Chapter 81: Nights of Wedding Nights?
Yan Yanghou did not wait long outside the study.
The messenger left a short while ago, and Yan Cang came out of the inner courtyard.
Yan Yang said nothing and walked into the study with Yan Cang. After closing the door, he got straight to the point: "Pei Yi'an should be placed under control and no one should be allowed to contact him anymore. Fourth Brother, you can consider whether you should be in charge of the investigation, or whether I should take him directly to the imperial prison for interrogation and forced confession."
Yan Cang walked to the tea table next door and gestured for Yan Yang to sit down and talk.
The maid served tea and then quickly withdrew.
Yan Cang asked, "What news did you receive?"
"It was only during the interrogation of Wen Heyun that we learned that Xue Ziying..." Yan Yang paused slightly before continuing, "is the woman who clung to me during the day. Her name is Xue Ziying, and her identity is actually Princess Nanzhao."
“Princess Nanzhao?” Yan Cang’s expression turned cold. “It seems that Pei Yi’an really has some kind of collusion with Nanzhao.”
Yan Yang was taken aback: "You suspected him a long time ago?"
Yan Cang hummed in agreement, his voice indifferent: "Yun Jin said that Pei Yi'an is suspected of colluding with the enemy."
"How could she know?" Yan Yang paused for a moment, then frowned. "And you actually believe her?"
Yan Cang remained silent, his silence tacitly acquiescing.
Yan Yang suddenly didn't know what to say.
Although he also suspected Pei Yi'an of colluding with the enemy, Yan Cang's easy belief in Chu Yunjin's words still made him feel very strange.
Given Chu Yunjin's past behavior, even if their relationship had improved, Yan Cang should have been skeptical of what Chu Yunjin said, or simply dismissed it as nonsense.
She had never been to the border or had any contact with the Nanzhao people, so how could she know that Pei Yi'an was colluding with the enemy?
Yan Yang carefully said, "Although I'm quite happy to see you two as a harmonious couple and that your relationship has progressed, she previously accused the Imperial Concubine in public at the palace banquet..."
"It wasn't her."
Yan Yang's voice froze: "What did you say?"
“It wasn’t her.” Yan Cang lowered his eyes. “It has nothing to do with her.”
Yan Yang found that he couldn't quite understand what he was saying.
Chu Yunjin clearly accused the Consort at the palace banquet, and so many people heard it—no one present witnessed whether the Consort had an affair with another man, but everyone heard Chu Yunjin's accusations.
Yan Cang is saying it wasn't her?
Yan Yang's expression grew increasingly strange.
Yan Cang asked, "Is Xue Ziying the Princess of Nanzhao?"
Yan Yang nodded: "I don't know which prince's daughter she is yet. I'll ask her when I get back tonight."
Yan Cang was silent for a moment: "Hand her over to the nanny in the manor to take care of her. After her injuries have healed, find out her identity and send her back as soon as possible. Don't get entangled with her."
Nanzhao and Yongchao are not mortal enemies. Nanzhao's national strength and military strength are far inferior to Yongchao's, but in recent years, they have launched many small-scale battles from time to time.
Especially when the Northern Desert and the Western Ridge were waging war against the Yong Dynasty, the Southern Zhao always liked to take advantage of others' misfortunes, which was quite petty.
Yan Yang raised an eyebrow: "Am I the one pestering her, or is she pestering me?"
Yan Cang looked at him expressionlessly: "Is that the point?"
Yan Yang: "..."
Yan Cang asked, "Is there anything else?"
Yan Yang paused for a moment: "You seem to have a lot of free time these past few days, and you can't seem to leave your sister-in-law for a while?"
He usually spends the whole day in the military camp, sometimes not even returning until midnight, eating and sleeping with the soldiers. Although he lives in the capital, he is never seen.
These past few days have been great; I can see him whenever I want.
He overheard Wen Heyun insulting Chu Yunjin, which shows that the Wen family was destined to die. It was such a coincidence that they fell into Yan Cang's hands, and it was also such a coincidence that a Princess of Nanzhao was found in Wen Heyun's backyard, which directly implicated Pei Yi'an.
Yan Cang raised an eyebrow and glanced at him indifferently.
Yan Yang's words reminded him that he could be even more free.
Yan Cang said, "I have something for you to do."
Yan Yang picked up his teacup and took a sip: "What is it?"
“There’s a nanny named Yi by the Empress Dowager’s side,” Yan Cang pondered. “Take her to the imperial prison secretly and interrogate her about the Empress Dowager’s childbirth back then.”
Yan Yang almost dropped the teacup in his hand; the tea splashed out and scalded his hand.
He glanced down at it, placed the teacup back steadily on the table, and then took out a handkerchief to wipe his hands: "You..."
Yan Cang looked at him calmly.
Yan Yang lowered his voice: "Do you suspect that Father Emperor is not the Empress Dowager's biological son?"
This is a huge deal.
Enough to overthrow the dynasty.
If the emperor's background is questionable, then all of them, the princes, will be questionable. If the secret is leaked, the court will be thrown into turmoil, right?
It's no wonder that Yan Yang immediately suspected the emperor. After all, the purpose of the "switching of the crown prince" was to obtain the throne. The empress dowager had a son and a daughter. It was pointless to switch someone else's daughter into the palace and her own son out.
Therefore, the most likely candidate is the current emperor.
Yan Cang shook his head: "It's not Father Emperor, it's Princess Ning'an."
Yan Yang asked in surprise, "What could be wrong with her background? Why would you suddenly suspect this?"
As soon as he asked the question, he suddenly recalled the scene earlier that day in the Xuanzheng Hall where the Empress Dowager arrived without warning and spoke up for Wen Heyun.
Thinking back on how much she had doted on Consort Wen and the Wen family's three children over the years, Yan Yang finally realized something was wrong. The Empress Dowager was too biased towards the Wen family, to an incomprehensible degree.
"Granny Yi?" Yan Yang's brow furrowed slightly. "Does she know about the Empress Dowager's youth?"
“She was the Empress Dowager’s dowry maid and has served her for decades,” Yan Cang said calmly. “After the Empress Dowager gave birth, all the palace maids and eunuchs who served her died, leaving only this Granny Yi. Perhaps the Empress Dowager couldn’t bear to silence her.”
Yan Yang smiled upon hearing this: "With such a deep bond between them, would Granny Yi betray the Empress Dowager?"
"That depends on your interrogation skills." Yan Cang clearly didn't think it was a problem. "It's getting late, let's go back."
He put down his teacup, got up, and walked outside.
Yan Yang had a very fruitful day.
This means that he will be extremely busy for the next few days.
He stepped out of the study, feeling the somewhat gloomy night wind. Yan Yang couldn't help but sigh at his miserable fate. While other princes lived in luxury and had women on their left and right, he was busy with work, associating with criminals every day.
If you offend too many people, you'll probably die a violent death sooner or later.
Yan Cang returned to Shuangxue Courtyard after washing up.
Chu Yunjin had already taken a bath and was leaning against the headboard in a thin nightgown. The "囍" (double happiness) decoration that had been posted in the bedroom the day before yesterday was still there, and red candles were lit behind the screen, creating a warm and romantic atmosphere.
Yan Cang walked in and gestured for those around him to leave.
Adele bowed and took her leave.
Yan Cang walked directly into the inner room, first glancing at the red candle burning on the table, a slight smile playing on his lips, then turning his head to look at Chu Yunjin leaning against the headboard, meeting her gentle, smiling eyes.
The sweet fragrance of his freshly bathed body filled his nostrils, causing his heart to flutter involuntarily.
The woman's beautiful eyes seemed to sparkle with starlight, reflecting Yan Cang's sharply defined features. He slowly walked to the bedside, looking down at the allure in her eyes: "A wedding night every night?"
"It's to make it up to you," Chu Yunjin chuckled. "Once I get pregnant, I won't need it anymore."
Yan Cang frowned slightly: "Jin'er, do you think your husband isn't trying hard enough?"
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