Xie Yanci sat in front of the chessboard, his mood was very different from usual.
Yu Huai, who was sitting opposite him, was in the same situation. He held the white piece in his hand, but he was full of worries and didn't put it down for a long time.
"Master, do you know why I called you here? What do I need your instructions for?"
"Maybe it's related to the assassin at the Qingeng Ceremony."
"oh?"
Yu Huai said bluntly, "Before coming to the Changsheng Palace, I had my fortune told. If the divination is correct, then someone has found so-called evidence of my guilt. I will then wait for the Emperor to punish me!"
The emperor was surprised at his "foresight". At the same time, the empress dowager's instructions rang in his ears again, and he couldn't help but frown.
The Shadow Guard is still investigating the matter of the assassin.
If we follow the Qu family's wishes and severely punish the Imperial Master...
Considering that the Prime Minister had been suffering setbacks in the court in recent days, after weighing the pros and cons, Xie Yanci chose to give up.
"I've already told them that physical evidence alone cannot prove you were involved in the assassination."
This was beyond Yu Huai's expectations. He put down the chess piece and bowed deeply to the emperor: "I thank the emperor for his trust!"
"After years of living together, I certainly know your character. You wouldn't easily attack an unborn child." Xie Yanci continued, "To calm their anger, I've decided to send you to Liangzhou to provide disaster relief. What do you think?"
Liangzhou is located in a remote area, and years of natural disasters have made the people poor. In the past, imperial envoys were sent there to provide disaster relief.
This time...
Yu Huai immediately bowed his head and agreed: "I am grateful to Your Majesty for bearing so much resentment for me. I am willing to go to Liangzhou for the sake of the country!"
"Okay, in three days, I will arrange a team to escort the Imperial Master. Before we set off, you will stay at Yiqingtai and don't go out for the time being."
"I dare to ask, is this the Emperor's protection of my safety, or is it house arrest?"
"The Imperial Master is a meritorious official. I will certainly not confine you."
Xie Yanci left these words and waved his hand, disrupting the chessboard.
He thought of the woman in Sang Yuxuan again. Once upon a time, they played chess under the window. He wondered how she was doing now?
Yu Huai observed the emperor's every move, bowed silently, and then was the first to withdraw.
Only then did Eunuch Yang dare to come in and serve tea: "Your Majesty, this is specially prepared by the Imperial Household Department..."
"Go to Lin'an Palace." "Ah?!"
"I haven't seen Zhaohua for a while, and I suddenly miss her very much." Xie Yanci deliberately used the princess as a pretext, "It just so happens that I have nothing to do now, so I want to go see her."
"Yes, I'll prepare it right away!"
——
Concubine Xin was distributing fruits to the maids in the west wing hall. When she saw a large group of people coming from afar, she couldn't help but stand on tiptoe to take a closer look.
"My Lord, what are you looking at?"
"Is that the Emperor's honor guard over there?" Concubine Xin sighed as she chewed some fruit. "I have a feeling something must have happened during the plowing ceremony. It's caused Sister Yi and the Emperor's relationship to become so strange. I hope they can finally resolve their differences."
"The little princess is still in Sangyuxuan! The emperor will definitely not embarrass Concubine Yi in front of his own daughter."
However, the atmosphere in the East Side Hall was not optimistic.
When Wei Shuyi saw him coming, he bowed according to the rules, and then silently coaxed the princess to sleep. Apart from nursery rhymes, he didn't say a single extra word throughout the whole process.
Wen Yu came in, served some tea and snacks, then stepped aside worriedly, wishing she could say a few words on her behalf so as not to embarrass Xie Yanci.
"Yao'er, how is Zhaohua doing now?"
"I'm still taking the pills Taoist Yu made. Every time I crush them up and dissolve them in rice paste, then drink the mixture. If I miss the time, I'll still cry for a long time."
The emperor reached out and touched his daughter's face: "I will find a way to get the antidote and won't let her suffer for too long."
"May I ask, Your Majesty, where are you going to get the antidote? Has Your Majesty found the person who poisoned me?"
Wei Shuyi would only look up slightly when he heard something related to him, and his tone was not as calm as before.
He could only shake his head. "I've already sent people to search for famous doctors among the people, and I've also arranged for the Imperial Hospital to find a solution. I've even consulted the Imperial Preceptor, hoping he can come up with a foolproof plan."
"On the day Zhaohua was critically ill, the Imperial Master said he was in seclusion practicing cultivation and refused to go to Shoukang Palace to save her. Everyone knew this. If it was him who found the medicine, I'm afraid I wouldn't let Zhaohua take it."
"Yao'er."
"Your Majesty, please forgive my rudeness and willfulness. To be honest, I do not like the Imperial Master and I have doubts about his actions."
Xie Yanci glanced at the palace servants around him, and they immediately retreated.
The family of three, which should have been warm and cozy, ended up blaming each other in a depressing atmosphere.
"Yao'er, the Imperial Preceptor really had nothing to do with Zhaohua's poisoning. I don't know what associations you have made..."
"I have no evidence to support this matter. At most, it's just prejudice. What about Concubine Wen? She almost lost her child and even her own life that day! It was clearly discovered that the dart contained poison concocted by the Imperial Master, so why didn't the Emperor question him? In your eyes, your friendship with the Imperial Master far surpasses your own children?!"
The emperor suddenly fell silent and stopped talking.
She also realized that she had been overly emotional and took the initiative to apologize: "It was my fault. Whenever I saw Zhaohua suffering and thought of those who were suspected of causing her this, I would lose my mind and offend the emperor."
"Yao'er, you are not a dull woman. You shouldn't firmly believe that someone is the real murderer just because of some appearances. Even with the existence of witnesses and evidence, there are still cases of wrongful convictions. Not to mention, there is currently no direct evidence to prove that the Imperial Master poisoned Zhaohua first and then killed Yuexi."
Wei Shuyi put the little princess back into the cradle, stood still and looked at him. Now that he was closer, he noticed the majesty that belonged only to an emperor.
Maybe she never understood him at all.
She couldn't figure out any of his methods of restraining and weighing things, including the moments of acting according to the situation.
She only knew that her daughter's lifeline was in the hands of someone. If she didn't find the real culprit soon, her daughter would probably leave her, and she would most likely never find her enemy!
"Then...let's not talk about Zhaohua for now. Your Majesty, could you please explain to me everything that happened in the General's Mansion?"
"What?"
"Regarding the Emperor deliberately summoning me and letting me hear what he said...what were his thoughts after hearing it?"
Xie Yanci knew he couldn't escape any further, so he could only muffle his response: "That was because I lost my mind. Whenever I see you and Nangong Heng standing together, I feel uncomfortable all over."
"But Your Majesty cannot take action against the loyal Nangong family, so you can only torture me, completely disregarding our past friendship, right?" Wei Shuyi asked him with a faint smile, "Does Your Majesty feel that only by humiliating me and trampling on my dignity can you feel the pleasure of revenge?"
"Noble Lady Yi, are you talking to me?!"
As expected, he was still essentially a high and mighty king, not a considerate husband.
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