Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 218 The Hell Abyss Makes Waves
In the deepest part of the Ministry of Justice's dungeon, in cell number 100, mold had spread all over the stone walls.

Xue Sui sat on the straw mat, gazing intently at the winding watermarks on the stone wall.

At the end of the passageway, the sound of iron chains clanging could be heard.

The mice in the corner heard footsteps and scattered in fright...

The prison door creaked open, and Li Huan, dressed in plain white mourning clothes, stood at the boundary between light and shadow. The night dew on his shoulders was still wet, but the food box in his hand was steaming.

"To remain so calm in this situation, I have truly underestimated you."

Xue Sui looked up at him without saying a word.

He lifted his robe and walked in, the lantern carried by the jailer casting a sinister shadow on his face.

"You may all step back!"

The two jailers hurriedly retreated, their voices fading into the distance.

Only one oil lamp remained in the dungeon, casting a faint light in the damp air.

"You're quite composed." Li Huan slammed the food box down, the corner hitting the uneven ground with a dull thud.

"Now that things have come to this, aren't you going to confess?"

"What does Your Highness want to hear?" Xue Sui raised his eyes, his expression as cold as a deep pool. "Is it about why Lu Xi's handkerchief was stained with snakeberry juice, or how Your Highness managed to slip that broken jade pendant into my purse, waiting to hear me plead my innocence?"

"What a sharp tongue!"

Li Huan approached with a cold laugh, gripping her wrist like an iron clamp and pinning it against the stone wall. The prison lamp illuminated the corners of his eyes, revealing bloodshot veins.

"Such stubbornness, do you think the Crown Prince can save you?"

"Why did the Crown Prince save me?" Xue Sui asked back, her face unchanged as he held her. "I am but a concubine in the Prince's mansion, while His Highness the Crown Prince is the heir apparent of the country."

Li Huan squatted down, his hawk-like gaze fixed on her, as if he wanted to gouge a hole through her.

"I have witnessed with my own eyes how the Crown Prince has repeatedly broken precedents for you, openly defending you without regard for decorum... He even nearly resorted to violence in the Qinghui Palace to prevent the Imperial Guards from arresting you..."

His wrist throbbed painfully against the brick wall, and the scent of benzoin filled his nostrils. Without asking, he knew where Li Huan had come from, and what kind of bone-chilling killing intent lurked beneath this deliberate relaxation...

Xue Sui suddenly laughed, his eyes sweeping over the corner of his eye as he looked at Xue Sui's taut knuckles.

"My relationship with His Highness the Crown Prince is completely innocent! His Highness has always been fair and just; he was merely speaking out for justice..."

"Clear and innocent?" Li Huan sneered. "Why don't you ask the Crown Prince if his eyes are truly innocent?"

"If you want to incriminate someone, why bother?"

After speaking, Xue Sui closed his eyes, appearing unwilling to pay attention.

After a moment of stalemate, a soft clatter was heard from the food box, and Li Huan's voice suddenly lowered considerably...

"Jade shrimp dumplings, your eldest sister specifically asked the kitchen to make them."

He paused for a moment, then pushed the food box half an inch closer.

"She said you love shrimp, so she specially simmered it in chicken broth. Try it."

The aroma of the jade shrimp dumplings, mixed with the musty smell, burst forth. Xue Sui lowered his eyes to look at the food box, then glanced at the pale weariness on Li Huan's face. A shadow of gloom silently crept into his heart.

She could tell that Li Huan hated her.

Why the pretense?
"Your Highness, if you have something to say, please speak plainly?"

She reached out and slowly pushed the food box away a third of the way. "Do you want me to confess, or do you want me to implicate the Crown Prince?"

Li Huan stared intently, his fingertips brushing against her loose hair: "Ping An, with your intelligence, you should know what I want."

"Your Highness thinks too highly of me." Xue Sui avoided his touch, narrowed his eyes slightly, and sneered, "I am nothing but a pawn, a pawn in your game with the Crown Prince."

"Do you think I wouldn't dare kill you?" Li Huan suddenly became angry, grabbed the back of her neck, forced her to look directly at him, and seemed to have bloodshot eyes.

"Remember! There are only people I don't want to kill, not people I can't kill."

"If Your Highness truly believed I was a spy for Xiz, why wait until today?"

Li Huan was startled, as if his weak spot had been hit.

Xue Sui pressed his palm to the cold ground, his voice as light as a feather.

"Xue Liu's life isn't worth that much; it's not worth the prince's elaborate schemes. The prince went to great lengths to imprison me, not only because he believes I'm the murderer of Consort Xiao, but also because he intends to use me to bring down the Crown Prince, isn't that right..."

"So what if he is?" Li Huan pinched her chin, his thumb grinding heavily against the corner of her lips. "If he didn't harbor any delusions about you, how could he have fallen into my trap?"

“Unfortunately, Your Highness has schemed and plotted, but you are destined to lose.” Xue Sui looked at him calmly, her eyelashes casting faint shadows in the lamplight. “The Crown Prince has no romantic feelings for me. Your Highness has been fighting with the Crown Prince for so many years, you must know his character better than I do. If he were to have personal feelings, he would not be the Crown Prince.”

She spoke very frankly, and Li Huan stared at her, slowly pursing his lips.

"Then let's wait and see..."

"Look at this pit of fire, will Li Zhao jump in or not?"

Before he could finish speaking, a commotion suddenly arose at the end of the passageway.

From afar, a jailer reported, "Your Highness, the Third Miss Guo from the Duke of Zheng's mansion has come to visit Consort Xue."

Li Huan frowned, turned around, and glanced at Xue Sui's calm and expressionless face.

"Let her in."

A moment later, Guo Yunrong led a little girl down the stone steps in a hurry.

She seemed to be visiting a dungeon for the first time, looking around timidly, her hands trembling slightly as she held the embroidery hoop...

Having finally "escaped" to the front of the jailer and stepped into the cell, he suddenly saw Li Huan standing under the lamplight and gasped in fright.

"May Your Highness be well."

Guo Yunrong curtsied, her face flushed red from the prison fire.

"This humble woman was unaware that Your Highness was present. I have been impolite and beg Your Highness's forgiveness..."

She was a young girl raised in seclusion, and the biggest storm in her life was being framed by Lu Xi at her coming-of-age banquet. Li Huan, on the other hand, had an innate sense of authority and pressure. With just one glance from his superior position, she would feel weak in the knees and at a loss for what to do.

Li Huan asked calmly, "What brings Miss Guo here so late at night?"

Guo Yunrong glanced at Xue Sui in the corner and whispered, "It's getting chilly again today. Mother said there might be a sudden rainstorm tonight, so I've come to bring some clothes for Consort Xue..."

Li Huan squinted at the bundle in the maid's hands, then suddenly raised an eyebrow: "Miss Guo is indeed virtuous. She is so kind and considerate even before entering the Eastern Palace."

There was a hidden meaning in his words, but unfortunately Guo Yunrong didn't fully understand them.

Her cheeks flushed, and she lowered her head, revealing a section of her snow-white nape, speaking haltingly.

"Your Highness is too kind. I came here on my own, and it has nothing to do with the Crown Prince's Palace..."

"Oh?" Li Huan's eyes were sharp, but his tone was nonchalant. "Why is Miss Guo so concerned about a convicted woman who is imprisoned?"

Guo Yunrong became anxious upon hearing this, her almond-shaped eyes widening.

“The concubine is a good person. She has taken good care of me in the past. If I were to avoid her in times of trouble, wouldn’t I be an ungrateful villain?”

"Third Miss Guo is loyal and righteous, with a heart of compassion. Your Highness is truly blessed." Li Huan smiled meaningfully and pointed to the bundle.

The girl nervously shrank her neck and handed it over.

Li Huan hooked a corner of the bundle with his fingertip and pulled hard.

The contents inside were scattered.

Several pieces of finely stitched clothing, and a few packets of snacks wrapped in oil paper.

It's obvious at a glance that this is a young girl's thought.

Li Huan smiled faintly.

"Miss Guo's intentions are sincere, but unfortunately the dungeon is too humid, I'm afraid she won't be able to enjoy it."

Xue Sui stared at him coldly, then suddenly lowered his head and coughed violently…

Guo Yunrong hurriedly stepped forward to support her, and the scent of perfume mixed with the girl's fragrance wafted from her sleeve.

"Has the concubine caught a chill? Why is she coughing?"

Looking at this innocent and kind girl, Xue Sui couldn't help but smile faintly, recalling her embarrassed appearance when Lu Xi made things difficult for her at her coming-of-age banquet.

She harbored a deep grudge against Guo Yunrong's elder brother, Guo Zhao, for the humiliation she had suffered, and she had no good feelings towards the Duke of Zheng's mansion, but she didn't dislike this third Miss Guo...

At least, she has a kind heart.

"Miss Guo, please go back and don't come again."

Guo Yunrong bit her lip and shook her head, "The concubine is kind-hearted and would never poison the Imperial Concubine. There must be some misunderstanding..." She then glanced cautiously at Li Huan, "His Highness the Crown Prince and His Highness Prince Duan are in charge of this case and will definitely clear your name."

Looking at the earnestness and worry in her eyes, Xue Sui's eyes rippled slightly.

“The dungeon is cold and gloomy, Third Miss, this is not a place for you to linger.”

Guo Yunrong originally had a lot more to say, but seeing Li Huan standing there coldly, surrounded by rust and mold, she felt a little timid.

So she shoved everything into Xue Sui's hands and squeezed them.

"I'll come see you another day. Please take good care of yourself."

Xue Sui nodded to her and watched her leave, gradually disappearing into the darkness.
-
Not long after Guo Yunrong left, Li Huan turned and left.

The dungeon returned to deathly silence. Xue Sui smelled the musty odor carried by the cold wind, pulled his prison clothes tighter, and began to examine the clothes that Guo Yunrong had brought him, one by one.

The lights were dim, so she groped her way around by feel.

Until the fingertips touched a different piece of silk—

She turned her back to block the jailer's view and, by the dim light of the prison lamp, looked at the words on the moon-white silk.

"Safety."

Only two words.

The powerful strokes that penetrate the paper are a unique characteristic of Li Zhao's vigorous calligraphy.

She suddenly chuckled softly, her fingertips tracing the words "Peace," and felt her palms burning. The unease brought on by the Love Silk Gu seemed to have lessened by a third.

As long as the Love Silk Gu exists, Li Zhao will not stand idly by and do nothing for her. This was originally her intention in planting the Love Silk Gu—to have Li Zhao save and protect her without hesitation.

But at this moment, this has become the biggest risk in this situation.

Because what Li Huan wanted was Li Zhao's attention, he made a foolish move in a moment of impulsiveness.

If Li Zhao acts rashly to save her, he will face utter ruin.

Her hands, stained with blood and rife with scheming, were driven not only by avenging the humiliation of her childhood but also by a desire to place Li Zhao on the throne for the sake of the Old Mausoleum. She would use the Li family to clear the names of the two hundred thousand souls lost in the Old Mausoleum…

This ten-year-long game will not be ruined by this.

She had to find a way to keep Li Zhao calm!
-
At 3:45 AM, a female official from the Shanggong Bureau entered the Jiaofang Palace carrying the funeral rites.

"Your Majesty, this is the detailed plan for the funeral of the Imperial Concubine drafted by the Ministry of Rites. Please take a look."

Empress Xie rubbed her temples and turned the pages of the yellow silk book.

"The coffin of the Imperial Concubine will be temporarily placed in Ruijin Hall, and the funeral arrangements will be carried out in accordance with the rites for a secondary empress..."

A line of large characters struck my heart like a heavy hammer.

There is only one Empress in this world, so how can there be a usurper called "Second Empress"?
This is clearly an absurd precedent set by the emperor for his favorite concubine...

They have to trample on the dignity of the Empress Dowager to carry Xiao's coffin!

Empress Xie's hand remained suspended in mid-air, hesitant to fall.

A gust of wind swept through the room, causing the beaded curtain to rustle and adding an unexpected touch of desolation.

"Your Majesty, His Majesty has arrived at Jiaofang Palace..."

Before the eunuch could finish speaking, Emperor Chongzhao had already stepped across the threshold.

He wasn't wearing a dragon robe today; his plain white clothes seemed to still carry the scent of paper money from the Ruijin Palace. Overnight, he appeared to have aged considerably.

The Empress quickly rose and bowed.

"Your Majesty, I respectfully welcome your presence..."

"Your Majesty, please excuse me."

Emperor Chongzhao glanced at the open book on the table, his gaze lingering for a moment on Empress Xie's pale face.

"The Xiao family suffered such a calamity, and their souls are adrift. It is only reasonable for the Xiao family to seek posthumous honors."

After he finished speaking, he stared intently at Empress Xie.

"I intend to conduct the funeral with the rites due to a secondary empress. Does the empress have any objections?"

The funeral arrangements were already finalized before they informed the Empress. Did it matter whether she had any objections?
Empress Xie lowered her eyes, "It is entirely up to Your Majesty to decide."

Emperor Chongzhao nodded in satisfaction, "Issue an edict to the six palaces: empresses, concubines, princes, princesses, and others shall observe mourning attire; all wives of officials of the fourth rank and above shall enter the palace to kneel before the coffin..."

Empress Xie lowered her head. "Yes."

Consort Xiao ultimately outshone her in this way—she was the most favored concubine in the palace while alive, and even in death she was entitled to the mourning honors of the empress.

"Your Majesty, I'm sorry to have wronged you."

Emperor Chongzhao suddenly spoke, his face showing signs of exhaustion.

The death of Consort Xiao filled him with both grief and anger, and the court was thrown into turmoil because of it. The Xiao family also exerted constant pressure, and even the emperor had his own helplessness.

At this time, bestowing honors upon the Xiao family was not only out of personal affection, but also out of consideration for the court's interests.

He hoped his queen would understand his predicament.

However, Empress Xie was like an emotionless wooden sculpture, offering no words of comfort, only following the rules and never disobeying him, but without any warmth whatsoever.

He sighed inwardly and was about to take his leave when the announcement came again.

"Your Majesty, Your Highness, Prince Duan requests an audience—"

Emperor Chongzhao glanced at Empress Xie and gestured for him to come in.

"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty and Your Majesty." Li Huan bowed respectfully.

Emperor Chongzhao waved his hand, signaling him to rise, and asked, "Your mother and I have already agreed on the funeral arrangements for your mother. She will be buried with great honors, according to the rites for a secondary empress, and will be honored with spring and autumn sacrifices at the Imperial Ancestral Temple..."

Li Huan kowtowed, his voice choked with gratitude: "Father Emperor and Empress Dowager, your kindness is boundless. If Mother Consort were alive, she would surely be gratified..."

Emperor Chongzhao nodded thoughtfully, paused slightly, and then asked him seriously.

"How do you and the Crown Prince plan to investigate the case at Qinghui Palace?"

Li Huan frowned slightly and said sincerely, "Father, I will definitely investigate thoroughly and meticulously, but His Highness the Crown Prince..."

He hesitated, as if struggling with an internal struggle…

Empress Xie's heart skipped a beat, and she felt a vague unease.

As expected, Emperor Chongzhao urged him on, and he said in a solemn tone, "The Crown Prince has repeatedly obstructed me and made things difficult for me time and time again, but in reality, he has feelings for Lady Xue..."

Emperor Chongzhao's expression changed.

Empress Xie was also greatly shocked.

“Even if the Crown Prince is not a very prudent person, he would not covet his brother’s wife and do such a foolish thing! Prince Duan, you must be careful with your words and not make any unfounded speculations.”

"Your subject dares not speak presumptuously," Li Huan kowtowed. "This matter is entirely Ping Le's fault. Ever since that accidental prank at the Hundred Flowers Banquet, the Crown Prince has shown much favor to Xue Shi. Father and Mother both witnessed the Qinghui Palace incident. To protect Xue Shi, the Crown Prince disregarded His Majesty's presence and interfered arbitrarily. There may be no personal feelings involved, but there is certainly affection..."

Emperor Chongzhao and Empress Xie exchanged a glance, each lost in their own thoughts.

Li Zhao's recent actions are indeed quite different from his past behavior.

Although there is no concrete evidence, it feels like a heavy blow to the heart, making one unable to help but doubt.

Emperor Chongzhao sighed.

"The Crown Prince is not young anymore, and the inner palace is empty. It's inevitable that he might neglect his romantic relationships. If we arrange a marriage for him soon, with someone to constantly advise him, he won't easily lose his mind..."

This was said in a very tactful and subtle way.

This both preserved Prince Duan's dignity and pointed out the reason for the Crown Prince's inappropriate behavior.

Empress Xie frowned slightly and remained silent.

Emperor Chongzhao turned to her, "Empress, the Third Miss Guo you mentioned the other day... is she the daughter of the Duke of Zheng?"

Empress Xie bowed slightly: "Yes, the third daughter of the Duke of Zheng's mansion is well-educated, kind-hearted, and born into a noble family but not arrogant. She and the Crown Prince are a match made in heaven."

Emperor Chongzhao nodded, "In that case, immediately order the Imperial Astronomical Bureau to match the birth dates of the two men and choose an auspicious day for their marriage. This will also correct his mind and prevent any further trouble."

This is a very, very long article, can I ask for a ticket?

Li Zhao: Reward!

Reader: Why don't you try to get Sixth Sister out of here first?