Chapter 88 Yan Cang, how dare you threaten me?
Yan Cang stared at her without saying a word.
That sharp, all-seeing gaze sent chills down the Empress Dowager's spine, making her limbs feel cold.
Suppressing the fear in her heart, she tried her best to maintain the pride of the Empress Dowager: "Don't think that just because you've led troops for a few days and have military power, you can do whatever you want! Yan Cang, if the Emperor knew how you treated me, do you think he would let you off?"
"If Father Emperor knew that the Empress Dowager poisoned Jin Yue and coerced her into pleading for Wen Heyun, I wonder if Father Emperor would issue an edict to thoroughly investigate the relationship between the Empress Dowager and the Wen family." Yan Cang's voice was calm, yet it carried an undeniable chill. "The Empress Dowager's affair with that Scholar Wen back then..."
"Yan Cang!" The Empress Dowager abruptly stood up, her face ashen, her eyes flashing with a sharp, cold light as needles as she looked at Yan Cang. "What exactly do you want? Is it something a prince should do to smear his own grandmother? So many years have passed since that incident, and you still want to dredge up old grievances? Do you want to make the royal family lose all face? You wretched child!"
Yan Cang looked at her quietly without saying anything.
Just watch quietly.
The Empress Dowager felt guilty, her heart pounded with fear, and her eyes darted away, unconsciously feeling flustered.
“Starting today, if the Empress Dowager makes things difficult for Jin Yue in the slightest, even with just a single rebuke, I will have one person removed from the Princess’s residence.” Yan Cang stood up, clearly not wanting to say too much, leaving only a weighty warning, “It could be Consort Wen, it could be Wen Shiyu or Wen Shijie.”
He paused for a moment, then said, "Your Majesty, rest assured, I will do what I say, and I will do it quietly, without letting anyone find the murderer."
The Empress Dowager was so angry that her vision blurred, and she pointed at him, trembling: "You've really gone too far! Yan Cang, you...you dare to threaten me..."
Yan Cang was like a cold-faced Yama, showing no respect to anyone: "From this day forward, I also ask the Empress Dowager not to interfere in the affairs of the Wen family anymore. Otherwise, I guarantee that Prime Minister Wen will not only have no chance of being reinstated, but may also die a violent death at any time. In this way, the Wen family's wish to become a top-level powerful minister in the capital may never be realized."
After saying this, he bowed slightly and said, "Grandson takes his leave."
After saying that, he calmly turned and left.
The Empress Dowager swayed, then collapsed onto the phoenix couch with a thud, her face deathly pale, her hands trembling uncontrollably at her sides.
What did Yan Cang find out?
He must know something.
Therefore, whether in Zhaoyang Palace or here just now, he was threatening to eliminate the entire Wen family.
Does he know that only Wen Yishu and Wen Shiyu can threaten her? Has he begun to suspect that Princess Ning'an is not her biological daughter?
What else does he know?
The Empress Dowager closed her eyes, a strong sense of unease rising within her.
It's unclear whether it's because of the Wen family's current predicament or because Yan Cang has seen through her secret.
But she quickly convinced herself that perhaps Yan Cang was just trying to trick her.
He has no evidence.
Everyone who knew the truth back then is dead, completely wiped out.
Moreover, so many years have passed that even if Yan Cang wanted to investigate, he wouldn't be able to find out the truth.
"Your Majesty, are you alright?" A worried voice rang in my ears.
The Empress Dowager opened her eyes and looked at Granny Yi, who was standing bowing in front of her. This was the maid who had been with her for most of her life; she had been her servant before she entered the palace.
Decades have passed in the blink of an eye.
Granny Yi knew almost all of her secrets.
The Empress Dowager gently closed her eyes, concealing the murderous intent within them.
Should we silence them?
Only the dead can truly keep a secret.
If Yan Cang wants to investigate the truth of what happened back then, Granny Yi will be a ready-made witness.
The Empress Dowager did not doubt Yi Mama's loyalty, but she believed even more in the methods of forced confessions in the Imperial Prison. No one who was taken to the Imperial Prison could keep a secret.
But Granny Yi cannot die now.
If she dies at this critical juncture, it will definitely arouse Yan Cang's suspicion. If he is only testing the waters now, then the death of Granny Yi may turn his suspicion into certainty.
The Empress Dowager closed her eyes wearily and slowly lay down on the wind-blown couch.
"Please summon the imperial physician tomorrow," the Empress Dowager said gravely. "These past few days I've felt unwell, with aches and pains all over my body. Starting tomorrow, the concubines and princesses of the harem need not come to pay their respects. I wish to rest for a few days."
"yes."
At this hour, the lights in Chonghua Palace were still on.
The imperial edicts were piled up like a small mountain on the emperor's desk. Emperor Zhaode was still reviewing them by lamplight, while the imperial eunuch Xu Baozhong stood respectfully to the side with his head bowed.
When Yan Cang arrived at Chonghua Palace, he discovered that Pei Yi'an was also there.
The person was kneeling on the ground, and it was unclear how long they had been kneeling.
Yan Cang entered the hall, bowed, and turned to look at Pei Yi'an: "It's so late, General Pei, are you still in the palace? Is there an urgent war matter to report?"
Emperor Zhaode said calmly, "Pei Yi'an said that the child in Tang Beixuan's belly is not his, and there is another reason why he brought her back this time."
A hint of mockery flashed across Yan Cang's face: "It seems that General Pei has been racking his brains for an excuse during his recovery."
“I am telling the truth.” Pei Yi’an lowered his eyes, his expression unreadable. “When I first came back, I did not reveal Tang Beixuan’s identity in order to protect her. I thought… I thought the princess would make a fuss with me and I would try to appease her. I just didn’t expect the princess to so resolutely cancel the engagement. I only love the princess and do not want to cancel the engagement. I beg Your Majesty to investigate.”
Emperor Zhaode was momentarily unsure whether he was telling the truth or not, and could only look at Yan Cang: "Why are you still in the palace so late?"
“Jin Yue is in trouble.” Yan Cang frowned. “She has been poisoned and is suffering from severe abdominal pain. The palace servants dared not disturb Father Emperor and hurriedly went to inform me, so I came here.”
Pei Yi'an was shocked. The Sixth Princess had been poisoned?
"How could someone be poisoned out of nowhere?" Emperor Zhaode roared in anger. "How are the palace maids serving you?"
Yan Cang said, "If someone with ulterior motives wants to make a move, even palace maids can't prevent it."
"How is Jin Yue?"
“It’s not fatal, but it causes unbearable abdominal pain. Jin Yue was in so much pain that she asked me to give her a final treatment.” Yan Cang said calmly, “Several imperial physicians were helpless, saying that the poison was extremely cunning. It was only when the Empress Dowager took the only antidote she had that she was cured.”
"Have you found out who did it? If you find the culprit, execute them immediately!"
Yan Cang didn't answer, but said, "Yun Jin wants to stay and keep Jin Yue company tonight, because she's worried that she'll be scared by herself."
Emperor Zhaode was silent for a moment, then slowly nodded: "It's kind of her to think of Jinyue."
"Your Majesty, I wish to see the princess." Pei Yi'an raised his head, his face full of worry. "I beg Your Majesty's permission."
"Why are you in such a hurry?" Yan Cang glanced at him and said unhurriedly, "Pei Yi'an, shouldn't you explain how Princess Nanzhao ended up in the capital of Yong Dynasty?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the hall fell silent.
Pei Yi'an's face paled: "What...what does Your Highness Yan mean by that?"
Emperor Zhaode's gaze fell on Pei Yi'an's face, his eyes gradually turning cold and angry: "Princess Nanzhao? Pei Yi'an, what's going on?"
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