"Damn Yun Qianmeng! How dare you threaten my family in the capital?" With a clang, a glass teacup was thrown to the ground, shattering the icy porcelain. Su Qi's low growl followed.
He was seen with his hands on the table, his eyes fixed on the broken teacup on the ground, his face full of ferocity. In this stormy night, he looked extremely terrifying.
"Sir, Madam asks you what to do. Although the Princess of Chu promised Madam to give her a few days to think it over, she can't delay for a few days." The servant who delivered the letter stepped forward and whispered in Su Qi's ear.
"Hmph, how could Yun Qianmeng be so kind as to act as a matchmaker for my daughter? She is just worried that I will do something to Rong Yunhe, so she is deliberately blackmailing me. She wouldn't be so kind. You go back and tell my wife to delay it as much as possible, until I return to the capital." Looking at the wind and rain coming in outside the window, Su Qi walked to the window, staring at the dark rainy night through the window, a sinister look in his eyes.
"Someone come here." After thinking for a moment, Su Qi suddenly shouted outside the door.
"Sir." A yamen runner heard the voice and quickly opened the door and walked in.
Su Qi lowered his head and pondered for a moment, then asked, "How has the Rong family's food distribution been these days?"
"Your Excellency, the distribution in Tongzhou has been completed. Rong Yunhe plans to set off tomorrow to go to a nearby city to check the accounts." The bailiff answered truthfully.
"Hmph!" After a cold snort, Su Qi picked up the hat that was originally placed on the table and put it on.
"Sir, it's windy and rainy outside. Where are you going? I'd better do it for you." When the bailiff saw Su Qi was about to go out, he immediately stepped forward to flatter him.
"No need, I'll be back soon." Su Qi's eyes darkened slightly, and he refused coldly. Then he pulled the closed door open and walked out...
The imperial palace in Beijing.
The continuous downpours of several days had left people feeling restless and anxious. The floods in the south of the Yangtze River were compounded by the heavy rain, which truly made matters worse. Emperor Yugan, clutching a purple-gold brush, dipped the tip of the brush into the inkstone, then continued reviewing the memorials. The steady patter of rain in his ears made him frown, and he coldly asked Eunuch Yu beside him, "Little Yu, how many days has this rain been falling?"
Hearing the question, Eunuch Yu glanced at Emperor Yugan. Seeing the emperor's frosty expression and a hint of impatience in his piercing eyes, Eunuch Yu immediately replied carefully, "Your Majesty, it has been raining for five consecutive days. It is said that many people's homes in the capital have been flooded recently, and many of the dilapidated halls in our palace are also soaked in rainwater. The Empress Dowager just sent Aunt Lan to ask if we should go to Puguo Temple to burn incense and pray for good weather in Western Chu."
Emperor Yugan paused for a moment, then continued writing his instructions. He said coldly, "No need. The recent rains have caused a lot of flooding. It's safer for the concubines and the empress dowager to stay in the palace. Puguo Temple is on the mountain after all. If something goes wrong along the way, wouldn't it cause trouble for everyone?"
"Yes, I understand." Eunuch Yu murmured in response to Emperor Yugan's instructions. Seeing that the emperor was still immersed in official business, he looked up at a young eunuch standing outside the hall and nodded to him. Upon hearing Eunuch Yu's news, the young eunuch immediately left the upper study quietly.
"Your humble servant pays his respects to the Emperor." At this time, a man in the uniform of the Imperial Guard was let in by Zhang Lan. He walked quickly to the dragon table and respectfully saluted the Emperor Yugan on it.
"Hmm." Emperor Yu Gan was focused on the memorial in front of him. He just responded in a low voice, raised his eyelids slightly and glanced at the man in black in front of him. Just as he was about to continue to focus his eyes on the memorial, he saw him suddenly raise his head, stare at the man in black in front of him, and then wink at Eunuch Yu.
Eunuch Yu understood and raised his hand slightly to the palace servants serving in the study. He led everyone out and carefully closed the door of the study for Emperor Yu Gan, and personally stood guard outside the hall.
Emperor Yugan dropped the purple-gold brush in his hand, stood up, and walked down the jade steps step by step to the front of the imperial guard. He said in a deep voice, "Stand up."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." The guard was very agile and stood up with a little effort on his legs, but he still bent slightly in front of the emperor to show respect.
"How is the investigation going? I have given you enough time." Emperor Yugan looked straight ahead with his cold eyes, looking at the rain falling like silver threads outside through the blank space on the palace door. With one hand on his waist and the other hand on his back, his domineering demeanor made people dare not ignore him.
Hearing Emperor Yugan's question, the guard quickly lowered his body even further, leaned forward, and whispered to Emperor Yugan, "Your Majesty, after careful investigation, I have already gathered some clues. Just as Your Majesty suspected, this matter is indeed closely related to the Chu family."
Upon hearing this, Emperor Yugan's eyes suddenly narrowed, and the scene before him became clearer. A sneer gradually crept onto the corners of his mouth, and he spoke slowly with a hint of coldness, "What else have you found out? Where is the thing I asked you to find now?"
Seeing Emperor Yugan so anxious, the guard knew that the matter was of great importance and no wonder the emperor could not wait any longer. He immediately stepped forward and whispered a few words in Emperor Yugan's ear.
After hearing the words of the imperial guards, Emperor Yugan's face became turbulent as if a storm was about to come, just like the heavy dew in late autumn that made people dare not look directly at it.
"Is this matter certain?" With his hands clenched into fists behind his back, Emperor Yugan shot his gaze at the imperial guard like a bloody blade. His deep voice was filled with a cold and murderous aura, which made people tremble with fear and dare not say a wrong word.
The guard knew this matter was of great importance and dared not make any mistakes. Sensing the murderous intent in the emperor's eyes, the guard immediately lowered his head and replied firmly, "I'm sure."
Emperor Yugan's expression gradually turned cold and bloodthirsty, with unprecedented turmoil in his eyes, and thousands of thoughts were swirling in his unfathomable eyes.
Seeing that Emperor Yugan pursed his lips and stopped asking questions, the guard did not dare to speak and stood aside. However, even so, he could still feel the uncontrollable anger and coldness emanating from the king.
Emperor Yugan raised his head and closed his eyes, trying to calm the surging emotions in his heart. When he opened his eyes again, his expression was calm, but there was a hint of coldness in those dragon eyes that exuded royal majesty.
"Does the Queen Mother know about this matter?" After a while, Emperor Yugan spoke indifferently, his tone containing a hint of nervousness but also a nine-tenths of murderous intent.
"I deserve to die for this matter..." The guard knelt on his knees in front of Emperor Yugan, his face full of shame.
Emperor Yu Gan did not get angry when he got this answer. He gently turned the purple jade ring on his thumb with the index finger of his right hand placed on his waist, but he already had a plan in his mind.
"Investigate the Chu Palace, the Chu Prime Minister's Palace, the Queen Mother, the Fuguo Duke's Palace, and the Yun Prime Minister's Palace for me. Don't let any of them go." The low and cold voice sounded again. Emperor Yugan's face was full of murderous intent. It was obvious that he had the intention to kill these people he named.
"Yes." The guard responded coldly, then quietly left through the side door of the upper study, and his figure disappeared in the rain in a short while.
"Someone, come here and show your strength..." Emperor Yugan raised his voice, but saw Eunuch Yu open the palace door and walked in quickly.
"Your Majesty, Commander Zhou of the Imperial Mausoleum Guard Army requests to see you." Unexpectedly, Eunuch Yu quickly saluted Emperor Yugan and reported the situation outside to him.
"Him? What is he doing here? How could he leave the imperial mausoleum and desert his post without my order? Isn't he afraid that I will chop off his head?" Emperor Yugan had just managed to suppress his anger with great difficulty, and now someone bumped into him. Naturally, he vented all his anger on the commander of the mausoleum guarding army.
Eunuch Yu was also frightened by the change in Emperor Yugan's attitude, but he also knew in his heart that Emperor Yugan must have known some news and that was why he hid his anger.
With an extremely cautious expression on his lowered face, Eunuch Yu replied, "Your Majesty, I have heard that Commander Zhou of the Mausoleum Guard seems to be seeking an audience with an urgent matter."
"Announce." Putting aside the things in his mind for the time being, Emperor Yugan turned around, walked up the jade steps, sat on the dragon throne, and spoke in a deep voice.
"Yes." Eunuch Yu's expression relaxed slightly, and he immediately said loudly to the outside of the palace: "Summon the mausoleum guard Zhou Shi to see you."
In a short while, a middle-aged man dressed in the uniform of the mausoleum guard commander quickly stepped into the upper study. Upon seeing Emperor Yugan, he immediately knelt and saluted, "Your humble servant, Mausoleum Guard Zhou Shi, pays homage to the emperor. Long live the emperor."
"Why did you leave your post without permission? When did I summon you to the capital? You actually ignored my order, Zhou She, are you really that bold?" Unexpectedly, Emperor Yugan suddenly became furious in front of the palace, with fire burning in his eyes. It was obvious that he was upset with Zhou She for obstructing him just now.
Zhou Shi's face was solemn. Being stationed at the imperial mausoleum for many years made him lack the pampered life of a Beijing official and gained a sense of vicissitudes of life, but he lacked the shrewdness to deal with the emperor.
At this moment, facing the questioning of Emperor Yugan, Zhou Shi's face was slightly stunned, and then he quickly said, "In reply to the emperor, I came here this time to report an important matter."
"What important matter is there that would warrant you leaving the mausoleum and entering the palace so rashly? What's the point of me asking you to guard the imperial mausoleum?" With a 'bang', Emperor Yugan slammed the table, feeling annoyed.
Zhou Shi's face gradually turned pale after being questioned by Emperor Yugan. He could only bite the bullet and speak, "Your Majesty, last night, Concubine Yuande was injured by an assassin in the mausoleum palace of the imperial mausoleum. She is now unconscious. The several female doctors in the imperial mausoleum are helpless. I can only come to report this matter and ask for Your Majesty's decision."
"What?" Emperor Yugan suddenly looked up, a hint of surprise flashing across his eyes.
Eunuch Yu standing by was also shocked. Who would have thought that Concubine Yuande would be injured by an assassin?
"I am incompetent and failed to protect the Concubine Dowager. Please punish me, Your Majesty." Zhou Shi kowtowed to Emperor Yugan, his face full of shame.
"Please tell me the whole story." Emperor Yugan felt a headache. Before one problem was solved, another one arose. Who would have thought that Concubine Yuande would be injured in the imperial tomb?
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