kvmb Chapter 613: Each Hidden Thoughts
Chapter 613: Each Hidden Thoughts
Queen Yan had already changed her clothes and seen the imperial physician. She told others that she was ill, but in fact she was just tired and sleepy.
His eyes were red from staying up late, but he was in good spirits.
After dealing with the eunuch sent by the emperor to inquire about the details, Queen Yan welcomed Fei Wan into the inner room.
"It's him!"
Complex hatred surged in Queen Yan's red eyes.
She told Fei Wan everything she had experienced. What she had just done to the eunuchs was only what she wanted the emperor to know.
Their eyes met, and Fei Wan knew who she was talking about.
This trip to Xishan was originally intended to be a test.
I really tried it out.
For Fei Wan, it was just the enemy being exposed in advance. But for Empress Yan, there were too many things mixed in that made it difficult for her to face them directly.
"Sister, you've survived the ordeal. Good fortune is yet to come. Rest well first. We'll be busy later."
Queen Yan held Fei Wan's hand tightly and said, "Luckily your people went to pick me up, otherwise I don't know if I could return safely."
That team of bodyguards were Fei Wan's men outside the palace.
Fei Wan had already arranged for someone to follow Empress Yan's group. As soon as the incident happened last night, they returned to the city to report the news. They also promptly arranged for teams to search for support along various roads, and one team successfully brought Empress Yan back.
Fei Wan asked Queen Yan to take a nap quickly, because the emperor would come to ask in person after he finished his work.
"Also, sister, please don't worry too much. I don't think this matter is that simple. It may not be him. Let's talk about everything after sister has a good sleep."
Queen Yan listened to the advice and went to sleep.
Having experienced life and death, she knew she couldn't afford to fall ill. So she quickly went to bed, and as exhaustion overwhelmed her, she quickly fell asleep.
Fei Wan left Fengming Palace and went to the imperial court to report to the emperor.
The emperor summoned Concubine Hui and two other generals to discuss matters in the hall. Fei Wan waited for a long time before Concubine Hui and the other two generals came out of the hall.
They passed each other, and Concubine Hui gave Fei Wan a firm look and strode away.
Fei Wan went in to see the emperor.
"I went to visit the Empress. My sister was frightened by the travels and suffered a lot. She couldn't hold on any longer and fell asleep while talking to me. It was really heartbreaking. I don't know whether the Duke of Zhenguo is alive or dead. My sister was very worried and wanted to come to Your Majesty in person to ask you to send someone to rescue him, but she accidentally fell asleep."
Fei Wan quickly held back two tears and tactfully discussed business with the emperor: "After all this, it's clear that the Duke of Zhenguo is most likely not the one behind this. Otherwise, how could he have even implicated himself in this scheme, and his life or death remains unknown to this day."
The emperor pondered.
His expression was slightly cold. "If he really planned me into this, then he would be truly cunning and calculating."
Fei Wan was shocked. "No way...if something goes wrong, wouldn't he risk his life..."
"If he dies, all my doubts about the Yan family will be gone. Not only will the Yan family be safe, but I can also promote their young men and revive their glory. Then, when I am old and less prepared..."
The emperor's tone was deep.
Fei Wan covered his chest with his hands to express his shock, looked thoughtful, and stopped talking.
But he secretly thought that the emperor was really suspicious.
The ideas are dark and illogical.
How could a man like the Duke of Zhenguo sacrifice himself in exchange for the longevity of his family and the safety of his children?
However, it is better for the emperor to continue to suspect the Duke of Zhenguo, after all, the Duke of Zhenguo is not a good person.
At this point, the eunuchs reported that the guards who had escorted Empress Yan back to the palace had been questioned. Their accounts of the incident were consistent with Empress Yan's: they had been attacked by bandits and had been escorting the empress into the mountains to hide. They had lost their way and strayed dozens of miles from the main route before encountering the escort team. To avoid being found by the bandits, they had changed their clothes and disguised themselves before entering the city, and luckily returned safely to the palace.
The emperor listened calmly and waved his hand to let the eunuch leave.
Fei Wan listened from the side and felt more at ease.
Queen Yan did not tell the guards about seeing the Duke of Zhenguo meeting the bandits, and neither did she. This shows that her trusted guards were very clear-headed and did not disobey their master's instructions.
That afternoon, the Duke of Zhenguo was found.
He was shot in the arm and the leg and was carried to the palace on a stretcher.
When she saw the emperor, she burst into tears and confessed her guilt breathlessly, blaming herself for not protecting the queen, bringing shame to the royal family, and causing His Majesty to worry.
I even fainted while crying.
The imperial physician came and hurriedly revived him. The emperor comforted him, listened to his story, and after asking him indirect questions but failing to elicit any more useful information, he ordered him to be safely escorted back to his palace.
Queen Yan had already woken up.
When the emperor learned that the Duke of Zhenguo had entered the palace, he sent the Duke away without letting the father and daughter meet. This showed that the emperor still had doubts about the Duke of Zhenguo.
"Did the Duke also get shot in the leg?"
"Yes, your majesty, the injury on the leg is more serious than that on the arm. It took two imperial doctors half an hour to treat it." Linglong reported the news given by the imperial spy.
Empress Yan sneered, "It seems the Duke has resorted to ruthless tactics to clear himself of suspicion. It's a pity that His Majesty is so suspicious that no matter how ruthless he is, it will be of no avail."
Last night, she had clearly witnessed the Duke of Zhenguo stride into the bandit camp and emerge unscathed, with no leg injuries. Clearly, the severe injuries were intentionally inflicted for the Emperor's benefit, but it hadn't worked.
"Have everyone else returned?" Queen Yan asked again.
Linglong paused.
He whispered, "The guards who were covering us...none of them have returned. The people from the Beijing camp have found their bodies and have temporarily placed them with the other deceased in the relief camp outside the city to be buried on a later date. Half of the palace servants who went with us have returned, and I have given them all leave. The injured are receiving treatment, and the healthy are resting. In addition, each of them was given five taels of silver for comfort, and the injured were given an additional ten taels."
"You did well." Empress Yan nodded. "Have someone bring the list of names of the guards back. Give each of them a five-hundred-liang pension from my own treasury. Tell the outsiders that when recruiting servants and guards, give priority to those from these families, and their monthly salary will be double that of ordinary people. I will take care of the families of these loyal servants who risked their lives for me for the rest of their lives."
Five hundred taels of silver are enough for an ordinary family outside to live on for more than 20 years, and enough for more than 30 years if they are frugal. Compared with the pensions given by the court to the dead soldiers, this amount is really not small.
After this incident, Queen Yan realized even more deeply how important it was to have someone available at critical moments.
She gave generous compensation to the deceased, and now her surviving subordinates will be even more loyal to her.
"Your Majesty has arrived——"
The emperor's arrival interrupted the secret meeting between the master and servant.
Queen Yan quickly gathered her spirits, ruffled her hair, put on her nightgown, and with her frail body supported by a maid, she weakly stepped forward to greet the emperor.
What follows is naturally a show between them.
One is the Queen's wife, who is extremely frightened and misses His Majesty very much.
One is the emperor husband who is gentle and considerate, and eight out of ten sentences he speaks are testing.
Fei Wanan was sitting in Chunxi Palace and received the latest news from outside the palace.
Among the bandits were the Qu people.
Among them was a woman leading the group.
Half a piece of gauze covered one eye.
Judging from her figure, it is most likely Zheng Zhuyi who escaped from the Sky Prison last year.