Her guards

Chapter 206 Zhu Yunxiao's Busy Life
As the night passed, the court officials learned of the events that had transpired in the palace the previous day.

They gathered at the palace gates before dawn, and poured in as soon as the gates opened.

However, the emperor was busy, so the officials could only wait outside the palace.

As dawn broke, Li Xuan walked out of the Qin Zheng Hall, looking utterly dejected.

"Dr. Li".

Zhu Yunxiao, who was standing at the bottom of the steps surrounded by a group of officials talking to him, hurriedly stepped forward to greet them.

Li Xuan looked at him for a moment, as if only then recognizing him: "Prince Zhu, you haven't left yet?"

Zhu Yunxiao bowed and said, "I have just finished asking and I am now permitted to leave the capital."

Li Xuan responded with an "Oh," and said, "Thank you. If you hadn't happened to be there, besides the Imperial Concubine, Princess Wuyang would also have met with misfortune..."

He choked up and fell silent as he spoke.

The accompanying eunuchs and surrounding officials all urged the "Doctor to restrain his grief."

"Dr. Li, let me take you back," Zhu Yunxiao said.

Li Xuan nodded: "Yes, yes, I need to go home to prepare for A-Qing's funeral. I need to get back quickly—"

After saying this, he walked away quickly, looking utterly dejected.

Zhu Yunxiao quickly helped him up.

"Thank you for your trouble, Prince Zhu," a eunuch said from the side. "It would be good if you escorted Doctor Li back; the Li family members also want to know the details of what happened."

The officials around him nodded in agreement, as they all knew that Zhu Yunxiao was present when the Imperial Concubine met her demise.

Zhu Yunxiao helped Li Xuan walk outside, and they saw Marquis Yichun coming towards them, surrounded by several eunuchs.

"Master Hou."

Zhu Yunxiao bowed.

Li Xuan glanced at Marquis Yichun.

Marquis Yichun raised his hand in a salute: "Please accept my condolences, Doctor Li. Your noble consort is righteous and does not lose the style of the Li family."

Li Xuan nodded: "Yes, that's right, A-Qing did not disappoint me." After saying that, he walked past Marquis Yichun.

Zhu Yunxiao and the Marquis of Yichun exchanged a glance, then Zhu Yunxiao followed Li Xuan.

The officials were busy greeting the Marquis of Yichun. "How could such a thing happen?" "It's said to be the assassin from the last palace banquet." Just then, a palace attendant rushed in: "Your Highness, His Majesty invites you in."

Marquis Yichun responded and followed the eunuch to the Hall of Diligent Governance.

The officials watched the Marquis of Yichun's retreating figure and began to discuss the matter again.

"Is Chai Du still at Dali Temple?"

"Have the officials inspecting border troops' affairs arrived in the border region yet?"

"So what if we get there? I don't think we'll be able to find anything out."

"Is this assassination attempt related to White Horse Town again?"

"It was Consort Li who died."

"Now this is truly unique in the palace..."

……

……

"His Majesty."

The Marquis of Yichun looked at the Emperor from inside the palace and said.

“Ah Feng had someone tell me that this was your plan.”

Of course, the Empress only knew that the Emperor wanted to lure out the assassins, but she did not know that there was more to the story, let alone that the Emperor wanted Consort Li dead.

The emperor nodded grimly: "Yes, how can I allow such a wicked woman to sleep soundly beside my bed, but..."

He looked at Marquis Yichun.

"The assassin has indeed been lured out."

He picked up the case files on the table and handed them to Marquis Yichun.

"The coroner in charge of the Embroidered Robe investigated and found that the assassin's body was the same group of people as the thugs in White Horse Town."

Marquis Yichun hurriedly reached out and took it to look through.

"But there is still no conclusive evidence that Lady Li kept and directed assassins," the emperor said bitterly. "Although I killed Lady Li, I still have to give her a good reputation and appease that scoundrel Li Xuan!"

As he spoke, he smashed the teacup in front of him to the ground, then looked at Marquis Yichun.

"Father-in-law, I am waiting for you to drag out all the traitors and accomplices of the Li family in the Gaoyang army, find out the evidence of their crimes in Baima Town, let the world see that the Li family is a beast in human form, and avenge the dead!"

Marquis Yichun, holding the case file, bowed and said, "Your subject obeys the decree. Please rest assured, Your Majesty."

……

……

White mourning cloths were already hanging inside the Li residence, and the sound of weeping was deafening.

Zhu Yunxiao recounted everything he knew and had experienced to the Li family again, and was then invited inside for another cup of tea.

Li Xuan sat indoors, no longer in a daze, his eyes were dark and his face was somber.

"What did you and His Majesty say?" Zhu Yunxiao asked in a low voice, "Any clues about the origins of these assassins?"

Li Xuan took out a case file from his sleeve.

"His Majesty said the Embroidered Uniform Guard has been identified," he said. "These assassins are the same group as last year's assassins."

Zhu Yunxiao looked surprised, genuinely surprised and puzzled: "Last year?"

“One night last year, there was an assassination attempt in the city. They said it was an assassination attempt by the remnants of Sun Shu,” Li Xuan said. “But that’s not the case.”

Zhu Yunxiao suddenly realized: "That time, yes, that time it was also this Miss Yang who was in danger. I see, I see."

Li Xuan thought to herself, "So that's how it is."

When he and A-Qing heard the news, they said that Miss Yang was both unlucky and lucky.

Unfortunately, they encountered the remnants of Sun Shu causing trouble; luckily, they survived.

Only now do I realize that it wasn't some remnant of Sun Shu, but rather the assassination attempt on this Miss Yang.

"Then who did this?" Zhu Yunxiao said, "At that time, Miss Yang had just arrived in Beijing, and not many people knew about it..."

Li Xuan snorted coldly: "To be precise, only one person knows."

“The Chai family,” Zhu Yunxiao continued, “Does the doctor mean that the Chai family also wanted this Miss Yang dead?”

"What do you mean 'originally'?" Li Xuan said coldly. "The Chai family always wanted this Miss Yang dead. From the very beginning until now, it turns out I wasn't framing them. It turns out they had already taken action and even killed Ah Qing—"

Zhu Yunxiao quickly tried to comfort him again: "Doctor, please accept my condolences, Doctor..." He glanced at the case file.

"These can only be traced back to the same group of people, but there's no evidence to suggest that the Marquis of Yichun was behind it..."

“I will find the evidence,” Li Xuan said. “His Majesty has entrusted me with the investigation of the assassination attempt on the Imperial Concubine.”

He looked out the door.

Whether we find it or not, it doesn't matter.

The most important thing is that he must get rid of the Chai family!

Ah Qing is dead, but the King of Linhai is still alive.

Moreover, because of A-Qing's death, the emperor felt indebted to the Prince of Linhai...

Remembering how the Prince of Linhai had come crying to him, the Emperor immediately embraced him, and the father and son wept bitterly in each other's arms...

Li Xuan took a deep breath and stood up.

He needs to cheer up; although something unexpected happened, the outcome may still be what he wants.

“This time, you also helped Miss Yang and let the Emperor see your bravery with his own eyes.” He looked at Zhu Yunxiao. “Go, go find Marquis Yichun, tell him what happened back then, and make him keep his promise to propose marriage for you and Miss Yang.”

Zhu Yunxiao responded, "Yes."

……

……

After leaving the Li residence, Zhu Yunxiao planned to go home first, and the Marquis of Yichun would send someone to invite him. Just as he walked out of the alley of the Li family, someone came out from the roadside.

"Yunxiao."

Jiang Rui looked at him with unease.

Zhu Yunxiao was taken aback: "Arui, what brings you here?"

Or rather, why haven't they left yet?

Actually, when he helped Li Xuan out of the palace, he saw Jiang Rui standing in a corner of the Imperial Street.

However, he couldn't talk to her at that time, and besides...

I don't plan to speak to her in public anymore.

Originally, Jiang Rui was thought to be going home, but she actually followed them to the Li family.

"Yunxiao, are you alright?" Jiang Rui asked anxiously.

Zhu Yunxiao shook his head, his expression grave, and grabbed Jiang Rui's arm: "Get in the car and go home quickly. Don't come to see me these days."

"Don't come to see him." Whether it was these words that startled her or the sudden tug from Zhu Yunxiao, Jiang Rui was caught off guard and stumbled: "Yunxiao, what happened?"

“Those assassins were extremely fierce, and they broke into the palace twice,” Zhu Yunxiao said in a low voice. “I fought with them twice, so I must have offended them.”

He looked at Jiang Rui.

"I'm afraid they'll retaliate against the people around me, so you should be careful and stay away from me lately."

"Oh, is that so?" Jiang Rui grabbed him. "Then aren't you in even more danger?"

"Don't worry about me," Zhu Yunxiao said. "Doctor Li has already made some progress on the assassin's origins and is close to finding out."

After saying that, he helped Jiang Rui into the car.

"Alright, you should go back now."

"I'll go home right away and tell my father and the others."

Jiang Rui wanted to say something, but she couldn't. The coachman obeyed Zhu Yunxiao's order and urged the horse to leave. She helplessly held onto the carriage window and looked at him.

"Be careful," she whispered.

Zhu Yunxiao had already turned around; it was unclear whether he had heard or not.

Once the carriage turned the corner of the alley, Jiang Rui could no longer see Zhu Yunxiao. She sat back in the carriage, her expression blank.

Actually, she had something else she wanted to ask him.

Will I not be able to see him again these days?
Is it that dangerous?
……

.......
Something suddenly occurred to him.

Zhu Yunxiao reined in his horse and looked in the direction the Jiang family's carriage had left.

Given how dangerous it is, Jiang Rui might actually encounter danger and die.

Just like Consort Li.

In that case, the assassin came from the Marquis of Yichun or the Li family, and had nothing to do with Miss Yang.

If he marries Miss Yang in the future, the Jiang family will not resent Miss Yang.

Moreover, the Jiang family, especially those from Changshui Camp, would share a common hatred and be of one mind with Miss Yang.

Thinking of this, Zhu Yunxiao couldn't help but smile and looked in the direction of the imperial city.

Ah Sheng, look, he's truly doing his best for Miss Yang now.

……

.......
Zhu Yunxiao entered the house with light steps. Yongwu Bo was pacing in the hall and hurriedly came to greet him.

"Are you alright?" he asked anxiously. "That was really scary. How could you be so unlucky as to run into this again?"

He wouldn't tell his father many things; he trusted no one but himself.

Zhu Yunxiao smiled and said, "Father, don't worry, I'm fine. This is a good thing, I've also made an appearance in front of His Majesty."

That's true," said Yongwu Bo, becoming happy again.

Zhu Yunxiao didn't say much: "Father, please keep an eye on the door for me. If the Yichun Marquis family sends someone, bring them in immediately. They'll probably ask me about what happened back then."

Uncle Yongwu said "oh," then smiled as if he had thought of something.

“The Marquis of Yichun probably doesn’t have time to ask you,” he said. “Just now, when we were in the palace, Wei Cui’s men came to see His Majesty, and His Majesty was furious.”

Just now? He was at the Li family's residence and hadn't heard the news. Zhu Yunxiao asked curiously, "What happened? Could it be that Wei Cui is finally going to rebel?"

The Earl of Yongwu shook his head: "No, he was just unlucky. He asked the emperor to arrange a marriage when the emperor was about to hold a funeral."

A marriage arrangement? Zhu Yunxiao was taken aback: "Is it for Wei Jiao? Does it mean he'll marry a princess?"

The marriage between Wei Jiao and the princess had been the subject of much speculation in the capital.

The emperor would certainly be willing as well.

However, the timing was not right, so the emperor could only pretend to be unhappy.

The Earl of Yongwu smiled and shook his head: "It's not a princess, it's a request for the emperor to arrange a marriage for Wei Jiao with the young lady of the Duke of An's mansion, that is, Miss Yang."

Zhu Yunxiao's face froze. What!
Someone asked Wei Cui why he hadn't responded earlier, haha, Wei Cui said, "I'm here!"
Another month has passed! Thank you all for your company and feedback for each chapter. I am so grateful to you all. It's so wonderful to have people listening to my stories.