Chapter 35: Conspiracy

Chapter 35: Conspiracy

"Oh? Is she really that beautiful?"

Prince Jing became interested. He found the days of recovery boring, and he had grown tired of the women at the hunting grounds. Now, hearing of such a beauty, his thoughts began to stir again.

"I swear, it's true! If you don't believe me, ask the guards who followed the search today—they all saw her." Su Wenxuan said with a fawning smile, almost ready to make an oath.

"So what? He’d still need to use some tricks to get a beautiful woman, let alone deal with Wei Xun."

"Cousin, what are you talking about? You're the lord, and he's just your subject. Why wouldn't he give you what you want? Besides, the assassin hasn't been caught yet, and Wei Xun appearing near the hunting grounds with his men is really suspicious..."

Prince Jing squinted. "Yeah, you're right. Go and invite Lord Wei here!"

"Yes!"

Su Wenxuan rushed out, a smug look in his eyes.

Wei Xun didn't give him any face, but would he dare refuse Prince Jing?

Once he got his hands on that beautiful concubine, he'd definitely show her off in front of Wei Xun!

But Wei Xun wasn't giving him the chance. The Marquis's carriage sped away from the estate.

This time, Changyuan personally drove the carriage, making it steady and fast, half an hour quicker than when they arrived.

And just as Su Wenxuan and his men left the hunting grounds, Prince Jing's quarters burst into flames.

The sleeping quarters ignited quickly, and Prince Jing was rescued by the guards, while the thick smoke drove the women inside out.

A dozen lightly dressed beautiful women huddled together, their mottled scars now revealed.

When Prince Jing and Su Wenxuan indulged with women, they would deliberately clear the surrounding guards. The guards knew there were women in the sleeping quarters, but they had no idea it would go this far.

Now, seeing the scars on the women's bodies, everyone shuddered and averted their eyes, not daring to look again.

"Who started the fire?"

Prince Jing was furious. His left arm hung limp, useless, and now, having inhaled the thick smoke, his heart and lungs felt like bursting.

No one dared answer. First came the assassin, now the fire. No one would believe that there wasn’t a conspiracy.

"Your Highness, Imperial Doctor Lin has arrived!"

The news of Prince Jing's injury had reached the palace, and the Emperor immediately sent Imperial Doctor Lin.

Besides Imperial Doctor Lin, the entourage also included Zhao Ming, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, and Zhou Yan, a scholar from the Hanlin Academy.

While Zhao Ming was here to investigate the assassin who targeted Prince Jing, Zhou Yan, a scholar, had no reason to be here.

Yet, he had volunteered to come.

Since the day he drank with Wei Xun, he hadn’t seen him since. Jingzhao Prefecture had taken leave, and since his friendship with Wei Xun wasn’t deep, he couldn’t just show up at his door unannounced.

When he heard that Wei Xun had taken A Yuan to the manor in the outskirts, Zhou Yan couldn’t sit still anymore.

Prince Jing had been injured, and the Emperor was furious. Zhou Yan, as one of the Emperor's trusted subordinates, volunteered to visit Prince Jing.

No one expected that before they even entered the hunting grounds, they would first see a raging fire.

Fearing that assassins might strike again, Zhao Ming hurriedly galloped to the hunting grounds.

Yet, instead of assassins, missing beautiful women were found in the hunting grounds.

Zhao Ming’s face turned grave, wishing he could turn back.

The case of the abused young women had already caused a huge uproar in the capital. With the culprit still at large, the people were living in fear.

As the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, he, like the Jingzhao Prefecture, was eager to apprehend the perpetrator.

But now, realizing the culprit was a prince, Zhao Ming was filled with dread.

"What did you see?" Prince Jing’s face darkened, his eyes brimming with malice.

Zhao Ming knelt with a thud, "I saw nothing."

Having served as an official for decades, he knew best how to safeguard himself. With Prime Minister Su backing Prince Jing, who was the strongest contender for the throne, it would be foolish to offend a prince over a few powerless women.

"Hmph! You know your place."

Prince Jing snorted coldly, knowing Zhao Ming would not dare speak. His gaze briefly swept over Zhou Yan, who was prostrate on the ground, but he paid this insignificant figure no mind.

"Investigate the cause of the fire. As for these women... dispose of them."

The palace had been burned down, and the hunting grounds were no longer secure. The young women had been secretly brought in, and now, without shelter, they could no longer be kept.

More importantly, Prince Jing had lost interest in them. In the past, he would have personally tortured them to death to satiate his sadistic desires.

But after two consecutive incidents, he lost the desire.

Zhou Yan listened to Prince Jing’s brutal command, and his heart grew cold.

Although he had entered the court to find A Yuan, he also had aspirations to serve the nation and its citizens. Yet, if the emperor he served were a tyrant, the Zhou dynasty was in peril.

A dozen or so beautiful women were taken away by the guards to be executed. Their mournful cries echoed across the hunting grounds. Zhou Yan could not restrain himself and pleaded, "I beg Your Highness to spare their lives."

"What did you say?"

Prince Jing suddenly raised his eyes, looking down at Zhou Yan with the gaze one would give an ant.

Zhou Yan steadied himself, "I beg Your Highness to spare their lives."

He repeated, facing Prince Jing’s furious expression, and continued, "The case of the missing young women in the capital has already caused a commotion. If they were to die mysteriously, the people’s resentment would only deepen."

"Heh! Do you think I’m afraid? What can a few lowly commoners’ complaints do to me?"

Prince Jing sneered. If it weren’t for Wei Xun pressing him hard, fearing it would reach the Emperor, he could have captured all the women in the capital, and no one would dare to say a word.

"They naturally cannot, but water can carry a boat and also overturn it. When the people’s resentment accumulates to a certain extent, it may affect Your Highness’s reputation."

"Oh? But if you don’t speak, who would know these women were killed by me? Or are you... going to expose me?"

Prince Jing walked up to Zhou Yan, staring at his face.

Zhou Yan’s forehead was already beaded with sweat, "Your servant dares not."

"Since no one knows, what's the problem with me dealing with a few women? All I know is to eradicate the root. If the news leaks out, none of those present today... will be spared!"

He looked at Zhou Yan, a cruel smile curling his lips, not shifting his gaze until Zhou Yan turned pale.

"Take them away, take care of it cleanly."

Those women ultimately met their fate.

"Cousin, Wei Xun has escaped, and we didn't catch his concubine..."

Su Wenxuan arrived too late; the entire estate was already empty. Given the speed of the carriages, Wei Xun had likely already taken A Yuan home by then.

Everyone returned disappointed, complaining before they even saw who was inside.

Lying face down on the ground, Zhou Yan clenched his fists tightly at Su Wenxuan's words.

Are they after A Yuan?

"Enough, we'll discuss this later. Let's return to the capital."

With outsiders present, Prince Jing didn't want to talk more about A Yuan. Spying privately was one thing, but openly coveting a minister's wife would only provoke outrage in the court.

"Yes."

Su Wenxuan looked embarrassed, also noticing that the sleeping quarters were burned and that there were outsiders present.

But their lustful intentions towards A Yuan were ultimately revealed, causing Zhou Yan's heart to tremble.

With the tragic state of those women before him, A Yuan must never fall into their hands!