Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 463 On the verge of breaking out

Li Zhao's eyes instantly turned cold and sharp.

"What assassin? I'm perfectly fine! If you dare to make another sound, I'll chop off your head."

There was a moment of silence outside the door.

Li Zhao quickly adjusted Xue Sui's clothes, gently patted her back with his fingertips to signal her to steady her breathing, and then turned to pull back the curtain, looking at Xie Weilan's corpse with a furrowed brow.

Bloodstains can be covered up.

The body could not be hidden...

"Your Highness, open the door." Xuanjizi's voice rang out again, tinged with concern. "This humble Taoist is worried that a villain might enter the palace and cause harm to Your Highness..."

"My safety is none of your concern."

"If Your Highness doesn't open the door soon, this humble Taoist priest will have to break it down..."

"How dare you!" Li Zhao shouted, his gaze quickly sweeping over the layout of the hall.

Xue Sui calmly got off the bed, took out a secret letter from his sleeve, and waved it.

"Secret letters between Xie Weilan and Xuanjizi".

Li Zhao frowned: "Fake?"

"It's fake, but it's realistic enough to fool anyone. It imitates Xie Weilan's handwriting, even the ink is exactly the same."

She spoke calmly, then took out a tiny celadon medicine bottle from her bosom.

"And this... the Spring Breeze Ferry powder mixed in with the incense. With these, it is enough to prove that Miss Xie is wicked and colludes with Xuanjizi to try to control His Highness with aphrodisiacs. She deserves to die."

She moved swiftly, stuffing the porcelain bottle into Xie Weilan's arms, then ruffled her hair and tore her clothes slightly, making it look like she was struggling.

Li Zhao's heart stirred slightly at the sight.

Acting cautiously, he indeed had a backup plan at every step.

"As for why I killed her, it's even simpler..." Xue Sui looked up at him and smiled slightly, "Women steal each other's husbands, and they're prone to jealousy. Your Highness couldn't control me, and I couldn't tolerate her. At the time of the incident, Your Highness was poisoned and delirious, and knew nothing..."

"Peace." Li Zhao suddenly grabbed her wrist. "Don't put yourself in danger—"

"I know what I'm doing." Xue Sui shook off his hand, took the gold hairpin from Xie Weilan's hair, and made a shallow cut on his own arm.

Before Li Zhao could stop him, his face darkened abruptly. "Are you trying to drive me to my death?"

Xue Sui wasn't satisfied yet, so he tore open his collar, revealing a small patch of reddened skin, making himself look disheveled after a fight.

"Killing someone in the Zichen Palace could be a serious crime or a minor one. If not handled properly, not only will I be unable to escape punishment, but it will also give others grounds for criticism and become a weapon to attack the Crown Prince..."

She spoke clearly and logically, but Li Zhao felt a tightness in his chest and a pang of heartache as he listened.

"Peace, I won't let anything happen to you..."

“I understand.” Xue Sui pursed her lips and looked at him. “But the current situation is pressing, and we have no choice but to do this.”

Li Zhao's eyes turned cold: "The situation is dire? Then let them die."

Xue Sui opened her mouth, wanting to say something more, but Li Zhao shook his head and reached out to tidy her disheveled hair. "Listen to me."

"Your Highness, please forgive my rudeness." Xuanji Zi, standing outside the hall, had clearly lost his patience.

"Break down the door—"

The sound lasted no more than three times, then there was a creak.

The door to the inner sanctuary was pulled open from the inside.

A blinding light and a cold draft rushed in instantly, dispersing the cloying incense and illuminating the mess in the room—

Li Zhao was only wearing his undergarments, his dark hair slightly disheveled, his robe half-open, revealing his muscular chest. His face held a perfect balance of satisfaction and impatience at being disturbed. His tall figure blocked the doorway, his gaze sharp as a knife.

"Xuanjizi, are you tired of living?"

Xuanji Zi quickly bowed and paid his respects, but his eyes kept glancing into the hall.

"Your Highness, please forgive me. I just heard that an assassin had entered the palace, so I dared not let my guard down..."

"Hmph!" Li Zhao's tone was cold and sharp, carrying a hoarseness and displeasure that came after their affair.

"What, does the Immortal Master suspect that I am harboring assassins?"

"Your Highness is too kind..." Xuanjizi said, "This humble Taoist is merely fulfilling his duty to ensure Your Highness's safety. I humbly request Your Highness's permission to enter and take a look..."

"Investigate?" Li Zhao asked with a smile, "Does the Immortal Master know what the crime is for offending the Crown Prince?"

Xuanji Zi choked for a moment, and before he could think of a reply, Li Zhao suddenly turned to the side and pushed the door open completely.

"Come in. If you cannot find the assassin, then you, Immortal Master, should commit suicide to atone for your sins."

Xuanji Zi hesitated for a moment, then stepped into the hall with two guards.

A faint smell of blood filled the air.

The overturned table and shattered porcelain silently testify to the fierce battle that had just taken place.

Behind the screen, on the bed, the curtains hung low, and the brocade quilt could be vaguely seen rising, as if someone was curled up inside.

Xuanjizi's gaze darkened slightly as he swept over the scattered bloodstains on the ground.

"Your Highness, this blood..."

"It's inevitable that a beauty will get hurt on her first time enjoying his company." Li Zhao remained expressionless, raising an eyebrow with a lazy smile. "What, does the Immortal Master even need to inquire about this?"

Xuanji Zi chuckled twice, his gaze sweeping across the hall.

"Where is Miss Xie?"

He was certain that there was a ghost in the palace, and that Li Zhao must have hidden someone somewhere.

And Xie Weilan, how could she have remained completely silent?

Xuanjizi narrowed his eyes, a sinister smile spreading across his face. "Second Miss Xie, why aren't you serving His Highness?"

"What is the Immortal Master trying to do?" Li Zhao asked in an unfriendly tone. "Or is it that the Immortal Master is actually investigating me?"

"This humble Taoist priest dares not, dares not."

Xuanjizi's forehead was covered in sweat. He repeatedly said he dared not, and retreated dejectedly.

"Halt!" Li Zhao suddenly spoke. He pointed at Xuanji Zi, "You led your men to force your way into the inner palace, disturbing me, and now you think you can just walk away? Commander Zheng, immediately seize this audacious sorcerer and await his punishment..."

The commander of the Imperial Guards looked troubled.

Xuanji Zi spent all his time with Emperor Chongzhao, sharing meals and sleeping in the same palace. The Emperor regarded him as a life-extending deity. To take his life was like taking the Emperor's life; who would dare to lay a hand on him?
Just as he was wondering how to respond, Wang Chengxi's voice suddenly came from outside the hall.

"Your Majesty has arrived——"

The hall fell silent instantly.

Emperor Chongzhao was seen being supported by Wang Chengxi, his steps unsteady as he entered.

His face was flushed, his large Taoist robe hung loosely on him, and he seemed displeased that his meditation had been disturbed; his tone was weary.

"Making such a racket so early in the morning... what kind of behavior is this?"

Emperor Chongzhao coughed a few times and glanced around the hall.

"The assassin... has he been captured?"

Upon seeing the emperor arrive, Xuanjizi felt as if he had found a powerful backer and immediately spoke first.

"Your Majesty, I suspect the assassin is hiding in the palace... but His Highness the Crown Prince forbids a search..."

He spoke with a hint of ambiguity, his gaze constantly drifting towards the hanging bed curtains.

"Moreover, I've been here for so long, and I haven't seen Miss Xie appear. It's really strange... Could it be that Miss Xie has already been killed by an assassin..."

Emperor Chongzhao frowned. "Where is Lady Xie?"

With the emperor's backing, Xuanjizi became even bolder.

He called out to the lowered curtains, "Second Miss Xie? His Majesty is here. Please rise to greet him."

No one answered.

The curtains remained completely still.

A strange light flashed in Xuanjizi's eyes, and he immediately gave an order to a palace maid behind him.

"Go, please ask Miss Xie to rise and greet the Emperor."

The palace maid responded and stepped forward tremblingly.

Unexpectedly, the moment her fingertips touched the curtain, the curtain itself was pulled open.

A woman slowly sat up, walked barefoot off the bed, her clothes disheveled, her hair messy, and a bloody welt on her arm was shocking.

"Your Majesty, I greet you. May Your Majesty be well."

"Xue? What are you doing here?" Emperor Chongzhao's pupils contracted, and his eyes flashed with shock and anger.

"Where is the Xie family? Where is the Xie family?"

The tent was empty except for a disheveled brocade quilt.

It's obviously impossible to hide a person.

The palace maid carefully drew back the floor-length curtains...

Everyone's gaze followed the movement, finally settling on the area of ​​shadow beneath the bed, half-hidden by the bed curtains—

A section of a pinkish-red garment peeked out, and dark red bloodstains were visible on the gold brick.

"Ah—" The palace maid who was lifting the curtain let out a scream and retreated abruptly.

Xuanjizi rushed forward and moved the footstool aside.

Xie Weilan's body was curled up under the bed.

Her eyes were wide open, frozen in extreme terror. There was a hideous bloody hole in her throat, the blood already congealed.

Clearly, she had been dead for some time.

Emperor Chongzhao was shocked. "What...what happened? Who did this?"

"Father, your son..." Li Zhao stepped forward at the opportune moment, blocking Xue Sui's path.

Before he could finish speaking, Xue Sui's voice was heard.

"I killed him."

She walked slowly out from behind Li Zhao, her lips swollen and her arms injured, but her expression was very calm. She met Emperor Chongzhao's gaze without flinching, showing no fear or embarrassment.

“Second Miss Xie broke into the Zichen Palace at night with the intention of taking advantage of His Highness. I happened to witness it, and in the ensuing struggle, I accidentally killed her.”

Emperor Chongzhao could hardly believe his ears.

A woman dared to kill someone in his Zichen Palace...

"Xue, how dare you! To murder the future Crown Princess is utterly lawless! Guards—seize this wicked woman and execute her on the spot..."

The emperor's guards were about to step forward upon receiving the order.

"I'll see who dares!"

Li Zhao roared and drew the sword from the guard's waist. The tip of the sword pointed at him, the cold light reflecting on his handsome face. He was imposing and full of killing intent, so terrifying that no one dared to approach.

"Where is the Crown Prince's Guard?"

Just as Li Zhao finished speaking, a group of Imperial Guards who had been waiting for a long time, led by Yuan Cang, broke through the outer perimeter and rushed into the inner hall, quickly protecting Li Zhao and Xue Sui.

The Imperial Guards drew their swords.

The guards of the Eastern Palace drew their swords without flinching, forming a standoff with them.

The weapons gleamed, and a chilling aura emanated from them.

The two sides were on the verge of exploding, and the atmosphere was so tense that a conflict could erupt at any moment.

Even more critically, several high-ranking officials who had come early for court had already arrived outside the Zichen Hall and, upon hearing the news, disregarded all etiquette and barged in.

Seeing this, they all gripped their court tablets and waited anxiously to the side.

The commotion grew increasingly louder, and the already difficult stalemate spiraled out of control, making a dignified resolution impossible.

(End of this chapter)