Chapter 266 Xiao Yan’s identity is fake
Xiao Yan lazily stood in the hall, looking up at Empress Lu who was furious at the top of the table, with a calm expression: "Your Majesty, this is just a fabricated accusation."
"When I entered the palace that day, His Majesty already knew about the Lu family's affairs. It was His Majesty who personally told the Fourth Prince to investigate the Lu family. If Your Majesty doesn't believe me, you can ask His Majesty."
"As for my appointment to meet him at Hengting Pavilion, it was simply because it was safe there and not easily disturbed by ordinary people. As for the Bai Yi Niang the Empress mentioned, I have never heard of her before."
Xiao Yan spoke with a mocking tone, "The Fourth Prince was defeated, and it's his poor riding skills that made him want to compete. I didn't teach him riding or archery, and I wasn't even there. The Empress loves her son dearly, but she shouldn't arbitrarily accuse others. If others hear this, they'll just think the Empress is incompetent and vent her anger."
"you!"
Queen Lu stared at Xiao Yan, feeling anger surging in her heart.
Xiao Yan ignored her anger. He folded his sleeves lazily and said, "If the Empress summoned me just to ask this, then I don't have the time to accompany you."
"I am busy, so I will leave first. Your Majesty, please do as you please."
Seeing that he only nodded as a formality and turned to walk out, Empress Lu said coldly: "The Fourth Prince is deposed."
Xiao Yan stopped and turned to look at Queen Lu, his brows furrowed.
"Waste?"
Empress Lu's face showed pain. "Lord Xiao should know about the Fourth Prince's fall from his horse at the Western Suburbs Horse Farm. The Fourth Prince injured his back that day, but the imperial physician who treated him previously concealed the truth and even tampered with the Fourth Prince's medication."
"The Fourth Prince's face is ruined. Even if he is healed, he will still be lame."
Xiao Yan looked a little surprised, then frowned and asked, "Who is treating the Fourth Prince?"
"He Wengran from the Imperial Medical Bureau."
"Someone from the Lu family?"
Empress Lu nodded. He Wengran had a very close relationship with the Lu family. After she married into the prince's mansion, he had always been by her side. Later, after Emperor An ascended the throne, He Wengran naturally entered the Imperial Hospital and had been responsible for treating her all these years.
She took good care of the He family and showed kindness to He Wengran many times.
He Wengran had less contact with the Lu family over the years and was extremely loyal to her, but who would have thought that his loyalty was fake and his master was still the Lu family.
Empress Lu was filled with remorse when she thought of this. She looked at Xiao Yan and said, "I heard that Governor Xiao hasn't been to the palace to accompany His Majesty these past few days, and it seems His Majesty has someone new by his side. The Lu family case is about to be closed. Given Lu Chongyuan's character, he will definitely take revenge on Governor Xiao once the Lu family recovers."
"I and the Fourth Prince are blood relatives, yet he can still be so heartless. If it were Governor Xiao, how do you think they would treat you?"
Xiao Yan frowned slightly and was silent for a moment before saying, "Don't worry, Your Majesty. This Governor and the Lu family have been at loggerheads for a long time. If they don't let me go, I may not let them go either. Your Majesty, please take good care of the Fourth Prince. As for He Wengran, I will order his men to capture him."
He bowed to the Queen and said, "If Her Majesty has no further instructions, I will take my leave."
"Why, after taking advantage of me, Lord Governor Xiao is now unwilling to even put in the effort to put on a show?" Queen Lu sneered.
Xiao Yan turned around and frowned at the queen.
Empress Lu said, "I've been wondering for some time why Governor Xiao is so concerned about the affairs of the aristocratic families. Ever since you came to power, you've regarded the aristocratic families as thorns in your side. Knowing that dealing with them would be a life-or-death struggle, you schemed and planned everything, even leaving yourself no room for retreat in order to destroy the aristocratic families' foundation in the court."
"It's not that the aristocratic families haven't tried to win you over. With Governor Xiao's intelligence, if it were simply for power and future, he wouldn't have done so. However, you've been ruthless and merciless towards the aristocratic families, far exceeding what a minister should do to share the emperor's worries and eliminate hidden dangers for His Majesty."
"What kind of hatred brought Governor Xiao to this point?"
Xiao Yan's eyes turned cold: "What does the Queen want to say?"
Empress Lu observed the expression on his face and whispered, "I'm just curious. In just a few years, you were able to rise from the bottom to become His Majesty's confidant, holding great power and influencing the court. How could the Xiao family raise such an outstanding child like you?"
"I sent people to investigate the Xiao family's background, but what's interesting is that the Xiao family's second son died in infancy. The Xiao family head, who was supposedly murdered by Governor Xiao for mistreating his young son, and those Xiao family members who were rumored to have been exterminated by you, have also changed their names and appeared in other places."
Empress Lu seemed to have caught him, and said word by word, "Twenty-three years ago, the third daughter of the He family married the eldest son of the Xiao family, the infamous Xiao Jinan."
"After the He family was wiped out, the He family girl committed suicide to protect the Xiao family. However, the Xiao family's second son, who was supposed to have died long ago, suddenly came back to life."
"The Xiao family only said that the child was sent to be raised in another manor when he was sick and weak. But if they care so much about him, how could they treat him so harshly after bringing him back to the mansion?"
The Queen stared at Xiao Yan without blinking. "Everything in this world has its reasons. Lord Governor Xiao, should I call you Lord Xiao Erlang or Lord He Jia?"
Swish!
Before Queen Lu could finish her words, Xiao Yan, who was standing in front of the palace, suddenly flashed in front of her, and a soft sword that appeared in his hand was pointed directly at the Queen's neck.
"Empress!!"
Jinzhi was horrified.
But the Queen said sternly: "Don't come over!"
When Jinzhi stopped and looked over here with worry, the Queen raised her eyes to Xiao Yan and said calmly, "You came here today because I sent someone to tell you. Not only can you not hide it from the people in the palace, even the Lu family who have been keeping an eye on you and me probably know about it."
"If you injure me, not only will you be unable to leave Fengxi Palace, but the Lu family will also use this as a pretext to kill you. I'm sure Governor Xiao won't lose sight of the big picture..."
Hmm!
There was a murderous look in Xiao Yan's dark eyes. He thrust his hand upwards, and Queen Lu groaned in pain.
Something flowed down her skin around her neck, and Queen Lu felt a moment of panic, but she still tried her best to calm herself down and soften her voice.
"Master Xiao, why are you so impulsive? I am the only one who knows about your affairs, and I have never told anyone else."
"You hid your identity, even forcing the entire Xiao family into hiding, and endured all kinds of humiliation to enter the palace despite your disability. Was it just for this momentary pleasure?"
"I investigated your identity simply to cooperate with Governor Xiao. You want to destroy the Lu family and avenge the He family, and I also want to seek justice for the Fourth Prince. Our goals are the same, aren't they?"
Xiao Yan looked at Queen Lu coldly for a while. Just when Queen Lu thought she had made a wrong bet, the sword across her neck suddenly retreated.
Jinzhi hurried forward and covered the wound on the queen's neck with a handkerchief.
Xiao Yan waved his hand back, and the soft sword instantly returned to his waist and hid in the tourmaline leather belt around his waist. He raised his eyes and looked at the queen.
"It is the Queen who has underestimated me. Countless people have investigated my background over the years, but only the Queen has managed to gain any results."
He was tantamount to admitting his identity in disguise.
Upon hearing this, Queen Lu's expression suddenly relaxed. Her legs and feet felt a little weak, but she couldn't help but reveal joy in her eyes.
She made the right bet!
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