The Crazy Emperor's Pampered Cousin

When Xie Yanzhao stepped into the secret room, a cold, damp smell mixed with the smell of dust hit him.

The torches on the wall flickered with an uneasy light, casting his shadow long.

He swept his gaze across the faces, each one distorted in the dim light.

Yu Pin's feigned struggle, Consort An's forced upright posture, and the others' limp weeping or panic all fell into his view.

He sat down in the black lacquered chair at the head of the table, his knuckles tapping the armrest unintentionally, producing a clear, muffled sound in the deathly silence.

Jing Cang stepped forward, his voice steady yet clear enough for everyone to hear: "Your Highness, everyone is here."

The words "Your Highness" were like a pebble thrown into a well, stirring up a silent undercurrent among the terrified crowd.

There are many princes in the palace.

Who else could appear here, in this way?

Some people turned deathly pale instantly, and even their breathing became labored.

Despite being bound hand and foot, Consort Yu still tried to raise her chin: "Your Highness? Which Your Highness? Do you know who I am? I am His Majesty's most favored Consort Yu!"

Xie Yanzhao didn't even fully lift his eyelids, only glancing indifferently at the group of people below.

These are the ants who have grudges against Consort Xian and Rou'an, and who may have dragged his Yuan Yuan into the vortex because of them.

The real mastermind is hidden among these people.

"I will ask you only once: who is responsible for this witchcraft?"

Xie Yanzhao paused, his gaze sharp as a blade, and slowly swept across everyone's faces: "If no one confesses within half a cup of tea's time, then all of you will be executed."

The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, and even the sobbing stopped abruptly.

Your Highness the Crown Prince! It really is that powerful Lord of the Eastern Palace who holds real power and the power of life and death!

Consort Yu began to tremble uncontrollably.

Consort An's heart pounded wildly. It really was him! He could actually go to such lengths for the Crown Princess, even at the cost of so many lives?

A surge of resentment welled up inside her.

Shen Tinghe was merely a stepping stone in this matter; the real target was Consort Xian! How could the Crown Prince, so intelligent, not know this?

She didn't do anything to Shen Tinghe, only made her feel slightly unwell.

Why insist on holding onto this issue, even resorting to indiscriminate killing?

Xie Jiaran's cries rang out, filled with despair.

"Mother! Mother, what are we going to do... We're going to die... Brother! Brother, spare us! It really wasn't me and Mother, we've always stayed in Lan Chi Palace, we would never dare to harm our sister-in-law!"

Consort An was heartbroken by her daughter's cries and looked up, crying out, "Your Highness! How can you kill palace women without evidence? We are, after all, imperial concubines, and Ran'er is a royal princess!"

Consort Yu hurriedly chimed in, "Yes, yes, yes... Ah no, it's not me! I've barely even seen the Crown Princess a few times, Your Highness, please understand!"

A cacophony of voices rose as people begged for mercy, cried out their innocence, and offered excuses.

Xie Yanzhao's gaze fell on Consort An's face, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly, a smile that was utterly devoid of any genuine emotion.

Everyone else was trying their best to distance themselves from the situation, but she was the only one who...

She was questioning him about his lack of evidence.

Xie Yanzhao gave a slight signal, and the guards pulled Consort An to the front and tore off the blindfold from her eyes.

Suddenly exposed to the firelight, Consort An closed her eyes to avoid it. When she opened them again, she met the unfathomable eyes of the young crown prince on the throne.

There was no anger in it, only a pure, cold blackness, making her look like an inanimate object.

Xie Yanzhao spoke slowly, each word crystal clear: "Do I need evidence to kill you?"

An Cairen was struck dumb, her mouth agape, her blood running cold.

Only when she saw and faced this person with her own eyes did she truly understand under whose nose she was playing tricks.

The person before him was the Crown Prince, who was only half a step away from the throne, a powerful figure whom even the Emperor had to give way to.

For him, deciding who dies is as simple as saying a word.

Those petty tricks of palace intrigue and the so-called solid evidence were laughable and insignificant in the face of his absolute power.

This is the man who holds the power of life and death; all civil and military officials and a million soldiers must bow down and shout "Long live the Emperor!"

"The one next to you," Xie Yanzhao's gaze shifted to the trembling Xie Jiaran, his tone as calm as if discussing the weather.

"It's your daughter, isn't it? Perhaps you won't use the word 'evidence' anymore later."

The guards sprang into action at the sound of the alarm, and Xie Jiaran screamed shrilly, "Mother—save me!"

She was forcibly pulled up, and cold clamps were put over her slender fingers.

"No! No!" An Cairen screamed hoarsely.

"Ran'er is your sister—"

"Ah—!" Xie Jiaran's scream pierced the secret room, and the "creaking" sound of the clamps tightening made one's teeth ache.

The onlookers were terrified, and Consort Yu collapsed to the ground.

Consort An broke down, her forehead slamming heavily against the cold ground: "I'll talk! I'll tell you everything! I know who harmed the Crown Princess! I saw it! Your Highness, please release Ran'er, I beg you!"

Xie Yanzhao raised his hand.

The guards stepped back, and Xie Jiaran collapsed, her fingertips already bloodied and mangled, only able to sob faintly.

"explain."

Tears streamed down Consort An's face, yet she still retained a sliver of clarity: "Your Highness, this matter has nothing to do with anyone else. I beg Your Highness to let them leave... I will tell you anything, I only ask..."

Xie Yanzhao sneered.

He understood what she meant.

If Ahn Jae-in himself is the real culprit, and he reveals it in front of everyone, even if he releases the others afterward.

Afterwards, these people will inevitably vent their resentment over this undeserved disaster on Xie Jia Ran.

However, he didn't forget to plan for his daughter.

But Xie Yanzhao didn't care about any of that.

"What right do you have to negotiate with me?" Xie Yanzhao interrupted her, his voice even colder.

He lifted his finger slightly.

"This is punishment for your swallowing."

The guard stepped forward again, and the clamps tightened abruptly.

"It's me—!"

An Cairen's psychological defenses completely collapsed, and she screamed.

"It was all my doing! I'm skilled in perfumery, everything... everything was my arrangement! I was the one who placed the witchcraft doll in Consort Xian's palace, and I was also the one who tampered with the incense that made the Crown Princess unwell... It was all me! Ran'er knows nothing, she really knows nothing! I beg Your Highness to have mercy and spare her life! She is also His Majesty's bloodline, she is your sister!"

She kowtowed frantically, blood streaming from her forehead, staining the ground dark red.

Xie Jiaran looked at her mother with a broken expression, her eyes filled with shock and pain.

She never imagined that her mother, who was always gentle and timid and always humbled before Consort Xian, could do such a thing...

It was all for her, for her unhappy marriage.

Xie Yanzhao took out a piece of red rope from his bosom, held it to his nose, and gently sniffed it.

The faint scent of Shen Tinghe that remained on it could soothe the turmoil in his heart.

"You should thank my Yuan Yuan."

He stood up, carefully put away the red rope, and glanced at the dying Xie Jiaran and the deranged An Cairen.

"She's kind-hearted and doesn't want me to accumulate too much karma. Otherwise..."

Before the words were even finished, their lingering power was enough to terrify anyone.

He stopped looking at anyone, turned and walked outside, his dark robes brushing against the stone steps, stirring up a cold wind.

He left Jing Cang with only a cold, emotionless command:

"Clean it up."

Jing Cang bowed: "Yes."

The door to the sealed room slammed shut, completely shutting out the desperate cries and pleas.