Chapter 96

Chapter 96

Everyone's gaze towards Nanny Yang turned cold. It turned out that Chun Xing's death was actually carried out by Nanny Yang.

Shen Zhinuo was furious: "They are really cruel, using Chun Xing and then killing her."

The system agreed: "Totally evil."

Shen Zhinuo asked again: "Did Nanny Yang kill Chun Xing on the orders of the Floating Recluse?"

The system replied: "No, Nanny Yang acted on her own."

Shen Zhinuo was shocked: "How could she be so heartless? She is also a servant, how could she have no sympathy for Chun Xing?"

The system explained: "The Fourth Prince's Consort, without her husband's knowledge, conspired with an outsider to kill Imperial Noble Consort Rong, her own mother-in-law. If the Fourth Prince ever found out, there is no doubt he would seek revenge."

"Nanny Yang believed that if Chun Xing lived, she would pose a big risk. She didn't want to leave any potential threats for her mistress, so she decided herself to kill Chun Xing."

Xue Song and Shen Weiyan exchanged glances, both speculating that no matter why the Floating Recluse and the Fourth Prince's Consort wanted Imperial Noble Consort Rong dead, they neither directly arranged the killing nor had Nanny Yang deliver the message directly to Consort Chen. Instead, they went through Chun Xing, likely considering this as an extra layer of safety.

After all, passing the message through an intermediary added another layer of protection.

Shen Zhinuo asked: "Did the Floating Recluse later find out about Chun Xing's death?"

The system replied: "It's unclear if he knew."

Shen Zhinuo: "What happened next? Did Nanny Yang die?"

The system: "After Imperial Noble Consort Rong died and Chun Xing was also dead, Nanny Yang, having accomplished her mission, returned to report. However, not long after returning to the fiefdom, she died unexpectedly."

Shen Zhinuo was curious: "How did she die?"

The system: "It was said that she ate something wrong, suddenly suffered severe abdominal pain, and died from improper medication."

Shen Zhinuo: "She was probably killed."

The system: "Probably."

Xue Song and the others also thought so, speculating in their hearts whether it was the Fourth Prince's Consort who killed her to keep her quiet, or the Floating Recluse who got revenge for Chun Xing.

Shen Zhinuo asked again: "Since my aunt valued and relied on Nanny Yang so much, didn't she investigate her death?"

The system: "After Nanny Yang's death, her story ends here. To find out if the Fourth Prince's Consort investigated, you'd need to check her face."

Shen Zhinuo was not surprised: "Is there anything else?"

The system: "There is no more about Nanny Yang."

Shen Zhinuo asked a few more questions, but the system couldn't find any answers. She sighed, tired of always telling the system to upgrade, and didn't want to say more.

However, there were still so many unclear points, and her thoughts were all jumbled.

The little girl was just worrying when she saw the 11th Prince approaching from a distance with two Nine Abyss Guards. Shen Zhinuo's eyes lit up, "Puppy, I've got an idea."

She then took the Little General and ran towards them. After running a few steps, she saw the 11th Prince's cold, stern face and got scared. She stopped, turned around, and ran back.

She ran to Shen Weiqing, pulled on his sleeve, and waved at him: "Second Brother."

Shen Weiqing crouched down and hugged the plump little girl: "What's wrong?"

Shen Zhinuo leaned over, pointed at Nanny Yang, and whispered, "Second Brother, that nanny is bad. Nuo Er hates her."

She wanted to elaborate on Nanny Yang's misdeeds but was truly afraid of the punishment for speaking out of turn, so she could only hint at it, hoping her second brother would be as reliable as always.

Even if Shen Weiqing hadn't overheard Nuo Er and A Tong's conversation earlier, given his unconditional and boundless affection for Nuo Er, he would have taken the person away for questioning.

After all, his little sister was so innocent, kind, and adorable—how could she possibly hate someone without a good reason?

Seeing that his sister came to him first with her concerns, Shen Weiqing felt immensely proud. He immediately scooped the chubby little girl into his arms, put on a serious face, and said earnestly, "Second Brother also thinks she looks shady and untrustworthy. Don't worry, Nuo Er, Second Brother will have her taken into custody right now."

Shen Zhinuo, seeing that her second brother was indeed as she had expected, felt satisfied. However, fearing that he might just take her away and let her go elsewhere, she anxiously whispered another reminder, "The 11th Imperial Uncle has arrived."

Shen Weiqing understood the little girl's meaning and feigned sudden realization, replying in a low voice, "Perfect. Let the 11th Imperial Uncle take her away and see if she's been up to no good."

The Nine Abyss Guard under the 11th Prince were skilled investigators, and Shen Zhinuo felt reassured. She patted Shen Weiqing's shoulder in approval.

When the 11th Prince approached, all the children, including Xue Song, bowed to him.

Hearing the children's alternating calls of "Imperial Uncle" and "Uncle," the frosty look on the 11th Prince's face thawed a bit. When his gaze fell on the round little dumpling in Shen Weiqing's arms, the corner of his mouth lifted almost imperceptibly, and he nodded, "No need for such formalities."

Shen Weiqing grinned and leaned in, whispering, "11th Imperial Uncle, that nanny looks sneaky, like she's up to no good. Why don't you take her to the Nine Abyss Guard and question her?"

Shen Zhinuo also nodded her little head in agreement, adding, "She's no good."

The 11th Prince had come precisely for this. Without saying much, he waved his hand and ordered, "Take her into custody."

Nanny Yang had been waiting anxiously, her back drenched in sweat and her knees numb from kneeling. She had already started planning in her mind—if these young masters still didn't let her leave, she would speak up, invoking the name of the 4th Prince to request her departure.

But to her surprise, not only did the young masters not leave, but the 11th Prince also arrived. She recognized this master and immediately lowered her head further, afraid of drawing his attention.

How could she have expected that after the 11th Prince arrived, he would order her taken into custody after just a few words?

Had the Nine Abyss Guard uncovered the reason for her visit?

Fear flashed in her eyes. "11th Prince, what has this old servant done wrong?"

Could it be that the Nine Abyss Guard had discovered her purpose?

But how could that be? When this matter was discussed, only her mistress and that person were present. Her mistress and that person would never reveal this matter, and she herself had kept it tightly sealed, not even mentioning a word to her own son. How could anyone know?

No one answered her. The two Nine Abyss Guard members following the 11th Prince immediately stepped forward, grabbed Nanny Yang by the arms, gagged her, and hauled her off.

Shen Zhinuo breathed a sigh of relief and thought to herself, "I hope my 11th Imperial Uncle can get to the bottom of everything she's done. I wish I could go to the Nine Abyss Guard to listen in. I also want to know what's going on between my 4th Aunt and the Recluse of Fuyao."

Not only did Shen Zhinuo want to know, but the other children also wanted to hear it firsthand. However, the Nine Abyss Guard wasn't a place you could just waltz into, let alone a group of children.

The system chimed in, "The Nine Abyss Guard is not a good place, Young Master. Let's not go there."

Shen Weiqing subtly signaled to the 11th Prince with his eyes, hinting that he should ask about the issue Nuo Er had brought up later.

The 11th Prince's expression remained calm. He leaned down slightly, gave the chubby little dumpling's cheek a pinch, and then turned to leave.

Xue Song felt that the things A Tong had mentioned earlier should still be reported to the 11th Prince, as it would speed up the interrogation. He quickly caught up and said, "11th Uncle, A Song has a matter to discuss with you."

Everyone knew what Xue Song was going to do. Shen Weiyan thought it was also time to report to the Crown Prince, so he said, "Cousin might take a while to return. Wei Qing, take Nuo Er and the others to play. I'll go find Father to discuss something, and later, Cousin and I will come find you. We'll all head to Grandfather's place together."

Shen Weiqing nodded in agreement. Shen Weiyan patted his little sister's head and then left.

---

Yesterday, the Old Emperor had asked all the siblings to go to Chong'an Palace together. Now that both older brothers had left, Shen Zhinuo wasn't in a hurry to go either. She wriggled out of Shen Weiqing's arms, grabbed Di Guihong's hand, and kept walking, hoping to spot anyone else of interest. Shen Weiyan hurried to Chongzheng Hall to find the Crown Prince, only to find out that the Crown Prince had gone to Chong'an Palace to pay his respects to Emperor Chengwu. He then hurried after him to Chong'an Palace.

Emperor Chengwu noticed only his eldest grandson entering and glanced behind him: "Where are Nuo Er and the others?"

Shen Weiyan replied, "Nuo Er ran off to play, saying she would come to see Grandfather later."

Emperor Chengwu shook his head and smiled: "That little girl, so young, doesn’t care about anything important."

The Crown Prince saw that his eldest son had something to say, so he stood up and bid farewell to Emperor Chengwu.

Emperor Chengwu had already caught the exchange of glances between father and son and snorted coldly: "What, do you think I’m no longer fit to know anything?"

At these words, the father and son dared not leave and clasped their hands in apology.

Emperor Chengwu: "Did A Tong say something? Let me hear it."

The Crown Prince, too, was unaware of the matter. He glanced at Emperor Chengwu, whose complexion had slightly improved compared to a few days ago, nodded to his son, and gave him a look, indicating that he should consider what could and could not be said.

Shen Weiyan thought today’s matter was no big deal for the Emperor and should not anger him, so he recounted everything A Tong had just said.

The Crown Prince frowned upon hearing this: "It seems the Fourth Prince’s Consort and that Fuyao Jushi are on close terms."

Emperor Chengwu leaned on the couch, propping his chin with his hand: "Fuyao Jushi, soaring far and wide—quite ambitious indeed."

The Crown Prince nodded: "By the Fourth Prince’s side for years, and involved with the Fourth Prince’s Consort, his ambition is indeed extraordinary. It’s possible Fuyao Jushi had a hand in the Fourth Prince’s attack on the capital."

Thinking of what A Tong had just relayed, the Crown Prince curiously asked: "Father, when the Fourth Prince asked for the marriage arrangement, was there anything unusual?"

Emperor Chengwu thought for a moment: "No, he came with Consort Rong, and both were pleased with the match, so I approved it."

The Crown Prince asked again: "Father, regarding the Jianchang flood, I remember that the imperial envoy was supposed to be someone else. Why did you end up sending the Fourth Prince?"

Emperor Chengwu: "I’d planned to send someone else, but the Fourth Prince came to me and made his case, claiming that as a prince of Daxuan, he was willing to share my worries and serve the country. His earnest words moved me."

"Then I thought, that Yao Lian had military achievements and a big temper, and ordinary officials might not be able to control him, so I approved the Fourth Prince’s request."

The Crown Prince nodded: "When Father sent the Fourth Prince, I assumed there were such considerations, but I didn’t know it was the Fourth Prince who proposed it."

Emperor Chengwu: "Do you suspect the Fourth Prince had a hand in the Lijiang dike breach?"

The Crown Prince: "I’m merely speculating."

Emperor Chengwu sorted out the sequence of events: "At the time, Lu Junda was the Grand Canal Commissioner of Jiangnan. Yao Lian and Lu Junda had always been at odds, which was well known in the court. Due to personal grievances, they fought against each other, disregarding the lives of the people, causing the Lijiang flood disaster. Both were executed for their roles in the disaster."

"If the Fourth Prince was involved, what was his role? And what benefits could he gain from it?"

The Crown Prince shook his head: "This is also what puzzles me. But the Fourth Prince’s Consort conspiring with Fuyao Jushi to kill Imperial Noble Consort Rong clearly shows that the Fourth Prince’s Consort hates the Fourth Prince. If she cared at all for the Fourth Prince, she wouldn’t have used Consort Chen to kill Imperial Noble Consort Rong."

Emperor Chengwu agreed: "Indeed."

The Crown Prince continued: "But the Fourth Prince’s Consort, born and raised in the capital, was just an ordinary lady from a prominent family. There were no rumors of her having any affairs, nor had she had any previous entanglements with the Fourth Prince. So I suspect her enmity with the Fourth Prince didn’t start in the capital."

Emperor Chengwu nodded: "That makes sense."

The Crown Prince then said: "A Tong mentioned that the Fourth Prince’s Consort and Fuyao Jushi had met several times in Jianchang. During the Lijiang flood, the Fourth Prince’s Consort was in one of the three flooded counties and nearly drowned, but was saved by Fuyao Jushi. She then returned to the capital with the Fourth Prince, and they married soon after. Fuyao Jushi somehow ended up as a strategist by the Fourth Prince’s side, and the two plotted against Consort Rong behind the Fourth Prince’s back."

At this point, the Crown Prince stopped speaking.

Emperor Chengwu understood what the Crown Prince was implying but was too lazy to guess right or wrong. He pointed to the door: "Didn’t you say that the Eleventh took that woman for interrogation? Send someone to ask how the interrogation is going."

The Crown Prince then sent Ding Ming to inquire at the Nine Abyss Guard. Soon, the 11th Prince, Cheng Yuan, and Xue Song arrived. After paying their respects, they took their seats in order.

The Crown Prince inquired, "How did the interrogation go? Did you uncover anything new?"

The 11th Prince sat rigidly in his chair, his face cold and silent, only giving Cheng Yuan a faint glance.

Cheng Yuan, catching the 11th Prince's gaze and sensing his reluctance to speak, knew he was expected to speak first. He thus spoke up, "Your Majesty, Your Highness, Nanny Yang is already dead."

Shen Weiyan was somewhat startled. The Nine Abyss Guard's methods lived up to their fearsome reputation. The woman who had seemed perfectly fine just moments ago had died so quickly after being taken in.

Emperor Chengwu and the Crown Prince had the same initial reaction but remained composed, waiting for Cheng Yuan to continue.

Cheng Yuan did not beat around the bush, "We interrogated her for a while, but the old woman was extremely loyal to her mistress. Apart from saying that she was ordered to visit Consort Rong, she refused to say another word. Even when we found a note from the Fuyao Recluse to Chun Xing in the incense ball taken from her, she insisted she had no idea how it got there."

"Seeing her obstinacy, the Eleventh Imperial Brother ordered her to be tortured. The Nine Abyss Guard strapped her to the rack, but after just two lashes, she suddenly convulsed and died. The imperial physician examined her and concluded it was a sudden heart attack."

The Crown Prince said, "So, nothing was uncovered."

Cheng Yuan replied, "That's correct."

"This lead has gone cold again," the Crown Prince sighed, looking at Emperor Chengwu, who seemed unfazed, "It's fine. Dead is dead. When the Eighth Prince and his wife return to the capital, Nuo Er will see them and we'll know everything."

Everyone present couldn't help but chuckle. The Emperor, whether from declining energy or laziness, now relied on Nuo Er and A Tong for everything.

Emperor Chengwu, guessing their thoughts from their smiles, didn't bother to address it, "Where is the Eighth Prince now?"

The Crown Prince replied, "By the count of days, he should be here soon."

At normal marching speed, it would take a few more days, but the Eighth Prince, having left his wife behind this time, was surely burning with impatience and likely pushing hard to make haste.

Emperor Chengwu nodded, "Send him a message to quickly crush those bandits and bring the Fourth Prince back to the capital. Oh, and bring his wife back as well."

The Crown Prince responded, "Understood."

---

Outside the gates of Yu Prince's mansion in Qianzhou.

The Eighth Prince, covered in dust and exhausted, sat on his horse, his face grim and his whip slapping hard against his palm. He barked at his soldiers, "Knock three more times. If they don't open, break the damn door down."