usatvline Chapter 60 060 Suspicion
Chapter 60 060 Suspicion
Chapter 60 060 Suspicion
The commotion at Yinlu Garden quickly reached the Emperor. Upon learning of the inexplicable death of the Golden Lotus, the Emperor was furious and immediately led his men to Yinlu Garden. The young noblemen, who had been drinking heavily with the Crown Prince at Liushui Pavilion, sobered up considerably upon hearing the news and, in order to clear themselves of suspicion, also hurried to Yinlu Garden.
Stepping into the gilded pavilion and witnessing the current wretched state of the golden-roofed ink lotus, the emperor was so enraged that his blood boiled, and he nearly fainted. Finally managing to compose himself, the emperor, in a fit of rage, kicked the two gardeners and roared, "Drag these two bastards out and execute them! Exterminate their entire families!"
The two gardeners crawled towards the emperor, crying and pleading, "Spare us, Your Majesty! We didn't kill Jin Ding Mo He! Someone infiltrated the Drinking Dew Garden and deliberately lured us away to attack Jin Ding Mo He!"
"Even if someone deliberately infiltrated the garden, Jin Ding Mo He died because of your unauthorized departure. Neglect of duty is a capital offense!" The Emperor's face was exceptionally terrifying. "Guards, drag them out! I will use their blood to atone for the death of Jin Ding Mo He!"
As the guards stepped forward to drag the two gardeners out to be executed, Chunyu Jing stepped forward and slowly said, "Father, please calm down. I think these two gardeners should not be killed for the time being. Jin Ding Mohe's death was suspicious, and I have a question for them."
The emperor's expression was extremely unfriendly, but he finally granted Chunyu Jing's request and ordered the two guards to release the gardener: "What else do you have to say?"
"Your Majesty, I just heard the gardener say that someone deliberately lured them away. I would like to ask them how that person lured them away?"
The two gardeners, having narrowly escaped death, immediately recounted in detail the strange events that had occurred: they heard the sound of porcelain shattering in the Dew-Drinking Garden, but upon investigation found nothing; they then saw a fire outside the gate, but upon going outside, they found no one.
The emperor's face grew increasingly grim as he listened, until finally he roared, "Immediately seal off Yinlu Garden! No one is to be allowed to leave! Find out exactly who attended the banquet today, and who is not currently in Yinlu Garden! Anyone who dares to harbor such a person will be punished as an accomplice!"
Outside the gilded pavilion, the young men and women who heard the emperor's words were all startled, and couldn't help but look at the people around them with suspicion. Could it be that the person who killed Jin Ding Mo He was among them? Who was it? Who was so bold as to dare to kill the emperor's most cherished chrysanthemum!
In the darkness, no one could see that Ye Yingrou's fingers were wrapped with many fine silver threads. These threads stretched out in all directions, landing on many different people, looking eerie and terrifying.
Ye Yingrou's lips curled up, revealing a smile that only Ye Yanxun, who was beside her, could see.
She had set up this whole scheme for this very moment! Since Ye Pianran dared to use "Puppet Master" to disrupt her plans, then she would show Ye Pianran exactly how to use this "Puppet Master" poison!
Ha, Ye Pianran, just wait to be punished by the emperor and never be able to recover!
Ye Yingrou gently moved her fingers, and suddenly, a young lady from a wealthy family shouted, "The eldest daughter of the Marquis of Anshi's mansion is not here!"
Like a stone thrown into still water, this caused a great stir, and soon, a chorus of agreement arose from within the Dew-Drinking Garden:
"I remember now, I just saw her following an old man towards Yinlu Garden!"
"Yes, I saw it too!"
"I saw it too!"
At this moment, the guards finished counting the people in Yinlu Garden according to the roster and said to the emperor, "Your Majesty, I have checked. The only people not in the garden at this time, besides the Third Prince and the Sixth Prince, are the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Anshi's mansion, Ye Pianran."
Upon hearing this, both Marquis Anshi and Prime Minister Gongsun's expressions changed drastically, with Marquis Anshi's legs practically trembling with fear. The Third Prince and the Sixth Prince were the Emperor's sons, so naturally they wouldn't harm Jin Ding Mohe. Therefore, the remaining one was the most suspicious!
"The Marquis of Anshi's residence again! The Marquis of Anshi's residence!" The emperor roared in fury. "Marquis of Anshi, give me an explanation!"
Marquis Anshi knelt down before the emperor with a thud, his face deathly pale, and said, "Your Majesty, this must be a misunderstanding! My daughter would never have harmed Jin Ding Mo He!"
"Misunderstanding? Listen to how many people here can testify!" the emperor roared, pointing casually at a young lady and asking, "Tell me, did you see her come this way?"
The young lady nodded tremblingly and said, "Your Majesty, it is..."
"Lord Anshi, what else do you have to say!" the emperor said sternly. "I have always taken good care of your family because of your grandfather's great contributions to the Great Xia Dynasty. But your daughter has repeatedly disrupted my banquets. Does she not respect me at all?"
Marquis Anshi was terrified, kowtowing repeatedly and saying, "Your Majesty, please calm down! Even if you gave me ten lives, I would never dare to have such a thought! My loyalty to Your Majesty is as clear as day!" Where did that unfilial daughter Ye Pianran go?! At such a critical moment, she disappeared without a trace. She was trying to kill him and the entire Marquis Anshi's mansion!
"Hand over your daughter, and I might spare the Marquis of Anshi's family out of consideration for your act of turning against your own family. Otherwise, don't blame me for showing no mercy!"
Just as Marquis Anshi was about to speak, Prime Minister Gongsun's gaze sharpened. He glared at Marquis Anshi, stepped forward, and bowed to the Emperor, saying, "Your Majesty, everyone says they saw the eldest daughter of Marquis Anshi's household coming this way, but no one actually saw her enter the garden. Isn't it too hasty to draw such a conclusion? Since Lord Shu of the Ministry of Justice is also here, why don't you ask Lord Shu to investigate carefully?"
“This servant saw it…” At this moment, a faint voice suddenly came from the crowd. A thin eunuch walked out with a hunched back, knelt in front of the emperor, and said, “Just now, it was this servant who brought the young lady of the Marquis of Anshi’s mansion to Yinlu Garden. The young lady said that she was afraid of the dark and asked this servant for the palace lantern she was holding. After this servant gave her the lantern, I watched her enter Yinlu Garden with my own eyes.”
"Ah!" a guard exclaimed. Then, as if remembering something, he presented a palace lantern that had been extinguished to the emperor. "Your Majesty, this is the palace lantern that Commander Meng just found in the Purple Bamboo Grove."
Upon seeing the lamp, the young eunuch immediately exclaimed, "That's right, this is it! This is my palace lamp!"
Although he believed Ye Pianran wouldn't do such a thing, with both witnesses and physical evidence, Prime Minister Gongsun's attempts to defend his granddaughter were futile. He closed his eyes in sorrow, his body swaying slightly, a metallic taste rising in his throat.
Is Ran'er really going to perish here today?
Suddenly, a calm and composed voice, devoid of any emotion, rang out from within the Dew-Drinking Garden:
"I heard you're looking for the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Anshi's mansion? Unfortunately, she was invited to Luowang Pavilion for tea after the banquet."