Chapter 588
Chapter 588
“Your Highness, I’m afraid we’ll have to go to the palace and see His Majesty.” Although Xie Jincheng did not believe Xu Heming was that kind of person, the letter was clearly part of a conspiracy.
He could not make the decision on his own.
“Then let’s go see Uncle the Emperor,” Xu Qingshi said.
Seeing the child’s innocent expression, Xie Jincheng sighed inwardly once more.
He did not know whether he should tell Xu Qingshi that if the contents of the letter were true, the Prince An’s residence would soon be facing the terrible crime of having its entire clan executed.
That was the last thing he wanted to see.
Especially since he was the one who had exposed the matter.
“Come on, come on. Let’s hurry to the palace.” Xu Qingshi still wanted to go to Lucheng to find Xu Heming.
The longer they delayed, the longer they would have to remain in the capital.
Imperial Study
Zhu Jingchen frowned as he examined the letter.
At a glance, he could tell that the handwriting on it did not belong to Xu Heming.
He recalled the message Xu Heming had sent back.
“Your Majesty, this subject believes that Prince An is not that kind of person,” Xie Jincheng said anxiously from the side.
He was afraid that the emperor would believe the contents of the letter.
“Jin Yan!”
Zhu Jingchen called out.
“This subject is here!”
Jin Yan immediately jumped out from the side and knelt before Zhu Jingchen.
“Go investigate where this letter was sent from,” Zhu Jingchen ordered coldly.
Hearing this, Xie Jincheng did not dare say another word.
It was obvious that the emperor also had doubts about the letter’s authenticity.
Zhu Jingchen’s mind was filled with the message Xu Heming had sent back, saying that the Prince of Zhennan had colluded with Prince Lanhuai.
And there was also Lanwan!
At the thought of this, Zhu Jingchen tapped his fingers rhythmically against the desk in the Imperial Study.
“Uncle the Emperor, can I go to Lucheng to find my father?”
Xu Qingshi looked at the two silent adults and asked anxiously.
“You can’t go for now.” Zhu Jingchen looked at Xu Qingshi. Since both Prince An and Princess Consort of An had encountered danger, wouldn’t sending a child there simply be sending him to his death?
But those people had actually set their sights on the Prince An’s residence. What exactly were they plotting?
Did they want the Prince An’s family fortune, or Li Zhiwei’s dowry?
“Xie Jincheng!” Zhu Jingchen suddenly turned toward Xie Jincheng.
“This subject is here!” Xie Jincheng replied with cupped hands.
For some reason, he felt that the emperor’s gaze held a hidden meaning.
He had a feeling that whatever the emperor said next would not be good news.
“Prince An is suspected of treason. Send people to guard the Prince An’s residence.”
Zhu Jingchen’s words left Xie Jincheng stunned.
Prince An had committed treason?
Had His Majesty actually believed the letter?
“Your Majesty?” Xie Jincheng still wanted to plead on Xu Heming’s behalf.
“Go and carry it out. Everyone in the Prince An’s residence is to be confined there and forbidden from leaving,” Zhu Jingchen said coldly.
Zhu Jingchen naturally knew that someone was keeping an eye on the Prince An’s residence. The reason he had given this order was actually to protect The Old Princess and Xu Qingshi.
“Uncle the Emperor?” Xu Qingshi clearly understood what being confined meant.
“The Prince An’s Heir should return home and stay there as well.” Zhu Jingchen lowered his head and did not look again at the bewildered child.
“Send people to watch the Li family too,” Zhu Jingchen added.
Xie Jincheng wanted to explain, but then he realized that the emperor had merely ordered heavily armed guards to surround the Prince An’s residence and the Li family.
He had not sent anyone to arrest Prince An and bring him back.
“Wu San, secretly send people to keep watch over the Prince of Zhennan’s residence,” Zhu Jingchen instructed after Xie Jincheng had left.
“Yes!” Wu San nodded.
“Liu Xi, tell me—how could that fellow Xu Heming possibly commit treason?” Once everyone had withdrawn, Zhu Jingchen spoke to Liu Xi at his side as though talking to himself.
“Your Majesty, Prince An has always been utterly loyal to you!” Liu Xi said with a smile.
“Those people are truly foolish. This is his handwriting? It doesn’t resemble Prince An’s at all.” Zhu Jingchen glanced disdainfully at the letter still lying on the desk.
“Your Majesty is wise!” Liu Xi said with a smile.
“I wonder whether things are going smoothly for Prince An.” Zhu Jingchen’s voice was filled with concern.
When he thought of the envoys from the Qinling Kingdom, who would soon be arriving in the capital, and the fact that Xu Heming still had not sent back any news, he could not help but grow anxious.
He had already sent Zhang Yanchu galloping to Lucheng at top speed.
He wondered whether Zhang Yanchu would bring back an unexpected gain this time.
Cheng Qingli had just stepped out of the Treasures Pavilion when she heard that Xie Jincheng had surrounded the Prince An’s residence with a large group of soldiers.
Without a second thought, Cheng Qingli rushed to the Prince An’s residence. There, she saw Xie Jincheng carrying Xu Qingshi back inside.
“Uncle Xie, I want to go find my father!” Xu Qingshi protested angrily.
“Your Highness, without His Majesty’s permission, no one from the Prince An’s residence may take even one step outside,” Xie Jincheng said with a sigh. He did not understand why the emperor had taken this position.
But he dared not disobey the imperial command.
“Oh my, why are there so many soldiers surrounding the Prince An’s residence?”
“Exactly. Did you hear that? Lord Xie just said that no one from the Prince An’s residence is allowed to leave?”
“My goodness, could Prince An have done something treasonous?”
“That’s hard to say. Who told Prince An to throw his weight around and bully people all the time?”
Someone recalled Prince An’s usual behavior and spoke resentfully.
“That’s not fair. Prince An may be fierce, but he’s never done anything to harm ordinary people.”
Another person stepped forward in displeasure.
“Hmph. If he has a clear conscience, then why would His Majesty send people to surround the Prince An’s residence so completely? Clearly, Prince An has committed some grave offense. Perhaps it’s even a crime worthy of the extermination of his entire clan.”
The speaker wore a smug expression.
Seeing the Prince An’s residence surrounded like this made him quite pleased.
“Oh, what a pity for the newly married Princess Consort of An. She hadn’t even enjoyed a few days of happiness after marrying into the Prince An’s residence before Prince An ran into trouble. She must be unlucky.”
“Perhaps she really is a jinx. The moment she married into the residence, she brought disaster upon Prince An.”
An older woman nearby spoke with disdain.
Listening to the crowd’s ceaseless gossip, Cheng Qingli’s face darkened like ink.
She could not understand why Xie Jincheng had suddenly placed the Prince An’s residence under guard.
“Lord Xie, what do you think you’re doing?”
Cheng Qingli stormed up to Xie Jincheng and quickly pulled Xu Qingshi behind her, shielding him like a protective mother.
“Second Miss Cheng, this is His Majesty’s order. I advise you not to interfere,” Xie Jincheng said with a frown as he looked at Cheng Qingli protecting Xu Qingshi.
He did not want to guard the Prince An’s residence like this either, but these were the emperor’s orders, and he had no way to disobey them.
“Lord Xie, this is the Prince An’s residence. What do you mean by bringing so many guards here?” Cheng Qingli demanded, pointing at the soldiers nearby.
“Second Miss Cheng, this is His Majesty’s order. You should leave at once,” Xie Jincheng said with a frown.
After all, he himself did not know why the emperor had given such an order.