What?!
The teacup in Old Marquis Qi’s hand immediately slipped from his grasp and fell to the ground with a thud, shattering into pieces.
Old Madam Qi grew even more nervous, clutching her collar tightly and widening her eyes as she asked, “What happened?! How did it suddenly become that bandits rushed into the villa?”
Yuan Jie’er hadn’t brought enough people!
At the time, the household guards had said to bring more, bring more, but Qi Yuan had insisted there was no need.
With so few people by her side, even with Babao and Liujin and the other four, what could they possibly do?
Old Madam Qi instantly felt her stomach ache even more. She subconsciously bent over, clutching her abdomen and groaning.
Old Marquis Qi hurried over to support her and loudly called for the maids to bring tea.
The maid quickly brought the tea and respectfully handed it to Old Madam Qi.
Old Madam Qi frowned and took a sip, then weakly asked, “What exactly happened? Speak quickly!”
Li Zhong had just been startled by Old Marquis Qi smashing the teacup, but now he came back to his senses and hurriedly added, “But the eldest young lady is fine! Two to three hundred bandits, all of them were burned to death by the eldest young lady using fire!”
……
Every time, Old Marquis Qi felt that he was already calm enough, but every time he was still shocked again by Qi Yuan.
How exactly did she do it?
Truly unbelievable!
Thinking of how the Wa tribe had become increasingly arrogant lately, Old Marquis Qi suddenly felt that keeping Qi Yuan here was a waste of talent.
Qi Yuan really ought to be sent to the border.
If she went, in less than a year there would probably be far fewer Oirat people.
He felt the sensation return to his fingers and rubbed his somewhat stiff chin before asking, “Is the news accurate?”
Li Zhong hurriedly nodded. “Accurate! Because too many people died, and among the dead there is also County Lady Luochuan, so it has already alarmed the Dali Temple and the Ministry of Justice. Both have sent people over!”
……
Old Marquis Qi’s jaw, which had just recovered slightly, nearly dropped again.
County Lady Luochuan is dead?!
Old Madam Qi suddenly understood. “No wonder Qi Yuan said she was going to fish for a big catch, this fish really is big.”
Indeed, earlier at the Eldest Princess’s residence, County Lady Luochuan had framed Qi Yuan and even caused her to remain in an ice hole for most of the day.
With Qi Yuan’s temperament, if she didn’t take revenge, it simply wouldn’t be her.
Right now, Zhou Wang temporarily had no time to worry about Qi Yuan’s temperament.
When he received the news, his face was full of disbelief. “Absurd! Luochuan has always been in the residence, how could she have gone to the outskirts of the capital?”
One must know that County Lady Luochuan was supposed to remain in the residence under confinement and could not leave without summons.
If she had gone out, that would be defying the imperial order!
He was furious.
But the people below looked at him cautiously, their faces full of fear. “Your Highness, it’s true, we… we just went to check, and the County Lady is gone!”
How could someone just disappear for no reason?
Zhou Wang rarely lost his composure like this. His face instantly flushed red as he pushed aside the eunuch and rushed straight toward County Lady Luochuan’s room.
The maids and old servants filled the room, all kneeling and trembling.
Seeing this scene, how could he not understand?
This wretched creature!
Zhou Wangfei had risked her life to keep her alive.
Yet she had trampled on others’ goodwill and refused to repent. In such a short time, she had caused another disaster of this magnitude!
He closed his eyes. Before he had even recovered, the steward carefully entered. “Your Highness, the Dali Temple, the Assistant Minister from the Dali Temple has arrived, saying he needs to see you…”
At this time, the matter could only be about County Lady Luochuan.
Zhou Wang rubbed his temples and went out wearily to meet the Sicheng of the Dali Temple.
The Sicheng, Feng Ze, had arrived together with Magistrate Wang from Tongzhou Prefecture.
Upon seeing Zhou Wang, Feng Ze neither humbled himself nor acted arrogantly as he performed a salute.
Zhou Wang took a breath and coldly asked, “How exactly did the County Lady die? You must give this prince an explanation!”
Feng Ze coughed lightly and raised his eyes to look at him. “Your Highness, now is not the time for this official to give you an explanation, you must give this official an explanation.”
Zhou Wang immediately froze.
He looked at Feng Ze in disbelief, feeling that Feng Ze must have gone mad.
Although he had been demoted to a county prince, he was still of the imperial clan. Moreover, given his relationship with the Emperor, it would not be difficult for him to rise again.
And now Feng Ze was saying that he had to give an explanation?
He let out a cold laugh. “What explanation do you want from this prince?”
Magistrate Wang stepped forward at the right moment, bent down, and lifted the tray in his hands. He pulled away the white cloth covering it and slowly asked, “Your Highness, you should recognize this item, shouldn’t you?”
Zhou Wang’s expression changed immediately.
How could he not recognize it?
This was a token only imperial princes could possess, carved entirely from Hetian jade, with a python engraved on it.
It was impossible to forge.
Why was his token in their hands?
He subconsciously reached out.
But Feng Ze and Magistrate Wang stepped back in unison.
Seeing Zhou Wang look at him, Feng Ze said calmly, “Your Highness, you may not know, this jade token appeared in the hands of County Lady Luochuan.”
Magistrate Wang added from the side, “Last night, two to three hundred people of unknown identity rushed toward the Eldest Princess’s villa, nearly breaking in to carry out mass killing. Fortunately, the eldest young lady of Yongping Marquis Manor was temporarily staying at the villa. In a moment of urgency, she lured the enemy into a trap, forced them into a narrow alley, and then used fire oil…”
Zhou Wang completely understood.
He had eaten more salt than a little girl like County Lady Luochuan had eaten rice.
How could he not understand what these words meant?
County Lady Luochuan had actually stolen his token and secretly gathered people to attack the Eldest Princess’s villa!
She was truly insane!
She acted without thinking of consequences and didn’t consider how to clean up afterward.
What was her identity?
Yet she gathered people to storm the Eldest Princess’s villa!
If that wasn’t madness, what was?
For a moment he could not stand steady. He tightly gripped the armrest of the chair beside him just to remain upright.
Feng Ze lowered his eyes and respectfully said, “Your Highness, you must also give us an explanation for this matter. Among the dead bandits, many have branded tattoos…”
Everyone knew that when the Emperor ascended the throne, he had rewarded Zhou Wang with many branded household slaves.
These people later became Zhou Wang’s right-hand men.
When there were no more wars, Zhou Wang gradually placed them in various estates.
Therefore, the branded marks on these people already explained a great deal.
Zhou Wang’s face turned ashen. His lips trembled, and after a long while he gritted his teeth and said, “This matter, I was unaware of it! It has nothing to do with this prince!”
Feng Ze did not back down. “Does Your Highness have any proof?”
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