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Yunchu’s Vengeance - Chapter 161

Chapter 161 - The Death of Prince Anjing

The sun gradually rose from the east.


It was a bright, sunny day in early autumn—the kind of scorching weather often referred to as the Autumn Tiger.


Throughout the capital, countless people were murmuring about the assassination attempt at Mount Yan. The street vendors were noticeably fewer, and a palpable sense of panic hung in the air.


The members of the Xie family were all gathered inside Xie Jingyu's study, each wearing a grave expression.


"Has Prince Anjing lost his mind?! Why would he attempt to assassinate the reigning Emperor?!" Xie Zhongcheng gritted his teeth and snarled, "He isn't even the Crown Prince—he's only the fourth son! What good does killing the Emperor do him?! If he wants to die, he should go die on his own! Why must he drag our Xie family down with him as collateral?!"


Lady Yuan paced in frantic circles. "What's done is done. We need to figure out how to resolve this situation immediately!"


Xie Jingyu slumped weakly in his chair, his temples throbbing painfully.


However glorious it had felt to become Prince Anjing's father-in-law in the past, he felt equally desperate now.


As long as Prince Anjing's crime of rebellion was proven true, every single person connected to the Prince Anjing Estate would be implicated.


Although he had never truly boarded Prince Anjing's ship, his official status was right there. No matter what he did, he could not change that stark reality.


"Even the Court of Judicial Review must base its judgment on solid evidence," Yun Chu said in a cool, composed voice. "So long as the Xie family did not collude with Prince Anjing, we do not need to worry excessively."


Lady Yuan's face was etched with sheer anxiety. "Then what about Ping'er? She shares Prince Anjing's bed! Will she be affected?!"


A heavy silence fell over the study.


The Xie family might still manage to extricate themselves unscathed, but Xie Ping, as the official Princess Consort in her own right, feared the worst...


Right at that moment, a servant boy came rushing in from outside, stopping beneath the stone steps before the entrance and shouting, "Master! The raid on Prince Anjing's Estate has concluded!"


Xie Jingyu surged to his feet.


However, he rose too violently; his head spun, and he collapsed right back into his chair.


Xie Shi'an was a step quicker, striding out the door. "Did they uncover any evidence?"


"I heard Prince Gongxi discovered a massive hoard of correspondence in the estate and has brought it all straight to the imperial palace." The servant boy scratched the back of his head and continued, "This servant also heard that when Prince Gongxi led the men to raid the estate, more than a dozen concubines filled the entire rear courtyard, kneeling and begging Prince Gongxi to save them... The common folk are all gossiping that these concubines were innocent, respectable women whom Prince Anjing forcibly abducted over the years. The most pitiful among them had been locked inside the estate for six whole years."


"Prince Gongxi immediately acquitted those innocent women and released them on the spot..." The servant boy paused before adding, "The Secondary Consort Shi, who was married into the estate alongside our Eldest Miss, had somehow been demoted to a concubine, and Prince Gongxi released her as well."


Yun Chu breathed an internal sigh of relief.


That was wonderful; her prior actions had not brought catastrophe upon the Eldest Miss of the Shi family.


Lady Yuan asked frantically, "What about Ping'er? Where is she?!"


The servant boy replied, "The Eldest Miss has been brought into the palace alongside Prince Gongxi."


Xie Ping had indeed been escorted into the imperial palace by Prince Gongxi.


Upon arriving before the entrance of the Imperial Study, she saw Consort De kneeling there with an ash-gray, lifeless complexion. Xie Ping's knees gave out, and she sank down beside Consort De.


Carrying a chest full of letters, Prince Gongxi climbed the steps and stepped inside the Imperial Study.


Before long, the Emperor's furious roar thundered from within: "Treacherous wretch! Deploy more men and keep searching! See if I do not flay him alive!"


Xie Ping's heart trembled violently, and she could not stop herself from collapsing prostrate against the cold ground.


In the next instant, she felt her long hair being yanked upward, followed by a vicious slap across her face.


"This is all your fault!" Consort De had lost all control, delivering several more stinging slaps in rapid succession. "If only you had come to inform me the moment the Fourth Prince left the camp last night, he would never have been framed for rebellion and assassination! As his primary consort, you failed to perform your duty! You deserve death! You deserve to be cut into a thousand pieces!"


Xie Ping was slapped until her vision blurred and her head spun. Instinctively, she pleaded, "No... It has nothing to do with me..."


Every single time they met, Consort De gave her cold, disapproving looks. How could she have ever dared to approach Consort De on her own?


Consort De vented all her pent-up grief and boiling rage onto Xie Ping's head. Xie Ping felt as though her entire face was swelling up from the beating.


It was not until the doors to the Imperial Study creaked open and Prince Gongxi walked out that Consort De finally stopped. She wailed aloud, "Your Majesty! The Fourth Prince is innocent! Someone must have framed him! I beg Your Majesty not to jump to conclusions so quickly..."


Prince Gongxi signaled the eunuchs by the door to close it. Looking down at Consort De from above, he let out a sigh and said, "Fourth Brother's study contained a vast amount of correspondence with martial figures from the underworld. For this assassination at Mount Yan, he began plotting as early as half a year ago... Imperial Father is currently in deep sorrow and distress and will see no one. Noble Consort De, it would be best for you to return to your own palace for now."


Xie Ping listened in utter disbelief.


Prince Anjing had already been plotting treason half a year ago. Yet, four months ago, she had become engaged to him, and merely one month ago, she had become Princess Anjing.


If only she had known earlier...


Yet there was no such thing as foresight in this world.


This was the path she had chosen for herself. Walking it to a dead end was entirely her own doing.


Yet she felt so utterly unwilling... She truly had known nothing at all. She was only thirteen years old, and she had never even consummated her marriage with Prince Anjing. Why on earth did she have to be dragged down with him...


"Second Prince, the Fourth Prince has always been close to you. Could you please plead for mercy on his behalf?"


Consort De could no longer care about her dignity as an imperial consort. Reaching out, she grabbed the hem of Prince Gongxi's robe and pleaded in a hoarse voice.


Prince Gongxi bent down and gently supported Consort De's arm. "Once we find Fourth Brother, I will naturally plead for him."


His tone was exceptionally gentle as he spoke, but a cold glint flashed across the depths of his eyes.


If the Fourth Prince had not happened to stumble upon him conspiring with his subordinates, he would not have moved against him so early...


"Thank you, Second Prince."


Consort De continued to kneel on the ground.


No matter what, she would remain kneeling here, hoping that she might soften the Emperor's heart and earn a lenient judgment.


Xie Ping had no choice but to kneel beside her.


They knelt from daylight into darkness, and from darkness until dawn broke once more.


People came and went through the doors of the Imperial Study, while the two of them seemed entirely forgotten.


Xie Ping felt utterly exhausted, starved, and parched. She desperately wanted to flee... Yet Consort De knelt motionless, leaving her without the courage to say or do anything at all...


Around late afternoon, Chu Yi led a group of people toward the Imperial Study.


Consort De raised her head with agonizing slowness. When she saw the four imperial guards behind him carrying a stretcher toward the entrance, her heart constricted violently.


She did not dare look any closer, parting her lips to ask with great difficulty, "Third Prince... have you found the Fourth Prince?"


Chu Yi said nothing. He climbed the steps and entered the Imperial Study.


A moment later, the Emperor walked out of the Imperial Study, his sharp, piercing gaze falling upon the figure lying on the ground, draped in a gray cloth.


"Imperial Father, this is Fourth Brother." Chu Yi's voice was low and somber. "This son has already had the coroner examine him. Fourth Brother passed away around the Hour of the Dragon today."


"No—!!!"


Consort De let out a bloodcurdling screech from the depths of her throat.


She lunged upward to rush forward, but having knelt for so long, her legs were completely numb and stiff. She collapsed instantly to the stone floor, yet dragged herself forward on hands and knees toward the corpse.


Trembling, she reached out and pulled back the gray cloth, revealing a face covered in blood.


"My son—!"


Consort De let out a heart-wrenching wail, throwing herself over him and caressing her son's face as tears poured from her eyes like a torrential spring.

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