Coffin explosion?

Three of them?

Zhao Yanjin’s expression changed dramatically. “Why, why was this?”

“Some say the Zhu family leaked too many heavenly secrets. Others say Zhu Xuanjiu committed too many evil deeds and received retribution.”

Dong Xiao was silent for a moment, then said: “On the day Zhu Xuanjiu was placed in his coffin, Second Mistress of the Zhu residence died—one corpse, two lives. Now Zhu Xuanjiu’s first wife has also died. Three coffins carried out within half a year—if you say there’s nothing suspicious about it, I truly don’t believe it.”

“Boren means…”

“Your Highness can make an article out of this.”

Dong Xiao’s eyes flashed with cold light.

“Rather than letting the Zhu family join forces with the Crown Prince and Grand Grandson, it’s better to find a way to make the Zhu family into a worthless piece.”

“This…” Zhao Yanjin hesitated somewhat.

“Your Highness, no matter how capable Third Master Xie is, he only helps the Crown Prince thread the needle from the periphery. The Zhu family can have an imperial audience at any time.”

Dong Xiao sighed. “If this outer and inner alliance combines…”

Zhao Yanjin shivered, cold sweat rising on his back.

Yes, if the outer and inner combined, what chance did he as Prince Han have?

…

At this moment, Zhu Yuanmo was anxiously waiting at the mouth of the alley by the separate residence.

After Second Brother left, he couldn’t sit still. Though he lay down to sleep, he couldn’t even close his eyes.

Seeing the carriage approach from afar, he quickly emerged from the darkness of the alley.

Zhu Qing, driving the carriage, quickly reined in the horses, turned his head and said in a low voice: “Master, it’s Elder Master Zhu.”

Zhu Yuanmo lifted the hem of his robe and hurriedly walked to the rear of the carriage, clumsily climbing up.

—

Zhu Qing glanced at Ding Yi beside him, then leaped up onto the wall himself, maintaining vigilance from his elevated position.

Xie Zhifei helped Zhu Yuanmo sit steadily and said in a low voice: “Even if Elder Brother Zhu hadn’t come to see me, I would have come to see him tomorrow.”

Zhu Yuanmo looked like a startled bird. “Third Master, who are they targeting? Who?”

“Me and Mingting.”

Xie Zhifei patted his shoulder consolingly. “Elder Brother Zhu, stay calm. Don’t frighten yourself.”

Zhu Yuanmo’s body leaned back, his hand continuously rubbing his chest.

He was truly frightened.

Seeing matters had reached this point, Xie Zhifei simply spoke plainly.

“With Elder Brother Zhu’s intelligence, you must have guessed that Mingting and I are both the Grand Grandson’s people.”

Zhu Yuanmo nodded.

When Young Master Pei had led him to meet the Grand Grandson, he’d guessed it then.

“The current court struggle is between the Crown Prince and Prince Han, and also between the Grand Grandson and Prince Han.”

Xie Zhifei: “Those spying on us are most likely Prince Han’s people.”

Zhu Yuanmo nodded again.

“Since Prince Han’s people have already followed us here, Elder Brother Zhu’s relationship with us probably can’t be hidden.”

Xie Zhifei paused. “But I believe Prince Han only knows we’re close. He doesn’t know what’s happening inside the Zhu residence.”

Hearing this, Zhu Yuanmo grew tense again.

What if Prince Han sent people to investigate what was happening inside the Zhu residence? Wouldn’t that be…

“Before Yan Sanhe left, she instructed me to find a way to create some trouble for Prince Han, lest he spend all day idle with nothing to do and focus only on watching us.”

Xie Zhifei: “Elder Brother Zhu, I won’t beat around the bush. Do you have any good methods?”

“Underhanded tricks, vicious schemes—bring them all out.”

Young Master Pei felt Xie Zhifei spoke too mildly. “If he really sets his sights on us, we’re all finished. Believe it or not?”

Ancestral rules, family laws…

Before the life and death of an entire household, these counted for nothing at all.

Zhu Yuanmo pondered for a moment, then made his decision. “I’ll make him fall ill, delaying things for seven days.”

Xie Zhifei and Young Master Pei exchanged glances.

Illness was good.

If he was ill, he couldn’t spare time to harm people.

Seven days?

It could give them a temporary reprieve to think of other strategies, and also let Zhu Yuanmo warn those in the Zhu residence who needed warning and clear out those who needed clearing.

Xie Zhifei was still somewhat concerned. “Elder Brother Zhu, this counts as harming someone. Will there be a price to pay for harming someone?”

“Yes, but this is already the lightest.”

Zhu Yuanmo smiled bitterly. “The true price for harming someone, I also can’t bear.”

Just as he finished speaking, Zhu Qing jumped down from the wall and pulled back the curtain. “Master, half a li away, a horse is galloping toward us.”

At this hour, who would gallop around at night for no reason?

“Just say I came to check the feng shui.”

Zhu Yuanmo quickly jumped down from the carriage. “You all leave quickly.”

How could Xie Zhifei abandon Zhu Yuanmo and leave first? “Mingting, you sit still in the carriage. I’ll get down and take a look.”

With this look, everyone was shocked.

The one galloping toward them was actually Third Master of the Zhu residence.

Zhu Yuanhao jumped from the carriage, his face pale, and rushed over. “Elder Brother, someone from the palace just came with a message. Tomorrow afternoon, the palace requests Elder Brother for an imperial audience.”

Zhu Yuanmo’s legs weakened. He staggered back several steps. If Third Master Zhu hadn’t supported him, he would have fallen.

Xie Zhifei was also shocked speechless.

During the day he’d said the Zhu family was currently on a precarious edge. His Majesty’s side probably couldn’t be fooled—they needed to prepare their explanation well.

Who knew things would come so quickly!

“Elder Brother Zhu.”

Xie Zhifei couldn’t help but worry for Zhu Yuanmo. “For the palace to send an oral message so late, you must be extremely careful in your response!”

“If it’s fortune, it’s not disaster. If it’s disaster, it can’t be avoided.”

Zhu Yuanmo’s mouth pulled into a bitter smile uglier than crying. “Third Master, we’ll head back first.”

Xie Zhifei watched them leave, lifted the carriage curtain and got on. Before he’d even sat down, he heard Young Master Pei say flatly:

“He has to respond to His Majesty, you have to respond to your father, I have to respond to my father. Xie the Fifth, how did we all suddenly walk into a dead end?”

Xie Zhifei’s smile was even uglier than Zhu Yuanmo’s.

Precisely because he didn’t know how to respond, he’d hidden away at the separate residence again.

…

That night, some enjoyed intimate pleasures, some drank heartily, some rushed along the road, some couldn’t sleep all night.

Human joys and sorrows don’t connect at all.

The next day.

The palace maids and eunuchs of Chonghua Palace waited and waited but the prince didn’t rise.

Seeing morning court would be missed, the lead palace maid boldly lifted the curtain to look. She found the prince’s face flushed, and touching his forehead, it was frighteningly hot.

The palace maid quickly called for the princess consort.

The princess consort ordered eunuchs to quickly fetch someone from the Imperial Medical Academy.

Several imperial physicians hurriedly arrived. Each took his pulse in turn. All said he’d caught a chill during the night.

Upon investigation, they learned that after intimate relations at night, the prince had been called to the study for discussion. He must have caught the chill on the road.

Princess Consort Han had the physicians write prescriptions while sending someone to the palace to report to His Majesty.

His Majesty’s oral decree came around noon, personally delivered by a palace eunuch, who also brought several precious medicinal ingredients bestowed by His Majesty.

Seeing the bestowal, Princess Consort Han felt quite proud.

For a small chill, His Majesty not only sent someone but also bestowed gifts. Clearly His Majesty truly held the prince dear to his heart.

At this moment, Imperial Observatory Director Zhu Yuanmo was anxiously waiting outside the imperial study.

His Majesty had already finished his noon meal and was taking a short rest.

As his age increased, His Majesty’s rest time had changed from the original quarter hour to now nearly half a double-hour.

Just as Zhu Yuanmo was nearly frozen stiff, a young eunuch invited him inside.

Zhu Yuanmo quickly straightened his official robes again and stepped into this imperial study that countless officials throughout the realm desperately wanted to enter.

He knelt.

Performed the greeting.

Completed the ceremony.

Didn’t dare rise.

Zhu Yuanmo took a memorial from his chest and held it high above his head.

The eunuch received the memorial and carried it to the imperial desk.

Emperor Yonghe opened it and saw it was actually a mourning leave document.

“Your Majesty.”

Zhu Yuanmo said sorrowfully, “This subject’s father and mother have passed away one after another. This subject is grief-stricken beyond measure, has no heart for court affairs, and only wishes to observe mourning for his birth father and mother for three years.”

Emperor Yonghe made no move and said nothing, only coldly observing this young Imperial Observatory Director.