Chapter 89 I know the reason
A look of panic flashed in Pei Yi'an's eyes: "Your Majesty... I don't understand what Prince Yan means..."
"It's alright." Yan Cang said indifferently, "General Pei can go to the imperial prison and talk to Prince Ming slowly, saying whatever comes to mind."
Pei Yi'an's expression changed drastically: "Your Majesty, I am innocent! Your Majesty—"
"Guards," Yan Cang ordered coldly, "lock General Pei in the imperial prison first. We'll talk to him slowly when Prince Ming is on duty tomorrow morning."
Two guards with swords entered. They first looked at the Emperor, and seeing that the Emperor nodded in approval, they led Pei Yi'an out.
"Your Majesty! I am innocent! I am innocent!"
Emperor Zhaode remained silent for a long time, until Pei Yi'an's voice could no longer be heard clearly, before he put down his vermilion brush and asked in a deep voice, "What happened?"
Yan Cang frowned: "Father, do you still remember the woman that Second Brother rescued from the Wen family? The one who wouldn't let go of him."
Emperor Zhaode nodded: "Of course I remember."
Since Yan Yang took charge of the town government, all the noble ladies in the capital have regarded him as a snake or a scorpion; no woman has ever been so unafraid of him.
"Her name is Xue Ziying. Because she refused to submit when Wen Heyun was abusing her, she was beaten the most and was injured the most. She clung to the Second Prince and wouldn't let go. The Second Prince took her with him when he went to the Imperial Prison that day."
Yan Cang calmly recounted the events: "After interrogating Wen Heyun, the Second Prince learned that this Xue Ziying was the Princess of Nanzhao, and somehow she had fallen into Pei Yi'an's hands. Pei Yi'an sent someone to secretly deliver her from the border to the capital. Originally, she was to be given to the Prince of Jin, but the Prince of Jin felt that her identity was sensitive and dared not accept her. So this woman came to the Wen Prime Minister's residence and was taken into the backyard by Wen Heyun, where she suffered all kinds of abuse."
Emperor Zhaode was startled and abruptly stood up: "Princess Nanzhao?"
Yan Cang nodded: "Yes."
Emperor Zhaode coldly asked, "Why did Pei Yi'an send Princess Nanzhao to Yongchao?"
"Your Majesty has already sent people to investigate, but there is still no news." Yan Cang's brows furrowed slightly. "Your Majesty suspects that if Pei Yi'an is colluding with a certain ruler in Nanzhao, this Xue Ziying is very likely the daughter of that person's mortal enemy, and was brought to Yongchao as a hostage."
"Even as a hostage, are you just going to stand by and watch someone be tortured?" Emperor Zhaode's voice was deep and furious. "Wen Heyun truly deserves to be torn to pieces!"
Yan Cang said, "And that Tang Beixuan, her identity is also very suspicious."
"We can't let Pei Yi'an go any further into the southern border." Emperor Zhaode walked around the desk, hands behind his back, pacing back and forth. "Is the situation stable over there for the time being?"
“The southern border is fine for now,” Yan Cang said. “As long as Xiling and Mobei can be stabilized, Nanzhao will not dare to send troops easily.”
Nanzhao only dared to take advantage of the situation when the Yong Dynasty was at war. If the Yong Dynasty was not at war with the Northern Desert, they would not dare to provoke them at all.
Emperor Zhaode was slightly relieved, but frowned and asked, "What's going on with Jin Yue?"
“Father.” Yan Cang’s expression darkened. “If my words tonight have offended you, please forgive me.”
Emperor Zhaode paused for a moment, looking at her thoughtfully: "What's wrong?"
Yan Cang's voice was icy: "Jin Yue's poison was administered by the Empress Dowager."
"What did you say?" Emperor Zhaode's expression changed. "Yan Cang, you mustn't speak nonsense—"
"Your subject dares not speak nonsense." Yan Cang's expression was more serious than ever. "The Empress Dowager wants to save Wen Heyun and reinstate Prime Minister Wen to his original position, but she knows that the inner palace should not interfere in politics. So, in the past few days, under the pretext of sending Jin Yue to attend to her illness, she poisoned Jin Yue. The imperial physicians were helpless, and Jin Yue was writhing in pain on the bed. When your subject and Yun Jin arrived at Zhaoyang Palace, Jin Yue looked like she had been pulled out of the water."
Yan Cang's expression grew cold: "The Empress Dowager instructed that we must not disturb Father Emperor."
"She threatened Jin Yue, making her beg me to let Wen Heyun go, and even made Jin Yue offer to marry Wen Heyun."
"Jin Yue refused to be threatened by her and told me the Empress Dowager's words in detail. She also said that if there was no antidote, she would rather let her son kill her."
"Father, I don't understand why the Empress Dowager is so protective of the Wen family. Is it just because of Prince Consort Wen and Princess Ning'an? Is the Wen family more important to her than her own granddaughter's life?
“I know,” Emperor Zhaode suddenly spoke. “I know the reason.”
Yan Cang paused, his eyes darkening slightly as he looked at him calmly: "Does Father know the reason?"
"Hmm." Emperor Zhaode nodded slowly, his tone somewhat complicated. "You don't need to concern yourself with this matter, and you are not allowed to investigate it privately."
Yan Cang was silent for a moment, then asked, "Are you just going to let Jin Yue's suffering tonight go like this?"
"The Empress Dowager is an elder, what do you intend to do?" Emperor Zhaode turned to look at him irritably. "Do you want me to punish her?"
Yan Cang remained silent, his expression indifferent.
Emperor Zhaode sighed, "I know you feel sorry for Jinyue—"
“Let Jin Yue move out of the palace,” Yan Cang calmly proposed. “After Mother was banished to the Cold Palace, Jin Yue was already suffering alone in the palace. This time, the Empress Dowager tried to poison her but failed to achieve her goal. Jin Yue will have an even harder time in the palace from now on. Moving out of the palace will be closer to my residence, so she can spend more time with Yun Jin and get out of the shadows sooner.”
Emperor Zhaode thought for a moment and said, "That will work too."
Yan Cang said, "There happens to be an unused mansion on Zhuque Street."
Emperor Zhaode glanced at him and said, "I had almost forgotten about that place. It's amazing that you can remember it so clearly."
Yan Cang remained silent.
Emperor Zhaode turned his head: "Xu Baozhong."
"Your servant is here."
"Tomorrow, issue an imperial edict to the Ministry of Works to renovate the existing Prince Rong's Mansion on Zhuque Street and convert it into a Princess's Mansion, which will be bestowed upon the Sixth Princess. The renovation work must be completed within one month."
"As you command."
"Furthermore, the Sixth Princess is hereby granted the title of Princess Zhaoyang. The imperial edict will be drafted tomorrow."
"Your servant obeys!"
Having achieved his goal, Yan Cang finished speaking and, just in time for business, calculated the time it would take for the palace gates to lock, bowed and took his leave: "Father, please rest early. Your son will take his leave now."
Emperor Zhaode remained silent, watching Yan Cang depart. After a long while, he said, "Yan Cang is truly becoming more and more like me back in the day."
The imperial eunuch bowed his head and replied, "Yes."
He really wanted to say that His Highness Prince Yan was more imposing than His Majesty was back then, and most importantly, he was skilled in both literature and martial arts.
He can bring peace to the world with his pen, and he can conquer the world on horseback.
Unfortunately, I can't say these words; I can only keep them to myself.
Xu Baozhong hesitated before asking, "Isn't Your Majesty worried that His Highness the Prince of Yan's power is too great and that he might harbor rebellious intentions?"
"You know nothing," Emperor Zhaode scoffed. "If he truly harbored rebellious intentions, I wouldn't be so worried. A man who has fought on the battlefield, not only lacking any ambition but also indulging in personal affairs all day long, unwilling to even take a concubine... Xu Baozhong, do you think he's out of his mind?"
Xu Baozhong gave an awkward smile: "This servant would not dare to speak ill of His Highness the Prince of Yan."
“My son is capable, but he lacks ambition and ruthlessness.” Emperor Zhaode turned around and walked back to his desk to sit down, looking at a pile of memorials with worry. “A future ruler must be decisive and ruthless. How can he be a sentimental fool? This is not normal.”
Xu Baozhong forced a smile, not daring to speak.
“No.” Emperor Zhaode shook his head. “I still want to bestow a concubine upon him.”
"Xu Baozhong".
"Select a few suitable daughters of officials tomorrow. I will consider which one to bestow upon him in marriage." Emperor Zhaode frowned. "My sons are all more troublesome than the last."
Xu Baozhong hesitated before asking, "What kind of woman does His Majesty wish to bestow upon His Highness the Prince of Yan?"
“The daughter of a high-ranking official in the court will be able to rival Minister Chu in the future.” Emperor Zhaode pondered, “We cannot allow the Chu family to become too powerful.”
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