Chapter 224: Imperial Edict (Part 1)
“Whichever eye you use, I will dig that eye out.”
He dared to even speak of such treats brazenly, not caring of Lu Zheng Xuan’s and Emperor Yong Le’s presences. Lu Zheng Xuan was so angry that he almost looked up to Heavens. Xie Jing Xing clearly meant to make Ye Hong Guang change his statement in front of him! How could someone be that overbearing!
“Now tell me again.” Xie Jing Xing played with the gold ingot in his head and spoke carelessly, “What did you see?”
How would Ye Hong Guang experience such a battle? Most likely he had not thought that there was someone who would dared to be so unreasonable in front of the Emperor. Under much panic, he looked towards Ye Mei for help because among all these people present, the only person who was related to him was Ye Mei.
However what made Ye Hong Guang disappointed was that Ye Mei did not help him at all and instead lowered her head to avoid Ye Hong Guang’s gaze. Like that, Ye Hong Guang was even more helpless.
Emperor Yong Le and Empress Xian De did not speak. Lu Zheng Xuan was initially arrogant and irritating but Xie Jing Xing had a personality that would not take any disadvantage. When both of them faced one another, it was Lu Zheng Xuan who would suffer thus both of them would not speak at all.
Even though Lu Zheng Xuan was irritated by Xie Jing Xing, he dared not make a move easily. Emperor Yong Le still had the identity of the Emperor and moreover all pretenses were not torn off yet but it was different with Xie Jing Xing. In the beginning when Xie Jing Xing returned to Long Ye, there were also officials who pointed out suspicion points of Xie Jing Xing in the Imperial court and this person nodded along with all smiles to it but not long after, which one of those officials had a good ending? Xie Jing Xing was a vicious person and would seek revenge for the smallest grievances so unless it was the last resort, one could not tear all pretenses off in front of him.
Ye Hong Guang was unwilling to speak and at this time Shen Miao was instead calmed down. She walked up and stood beside Xie Jing Xing, looking at that youth in the wheelchair and said, “Did you really see me pushing down Consort Jing?”
Ye Hong Guang raise his head to look at her. Shen Miao was after all a female so Ye Hong Guang was not so afraid of her. Although his expression was a little unnaturally, he had more courage and nodded firmly after hesitation.
She said, “Alright. Then tell me where you were at that time?”
Ye Hong Guang was startled.
“Are you on top of the steps or at the bottom of the steps?” Shen Miao slowed her voice and there was warmth in her words, like she was a gentle older sister. However Ye Hong Guang suddenly became anxious because of her question and shrank his neck.
Ye Mei who was kneeling on the floor with her head down also slightly trembled.
Shen Miao did not give him the opportunity to think and was pushing him when she asked, “Recalled? Is it on top or bottom?”
“Bot… Bottom.” Ye Hong Guang said.
Shen Miao smiled gently.
Lu Zheng Xuan and Lu Furen looked at her with anger, seemingly annoyed that she could still laugh at such an occasion. Empress Xian De was however was slightly relaxed while Emperor Yong Le stared at Shen Miao and Xie Jing Xing folded his arms and looked at Ye Hong Guang with a smile but not a smile.
“That is really strange.” Shen Miao said, “That stairs is very long and it is because of that reason that Consort Jing would be this injured after falling. With such a long staircase and you are standing below, how would you be able to see clearly me, who was standing at the top? One fears that even Consort Jing’s shadow could not be seen.”
Ye Hong Guang stilled for a moment. He was young and did not leave the residence doors all year long thus he was already very nervous seeing Emperor Long Le and now that Shen Miao spoke like this, there was panic in his expression.
Ye Mei slowly balled her fist.
Shen Miao asked, “Young Master Ye, think about it again. Could it be that one did not remember if one was above or below?”
Ye Hong Guang quickly said, “Above. I remembered. It was above!” He repeated it again confidently.
Ye Mei, who was on the floor, suddenly shrugged her shoulders, as if she was somewhat discourage.
Shen Miao was still smiling but her gaze became sharp as she said, “Oh? Young Master Ye’s legs are an inconvenience thus with such a long staircase, one think that it would not be possible to go up alone and there should be someone that carried you up or perhaps carried your wheel chair up. There should be servants by your side. So how could one say that it was only you who saw me pushing but how about your servant?”
In that moment the entire room became quiet.
There were large beads of sweat appearing on Ye Hong Guang’s forehead. His face was red and he could not speak for a moment, as if one was overwhelm with guilty conscience.
Emperor Yong Le said coldly, “Do you know the offence of deceiving the Monarch?”
The offence of deceiving the Monarch was something that one could lose the head. It was Ye Hong Guang that could not withstand being scared. One had to know that those smarter would be able to search for excuse from Shen Miao words, for example the servant when to retrieve something and left him alone or even other. In anyways usually people would not admit to their offences that obediently and would fight back. However Ye Hong Guang admitted to his lies this easily and that showed that he did not often do such a thing and was not very skilled. If it was Ye Mei, a veteran at this, it would be much easier for her to lie with her eyes wide open.
Xie Jing Xing’s lips raised, “Older Imperial Brother, official family members knew of the crime and yet did it, it is an additional offence and would be directly thrown to the justice department and perhaps be paraded?” He said lazily, “Else anyone could bully the people of the residence of Prince Rui. If so, then how would I live on?”
Xie Jing Xing was clearly avenging private wrongs with public methods. However he was not a good-natured person and had never had a good impression of the Ye family so when he said all these, he had no hesitation at all. However Ye Mei’s face turned white and Lu Zheng Xuan’s face became ugly.
Killing a chicken in front of a monkey. At one glance one would know who was the chicken and who was the monkey.
Empress Xian De said, “Ye Hong Guang, how dare you lie in the Palace and even slandered Rui WangFei.”
Her severe expression scared Ye Hong Guang so much that he almost cried. However Ye Mei ignored him and as he did not have anyone familiar in the Palace, he was very helpless.
“The Young Master of the Ye family is young and it is understandable that he saw incorrectly. Most likely he saw Consort Jing fall and in a moment of urgency wanted to catch the murderer and had misunderstood.” Shen Miao helped Ye Hong Guang to exonerate himself.
Everyone was indeed shocked by her action. Ye Hong Guang slandered Shen Miao and even though Shen Miao was not a vicious person, she was never merciful to those who had harmed her. From the examples of the Second and Third household of the Shen family to the Imperial family of Ming Qi, when had she been soft? Thus at this moment when she gave the other a way out, it was indeed doubtful.
Xie Jing Xing also raised his brows.
Shen Miao slightly bent her body to be on the same eye level with Ye Hong Guang before speaking warmly, “Or was it that you heard others speaking something and misunderstood me? Did someone taught you to speak like this?”
Ye Hong Guang’s body suddenly trembled. Shen Miao was close to him and was able to see clearly the flusteredness in Ye Hong Guang’s eyes.
Ye Hong Guang actually did not know to lie well. Even though he had appear a little but almost everyone could see that he was lying. Xie Jing Xing’s eyes became sharp but Ye Hong Guang lifted his head again and looked at Shen Miao firmly, “No one taught me.”
No one taught him but he no longer insist that Shen Miao was the culprit.
Shen Miao said, “I understand.”
Empress Xian De frowned and thought about it before speaking, “The matter of Consort Jing would be handed over to the Ministry of Justice to manage. Ye Hong Guang, since you have lied, it would meant that you are not truthful. The most urgent task is to check if there are assassins in the Palace and Consort Jing’s body have to be collected.” Finally she looked towards the husband and wife of the Lu family, “Does General Lu still have anything to say?” At the end, her tone of voice had some mocking tone.
Lu Zheng Xuan glanced at Empress Xian De and he sighed in his heart. Initially when Emperor Yong Le dote on Consort Jing, they had looked forward for Consort Jing to replace the position of Empress Xian De but no one was able to grasp any fault of hers with her actions and it had been unsuccessful for so many years. Lu Jing blew some air by Emperor Yong Le’s pillow but at the end was unable to let Emperor Yong Le have any intention to dispose the Empress. It was with great difficulty that Lu Jing was pregnant but at this critical juncture, when they could have won this round, who knew that Heavens was unpredictable and it was like using a wicker basket to draw water.
In fact, Lu Zheng Xuan knew that it was too late to say anything now that Lu Jing was already dead. But he was unable to reconcile with it and hoped that Emperor Yong Le would be able to compensate something for him. He was this annoying and this angry, not because of the heartache of his daughter’s death but felt pity for this Dragon grandchild. When Xie Jing Xing suddenly appeared, Lu Zheng Xuan put aside his temper as when comparing about viciousness, this Prince Rui did things in extreme and was even more sinister.
Knowing that there would not be anything today no matter what happen, Lu Zheng Xuan said unwillingly, “This official obeys Your Majesty’s command.”
At the other hand, there was a flash of killing intention in Emperor Yong Le’s eyes.
The husband and wife of the Lu family left. From entering the Palace to leaving the Palace, they had not seen the late Consort Jing at all, as if she was not their daughter.
After they left, Emperor Yong Le said, “You all also return.”
Empress Xian De looked somewhat surprised at Emperor Yong Le. This Ye Mei and Ye Hong Guang, one was with Consort Jing at that time and even though there was a CaiRen that testify for her, all doubts could not be washed away. The other one was one who slandered Shen Miao. Even if these two were not the culprit, one could not let them go. However Emperor Yong Le seemed like he did not plan to pursue it. Empress Xian De was puzzled but after seeing Emperor Yong Le slightly move his body, her heart was in shock. She did not care about anything else and said immediately, “Yes. Return now.”
Xie Jing Xing frowned but did not say anything but inside looked coldly at Ye Mei who was thanking and Ye Hong Guang that was helped up by the servant before rushing out. He said, “Since there is nothing the matter, this Younger Official Brother would withdraw first.” XIe Jing Xing would not conceal his emotions in front of Emperor Yong Le and apparently he was not happy at how Emperor Yong Le handled the matter.
Shen Miao and Xie Jing Xing left Jing Hua Palace together and when they walked towards the exit of the Palace, they encountered the Ye Mei and younger brother. Shen Miao was slightly stunned but that Ye Hong Guang suddenly instructed the servant to stop and he turned over to look at Shen Miao, seemingly there was something to talk to her.
At that moment XIe Jing Xing’s expression was not good to look at. The Ye family people were now classified as dangerous people to him and what would happen if something happen when these dangerous people get close to Shen Miao? Thus he followed closely and the dagger hidden in his sleeves was quietly withdrawn from its scabbard.
Shen Miao saw that youth stopped in front of her and Ye Mei, who was not afar, looked over with a complicated expression. It looked like she seemed to want to come over to stop Ye Hong Guang’s action but Tie Yi and Cong Yang was hindering it and thus she dared not more.
Ye Hong Guang lift his head up and looked at her. His face was red and he looked very shy as he spoke, “Sorry.” He seemed to want to say more and hesitated for a moment but at the end he did not say anything. He then looked at Shen Miao again before pushing the wheel chair to leave.
Xie Jing Xing raised his brows and did not seem to understand what Ye Hong Guang was doing. Shen Miao looked at this back figure but her expression became somewhat complicated.