met free Chapter 406 Suspicion
Chapter 406 Suspicion
Chapter 406
There was chaos and war overnight. By dawn, everyone in the capital knew more or less what had happened the previous night.
At the morning court session, Emperor Yuanzhen arrived with a gloomy expression. Over the past two days, the ministers had grown accustomed to his mood swings, and each was cautious and careful, fearing the emperor's displeasure would implicate them. Consequently, the ministers were surprisingly easygoing throughout the morning court session, and no arguments arose.
After the morning court session ended, Ye Yunzhou walked out of the Hall of Supreme Harmony. As soon as he reached the outside, he saw a young eunuch waiting there. The young eunuch quietly signaled him that Emperor Yuanzhen had summoned him to an audience.
Ye Yunzhou remained composed, his brows unmoved. He showed no sign of surprise, nor did he ask any further questions. He simply nodded slightly and followed the eunuch into the inner hall. The long corridor wound, its vermilion-lacquered cloisters shimmering in the twilight. Copper bells on the eaves swayed softly in the breeze, their clear cries startling a few jackdaws.
As he entered the inner hall, Emperor Yuanzhen stood by the window, his hands behind his back. His bright yellow dragon robe cast a dark shadow on the window, making it difficult to discern the emperor's expression. Only when the eunuch's shrill voice broke the silence did he slowly turn around. The dark dragon embroidery on his robe was barely visible as he moved, his eyes slightly raised. His voice was low, his expression unrecognizable: "Announce."
Ye Yunzhou gathered his robes and bowed. A glimpse of the bright yellow memorial on the imperial desk, its inscriptions still wet in ink, caught his eye. Before he could speak, he heard the jade ring in Emperor Yuancheng's hand clatter heavily against the table. "My dear Lord Ye, do you know about the fire in the Third Prince's mansion last night, and the Third Prince is nowhere to be found?"
The atmosphere in the hall froze instantly. Ye Yunzhou's heart skipped a beat as he recalled the events of last night. He was absolutely certain that Emperor Yuancheng was unaware of his involvement. He then calmed down and said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, please calm down. I was investigating a case of grain and salary corruption in the northwest last night and only learned of this matter at daybreak. I hope Your Majesty will rest assured that I will do my utmost to investigate this matter thoroughly."
He dared to speak so boldly, and wasn't afraid of His Majesty sending someone to investigate. He had indeed been handling the case at the Hidden Dragon Division last night, and the entire process was under everyone's watch. Even if Emperor Yuanzhen sent someone to investigate thoroughly, there would be no trace of a flaw.
Emperor Yuanzhen narrowed his eyes and said, "Oh, you are diligent."
He paused, then suddenly emphasized, "Since you are willing to share my worries, then the task of finding the Third Prince will be left to you."
His gaze fell on the expressionless Ye Yunzhou, and he added slowly, "If you can't find him in the city, I'll dig three feet underground. I'll find him alive, or his body dead. If you can't hand him over after three days, you won't have to serve as the commander of the Hidden Dragon Division anymore."
Logically speaking, while Kyoto was not small, it wasn't so large that even a single person couldn't be found. Most people in the capital wouldn't dare protect someone of the Third Prince's status, let alone one whose crimes could implicate his entire family. Yet, the Imperial Guards searched the city for an extended period without finding a single lead, a truly bizarre prospect. Emperor Yuanzhen couldn't help but wonder if the Third Prince had already left the city.
The emperor was suspicious, and this thought only fueled further doubts. The Cheng family and Concubine Cheng's influence had been eradicated, and while the Third Prince's residence hadn't been sealed off recently, who could have been so capable of excavating a secret passage and abducting someone in just one day? Someone must have been behind the scenes. This required both courage and influence. Emperor Yuanzhen pondered this. Over the years, he had suppressed the members of the Great Zhou clan, forcing them to be cautious. Even if they harbored discontent, they wouldn't dare harbor such a bold thought, let alone act on it. After much deliberation, he found only one person who proved difficult to control: his trusted and influential minister, Ye Yunzhou.
Emperor Yuanzhen's eyes shone coldly, his knuckles tapping unconsciously on the imperial desk. Over the years, he had both valued and feared Ye Yunzhou, valuing his exceptional skill and strategy, yet also aware that he was too aggressive. It was only because no other pawn in the court was more capable than him that he was thrust into the forefront, maneuvering with various factions. Ye Yunzhou had indeed performed his task flawlessly, but this perfection only fueled the emperor's doubts—would his mediocre sons truly be able to subdue this untamed "tiger" after his death?
His thoughts suddenly turned to the court meeting the day before. When he had mentioned taking Ye Yunzhou's beloved into the harem, the emperor had lowered his eyes in a seemingly submissive response, but the fleeting glint of darkness in her eyes had seared itself into Emperor Yuanzhen's mind. Could it be this obsession that had fueled Ye Yunzhou's resentment, leading him to secretly orchestrate the Third Prince's disappearance? Was he using this chaotic situation to distract the emperor, preventing him from bringing up the matter of taking someone into the harem?
Although he was filled with suspicion, he had no real evidence. Immediately after the incident, Emperor Yuanzhen dispatched a thorough investigation of Ye Yunzhou's whereabouts. They learned that he had indeed been interrogating a Northwest Army pay corruption case at the Hidden Dragon Division the previous night, and that every word he had said was true, with no hidden agenda. However, the Third Prince's whereabouts remained unknown. With this impasse, it seemed better to toss this hot potato to him—to see how Ye Yunzhou responded, and then decide what to do next, and perhaps even to test his motives.
It must be said that Emperor Yuanzhen was truly a character, having guessed everything. However, Ye Yunzhou had long anticipated that the emperor's advancing age would only exacerbate his suspicions, so he naturally acted with impeccable precision, leaving no room for any evidence. When the search for the Third Prince was assigned to him, Ye Yunzhou had already made plans, yet he remained calm and complied with the order, even secretly delighting in its success. This was both a test from Emperor Yuanzhen and part of his broader plan. Once the emperor's attention was fully focused on the Third Prince's disappearance, Ye Yunzhou would be free to slowly advance his subsequent plans.
Leaving the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the warm sun poured down, making people feel warm. Ye Yunzhou paused slightly, straightened his sleeves, and then strode out of the palace gate and headed straight towards the Hidden Dragon Division.
Throughout the journey, he remained calm, not betraying a trace of emotion, yet his mind was swirling with thoughts. The Third Prince's disappearance posed a complex and consequential threat. His Majesty had repeatedly vowed to see his body, but if he actually presented the body, there was no guarantee he wouldn't be furious. However, if the Third Prince remained unharmed, or was found too quickly, suspicion would inevitably arise. This balance required an extremely precise assessment.
More importantly, he had to formulate a response plan as soon as possible during this period. If Emperor Yuanzhen's health deteriorated again, he would probably bring up the matter of Naluo Shuiyao entering the palace again.
Ye Yunzhou's eyes darkened slightly. He had long understood that Emperor Yuanzhen's actions were not motivated by lust for women. There were countless women of outstanding beauty in the world, so how could an emperor, with his heart, be so obsessed with such a thing? The only possibility was that Emperor Yuanzhen, sensing his end was near, was holding Luo Shuiyao hostage in the palace to coerce her into continuing to dedicate herself to the Great Zhou.
He also had some things he couldn't understand. How could Emperor Yuanzhen be so sure that he would never forget a woman when people's hearts were fickle?
Ye Yunzhou had no idea that, while Emperor Yuanzhen wasn't interested in women, he had numerous concubines. As a powerful man, he understood better than anyone the principle that "what you can't have is always the best." Even if Ye Yunzhou found a new lover in the future, his young son would have enough time to grow up and was not without the ability to compete. At least in the next few years, he could give his young son the opportunity to grow.