Chapter 173 The Emperor's Wrath

When their eyes met, Yinzhen was first surprised, then a surge of almost earth-shattering rage erupted from him.

At the same time, Hongzhao's clear voice rang out from outside, tinged with anxiety yet composed—"Father, there was too much dry firewood piled up outside. The weather was dry, and a few sparks ignited the firewood, producing smoke but not a real fire. I've already led some people to put out the smoke. Father, are you alright?"

As Hongzhao's voice drew closer, Yinzhen tried his best to suppress himself, feeling as if a huge rock was pressing on his chest, making it hard for him to breathe. His cheeks twitched as he clenched his teeth tightly.

Su Peisheng understood that the Emperor did not want to lose his composure or cause trouble in front of the Crown Prince. He also knew that if the Crown Prince saw this scene, he would feel extremely awkward. He quickly turned around and closed the door tightly. This was a novel experience. Since the Crown Prince had grown up, this was the first time he had been turned away, and it was the door that Su Peisheng had closed himself.

But he also understood that the last person who should not enter at this time was the Crown Prince.

Fortunately, Hongzhao didn't really intend to go in. He saw the door in front of him suddenly close, and knowingly took a step back. With his hands behind his back, he instructed the people in the nearby residence and Jingbai, "Retreat to the mountainside. We don't need you here for the time being."

The abbot and Jingbai naturally withdrew obediently. Hongzhao turned to his third brother and instructed him, "Third brother, go find the Empress Dowager and the others. Tell them that there are some unresolved matters here and that they don't need to send anyone to inquire."

Those standing outside were all obedient, and they all listened to Hongzhao and obediently went down the mountain. Even the Imperial Guards guarding outside were waved back several meters by Hongzhao and waited at a distance at the bottom of the steps.

Xiao Dezi had quietly returned to Hongzhao's side at some point. Hongzhao glanced back subtly, his eyes darkening, and said in a light tone, "It's getting late. Hongjin doesn't have any capable people with her. Go and keep watch over her. Also, change your clothes so you don't offend the princess."

Xiao Dezi's eyes darted around, and he readily agreed. He picked up his robe and quickly followed Hongshi down the mountain. As he walked closer to the ridge, much of the ash on his clothes was unknowingly washed away and replaced by the damp soil of the mountain.

As soon as the door closed, the already poorly lit room became even darker. Three of the four remained silent, not daring to speak, while Yinzhen was the only one who seemed unable to breathe, as if his throat was blocked.

Yunli and Zhen Huan did not want to defend themselves, but what could they defend themselves with? They were trapped in the room, and even Prince Guo hurriedly crawled out from the cabinet. The Emperor had seen everything. Apart from kneeling down and vying to confess their guilt, the two could not utter a single word of defense.

"Your Majesty, this matter is entirely my fault and has nothing to do with Zhen. I beg Your Majesty to punish me!" Yunli was the first to react. He took a big step out of the cabinet and knelt down in front of Zhen Huan with a thud, rushing to confess his guilt.

Zhen Huan hurriedly knelt down as well, her face filled with panic and despair. She wanted to speak up to defend herself, but faced with such overwhelming evidence, she didn't know where to begin and could only lower her head in silence.

Yinzhen stood tall and silent, only the violent heaving of his chest and his pair of majestic yet angry eyes, seemingly spitting fire, foreshadowing the coming storm.

"How dare you! How dare you!"

He pointed at the two men, and in a fit of rage, he flung the jade pendant he had been playing with at the hand towards Yunli. Yunli saw the object flying towards him, but he remained kneeling and did not dodge. The jade pendant hit his kneecap squarely, then crashed to the ground and shattered.

The sound was so piercing that it became even more jarring in the already quiet room, causing even Zhen Huan, who was standing nearby, to squint and turn her head away.

Kang Changzai was like this before, and Zhen Huan is like this now.

Every scene was stimulating his senses. He felt as if he had returned to his childhood, watching Longkodo embrace his mother in the rainy night. His father was the emperor!

I am also the emperor, why do they all want to betray me?

"I was truly blind to have failed to see the affair between you!" He roared at the two below. Zhen Huan had never seen the emperor like this before; the emperor's wrath was naturally terrifying. Even so, she still mustered her breath and straightened up—"Your Majesty, please forgive me! Please allow this humble concubine to say a few words."

Her mind was racing just now; she was still thinking even after the words were out. Adultery was a serious crime, which would inevitably implicate her parents and family. People always have to fight for themselves. If she had just confessed without even offering a defense, then she would truly have no way out.

“Lingyun Peak is remote and difficult to reach. It is often infested with raccoons that can harm people, as Your Majesty has seen on your visit. If it weren’t for Prince Guo, I would have died in some snowstorm long ago. Prince Guo only comes to take care of me because of my former maid Huanbi.”

"Just now... it was because Huanbi went down the mountain to wash clothes. Since we were alone together, we were afraid of causing a lot of gossip, so we hid in a hurry. There was really no other intention! I have also often asked Prince Guo about Your Majesty's recent situation. I beg Your Majesty to understand!"

She spoke urgently and sincerely. After finishing, she prostrated herself on the ground and performed a grand ceremony. As she straightened up, the neat nun's hat on her head came loose, and her well-maintained black hair slid down from the back of her head to her shoulders. She raised her hand to cover her lips and looked up at the emperor with a pitiful and sincere expression.

She had carefully asked Fangruo, and she knew that her features most resembled those of Empress Chun Yuan. She hoped that the Emperor would spare Yunli and her family's lives for the sake of her face.

Yinzhen was the emperor, not a fool.

In the original drama, his repeated suspicions and tolerance showed that the cold and suspicious emperor had finally shown his rare sincerity. But what about today? It's just that the emperor's whim has led him to stumble upon the most outrageous thing. This is something that even Chun Yuan would have to consider carefully if she were alive.

At this moment, his thoughts were more focused on how someone of her low character, who had committed adultery with a member of the imperial clan, could possibly be worthy of her face, which bore a striking resemblance to Chun Yuan. She was simply defiling Chun Yuan.

"I had no idea that a palace maid could have such great influence." As he spoke, he recalled a past event.

"That day, Prince Guo broke into the inner palace and took you away, delaying the imperial physician's treatment and causing the loss of the child. Could it be that the two of you had already been involved back then? It was I who failed to see it clearly!"

"Your Majesty, please see the truth! At that time, I truly only wanted to protect Your Majesty's son, and I had absolutely no such rebellious thoughts!" Yunli moved his knees forward two more steps, and as he did so, he saw his knees crushing the jade pendant fragments. Red plum blossoms immediately bloomed on the back of his moon-white robe, but he was completely unaware of it.

"Coveting the Imperial Concubine? How dare you commit such treason! Who gave you the audacity!" Seeing his demeanor only fueled Yinzhen's anger. His voice wasn't hysterical; as someone long accustomed to power, even in anger, he wouldn't reveal his true colors, only inspiring awe and subservience.

The Emperor has always doted on the Seventeenth Prince since childhood. Whether it's poetry, literature, horsemanship, or archery, the Emperor personally taught him everything, and the Seventeenth Prince excelled in every skill. If he truly harbored rebellious intentions like Prince Dun, wanting to manipulate the harem and control the court, then...

Thinking of this, Yinzhen's eyes became more scrutinizing.