Xin He paused before saying, "I’m not concerned about the fate of the Shen family. I fear that someone might harm you."
Her words struck a chord in Mu Houchu’s heart, kindling a sense of warmth. It had never occurred to him that she would regard him as that significant.
Mu Houchu curled his lips, touched her head and said, "I won’t let anyone harm me, because I still have to protect you."
"The stains of an assassination attempt cast on me by Concubine Shen is a major crime and one cannot escape the death sentence if found guilty. The whole matter came on so unexpectedly, and I didn’t have the chance to think it through, but something about it seems amiss. After all, even if Concubine Shen is self-interested, she didn’t have to stake her life on the line! Her stab aimed straight for my heart, clearly demonstrating her intent to die."
Xin He paused momentarily, her eyebrows knitted together, "Who would risk their life for self-interest? This is preposterous. Even if it was for the benefit of her family, the entire Shen family depends on Concubine Shen for their prosperity. If Concubine Shen dies, their whole family would lose their support. By no means does this seem like a feasible plan. She definitely didn’t have to resort to this!"
Not to mention that Ji Xinhe never anticipated that Concubine Shen would resort to such drastic measures. Even now that she did, she still finds this to be an inappropriate move considering the current circumstances.
The truth of the matter is, Concubine Shen did go that far. She had the intention to die, hoping to frame Ji Xinhe with her own death.
Therefore, the only explanation is that the real situation is not reflective of what Xin He is currently witnessing.
But what could it be?
Xin He stared at Mu Houchu, bewildered. She was not well-informed about the political landscape of the imperial court. The only thing she could do was help him analyze these clues she has gathered so far, which is why she chose to play this round of the Hongmen Banquet.
Mu Houchu pondered over this and his expression gradually became sombre, "Indeed, it doesn’t add up."
"This means there’s someone behind the Shen family that we have not been aware of! It might even be connected to Old Man Chen!" Xin He exclaimed, feeling an icy chill creep over her.
She seemed to sense a massive web closing in, becoming clearer and more menacing.
A cold smile flitted across Mu Houchu’s face, "Who could link Old Man Chen, the Shen family and even Concubine Shen together in the Imperial Court?"
Xin He’s heart pounded, her face changed, filled with doubt and fear, "The Emperor?"
Mu Houchu’s face had already turned as frosty as ice, "I began to suspect from the time of the Black Bear case."
Xin He turned pale, "Is it...really so?"
What she thought was merely a series of disputes and struggles among courtiers, came as no surprise since Mu Houchu, being in a high position, often offended people. Having many enemies in the court was indeed normal, but she hadn’t expected the man behind all of this to be the Emperor!
If the sovereign wants you dead, then death you must embrace.
Xin He’s heart pounded in her chest, she hastily asked, "Why does the Emperor want to kill you?"
The Black Bear incident last time should have made it clear. Although the black bear targeted her, it was Mu Houchu who ended up being the one seriously injured. The person who plotted it knew that she was his weak spot, and intentionally chose to attack her. Not to mention, they had Princess Chaoyang as the scapegoat.
Connecting this assassination attempt by Concubine Shen to the orders of the Emperor would make things much easier to understand.
Xin He felt a chill in her heart and tightened her grip on Mu Houchu’s hand, "Is the Emperor scared that your power will undermine his authority?" 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮
Mu Houchu declared in a cold voice, "A king often discards his ministers after they have served their purpose. The Emperor does not need any reasons to act against someone."
If there was a valid reason, the Emperor could have simply dealt with him directly. Why would he resort to such underhanded tactics?
A sudden realisation hit Xin He, "So, if I am accused of assassinating Concubine Shen, I would face the death sentence. You would certainly intervene. But, if you interfere, the Emperor could seize the opportunity to take action against you and completely wipe you out."
"He probably hopes that I commit treason," Mu Houchu calmly said, his voice carrying a trace of bitterness, "Even if I don’t, he’ll accuse me of attempting to."
Xin He panicked at his words, "No! I must go back."
Just as Xin He turned to leave, Mu Houchu reached out and pulled her back, interrupted her with a stern voice, "And where do you think you’re going?"
"Their aim is to draw you into this matter. By helping me escape, wouldn’t you just be playing straight into their hands?"
Grabbing her chin, Mu Houchu responded with a serious look, "I, Mu Houchu, have not lost my ability to protect my own woman."
"But my conviction for the attempted assassination of the Imperial Concubine is set in stone. This matter..."
Mu Houchu coldly retorted, "Do you think Concubine Shen matters? She’s just a pawn on the Emperor’s chessboard. If he wants her dead, she’s dead. Her importance is evident. So, the assassination attempt could be a big or small issue. If the Emperor wishes to make a big issue out of it, it will be a big problem. But if he decides to downplay it, then it wouldn’t amount to anything."
"But if the Emperor wants to kill you, how could he allow this matter to be trivialized?"
Just as Mu Houchu was about to reply, a shuffle of footsteps could be heard in the distance. Mu Houchu’s eyes flashed coldly, "The pursuers are here."
Judging by the footsteps and the breaths he could hear, it wasn’t just the ordinary guards from the Princess’s residence. It seemed like the Emperor had already dispatched his men. Otherwise, how could they have received the news so quickly? According to logic, the news of Xin He’s attempted assassination of the Imperial Concubine should have just reached the Palace. But now, even the Emperor’s pursuers had arrived, revealing the depth of his conspiracy.
Mu Houchu keenly picked up on the noises that suggested their pursuers were closing in. If they stormed him all at once, it would be hard to deal with. All of them were experts, how could he overcome them in one fell swoop?
Tightening his lips, Mu Houchu suddenly whipped the horse, spurring it into a gallop.
He led Xin He in the opposite direction as fast as he could.
As expected, the pursuers were deceived by the horse and turned to chase it.
But who knew, just a few steps after, a line of pursuers had already blocked their path.
Mu Houchu’s face instantly turned icy cold. He stopped in his tracks, his hand already reaching for the steel nails at his waist.
"Mu Houchu, I moulded you into the man you are today. How could I not understand your tactics and intentions? For an old fox like you, even if I brought a pursuit team, I wouldn’t just pursue you from one direction."
A middle-aged man with a protruding belly strutted out, laughing heartily with a complacent look on his face. If it wasn’t Old Man Chen, who else could it be?
Mu Houchu, however, didn’t seem surprised at all and looked at him coldly. "Old Man Chen, it’s nice to see you doing well. Even from your leisurely home, you still find it within yourself to bother with me."
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