Chapter 58: Xie Yan's intervention threw everything into chaos.
Imperial study.
After Ruan Yunsheng and others left, the last trace of peace on the emperor's face disappeared completely.
He suddenly raised his hand, and the white jade cup on the table fell at the feet of General Sun with a clang!
"Didn't you tell me that the Sun and Moon Jade Disk had already been destroyed?"
The emperor stabbed the blood-stained jade disk with his finger, "Tell me, what is this?!"
General Sun rested his forehead against the ground and cried repeatedly, "Your Majesty, please calm down! Your Majesty, please calm down! I ordered one of your retainers to steal this jade disk. I ordered him to destroy it on the spot after stealing it, but this cunning servant disobeyed and secretly hid it!"
"Pretending to obey but secretly disobeying?" the emperor sneered. "Then why did Prince Xuan find this item in the attic of your Grand Marshal's Mansion?"
General Sun shuddered, his official robes drenched with cold sweat. "Your Majesty, be wise! I would never dare to deceive you! Your Highness Prince Xuan forced his way into the mansion to search it. If he says it's in the attic, then it's in the attic. Even if I had a hundred mouths, I can't argue!"
The emperor raised his eyelids and asked, "You mean that King Xuan framed you?"
General Sun hurriedly knelt a few steps, his voice becoming increasingly urgent: "Your Majesty, be very perceptive! A few days ago, Prince Xuan led his men to force his way into my residence just for Princess Mingyi. Today, he is leading his troops to search the residence again to exonerate the eldest son of the Marquisate."
"It's clear that the prince is wholeheartedly supporting the Marquis of Zhenguo Mansion!"
"How could I not see it!" The emperor slammed the rosewood table.
His face turned pale as he spoke coldly, "Back then, I entrusted Ruan Chongshan to look after Xie Yan, trusting in his loyalty. But he went so far as to actually raise Xie Yan as his good 'adopted son', and he's devoted to the Zhenguo Marquisate!"
"After Ruan Yunsheng disappeared, the four brothers of the Marquisate opposed Xie Yan at every turn. However, Xie Yan put aside his past grudges and was willing to take such a huge risk for Ruan Yunjian!"
Sun Taiwei quickly responded, his voice adding a hint of deliberate indignation, "Exactly! Your Highness values friendship and loyalty, and this Zhenguo Hou Mansion is taking advantage of your Highness. How despicable!"
He stole a glance at the emperor's expression, lowered his voice, and spoke in an increasingly sinister tone, "Your Majesty, the fact that you were forced to agree to reinstate Lord Ruan is a small matter, but the Marquis's Mansion is too powerful, and this is the real concern!"
“Think about it, the eldest son of the Marquis’ Mansion, Ruan Yunjian, is already a third-rank Hanlin scholar at such a young age;
The second son, Ruan Yunce, was the general of Zhaowu, and had made many outstanding achievements on the battlefield. After returning to the capital, he was bound to be promoted to a higher position.
The third son, Ruan Yunbo, was so wealthy that he could rival a nation. It was said that his wealth was greater than even the national treasury.
The fourth son, Ruan Yunzhu, traveled to various countries with his superb medical skills, and even the kings of foreign countries respected him.
Sun Taiwei paused, his voice lowered even more: "Of course, this old minister believes that the young masters of the Marquisate are loyal to the emperor, but what if... what if one day one of them becomes disloyal? They have soldiers, power, and money..."
He sighed deeply, and before he finished speaking, his words pierced the emperor's heart like a poisonous thorn.
The imperial study was suddenly silent. The emperor gripped the armrests of the dragon throne with his fingertips, his knuckles turning white.
It was because he was afraid that the Marquis of Zhenguo would be more powerful than his master that he acquiesced to General Sun's frame-up of Ruan Yunjian and had him banished to Cangwu County, thousands of miles away.
Who would have thought that Xie Yan's intervention would cause everything to go haywire!
Thinking of this, the emperor's anger surged again, and he glared at General Sun fiercely: "It's all because of your incompetence! If the jade disc had been destroyed as I ordered, how could it have come to this?!"
General Sun kowtowed immediately, "Your Majesty, please calm down! This old minister deserves death! This old minister deserves death a thousand times!"
After a moment, he dared to raise his head, and said in a tentative voice: "Your Majesty, this old minister... does have another plan."
The emperor rubbed his throbbing temples and raised his eyelids impatiently: "Speak."
General Sun knelt half a step and lowered his voice even more: "Your Majesty, Princess Mingyi is the most beloved daughter of the Zhenguo Marquisate. If you can control the princess, you are afraid that you can't restrain the four young masters of the Marquisate."
"How could I not know?" The emperor snorted coldly, a hint of annoyance flashing in his eyes. "Otherwise, why would I have arranged her marriage to Prince Duan so early? Who knew that girl would fall into the lake and disappear, and the marriage has been annulled!"
General Sun immediately put on a flattering smile: "Your Majesty is wise! In my opinion, it would be better if Your Majesty could find a 'good' marriage for the princess. This would not only fulfill Your Majesty's great grace, but also..."
He paused deliberately and glanced at the emperor.
The emperor was very astute and immediately understood what he meant. He mused, "Then I must think carefully about the person to whom I will grant the marriage..."
*
When he walked out of the palace gate, Ruan Yunbo and the steward, palace doctor, and guards of Prince Xuan's mansion were all waiting outside.
As soon as the court doctor saw Xie Yan, he hurriedly said, "Quick! Help the prince onto the carriage. The prince is seriously injured. He has been tossing and turning for half a day, and I don't know if the wound has opened!"
As he spoke, he lifted up Xie Yan's dark outer robe and took a look. "Oh! The wound has indeed burst! Hurry back home to stop the bleeding and change the dressing!"
Ruan Yunsheng looked over and saw that Xie Yanyue's white inner clothes were indeed stained with blood. No wonder he couldn't walk steadily just now.
Ruan Yunbo was also startled and asked the court doctor, "Is he okay? Should we ask the imperial physician to come back?"
The court doctor said, "Don't worry, Third Young Master. I have been taking care of the prince's health over the years."
Although his medical skills are not as good as those of a miracle doctor, they are not worse than those of an imperial physician.
His prince had a cold and didn't take care of his body. If it weren't for his careful care, the prince would have been bedridden long ago.
Xie Yan brushed away the court doctor's hand and gave Ruan Yunsheng a faint smile: "I'm fine. Princess, please go back home and rest early."
The court doctor sighed, "It's not a big deal! Your Highness, you don't take your life seriously..."
Ruan Yunbo sighed and said to Xie Yan, "Go back and take good care of your injuries. The Marquis' Mansion has many precious supplements. I'll send someone to deliver them to you later."
Xie Yan forced a smile and was carefully helped onto the carriage by the guards. The carriage quickly drove towards the palace.
Ruan Yunbo and Ruan Yunsheng also got on the carriage back home.
"Shengsheng, how's it going?"
He had no official position and was not allowed to enter the palace without being summoned, so he could only wait outside the palace in a hurry.
Ruan Yunsheng said softly, "The Emperor has agreed to allow my brother to return to the capital and resume his official position."
Ruan Yunbo quickly said, "Great! Once the official documents reach Cangwu County, big brother will be able to return home soon!"
Ruan Yunsheng smiled faintly, "Yes, big brother will be able to go home soon."
It was worth all her efforts; it was finally not in vain.
But Xie Yan's serious injury was beyond her expectation.
After Ruan Yunbo's surprise, he sighed and said, "This time, thanks to Xie Yan's help, I hope he will be safe."
Ruan Yunsheng nodded silently and looked out the window.
It is certainly a good thing that her elder brother has returned to Beijing, but she is not happy at the moment. Thinking of Xie Yan's pale face, her mood becomes inexplicably depressed.
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