Xiao Shi's imprisonment caused no ripples, as neither the Youning Emperor nor Prince Kang had the leisure to concern themselves with her at the moment.
The Rouge Case implicated imperial relatives and meritorious nobles, with the mastermind being none other than Princess Ruyang's consort Wei Tao, the Chief Minister of the Imperial Clan Court who was the emperor's uncle within five degrees of kinship, and the Duke of Xu from one of the three foremost ducal houses.
When the Youning Emperor saw the densely packed list of names, his heart raced with terror and fury.
The Beauty Pavilion these three had established had, over thirty years, gifted beauties to capital dignitaries, frontier commanders, and local officials. Even as emperor, he had never planted spies so deeply and widely.
Moreover, due to these beauties, many local officials had become "brothers-in-law." He dared not imagine how the common people in these regions suffered under such oppressive darkness.
The Embroidered Uniform Envoys mobilized overnight, and the core members of the Beauty Pavilion, led by Wei Tao, were imprisoned within a day.
Whenever imperial relatives committed crimes, they were detained in the Imperial Clan Court, and Xiao Shi was no exception.
Late at night, Xiao Huayong stealthily infiltrated the Imperial Clan Court. The most heavily guarded cell held the key prisoner Wei Tao, now nearly sixty. Not a single strand of his hair showed gray, only his somewhat dark, rigid face bore the marks of time.
Even dressed in undergarments and shackled, he appeared completely unruffled. Gazing at the flickering flame in the lamp on the table, he said, "Since you're here, why not show yourself?"
Xiao Huayong emerged from around the corner, standing outside the cell with one hand behind his back, twirling a black game piece between his fingers.
Wei Tao's calm eyes narrowed at the sight of Xiao Huayong, then he suddenly laughed. Shaking his head with a sigh, he remarked, "Age has dulled my vision. I never imagined the Crown Prince would prove so remarkably capable."
"Uncle, you must know why I have come," Xiao Huayong said impassively, showing no desire for small talk.
Wei Tao stared at him. "What can the Crown Prince offer me?"
"Princess Ruyang's life, and Wei Zhengye's noble title," Xiao Huayong stated.
Wei Tao grew agitated, rushing down from the stone bed and gripping the cell bars. "How can you save her?"
After the incident broke, he had exhausted all efforts to clear Ruyang's name, but the Youning Emperor was fond of collective punishment.
"His Majesty secretly forges weapons, breeds warhorses, and trains private guards, leaving the state treasury depleted. If Aunt Ruyang were to expose your thirty years of embezzled wealth, claiming ignorance of your private dealings, His Majesty would surely pardon her to gain a reputation for magnanimity."
The reason the Youning Emperor and his two siblings could seize the throne was due to military support from Shen Yueshan, civil backing from the Gu family rallying noble clans in secret, and internal coordination from Princess Ruyang, their elder half-sister.
With the precedent of the wrongly executed Gu family, and Shen Yueshan sending his daughter to the capital to show submission, rumors of the Youning Emperor's ingratitude were spreading. Punishing Princess Ruyang now would only chill the ministers' loyalty.
Without her consort, the harmless Princess Ruyang—who could refill his treasury—why wouldn't he display clemency?
"His Majesty..." Wei Tao trembled with fear, shocked that the Youning Emperor was covertly building an elite private army, and terrified that the Crown Prince knew every detail while the entire court remained unaware.
Wei Tao took a deep breath. "That wealth..."
He was about to say the money had been plundered when he suddenly realized something and jerked his gaze toward Xiao Huayong.Xiao Huayong's expression was extremely placid, yet it lent his overly handsome face a steady composure that seemed to hold the universe in his grasp: "In my hands."
Wei Tao's hands trembled involuntarily. That batch of wealth had been plundered over a year ago, meaning this Crown Prince had already possessed thorough knowledge of the Rouge Case a year earlier. Perhaps it had only surfaced now because he had completed his preparations and allowed it to emerge.
This was a web, and everyone was trapped within it, advancing step by step according to his will.
It took Wei Tao quite some time to still his trembling hands. He retreated two steps and performed a deep bow to Xiao Huayong.
Rising, he punched his own jaw, dislodging a golden tooth that clattered to the ground. He crushed it underfoot, revealing an extremely small purple pearl inside. Picking it up, he wiped it clean and handed it to Xiao Huayong.
"Your Highness, take this object to the Southern City's Beitian Workshop and seek the deaf-mute old gatekeeper. He will naturally present the palace secret passage map to Your Highness."
There were secret passages in the palace. Back when Youning Emperor and his brother's troops successfully forced the palace without bloodshed, it was largely thanks to these passages.
The true knowers of the secret passages were Princess Ruyang and her husband. However, Princess Ruyang being clever, had allowed others to discover one hidden passage to claim merit. After Youning Emperor consolidated his throne, he inquired about the secret passages. That particular passage had been destroyed, and those who knew about it had been silenced by Youning Emperor.
Youning Emperor never suspected Princess Ruyang. Xiao Huayong had only learned this secret through fortunate coincidence.
Seeing Xiao Huayong accept the token for exchanging the secret passage map, Wei Tao revealed a bitter smile of confirmation. They had thought they deceived everyone, unaware that this all-powerful Crown Prince had long seen through everything.
With his objective achieved, Xiao Huayong turned to leave. Passing ordinary cells, he heard faint movements and happened to see Xiao Shi collapsed on the ground, convulsing continuously. Soon, she began bleeding from seven orifices.
Glancing at the food container bearing the Kang Prince Manor's insignia outside the cell, a gentle smile surfaced on Xiao Huayong's lips: "How truly... ruthless."
Tianyuan had been waiting for Xiao Huayong at the Eastern Palace. Seeing the Crown Prince return, treading through night shadows and draped in moonlight, his eyes shimmering with starlight, he could sense the Crown Prince's delight from afar.
"Your Highness, success?" Tianyuan assumed Xiao Huayong had obtained what he desired from Consort Wei.
"Mmm." Xiao Huayong lightly twirled a black piece between his fingers.
"Your Highness, word came from the regional office - the Junzhu wishes to see Hua Fuhai." Tianyuan hurriedly reported the official matter.
The warmth in Xiao Huayong's expression vanished: "Has she encountered difficulties?"
While Xiao Huayong wouldn't claim to understand Shen Xihe completely, he had grasped seventy to eighty percent of her character. Someone so aloof and proud - unless she needed something, would she actively contact someone she had only met once?
Tianyuan quickly shook his head: "Your Highness, you instructed us not to surveil the Junzhu."
Regarding Yu Xiaodie's matter, they had been monitoring Yu Xiaodie who was involved in the Rouge Case, and guessed Shen Xihe would use Yu Xiaodie as a pawn. Not wanting to disrupt Shen Xihe's plans, they paid slightly more attention. Normally, their people wouldn't dare surveil Shen Xihe.
Tianyuan didn't understand why his master, who clearly cared about the Junzhu, didn't keep closer watch.
He vaguely remembered last time when he inadvertently asked, His Highness didn't scold him for being nosy, but instead gazed at the pomegranate tree in the courtyard gradually tinged with pale yellow and said: "She would certainly dislike it."Xiao Huayong wrote a letter with his left hand and handed it to Tianyuan: "Have someone from the merchant house deliver it to her."
Xiao Huayong was very curious about what matter could have compelled Shen Xihe to lower her dignity and seek him out, and he also felt somewhat concerned.
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