Chapter 058: Rush to the Palace

Chapter 058: Rush to the Palace

A buzzing filled her ears as all the blood rushed to her head, and He Lanting lunged forward. "Jier!"

She grasped Yan Ji's hand, which was icy cold and stiff.

"My Jier, are you too cold?" He Lanting's lips trembled as she kept touching Yan Ji's cheeks. "Why does your face look so terrible? My Jier, your face is so dirty; let Mother clean it for you."

Tears streamed down He Lanting's face as she understood that her son had died, yet she kept saying, "Jier, be good. Don't sleep. Open your eyes and look at Mother."

"Open your eyes, Jier. If you keep sleeping like this, Mother will be scared. You're always such a good boy; you wouldn't want to scare your mother, would you?"

"Jier, didn't you wonder why I've been calling you Baoer more lately? It's because someone made fun of the name Jier. Get up. If you still like being called Jier, Mother will call you that."

He Lanting's maids also witnessed this tragedy and hurried over. "Madam."

"Madam, please don't do this. The young master has passed away."

"Madam, your health is more important."

They pushed aside Zeng Xiu and gathered around the bed.

Zeng Xiu took a step back, supporting herself on a table. At this moment, when everyone was focused on He Lanting and Yan Ji, she allowed herself a moment of joy.

She grinned silently, covering her face, but the smile lingered at the corners of her mouth.

Through the gaps between her fingers, she saw He Lanting lying on Yan Ji, her shoulders shaking as the maids tried to pull her away but hesitated to hurt her.

Suddenly, one of the maids turned her head away.

Zeng Xiu began to cry, not needing to act sad; thinking about her dead son brought genuine sorrow.

With too much emotional turmoil today, Zeng Xiu could no longer bear it and fainted.

Due to this incident, the maids had to divide their attention between He Lanting and Zeng Xiu.

/

Hexagonal snowflakes clustered in the air, falling softly like willow fluff, gently settling on the existing snow layer, forming a thick blanket.

As night deepened and the lights in the capital city dimmed, only the flickering candles in Yongning Marquis's residence increased in number.

In the quiet of the night, the side gate of Yongning Marquis's residence opened wide, and soon someone came out and went next door, while another person got into a carriage.

The green-curtained carriage moved through the dark night, the horses' hooves making less noise than usual on the snow.

Fu Bin clenched his fists, thinking about the message he had to deliver.

In the Yangxin Hall, warm incense wafted as the emperor slept soundly. The beauty beside him lay on her side, her breath lighter than a feather, careful not to disturb the emperor.

Fu Bin arrived at the entrance and nodded to the eunuch waiting outside Yangxin Hall. The eunuch was taken aback. "Eunuch Fu, His Majesty is already asleep."

Before Fu Bin could speak, an older eunuch glared at the younger one and eagerly opened the door.

The creak of the door echoed clearly in the silent, cold night.

This sound startled the beauty on the bed, who opened her eyes and lifted the canopy.

Fu Bin bowed silently, then gestured with his hand, and a palace maid pulled the canopy back.

The beauty understood that something urgent had happened and needed to wake the emperor. She turned and gently shook Emperor Chengde. "Your Majesty."

Together with Fu Bin, they repeatedly called the sleeping emperor.

Emperor Chengde did not get up but asked Fu Bin while lying on his side, "What urgent matter is there?"

"Your Majesty, the young master... he's gone," Fu Bin said, bowing to Emperor Chengde.

Silence fell heavily in the room, as everyone in Yangxin Hall knew whom Fu Bin referred to.

Yan Ji was Emperor Chengde's most cherished child, also his youngest son. The emperor sat up immediately. "What?! What do you mean by 'gone'? Didn't they say he was lost at Fox Fairy Hall in Baifeng Temple? How can he be gone now?"

The emperor stood up from the bed and walked towards Fu Bin. "Speak clearly."

Fu Bin bowed, tears welling in his eyes, and spoke steadily, recounting what he had prepared.

"I have been waiting at Baifeng Temple, questioning all the pilgrims. A few pilgrims saw the young master last. After investigating them, we brought them down the mountain for further questioning."

"After the questioning, Minister Xue has yet to find the kidnapper. I persuaded Madam to return home first."

"When Madam returned home, she discovered the unmade bed and lifted the quilt, finding the body. The young master's face was blue, and his body was already stiff and cold!"

"Madam couldn't accept this reality and cried over the body for a long time. I waited nearby, and when the news spread within Yongning Marquis's residence, I hurried back to the palace without delay."

After finishing, Fu Bin received a kick from the emperor.

The kick left Fu Bin gasping in pain, and amidst the emperor's cries of "Useless!" he quickly knelt again, bowing to Emperor Chengde. "Please calm down, Your Majesty."

Fu Bin's chest ached terribly, and he coughed, spitting out blood.

Emperor Chengde thought of the adorable Yan Ji and overturned the table. "Useless! All of you are useless! Jier is the apple of my eye and Madam's too! How could you let Jier die, and even place his body on Madam's bed!"

Crashing sounds filled the room as everything on the table was thrown to the ground, and all the servants and palace maids knelt on the floor.

Emperor Chengde suddenly stopped his actions.

"There are people of Mine in Yongning Marquis's residence. Did anyone see who placed Jier there?"

Fu Bin suppressed his urge to cough and replied, "During the day, everyone in Yongning Marquis's residence accompanied Madam to Baifeng Temple, leaving the mansion empty, allowing someone to take advantage of the situation."

/

An hour after the emperor's furious outburst, the canopy of Jian Yunyao's bed in Luanfeng Palace was also drawn back.

"Your Majesty, an eunuch requests an audience. He says that Eunuch Fu hurriedly entered the palace and is now in the Yangxin Palace. He has news from outside to deliver to you."

Jian Yunyao had not yet fully woken up. She had someone bring over cold water and used a handkerchief to cool her face, instantly dispelling all her drowsiness.

While washing her hands, Jian Yunyao thought about how she had helped Fu Bin's nephew last time, and this Nine Thousand Years remembered that small favor.

After a simple wash, the Empress leaned against the bed frame, adjusted her cloak, and had the eunuch brought in.

This eunuch was of average build, with a face that would be forgotten in a crowd.

"This servant Xiao Qianzi greets Your Majesty. May Your Majesty live long and prosper."

"What does Xiao Qianzi seek at this late hour?"

Jian Yunyao quickly understood his purpose. On the surface, he was just an unremarkable eunuch who emptied chamber pots, but in reality, he was one of Fu Bin's people.

Fu Bin sent news through Xiao Qianzi: the child of Yongning Marquess' wife was gone.

The Empress naturally knew about the relationship between Yongning Marquess' wife and the Emperor. When she received this news, the Emperor and He Lanting had already consummated their relationship.

At that time, her brother happened to be in the capital, and she had considered asking him to help Yongning Marquess' wife. However, after investigating, the Empress decided to leave it alone, knowing that He Lanting was willing to follow the Emperor, merely playing hard to get with Emperor Chengde.

Jian Yunyao felt a deep disgust. Only Emperor Chengde was foolish enough to think he was playing a game of forced love; in reality, it was just He Lanting going along with the flow.

"I understand," said the Empress. "Reward him."

Xiao Qianzi took the silver and left. The Empress then had her attendants help her dress.

The maidservants assumed Jian Yunyao could not sleep and helped her change clothes.

The charcoal fire in Luanfeng Palace burned brightly. Jian Yunyao rested her chin on her hand, leaning on the low table of the Luohan couch, her eyes closed.

Maidservant Zhenzhu approached and said, "If you're tired, why not rest?"

"Now is not the time for sleeping. Wait a bit longer," Jian Yunyao said. "Have my fur coat warmed by the charcoal fire for when I go out."

Are you going out?

Zhenzhu was puzzled but followed the instructions.

Jian Yunyao kept her eyes closed, continuing to calculate the time. Before a single incense stick had burned, she heard the announcement: "Eunuch Fu has arrived."

Seeing Fu Bin, Jian Yunyao immediately knew he had suffered. She waved him off from bowing and asked, "What is happening with His Majesty?"

"Your Majesty hasn't slept yet?"

Jian Yunyao shook her head. "Perhaps it's the changing weather; I couldn't sleep well."

Fu Bin said, "His Majesty heard about the incident at Yongning Marquess' residence. When Yongning Marquess was still a prince, he was close friends with His Majesty. This servant acted presumptuously, bypassing His Majesty, and came here to ask Your Majesty to intervene. It's freezing and slippery outside, making it inconvenient to leave the palace."

Jian Yunyao stood up, signaling for Zhenzhu to wrap her in the warmed fur coat.

Zhenzhu realized the Empress had anticipated this situation.

She opened the palace door and escorted the Empress out of Luanfeng Palace.

Stepping outside, Jian Yunyao felt the cold. The eunuchs were constantly sweeping snow, making the path to Yangxin Palace manageable.

Upon entering Yangxin Palace, Jian Yunyao immediately removed her fur coat.

"Your Majesty."

Jian Yunyao began to persuade Emperor Chengde not to leave the palace. Afterward, as dawn broke, she instructed Zhenzhu that no one was to see her today, as she needed more rest due to a poor night's sleep.

The other concubines in the harem only knew that something had happened during the night but were unaware of the details. They tried to gather information from Jian Yunyao, but she avoided them.

Yu Meiren dismissed wave after wave of inquiring concubines, stating that she had little influence and did not know what had transpired, only that Eunuch Fu returned from outside the palace looking anxious and then fell ill.

/

Fu Bin was kicked severely by Emperor Chengde. Despite his efforts to suppress it, he could not help coughing, prompting the Emperor to grant him permission to leave the palace.

"Take this time to rest properly," Emperor Chengde said.

In the past, Fu Bin always recuperated in his own residence, but now that his family was in the capital, he naturally chose to recover there.

Leaving the palace to stay with his family, Fu Bin felt a sense of joy even in his hair.

While wrapping his bandages, the door was suddenly kicked open.

"Ouch!" Fu Bin hastily tried to cover himself, but Fu Heng directly said, "I changed your diapers when you were a child; what's there to hide?"

Fu Heng clearly saw the blue footprint on Fu Bin's chest. Her lips tightened into a thin line, and her eyes burned with anger. "What did you do wrong?"

Fu Bin sighed. "It's not that I did anything wrong; it's just that His Majesty is in a bad mood."

Fu Heng did not inquire further about why the Emperor was upset. Some things were not for her to know. She simply said, "You're foolish for not avoiding it."

Fu Bin could have had someone else deliver the message, but he ultimately decided to do it himself. Avoiding it temporarily might lead to worse consequences later. Moreover, Wei Wuhou had initially gone to Baifeng Temple, which made Fu Bin thankful. If the Jin Yi Wei had been informed first and found nothing, the Emperor would certainly hold it against him. Even if he did not punish him immediately, once He Lanting entered the palace, he would eventually pay for Yan Ji's death.

"Sister, I know what I'm doing."

"You know nothing!" Fu Heng pointed at Fu Bin's head. "If you knew, you wouldn't have rushed into the palace."

Fu Bin just smiled without saying anything.

Seeing no one around, Fu Heng finally spoke her true thoughts. "Jinyuan is always resourceful. Can he find a way to get you out of the palace safely?"

Fu Bin looked at his sister, holding her gaze until she turned away. After a long moment, he said, "Sister, there's no way out. I know too much and have done too many unspeakable things. When the new emperor ascends, he will need to establish his authority, and I'll be the first target. I can only pray that the new emperor takes the throne later."

Fu Heng remained silent.

Fu Bin gently held his sister's hand and said softly, "Sister, you don't need to worry too much. His Majesty is in good health, and I, this eunuch, still have quite some time to live."

Fu Heng felt that even if she earned a great deal of money, she could not reverse her brother's fate.

Seeing Fu Heng's lack of enthusiasm, Fu Bin said, "Sis, it's rare for me to have a few days off to enjoy family happiness. Are you going to sigh and fret the whole time?"

"What family happiness? Yingxue isn't even pregnant."

"Do you need me to get something from the palace..."

Before Fu Bin could finish, Fu Heng rolled her eyes, "Enough, I don't want those medicines from the palace used on Yingxue. I think they should wait a bit longer; their bodies haven't fully matured yet."

"The girls selected for the palace are much younger than your niece-in-law."

Fu Heng: "How many of those who get pregnant so young give birth safely?"

Fu Bin thought about it carefully and realized she was right.

Fu Heng said, "Just rest well for a few days and let Wanan keep you company. I'm going out."

Even with her beloved brother at home, Fu Heng did not slow down her pace and continued to be busy with her work.

Because Fu Bin was injured, the dinner that night was simple but nourishing.

The next morning, an event occurred during the early court session that shook the entire capital city.

Lady He Lanting of the Yongning Marquis Manor, holding her dead child, with disheveled hair, beat the imperial drum before the throne, pleading with His Majesty to find the murderer of her child.