The bright moon hung low in the west, and outside, the sound of the night watch drum echoed.
Inside He Li Tang, Jin Yun and Cang Lang were speaking softly, at some distance from each other. By the side of the Yue Li platform, the young girl, holding a book, tried to peek into the inner room while pretending to read.
Perhaps sensing someone’s gaze, she quickly averted her eyes and tried to sit up straight, but her waist sash got caught on the edge of the table.
The already small table was pulled crookedly, and Tang Ning hurriedly stood up to try to stabilize it. Unfortunately, the book in her hands fell to the ground, followed by a small cup on the table, both rolling a little forward onto the soft blanket.
Three pairs of eyes immediately turned toward her, and Tang Ning stood frozen, embarrassed.
Xiao Yan's eyes sparkled with amusement. "If you want to listen, come over here."
"I don’t want to!" Tang Ning muttered.
"Really not?" He lifted his gaze. "It has to do with Empress Lu..."
Tang Ning’s eyes flickered. She knew that Xiao Yan had already set things in motion and was using King Cheng to bait Empress Lu, but what exactly had he done, she wasn't sure.
She wanted to know what Empress Lu was up to, but when she looked up at Xiao Yan's handsome face under the light, she suddenly remembered the careless words she had blurted out earlier outside the academy.
Tang Ning shifted on her feet, her face turning red with embarrassment.
She wasn’t sure how she had become so bold.
Cang Lang and Jin Yun, seeing her shy expression, couldn’t help but tremble with suppressed laughter. Xiao Yan, however, watched her as she seemed about to curl up like a turtle, not willing to show her face. With a suppressed smile, he cleared his throat and glanced at Cang Lang and Jin Yun.
The young girl’s skin was thin; if she laughed any more, she'd truly be angry.
"Come over, I happen to have something I want to ask you."
Tang Ning hesitated, slowly lifting her head. Seeing that Xiao Yan’s expression was serious and that Cang Lang and Jin Yun seemed unbothered, she finally took a step forward, still unsure, and asked, "What do you want to ask?"
Xiao Yan, noticing she had reached the edge of the platform but was still reluctant to move further, didn’t rush her. Instead, he said, "It has to do with the Lu family." He glanced at Jin Yun and added, "Tell the young lady about Empress Lu."
"Yes."
Jin Yun, seeing the young girl before him, already regarded her as the future lady of the house. Though unsure how much she knew about the matters of the governor, it didn’t stop him from showing her the utmost respect.
"Earlier, the governor and the young lady suspected that someone in the palace had an affair with King Cheng and had plotted to harm those betrothed to him. This is related to Xie Yin’s background. For several days, Princess Huan had been under surveillance, and it’s almost certain that she has no dealings with King Cheng. The only remaining suspect is Empress Lu."
"She is under heavy suspicion, but due to her status, it's difficult to investigate her directly. Later, the governor used King Cheng’s imprisonment to try and make her panic, but she remained unphased."
"And then what happened?" Tang Ning asked.
"Then came the night of the interrogation."
Jin Yun proceeded to explain the interrogation of King Cheng after his capture, detailing how King Cheng had stubbornly refused to reveal who he was having an affair with. It wasn’t until Xiao Yan had cleverly guided him that he finally admitted to framing others and shifting blame to the Lu family.
Xiao Yan placed a hand on his temple. "Today, I specifically went to Fengxi Palace and told the Empress about King Cheng’s confession…"
Tang Ning tilted her head and thought for a moment. "Brother is trying to probe her. If she doesn’t react, or if she tells the Lu family directly, it would mean she’s truly uninvolved with King Cheng, and we’ve been looking in the wrong direction. She could use this to gain favor with the Lu family and improve relations, protecting her clan."
"But if she hides it from the Lu family, or even tries to solidify the story by framing someone else, ensuring that someone takes the blame for everything to protect her and the Fourth Prince, then it will confirm everything we’ve suspected."
"The one having an affair with King Cheng is Empress Lu. The one who has been causing harm to my aunt all these years is also Empress Lu."
Seeing the young girl quickly grasp the key points, Xiao Yan’s eyes flickered with approval. The girl who once followed him meekly like a parrot had now become sharp and clever, more and more difficult to let go of.
Xiao Yan nodded. "After I left the palace, Empress Lu sent one of her most trusted servants to the Lu family. They stayed for nearly three quarters of an hour, but after they left, there was no unusual behavior from the Lu family. None of the women in the Lu family were questioned."
Tang Ning's expression darkened. "Has she found a scapegoat?"
Xiao Yan smiled lightly. "Guess who it is?"
Tang Ning thought through all the women in the Lu family, excluding those who were not suitable or lacked the authority to take on the crime of King Cheng. She considered those who could be used as scapegoats without angering the Lu family too much…
Tang Ning’s eyes widened. "The First Madam of the Lu family?"
Xiao Yan chuckled, and Cang Lang showed a look of admiration. "The young lady actually guessed it?"
"I told you before, our young lady is very smart."
Xiao Yan spoke proudly, gesturing for Tang Ning to sit next to him. She couldn’t care about her previous embarrassment and hurried to his side, shocked.
"Has she really chosen the First Madam of the Lu family? How did she do it? Doesn’t she know that without evidence, the First Madam can’t possibly take the blame? Even if she frames the First Madam, the blame can’t be placed on her," Tang Ning asked.
"That’s why she sent her trusted servant to deliver the evidence."
Xiao Yan nodded slightly before speaking in a calm voice, "Since Lu Zhao was imprisoned, Lu Chongyuan has been cleaning up the Lu family. The Lu family is now like a fortress, and the traps we set earlier have already been cleared."
"Although I don’t know exactly what that maid did after going to the Lu family, it was probably to find a way to pass the evidence to the First Madam and make sure she accepts it willingly."
Tang Ning muttered under her breath, "She’s despicable!"
"She’s not just despicable for getting involved with King Cheng and manipulating people, but for much more than that," Xiao Yan sneered.
Tang Ning asked, "What does Brother plan to do now? Expose her directly?"
Xiao Yan shook his head. "Not yet. The evidence isn’t enough, and this matter concerns the royal reputation. The Emperor’s intentions are unpredictable. Exposing the affair between the Empress and King Cheng hastily might not be a good idea. We can't make the first move in this."
The Emperor had been wearing the "green hat" for twenty years, and the Empress, whom he had personally named, was involved with his younger brother. Even with evidence, if King Cheng and the Empress continued to deny it, it would be hard to prove. Even if there was enough proof, Emperor An’s volatile temper would make exposing the affair risky for everyone involved.
Xiao Yan said, "And I still have a few more fish to catch."
Tang Ning blinked. "Who else do you want to catch?"
"Lu Zhao."
Xiao Yan didn’t hide his intentions. "The Lu family’s matter must have a weak point. We need to use this opportunity to bring them to their knees, or else once Lu Chongyuan is free to act, he’ll definitely target me. With his cunning, he could very well deal with me."
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You can read ahead to chapterr 370 (100+ extra chapters) here
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