Her guards

Chapter 204 The News of Consort Li's Death
"Li Qing is dead!"

Upon hearing this news, the Empress immediately cut off a flower branch, and Princess Heisei, who was writing nearby, trembled, smearing a patch of paper on her clean paper.

Wasn't this supposed to be the emperor's scheme, a well-planned scheme? How could people actually die?

Was it Consort Li who died?

"The Imperial Concubine was stabbed by the assassin while protecting Miss Yang," the palace maid said in a trembling voice.

what?
The Empress was momentarily at a loss for words: "Did I misjudge her? Wasn't it all just a pretense when she shielded this Yang fellow from my punishment?"

They genuinely wanted to protect this man surnamed Yang, and now they've even taken a knife for him and lost their lives.

"It must be to save Princess Wuyang." The palace maid also found it unbelievable.

Although Consort Li appeared calm and modest, she was no pushover. While the Empress had her living parents as her backing, Consort Li had her deceased father as her backing, and she had no shortage of ways to compete for favor and gain power in private.

How could he risk his life for someone else?
"When the assassin appeared, Yang Luo's maid and Zhu Yunxiao arrived. Consort Li personally led them there, which is why they ran into each other..."

If Miss Yang and Princess Wuyang are together, and the assassins break in, Princess Wuyang will inevitably be in danger as well.

When a daughter is in danger, a mother will naturally risk her life to save her, so in the chaos, she took the knife for Miss Yang.

The Empress looked at Princess Heisei. If it were her daughter in danger, she would naturally risk her life to save her.

However, Consort Li only had eyes for her son, Prince Linhai, and Princess Wuyang was deliberately spoiled by her, becoming quite unruly...

Would she give her life for this daughter?

It's probably just for show, since so many people are watching.

This is really...

Pity.

He died in place of those who deserved to die.

……

……

Li Xuan walked unsteadily on the stone path of the palace, and couldn't help but stop again to look up at the sky.

The spring day was bright and the sky was a clear, deep blue.

It wasn't as gloomy as in my dreams.

"You're saying the Imperial Concubine is dead?" he asked the eunuch beside him.

The eunuch's eyes reddened, and he choked out, "Please accept my condolences, Doctor."

The news of the concubine's murder was immediately sent to the Li residence. At that time, Li Xuan was burning incense and writing calligraphy. Hearing the news, he was in disbelief and was probably still in a daze.

The eunuch could understand; this matter was simply too sudden.

"There are assassins in the palace, Your Highness, Your Highness was stabbed while trying to save Miss Yang." He could only repeat it again.

Yes, Li Xuan thought.

He knew there were assassins in the palace.

He knew that Miss Yang had been rescued.

But it has nothing to do with the Imperial Concubine.

The one who saved the person should be Zhu Yunxiao.

Besides Miss Yang, Princess Wuyang was also injured.

At most, the imperial concubine would faint from crying.

How did it turn out like this?
Did Ah Qing not listen to her? Or is something wrong?

But no matter how wrong things were, he still had to go to the palace.

Li Xuan looked at the layers of palaces ahead.

If the emperor wanted to kill him, he could do so without even entering the palace.

But it wouldn't be so easy for the emperor to kill him.

The Li family had a long history of good reputation and had made great contributions to the new emperor. Moreover, they had maintained their integrity and honesty since the beginning of the new dynasty.

A concubine can die mysteriously, but if there is no solid evidence of a crime, killing Doctor Li would cause chaos throughout the land, and Doctor Li's students, classmates, and friends would stir up trouble.

Although he entered the palace directly with the eunuch, he left Lady Li at home and had already spread the news through his retainers, preparing for battle.

"Let's go," he said in a deep voice, and strode quickly toward the imperial city.

……

……

"Brother Li—"

Doctor Li hurried past the heavy guards, ignoring the Empress who was personally interrogating the palace women and maids, until the Emperor stumbled in.

The emperor grasped Li Xuan's hand and called out his private name from before he ascended the throne.

"Ah Qing, Ah Qing, she—"

The emperor choked up and couldn't continue speaking.

Looking at the scene, which had not yet been cleaned up and was covered in bloodstains, Li Xuan could tell how fierce the battle had just taken place. Princess Wuyang's palace, which had once been luxurious and had been repeatedly criticized by Doctor Li, was now a mess and an eyesore.

Consort Li lay on a couch in the center of the hall, covered with a yellow cloth.

When Li Xuan saw a large patch of blood seeping from under the bed, he swayed, and the emperor quickly supported him.

"Doctor Li—" a woman's voice choked with sobs, accompanied by the sound of her kneeling, "The Imperial Concubine suffered because of me—"

Li Xuan took a deep breath, opened her eyes, and looked at the kneeling girl in front of her.

A maidservant followed closely behind the girl and also knelt down.

The two were covered in blood, their hair disheveled, their bodies trembling, and their faces pale.

Although he had never met this Miss Yang before, he could recognize her at this moment.

Miss Yang looked up and said, "This is the second time Lady Li has saved me, and this time it's even more... I really have no way to repay her—" She couldn't finish her sentence and covered her face with her hands, falling to the ground and crying bitterly.

How can I not repay you?

"You'll be able to repay me when you die," Li Xuan thought.

“…Yang Luo, Yang Luo—” Another female voice screamed.

Li Xuan's vision blurred, and he saw a young girl stumble over and grab the kneeling Miss Yang.

Yes, Princess Wuyang.

Seeing Princess Wuyang covered in blood and with a dazed look in her eyes, Li Xuan quickly reached out to pull her closer, sobbing, "Wuyang—"

Princess Wuyang screamed and shoved his hand away: "Don't come any closer! Don't come any closer! Yang Luo, save me—"

Miss Yang quickly reached out and hugged her, repeatedly comforting her: "Princess, don't be afraid, I'm here. His Majesty is here, the thieves are all dead, don't be afraid, don't be afraid."

The Emperor, choking back tears, said, "When the assassin rushed into the palace, he nearly injured Princess Wuyang. It was Miss Yang who risked her life to protect her. Then the Imperial Concubine rushed in to confront the assassin for the two children, and then..."

He covered his face with his hands and couldn't continue speaking.

"...By the time I arrived, it was already too late."

"Doctor Li," the maid sobbed, "the princess and our young lady have both been frightened, and the imperial physician said they must not be subjected to any further stimulation..."

Wei Jiao walked in at this moment, heard it, and pursed his lips. The young lady was frightened again.

He glanced at the girl kneeling on the ground.

The girl and Princess Wuyang huddled together, trembling.

He looked more frightened than ever before.

Is it really that serious? It's just one person who died this time.

She didn't act like this when there were dead bodies lying all over the street in the middle of the night!
Wei Jiao withdrew his gaze and looked at the emperor.

"Your Majesty," he said loudly, "the search of the imperial city has been completed. There are no survivors. Apart from those who were killed on the spot, those who were not initially fatal also committed suicide by taking poison immediately."

"Have you found out where it came from?" the emperor demanded.

Wei Jiao said, "Perhaps it's the assassin who escaped from the last palace banquet—"

The emperor was even angrier: "I don't want 'maybes'! Find out exactly where it came from!"

Wei Jiao bowed and replied, "Yes."

"Your Majesty," Li Xuan said from the side, "may I go and take a look?"

His expression was both sorrowful and angry.

"I must go and see who killed my sister... otherwise, how can I face my parents in the afterlife..."

Upon hearing him mention his parents in the afterlife, the emperor almost shed tears: "Of course Brother Li can go; you can investigate however you like."

……

.......
Wei Jiao left with Li Xuan.

The imperial physicians came to examine Princess Wuyang and Miss Yang and took them into the inner room.

Inside the palace, the emperor gazed tearfully at the doorway; Li Xuan's figure was no longer visible.

"Should we let him go this time?" he said coldly, looking at the corpse of Consort Li lying to the side covered by a yellow cloth. The tears in his eyes disappeared, leaving only disgust. "Killing only this wicked villain is not enough."

After saying that, he looked at Yang Luo standing to the side.

"Ah Luo, you don't need to worry about me. The Li family will use scholars and students to create chaos in the world."

"I can conquer the world, and I can rule it. I've survived those difficult and chaotic times, so why would I be afraid of these?"

Yang Luo shook her head: "That's not what I'm worried about."

She looked at the emperor.

"You are His Majesty, yet you have been manipulated and deceived by these people. Your word is law, and killing them would be easy, but it would be too lenient for them."

She looked at the body of Consort Li, which was covered with a yellow cloth.

"This time, it's their turn to be deceived and manipulated."

……

……

The assassin's body was found in a palace within the imperial city.

Wei Jiao brought Li Xuan along, but did not accompany him personally. He let Li Xuan look around as he pleased, and then disappeared.

Li Xuan didn't care; Wei Jiao could only be ordered around by the emperor.

He didn't want anyone around him; he just wanted to watch by himself.

Moreover, in addition to seeing the assassin's corpse, they also saw Zhu Yunxiao here.

Those who were present at the time are now being interrogated here.

Zhu Yunxiao was with the imperial guards when he killed the assassins, so he was not imprisoned and interrogated, but was assisting in the investigation.

Upon learning that Li Xuan had arrived, Zhu Yunxiao hurriedly came out to greet him.

"Prince Zhu, you were there at the time..." Li Xuan grabbed him urgently, "How could the Imperial Concubine—"

He choked up and couldn't continue.

Zhu Yunxiao supported him, saying, "Please accept my condolences, Doctor Li." Then, lowering his voice, he added, "...Something is wrong."

Something was definitely wrong! Li Xuan looked at him, his eyes deep, as if he was about to say something, but Zhu Yunxiao pulled him toward the corpses.

"...Doctor Li, look at these assassins, they're really...strange."

Strange? Li Xuan looked at one of the corpses, Zhu Yunxiao's whisper in her ear.

"...This is not someone we arranged."

(End of this chapter)