Chapter 165 Hand over the Crown Princess or we'll raze the Central Plains

I ran into someone I knew.

Leading the group was none other than Empress Jiang Xinyu.

Yun Si has been in the palace for almost two months, and today is the first time she has seen Jiang Xinyu.

It is said that when the Prince of Jin forced her to abdicate, she was so frightened that she has been recuperating for a long time, rarely receiving outsiders, and even exempting the concubines from their daily greetings.

Unexpectedly, we ran into each other in the Imperial Garden today.

The speaker was a concubine who was accompanying the Empress.

Yun Si had met her once before and remembered her.

"What did you say?"

Lansing has a short temper, while Awu has an even worse temper.

One might just talk, while the other might actually take action.

"How dare a mere servant question her master?"

Consort Yu, who had initially been sarcastic, became arrogant upon seeing that even a mere servant like Lan Xin dared to interrupt: "Crown Princess, is this how you discipline your servants?"

As she spoke, she stepped forward, walked up to Lan Xin, and raised her hand to strike him: "If the Crown Princess can't discipline her properly, then let me teach her a lesson and show her what it means to respect hierarchy!"

Before the slap could land, A-Wu moved her feet, about to strike, but Xiao Yi was a step faster, leaping down from the roof behind everyone and pouncing on Yu Pin's side.

Xiao Yi's size has grown to that of an adult tiger.

Although it did not attack directly, its massive body, carrying the pressure of a ferocious beast, suddenly pounced in front of us, and its terrifying growl made our eardrums go numb.

Consort Yu was terrified.

She screamed, her legs gave way, and she fell straight backward, landing awkwardly on the ground.

Her hair was disheveled, her hairpins were askew, and her face was as pale as paper.

"Ah! There's...there's a ferocious beast! Protect the emperor! Quickly, protect the emperor!"

Consort Yu screamed incoherently, crawling backward on all fours, completely devoid of her previous arrogance.

Jiang Xinyu was also startled by this sudden change and took a few steps back, her face turning slightly pale. She was hurriedly supported by the palace maid beside her.

She looked at Xiao Yi, who stood imposingly in front of Yun Si, baring his teeth and growling, and a deep sense of dread flashed in her eyes.

The surrounding palace servants and eunuchs were in complete chaos, wanting to step forward but not daring to, trembling with fear.

Only Yun Si's group remained calm, some even smiling, as if they had only seen a docile kitten.

Yun Si gently raised her hand and patted Xiao Yi's large head: "Xiao Yi, don't be so fierce."

The beast, which had been displaying its ferocious nature just moments before, immediately withdrew its fangs.

It made gurgling sounds in its throat, obediently rubbed against Yun Si's palm, and then strolled over to stand beside her.

A pair of amber-colored beastly eyes stared warningly at the group of people opposite, especially Consort Yu, who had fallen to the ground.

"Crown Princess, is this what you raised?"

Jiang Xinyu asked in horror, "You're keeping such a terrifying wild beast in the palace? What if it hurts someone?"

Yun Si then turned her gaze to the still-shaken Jiang Xinyu, and slightly curtsied, saying, "Your Majesty, I pay my respects. I have disturbed Your Majesty's imperial procession, and I deserve to die, but..."

Her gaze shifted to Xiao Yi, and her expression softened.

“Although Xiao Yi is a beast, it does not bark without reason, much less harm people. It is only out of concern for its master that it appeared out of desperation because someone was about to harm my daughter-in-law’s maid. It did not mean to offend you. Please forgive it, Your Majesty.”

Yun Si spoke respectfully and adopted a humble posture, but the meaning behind her words was clear.

She usually hides her quirks and has never frightened anyone. Those who are frightened are people who have ulterior motives towards her and want to harm her.

"It won't hurt anyone...that's good."

Jiang Xinyu suppressed the turmoil and fear in his heart.

He turned his head and glanced at Consort Yu, who was still slumped on the ground, her appearance completely ruined by fright. A hint of barely perceptible annoyance flashed in his eyes.

Why did this self-righteous fool have to provoke Yun Si?

"Crown Princess..."

Jiang Xinyu tried hard to act closer to Yun Si and show off his status as her mother, but he dared not approach her when he saw the strange beast beside her.

That bitch actually kept such a thing; it's terrifying.

"It's cold, take care of yourself and go home early."

After a long pause, Jiang Xinyu managed to utter this sentence with barely any composure.

"yes."

Yun Si was both respectful and indifferent: "Your subject's daughter-in-law respectfully sees off Your Majesty the Empress."

Jiang Xinyu dared not move forward and had to retreat with the palace servants.

After the group had walked away, Yun Si turned her gaze to Consort Yu on the ground and asked in a calm tone, "Consort Yu, are you alright? Should we summon the imperial physician?"

Consort Yu was filled with shame and indignation, and was terrified. She dared not say anything, and was helped up by the palace maids while trembling. She turned around and wanted to leave.

Ah Wu rushed forward and stopped her.

"You're being rude to leave without responding when your sister is talking to you!"

Before she could finish speaking, A-Wu raised her hand and slapped Yu-Pin on the back of the head.

Consort Yu was completely stunned by the beating.

She looked at Awu with a mixture of shock and anger.

As a result, when he met her calm yet terrifying gaze, he quickly lowered his head again.

"Next time you see us, will you still dare to be arrogant?"

"I……"

Consort Yu was absolutely furious.

She turned to look at Yun Si.

Yun Si looked at her indifferently, showing no intention of stopping A Wu.

"I'm talking to you, why are you looking at my sister?"

Ah Wu noticed her intention, grabbed her collar, and pulled her forward: "Come on, let's go over there and talk alone."

After saying that, he simply dragged the person away.

“A-Wu”.

Yun Si called out, but it had no effect.

That's enough.

That's fine too.

By making an example of her, no one will dare to provoke her again.

Lan Xin watched as A Wu dragged the person away and chuckled, "She's unlucky to have run into A Wu. Let's see if she dares to be so sarcastic again."

"But she is, after all, a concubine. If this gets to His Majesty, it might implicate the master."

Lu Yu was somewhat worried.

Granny Qian said, "This Consort Yu is out of favor, so His Majesty won't care. However, we still need to talk to A-Wu later and tell her to try to control her temper in the future."

A gust of cold wind blew by, making people's hands and feet feel icy cold.

Yun Si and the others returned to the East Palace first.

As night fell, Yun Si realized that A Wu had not returned when she was having her meal.

She often wandered around, and occasionally even went out of the palace to see Prince Yu, so Yun Si didn't take it to heart.

The next morning, while the Crown Prince's palace was still immersed in peace and tranquility, it received a shocking message.

Consort Yu is dead!

The body was found in a lotus pond in the most secluded part of the Imperial Garden by patrolling guards; the body had already been drowned for some time when it was discovered.

His face was swollen, and he died a gruesome death.

All clues point to A-Wu, who had a conflict with Consort Yu yesterday.

More than one palace maid came forward to testify that she saw with her own eyes that Awu, who was by the Crown Princess's side, forcibly dragged the struggling and crying Consort Yu towards the lotus pond with an unfriendly expression, and no one saw Consort Yu again after that.

Most importantly, after this incident, A-Wu herself disappeared without a trace.

The news quickly reached the ears of Emperor Jiaqing in the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Even though Consort Yu is no longer favored, she is still a concubine.

This matter can be big or small.

Yun Si was urgently summoned to inquire about the situation at the time.

"Princess!"

She had just entered the Hall of Mental Cultivation and hadn't even had a chance to speak when she heard the angry voice of the Jiaqing Emperor.

"Your well-trained servant has caused a death, what do you have to say for yourself? Hand over A-Wu immediately!"

"His Majesty."

Yun Si raised her head and said calmly, "A Wu would never kill anyone. She is simple and straightforward, and may be impulsive, but she is not a ruthless person. This matter was definitely not done by her."

"It couldn't have been her doing?"

Emperor Jiaqing slammed his hand on the armrest of his wheelchair, making a dull thud: "So many eyes saw it. She was the one who took the person away. Now that the person is dead, she has vanished without a trace. If it wasn't her, who else could it be?"

"Yun Si, I think you've been bewitched by her! What is the punishment for protecting the murderer?!"

“My daughter-in-law is not covering it up.”

Yun Si's voice remained steady, carrying an undeniable power.

“It is precisely because A-Wu has disappeared that I am even more convinced that there is more to this matter than meets the eye. She was framed by someone. If Your Majesty convicts her now, it will only let the real culprit go unpunished.”

"That's sophistry!"

The Jiaqing Emperor refused to listen to any explanation: "I see you won't shed a tear until you see the coffin. Guards..."

"His Majesty!"

Yun Si raised her voice, interrupting his command.

"If it really was A-Wu who did it, with her abilities, why would she need to drown someone? Nor would she need to hide? If she wanted to kill someone, she could do it silently on the spot and would never leave such an obvious handle. This is clearly someone using another person to kill someone and frame the Crown Prince!"

That's an arrogant statement, but it's undeniable.

That's true.

Even the cunning strategists around Emperor Jiaqing dared not underestimate A-Wu's strength.

Just as Emperor Jiaqing was about to speak, the coroner in charge of the autopsy entered tremblingly and presented the preliminary autopsy results.

Before drowning, Consort Yu was drugged.

The hall fell into a deathly silence.

This result was like a resounding slap in the face to all those eager to convict.

yes.

With A-Wu's terrifying skills, would she need to use a sleeping potion and then drown a concubine who is powerless to even kill a chicken?

This is completely unnecessary and full of loopholes.

Emperor Jiaqing's face grew even uglier; he was well aware of the many suspicious points involved.

But he was unwilling to delve deeper and only wanted to cut the Gordian knot quickly.

Ah Wu's origins are unknown and his behavior is eccentric. He is an unstable element, and eliminating him is exactly what he wants.

"Even so, she cannot escape responsibility! If she hadn't forcibly taken the person away, how could Consort Yu have been murdered? She is still the prime suspect."

Emperor Jiaqing said coldly, "Issue my decree: seal the palace gates and conduct a full-scale search for A-Wu. He must be captured and interrogated!"

Seeing this, Yun Si's heart sank slightly.

She knew that Emperor Jiaqing was determined to sacrifice Awu.

This happened so suddenly that she wasn't sure if it was a premeditated plan targeting A-Wu or the Crown Prince, or if it was just an unexpected accident that happened to frame A-Wu.

Unfortunately, Qin Ye went to Xiangcheng with Prime Minister Jiang yesterday and won't be back for several days.

Could it really be a premeditated scheme?

It seems we need to find Ah Wu quickly to find out what really happened.

"I've heard that the Crown Prince's Palace is keeping a ferocious beast. Crown Princess, have I been too lenient with you lately, making you feel that you can do whatever you want in this palace?"

Upon hearing this...

Suddenly, Yun Si understood something.

The person behind this deliberate framing is not only targeting A-Wu, but also Xiao-Yi.

This is an attempt to eliminate all the people and beasts around her who could protect her.

"Xiao Yi has never hurt anyone; it has only been protecting me."

Yun Si calmed down and said, "If Your Majesty cannot tolerate A Wu and Xiao Yi, then let your daughter-in-law leave the palace and return to Prince Xiao's residence."

"you!"

Emperor Jiaqing had always known that Yun Si was an extremely stubborn woman, but he never expected her to be so fierce.

You dare threaten him?

OK.

For the sake of the imperial heir, he tolerated it for now.

"Let's put that aside for now. Let me ask you something else: Did Consort Zhen come to see you some time ago? What was she planning to do?"

Upon hearing this, Yun Si's eyes flickered slightly.

Since he asked about this, he must already know.

“Your Majesty, you already know the answer, so why ask my daughter-in-law again? Besides, you should ask Consort Zhen what she wants to do.”

"She wants A-Wu to marry Prince Yu?"

"...Consort Zhen only mentioned it casually. Your subject has already made it clear that everything depends on the wishes of His Highness Prince Yu and A-Wu."

"It depends on their own wishes?"

The Jiaqing Emperor scoffed, his tone resolute: "I tell you, absolutely impossible! No matter how incompetent Prince Yu is, he is still of royal blood. How could he marry a woman of unknown origin, with vulgar behavior, and now a murder suspect?"

"This is utterly absurd! You should give up on this idea as soon as possible, and tell Consort Zhen and Prince Yu to stop having such thoughts!"

The contempt and arbitrariness in his words instantly ignited Yun Si's long-suppressed anger.

This is truly the last straw.

An irresistible urge surged into my heart.

"His Majesty!"

She stepped forward abruptly: "In your eyes, is there only status and position, and no right or wrong, let alone genuine feelings?"

"presumptuous!"

The Jiaqing Emperor glared at her: "Who gave you permission to speak to me like that?"

"Your daughter-in-law is simply telling the truth."

Yun Si's chest heaved violently, her clear eyes flashing with a chilling light.

“I know A-Wu better than anyone else. She may not know the rules, but she is kind-hearted and has never intended to harm anyone. Now that she has been wronged, Your Majesty does not investigate the real culprit, but instead keeps belittling her, denying her, and even wanting to get rid of her as soon as possible. Is this the magnanimity and responsibility of a ruler?”

Her voice grew louder and louder, each word a gem, striking the silent hall and the hearts of all the terrified palace servants and eunuchs around her.

Everyone held their breath, terrified.

No one has ever dared to speak to His Majesty like this.

"You...you've rebelled! You've rebelled!"

Emperor Jiaqing was so angry that he trembled all over. He pointed at Yun Si, his face was ashen, and his lips trembled, making it difficult for him to utter a complete sentence.

He had lived a life of supreme power, and had never been so disrespected, especially by a daughter-in-law he had never truly taken seriously.

In his rage, he roared without thinking, "You think that just because you're pregnant with the imperial heir, I won't dare touch you? Guards! Bring this..."

"His Majesty!"

Just at this critical moment, Xu Gonggong's urgent and shrill voice suddenly came from outside the hall, abruptly interrupting Emperor Jiaqing's impending decree of severe punishment.

"Your Majesty, His Highness the Crown Prince has sent an urgent military report, delivered over 800 li!"

A messenger, travel-worn and with his armor covered in dust, rushed into the hall without regard for etiquette and knelt down with a thud.

He held a military report with a feather inserted high in the air, his voice hoarse but clear.

"Report! The seventh prince of Northern Yan, Huyan Zheng, launched a palace coup three days ago, murdering his father and brothers, and has now... has now ascended the throne as the new emperor of Northern Yan!"

"His first decree upon ascending the throne was to station 200,000 troops on the border and declare... declare that if Great Qin did not hand over the Crown Princess, it would immediately march south and crush the Central Plains!"

The news struck like another thunderbolt, booming through the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Everyone was stunned by this sudden and earth-shattering change.

The tense atmosphere just moments before was instantly frozen in place.

Emperor Jiaqing's outstretched finger froze in mid-air.

The overwhelming rage on his face froze, turning into utter shock and disbelief.

Yun Si was also stunned.