Chapter 807: The Prophecy
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Yuwen Chu looked at Fu Mingcheng and smiled slightly, “Very well. Ye Xiu, take Marquis Fu to collect the people.”
So easy? Things were going too smoothly, and Fu Mingcheng felt a bit uneasy. He forced a smile and said, “Your Highness…”
Yuwen Chu impatiently waved him off, his demeanor dismissive, “If there’s nothing else, you may leave.”
Fu Mingcheng swallowed his anger, mentally cursing several times, but kept his face expressionless. “Then I won’t disturb Your Highness any further.” He respectfully bowed and retreated, but as he reached the door, Yuwen Chu called him back, “I forgot something, Marquis Fu, come back.”
Fu Mingcheng had no choice but to return and bow again, “Your Highness, please instruct me.”
Yuwen Chu spoke slowly, “The people you mentioned are close to my wife. They are not like other servants. Handing them over to you is an insult to both the Wangfei and me. Do you understand?”
Fu Mingcheng nodded, “I understand. Your Highness need not worry. The truth will come to light. If they are truly uninvolved, I will return them respectfully.” Yuwen Chu curled his lips into a cold smile, “Remember what you said. Don’t let my people die or meet with any accidents, or else, you understand.” By now, open hostilities were clear, and there was no need to pretend any longer.
Fu Mingcheng instinctively sensed danger but could only muster up his courage and say, “Your Highness, rest assured.”
“Marquis, please.” Ye Xiu respectfully invited Fu Mingcheng to leave. Fu Mingcheng had to bow deeply to Yuwen Chu again. Since no one provided a cushion for him, he had to kneel directly on the hard floor, causing his knees great pain, but he didn’t mind. Filled with a mix of ambition and anxiety, he followed Ye Xiu to collect the people. Having planned this for so long, he was determined to take a piece out of Fu Mingzhu.
Su Ju was already dead. Upon seeing her corpse, Fu Mingcheng feigned a sigh, “Why did she do this? If she was innocent, no one could have wronged her, right, Commander Ye?”
Ye Xiu gave a mocking smile and snorted, “People sometimes act irrationally. Do you still want her, Marquis?”
Fu Mingcheng replied, “Respect for the dead is paramount. I don’t want to disturb her, but this matter is too important for me to decide alone. I have to take her.”
Ye Xiu said nothing, signaling for the guards to step aside and allow Fu Mingcheng’s men to carry Su Ju’s body away. The second person was Zheng Momo, who was also thoroughly dead. Realizing how quickly things had been noticed, Fu Mingcheng felt a flash of anger and disappointment. Reluctantly, he inspected the strangulation marks on Zheng Momo’s neck and sighed theatrically, “This is quite a mess. Su Ju hanged herself, and Zheng Momo was strangled. It seems the mansion is in chaos.”
Ye Xiu responded coolly, “Indeed. Su Ju was murdered by Zheng Momo, and Zheng Momo got what she deserved.”
Fu Mingcheng immediately asked, “Who killed Su Ju? And what did Zheng Momo do?”
Ye Xiu replied, “Zheng Momo killed Su Ju. She committed heinous crimes and deserved her punishment. Or does Marquis feel her death is regrettable?”
Fu Mingcheng shook his head and sighed, “Commander Ye, you have a peculiar sense of humor.” He coughed, glanced at the list in his hand, and asked, “May I know where Miss Su Lan is?”
Dressed in mourning clothes, Su Lan emerged, accompanied by two older maids. She expressionlessly nodded at Ye Xiu and then looked at Fu Mingcheng, “Marquis Fu, please.”
Fu Mingcheng had expected to see a maidservant in tears, full of reluctance, or perhaps even a corpse, but he hadn’t expected to encounter a completely intact living person. He couldn’t help feeling a bit surprised but didn’t say much to Su Lan. He just turned to Ye Xiu and said, “Since the culprit is found, I’ll take them away. His Highness is busy with state affairs, I won’t disturb him further.”
Ye Xiu didn’t mind and smiled, “Allow me to escort you, Marquis.”
Fu Mingcheng stopped him, “No need to trouble General Ye. You’re all busy. If His Highness can’t find anyone to use, it’s my fault.”
Ye Xiu insisted on escorting him to the gate. “Take care, Marquis.”
As soon as they finished speaking, a group of Longlin Guards surrounded them, led by Yuwen You with a gloomy expression, along with Qian Zhengyi, the Minister of Dali Temple, and Peng Liang, the Minister of Personnel. Peng Liang held the imperial decree solemnly. “Summoning the Regent to come out and receive the decree.”
Fu Mingcheng signaled Peng Liang with his eyes, indicating to look at the two corpses and one living person he had brought out, indicating a change in circumstances and to proceed cautiously.
Qian Zhengyi winked desperately at Ye Xiu, indicating his unlucky situation, being inexplicably dragged into this matter. Yuwen You looked expressionlessly at the sky, saying nothing.
Since the imperial decree had arrived, His Highness would inevitably come out to receive it, even though everyone knew that although the imperial jade seal was held by the young emperor, if the Great Empress Dowager really wanted to seal something, no one could stop her.
The news reached Tingxue Tower. Yuwen Chu calmly said, “Go and inform Wangfei.”
Mingzhu turned Yuwen Chu’s study upside down. She had a strong premonition that the troublesome prophecy was hidden here, but she couldn’t find it. When the news of the imperial decree arrived, she cried out in distress, “Donghui, what should I do?”
She couldn’t help feeling guilty. Even if she was deliberately framed, it was still the people under her who were implicated and got into trouble. She didn’t have the face to see Yuwen Chu, let alone face her family.
Donghui hesitated for a while and decided to inform Mingzhu of the news outside. “Zheng Momo is dead, Su Lan was taken away by the Marquis Huaiyin, Qingqian and Cuinong were beheaded by His Highness.”
Mingzhu couldn’t describe her feelings, but this news greatly reminded her. She turned and ran to the bedroom, with Donghui following, “Your Highness, don’t worry, His Highness won’t wrongly accuse you. He must have his reasons no matter what he does.”
Mingzhu ignored Donghui and rushed to the bedroom. She found the folded prophecy among the local chronicles at the bedside. These were the books she had pulled out from the study a few nights ago when she was stimulated by Ji Hui and wanted to arm herself with knowledge. At that time, Zheng Momo had helped her move the books.
She finally found the folded prophecy at the bottom of the stack of county annals. She only glanced at it and felt her heart pounding. She quickly lit it with a candle and threw it into the incense burner, turning it into ashes. Then she felt it wasn’t enough to vent her anger and asked Donghui to take the incense burner far away, as if pretending not to have seen the contents of the prophecy.
Yuwen Chu waited for her at the second gate. When she arrived, he reached out to her, his voice deep, “You must smile, no crying. Think more about the two children, and you’ll be able to smile.”
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