"Please forgive me, Junzhu," The blue-clad eunuch panicked and threw himself to the ground, attempting to pick up the fallen cherries. However, upon seeing the cherries covered in dust, he halted his actions and only knelt on the ground trembling.
Someone passing by frowned disapprovingly at the scene. However, as they noticed that it was the future Crown Princess who was causing trouble for Ying Wang's eunuch, they averted their gaze.
Ying Wang, unaware of the conflict between his eunuch and Hua Liuli, sat silently, occasionally lifting a glass of cherry wine to take a sip.
The cherry wine lacked intensity and it tasted somewhat bland.
"Do you not enjoy this type of wine, Eldest Brother?" The Second Princess approached with a jug of wine and poured a cup for Ying Wang and herself, "I had a feeling that you might not like cherry wine, so I obtained some 'Nu'er Hong' wine for you."
She raised her cup and toasted Ying Wang, "Care for a taste?"
Ying Wang lifted his cup and took a sip, "It's acceptable."
"You're still as picky with your wine, Eldest Brother. Unfortunately, I am not a connoisseur of wine. Please bear with me," the Second Princess said, then tilted her head back and finished her cup, "I noticed that you've been silent all this time. Is something bothering you?"
Ying Wang casually set down his wine glass, "Nothing."
"That's good then," the Second Princess smiled, "I almost thought you had genuine concerns for a young lady you're fond of."
Ying Wang was surprised, "Why would you think that?"
"In the past few days, you've been searching for various beautiful and precious gemstones. If I hadn't assumed that you were trying to please a certain lady, I wouldn't have hesitated to give you that box of jewelry as a gift."
Unable to openly admit that the jewelry was intended for the Crown Prince, Ying Wang discreetly glanced at him. Considering his reputation, he couldn't let others misunderstand and think that the jewelry was his way of pleasing the Crown Prince.
What if people mistakenly believed he was trying to gain favor with the Crown Prince? What dignity would he have left?
With these thoughts in mind, he coughed awkwardly, concealing his embarrassment.
The Second Princess, observing Ying Wang's awkward expression and his surreptitious glances at the Crown Prince, felt shocked internally. Ying Wang was truly deceiving the Crown Prince behind his back...
Afraid of alerting Ying Wang to her knowledge of his secret, the Second Princess quickly changed the subject and engaged in trivial conversation. Ying Wang halfheartedly responded, showing little interest in the topics at hand.
"Your Highness," a young lady dressed in red approached Ying Wang, "Subject's daughter saw Your Highness's attendant kneeling before Fushou Junzhu, seemingly begging for forgiveness."
"What?" Ying Wang furrowed his brows, "What's going on?"
"Subject's daughter is not entirely sure, Your Highness. Subject's daughter only saw Fushou Junzhu calling your attendant over from a distance. I don't know what was said, but your attendant knelt down in response."
Ying Wang's brows furrowed even deeper as he walked briskly toward the scene.
The Crown Prince, who was sitting nearby, gradually pared his smile. He stood up and glanced at the young lady in red, "Who are you, young lady?"
"Subject's daughter is surnamed Li, and subject's daughter's given name is Ruru," the young lady in red seemed surprised by the Crown Prince initiating a conversation with her, her expression appeared somewhat excited.
"Oh," the Crown Prince swiftly opened his folding fan, "Are you married?"
Li Ruru's cheeks turned rosy, "No, Your Royal Highness. Subject's daughter is not yet married."
"Well, that's good," the Crown Prince's smile suddenly faded, "It doesn't matter if a young lady is married or not. What matters is inner beauty. Otherwise, even if someone possesses unparalleled beauty, it's merely a superficial shell."
The smile vanished from Li Ruru's face. What did the Crown Prince mean by those words?
The Second Princess looked at Li Ruru, whose face had turned pale, and then glanced at the departing Crown Prince. She kindly smiled at Li Ruru, "You don't have to worry about it. The Crown Prince and Fushou Junzhu share an inseparable bond. He doesn't mean to target you."
Li Ruru forced a smile, "Thank you, Your Highness. It's no problem for me."
The Second Princess was worried about any potential trouble arising. They were all people of high status, so she couldn't afford to offend anyone. She wanted to go out and check the situation to feel at ease.
"What a waste for these good cherries to fall on the ground," Hua Liuli sighed. When she wasn't smiling, she would lose her usual gentle and amiable appearance. She would instead resemble Wei Mingyue, who had experienced battles on the battlefield.
"This servant is clumsy. This servant is at fault," the blue-clad eunuch said, raising his hand, ready to strike himself.
"Hey, what are you doing?" Yurong reached out and stopped the eunuch's action, "Our Junzhu only pities the cherries that fell on the ground. She didn't order you to be punished. With so many people around, if they see this, won't they misunderstand that our Junzhu is deliberately making things difficult for you?"
"This servant dares not," the blue-clad eunuch obediently withdrew his hand.
When Ying Wang came out, he happened to see his eunuch kneeling on the ground, while Hua Liuli's personal maid grabbed his hand -- It seemed as if she was about to strike him.
"Your Highness," the blue-clad eunuch saw Ying Wang, and his eyes gleamed faintly. He glanced cautiously at Hua Liuli and knelt silently by the side, not daring to speak.
"What's going on?" Ying Wang approached, not even sparing a glance at the kneeling eunuch, and asked Hua Liuli, "Fushou Junzhu, has this foolish servant offended you?"
"You're being too harsh, Your Highness," Hua Liuli chuckled, "This subject merely wanted to take a look at the cherries in this eunuch's hand, as they appeared so big and red. This subject didn't expect him to accidentally drop them."
"You useless wretch, you can't even hold a plate of cherries properly," Ying Wang kicked the eunuch, causing him to roll in place, crushing quite a few cherries that had fallen to the ground.
"It was just a misunderstanding. Please don't take it to heart, Your Highness," Hua Liuli bent down and carefully picked up two intact cherries using a piece of gauze, examining them closely.
"Junzhu, the cherries have become dirty. Benwang will have him prepare a fresh serving for you," Ying Wang thought that Hua Liuli wanted to eat the fruits that had fallen on the ground, so he quickly reassured her, "Rest assured, Benwang will select the best ones for Junzhu."
It was said that those who had spent several years in the harsh climate of the borderlands, lacking supplies, couldn't stand to see good things fall on the ground.
Even Fushou Junzhu, who was born into a prestigious general's family, seemed to have developed this habit.
"It's alright, the items are not damaged. They just need to be washed," Hua Liuli wrapped the two cherries in the gauze and handed them to Yuan Yi.
"Junzhu, this servant deserves death for dropping. It's just that the ground is dirty, so please, Junzhu, do not consume them," the blue-clad eunuch's face showed fear and urgency as he bowed repeatedly to Hua Liuli.
"If you like bowing so much, remember to keep your distance," the Crown Prince approached and looked expressionlessly at the eunuch, "Junzhu is timid and kind-hearted, unable to bear seeing others suffer."
The Second Princess, who followed them out, seemed to have already envisioned the scene of Ying Wang exploding in anger.
She looked at Ying Wang, prepared to rush over and calm him down when he started scolding the Crown Prince. Even though he was the Eldest Prince, he couldn't show disrespect toward the Crown Prince in front of others.
But to her surprise, Ying Wang managed to control himself. Not only did he hold back, but he actually followed the Crown Prince's suggestion and asked his eunuch to keep his distance.
No, this wasn't right!
Since when did Ying Wang listen to the Crown Prince like this?
There are only two reasons why someone like Ying Wang would willingly lower his head. One is genuine admiration, the other is harboring guilt.
Could Ying Wang truly admire and respect the Crown Prince? That would be more difficult than the sun rising from the west.
So, there is only one reason -- guilt!
Why would Ying Wang feel guilty towards the Crown Prince?
The Second Princess looked at Hua Liuli and became increasingly certain of her absurd speculation. Ying Wang and Hua Liuli must have had an ambiguous relationship in private, which caused Ying Wang to lose his morale when he was facing the Crown Prince.
In the Ministry of Justice, the entire process of the dragon robe case had been thoroughly investigated. It was indeed true that the suspicious servants in Fushou Junzhu's residence had connections to the palace. However, what they didn't expect was that all the evidence pointed to one person, the eunuch who served as the personal attendant to Ying Wang.
After reviewing all the information, Pei Jihuai suddenly stood up and exclaimed, "This is not good!"
"What?" Zhang Shuo and Gou Jingqi turned to look at Pei Jihuai.
"Zhang Daren, I suspect that Ying Wang's personal attending eunuch may attempt to assassinate Ying Wang," Pei Jihuai hastily grabbed the sword at his desk and asked his subordinates, "Where is Ying Wang now?"
The subordinates were taken aback. How could they, a few mere minor officials, know Ying Wang's whereabouts?
"I heard that the Second Princess is hosting a banquet in her Cherry Garden Estate. Most of the imperial family members are attending," Gou Jingqi stroked his beard and said, "Considering the relationship between Ying Wang and the Second Princess, he should also be there."
"The cherry banquet is crowded and full of idle chatter. It's the perfect opportunity to strike," Pei Jihuai's expression became solemn, "It's almost noon now."
If that eunuch found a suitable opportunity, he might have already succeeded. This eunuch by Ying Wang's side had been serving him since he was about ten years old. Who would easily suspect a close attendant who had been by his side for ten years?
He and a few subordinates mounted their horses and hurriedly rode toward the outskirts of the capital.
"The Ministry of Justice is on a case. Everyone unrelated should steer clear on the road," Pei Jihuai took out his identification tablet, clearing a path through the crowd.
Under normal circumstances, officials from the Ministry of Justice wouldn't be galloping on their horses in the bustling streets. Seeing this scene, the people of the capital murmured to themselves, wondering what major event was taking place.
Pei Jihuai felt anxious in his heart. If Ying Wang met his demise at the hand of his eunuch attendant, it would have severe implications for the Ministry of Justice. The blame would also extend to the Imperial Household Department which was responsible for overseeing the internal affairs of the imperial family, as well as others who had any association with the eunuch attendant.
They swiftly rode on horseback and arrived at the foot of the mountain. Pei Jihuai looked at the Cherry Garden Estate estate built halfway up the mountain and couldn't help but curse. He tied his robe around his waist, led his subordinates, and ran up the mountain.
He didn't understand why these imperial people chose to build their estates in such inconvenient locations. Why did they have to construct them halfway up the mountain, wasting so much energy?
On the road from the foot of the mountain to the estate, guards stood in abundance. They stopped Pei Jihuai when they saw him carrying a sword, "The Second Princess has given orders that those without invitations are not allowed to enter."
"I am Pei Jihuai, Deputy Minister of Justice. I suspect that a serious crime might occur in this residence, so I've come to intervene," Pei Jihuai presented his identification tablet. Though anxious, he couldn't forcefully break through.
"This..." The guards certainly wouldn't think Pei Jihuai was lying, but they were palace guards and naturally had to obey the Second Princess's orders.
"Let him in," a woman's voice sounded, "If something happens, I will take responsibility."
"General," the palace guards recognized Wei Mingyue almost without exception. Seeing her speak, they retracted their hands that were blocking Pei Jihuai.
"Thank you, General," Pei Jihuai expressed his gratitude with a bow and hurriedly ran up the mountain with his subordinates.
Wei Mingyue had observed the hasty arrival of the officials from the Ministry of Justice and guessed that something might have happened, so she followed them.
Although her heart wasn't too anxious, she didn't carry an invitation either. Yet, no guard dared to stop her.
As the future mother-in-law of the Crown Prince and the most valiant female general in Great Jin, who would dare to stop her?
The guests attending the banquet were unaware that the officials from the Ministry of Justice were about to arrive. Upon learning that Ying Wang's eunuch had offended Fushou Junzhu, they were eager to go outside and watch the excitement. However, their rationality prevented them from making that mistake.
Imperial affairs were not to be meddled with. A slight misstep could lead to misfortune or even cost one's life. In the face of power and status, curiosity was not as important as it seemed.
The Second Princess approached Ying Wang and whispered, "Let's go inside and discuss whatever it is. Don't let others see and make fun of us."
Ying Wang walked up to his attendant and kicked him with his foot, "Go, fetch a clean plate."
"Yes," the attendant quickly hurried out and soon returned with a fresh plate.
"Thank you," Hua Liuli took the plate. This time, the eunuch's hands were steady and the cherries didn't fall to the ground.
"This servant dares not."
Hua Liuli chuckled and turned to Yuan Yi, taking the handkerchief from her. She gently unfolded it, revealing two bright red cherries inside, "These two cherries are a reward for you."
"Thank you, Junzhu," the eunuch reached out his hand to receive them.
"No need for such trouble," Hua Liuli had her hand covered in the handkerchief that was holding the cherries and smiled, "There was a misunderstanding earlier, you were wronged. Cherries are not to be touched or dropped. Eat these two before you continue your duties."
The eunuch looked at the two cherries lying on the handkerchief and slowly extended his hand, "Tha... thank you, Junzhu. However, this servant's eating manners are unsightly, and dares not eat in your presence."
"I grew up on the border, where soldiers' eating manners come in all shapes and forms. There's nothing I haven't seen," Hua Liuli's smile became even gentler, "It's fine, go ahead and eat. I'll watch you."
Ying Wang, observing the scene, vaguely sensed that something was amiss.
"Someone, hold the cherries for Junzhu and feed him," The Crown Prince toyed with the folding fan in his hand and sneered, "Junzhu has given you something. If you refuse to accept it, are you looking down on Gu's esteemed Junzhu?"
"Your Royal Highness, this servant would never dare," the eunuch repeatedly kowtowed.
"Then eat what Junzhu has given you," The Crown Prince twirled the fan in his hand, "If you were in Gu's Eastern Palace, someone like you would have been sent back to the Imperial Household Department long ago."
"Your Royal Highness, this servant believes this person is acting arrogantly solely because he is Ying Wang's personal attendant and relies on favoritism," a eunuch from the Eastern Palace stepped forward, disdainfully looking at the kneeling eunuch as if witnessing the shame of the eunuchs.
Amidst everyone's gazes, the kneeling eunuch tremblingly picked up a cherry, but as it was about to touch his lips, it slipped from his grasp and fell to the ground.
"Please spare this servant, Junzhu!" He suddenly kowtowed towards Hua Liuli, "Please spare this servant, Junzhu."
"Junzhu only wanted you to eat the cherry, not to sacrifice yourself. What's with all this talk about sparing or not sparing?" The eunuch from the Eastern Palace frowned as the kneeling eunuch's kowtowing made a loud thud, "Could it be that the cherry is poisonous!?"
The kneeling eunuch froze for a moment and then crawled towards Ying Wang, "Your Highness, please save this servant. This servant was just momentarily confused. This... This servant was also coerced by someone. Please save this servant."
As Ying Wang watched the eunuch kneel before him, begging with tears, he gradually regained his senses. Could there really be poison in his plate of cherries?
This young eunuch had been by his side since he was ten years old. Did he really want to kill him?
This was too unexpected, Ying Wang couldn't believe it. He couldn't even spare a thought for sadness or anger, just staring at the tearful face of the eunuch, speechless for a long time.
The eunuch from the Eastern Palace realized that something was amiss. He glanced at the Crown Prince's expression and quickly stepped forward to pull the kneeling eunuch aside, keeping him away from Ying Wang.
Yao Jiamin was stunned by this series of events. She stammered, "Hua... Hua Liuli, did you notice that something was off earlier?"
"Not completely, actually. It was just his attitude that made me feel something was amiss," Hua Liuli sighed, "It's just a force of habit. Having spent so long on the border, whenever someone behaves oddly, I can't help but suspect them of being a spy."
She only wanted to test the eunuch with the cherries, but she didn't expect them to be truly poisoned.
"If you don't even dare to eat a single cherry, it indicates that it contains a highly lethal poison," Hua Liuli collected the handkerchief and cherries, "And you also know that as soon as Ying Wang consumes one, he will die."
The eunuch, who was begging for mercy just moments ago, miraculously fell silent upon hearing those words.
"As an attending eunuch to Ying Wang, you are considered a prominent figure among the eunuchs," Hua Liuli furrowed her brow, "I don't understand how, if Ying Wang were to die, it would benefit you."
The blue-clad eunuch remained silent. The fawning and terrified expressions on his face vanished, replaced by a pair of dark, resentful eyes filled with jealousy as he looked at Ying Wang.
"Because the esteemed Ying Wang is unaware that I was born on the same day as him, with the same birthmark on our wrists. Even our physical appearances are identical," The blue-clad eunuch laughed a few times, "Isn't Your Highness curious about why that is?"
Yao Jiamin and Hua Liuli exchanged a glance. This was... an imperial secret.
"Want to calm your nerves with some cherries?" Hua Liuli passed the plate of cherries that had just arrived to Yao Jiamin.
"Don't move, the cherries are poisoned!" Suddenly a sudden came from nowhere. Yao Jiamin only saw a dark shadow fly past.
With a loud crash, the dark shadow smashed the plate of cherries in Hua Liuli's hand into pieces.
Among the broken porcelain, there was also a sword sheath.
As they watched the delicious cherries rolling on the ground, spinning, and eventually meeting their demise, Yao Jiamin and Hua Liuli fell into silence.
Yuan Yi noticed that her Junzhu's hand was trembling slightly.
Krish728
Author's Note:
The Officials of the Ministry of Justice: Although we are always late, we will try our best not to be absent.
"Please forgive me, Junzhu," The blue-clad eunuch panicked and threw himself to the ground, attempting to pick up the fallen cherries. However, upon seeing the cherries covered in dust, he halted his actions and only knelt on the ground trembling.
Someone passing by frowned disapprovingly at the scene. However, as they noticed that it was the future Crown Princess who was causing trouble for Ying Wang's eunuch, they averted their gaze.
Ying Wang, unaware of the conflict between his eunuch and Hua Liuli, sat silently, occasionally lifting a glass of cherry wine to take a sip.
The cherry wine lacked intensity and it tasted somewhat bland.
"Do you not enjoy this type of wine, Eldest Brother?" The Second Princess approached with a jug of wine and poured a cup for Ying Wang and herself, "I had a feeling that you might not like cherry wine, so I obtained some 'Nu'er Hong' wine for you."
She raised her cup and toasted Ying Wang, "Care for a taste?"
Ying Wang lifted his cup and took a sip, "It's acceptable."
"You're still as picky with your wine, Eldest Brother. Unfortunately, I am not a connoisseur of wine. Please bear with me," the Second Princess said, then tilted her head back and finished her cup, "I noticed that you've been silent all this time. Is something bothering you?"
Ying Wang casually set down his wine glass, "Nothing."
"That's good then," the Second Princess smiled, "I almost thought you had genuine concerns for a young lady you're fond of."
Ying Wang was surprised, "Why would you think that?"
"In the past few days, you've been searching for various beautiful and precious gemstones. If I hadn't assumed that you were trying to please a certain lady, I wouldn't have hesitated to give you that box of jewelry as a gift."
Unable to openly admit that the jewelry was intended for the Crown Prince, Ying Wang discreetly glanced at him. Considering his reputation, he couldn't let others misunderstand and think that the jewelry was his way of pleasing the Crown Prince.
What if people mistakenly believed he was trying to gain favor with the Crown Prince? What dignity would he have left?
With these thoughts in mind, he coughed awkwardly, concealing his embarrassment.
The Second Princess, observing Ying Wang's awkward expression and his surreptitious glances at the Crown Prince, felt shocked internally. Ying Wang was truly deceiving the Crown Prince behind his back...
Afraid of alerting Ying Wang to her knowledge of his secret, the Second Princess quickly changed the subject and engaged in trivial conversation. Ying Wang halfheartedly responded, showing little interest in the topics at hand.
"Your Highness," a young lady dressed in red approached Ying Wang, "Subject's daughter saw Your Highness's attendant kneeling before Fushou Junzhu, seemingly begging for forgiveness."
"What?" Ying Wang furrowed his brows, "What's going on?"
"Subject's daughter is not entirely sure, Your Highness. Subject's daughter only saw Fushou Junzhu calling your attendant over from a distance. I don't know what was said, but your attendant knelt down in response."
Ying Wang's brows furrowed even deeper as he walked briskly toward the scene.
The Crown Prince, who was sitting nearby, gradually pared his smile. He stood up and glanced at the young lady in red, "Who are you, young lady?"
"Subject's daughter is surnamed Li, and subject's daughter's given name is Ruru," the young lady in red seemed surprised by the Crown Prince initiating a conversation with her, her expression appeared somewhat excited.
"Oh," the Crown Prince swiftly opened his folding fan, "Are you married?"
Li Ruru's cheeks turned rosy, "No, Your Royal Highness. Subject's daughter is not yet married."
"Well, that's good," the Crown Prince's smile suddenly faded, "It doesn't matter if a young lady is married or not. What matters is inner beauty. Otherwise, even if someone possesses unparalleled beauty, it's merely a superficial shell."
The smile vanished from Li Ruru's face. What did the Crown Prince mean by those words?
The Second Princess looked at Li Ruru, whose face had turned pale, and then glanced at the departing Crown Prince. She kindly smiled at Li Ruru, "You don't have to worry about it. The Crown Prince and Fushou Junzhu share an inseparable bond. He doesn't mean to target you."
Li Ruru forced a smile, "Thank you, Your Highness. It's no problem for me."
The Second Princess was worried about any potential trouble arising. They were all people of high status, so she couldn't afford to offend anyone. She wanted to go out and check the situation to feel at ease.
"What a waste for these good cherries to fall on the ground," Hua Liuli sighed. When she wasn't smiling, she would lose her usual gentle and amiable appearance. She would instead resemble Wei Mingyue, who had experienced battles on the battlefield.
"This servant is clumsy. This servant is at fault," the blue-clad eunuch said, raising his hand, ready to strike himself.
"Hey, what are you doing?" Yurong reached out and stopped the eunuch's action, "Our Junzhu only pities the cherries that fell on the ground. She didn't order you to be punished. With so many people around, if they see this, won't they misunderstand that our Junzhu is deliberately making things difficult for you?"
"This servant dares not," the blue-clad eunuch obediently withdrew his hand.
When Ying Wang came out, he happened to see his eunuch kneeling on the ground, while Hua Liuli's personal maid grabbed his hand -- It seemed as if she was about to strike him.
"Your Highness," the blue-clad eunuch saw Ying Wang, and his eyes gleamed faintly. He glanced cautiously at Hua Liuli and knelt silently by the side, not daring to speak.
"What's going on?" Ying Wang approached, not even sparing a glance at the kneeling eunuch, and asked Hua Liuli, "Fushou Junzhu, has this foolish servant offended you?"
"You're being too harsh, Your Highness," Hua Liuli chuckled, "This subject merely wanted to take a look at the cherries in this eunuch's hand, as they appeared so big and red. This subject didn't expect him to accidentally drop them."
"You useless wretch, you can't even hold a plate of cherries properly," Ying Wang kicked the eunuch, causing him to roll in place, crushing quite a few cherries that had fallen to the ground.
"It was just a misunderstanding. Please don't take it to heart, Your Highness," Hua Liuli bent down and carefully picked up two intact cherries using a piece of gauze, examining them closely.
"Junzhu, the cherries have become dirty. Benwang will have him prepare a fresh serving for you," Ying Wang thought that Hua Liuli wanted to eat the fruits that had fallen on the ground, so he quickly reassured her, "Rest assured, Benwang will select the best ones for Junzhu."
It was said that those who had spent several years in the harsh climate of the borderlands, lacking supplies, couldn't stand to see good things fall on the ground.
Even Fushou Junzhu, who was born into a prestigious general's family, seemed to have developed this habit.
"It's alright, the items are not damaged. They just need to be washed," Hua Liuli wrapped the two cherries in the gauze and handed them to Yuan Yi.
"Junzhu, this servant deserves death for dropping. It's just that the ground is dirty, so please, Junzhu, do not consume them," the blue-clad eunuch's face showed fear and urgency as he bowed repeatedly to Hua Liuli.
"If you like bowing so much, remember to keep your distance," the Crown Prince approached and looked expressionlessly at the eunuch, "Junzhu is timid and kind-hearted, unable to bear seeing others suffer."
The Second Princess, who followed them out, seemed to have already envisioned the scene of Ying Wang exploding in anger.
She looked at Ying Wang, prepared to rush over and calm him down when he started scolding the Crown Prince. Even though he was the Eldest Prince, he couldn't show disrespect toward the Crown Prince in front of others.
But to her surprise, Ying Wang managed to control himself. Not only did he hold back, but he actually followed the Crown Prince's suggestion and asked his eunuch to keep his distance.
No, this wasn't right!
Since when did Ying Wang listen to the Crown Prince like this?
There are only two reasons why someone like Ying Wang would willingly lower his head. One is genuine admiration, the other is harboring guilt.
Could Ying Wang truly admire and respect the Crown Prince? That would be more difficult than the sun rising from the west.
So, there is only one reason -- guilt!
Why would Ying Wang feel guilty towards the Crown Prince?
The Second Princess looked at Hua Liuli and became increasingly certain of her absurd speculation. Ying Wang and Hua Liuli must have had an ambiguous relationship in private, which caused Ying Wang to lose his morale when he was facing the Crown Prince.
In the Ministry of Justice, the entire process of the dragon robe case had been thoroughly investigated. It was indeed true that the suspicious servants in Fushou Junzhu's residence had connections to the palace. However, what they didn't expect was that all the evidence pointed to one person, the eunuch who served as the personal attendant to Ying Wang.
After reviewing all the information, Pei Jihuai suddenly stood up and exclaimed, "This is not good!"
"What?" Zhang Shuo and Gou Jingqi turned to look at Pei Jihuai.
"Zhang Daren, I suspect that Ying Wang's personal attending eunuch may attempt to assassinate Ying Wang," Pei Jihuai hastily grabbed the sword at his desk and asked his subordinates, "Where is Ying Wang now?"
The subordinates were taken aback. How could they, a few mere minor officials, know Ying Wang's whereabouts?
"I heard that the Second Princess is hosting a banquet in her Cherry Garden Estate. Most of the imperial family members are attending," Gou Jingqi stroked his beard and said, "Considering the relationship between Ying Wang and the Second Princess, he should also be there."
"The cherry banquet is crowded and full of idle chatter. It's the perfect opportunity to strike," Pei Jihuai's expression became solemn, "It's almost noon now."
If that eunuch found a suitable opportunity, he might have already succeeded. This eunuch by Ying Wang's side had been serving him since he was about ten years old. Who would easily suspect a close attendant who had been by his side for ten years?
He and a few subordinates mounted their horses and hurriedly rode toward the outskirts of the capital.
"The Ministry of Justice is on a case. Everyone unrelated should steer clear on the road," Pei Jihuai took out his identification tablet, clearing a path through the crowd.
Under normal circumstances, officials from the Ministry of Justice wouldn't be galloping on their horses in the bustling streets. Seeing this scene, the people of the capital murmured to themselves, wondering what major event was taking place.
Pei Jihuai felt anxious in his heart. If Ying Wang met his demise at the hand of his eunuch attendant, it would have severe implications for the Ministry of Justice. The blame would also extend to the Imperial Household Department which was responsible for overseeing the internal affairs of the imperial family, as well as others who had any association with the eunuch attendant.
They swiftly rode on horseback and arrived at the foot of the mountain. Pei Jihuai looked at the Cherry Garden Estate estate built halfway up the mountain and couldn't help but curse. He tied his robe around his waist, led his subordinates, and ran up the mountain.
He didn't understand why these imperial people chose to build their estates in such inconvenient locations. Why did they have to construct them halfway up the mountain, wasting so much energy?
On the road from the foot of the mountain to the estate, guards stood in abundance. They stopped Pei Jihuai when they saw him carrying a sword, "The Second Princess has given orders that those without invitations are not allowed to enter."
"I am Pei Jihuai, Deputy Minister of Justice. I suspect that a serious crime might occur in this residence, so I've come to intervene," Pei Jihuai presented his identification tablet. Though anxious, he couldn't forcefully break through.
"This..." The guards certainly wouldn't think Pei Jihuai was lying, but they were palace guards and naturally had to obey the Second Princess's orders.
"Let him in," a woman's voice sounded, "If something happens, I will take responsibility."
"General," the palace guards recognized Wei Mingyue almost without exception. Seeing her speak, they retracted their hands that were blocking Pei Jihuai.
"Thank you, General," Pei Jihuai expressed his gratitude with a bow and hurriedly ran up the mountain with his subordinates.
Wei Mingyue had observed the hasty arrival of the officials from the Ministry of Justice and guessed that something might have happened, so she followed them.
Although her heart wasn't too anxious, she didn't carry an invitation either. Yet, no guard dared to stop her.
As the future mother-in-law of the Crown Prince and the most valiant female general in Great Jin, who would dare to stop her?
The guests attending the banquet were unaware that the officials from the Ministry of Justice were about to arrive. Upon learning that Ying Wang's eunuch had offended Fushou Junzhu, they were eager to go outside and watch the excitement. However, their rationality prevented them from making that mistake.
Imperial affairs were not to be meddled with. A slight misstep could lead to misfortune or even cost one's life. In the face of power and status, curiosity was not as important as it seemed.
The Second Princess approached Ying Wang and whispered, "Let's go inside and discuss whatever it is. Don't let others see and make fun of us."
Ying Wang walked up to his attendant and kicked him with his foot, "Go, fetch a clean plate."
"Yes," the attendant quickly hurried out and soon returned with a fresh plate.
"Thank you," Hua Liuli took the plate. This time, the eunuch's hands were steady and the cherries didn't fall to the ground.
"This servant dares not."
Hua Liuli chuckled and turned to Yuan Yi, taking the handkerchief from her. She gently unfolded it, revealing two bright red cherries inside, "These two cherries are a reward for you."
"Thank you, Junzhu," the eunuch reached out his hand to receive them.
"No need for such trouble," Hua Liuli had her hand covered in the handkerchief that was holding the cherries and smiled, "There was a misunderstanding earlier, you were wronged. Cherries are not to be touched or dropped. Eat these two before you continue your duties."
The eunuch looked at the two cherries lying on the handkerchief and slowly extended his hand, "Tha... thank you, Junzhu. However, this servant's eating manners are unsightly, and dares not eat in your presence."
"I grew up on the border, where soldiers' eating manners come in all shapes and forms. There's nothing I haven't seen," Hua Liuli's smile became even gentler, "It's fine, go ahead and eat. I'll watch you."
Ying Wang, observing the scene, vaguely sensed that something was amiss.
"Someone, hold the cherries for Junzhu and feed him," The Crown Prince toyed with the folding fan in his hand and sneered, "Junzhu has given you something. If you refuse to accept it, are you looking down on Gu's esteemed Junzhu?"
"Your Royal Highness, this servant would never dare," the eunuch repeatedly kowtowed.
"Then eat what Junzhu has given you," The Crown Prince twirled the fan in his hand, "If you were in Gu's Eastern Palace, someone like you would have been sent back to the Imperial Household Department long ago."
"Your Royal Highness, this servant believes this person is acting arrogantly solely because he is Ying Wang's personal attendant and relies on favoritism," a eunuch from the Eastern Palace stepped forward, disdainfully looking at the kneeling eunuch as if witnessing the shame of the eunuchs.
Amidst everyone's gazes, the kneeling eunuch tremblingly picked up a cherry, but as it was about to touch his lips, it slipped from his grasp and fell to the ground.
"Please spare this servant, Junzhu!" He suddenly kowtowed towards Hua Liuli, "Please spare this servant, Junzhu."
"Junzhu only wanted you to eat the cherry, not to sacrifice yourself. What's with all this talk about sparing or not sparing?" The eunuch from the Eastern Palace frowned as the kneeling eunuch's kowtowing made a loud thud, "Could it be that the cherry is poisonous!?"
The kneeling eunuch froze for a moment and then crawled towards Ying Wang, "Your Highness, please save this servant. This servant was just momentarily confused. This... This servant was also coerced by someone. Please save this servant."
As Ying Wang watched the eunuch kneel before him, begging with tears, he gradually regained his senses. Could there really be poison in his plate of cherries?
This young eunuch had been by his side since he was ten years old. Did he really want to kill him?
This was too unexpected, Ying Wang couldn't believe it. He couldn't even spare a thought for sadness or anger, just staring at the tearful face of the eunuch, speechless for a long time.
The eunuch from the Eastern Palace realized that something was amiss. He glanced at the Crown Prince's expression and quickly stepped forward to pull the kneeling eunuch aside, keeping him away from Ying Wang.
Yao Jiamin was stunned by this series of events. She stammered, "Hua... Hua Liuli, did you notice that something was off earlier?"
"Not completely, actually. It was just his attitude that made me feel something was amiss," Hua Liuli sighed, "It's just a force of habit. Having spent so long on the border, whenever someone behaves oddly, I can't help but suspect them of being a spy."
She only wanted to test the eunuch with the cherries, but she didn't expect them to be truly poisoned.
"If you don't even dare to eat a single cherry, it indicates that it contains a highly lethal poison," Hua Liuli collected the handkerchief and cherries, "And you also know that as soon as Ying Wang consumes one, he will die."
The eunuch, who was begging for mercy just moments ago, miraculously fell silent upon hearing those words.
"As an attending eunuch to Ying Wang, you are considered a prominent figure among the eunuchs," Hua Liuli furrowed her brow, "I don't understand how, if Ying Wang were to die, it would benefit you."
The blue-clad eunuch remained silent. The fawning and terrified expressions on his face vanished, replaced by a pair of dark, resentful eyes filled with jealousy as he looked at Ying Wang.
"Because the esteemed Ying Wang is unaware that I was born on the same day as him, with the same birthmark on our wrists. Even our physical appearances are identical," The blue-clad eunuch laughed a few times, "Isn't Your Highness curious about why that is?"
Yao Jiamin and Hua Liuli exchanged a glance. This was... an imperial secret.
"Want to calm your nerves with some cherries?" Hua Liuli passed the plate of cherries that had just arrived to Yao Jiamin.
"Don't move, the cherries are poisoned!" Suddenly a sudden came from nowhere. Yao Jiamin only saw a dark shadow fly past.
With a loud crash, the dark shadow smashed the plate of cherries in Hua Liuli's hand into pieces.
Among the broken porcelain, there was also a sword sheath.
As they watched the delicious cherries rolling on the ground, spinning, and eventually meeting their demise, Yao Jiamin and Hua Liuli fell into silence.
Yuan Yi noticed that her Junzhu's hand was trembling slightly.
Krish728
Author's Note:
The Officials of the Ministry of Justice: Although we are always late, we will try our best not to be absent.
