Having inhaled large amounts of smoke, Shen Xihe bit her tongue to keep from fainting at this sight.
By this time, the Imperial Guards and yamen officers had finally arrived at the distant scene. Those fighting with Mo Yu quickly retreated. Mo Yu immediately turned back, seeing the roof engulfed in flames, and shouted through the door crack to Zhenzhu: “Move away!”
She drove the carriage straight forward. The horses, seeing the fire, tried to back away, but she whipped them hard. Zhenzhu supported A Xi as they quickly dodged aside. The horses charged forward, smashing through the blazing door. Suddenly, Mo Yu’s expression changed as she shouted to Shen Xihe: “Princess—”
Almost simultaneously, she threw her sword, but an arrow had already struck someone behind Shen Xihe first.
The person who had been about to strike Shen Xihe with a dagger collapsed – it was the one she had previously paralyzed. Everyone turned to see King Lie, Xiao Changying, in red robes atop a tall horse.
Mo Yu’s sword is stuck in a nearby stone crevice. She rushed to Shen Xihe’s side, embracing her and quickly moving away. Still conscious, Shen Xihe instructed Zhenzhu: “Qi Pei…”
“Don’t worry, Princess!” Zhenzhu endured her pain to reassure Shen Xihe.
She understood Shen Xihe’s meaning – fearing that the Imperial Guards or supposed rescuers might have been bought by the Yang family to secretly kill Qi Pei. If Qi Pei died, no matter what Shen Xihe said, without evidence, the Yang family could deny everything.
“Your Highness King Lie, this person is an important witness!” Zhenzhu shouted to Xiao Changying, unable to support Qi Pei due to her injuries.
The approaching Imperial Guards and yamen officers stopped, awaiting King Lie’s orders.
Xiao Changying had his trusted aide personally carry Qi Pei. Though the main gate had been broken open and the cold wind dispersed some smoke, the fire hadn’t diminished much. Xiao Changying asked: “Are there still people alive inside?”
“Unknown,” Zhenzhu could only answer thus.
“Quickly extinguish the fire!” Xiao Changying shouted, and everyone sprang into action.
The actual firefighting took only a quarter-hour to extinguish the blaze. Searching inside, they found six murdered bodies but no other casualties.
Shen Xihe was taken back to the Princess’s mansion. The Yang family quickly learned that she had personally gone to the Lonely Garden, nearly lost her life, and rescued Qi Pei alive. They all turned pale.
Yang Zhongxing had been at the Ministry of Justice all day, busy with cases from various regions requiring review. Around New Year, all sorts of theft and violence cases increased, keeping the Ministry as busy as a spinning top. The Yang family servants came several times but couldn’t see him. When he heard about the arson at Lonely Garden, his face turned ashen with anger.
Right under the Emperor’s nose, such brazen criminals! Before he could send someone to investigate, a summons arrived from the palace calling him to an imperial audience.
When Yang Zhongxing entered the palace, Emperor Youning’s face was cold, with the expressionless Crown Prince standing beside him. Though the Crown Prince appeared emotionless, his gloomy aura was even heavier than the Emperor’s.
“Yang Zhongxing, do you know about the fire at Lonely Garden?” Emperor Youning asked coldly.
At this moment, Yang Zhongxing only thought he had failed in his duties and angered the Emperor. He quickly bowed: “Please calm your anger, Your Majesty. I am aware of this matter. After the Capital Prefecture investigates, the Ministry of Justice will thoroughly verify everything. We will not let anyone escape the law.”
“‘Not let anyone escape the law,’ you say.” Emperor Youning threw the memorial before him at Yang Zhongxing’s forehead. “Take a good look!”
This was a memorial from the Andong Protectorate, exposing how the Regional Inspector of Hebei and the Prefect of Shanggu County had protected the Magistrate of Li County.
Yang Zhongxing’s face paled: “Your Majesty if this is true, my unfilial son has abused his office. Please punish him severely!”
At this point, Yang Zhongxing still didn’t know if this was true, but he worried it was.
“Do you know that the person rescued from Lonely Garden was Qi Pei?” Emperor Youning sneered. “Tell me, who would dare to attempt such a thorough elimination of Qi Pei at this time, even setting fire right under the Emperor’s nose, and even trying to silence Princess Zhaoning in the process?”
Yang Zhongxing’s legs gave out and he collapsed to his knees. His whole body trembled – if he couldn’t understand the severity of this situation now, he didn’t deserve his position as Minister of Justice.
“It seems you didn’t know,” Emperor Youning was somewhat surprised, having thought Yang Zhongxing was behind everything.
“Your Majesty, though Minister Yang might not have known *cough cough cough*… but how did his family members gain such audacity to hire assassins?” Xiao Huayong’s eyes were cold. If not for his position being so chilly that a cold draft made him cough, he would have forgotten to maintain his facade in his anger!
Right now he wanted to tear the entire Yang family to pieces. If not for needing to properly convict the Yang family, he would have rushed to the Princess’s mansion long ago. When he heard Shen Xihe was injured, Xiao Huayong felt a violent urge to grind all involved parties to dust.
How dare ordinary people be so brazen, hiring assassins in the capital and targeting an imperially appointed princess?
“From the Regional Inspector down to the County Magistrate in Hebei, all serving the Yang family *cough cough cough*…” Xiao Huayong subtly changed position – the cold wind made his lungs uncomfortable at the slightest intake. “I am truly enlightened…”
Emperor Youning’s face turned iron-gray. Hebei, a strategic region, had effectively become Yang territory. He hated most when local officials disrespected imperial authority.
He had been wary these years of the Northwest nearly becoming Shen territory, with just one Western King. Now it turned out his close officials could also silently control eleven prefectures.
Yang Zhongxing’s lips moved but no words came out. He closed his eyes heavily, removed his official hat with trembling hands, placed it aside, and prostrated himself deeply before Emperor Youning.
This matter couldn’t be resolved by just dealing with the Yang family – from the Regional Inspector to the Prefect of Shanggu, each bore serious crimes.
With the New Year approaching, such a scandal emerging now ruined Emperor Youning’s festive mood and disgraced him. Officials conspiring together, distorting the truth, causing the Qi family tragedy – when this news spread, how would Hebei’s common people view him as Emperor?
Growing angrier, upon learning this case stemmed from Yang Zhongxing’s mother foolishly protecting her grandson, Emperor Youning sentenced her to be torn apart by five horses, warning court officials about controlling their households!
When Shen Xihe awoke, she saw Xiao Huayong sitting at her bedside.
“Your Highness, you…” Shen Xihe’s voice was hoarse and painful from smoke inhalation.
Xiao Huayong knew she disliked him barging into her chambers and restraining her maids. Expressionless, he picked up a bowl of medicine from beside him, and tested the temperature: “Drink your medicine.”
“Get out…” The weakened Shen Xihe had no strength for authority.
Xiao Huayong calmly scooped up some medicine and brought it to Shen Xihe’s lips: “Youyou, are you forcing me to pass it by lips?”