Chapter 233: I promise you a bright future
Xiao Yan?
Queen Lu's heart skipped a beat and she glanced at Jinzhi.
Jinzhi quickly signaled the eunuch to go out and shut up and stop talking nonsense, then she walked to the front of the hall, calmed herself down and bowed to Xiao Yan.
"This servant greets Governor Xiao. Your Majesty has been feeling unwell lately. I wonder what brings you here, Governor Xiao?"
After Prince Cheng was imprisoned, the Empress suddenly fell ill. Xiao Yan was also aware of the Imperial Physician's presence in and out of Fengxi Palace. He said calmly, "This Governor, under the orders of His Majesty, is investigating the case of collusion between the Lu family and Prince Cheng. I have some questions for the Empress."
Jinzhi said, "Your Highness has lived in the deep palace for a long time and rarely inquires about state affairs. The ladies of the Lu family are also unaware of this. If Governor Xiao has anything to ask, he can go to the Lu family."
"Of course we have to go to the Lu family, but the Empress should be informed of this matter first." Seeing Jin Zhi was unmoved, Xiao Yan raised his eyes to look at the closed palace door: "Prince Cheng confessed that he was colluding with the Lu family. Xie Yin is not of royal blood, but is pretending to be a descendant of the Lu family..."
"Lord Xiao!"
Jinzhi almost lost control of her expression and quickly interrupted Xiao Yan before he could finish his words. She changed her attitude and said, "Please wait a moment, Governor Xiao. I will pass the message on right away."
Jinzhi hurried in, and a moment later, Xiao Yan entered the palace.
Queen Lu's face was no longer as calm as before. Even though she tried her best to keep a steady expression, a hint of anxiety could be seen between her brows.
She didn't know how much Xie Tianyu had revealed, nor did she know why Xiao Yan came to see her, but since it was Xiao Yan who came alone, and not to directly search the guards of Fengxi Palace, she tried her best to tell herself not to lose her composure.
Empress Lu leaned back in her chair, frowning and saying in a deep voice, "What did Governor Xiao mean by what he said just now? What did he mean by Xie Yin being a descendant of the Lu family?"
Xiao Yan looked distracted: "Does the Empress know what happened at the morning court?"
Empress Lu was stunned for a moment: "I don't know what happened in the previous dynasty..."
Xiao Yan glanced at the Queen vaguely, but didn't expose her words. He simply said, "Prince Cheng was previously arrested and imprisoned for treason. During interrogation, he revealed that he was secretly colluding with the Lu family. I reported this to Your Majesty at the morning court, but there is one thing I haven't told anyone else."
"During the previous interrogation of Prince Cheng, he not only revealed his collusion with the Lu family, but also confessed that he had an affair with a woman from the Lu family. Even before he tricked Second Lady Rong into marrying him, he had already been having sex with a woman from the Lu family. Later, he coveted the Rong family's power and was reluctant to give up the support they provided, but he also didn't want to give up the Lu family easily. So, when Second Lady Rong gave birth, he replaced the Lu family's bloodline with the Rong family's."
"This child is the current Xie Yin."
Empress Lu seemed shocked by his words and stood up suddenly: "Impossible, then how could Prince Xie be a member of the Lu family?"
Xiao Yan said calmly, "This is Prince Cheng's own confession. This woman was the intermediary between him and the Lu family. Even Hou Rui, the Minister of War, assisted Prince Cheng because of her. Your Majesty has ordered a thorough investigation into Prince Cheng's case, so I have come here specifically to ask Your Majesty. Does Your Majesty know of anyone in the Lu family who might be involved in an affair with Prince Cheng?"
"Hasn't Prince Cheng confessed?" Queen Lu pinched her palms.
Xiao Yan said, "It would be easy if he confessed. I guessed it from his words."
"Although I caught him out of control and tricked him into revealing this, he refused to say a word afterwards. Now we only know that Xie Yin is a descendant of the Lu family, but we have no idea who his biological mother is, or who was secretly having an affair with Prince Cheng."
Empress Lu's heart, which had nearly jumped out of her throat, finally calmed down a bit. She tried her best to remain silent and said, "This matter is truly shocking. However, I have been married into the royal family for many years and I am not aware of the Lu family's affairs..."
"Your Majesty, are you truly unaware?" Xiao Yan frowned. "If your Majesty truly is unaware, then I can only bring my men to the Lu family. However, if a war breaks out, everyone will know that the Lu family has committed such a shameful act. Your Majesty's reputation will be tarnished, and His Majesty will probably be furious."
Empress Lu naturally knew the consequences of Xiao Yan going to the Lu family. She looked at the people in front of the palace with a calm gaze, "Lord Xiao and the Lu family are at war. If this matter is exposed, the Lu family will become the target of public criticism. Why are you helping me for no reason?"
"The Empress is the Empress, and the Lu family is the Lu family."
Seeing Empress Lu's bewilderment, Xiao Yan said, "If the Empress hadn't sent someone to give Tang Ning the phoenix hairpin and promised to seek justice for Tang Ning, the Lu family wouldn't have been so easily manipulated, and half of the collection of books wouldn't have been given to Tang Ning."
"Tang Ning has used this opportunity to clear her bad name, and the academy will protect her for the rest of her life. She owes you a favor regarding the Lu family. I promised her that if the opportunity arose, I would repay you for her. This time, I am repaying the favor for the phoenix hairpin. From now on, Tang Ning will not owe you anything, Your Majesty."
"As for the Lu family..."
Xiao Yan's expression grew colder. "That person can not only order Hou Rui around, but also access the Lu family's secrets and secretly act as a matchmaker for Prince Cheng. Her status in the Lu family must be quite high."
"I have Xie Yin and Prince Cheng's confession in my hands. Even if the Empress knows about it, it will only allow me to withdraw from the Lu family in advance. Once the person who had an affair with Prince Cheng is found, the Lu family will still be in disrepute, and I will get what I want."
"Aren't you afraid that I will tell the Lu family?" Queen Lu said in a deep voice.
"Will the Empress do that?" Xiao Yan raised his lips, his eyes filled with determination. "The Empress and the Fourth Prince abandoned the Lu family a long time ago, didn't they?"
"If you were truly of one mind, this Governor would not have come to see the Queen today."
Queen Lu's original suspicion was completely dispelled by his cold and harsh words.
She was glad that she had not hesitated to give up the Lu family and gave the phoenix hairpin to surrender, and she was also glad that Song Tangning was stupid enough. If she had not valued friendship as much as the old man in the Rong family, and Xiao Yan had directly exposed the matter in the court, she would not have had any chance of saving herself.
The stern expression on Empress Lu's face softened. "I simply despise what the Lu family did. Tang Ning is a good child. The Lu family wronged her in the past. I have always loved her as my own daughter."
"As for what happened today, thank you, Governor Xiao, for telling me. Although I don't know who is the one who committed adultery with Prince Cheng, you saved me and my son once. No matter what, I will remember your kindness."
Xiao Yan raised his eyes and looked at her: "Is the Queen really unaware of the Lu family's affairs?"
Empress Lu shook her head: "I really don't know."
Xiao Yan frowned upon hearing this: "Then it seems I have no choice but to go to the Lu family and investigate personally."
Empress Lu quickly spoke up, "If Governor Xiao rashly went to the Lu family, they would definitely not acknowledge it. This is something that concerns the clan's reputation. If the Lu family knew about it in advance, they would probably try to silence them."
"If we can't find anyone who had an affair with Prince Cheng by then, even if we have Prince Cheng's confession, the Lu family can still turn around and say that Governor Xiao tortured him into confessing. After all, who can prove that Xie Yin is a descendant of the Lu family?"
Xiao Yan raised his eyebrows: "Then what does Your Majesty think I should do?"
"Of course, we must plan carefully before we act." Empress Lu said, "Rather than putting the Lu family and that person on guard, it would be better for Governor Xiao to conduct a secret investigation first. I will also find a way to investigate within the clan. If we can capture the person in one fell swoop, the Lu family will be unable to make excuses no matter how many excuses they have."
Xiao Yan narrowed his eyes slightly: "The Queen is really concerned about this matter."
"Lord Xiao also said that I was almost implicated by the Lu family."
Empress Lu's eyes were gloomy. "This palace and the prince just want a peaceful life, but the Lu family keeps causing trouble. Before, they almost ruined his reputation by handing over the Rong family's belongings to the prince, and now this despicable thing has happened."
"As Governor Xiao said, the Lu family is the Lu family, and I am myself. Although they are my clan, if they endanger me and my son, and block my son's path, then I cannot be blamed for being heartless."
She played the role of a mother who would give up anything for her son's future to perfection. When she looked up at Xiao Yan, a serious expression appeared on her face.
"I have never wanted to be an enemy of Governor Xiao, and I also hope that if I can truly help Governor Xiao this time, I also hope that when Governor Xiao settles accounts with the Lu family, he will not implicate me and my son."
She paused.
"Although I don't know what the future holds, I can promise you that if the Fourth Prince is ever to ascend the throne, Governor Xiao will remain as powerful as he was during Your Majesty's reign, and his position in the court will undoubtedly be even greater than it is today."
After Empress Lu finished speaking, she looked straight at Xiao Yan. She knew that the man in front of her was a eunuch without any family or clan, so he naturally had to seek a way out. His honor, disgrace, wealth and status all depended on the emperor, so he naturally had to consider his retreat after Emperor An passed away.
She didn't believe that Xiao Yan would not be tempted.
Sure enough, Xiao Yan's expression, which had been cold just now, changed. He narrowed his eyes and looked at the Queen for a moment before speaking, "I will consider this matter carefully."
"What about the Lu family?"
"I will take people to investigate secretly first."
Empress Lu knew she had convinced Xiao Yan, and her expression relaxed. "Alright, if I have any clues, I will inform Governor Xiao immediately."
Xiao Yan lowered his head: "Then I'll trouble you to do your best."
…
Xiao Yan did not stay in Fengxi Palace for long. He told the Queen about Prince Cheng and made her think that he could be won over before turning around and leaving.
After everyone left, Queen Lu forced a smile and returned to the bedroom in the back. After closing the door and leaving the room alone, she waved her hand with a grim face and knocked the cups and plates off the table.
Jinzhi nearly got hit on the foot. Seeing Empress Lu's gloomy face, she also looked panicked: "Your Majesty, Xiao Yan's mind is unpredictable and may be difficult to bribe."
"I know." If Xiao Yan was so easy to bribe, why would she be so restrained!
Empress Lu said with a cold face: "He is a rootless person after all, so he must find someone to rely on. As long as he doesn't do anything too extreme, I will have a chance."
Jinzhi was uneasy, "But the methods used by the Criminal Secretary are not something an ordinary person can withstand. It's only been a few days, and Prince Cheng has already revealed so much. If he is allowed to stay any longer, I'm worried that he will eventually give in."
Although they had the magic weapon of the Fourth Prince in their hands, and they also knew that King Cheng would never betray the Queen for the sake of this only "bloodline", but Xiao Yan was ruthless.
If they are subjected to severe punishment, who can guarantee that King Cheng can really hold his ground? If he relaxes even a little, their lives will be in vain!
Empress Lu's face darkened when she heard this. She knew, of course, that this matter could not be delayed. Xiao Yan was a madman. In order to please Emperor An, he had always spared no effort in dealing with the aristocratic families.
Xie Tianyu probably knew that he could not bear the torture, so he deliberately misled Xiao Yan to think about the Lu family. He was trying to pass the message to her so that she could make a choice as soon as possible.
Queen Lu clutched her fingertips and looked gloomily.
Now that Hou Rui was arrested, the affairs of Prince Cheng's Mansion and the Lu family could no longer be concealed, but all she did in the past was to avoid Lu Chongyuan and the others.
She had been secretly using the Lu family's things to "nourish" Prince Cheng, and had been maintaining a "private affair" with Prince Cheng without telling Lu Chongyuan, hoping that one day he would be able to "repay" the prince, but now this had become the most fatal thing.
Once Xiao Yan finds Lu Chongyuan, there is no need for confrontation. With Lu Chongyuan's shrewdness, he will immediately suspect her.
Once he knew what she had done, the Lu family would be the first to sacrifice her in order to protect themselves. Then, there would be no need for anyone else to take action, as Lu Chongyuan would be the first to take her and the prince's lives, so that they would not drag down the entire Lu family and be executed.
Queen Lu would never let this happen.
Even if there is no way out this time and she is destined to break with the Lu family, she must protect herself and the prince, so that the Lu family dare not and cannot take the initiative to tear up this layer of window paper and bear the blame for her.
Queen Lu stood there and paced back and forth a few times, thinking about a countermeasure in her mind.
Xie Tianyu is definitely not going to be saved. If Xiao Yan wants to give up and let the matter of Prince Cheng's Mansion stop here, he must find someone as soon as possible to confirm the affair with Xie Tianyu, and make Xiao Yan feel that there is no need to continue investigating. By then, Xie Tianyu will become a useless "waste" and naturally will not be tortured anymore.
Empress Lu quickly came up with a plan. After carefully considering all the members of the Lu family, a figure emerged in her mind, and she made a decision in an instant: "I am very worried about the matters concerning the morning court. Please go to the Lu family and visit my father and the others on my behalf."
"Going to the Lu family?" Jinzhi was stunned: "At this time?"
"Yes, let's go now."
Queen Lu walked to the storage cabinet in the room, took out a string of green jade and gold-inlaid bracelets from the innermost case, and handed them to Jinzhi.
"After my eldest brother was imprisoned, Lu Zhinian suddenly disappeared. I'm afraid my sister-in-law is worried. Go to the Lu family to see my father and ask them about the morning court. Then, please help me visit her on the way."
Jinzhi's expression changed immediately when she looked at the bracelet. This bracelet...
"My Lady, you want the First Lady..."
"I had no choice."
Empress Lu placed the bracelet in Jinzhi's hand and looked up at her. "If this matter is not resolved quickly, no one will be safe. You have been with me for many years, so you should know what to do, right?"
Jinzhi's face turned pale, and she instantly understood what Queen Lu meant. Meeting Queen Lu's stern eyes, she quickly lowered her head and said, "This servant knows."
"Avoid people and do it cleanly."
"yes."
Empress Lu said, "Go, pick some things from the storehouse and send them to the Lu family."
"I understand."
After Jinzhi left, Queen Lu looked at her back for a long time, lowering her eyes with a hint of cruelty. Recently, Jinzhi had been doing her job poorly and making frequent mistakes. She knew too many things that she shouldn't know.
Once Xie Tianyu's matter is settled, Jinzhi can no longer stay.
She must not leave any trouble behind.
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