Chapter 471: The Eccentricity Under Dan Liang Royal City (31)

Chapter 471: Defiance Beneath Dan Liang's Royal City (31)

Since the Dan Liang Emperor intended to personally oversee the matter, Rong Feng found it inappropriate to say more.

Before long, the Minister of Justice arrived at Diligence Hall. The Dan Liang Emperor immediately issued orders to investigate the chaos in the streets that day, demanding a thorough clarification of the assassins' origins and whether they had any hidden accomplices.

He also instructed Minister Xun to assist in the investigation.

He demanded answers within three days.

This arrangement was peculiar, given that the Capital Prefecture Office had been involved in the day’s turmoil. Yet, he now made such a decision.

Su Rao listened, stifling a scornful laugh. Only after the two officials had left the hall did she rise to her feet.

Then, she spoke:

“There’s a saying—the barefoot don’t fear the shod. Your Majesty of Dan Liang should investigate swiftly and give me an explanation. I have no desire to suffer such false accusations a second time.

After all, Dan Liang lacks a Prince Yun Ji—a one-man army who could shake the heavens. Nor would my grandfather choose death over betraying Dan Liang. Wouldn’t you say, Your Majesty?”

Her peach blossom eyes—deep and shimmering with a natural rosy tint—were utterly unfathomable at this moment. Her words were nothing short of a direct challenge to imperial authority.

Her gaze fixed upon the Dan Liang Emperor seated on the dragon throne, yet a smile surfaced on her face—one that never reached her eyes.

“I came here for leisure and have no wish to spoil the mood. Wouldn’t you say?”

As she finished speaking, a frosty smirk curled her lips, unapologetically flaunting her defiance, her nature unchanged.

Her gratitude toward the old Cloud King evaporated.

Her earlier silence and compliance in following him to the palace had been solely out of gratitude for his timely rescue.

The false accusations from the Yun family had led to the extermination of her entire clan. She had set aside thoughts of vengeance to avoid mutual ruin—only because Yun Ji had traded his life, along with Yun Yu’s, the Yao family’s annihilation, and the Crown Prince’s deposition, to secure Yunlang’s stability.

Moreover, the Su family lived and died by their honor. Even in death, they would never engage in treachery.

Thus, after her family’s exoneration, she could not tarnish their name. She called off the war between Zhu Xian and Yunlang, allowing her family to rest in peace.

The Emperor caught her meaning, yet in his mind, they were merely excuses to conceal her identity as the princess of the former dynasty.

Furthermore, Su Rao’s defiant tirade led him to a sudden realization.

He recalled his recent conversation with Old Ding.

Her bold declaration before the old Cloud King might indicate that she lacked the confidence to confront him directly, resorting instead to taunts.

After all, both sides knew the truth behind the day’s events. If she truly had the upper hand, why would she let such an opportunity slip?

This was entirely unlike the leader of the Freedom Pavilion, who would exploit every crack. Could it be that the old Cloud King’s intervention had cowed her? The Dan Liang Emperor doubted it—in his eyes, the leader of the Freedom Pavilion, the princess of the former dynasty, was nothing but a scheming provocateur.

Whatever expression crossed his face, whatever schemes brewed in his mind, whatever conjectures he entertained—Su Rao cared not.

After delivering those three pointed remarks to the Dan Liang Emperor, she turned to the old Cloud King and spoke words that almost cracked the Emperor’s facade.

Her true purpose in coming to Dan Liang was to find her fifth brother. After his release from prison, he disappeared. Even after the Su family’s vindication, he had not returned home. She scoured the earth, yet neither Yunlang nor Zhu Xian yielded anything—her brother was gone.

After thinking it over, she concluded that Dan Liang was the only possible hiding place, so she came here hoping to find her fifth brother. Shortly after crossing into Dan Liang, she indeed discovered some traces—not of Su Wu, but of the Eighth Prince.

In one of Dan Liang’s cities, she obtained half of a jade token from a merchant. Even though it was broken, it was clearly the mark of a Yun Lang prince—a royal jade token.

What set this token apart was that a small corner of the already broken half had been missing for many years.

This jade token belonged to the Eighth Prince, Yun Muyue, and the missing corner dated back to when Su Rao, as a child, had bullied Yun Muyue and carelessly dropped it.

So when she spotted the broken half in the merchant’s possession, she recognized it immediately.

The Eighth Prince had secretly left the capital, and given his close relationship with Su Wu, his presence in Dan Liang meant there was a good chance her fifth brother was also hiding somewhere in the country.

She'd come to Dan Liang without hiding her movements upon reaching the royal capital. Yet, her fifth brother had not sought her out. She pondered two possibilities: either he was unable to act freely, or he distrusted her now that she had been falsely accused of being the princess of the former dynasty. In these perilous times, he might no longer dare to believe in his younger sister.

"Now that you're here, Grandfather Yun, I wish to ask for your help. Fifth Brother is the only family I have left. I only want to find him quickly and bring him home safely—to see Grandfather and the others."

After explaining, Su Rao retrieved the broken jade token from her sleeve and approached the old Cloud King, presenting it with both hands so he could examine it clearly.

Making up a story was easy enough, but she also had evidence to make it credible. The truth was that the Eighth Prince had secretly left the capital to search for Su Wu, and now both of them were hiding somewhere in Dan Liang.

The broken jade token Su Rao handed to the old Cloud King was indeed Yun Muyue’s princely token—the real deal. It had been given to Su Wu by Yun Muyue for protection when they parted ways.

After reuniting with Su Wu, Su Rao informed him that Yun Muyue had been captured. Furious, Su Wu wanted to rush to his rescue, but Ying Ying intervened. In the struggle, the jade token fell and shattered, ending up in Su Rao’s possession.

Yun Muyue had been captured, but they did not yet know where he was being held. They couldn't just charge in blindly—they needed to confirm his location first to ensure a flawless rescue.

Originally, after discussing with Yun Ji, Su Rao had planned to use this jade token as bait to stir trouble within Dan Liang’s royal capital. By exposing Yun Muyue’s presence in the country, she could start rumors and catch the royals by surprise—a move to undermine their plans from within.

Once the Dan Liang royal family learned that Su Rao knew Yun Muyue was in Dan Liang—or perhaps even that he had been captured—they would likely act covertly, especially since they remained uncertain about the extent of the Freedom Pavilion’s influence in the capital.

Given his suspicious nature, he would also assume that Su Rao might use Yun Muyue to manipulate public opinion and strike first.

Under such layers of paranoia, he would inevitably relocate Yun Muyue’s prison to ensure the safety of this pawn before his grand scheme unfolded.

Then, Su Rao and her allies could follow the trail to uncover Yun Muyue’s whereabouts—or even expose the Dan Liang royal family’s ambitions in one fell swoop, killing two birds with one stone.

However, before she could execute this plan, the Dan Liang royal family struck first. With the old Cloud King here now, there was no harm in putting it into action immediately.