Chapter 69
"Princess, Aunt Zhao is here." Bai Die informed Yi Luoyue in a low voice.
Upon hearing this, Yi Luoyue deliberately showed a look of shock.
"Bai Die, are you saying...there's a clue about what happened back then?"
Bai Die glanced around deliberately and continued to speak to her in a low voice.
"A few days ago, Master Li rescued a woman from a caravan near the Western Yi. Unexpectedly, this woman turned out to be Qin Ying, a third-class maid who once served in the Queen's palace! I wonder if the princess still remembers her? She's the one who suddenly disappeared after the Queen fell seriously ill."
"Why her?"
"Yes, it's her. She's now willing to testify, saying that the Queen Mother and the Empress were poisoned, not because of a real epidemic! And she even produced evidence."
"Poisoning? Who did it?" Yi Luoyue's tone was filled with shock.
"It was... Shu Fei. It was Shu Fei who threatened her with her sister's life and made her do it!"
Nanny Zhao, who was standing behind the flower wall, listened carefully and heard that Yi Luoyue's voice was trembling.
"Shu Fei...how dare she do such a thing? Her grandmother and mother treat her so well, how dare she?! Where is Qin Ying now? And how credible is her testimony?"
"Master Li has already checked and the evidence is conclusive. Qin Ying has been placed in a very safe place by the Prince Consort. She is under guard day and night and is very safe."
"There's one more thing... The Prince Consort has also found out that someone tried to assassinate us during the Qilin Festival at the Four Gods Temple a few days ago. Besides Gong Yuxian, Concubine Shu also sent someone. Luckily, the Prince Consort and Master Li were worried about our safety while traveling, so they sent extra guards. Otherwise, who knows what would have happened!"
Feeling that Madam Zhao was still eavesdropping, Yi Luoyue sneered in her heart, but on the surface she deliberately showed a hesitant look, and deliberately raised her voice a few degrees to ensure that Madam Zhao could hear her, and then she spoke to Bai Die.
"Now that we have evidence, it's only right that we report it to Father immediately. However, my wedding is in four days, and all the civil and military officials in the court will be attending the banquet. It would be unlucky to bring these things up now. So I plan to wait until after the wedding to hand the evidence over to Father. Before that, let's stabilize Shu Fei. Besides, I always feel that things are not that simple. Shu Fei has been operating in the palace for many years, and perhaps my eldest brother is also involved. So we shouldn't alert them now. Everything should be done after my wedding. When there is more evidence, we may be able to catch more of their accomplices."
Bai Die immediately understood and continued speaking according to Yi Luoyue's words.
"Princess, what you said makes sense. Anyway, they don't know that we have discovered the evidence of their crimes, so they won't be wary of us."
"So we're not afraid of Shu Fei and the others playing any more tricks. They'll never imagine that we've found Qin Ying, nor will they imagine that the assassins she sent would betray her."
"Princess, that's right. Should we inform the Prince Consort?"
"I'll talk to him first and hold off for now. If my guess is correct, even if we convict Shu Fei, she is after all the eldest brother's mother, and the eldest brother has always been ambitious and wants to compete for the position of crown prince. To protect himself, the eldest brother may take a risky move and force the emperor to abdicate! So after my wedding with Gong Yuchen, we will make all the necessary preparations and then inform the emperor and convict them together."
"Princess, is this too dangerous?" Bai Die pretended to be nervous.
"Don't worry, I will arrange everything." Yi Luoyue's eyes became firm.
"When the time comes, we will catch them all in one fell swoop and make them pay for poisoning the Empress Dowager and the Queen Mother!"
"Princess, it's almost lunchtime, and His Majesty is still waiting for you. How about we go first?"
"Okay." Yi Luoyue took Bai Die and walked towards Tianlu Pavilion. Not long after they walked, they turned back and found that the eavesdropping Madam Zhao had also left.
Yi Luoyue curled up the corner of her mouth in a sneer, Bai Die came close to her and asked her in a low voice.
"Princess, Aunt Zhao must have heard what we said. What should we do next?"
"Just wait. When Concubine Shu hears the news, she will definitely discuss countermeasures with Yi Luoyao immediately. We just need to act according to the original plan and wait for them to fall into the trap."
In Shu Fei's bedroom, Nanny Zhao was reporting to Shu Fei in detail the conversation she had heard in the imperial garden, while Shu Fei's face was full of sinister looks.
"You are so good, Yi Luoyue! You actually found "Qin Ying" and got the testimony!" Shu Fei suddenly slashed all the items on the table to the ground, and in an instant the ground was covered with broken pieces.
"And those losers, they can't even kill these people, what's the point of having them! And they dare to betray me!"
Aunt Zhao was so frightened that she was trembling and didn't even dare to raise her head.
"Your Majesty, please calm down. Princess Yue said she wants to wait until after the wedding to present the evidence to the Emperor. So, would you like to discuss this with the Crown Prince first?"
"Go inform Yao'er and ask him to come over as soon as possible.
"I obey your command and will do it right away."
Just a cup of tea later, a carrier pigeon was quietly released.
"Mother, what happened?" Half an hour later, Yi Luoyao hurriedly walked into Shu Fei's bedroom.
"What happened? It's a capital crime that will kill you and me, mother and son!" Shu Fei roared in frustration, venting her anger at Yi Luoyao.
"Madam Zhao, please talk to him." Shu Fei rubbed her head which was about to explode.
Nanny Zhao repeated the conversation between Yi Luoyue and the others. After listening to it, Yi Luoyao was not panicked, but a hint of excitement flashed in his eyes.
"To be honest, mother, I've been hesitating about whether to let my father abdicate to me. Now is a good opportunity! Yi Luoyue thought she could control the situation and that I would force her to abdicate after her wedding, but I simply won't do what she wants. She certainly didn't expect that I had already contacted several ministers in the court and stationed 30,000 troops outside the city. As long as we control my father and her at the "bride banquet" on the eve of her wedding, and then present the abdication edict that I have already prepared, even if the ministers later have objections, they won't be able to do anything to us!"
"But Wu Cheng is loyal to the emperor, as is the second prince, and that Gong Yuchen. Will they deploy troops at the banquet?" Although this is a good plan, Shu Fei is still a little worried.
"Don't worry, mother. They don't know that we will take action at the "wedding banquet". Even if they have deployed troops, the number of troops they have arranged is limited. It will be easier for us to accomplish our goals at this time. Besides, I have bribed several small commanders in the imperial guards. As long as we take action, they will create chaos in the city and make it difficult for Wu Cheng to handle everything. The three thousand troops provided by Gong Yuxian are more than enough to check and balance Gong Yuchen. Besides, they will be trapped in the imperial city by us that day, and we will kill them all at once! There is nothing to be afraid of." Yi Luoyao said confidently.
"Besides, as long as we succeed, Gong Yuxian will take over Xiyi. Even if Gong Yuchen dies in Yidu, it won't matter."
When Shu Fei heard this, the worried look on her face was replaced by an ambitious look.
"Alright! In that case, let's proceed as planned. Go and notify the ministers and members of our mother's clan who have been contacted, and have them prepare. The 'bride-sending banquet' on the eve of the wedding will be a great day for us mother and son!"
"I understand, son! What about father?" Yi Luoyao's eyes were filled with a bit of cruelty.
"That old guy, you are obviously his eldest son, and that bitch Li Li has been dead for several years, but he still won't give me the position of queen, and you can only be a concubine's son. Since he is unkind, then we will be unjust. If he doesn't listen..." Shu Fei made a killing gesture.
"Don't worry, mother. I will arrange it right away." Yi Luoyao bowed and turned to leave.
The princess's mansion was quiet. Yi Luoyue's bedroom was brightly lit with candles. She stood in front of the window, looking at the dark night outside.
"Princess, you have been standing for an hour. Do you want to take a break today?" Bai Die asked Yi Luoyue softly.
"Is Gong Yuchen back?"
"The Prince Consort hasn't come back yet."
"Go prepare some midnight snack first. He'll be hungry when he gets back."
"Yes, I'll go right away."
After waiting for another quarter of an hour, Gong Yuchen walked in dressed in a dark suit.
"Gong Yuchen, you're finally back." Yi Luoyue walked up quickly, put her arms around his waist, her tone full of worry.
"Where have you been? Why did you come back so late? You look tired? Are you okay?" Yi Luoyue reached out and gently stroked his eyebrows.
Gong Yuchen looked at the concern in her eyes, felt warm in his heart, and shook his head.
"I'm fine. I just went to meet some generals in the army with Li Fei, and I'm a little tired."
The two of them came to the table and sat down.
Bai Die walked in with two bowls of warm osmanthus meatball soup and said softly.
"Your Highness, have a bowl of osmanthus meatball soup to warm yourself up. The princess has been waiting for you since she came back from the palace today." Putting down the tray, Bai Die served the sweet soup and then quietly retreated, leaving the two of them some space to be alone.
"You should eat something first."
Gong Yuchen took the porcelain bowl and ate up all the food in it in no time.
"How did you do in the palace today?"
"Well, the message has been passed on, but are you sure Shu Fei and the others will take action at the 'bridal banquet'?"
Yi Luoyue held Gong Yuchen's hand and asked softly.
"According to the spy's report, Yi Luoyao went there after you left Shu Fei, so what you said should have worked. And in the afternoon, Yi Luoyao asked the imperial merchants who supported him to give him 200,000 taels of silver each tomorrow." Gong Yuchen picked up the teacup and took a sip of the warm tea.
"Two hundred thousand taels of silver!?"
"He probably wants to use it to bribe officials."
"So, he has already started to take action?"
"Take a look at this first." Gong Yuchen took out a secret report from his body.
"Li Fei just received news from the secret guards that Yi Luoyao has contacted five first- and second-rank ministers and has agreed to meet at his residence tonight at midnight. I'm afraid they're discussing the specific details of forcing the emperor to abdicate."
When Yi Luoyue heard this, her expression changed instantly.
"They're moving so fast! Should we notify Wu Cheng and Second Brother right now and have them transfer their troops to the palace?"
Gong Yuchen shook his head, his eyes sharp and determined.
"No, Yi Luoyao hasn't forced the palace yet. If we mobilize our forces and they discover us, they might turn against us. The more we hold our composure, the more anxious Shu Fei and Yi Luoyao will become. But don't worry, Li Fei has already deployed secret sentries at every entrance and exit of the palace. If there's any movement among the imperial guards, we'll be the first to know."
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