Chapter 248

Joint Investigation

Nie Jinxuan was not a pushover. Facing Yin Fengxuan's repeated provocations, she naturally wouldn't give him a pleasant look. Hearing this, Yin Fengxuan was about to flare up again, but before he could speak, Nie Jinxuan took the lead.

"It is true that today in the palace, the Empress and the Crown Prince were aggressive and clearly pointed out that the murderer who killed the Emperor was Fengzhan, and even used the fact that Fengzhan played chess with the Emperor last night as a handle... But if they could convict Fengzhan based on this alone, it wouldn't be that simple!"

"As for the matter of sealing the palace, it does indeed show that the Empress and the Crown Prince have ulterior motives. But everyone, think about it: if the Empress and the Crown Prince were really the murderers who killed the Emperor, would things be so simple?! The guards at the gate were still the Emperor's men, and although there was security in the palace, no other troops or imperial guards were stationed there. Even the excuse they used to frame Fengzhan was so weak! After all, Fengzhan is a prince; can he be convicted and gotten rid of just because of a suspicion?!"

"I think not! Therefore, in my view, the matter of the Emperor's murder was not committed by the Empress and the Crown Prince. Because if it were done by the Empress and the Crown Prince, they would definitely have been prepared. But now, the layout in all aspects shows that the Empress and the Crown Prince were clearly not prepared enough for this matter! So, I believe the Empress and the Crown Prince have nothing to do with the Emperor's murder!"

Nie Jinxuan looked serious, her beautiful eyes revealing reason and persistence! Being told this by Nie Jinxuan, Yin Fengxuan was stunned, but then he asked back, somewhat unwilling to accept it:

"Then... then if that's the case, why did the Empress and the Crown Prince do that?! Isn't... isn't this very strange?"

Although he didn't want to admit defeat in front of Nie Jinxuan, Yin Fengxuan's voice was clearly much weaker when he said this. Hearing this, Nie Jinxuan didn't even look at him and narrowed her eyes.

"It's very simple, because the Empress and the Crown Prince cannot stand to see Fengzhan doing well! In their view, this is an excellent opportunity to deal with Fengzhan!"

As she spoke, Nie Jinxuan raised her elegant brows.

"Therefore, based on the current situation and some arrangements and movements of the Empress and the Crown Prince before, I think the Empress and the Crown Prince did not know about the Emperor's murder at the beginning. But after all, the Empress has many eyes and ears in the palace, and perhaps she is even monitoring the Deyang Hall at all times. So compared to Eunuch Gao, the Empress received the news of the Emperor's passing at the first opportunity..."

"But at this time, the Empress remembered that Fengzhan stayed in the palace to play chess with the Emperor last night, so she took the opportunity to pin the Emperor's passing on Fengzhan! You must know that the Crown Prince is the Crown Prince after all; it is natural for the Crown Prince to ascend the throne after the Emperor passes away! But both the Empress and the Crown Prince know clearly that even if the Crown Prince ascends the throne, Fengzhan is a huge threat to them. Because there are many court officials supporting Fengzhan, even if the Crown Prince ascends the throne, he might not be able to easily move against Fengzhan! Therefore, in the eyes of the Empress and the Crown Prince, rather than that, it would be better to take advantage of the Emperor's passing to bring Fengzhan down. As for who the real murderer of the Emperor is, it doesn't matter at all!"

Nie Jinxuan's analysis was meticulous, and Yin Fengxuan was left speechless. For a time, the room fell into silence. After a while, Yin Fengxiang nodded first.

"That's right, the Princess Consort's words make sense! It's just that the Empress and the Crown Prince did not expect that the Princess Consort would find us and the Fifth Imperial Uncle's clansmen, and even refute them on the spot! This dispelled many people's doubts about the Fourth Imperial Brother, and thus prevented their plan from succeeding!"

"En! Second Imperial Brother is right, that's the logic... It's just that there is one thing I find a bit strange, but I just can't say exactly where it is strange..."

Agreeing with the Prince of Rui, Yin Fengxiang, the Prince of Qin, Yin Fenglian, frowned and muttered to himself... Hearing this, the Prince of Rui, Yin Fengxiang, turned to look at him and asked in confusion:

"What? Fifth Imperial Brother, what do you find strange?"

"Uh... I can't say, it's just..."

His brows furrowed tighter and tighter, but Yin Fenglian couldn't say what this feeling of disharmony was. Seeing him like this, Yin Fengxiang was stunned, and Nie Jinxuan said in a low voice:

"I suppose the Prince of Qin wants to say, why did the Empress order that no one be allowed to enter the palace!"

Nie Jinxuan said it directly. Hearing this, Yin Fenglian's eyes lit up.

"Right! That's it!"

He couldn't help but shout, but then Yin Fenglian's expression tightened.

"That's it, don't you all find it strange? Since the Empress and the Crown Prince are not the murderers who killed the Emperor, why not let us enter the palace? Even if they wanted to frame the Fourth Imperial Brother, they wouldn't need to seal the palace!"

Pointed out by Nie Jinxuan, Yin Fenglian immediately said what he had always found strange. But Nie Jinxuan pursed her lips.

"The Prince of Qin's words make sense, but I still can't think of why the Empress would do this. But no matter what, there must be something in this that we don't know. As for what it is, it is unknown..."

Narrowing her eyes, Nie Jinxuan spoke in a low voice. Speaking to this point, she changed the subject.

"Moreover, it's not just this point. Actually, what makes me even more curious today is Eunuch Gao's reaction. After all, Eunuch Gao is the Emperor's confidant and has been loyal to the Emperor for so many years. So even if it wasn't for Fengzhan, just for the Emperor's sake, logically speaking, Eunuch Gao wouldn't let the Empress and the Crown Prince frame Fengzhan... But today, from beginning to end, Eunuch Gao didn't say a word. This point has to make one suspicious!"

That's right, compared to the Empress ordering the palace gates to be sealed, Nie Jinxuan paid more attention to Gao Caiyong. Hearing this, the Prince of Qin and the others suddenly realized, and the Prince of Gong, Yin Fengxuan, slapped the table beside him and shouted:

"That's right! If you hadn't said it, I would have forgotten! What's wrong with that servant? Could it be that he was also bought off by the Empress and the others? How could he not say a word? He's not a mute!"

Yin Fengxuan shouted happily, but he couldn't say where the problem was. At this time, Yin Fengxiang, who hadn't said much, also frowned and said:

"That shouldn't be! Just like what the Princess Consort said, Eunuch Gao's loyalty to the Emperor for so many years is obvious to all, so he shouldn't be bought off by the Empress and the others... But this matter..."

"Hmph! What do you mean he wouldn't be bought off?! People's hearts are unpredictable, how do you know what he is thinking?! Second Imperial Brother, you are just too kind. That man surnamed Gao is a servant after all; how much is loyalty worth to him?! I..."

Yin Fengxuan scoffed at Yin Fengxiang's statement. But before he could finish speaking, Nie Jinxuan interrupted him directly.

"No! Eunuch Gao must have a reason for doing this! Perhaps it has something to do with the Empress sealing the palace, or perhaps it is something else, but it will definitely not be a simple case of being bought off!"

Nie Jinxuan said it decisively. Hearing this, Yin Fengxuan was about to retort, but then, meeting Nie Jinxuan's serious and sharp eyes, Yin Fengxuan pursed his lips and turned his head to the side in a huff.

For a time, the room fell into silence. But just then, Yin Fengzhan, who had been silent, stood up from his seat and walked out.

Yin Fengzhan's expression was cold. Seeing this, the people in the room were stunned, and Yin Fenglian, who reacted the fastest, called out to him.

"Fourth Imperial Brother, where are you going?"

"..."

"Fourth Imperial Brother, you cannot leave the residence now! Fifth Imperial Uncle..."

"Shut up!"

Yin Fenglian was also worried, but before he could finish speaking, he was instantly interrupted by Yin Fengzhan's roar! Then he walked out without looking back!

Yin Fengzhan's momentum was oppressive. Being roared at by Yin Fengzhan, Yin Fenglian was stunned, and Yin Fengxiang and Yin Fengxuan had never seen Yin Fengzhan so angry, and they were stunned on the spot, not knowing how to react!

But just then, only Nie Jinxuan twitched her brows and, without a word, stepped forward and grabbed him.

"Fengzhan, stop right there!"

Nie Jinxuan was not as strong as Yin Fengzhan, but she managed to stop his steps with this sudden move. But then Yin Fengzhan wanted to push her away without thinking... But just then, Nie Jinxuan took the lead and kicked Yin Fengzhan's calf!

Nie Jinxuan used all her strength for this kick. Instantly, Yin Fengzhan's expression turned ugly to the extreme, and he turned to roar at Nie Jinxuan:

"Get out of the way!"

Yin Fengzhan in a rage made everyone feel afraid from the bottom of their hearts. Yin Fenglian and the others beside them widened their eyes, not saying a word. But upon hearing this, Nie Jinxuan's eyes turned sharp, and she roared back with the same volume:

"I just won't get out of the way, if you have the guts, hit me!"

"You..."

Yin Fengzhan was speechless with anger, but then he raised his hand to shake her off. But at the same time, Nie Jinxuan climbed back on.

"Yin Fengzhan, I'm telling you, if you want to go out today, you'll have to step over my dead body!"

Nie Jinxuan made a harsh threat. Hearing this, Yin Fengzhan pursed his lips tightly. Seeing that he was provoked by her harsh words and didn't walk out again, Nie Jinxuan's expression changed, and she said slowly:

"Fengzhan, I know you are angry, but you can't be like this now! The Fifth Imperial Uncle not letting you leave the residence is also for your own good! But if you go out now, wouldn't you be slapping the Fifth Imperial Uncle in the face?! When the time comes, how will you let the Fifth Imperial Uncle help you clear your name?! Besides, even if you go out now, what can you do? Do you know who the murderer is, or do you know anything else?! You don't know anything, and if you go out like this, you'll only benefit the Empress and the Crown Prince! You must know that they are now impatiently waiting for you to make a mistake and take the opportunity to bring you down! You know this in your heart, why don't you think about it properly!"

In everyone's eyes, Yin Fengzhan was a cold and steady person. So even though he was young, he was highly respected by many officials in the court! Therefore, no one had ever seen Yin Fengzhan look as angry as he did now, which was truly shocking!

So at this very moment, the room was silent. Everyone present, even the Prince of Gong, Yin Fengxuan, who grew up with him, was scared silly. They could only stare blankly, unable to say a word! At the same time, everyone was surprised by Nie Jinxuan's courage!

But Nie Jinxuan didn't care about others' attention. She looked at Yin Fengzhan with serious yet pleading eyes, her plain hands tightly holding Yin Fengzhan's large hand, which was clenched into a fist with veins popping out, quietly waiting for his response.

But Yin Fengzhan remained expressionless, his anger undiminished, but he had no intention of retracting his feet! So, after waiting quietly for a while, seeing that he still didn't move, Nie Jinxuan pursed her lips slightly and said again:

"Fengzhan, I'm begging you. Just stay in the residence! After all, if you really go out today and are caught by the Empress, what do you want us to do?! So even if you are not afraid of anything, you have to think for yourself, but you also have to think for everyone who is worried about you, for me, and even for our child!"

Actually, in front of everyone, Nie Jinxuan didn't want to talk about the child. But Emperor Shuncheng's death really had a great impact on Yin Fengzhan, so she had to use all means to stop Yin Fengzhan from acting impulsively. At this time, hearing Nie Jinxuan mention herself and the child, Yin Fengzhan, who had been tense, finally calmed down.

As Yin Fengzhan's expression changed, the air in the room slowly eased from the initial tension. Afterward, Yin Fengzhan walked back to his original position without a word, remaining silent.

Nie Jinxuan finally succeeded in persuading Yin Fengzhan. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief almost at the same time. Afterward, the Prince of Qin, Yin Fenglian, curled his lips into the first smile he usually wore on his face today and looked at Nie Jinxuan:

"Princess Consort, you're already pregnant! Congratulations, congratulations!"

"Yes! Truly congratulations to the Princess Consort~!"

Although Emperor Shuncheng's passing was not a good time, the appearance of a new life was still a good thing. So Yin Fenglian and Yin Fengxiang offered their blessings, and although Yin Fengxuan didn't speak, his eyes couldn't help but glance at Nie Jinxuan's belly.

The atmosphere eased a lot. But then Yin Fenglian's expression tightened, and he returned to the main topic.

"However, Princess Consort, now that the Fourth Imperial Brother's actions are restricted, what should we do?! We can't just sit and wait for death!"

"En, of course not!"

Nodding without thinking, Nie Jinxuan raised her eyes.

"The Emperor's passing is confusing. Although the Fifth Imperial Uncle is taking charge of the investigation, we cannot just wait! But if we act impulsively in private, not only will we be restricted, but more importantly, if the Fifth Imperial Uncle finds out, it will cause his dissatisfaction! So rather than that, it would be better for us to take the initiative to ask the Fifth Imperial Uncle for permission to investigate openly. I think it would be better!"

"Uh... that's true. But will the Fifth Imperial Uncle agree? Besides, if the Empress blocks it..."

"I think the Fifth Imperial Uncle should agree! After all, the Emperor has passed away, and we cannot let the investigation delay subsequent matters. And the Fifth Imperial Uncle, as an elder, has not asked about government affairs for so many years, so he must be busy. So we only need to say that we will just handle the investigation! In this way, we can also share some of the Fifth Imperial Uncle's pressure! And if the Empress blocks it, that's easy to handle—let the Empress's side also send someone to search with us. Anyway, we are investigating the truth, and we don't want to distort the facts!"

Nie Jinxuan's words made sense, and the people present agreed one after another. Then Nie Jinxuan discussed with them how to allocate the investigation. It was finally decided that Nie Jinxuan and the Prince of Rui, Yin Fengxiang, would pursue the murderer, the Prince of Qin, Yin Fengxuan, would secretly pay attention to the movements of the Empress and the Crown Prince, and the Prince of Gong, Yin Fengxuan, would follow the Fifth Imperial Uncle, Yin Yanheng, to help him handle affairs and reduce his pressure, while secretly monitoring to prevent anyone from having ulterior motives at this time and passing bad information to the Fifth Imperial Uncle!

The matter was allocated, and Nie Jinxuan told the three some details, and they left. After the three left, only Nie Jinxuan and Yin Fengzhan were left in the room.

At this time, Yin Fengzhan was still sitting there, calm and composed, not knowing what he was thinking. Seeing this, Nie Jinxuan pursed her lips and walked over to hold his hand.

"Fengzhan, are you blaming me for being meddlesome?"

Nie Jinxuan said in a low voice. But just as Nie Jinxuan's voice fell, Yin Fengzhan, who had been motionless, suddenly reached out and hugged her in his arms.

"Thank you!"

Yin Fengzhan's voice was low and hoarse, as if he were forcibly suppressing something. Hearing this, Nie Jinxuan breathed a sigh of relief and hugged his waist back.

"Idiot! I don't want to hear you say thank you to me!"

As she spoke, Nie Jinxuan leaned her head against his chest, and Yin Fengzhan pursed his lips tightly and hugged her even tighter...

The matter was decided. So that afternoon, Nie Jinxuan went to find the Fifth Imperial Uncle, Yin Yanheng, with the Prince of Qin and the others. And just as Nie Jinxuan expected, although the Fifth Imperial Uncle, Yin Yanheng, had spoken decisively before, when the matter was really in front of him, he was too busy to handle it, so he naturally had no reason to refuse when Nie Jinxuan and the others came to help. But then, when Yin Yanheng thought of Empress Duan, he hesitated again!

Seeing this, Nie Jinxuan immediately took the opportunity to suggest that Empress Duan could send someone over. The Fifth Imperial Uncle suddenly realized and sent someone to find Empress Duan.

The subsequent matters were predictable. Empress Duan could not stop Nie Jinxuan and the others, but she didn't want to be kept in the dark. Now that Emperor Shuncheng had passed away, the eldest son, Yin Fenghan, was the Crown Prince and naturally had things to do. So in the end, Empress Duan sent the Prince of Yun, Yin Fengjin, and the eldest son of the Duan family, Duan Rufei, to help!

First update uploaded, second update continues~!