Chapter 273

Qingfeng sent the people around her to rest and stood alone in the dark little courtyard, hugging her arms tightly. The impact of the Princess's suicide on this palace swirled in her mind, how the Empress Dowager and Yan Hongtian would react, and what their sisters' situation would be next. The more Qingfeng thought, the more terrified she became. The late summer night was so sultry that it made her unable to breathe.

The hall door rang lightly. Qingfeng looked up and saw Fuling's thin figure flash into the hall quickly, closing the door gently. Qingfeng trotted up to meet her and urged: "How is the Princess?"

The voice that suddenly rang out behind her startled Fuling. In the night, she couldn't see Qingfeng's expression, but the low, slightly hoarse voice and the anxious tone already showed that during the time she went out to inquire, Qingfeng's heart must have been suffering. Fuling lowered her voice and said the news she had inquired about: "Master, don't worry, after the full rescue of the imperial physicians, the Princess is out of danger."

Just this? Fuling was cautious and meticulous, how could she only inquire about this? Knowing that she was waiting anxiously, if there was only this news, why would she come back at this time? Qingfeng's heart jumped: "Did something else happen?"

She had just recovered, and she originally wanted her to have a good rest tonight and tell her in detail tomorrow, but she was so sharp that it seemed she couldn't be hidden. Fuling sighed: "It's late, let's talk inside."

The two entered the inner chamber, and Qingfeng immediately grabbed Fuling's hand and urged: "What happened, tell me quickly."

Qingfeng's slender fingers were a bit cold. Fuling helped her sit on the soft couch in front of the bed and replied: "After the imperial physicians confirmed that the Princess was out of danger, the Empress Dowager and the Emperor summoned Prime Minister Lou into the palace overnight."

Summoning Lou Xiyan into the palace at this time? Qingfeng's face darkened, and she snorted coldly: "Are they forcing a marriage?"

Qingfeng pulled her hand and tightened it involuntarily. Fuling lowered her head, remained silent, and didn't answer, pulling up the thin quilt beside her to cover Qingfeng's feet.

Taking a deep breath, Qingfeng asked: "Lou Xiyan... agreed?"

Meeting Qingfeng's anxious yet pretending-to-be-calm eyes, Fuling shook her head and replied: "This servant only heard that the Princess will go to the Prime Minister's Mansion to recuperate tomorrow."

"Close to the water tower?" Qingfeng snorted lightly, and the desolate aura emanating from her entire body made Fuling frown slightly, and she couldn't help but persuade in a low voice: "Master, some things can't be rushed."

It's useless to rush. Qingfeng mocked herself. Ever since she knew her sisters were still alive, she had been like a frightened bird. A little bit of wind and grass would make her terrified. After dying once, she didn't care about her own life at all, but she cherished her sisters' lives very much. The fact that they could still live was a chance given to her by heaven. Knowing that it was useless to rush, Qingfeng still couldn't suppress the irritability in her heart. The sky outside the window was already glowing with a faint fish-belly white light. Qingfeng said tiredly: "It's almost dawn, you go and rest."

"Yes." Words were useless, Fuling retreated silently.

The door closed gently, and only her light breathing could be heard in the inner chamber. Qingfeng felt a chill strike, pulled up the thin quilt to wrap herself tightly, and her eyes stayed on the large ink-colored umbrella involuntarily, unable to move away for a long time.

Imperial Study

After the morning court, Yan Hongtian came to the Imperial Study. Two eunuchs neatly placed the memorials from the ministers and the memorials presented from all over the country on the desk according to their urgency. The Imperial Female Official Xiao Yu served his favorite spring tea. Everything seemed to be no different from usual, but the people who had served by the Emperor's side for many years still saw the difference. The Emperor was always diligent in government. Usually, when he arrived at the Imperial Study, he would immediately start reviewing the memorials. Today, he had the leisure to taste tea slowly?

Xiao Yu looked at Gao Jin inquiringly. Gao Jin shook his head lightly. Xiao Yu curled her lips, sent a palace maid to get some tea and snacks, and retreated to Gao Jin's side silently. She secretly speculated that the Emperor's expression was probably because he was waiting for someone. Sure enough, after a while, Prime Minister Lou's tall figure appeared outside the Imperial Study.

Xiao Yu's face was full of pride. She guessed right! But... why did Prime Minister Lou's expression look so abnormal?

Gao Jin coughed lightly and whispered to Yan Hongtian: "Emperor, Prime Minister Lou requests an audience."

The corner of his mouth raised, Yan Hongtian took a sip of hot tea, didn't raise his head, and replied unhurriedly: "Proclaim."

Lou Xiyan walked into the hall, and Yan Hongtian laughed in a light tone: "Things at home, handled so quickly?" This morning, the Empress Dowager personally sent Xuan'er to the Prime Minister's Mansion. The process must have been wonderful, otherwise, Xiyan wouldn't have this expression.

Lou Xiyan's phoenix eyes flashed, and he didn't answer, but the smile that had been hanging on the corner of his mouth for years had faded.

Really angry? Yan Hongtian put down the teacup and said loudly: "All retreat."

"Yes." In the blink of an eye, only the two of them remained in the Imperial Study, staring coldly at each other, one cold and stern, the other deep and heavy. After a long time, Lou Xiyan said in a low voice: "If the Emperor does this, the one who will be hurt in the end will only be the Princess."

He was here to hold him accountable? Yan Hongtian's face darkened, and he replied in a deep voice: "Then what do you want me to do? The Prayer Ceremony is about to begin, and envoys from various countries are arriving one after another. You still think there aren't enough things to do, and you insist on proposing to marry Qing Ling at this time, as a legal wife! Your marriage with Xuan'er has been tacitly understood for so many years. Xuan'er has long identified you as her husband. Now that it has reached the point of suicide, how can the Empress Dowager let it go?"

"Besides..." Lou Xiyan remained silent. Yan Hongtian changed the subject, snorted lightly, and laughed: "Qing Ling was originally mine, but you got there first. How can a beauty be so easy to get? You caused the trouble, so naturally, you have to solve it yourself. Do you want me to clean up your mess?" Yan Hongtian felt a sense of relief in his heart. For so many years, Xiyan always had that expression of having everything under control. If a Qing Ling could make him change his face, then the fact that Haoyue sent the wrong person this time was done right!

Slowly performing a monarch-subject salute, Lou Xiyan smiled clearly and replied: "Since that is the case, this subject will handle it alone, without bothering the Emperor."

Damn it, it was that determined smile again. Yan Hongtian felt a trace of depression and worry in his heart and sighed low: "Xuan'er is my own sister after all, you handle it yourself."

He said he would let him handle it, and now he was feeling heartache for his sister? Lou Xiyan's mouth raised slightly with a smile. Yan Hongtian became more annoyed the more he looked at him, and snorted coldly: "I think you are still too idle recently." Still having the heart to manage so many children's affairs.

Lou Xiyan found it funny. Was this considered venting anger?

"Emperor, Magistrate Dan requests an audience, saying there is an important matter to report." Fortunately, at this time, Gao Jin's announcement came from outside the door, breaking the secret contest in the room.

Yan Hongtian glared at Lou Xiyan, withdrew his gaze, and said sternly: "Proclaim."

Dan Yulan strode into the hall and saluted: "Paying respects to the Emperor, long live the Emperor, long live, long live."

Just now, the Emperor and the Prime Minister were secretly talking about something, dismissing everyone. She had arranged tea and snacks, but didn't know whether to send them in. Taking advantage of Magistrate Dan's audience, Xiao Yu hurriedly placed the tea by the desk and quickly retreated. She had no interest in court affairs, and she didn't want to hear a single word of things she shouldn't hear.

"Rise." Dan Yulan was in a hurry, and there was a hint of excitement between his eyebrows. What made the Qiongyue Criminal Justice Office so excited? Picking up the freshly brewed hot tea, Yan Hongtian smiled: "What important matter does Magistrate Dan have to report?"

Hmm, the temperature of the tea was just right. This girl Xiao Yu was sometimes tricky, but she was quite thoughtful in doing things.

"Replying to the Emperor, this subject found this in the underground river of the rock cave where the gold disappeared three years ago." Dan Yulan took something golden from his sleeve. Gao Jin stepped forward to take it and saw it was a gold ingot.

Gao Jin turned and presented it to the Emperor. After Yan Hongtian took the gold ingot and looked at it, his face suddenly darkened, and he changed from his relaxed and lazy appearance just now, saying with a solemn expression: "Continue."

"This subject suspects that the gold theft case three years ago was not as simple as a small guard colluding with mountain bandits to steal the treasury silver. There might have been hidden grievances in the case back then. This subject implores the Emperor to allow this subject to retry the Gold Case."

Putting the gold back on the desk and signaling Gao Jin to present it to Lou Xiyan, Yan Hongtian picked up the teacup again, his expression returning to normal: "The Gold Case back then was presided over by the Ministry of Justice and supervised by the Ministry of War, and finally closed. This case involves a wide range of people. Magistrate Dan, how much certainty do you have about the hidden grievances? And where is the gold now?"

Dan Yulan looked up slightly at the Emperor drinking tea with his head down on the high seat. For a time, he couldn't guess the meaning of the Emperor's words. Looking at Prime Minister Lou on the side, he was just staring at the gold ingot, not knowing what he was thinking. Dan Yulan thought for a while and replied truthfully: "This subject found part of the stolen gold in the underground river, which shows that one of the most important links in the Gold Case back then—the guard colluding with mountain bandits to cover their transport of gold from another exit—was clearly inconsistent with the facts. This is already a miscarriage of justice. As for who the mastermind who framed the guard was, and where that gold finally went, it must be thoroughly investigated to have a final result."

"Good, you go back and draft a memorial for the retrial of the Gold Case, detailing the situation, and present it for further discussion."

"Yes, this subject... takes his leave." Dan Yulan hesitated in his heart. The Gold Case back then shocked the court and the public, and it also concerned the treasury silver. Now that it was finally difficult to have new news, why was the Emperor's attitude so... perfunctory? Although he was puzzled, Dan Yulan didn't dare to delay, saluted, and took his leave...

Lou Xiyan gently rubbed the four characters engraved on the back of the fifty-tael gold ingot—Treasury Official Silver. It was indeed the gold stolen back then. When he left today, Qing Mo happened to be looking for Ling'er at the Prime Minister's Mansion, and Dan Yulan found the fifty taels of gold left in the rock cave at this time. There must be their credit in it. He thought Ling'er was already unique enough, but recently it seemed that the little girl named Qing Mo was also not simple. He just didn't know if Qingfeng in the palace was also equally extraordinary.

Lou Xiyan played with the gold ingot in his hand and suddenly looked up at him, with a trace of teasing in his eyes. Yan Hongtian was puzzled by his look and asked: "What do you think of the retrial of the Gold Case?"

Lou Xiyan lowered his head slightly, hiding the smile at the corner of his mouth, and sighed deliberately after pondering for a moment: "This subject thinks the timing is not appropriate."

(End of chapter)