Chapter 779 Clash - Making a Move
Supported by palace maids, the Empress placed the prepared prayer cushions one by one in the hall. She glanced at the concubines, some of whom were resentful or dissatisfied, and finally placed them on Consort Liu.
"Consort Liu, you are also a senior member of the palace. I am not feeling well today, so why don't you preside over this prayer ceremony?"
The Empress looked at Consort Liu with a kind expression, appearing no different from usual, but Consort Liu felt a chill run down her spine.
Without needing to think too much, Consort Liu understood the Empress's true intention in summoning them.
But what does Lu Tianhua's death have to do with her? It's not like she sent someone to kill him. She doesn't take care of her son properly, and when something happens, she takes her anger out on others. She really doesn't deserve to be the Empress.
Consort Liu inwardly grumbled, but outwardly she bowed respectfully to the Empress.
"Your Majesty is kind and compassionate, and personally organized all the younger sisters to pray for the Marquis of Yongshou. How could I possibly overstep my bounds and do it for you? Besides, even if Your Majesty is unwell, there is still the Noble Consort to take over. My humble status is truly unworthy of such a great responsibility."
Consort Liu was unaware of the Empress's true intentions, so naturally she couldn't take the blame.
The Empress smiled upon seeing this, "In that case, I will have to personally oversee this matter."
As the Empress spoke, she raised her hand, and the incense burner that had been prepared beforehand was placed on the altar. Then, the Empress was the first to step forward and offer incense to the spirit tablet of Marquis Yongshou.
Consort Liu was surprised that the Empress had prepared a memorial tablet so quickly after the Marquis of Yongshou had only died this morning. Her bad premonition intensified, and she became wary of everything around her.
Consort Sun followed quietly behind the Empress, and was the second to put the incense into the incense burner. She never raised her head from beginning to end, and even when she was kneeling on the prayer mat, she knelt there woodenly with the posture of an outsider.
But as the incense in the incense burner burned slowly, Consort Sun's lips curled into a smile.
As all the incense sticks were about to burn out, her smile became undisguised as she reached for a mysterious spot.
Her eyes held wickedness and contempt, and everything around her paled in comparison to her smile.
From the moment she knelt down, Consort Liu felt a surge of unease. She kept glancing at the Empress, and just as she was about to breathe a sigh of relief when she turned around, she saw the eerie smile on Consort Sun's face.
She lost her balance and fell directly onto the prayer mat.
The Empress, who was feeling drowsy, was startled by Consort Liu's actions and couldn't help but scold her, "Consort Liu, do you really not want to pray for the Marquis of Yongshou's well-being?"
The Empress was clearly displeased, but Consort Liu had no time to pay attention to her. Her gaze seemed to be drawn to Consort Sun's face, and she couldn't take it off at all.
At the same time, the fourth prince led Sun Ruoyun into the palace gate.
They did not come to visit Consort Liu, but went directly to the main hall where the emperor resided.
The emperor was deeply saddened by Lu Tianhua's death. Having only eaten a little something at noon, when he heard that the fourth prince was requesting an audience, he immediately ordered Lu Changqing to leave without a second thought.
However, the Fourth Prince had made thorough preparations before coming today, so how could he possibly leave like this?
With a flick of his long sleeves, the guards beside him immediately pressed down the personal eunuch who had come to deliver the message, and then the Fourth Prince led Sun Ruoyun swaggering into the bedchamber.
Upon seeing the fourth prince enter, the emperor's expression changed, and he angrily rebuked, "Didn't I say I wouldn't see him? What, are you now disobeying even my words?"
The fourth prince didn't care about the emperor's attitude at all. He had a chair brought to him, and he crossed his legs and leaned back in the chair.
"Why is Father so angry? I only came to offer my condolences after hearing that my eldest brother had passed away. Why do you not want to see your son at all?"
The fourth prince was no longer the humble man he usually was; even when facing his own father, he didn't hold back his sarcastic tone.
The emperor watched as his true nature was revealed, and a mocking smile curled at the corner of his mouth.
"So you killed the boss too. You've killed so many people, don't you ever feel scared in the middle of the night?"
"I didn't kill them."
The fourth prince looked at the emperor and said calmly.
But clearly, the emperor did not believe him.
"I know you don't believe it, but it's the truth."
The fourth prince waved his hand dismissively, saying it didn't matter.
Upon seeing this, Sun Ruoyun whispered something in the Fourth Prince's ear. The Fourth Prince nodded and slowly stood up.
"what are you up to?"
The emperor was startled by his actions, and the fourth prince gave him a disdainful look before simply sitting back down.
"It seems that Father has already regarded me as a murderer."
Isn't that so?
The emperor stared into the fourth prince's eyes, not understanding the reason for his mocking gaze.
From the moment the fourth prince was able to enter smoothly without anyone stopping him, the emperor knew that the people around him had been bribed by the fourth prince.
Since he was so undisguised in front of him, the emperor didn't believe he was just there to argue about whether he was a murderer.
"Perhaps!"
The fourth prince smiled. If patricide can be considered murder, then he might indeed be as the emperor said.
"Father probably doesn't know the true identity of your most trusted Grand Secretary, does he? In fact, if he hadn't come to me seeking cooperation in seizing the throne, I'm afraid I would still be kept in the dark!"
"By the way, there's also the person Father Emperor mentioned who killed the eldest prince and wiped out the entire Anguo Duke's family. Father Emperor would never guess that it was one of your loyal chief ministers who did it!"
The fourth prince's sudden change of tone and accusation threw the emperor into disarray.
"You're talking nonsense."
The emperor found the fourth prince's smile incredibly irritating, and the way he looked at him as if he were a fool was an insult to his own stupidity.
The most important emperor simply did not believe that Yun Yichen was the one who committed the massacre of his entire family and killed his beloved son.
"Father doesn't believe me?"
The fourth prince hadn't originally planned to say much to the emperor, but seeing the emperor's expression, he suddenly became interested.
For so many years, the emperor has been high above and in control of the lives and deaths of others. Compared to this feeling of not being controlled, he must be more afraid of death!
Having made up his mind, the Fourth Prince continued, "Speaking of which, Lord Yun and Father Emperor are related by blood! Did Father Emperor not investigate Lord Yun's identity? In fact, he is the eldest princess's son, the deceased Luo Yu."
As the fourth prince spoke, the emperor's heart was like a stone dropped into a lake, stirring up a stormy sea.
"Luo Yu? You're saying he's Luo Yu?" The emperor shook his head frantically after saying that. "No, impossible, this is impossible."
The fourth prince never expected the emperor to react so strongly. Seeing the emperor's expression, the fourth prince turned and glanced at the eunuch.
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