Chapter 278 The Queen is the Mastermind

Yan Shixu's eyebrows were twisted into the shape of the Chinese character "川".

Su Muyang was listening at the side and felt that "Tianxing Fireworks Shop" sounded familiar.

He also smelled something unusual and interrupted, asking, "Where is the fireworks shop on Changping Street?"

"It's located at the western end of Changping Street, right next to the old moat." The secret guard replied.

"The western section of Changping Street?"

A gleam of light flashed in Su Muyang's eyes, and he almost immediately exchanged a knowing look with Yan Shixu.

The heavily guarded Sky Prison of Jingzhao Prefecture, where more than ten black-clad killers who were captured alive last night were imprisoned, was located in the western section of Changping Street!

No wonder Su Muyang felt somewhat familiar. This fireworks shop was right behind the Sky Prison, only a few steps away.

Yan Shixu asked coldly, "Has the prison been blown up? Did the killer we caught yesterday die?"

The man in black shook his head: "It only blew up a wall, but didn't kill the killer."

Yan Shixu nodded in thought, this was definitely not a coincidence.

He already had a reasonable guess in his mind.

Assuming that the killers were arranged by the Queen, it was later learned that more than ten killers were captured alive, and the Queen sent Luo Zhao to kill them to silence them.

But with his oral order, it is not easy to put those outsiders into the Heavenly Prison and silence them.

So, the Queen and others tried to detonate the fireworks shop.

The best outcome would be to blow up the Jingzhao Prefecture Heavenly Prison as well.

But the other party underestimated the solidity of the prison wall.

Luo Zhao's arm was cut off by a sharp weapon, and the burns from the fireworks explosion at the broken end completely covered up the original marks of the sharp weapon.

But this is just Yan Shixu's own inference and there is no evidence.

He could also be wrong.

After all, they had been married for so many years, and Yan Shixu had never realized that his queen was so capable.

Can you just send out three hundred killers casually?

Zhang Sicheng took the killer to the Tianlao yesterday and interrogated him overnight.

However, those men in black were all determined warriors. Despite being tortured, they kept their teeth clenched and did not reveal any useful information.

Later, because he was anxious to capture Zhou Tong and his family, Zhang Sicheng temporarily handed over the interrogation to his subordinates.

If there had been a breakthrough, the report should have been submitted to the emperor long ago.

If we delay, things will change. We really don’t have much time to wait.

Yan Shixu raised his eyes and looked at Su Muyang.

Su Muyang pointed at his nose and asked cautiously, "You won't let me take over this interrogation, will you? Today is New Year's Eve..."

Yan Shixu raised an eyebrow and asked, "New Year's Eve? You're unmarried, and you don't have children to share with your family. This night of family reunions and staying up all night around the fire, what's the point of this for you?"

Su Muyang: “???…”

He was about to say something more, "I still have my parents at home... well, even though they don't like me either..."

Yan Shixu no longer gave him a chance and turned his gaze to the secret guard who had just reported on Luo Zhao's matter:

"Keep a close eye on Fengyi Palace and report any disturbance immediately."

"As you wish!" The secret guard retreated quietly like a shadow and blended into the shadow of the corner of the hall.

Yan Shixu then looked at Su Muyang again, who had a look of despair on his face, and tapped lightly on the imperial desk with his fingertips, making a light "thu thu" sound that left no room for doubt.

"Su Muyang."

"I'm here..." Su Muyang dragged out the tone and responded resignedly.

"Are you still not going? Let me carry you there in a sedan chair?"

Su Muyang sighed exaggeratedly, stood up, and patted the non-existent dust on his robe.

"Ah, it's New Year's Day, and staying up all night listening to other people's screams is quite a unique experience. I... I'll go right away."

He saluted slowly and walked out of the hall, staggering with every step, muttering to himself.

"My pity for my new crickets. No one is taking care of them tonight..."

Yan Shixu looked at his lazy back, the veins on his forehead twitched. Finally, he pinched his eyebrows helplessly and turned his attention back to the pile of memorials.

However, the heavy atmosphere in the palace did not ease after Su Muyang left. Instead, it seemed even more impending because of the clues pointing to the queen.

Nearly two hours had passed since Zhang Sicheng received the order to leave the palace.

Finally, a burst of hurried and heavy footsteps was heard outside the palace gate, breaking the silence in the Qinzheng Hall.

Zhang Sicheng strode in, with a hint of fatigue on his face, but his eyes were unusually sharp and bright.

He knelt on one knee and said in a loud voice: "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you!"

"speak."

Yan Shixu put down his red brush and fixed his eyes on him.

"Your Majesty, there are important clues."

Zhang Sicheng speaks clearly and logically:

"I followed your orders and went to the Su Mansion and the Wen Mansion. The problem with Princess Fu'an's dowry was at the Wen Mansion."

"Yesterday, the dowry boxes Princess Fu'an brought to the Wen Mansion were stored in the west wing of the inner courtyard, guarded by two servants assigned by the Wen Mansion's housekeeper. According to the confession of one of the servants, Li Gui, Gao Fu, who was also guarding the dowry, sent him away for about two incense sticks of time, saying, 'The Madam's side is short-handed, so I asked him to help out.' During this time, Gao Fu was the only one guarding the dowry. When Li Gui returned, Gao Fu said he was going to the toilet and left for an incense stick of time."

"I immediately interrogated Gao Fu. He initially argued, claiming nothing had happened. Later, unable to withstand interrogation, he confessed that he was greedy and, under someone's instructions, took advantage of Li Gui's absence to pry open the box where the princess kept her banknotes and took away the two hundred thousand taels of silver!"

Yan Shixu's eyes narrowed: "Who ordered you to do this?"

Zhang Sicheng said, "The person who ordered him to do this was a young woman dressed in a crimson maid's uniform, not from the Wen Mansion. She had come to him two days ago and promised him one thousand taels of silver upon completion of the mission, and had also paid him a two hundred tael deposit in advance. Obsessed with money, he agreed to the task."

"Can you find out who it is?"

Zhang Sicheng nodded and said, "I ordered the painter to draw a portrait based on Gao Fu's description."

He took out a roll of paper from his arms and presented it with both hands.

"After multiple identifications and verifications, this person is Zhu Tao, the maidservant of Liu Ziling, the fourth wife of the Rongguo Mansion!"

A cold light flashed in Yan Shixu's eyes, and he slammed the portrait down on the table.

"What a great Madam Xie! What a great queen!"

Zhang Sicheng continued, "I have secretly detained Gao Fu and placed him under strict guard. As for Madam Xie... I have ordered close surveillance. Without Your Majesty's express permission, I dare not act arbitrarily. As for Zhu Tao... I heard she took leave early this morning and has been missing. I have sent people to track her down."

Yan Shixu was deep in thought. Xie Heqi, the Duke of Rong, commanded a large army and was loyal to him.

He had never suspected Xie Heqi of having ulterior motives before, and he didn't doubt it now.

But, if Xie Heqi hadn't helped, where would the Queen's three hundred death warriors come from?

At this moment, there was a commotion outside the hall, mixed with Su Muyang's signature, slightly exaggerated voice.

"Ouch, be gentle! My arms and legs are precious! ... Your Majesty! I, Su Muyang, have fulfilled your mission and made a major breakthrough!"

The palace door was suddenly pushed open, and Su Muyang's clothes were seen to be slightly disheveled, with his cuffs stained with a suspicious dark red.

Su Muyang strode in and shook his hair in a very conceited manner.

"Your Majesty, I've put all my life's knowledge to use today! And guess what? One of the men in black couldn't stand the torture and accidentally... let slip a name!"

He spoke word by word, "They were trained by Chen Yueshan, the Marquis of Xuande, who was executed by Your Majesty some time ago. Before his death, Chen Yueshan handed these assassins over to his sister, Chen Peilan, the Empress's mother. And the one who led them to ambush and kill the Imperial Concubine last night was none other than Luo Zhao, the chief steward of Fengyi Palace, who 'coincidentally' lost his hands and feet in the explosion!"

"And the reason why the Queen ordered someone to steal the dowry banknotes that this young master bought for Ziyun to bribe Zhou Tong was to sow discord between the Wen and Su Houses. After all, my brother-in-law is the Imperial Concubine's brother. With this marriage relationship, the Imperial Concubine has the support of our Su family. So..."

After listening to this, Yan Shixu was surprisingly calm.

He waved his hand and asked Su Muyang and Zhang Sicheng to go home and have a good New Year's Eve.

As for the Queen, it won’t be too late to deal with her after the fifteenth.

There was still one thing that had not been clarified, so she handed it over to Wen Wanqin.

Once the truth is revealed, we will settle the matter together.

…