Chapter 838 - 840 Escape from the Wolf’s Den (2)
In the Silk Palace
Jin Guifei, looking wan and feeble, sat back against the headboard of a babu bed with her eyes tightly closed. Her already drooping mouth corners were pinched tightly together, giving the impression that she might erupt in a furious outburst at any moment. Everyone in the entire Palace was on tenterhooks, attending to her with utmost caution, daring not to make the slightest mistake, lest they become an outlet for the Empress’s unwarranted venting of wrath and consequently lose their little lives.
A few days ago, the court had received news of King Qin’s successful recapture of Lingbei, and with that, Jin Guifei’s illness suddenly worsened, her temper rising as her condition deteriorated. In just a few days, the Silk Palace had executed four or five eunuchs and palace maids for making mistakes and injured or maimed a dozen more. In reality, everyone understood that these pitiful servants hadn’t committed any unspeakable sins; it was merely Jin Guifei finding fault in eggs and venting her own fear and resentment through punishing them.
With King Qin having established his great military achievements, his return to the capital was imminent. To Jin Guifei and The Prince, this was undoubtedly a deadly threat. The Prince, now disabled, faced inevitable deposition. King Qin, being a legitimate son, already had substantial support from the old ministers to rise to power. Now, with his military achievements as his capital, he would naturally become the next Crown Prince, take charge of the East Palace, and eventually inherit the vast country of Great Jin.
Jin Guifei and The Prince had come to realize this and could no longer rest easy. If King Qin became the heir apparent and later inherited the throne, the first to be targeted after his ascension would be them, mother and son. By then, it wouldn’t just be wealth and honor at stake, but even their lives would not be secure.
Therefore, Jin Guifei, regardless of the true culprit behind The Prince’s attempted murder, instructed her agents to shift the investigation toward Duke Li Guo’s Mansion. She believed that if it was proven that the Duke Li Guo’s Mansion was behind the crime, The Emperor would naturally associate Empress Mo and King Qin as the masterminds. If The Prince were deposed, the greatest beneficiaries would be King Qin and The Empress. Consequently, The Emperor wouldn’t just refrain from appointing King Qin as the Crown Prince, he would also punish him for his malicious intentions.
However, after the Temple of Dali clarified the circumstances, The Emperor did not bring charges against the State Duke’s Mansion. Instead, he simply placed it under house arrest, and he didn’t even strip the Duke of his title. What did this mean? Could it be that The Emperor had already decided to appoint King Qin as the heir and had completely given up on The Prince, to the extent of no longer inquiring into the attempted murder that caused his disability?
This terrifying thought struck her with near madness. She resolved not to sit by and wait for death, not to let King Qin ascend. No matter the cost, she was determined to pull down Empress Mo and King Qin!