Chapter 486: Fighting Cui Lin and Subduing Yu Yanfeng
Prince Ji's expression changed, and he suddenly turned his head to look at Princess Ji, staring at her with a stern look that said, "Why are you talking so much?"
Princess Ji turned her face away. She hated Song Tangning for embarrassing her and Yuyan in public. She hated her even more for relying on Xiao Yan to be so arrogant and domineering and forcing the princess of a royal palace to apologize to her, an orphan whose parents died young.
Now that someone has exposed Xiao Yan's identity, it is even more likely that this eunuch will be dragged down. If Xiao Yan really has been colluding with Queen Lu, then His Majesty will definitely not tolerate him!
Princess Ji naturally wanted to add insult to injury, so she avoided Prince Ji's gaze and said:
"Your Majesty, you should investigate this thoroughly. Governor Xiao is your most trusted minister, and he has always been the one to investigate the Lu family's affairs. How could he go against Your Majesty's will and have private dealings with the Empress? Could it be that someone used his name to deceive the Empress?"
"Don't wrongly accuse Governor Xiao in this way."
As soon as these words were spoken, the hall was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
Princess Ji kept saying that she wanted to investigate the matter to avoid wrongly accusing Xiao Yan, but her words implied that Xiao Yan and the Queen had already had private dealings.
He was the one who investigated the Lu family's affairs from beginning to end, and now they have been completely eradicated. So when did Xiao Yan collude with Queen Lu?
Was it before Your Majesty investigated the Lu family, or after His Majesty investigated the Lu family?
Princess Ji was about to tell Emperor An that there was something wrong with Xiao Yan. Prince Ji looked at Xiao Yan's cold face and almost fainted from anger. When he looked at Princess Ji, he wanted to curse him.
What does the matter between Xiao Yan, Cui Lin, and the noble family have to do with the Prince Ji's Mansion?!
Even if someone really set up a trap to kill Xiao Yan tonight, who can guarantee that Xiao Yan will die? The best strategy at this time is to wait and see. No matter who wins between Xiao Yan and Cui Lin, it has nothing to do with Prince Ji's Mansion.
But she just had the urge to add insult to injury. If things go back to normal and Xiao Yan is fine, then their Ji Wang Mansion will be finished!
Princess Ji is such a fool!
Prince Ji wanted to strangle Princess Ji to death, but Emperor An was obviously more suspicious because of Princess Ji's words. He fixed his gaze on Xiao Yan's face and spoke calmly.
"When did I ever let you say such a thing?"
Xiao Yan frowned: "I don't have any."
"No, then why did the Queen mention Governor Xiao's name before she died?" Cui Lin asked, "Could it be that Governor Xiao did something behind Your Majesty's back?"
He looked at Xiao Yan with a sinister expression, and his sick face, which had not yet recovered, was filled with a hint of mockery from watching a show.
Emperor An's expression grew increasingly gloomy.
Everyone in the hall was looking at Xiao Yan.
Xiao Yan stood in front of the steps, feeling all kinds of gazes, and spoke after a while.
"It was just a few casual remarks from others. Your Majesty, are you going to become suspicious of me?"
Before Emperor An could speak, Cui Lin spoke first, "Lord Xiao, why are you avoiding the topic? If you and the Empress weren't so close, why would she have said those words before she died? Now that someone heard it with their own ears, Lord Xiao, won't you explain?"
"What do you want to explain?"
"Of course it's a matter between you and the Queen."
Oh.
Xiao Yan chuckled softly, "What could possibly be going on between this Governor and the deposed Empress? I personally sent her to the cold palace. If there really is a connection, why are you saying this? But Minister Cui, you seem to really hope that this Governor has some contact with the deposed Empress?"
Cui Linton was angry: "I only said this because of what Madam Xuan said, stop slandering me!"
"Yeah."
Xiao Yan glanced at him with a half-smile, his sarcasm undisguised.
Before Cui Lin could glare back, Xiao Yan said directly to Emperor An:
"Your Majesty, regardless of whether Minister Cui's words are true or false, and regardless of what the deposed empress said before her death, shouldn't the most important thing right now be to capture the two palace maids who frightened Madam Xuan?"
"There are many guards patrolling the Imperial Garden, yet two palace maids dared to brazenly kill the ladies of state and the Empress Dowager's palace maids, and such a big commotion didn't even alert anyone."
"Also, outside the Purple Palace, there were countless guards, and anyone who approached would be stopped. Madam Xuan, with her hair disheveled and her appearance in disarray, was able to bravely force her way in without even being informed. She didn't alert the courtiers attending the banquet until she reached the palace gates."
"If it wasn't for Commander Yu's early instructions, then the palace guards' defenses must have been tampered with."
"I didn't!" Yu Yanfeng said urgently.
"I naturally trust Commander Yu."
Xiao Yan looked at Emperor An and said, "It doesn't matter if someone slanders me. I have enemies everywhere and I'm used to it. But if something goes wrong with the Imperial Guards, or if someone is dispatched at will, then the safety of Your Majesty and the other ladies in the palace will be in jeopardy."
Yu Yanfeng's face changed instantly and he knelt down suddenly.
"Your Majesty, it is my humble duty to guard the palace. Whether in the Imperial Garden or outside the Purple Palace, I have sent people to patrol every twelve hours."
"There will be a banquet in the palace tonight. Without your Majesty's order, I will never allow anyone to trespass into the Purple Palace, unless the Imperial Guards have been tampered with!"
Emperor An narrowed his eyes slightly with an unfathomable expression, but he did not suspect that Yu Yanfeng had done anything.
He was the one who arranged the defense inside and outside the Purple Palace, and the palace guards followed his orders. If someone really committed a crime in the palace, the imperial guards would be unaware of it, and the guards in front of the palace could not even stop a woman.
Yu Yanfeng, who is the first to bear the blame, will be unable to sit on the position of deputy commander of the imperial guards.
Emperor An's thoughts turned slightly, and he looked at Cui Lin coldly, then said:
"Yu Yanfeng, immediately lead your men to search the palace and bring those two daring palace maids to me. If you let them escape, I will not forgive you!"
Yu Yanfeng heaved a sigh of relief upon hearing this: "I'll go right away!"
When he stood up, he glanced at Xiao Yan and couldn't help but look a little grateful.
Even though Emperor An spoke harshly, he obviously knew that today's events had nothing to do with him, and all this was because of what Xiao Yan had just said.
If Xiao Yan hadn't pointed out the pros and cons and cleared him of the matter, he wouldn't be able to explain himself even if he had eight hundred mouths.
Yu Yanfeng remembered Xiao Yan's kindness. After looking at Cui Lin with hatred, he strode out to lead his men to capture the person.
In the Zichen Palace, the banquet stopped and the dancers in the palace retreated, and there was no trace of the previous cheerful atmosphere left.
Emperor An did not ask Madam Xuan to stand up. Madam Xuan knelt on the ground and cried until her voice became softer involuntarily. The whole hall was eerily quiet because of this sudden change.
Emperor An remained silent, and the others also held their breath and dared not speak.
It was not until a long time later that there was a commotion outside the hall again. Yu Yanfeng strode in carrying a man in eunuch's clothes, followed by a man in armor.
Except for the first few people who were carrying two corpses, the others were escorting more than ten men who were tied up tightly, had something stuffed in their mouths, and had their light armor stripped off and were only wearing the white lining inside.
When the group entered, the women and girls in the hall couldn't help but scream in surprise. Fortunately, although those people were dressed inappropriately, they did not expose their skin, so the screams were suppressed.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com