard against them all. Therefore, I thought that it might be safer here, since not a single word we say here will be leaked."

Hearing this, Xie Sui'an vaguely sensed that something was amiss, but before he could think about it further, he heard the officials below echoing his sentiments—

"Your Highness has gone to great lengths."

"Your Highness has considered everything carefully."

"Your Highness is wise."

"..."

So let's get down to business.

"In my opinion, His Majesty may not have considered changing the heir apparent. Last time I sounded out His Majesty, he praised the Crown Prince, saying, 'My son is meticulous and becoming more and more thoughtful.' This shows that His Majesty approves of His Highness."

“But His Majesty has summoned Prince Ning’an alone no less than twenty times over the past few months. Even my master didn’t hear what they said,” the head eunuch who had been serving the Crown Prince whispered, “We still have to be on guard.”

Someone worriedly said, "Yes, ever since that incident, the Emperor ordered the Crown Prince to reflect on his mistakes behind closed doors and has not summoned him for a long time."

"What happened last time was purely accidental, and not my intention at all," Zhao Bing said with a light laugh. "She was just an unfavored concubine, and Father should have forgotten about it after punishing her."

An unfavored concubine? Xie Sui'an's ears twitched.

What does this mean? Did Zhao Bing take advantage of the emperor's women?

An old man's voice trembled: "But nominally, she is, after all, the Emperor's woman... In the Emperor's eyes, Your Highness's actions are an overstepping of authority, a challenge to imperial power..."

Someone else said, "She's just a woman. There are so many women in the harem. Why would the emperor so easily consider changing the heir for such an insignificant little woman? Which is more important, a woman or the emperor? Isn't it obvious?"

"But the truth is, the Emperor has always held a grudge about this matter."

"Holding a grudge? He's still hung up on how he could have had Prime Minister Xie, who was so strongly advocating for a new succession, poisoned? Hmph, you people are just meddling in other people's business."

Upon hearing this, Xie Sui'an was stunned, and then his heart pounded wildly.

Grandpa advocates for renegotiation of the succession plan?

Was my grandfather's death caused by the Emperor?

How is that possible?

"Ahem, the matter concerning the Prime Minister may not necessarily have been handled by the Emperor... Don't jump to conclusions so quickly."

Han Sizhong interjected, "First, we need to confirm one thing: the Prime Minister's death was not the work of any of us, was it?"

There was another moment of silence in the hall, then everyone said, "It wasn't me."

"It wasn't me either."

Han Sizhong: "Since it wasn't us, is it possible that it was Prince Ning'an?"

"That's even more impossible. Right now, Xie Xiang's faction is practically openly proposing to establish a new crown prince and support Prince Ning'an to ascend the throne. He's too busy sending people to protect him to even consider assassination."

Han Sizhong: "So, given the current situation, who still has the ability and the possibility to assassinate the current top prime minister?"

Upon hearing this, Xie Sui'an felt a tightness creep down his scalp, and a warm feeling welled up in his eyes, which he forcefully suppressed.

The hall was silent for a long time before someone spoke: "If this is truly His Majesty's will, then the position of Crown Prince is as secure as a rock, and we have nothing to worry about."

Someone immediately retorted: "The problem is that the Emperor's will is unclear, so how can it be considered impregnable? Even if the death of Prime Minister Xie was the Emperor's intention, the attitude the Emperor has shown in recent months is clearly unfavorable to the Crown Prince. How long has he been secretly confined? The commander of the Imperial Guards has been replaced without a word. Hmph, perhaps in a few days, the Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Guards will also be replaced! Isn't this guarding against the Crown Prince?"

"On the one hand, the Emperor killed Prime Minister Xie and suppressed Prince Ning'an; on the other hand, he suppressed the Crown Prince. This move by the Emperor... is truly incomprehensible..."

Han Sizhong: "But what if the death of Prime Minister Xie was not His Majesty's intention?"

As soon as he said that, the hall fell silent again.

Xie Sui'an's heart felt like it was on a small fishing boat on a turbulent sea, swaying high and then plummeting down.

If it's not the emperor, and it's not the crown prince, then there must be a third person?

Who is the third party?

When the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman benefits. But looking at the whole court, who can be the fisherman?

He suddenly looked at the seventh prince, who was sitting quietly to the side, joking and flirting with the maid.

Not only Xie Sui'an, but half of the ministers present suddenly turned their gazes to the Seventh Prince, who had not said much.

"Don't look at me," Zhao Song noticed, glanced around, his face flushed red to the roots of his neck, and suddenly became nervous, "I, I, I just follow my elder brother, the Crown Prince, I have no such intentions... It definitely wasn't me..."

Xie Sui'an noticed the look Zhao Bing gave Zhao Song, and for a moment, a chilling killing intent flashed in his eyes.

Even in that instant when his murderous intent surged, he still wore a smile.

After the Seventh Prince finished speaking, he composed himself, lowered his eyes, and smiled, "Seventh Brother wouldn't do that; he doesn't have that ability."