Chapter 94 The Righteous and Awe-inspiring Ninth Prince
Granny Gui's eyes suddenly lit up!
As if grasping at a last straw, she struggled to crawl to the emperor's feet and cried out in a hoarse voice, "Your Majesty! Your Majesty! There's a clue! There's a clue!"
Pei Yan suddenly lowered his head, his gaze fixed on her: "Speak!"
"Back...back to Your Majesty!"
Granny Gui, panting heavily, spoke rapidly, "Just now, a young eunuch on duty in the Imperial Garden said... said that about half a cup of tea ago, he saw... saw His Highness the Ninth Prince... and... and Princess Jianing... near the Xihua Gate... The Princess... it seems... she has already left the palace!"
The Ninth Prince?! Pei Zhi?!
Xihua Gate?! They've left the palace?!
"Pei—Zhi—!"
The Empress seemed to have found the culprit!
"It's the Ninth Prince! The Ninth Prince took Xie Sangning away! I knew it! This place is heavily guarded, how could a young woman escape on her own! Your Majesty, would you like to question the Ninth Prince?"
Pei Yan suddenly turned his head: "Empress! Are you afraid that people won't know that it was I who imprisoned Xie Sangning here today?"
After Pei Yan finished speaking, he turned and left!
Clearly, although the Ninth Prince disrupted the plan this time, the Emperor still blamed the Empress.
The next morning, Ninth Prince Pei Zhi had a good night's sleep and felt refreshed.
He had no idea what kind of storm he had unintentionally stirred up; all he remembered was the face of Princess Jianing, filled with gratitude and dependence, under the setting sun yesterday.
This was the first time he had received genuine gratitude.
How pitiful! How innocent!
The daughter of a meritorious official was subjected to such a despicable plot in her father's harem!
The thought of Xie Sangning locked in the side hall, helpless and terrified, made Pei Zhi's heart burn with a fierce righteous fire!
He felt he had done something truly great!
They rescued a noblewoman in distress!
This is much more enjoyable than riding a horse and shooting arrows in the training ground!
"no!"
Pei Zhi slapped his thigh and jumped up from the armchair, his handsome face filled with righteous indignation. "This matter cannot be left like this! The county princess has suffered such injustice and fright, and those masterminds are still at large! Simply rescuing her is not enough! We must have Father Emperor uphold justice! Severely punish the villains! We must also properly appease the county princess!"
The more he thought about it, the more he felt it was his duty.
The county princess was so delicate; how terrified she must have been after experiencing such a terrible thing?
As the Son of Heaven, Father Emperor should uphold justice and punish evil while promoting good!
We must also give an explanation to the daughter of a meritorious official!
"Little Anzi!"
Pei Zhi called out loudly, "Let's go! Come with me to the Imperial Study! To meet Father Emperor!"
He straightened his brand-new brocade robe, feeling high-spirited and imposing, as if he were a righteous official in a storybook petitioning for the people!
Xiao Anzi listened with a pounding heart.
Although he was just a palace attendant, he vaguely sensed that something strange was amiss about what happened last night.
In a side hall of the Empress's palace, a newly appointed county princess was locked up? And then His Highness broke in and rescued her?
This...this is too deep!
He opened his mouth, wanting to persuade His Highness to reconsider, but seeing his master's hot-blooded and righteous expression, he swallowed his words and could only reply with a bitter face, "Yes...Your Highness..."
The Imperial Study.
Pei Yan's face was darker than the bottom of a pot, and there were heavy shadows under his eyes, clearly indicating that he hadn't slept all night.
He sat behind his desk, holding a memorial in his hand.
Desheng stood with his hands at his sides in the shadows, but only he knew how happy he was!
The news that the young lady had returned home safely came in last night, which put his mind at ease.
At this moment, looking at the emperor's frustrated and furious appearance, yet unable to vent his anger, he felt an unprecedented sense of pleasure and relief!
You beast! You deserve it! Serves you right for scheming against that lady!
Just then, a eunuch's voice came from outside the hall: "Your Majesty, the Ninth Prince requests an audience."
Pei Zhi?!
These two words were like sparks, instantly igniting a fire in Pei Yan's heart!
He slammed the memorial in his hand onto the imperial desk!
The palace doors were pushed open.
Pei Zhi walked in, looking sharp and full of youthful energy and vitality.
His face still held a hint of righteous indignation as he cupped his hands in greeting and said, "Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty!"
"Bang!"
A vase whizzed past Pei Zhi's temple!
It slammed heavily onto the camphor wood pillar behind him!
A loud bang was heard!
Pei Zhi was stunned by the sudden attack!
The gesture of bowing froze in mid-air!
He stared blankly at his father, the emperor, whose eyes were bloodshot, behind the imperial desk, his mind completely blank!
That last blow...did Father Emperor intend to kill him?!
"Father...Father Emperor?" Pei Zhi's voice was tinged with disbelief.
No, what did he do that you want to smash him?
He's been behaving himself lately, and he even did a good deed yesterday, so how did he manage to anger his father like this?
"You unfilial son! How dare you call me Father?! I can tell you no longer regard me as your father! Tell me! What misdeeds did you do yesterday?! Who gave you the audacity to interfere in the affairs of my harem!"
Hearing this, the young man felt wronged. He straightened his back abruptly, met the emperor's murderous gaze, and loudly defended himself:
"Father! Your son is innocent! Your son... Your son did nothing wrong! Yesterday... Yesterday I merely saw injustice on the road and saved Princess Jianing! Princess Jianing is not a member of the harem!"
"save?"
Pei Yan reacted as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world. "You saved her? Who do you think you are?! I ask you! Who gave you permission to go to Fengzao Palace?! Who gave you the authority to let her leave the palace?!"
Pei Zhi was stunned by the barrage of angry shouts and scoldings, and felt a surge of hot blood rush to his head!
Is he an idiot? He was clearly just trying to help someone in need! Why are you scolding him!
Besides, locking the daughter of a meritorious official in a dark side hall? Is that even reasonable?!
Overwhelmed by immense grievance, Pei Zhi stiffened his neck, his eyes red-rimmed, and his voice rose, filled with resentment:
"Yesterday, I saw Princess Jianing trapped on the palace wall with my own eyes! She was a weak woman, all alone and helpless, trembling with fear! She said she was locked in a side hall of the Empress's palace by villains! Father! That is General Xie's daughter!"
"Just think about it! An unmarried noblewoman, locked up in a place like that! What if... what if she's discovered by someone with ill intentions... or she falls and gets seriously injured in the chaos..."
"Then her life is ruined! Her reputation is tarnished! She has no way out! I was just helping someone in need! Father, instead of punishing the one who did wrong, you're taking your anger out on me!"
He became increasingly agitated as he spoke, his heart burning with a fierce flame of justice:
"Father! Although I am foolish and reckless, I know propriety, righteousness, integrity, and a sense of shame! I know that human life is of paramount importance! I also know that Princess Xie's father is a meritorious official who defended the country's borders! How can we allow the daughter of a meritorious official to suffer such an undeserved calamity within your harem?!"
"Those people are utterly lawless! Their intentions are extremely malicious! Their behavior is simply bestial! Father! As the ruler of the country, you should be even more discerning! Severely punish those villains who dare to commit such despicable acts in the palace! Give the princess justice!"
"Of course, we must also do our utmost to appease Princess Xie! Send her some precious medicinal herbs, tonics, fine silks, and jewelry to calm her nerves! This will demonstrate Your Majesty's wisdom and the Emperor's benevolence! Otherwise, wouldn't it make all the loyal ministers and generals of the land shudder with fear?!"
Pei Zhi's words were resounding. He held his head high and straightened his chest, feeling that he was speaking up for an innocent and vulnerable woman who was suffering!
He felt that he was absolutely radiant at that moment!
The Imperial Study was deathly silent.
Pei Yan felt a rush of blood to his head.
He had never felt so frustrated in his life.
You idiot! You incredibly stupid idiot!
These words, how could they be an accusation against a villain? They were clearly like knives, each one stabbing into Pei Yan!
He himself has become the villain in his good son's eyes! A despicable person with ulterior motives!
That unfilial son!
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