The next day.
When Xia Yixin woke up, Qi Yu was already gone.
I learned from Cao De that although he had stopped attending the morning court session due to his injury, he had been personally investigating the assassin's matter, sometimes returning late at night.
The Imperial Guards completely surrounded Zhengyang Palace. Cao De explained that it was to protect her safety, and that the Empress Dowager's side was also surrounded.
She felt something was off, but she had no proof.
Since Qi Yu wasn't coming back, Xia Yixin couldn't just leave without saying goodbye. She had no choice but to settle for second best and asked the Imperial Guards to bring over the folding mattress from Fengqi Palace. She didn't want to be with him anymore.
The folding bed had a cleverly concealed mechanism, and the Imperial Guards simply assumed that she felt the Zhengyang Palace was lacking a couch.
When Empress Dowager Xiaode received the news that Xia Yixin had woken up, she came over early in the morning with a large amount of tonics. When she saw that Xia Yixin looked quite well, she breathed a sigh of relief, and then scolded Xia Yixin with a stern face.
"I have heard about what happened that day. It is understandable that the Empress cares about her father, but one should always act within one's means."
Empress Dowager Xiaode was truly shocked when she found out that day. Fortunately, neither of them was seriously injured. Xia Yixin had been in a coma for the past three days, which worried Empress Dowager Xiaode.
Xia Yixin could tell that she was sincere, so she nodded obediently. Actually, she thought that being a "daughter-in-law" was quite easy. If the empress dowagers in TV dramas knew that their sons were injured because of their daughters-in-law, they would probably have used their status to suppress them long ago.
There were many people in the palace, and their opinions were varied, so she gradually managed to find out some information.
The Ministry of Justice arrested many people, and not just those involved in the case. She increasingly felt that something was wrong, so she left a coded message for Ying Qi.
Now that the Imperial Guards have completely surrounded Zhengyang Palace, she has no confidence that Yingqi can get in.
That night, Qi Yu did not return home for a long time. She was dozing off when she suddenly heard a commotion outside. She stood up abruptly and sure enough, not long after, she heard Ying Qi's voice coming from the window.
“Miss, the situation in the palace is complicated right now, and I cannot stay any longer. Xiahou sent me with a letter. I will come back tomorrow night to await your message.” After saying this, Yingqi slipped the letter through the crack and left.
Sure enough, not long after Xia Yixin put the letter away, Zhao Quan, the commander of the Imperial Guards, came to knock on the door.
After dismissing Zhao Quan, Xia Yixin quickly read the letter Xia Jingfeng had given her and then hid it in her storage ring.
He brought two pieces of news, one good and one bad.
The good news is that Xia Jingfeng is mostly unharmed. The bad news is, as Xia Yixin had inquired, things are very tense outside. The Ministry of Justice is arresting people everywhere, and the Imperial Guards have surrounded the entire palace. The former Northern Martial Guards have all been taken away by the Ministry of Justice under the pretext of cooperating with the investigation. Xia Jingfeng's influence in the palace has been effectively neutralized.
Moreover, during this period, Qi Yu ordered the Ministry of Justice to investigate people who were not actually involved in the case. They were all killed shortly after being brought to the Ministry of Justice. And coincidentally, they were all people who had previously been dissatisfied with Qi Yu, or spies planted by various forces.
It was practically a massive purge under the guise of a pretext.
If it were only these things, Xia Jingfeng might not be certain, but he received news that the court would impeach him tomorrow and demand that he hand over the tiger tally.
【Wan'er, your father suspects that the entire ceremony was orchestrated by Qi Yu to kill two birds with one stone. Wan'er, please be careful around him. This whole affair is most likely a trap he set. Fortunately, I entrusted it to you beforehand. The mansion has been burglarized at night these past few days, but it doesn't seem like the work of ordinary people. It's as if they're searching for something. Your father suspects it's the Tiger Tally. Wan'er, don't tell him you have the Tiger Tally yet. Hide it well, and we'll discuss it again when we have a chance to leave the palace.】
Xia Yixin had almost forgotten about the Tiger Tally. She had taken the Tiger Tally from Xia Jingfeng and originally intended to give it to Qi Yu after the ceremony, but it was still in her storage ring.
But the situation is far more complicated than she thought. What if the assassination attempt at the festival was orchestrated by Qi Yu himself?
It sounds unbelievable, but upon closer inspection, there are many strange aspects.
For example, Qi Yu's reaction during the ceremony was too calm, especially since he reacted before the first arrow was even fired, and the assassins retreated immediately after Qi Yu made his move, without attacking him at all.
Of course, one could explain it as a fear of making a big fuss, but now that I think about it carefully, whether things succeed or not, the biggest winner in the end is Qi Yu.
And the conversation she heard when she woke up that day.
If it's true.
So, from the very beginning, Qi Yu was scheming against them. What exactly is their alliance? Was his rescue of her out of genuine affection or merely a stopgap measure...?
The more she thought about it, the more a chill ran down her spine.
The spark that had just ignited was extinguished instantly.
Qi Yu returned before dawn that night, still feeling the chill. Xia Yixin wrapped herself in a blanket and pretended to be asleep.
This was the first time I truly understood what it meant to be unable to sleep at night.
The following day, he attended court.
The Ministry of Justice concluded that more than 300 court officials and people of various kinds had been arrested, and together with their nine generations of relatives, totaling a thousand people, all of whom were beheaded.
Meanwhile, in the imperial court, Qi Yu changed his previous moderate attitude and, taking advantage of the case of "suspected involvement in the assassination attempt during the sacrificial ceremony," dragged several high-ranking officials with "conclusive evidence" out of the Meridian Gate and beheaded them in front of all the officials.
The officials knelt trembling, not daring to utter a sound.
They all knew perfectly well that Qi Yu's true intentions were not what they seemed; he was merely using this as an excuse to eliminate his rivals.
This seemingly puppet-like young emperor used this incident to initially regain control of the court.
Just as everyone was wondering if Xia Jingfeng had intervened, Lin Sikong, the head of all officials, suddenly stepped forward.
"Your Majesty! I believe that in this assassination attempt, besides the collusion of those villains, there is one person who cannot escape responsibility!"
Lin Sikong has kept a low profile since the return of Empress Dowager Xiaode, but he suddenly spoke out today.
The officials exchanged bewildered glances, except for Grand Commandant Shen, who, like a cunning old fox, sensed something and looked at the composed Xia Jingfeng with suspicion.
It's important to know that ever since the assassination attempt at the ceremony, the young emperor has been using the excuse that "the empress is recuperating" to block Xia Jingfeng's access to the palace to see his daughter. Could it be...?
Sure enough, after looking around, Lin Sikong's gaze settled on Xia Jingfeng. "The Prime Minister was in charge of security for this sacrificial ceremony. Although he was also injured, he cannot escape blame! Moreover, the Tiger Tally has been missing for a long time. Rumor has it that it is in the Prime Minister's hands. I wonder if that's true?"
Immediately, the court was in an uproar!
The officials weren't stupid. Lin Sikong's attitude represented the attitude of the royalists, which was also the emperor's attitude. This was a direct confrontation between the son-in-law and the father-in-law. The young emperor was trying to force Xia Jingfeng to hand over the tiger tally!
Amidst the sighs and murmurs, Xia Jingfeng remained remarkably calm, his tiger-like eyes fixed intently on Qi Yu, who had taken the position.
Qi Yu remained calm, clearing the air with a cold cough to quell the commotion. "This matter is merely a rumor. I believe the Prime Minister is wholeheartedly devoted to our Great Han. Do not listen to the nonsense spread by others!"
Qi Yu's words seemed to offer Xia Jingfeng a way out, but he did not deny the first half of Lin Sikong's statement. After the court session, the officials consciously distanced themselves from Xia Jingfeng and hurriedly left.
Only Grand Commandant Shen deliberately walked a few steps alongside Xia Jingfeng.
"Your Excellency, a wolf is a wolf; it cannot be tamed." Grand Commandant Shen chuckled strangely.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
