Ruyi was the first to come to her senses, stepping forward to call out several times, but Li Shimin seemed to be sleeping deeply and showed no response even after repeated calls. Seeing this, Yunyi put on her clothes while taking the green jade pot with a handle that still contained half a pot of water from the table. She opened the lid and splashed the water on Li Shimin’s face. Awakened by the cold water, he gradually came to, and upon seeing Yunyi and the others, he too was startled. He quickly surveyed his surroundings: “This… this is Mingse Hall?”
Ruyi nodded: “That’s right. When did Second Young Master arrive, and why are you… in this state?”
Only when she said this did Li Shimin realize his condition. He hastily turned away in confusion to put on his clothes properly while briefly recounting his story.
Jixiang said puzzledly: “Strange, our hall doesn’t have a palace servant called Xiao Liuzi, and Princess Xin’an didn’t come today either, much less send someone to fetch Second Young Master.”
Yunyi’s expression turned ugly: “Don’t you understand? This is a trap. They first drugged the food to make us unconscious, then used me to lure Second Young Master here. As for His Majesty…” She frowned tightly. Li Shimin had been deliberately lured here, but what about Yang You? Had he also been lured here, and if so, who killed him after he arrived?
Just as she was puzzling over this, a brilliant flash crossed her mind, followed by cold sweat covering her entire forehead. When she looked up at Li Shimin, his expression was equally grim. She knew Li Shimin must have thought of the same thing.
The next moment, Yunyi hastily grabbed Li Shimin’s outer robe and boots, stuffing them carelessly into his arms, saying urgently: “You must leave immediately, quickly!”
Li Shimin didn’t move but asked: “What about you?”
“Don’t worry about me—just leave quickly, or we’ll both be in trouble.” As Yunyi spoke, she forcibly pulled Li Shimin up and pushed him toward the hall entrance.
Li Shimin also understood that staying would not help matters but would instead eliminate any chance of investigating the mastermind behind all this. Though reluctant, he still followed Yunyi’s words and left.
Before they reached the door, noisy footsteps could be heard outside, and then the hall door was pushed open. Leading the group was none other than Xin’an.
“Seventh Sister, you…” Upon seeing the two in disheveled clothing, Xin’an was so shocked she forgot to speak. Before she could recover, Lüli, who had entered with her, suddenly let out a piercing scream.
Xin’an was startled by her and scolded displeasedly: “What are you screaming about? Shut up!”
“No, Prin… Princess, you… look!” Lüli pointed tremblingly at the ground, and the group of palace servants behind her also looked terrified.
Xin’an looked in the direction she pointed, and upon seeing Yang You lying on the ground with a dagger in his chest, she who had just scolded Lüli for screaming burst out with an even more horrifying cry than Lüli’s.
“Your Majesty! Your Majesty!” Xin’an screamed while rushing over, prostrating herself beside Yang You and calling continuously, not caring that her skirt hem was stained with blood. When she discovered that Yang You had long since died, she immediately trembled all over and said in a lost voice: “Your Majesty… how could His Majesty be dead?”
“Princess…” Lüli was about to speak when Xin’an had already raised her head to stare fixedly at Yunyi: “Who harmed His Majesty? Speak!”
When Yunyi saw Xin’an burst in, she knew things had developed in the worst possible direction. For a moment, her head was in complete chaos, unable to sort out any clues.
Hearing Xin’an’s question now, she could only say: “I don’t know. When I woke up, His Majesty was already like this!”
Upon hearing this, Xin’an pointed at Li Shimin: “What about him? Why is he here?”
“I don’t know.” As soon as Yunyi finished speaking, Xin’an said sharply: “You say you don’t know to everything I ask. Are you going to say next time that you don’t even know your own name?”
“I truly don’t know. At that time…” Yunyi had just said a few words when Xin’an interrupted: “I don’t want to hear your lies!” She then said to Lüli: “Immediately go to Daxing Hall to summon the Tang Prince and the two Liu Gentlemen and Pei Gentleman, and say…” She looked at Yang You whose eyes had never closed, saying sorrowfully: “His Majesty has passed away.”
Lüli dared not delay and quickly left. In fact, the reason they had barged into Mingse Hall was to search for Yang You. It was time for the morning court session, but Yang You could not be found anywhere in Daxing Palace. Upon inquiry, they were told that someone from Mingse Hall had come to invite Yang You the previous night, and this invitation had lasted all night without his return.
At this time, Xin’an had also come looking for Yang You. Upon learning of this matter, she immediately brought people to Mingse Hall, only to see such an indescribable scene.
Princess Jinyang and Second Young Master Li were in disheveled clothing in the hall, while His Majesty had died from a knife wound. Nine times out of ten, it was…
Lüli dared not think further and only quickened her pace toward Daxing Hall. When she arrived there, Li Yuan and others were still waiting, though they all showed signs of impatience.
As soon as she entered the hall, an irritable military officer said: “Where is His Majesty? Why hasn’t he come yet? If he doesn’t want morning court, he should say so early so we can return.”
Lüli dared not respond and hurriedly walked to Li Yuan’s side, curtsying: “Reporting to the Tang Prince, His Majesty he… he…”
Li Yuan sensed something was wrong and asked: “What happened to His Majesty?”
Lüli bit her teeth and said with lowered eyes: “His Majesty has passed away. This servant has been ordered by the Princess to ask you and the two Liu Gentlemen and Pei Gentleman to immediately go to Mingse Hall. Also… besides the two Princesses, Sec…” She looked up at Li Yuan and said quietly: “Second Young Master is also at Mingse Hall!”
Li Yuan had not yet recovered from her previous statement when he heard this. Even he couldn’t help but change color: “Who did you say?”
Lüli lowered her head: “It’s your Second Young Master, Tang Prince!”
“Shimin?!” Li Yuan repeated incredulously. By rights, tomorrow was Shimin and Princess Jinyang’s wedding day—he couldn’t possibly appear in the palace. But this palace maid shouldn’t have the courage to deceive him, and there was Yang You… what exactly had happened?
Li Yuan couldn’t think carefully and quickly walked out of Daxing Hall toward Mingse Hall. Liu Hongji, Liu Wenjing, and Pei Ji quickly followed, and Li Jiancheng, who was also in the hall, went along as well.
Before entering Mingse Hall, they could hear waves of mournful crying that made listeners sad. Upon entering, the first thing they saw was Yang You lying supine on the ground, with Xin’an prostrated over him crying loudly—the crying they had heard was coming from her.
“Father!” Li Shimin’s voice pulled Li Yuan back from his shock. He looked coldly at Li Shimin and Jinyang beside him, saying in a cold voice: “How did you come to be here, and what happened to His Majesty?”