Chapter 190: Suspicion
"What, Mr. Murong is allowed to know about Lord Ye’s affairs, but not mine?" Shen Yanchuan swirled the teacup in his hand, a faint smile on his lips, but his gaze was utterly cold and detached. "Mr. Murong, you can’t show such favoritism."
A chill ran through Murong Ye.
It was only then that he suddenly realized how reckless and foolish his previous words had been!
No matter how much he wanted to help Ye Shixian or rescue Ye Heng, he had to have solid proof!
Without proof, his words were meaningless. Every attempt at a defense was a complete joke, especially in front of His Majesty and all the court officials!
Murong Ye’s face turned pale as he stammered, "I-I didn’t mean that. I wasn’t—"
Seated high on the throne, Emperor Muwu’s expression was cold and grim.
"Speaking of which, I’d also like to know why the mastermind still hasn’t been found?"
His voice was low, laced with a barely suppressed fury.
A flicker crossed Consort Ru’s eyes as she quickly tried to soothe him. "Your Majesty, these matters are always troublesome to investigate. To expect a completely clear picture in just a few days is asking a bit much..."
This time, however, Emperor Muwu paid her words little mind. He looked directly at Xiao Chengxuan, his eyes filled with obvious displeasure and reproach.
"You were there when Yanchuan was attacked. Do you mean to tell me you have no leads whatsoever?"
’This Second Prince of mine is quite capable. He usually excels at everything he does. But this one time, despite being right there at the scene, Xiao Chengxuan couldn’t find a single shred of information?’
Xiao Chengxuan understood the unspoken meaning in Emperor Muwu’s words, but he couldn’t think of a response at the moment. He could only bow his head in shame. "I heard that the assailants that day were all Death Warriors. Your son tried several times to capture one for interrogation, but unfortunately, every attempt ended in failure. I have been incompetent. I ask that Father Emperor punish me!"
Of course, Emperor Muwu wasn’t going to punish him for this, but Consort Ru was nevertheless quite displeased.
’Xiao Chengxuan has always been so diligent and dedicated, and he’d only just earned a bit of His Majesty’s praise after so much hard work. Now, after this, His Majesty is dissatisfied. Haven’t all his previous efforts gone to waste?’
Consort Ru poured Emperor Muwu a cup of wine and persuaded him in a gentle voice, "Your Majesty, these things can’t be rushed. The most important thing is that everyone is safe. That’s better than anything, isn’t it? One can only imagine how brutal that scene must have been. Fortunately, the Heir of Duke Dingbei is blessed with great fortune and emerged unscathed, and Cheng Xuan only suffered a minor injury. If something truly terrible had happened, it would be too late for regrets."
She gently patted her chest and covered her smile with her hand. "Speaking of which, there’s also the second young miss of the Ye Family. She’s also quite lucky to have a charmed life. She was just going up the mountain to offer some incense and was innocently dragged into this whole affair. Thankfully, she ultimately escaped the danger and returned safely."
Her words were spoken in a soft, gentle tone, and no fault could be found with them. Yet, they made everyone think of Ye Chutang, and the same question arose in all their minds.
’That’s right! How did Ye Chutang happen to be there, of all places, at that exact time!?’
A brief silence fell over the grand hall.
Princess Qingyang suddenly said, "I’m surprised to see the Imperial Concubine is so concerned about Chutang."
Consort Ru was taken aback. She hadn’t expected Princess Qingyang to interject. However, she quickly composed herself and smiled. "She is, after all, a lady of the highest caliber, praised by the Eldest Princess herself. I also took quite a liking to her the last time we met, so naturally, I’m a bit more attentive."
The corners of Princess Qingyang’s lips curved up. "Oh? In that case, the Imperial Concubine must have also heard the rumors about her?"