Chapter 394: Lord Xiao said he didn't want to enter the palace, Your Majesty, punish me
Eunuch Feng: "This..."
Seeing him hesitating and looking embarrassed, it was obvious that the trip to Jiyun Lane was not going smoothly.
Zhao Yuanlang was immediately delighted, there was indeed something wrong with Xiao Yan's injury!
Troublemaker Cui Lin didn't hesitate at all. Seeing an opportunity to add insult to injury, he spoke up: "Eunuch Feng, why are you hesitating? His Majesty is asking you a question. Where is Governor Xiao?"
Emperor An's face was gloomy: "If you have something to say, just say it!"
Eunuch Feng lowered his head and whispered, "Superintendent Xiao refused to enter the palace."
Zhao Yuanlang immediately said, "He really has something to hide, Your Majesty..."
"Shut up!"
Emperor An glared at the particularly noisy Zhao Yuanlang and frowned at Eunuch Feng.
Regardless of whether Xiao Yan's injury was real or fake, or whether he had other plans, Emperor An did not expect that he would directly refuse to enter the palace, as if to break off relations with him.
Emperor An said coldly, "What do you mean he refuses to enter the palace?"
"Governor Xiao..."
Eunuch Feng lowered his head and said, "After I was ordered to bring Imperial Physician Jiang there, no one from the Xiao family stopped me from entering. After I met Governor Xiao and asked Imperial Physician Jiang to examine him, I told him about His Majesty's summons. But then Governor Xiao asked..."
"What do you want to ask?"
Eunuch Feng stuttered, his voice very low, "I want to ask whose advice Your Majesty has listened to this time. He has become so soft-hearted that he has become suspicious of him."
"How dare you!" Emperor An was furious.
Eunuch Feng fell to his knees, his head almost hanging down to the ground.
Emperor An's eyes were filled with anger. He looked down and angrily asked, "What else did he say?"
Eunuch Feng shrank back, not daring to look directly at Emperor An. "Superintendent Xiao said he's willing to be your majesty's sword and to fulfill his duties faithfully. He understands your majesty's difficulties. It's not the first time you've suspected him, but you sent such a large force of imperial guards, even having him carried into the palace. I imagine this crime is quite serious."
"He won't enter the palace to avoid bothering His Majesty. After all, His Majesty knows all about the people and things in the court. If he wants to be convicted, he will accept it..."
Bang!
Emperor An slammed the dragon throne hard, and the loud noise frightened Eunuch Feng.
He knelt on the ground with his head hung low. Thinking back to when he went to the Xiao family and saw the things given to him by the people arranged by Tang Ning, he wanted to die.
After he had followed those people's instructions word for word, facing the extremely furious Emperor An, he felt that his head was about to fall off his neck, and he wished he could dig a hole and bury himself.
Several people from the Zhao family stared with their eyes wide open in disbelief. Even the two from the Ministry of Justice and Cui Lin thought that Xiao Yan might have become too arrogant and out of his mind.
How dare he speak to Your Majesty like this?
Isn't he afraid that His Majesty will really take his head in a rage?!
At this moment, Tang Ning's voice was full of confusion and suppressed anger.
"So Your Majesty didn't send anyone to visit my brother at all?"
Emperor An looked up and saw the little girl, who had been full of trust before, looking at him with red eyes: "Last time, you did it for the Lu family, and this time, you did it for the Zhao family. Even if I die, I can't get back even a little bit of your trust?"
Emperor An was furious, feeling as if he had been slapped in the face. The next moment he became furious with shame.
Cao Dejiang saw that the situation was not going well and shouted, "Princess Xiangning, you must not be so presumptuous!"
After he finished speaking, he turned to the eunuch Feng beside him and said, "Eunuch Feng, has Doctor Jiang given any information on the condition of Governor Xiao's injury?"
Eunuch Feng hurriedly said, "Imperial Physician Jiang said that although Governor Xiao's injury has improved, he still needs to rest. Otherwise, it will easily damage his foundation. I took a look at Governor Xiao and saw that his face was still very pale. The smell of medicine in the room was so strong that it was choking."
"When I returned to the palace, Governor Xiao took the initiative to let the Imperial Guards stay in his mansion. He was recuperating in the inner room, and the outer courtyard was filled with Imperial Guards."
"Superintendent Xiao said that after the palace affairs are thoroughly investigated, if His Majesty wishes to punish someone, he can issue an imperial decree. This will also facilitate the Imperial Guards to arrest the person directly, saving them from running back and forth..."
When Emperor An heard that Xiao Yan had taken the initiative to keep the imperial guards in the mansion, his anger had subsided, but when he heard what happened next, he was almost amused by Xiao Yan.
"Does he think I can't bear to take his life?!"
Cao Dejiang felt that Xiao Yan was simply jumping around in Emperor An's minefield. Fearing that Emperor An would become truly angry, he frowned and asked:
"Eunuch Feng, although Governor Xiao may have a cold temperament, he has always been respectful to His Majesty. I don't think he would offend you without reason. Did Governor Xiao say anything else after you went to Jiyun Lane?"
"This..." Eunuch Feng hesitated.
Emperor An: "What's this? Why are you hesitating? Do you want your head back?"
Eunuch Feng quickly said, "After I went there, Governor Xiao only asked me if it was about the Fourth Prince's wife. After I said yes, he only spoke of what I had said before and nothing else."
"However, when I left the Xiao family, Governor Xiao told me that he had always acted according to Your Majesty's wishes."
Emperor An looked serious: "What do you mean?"
"I didn't understand, so I asked Governor Xiao. He just told me that if it weren't for Your Majesty, he would have recovered long ago."
Emperor An's face suddenly turned cold. He subconsciously thought that Xiao Yan was threatening him with the favor of saving him that day, and even felt resentment towards him.
But before he could open his mouth, a young eunuch hurried in to report.
"Your Majesty, Lord Wu, the prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture, requests an audience."
Emperor An's anger subsided: "What is he doing here?"
"I don't know, but Lord Wu looked anxious and said he had something important to discuss and needed to see Your Majesty immediately."
"Let him wait outside first..."
"Your Majesty," Feng Qiuli said, "Lord Wu is so anxious, perhaps there's something important going on."
Emperor An then frowned and said, "Forget it, let him in."
Wu Huai, wearing his official uniform, walked quickly into the hall and noticed that the atmosphere inside was not right. He glanced at Tang Ning and saw that she was still safe and sound. He breathed a sigh of relief and walked quickly forward.
"Your humble servant Wu Huai pays homage to Your Majesty."
Emperor An: "What's your business?"
Wu Huai hesitated and looked at the people around him. Obviously, he was worried that there were too many people present and he had something to report to Emperor An in private.
However, Emperor An was currently furious about Xiao Yan's situation, and the medicine in his body was causing him to become irritable. Seeing his expression, he said in a deep voice, "If you have something to say, just say it!"
Wu Huai then whispered, "It's related to Prince Cheng and the Lu family. Someone just came and beat the Jingzhao Prefecture's complaint drum, saying they want to sue Lu Langling for deceiving the emperor and using his eldest son's daughter-in-law, Guan, to cover up the real culprit who had an affair with Prince Cheng and committed treason. He also forced Guan to death to protect the person behind the scenes."
"That person said that the Lu family had long known who was behind this, and they even knew who had acted as a matchmaker for Prince Cheng in the court, replacing the child of Prince Cheng's wife. However, because that person's status was crucial to the safety of the Lu family, they deliberately led the Fourth Prince to force Guan to death and end the matter."
"I was deeply shocked upon hearing this. I inquired carefully and without delay, I immediately entered the palace to seek an audience with Your Majesty."
hiss--
Cui Lin took a breath.
Isn't Lu Chongyuan the only one in the Lu family who can be called Lu Langling now? After the matter of Prince Cheng was suppressed by the Lu family, he felt regretful for a long time, thinking that they didn't kill Lu Chongyuan and others with such a good opportunity.
But I didn't expect there would be a surprise.
He almost wanted to laugh out loud and say, "God has mercy on us."
Cui Lin asked before Emperor An could speak: "Who is the one who is complaining?"
Wu Huai whispered, "He is Lu Yin, the son of the former Prince Cheng, who was later sentenced by His Majesty to return to the Lu family."
Cui Lin almost laughed out loud.
Cao Dejiang, standing aside, his eyes flickered slightly as he casually said, "How could it be such a coincidence that you're suing the Lu family at this time?"
Emperor An paused and suddenly remembered what Feng Lai had just said.
"Governor Xiao said that he has always acted in accordance with His Majesty's wishes."
"...If it weren't for His Majesty, he would have recovered long ago."
Emperor An suddenly realized that Lu Yin had gone to the Jingzhao government office on Xiao Yan's orders.
Xiao Yan had long discovered that something was amiss with Prince Cheng, and also found evidence that the Lu family had forced Guan to death and concealed the person who was truly colluding with Prince Cheng, but he had forcibly ended the Lu family's affairs before.
It was he who forced Xiao Yan to give up, and it was he who forced Xiao Yan to stop pursuing the Lu family affairs. He even treated Xiao Yan coldly and alienated him because of this matter, and promoted a newcomer for a while.
Emperor An felt his mind suddenly become clear.
Xiao Yan's injury might not be so serious that he couldn't get out of bed, and it's not impossible for him to order someone to investigate the Lingyun Temple incident, but he let it go, holding his breath to vent his anger for Song Tangning.
He hated the Lu family and the people in the court for repeatedly trying to harm Song Tangning. The Lingyun Temple incident might also involve the aristocratic families. If he investigated further and implicated the Lu family, it would be against the emperor's will, so he allowed the matter to escalate.
However, he did not expect that the Lu family had already been involved with the Zhao family, and used this incident to plot against him, and even killed the fourth prince's wife in order to frame him. When the Zhao family made trouble in the palace, he was bewitched and sent people to Jiyun Lane.
In a fit of rage, Xiao Yan sent someone to Jingzhao Prefecture.
He was telling him that he was holding back for the sake of the overall situation, not because he couldn't touch the Lu family or find out the truth.
Emperor An thought he had figured everything out. He glanced at Song Tangning, whose eyes were wide with shock, and then looked at the pale-faced Zhao family members. He was even more angry than before.
Cui Lin said quietly, "What's going on with the Lu family? Madam Zhao said the Lu family was harming people, and this Lu Yin also accused the Lu family of deceiving the emperor. How come their family affairs are all mixed together?"
"General Zhao, have you discussed this?"
Zhao Yuanlang looked pale and Emperor An's face was gloomy.
Seeing that Cui Lin wanted to add a few more words to add fuel to the fire, Feng Qiuli quickly stepped on him and couldn't help twitching the corners of her mouth.
The old man could hardly hide the gloating expression on his face.
If it weren't for the Cui family keeping it, it would still be useful. He really doesn't want to care about this troublemaker!
Emperor An was already angry, and now he believed that the Zhao family had joined forces with the Lu family to plot against him and Xiao Yan. Thinking of the frustration he had felt when Lu Chongyuan had threatened him before, he almost instantly believed what Madam Zhao had said before.
The Zhao family has military power. What does the Lu family want to achieve by colluding with them?
Emperor An was furious: "Come here, capture the Zhao family for me!!"
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