Chapter 255: Is This Bribe Just for Me, or for Other Officials as Well? (2 / 2)
Following the remaining steps of the capping ceremony in an orderly manner, night soon fell.
Within the span of a day, the emperor and a select group of ministers quickly came up with their own reasons and devised well-planned, logical excuses to ensure that it would make perfect sense for them to be near Xu Yanmiao’s residence tonight.
—Those who couldn’t come up with a reason to be there could only stay home, anxiously waiting for the next day to see if any rumors had spread.
The snow was pure white, and their faces were red from the cold. One, two, three, four heads peeked out from the rooftops and courtyard walls surrounding Xu Yanmiao’s house.
The old emperor sat inside Marquis Yongchang’s house, warming himself by the brazier. Beside him, a red clay stove was heating wine.
He glanced out the window at the heads popping up, his expression filled with the disdain of an eagle watching a bunch of chicks. “Does Xu Yanmiao strike you as someone who can keep a secret? Do you really need to climb up walls just to see?”
Marquis Yongchang let out an awkward chuckle.
The old emperor belatedly realized something. “Where is the crown prince?”
Marquis Yongchang pointed, and when the emperor looked closely—standing atop a precarious stack of wooden boards, leaning over the wall, stomping his feet from the cold while breathing into his hands—was none other than the crown prince himself.