One hour later.
Du Heng handed a few thin sheets of paper to Shen Hanshan, rubbed his tired brow, and respectfully reported, "Your Highness, those people have confessed. This is their statement."
Shen Hanshan took the few pages of paper, lightly touched them with his fingertips, and scanned the words with his eyes, his expression gradually becoming serious.
The flickering candlelight in the room illuminated his deep features, adding to his imposing and dignified aura.
"Hmph, high-sounding words." Shen Hanshan snorted, threw the confession on the table, and said coldly, "This time the assassins were clearly two groups. One group committed suicide by poisoning, and the remaining group is the one we captured. The group that committed suicide by poisoning should have been targeting the Emperor. The people we captured are clearly from the Yun Dynasty. They assassinated Zhu San Niang in an attempt to pin the crime on Da Xuan."
Du Heng, standing to the side, knew that the prince had seen through everything, so he bowed and asked, "Your Highness, what should we do next? Should we report to the Emperor immediately? Should these thieves be handed over to the Empress?"
Shen Hanshan pondered for a moment, his gaze piercing through the candlelight, as if contemplating a deeper strategy. "No rush. This matter is far-reaching and requires careful planning. There must be a larger force operating behind the men in black. We need to follow the clues and destroy their lair in one fell swoop."
He slammed his fist on the table. "The peaceful and prosperous era that the Great Xuan and the Yun Dynasty have worked so hard to build cannot be destroyed by a few petty villains!"
Shen Hanshan turned to Du Heng, a resolute glint in his eyes: "Immediately arrange for men to investigate the origins of these assassins and their mastermind, based on the clues in their confessions. At the same time, strengthen the defenses of the Princess's residence to ensure absolute safety."
Upon hearing this, Du Heng secretly admired the prince's foresight and quickly replied, "Yes, Your Highness. I will do it immediately and will certainly not fail Your Highness's trust."
Shen Hanshan nodded, then added, "Also, send someone to secretly protect Zhu Sanniang. Although she is a woman, she is no less capable than any man. She was innocently implicated this time and was seriously injured while protecting His Majesty. We cannot allow her to suffer any further mishaps."
Du Heng accepted the order and left, and the room returned to calm.
Shen Hanshan stood alone by the window, gazing at the brightest star in the night sky, silently calculating in his heart. This storm was far more violent than he had imagined, but Shen Hanshan was never one to fear wind and rain. For the peace of the Great Xuan Dynasty, for the tranquility of the world, he vowed to eliminate these hidden parasites one by one and restore order to the court.
Princess's Residence, Fuchun Palace.
After treatment by the imperial physician, Zhao Yi slowly opened his eyes, and the scene before him gradually became clear, finally allowing him to see normally.
"Sheng'er...where is Zhu San Niang?" He was extremely anxious and couldn't wait to know Zhu San Niang's whereabouts. He struggled to get up.
"Your Majesty... Lady Zhu, she... Forgive this old minister for being incompetent..." The imperial physician knelt on the ground trembling, his voice shaking, cold sweat pouring down his forehead. "Lady Zhu has lost too much blood. Whether she can make it through the night depends on fate."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Yi swayed violently, as if struck by an invisible hammer, his face instantly turning ashen. His eyes widened in shock and pain, his hands clenched into fists, his knuckles turning white from the force.
Before the imperial physician could finish speaking, Zhao Yi rushed out the door without a second thought, heading straight for the side hall where Zhu Sanniang was. His steps were unsteady, but his anxiety prevented him from stopping.
"Your Majesty, you mustn't! You're still injured! Your health is paramount!" The imperial physicians and maids behind him knelt down one after another, shouting in unison, trying to stop Zhao Yi's impulsive actions.
But at this moment, Zhao Yi had only one thought in his mind—to find Zhu Sanniang; he completely disregarded his own injuries.
Nothing could stop his desire to see Zhu San Niang immediately.
Inside the side hall, the flickering candlelight illuminated the surroundings, but could not dispel the oppressive atmosphere.
The air was filled with a faint smell of medicine and blood, making it feel suffocating.
Zhao Yi's footsteps echoed in the empty side hall, each step feeling like it was treading on his own heart.
When Zhao Yi entered, the imperial physicians and the maids who served him all bowed their heads and dared not utter a sound.
The sight before him startled Zhao Yi.
Zhu Sanniang lay quietly on the couch, her face as pale as paper, devoid of any color. Her once rosy lips were now deathly white, her eyes were tightly closed, and her long eyelashes trembled slightly, revealing a trace of unease and pain.
Zhao Yi's gaze fell on Zhu San Niang, and a chill ran down his spine.
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