The Slender Waist-Chapter 665 - 480 Cut as Said

Yuan Shangyi never woke up after that fall.

Even the health of the Empress Dowager was deteriorating day by day.

Feng Yun visited her at Changxin Hall twice, finding her even less spirited than before, seemingly having lost all consciousness. She just stared blankly as Feng Yun entered, taking a long while to react.

"Does the Empress Dowager have moments of clarity?" she asked.

The Palace Maid bowed and said, "Her Highness spends most of her time in a comatose state, occasionally waking only to call out the Emperor’s infant name; she cannot articulate anything else..."

Feng Yun sighed.

"Do take good care of her with medicinal soups."

Two Palace Maids bowed in unison.

"Yes."

Feng Yun glanced over.

The Palace Attendants serving at Changxin Hall had been completely replaced.

All the old servants of the Empress Dowager, including the Female Historian Lin, were gone.

Feng Yun stepped out of Changxin Hall, gazed at the palace’s red walls, and mounted the palanquin. In the spring breeze of February, she passed through the long corridors.

The wind was fierce, leaving her feeling cold throughout her body.

This deep palace really was no place for human habitation...

It was no wonder Yuan Shangyi was reluctant to become Emperor.

There used to be many taboos when she entered the palace.

Now, she was free to come and go as she pleased within this palace.

Her face was more useful than any identification plaque.

No one dared to disrespect the Princess of Yonghuai...

Just as the palanquin was about to leave the palace, Feng Yun suddenly spoke.

"Stop."

The servants paused momentarily.

Then they heard the lady in the palanquin command:

"To the Imperial Cavalry Division."

After Wei Zheng’s grand wedding, Feng Yun had seen Luo Yue two more times.

It was she who had brought her son to the Pei Residence to acknowledge the family, her face alight with smiles, merrily teaching the child to call Feng Yun "auntie," without showing a hint of worry.

Feng Yun could see the exhaustion in her eyes but pretended not to notice. She gave the child a red packet and stuffed a cloth tiger or a small cloth deer into his hands before sending them off, reminding them to visit often.

Luo Yue had lost her sharpness.

Feng Yun felt somewhat regretful.

But she couldn’t force her.

When faced with adversity, one often had to work hard to extricate oneself from the mire; it could not be done by force.

Her visit to Wei Zheng today wasn’t for Luo Yue, but for Yuan Shangyi.

The Palace Attendants present at the incident in Yongshou Palace were all detained in the Imperial Cavalry Division.

Feng Yun had learned from Pei Jue that these people refused to confess, so she wanted to see them herself.

She suspected Xu Yong.

Even before the incident in Yongshou Palace, she felt that this Chief Eunuch was scheming.

The other Palace Attendants might be innocent.

Xu Yong, she feared, might be the main culprit...

-

Wei Zheng, dressed in the Imperial Cavalry Division’s brocaded robe and jade belt, welcomed her with a radiant smile, as if bathed in the spring breeze...

Feng Yun’s brows arched involuntarily.

"It seems that Wei Zheng, the head of the Division, is light on his feet and vibrant, likely benefiting much from his virtuous wife," she said, with an unchanged smile that sounded casual without a trace of sarcasm. Yet, Wei Zheng could somehow detect a hint of mockery in her gentle voice.

Wei Zheng gave Feng Yun a deep bow. "The affairs of the inner house are messy; I hope the Princess finds them amusing. May I know the reason for the Princess’s visit today?"

He thought that Feng Yun had come to cause trouble over Luo Yue.

Ever since his grand wedding, that woman had refused to let him enter her courtyard.

She said it under the pretext that the new wife had just crossed the threshold, and as the husband, he should stay by her side and not allow a concubine to divert his affection, which might displease the main wife.

Wei Zheng was fed up with her.

And fearful of her.

Every time she mentioned visiting the Pei Residence relatives, Wei Zheng would be filled with dread...

And now the relative had come to him.

Feng Yun glanced at him, "I came to the palace today to see His Majesty, whose health is failing, and wished to ask the head of the Division if the suspects have made any confession yet. If they refuse to speak, does that mean the Imperial Cavalry Division has no other measures?"

Wei Zheng forced a smile, "The Princess may not be aware, but the Imperial Cavalry Division interrogates them day and night without slacking. However, these hardheaded fools are tight-lipped; it is as if their mouths are sewn shut, and we can’t pry a word out of them..."

Feng Yun narrowed her eyes, examining him.

"It couldn’t be that you, the head of the Division, being freshly wed, are too preoccupied with your new wife to attend to the interrogation?"

Wei Zheng’s forehead throbbed as he spoke in a lowered voice. "The Princess is too kind; how dare I neglect the important task assigned by the Prince? It’s truly that these people refuse to admit any guilt, leaving us helpless..."

Feng Yun asked, "May I see them?"

Wei Zheng straightened up and with a "this" began to show a troubled expression on his face.

"There are rules to follow... I ask for the Princess’s understanding."

Feng Yun replied, "I understand."

She gave Wei Zheng a look and turned to leave.

Just after she walked not far from the gate, she saw Pei Jue standing at the mercy of the wind, silent and still.

He was waiting for her.

Feng Yun approached and saluted him.

"Your Highness."

Pei Jue asked, "What brought you to the Imperial Cavalry Division?"

Feng Yun hummed, "Upon hearing that the suspects from the Yongshou Palace incident refuse to confess, I wanted to assess the situation myself..."

Pei Jue said, "There is no witness to confirm that His Majesty’s fall was intentional."

Feng Yun asked, "So, Your Highness believes that Ayuan fell on his own?"

Pei Jue glanced at her, silent.

"Yes, it’s indeed a possibility," Feng Yun nodded, looking at him and said, "But even if Ayuan did fall on his own, those who served him cannot be absolved of blame; they should be dealt with altogether."

Pei Jue’s brows furrowed.

Usually, Feng Yun was the most noble-hearted, always kind to the servants in the residence, never excessively strict.

Why had she suddenly become so aggressive?

Pei Jue squinted slightly, "But what if they are wronged..."

Feng Yun said, "That is their fate.

Pei Jue: ...

He sighed inwardly, "Come on, I’ll take you to see them."

Feng Yun’s worry turned to joy, and she paid her respects to Pei Jue.

"I’m willing to share the great king’s worries."

Pei Jue hummed softly.

Feng Yun glanced over, and he quickly restrained his expression.

After a moment of silence, Pei Jue said, "The Imperial Physician says that His Majesty’s head has been severely injured. The chances of recovery are extremely slim..."

A heaviness settled in Feng Yun’s heart.

"We must not give up."

Pei Jue’s dark eyes looked at her intensely.

"Lady Yun must be prepared."

Feng Yun appeared dazed for a moment, then fell silent.

-

Wei Zheng saw Feng Yun return, followed by a Prince of Yonghuai, and dared not show the slightest neglect. With a beaming smile, he greeted them and hurriedly led them down to the cells.

Xu Yong, Female Historian Lin, and a group of others were all held there.

On the wooden table outside the cell, their confessions were laid out.

All exactly the same.

They all said that Yuan Shangyi, upon learning that his natural mother had stayed at Yongxin Palace during Emperor of Xifeng’s western tour, had ignored the palace attendants’ advice and walked over the snow-covered ground. As he ascended the steps, he had slipped and tumbled down...

Feng Yun narrowed her eyes and looked at Wei Zheng.

"I remember that it was widely rumored in the palace that His Majesty had fallen while playing in the snow, wasn’t it?"

Wei Zheng said, "Xu Yong confessed that His Majesty was missing his late mother and not his foster mother, and they were afraid this would grieve the Empress Dowager, so they changed their statement."

To miss one’s deceased mother is to grieve a foster mother?

Feng Yun narrowed her eyes and pointed to the cell.

"May I, perhaps, have a few words with Eunuch Xu?"

Seeing Pei Jue remaining silent, Wei Zheng quickly bowed.

"The Princess may proceed as she wishes."

-

The cell was chillingly cold.

Xu Yong was huddled on dirty straw, his hair disheveled, his face pale, with streaks of blood on the back of his hands and neck.

It was evident that the Chief Eunuch’s days since being imprisoned had been far from easy.

Feng Yun said, "How exactly did His Majesty fall?"

Xu Yong’s eyes were unfocused. "I’ve said it many times, His Majesty ran up the steps and slipped..."

Feng Yun said, "Their statements here say that it was running down the steps. Was it running up or running down? Eunuch Xu, what are you hiding?"

Xu Yong flinched.

"Impossible, they must have made a mistake. I remember it was running up, yes, clearly it was while going up the steps..."

Feng Yun said, "Then let me ask you, why was the Empress Dowager also at Yongshou Palace that day?"

Xu Yong said, "The Empress Dowager heard that His Majesty was at Yongshou Palace and was extremely anxious. Therefore, she ordered me and five other palace servants to accompany her there..."

Feng Yun: "And then?"

Xu Yong said, "Just as the Empress Dowager stepped into the palace, she saw His Majesty falling from the wet steps. She immediately ran over without regard for her composure..."

Feng Yun: "When did the Empress Dowager faint then?"

Xu Yong said, "When she heard the Imperial Physician say that His Majesty had bleeding in his brain and it was incurable."

His responses flowed smoothly.

Feng Yun stared into his eyes.

"Eunuch Xu, why are you lying?"

Xu Yong looked at her, "How would I dare to deceive the Princess?"

Feng Yun said, "A palace maid has confessed that at the time of the incident, you were right behind His Majesty. It was you—who wanted to put His Majesty to death."

Xu Yong’s eyes widened in shock, "Nonsense, who is framing me..."

Feng Yun said, "Your apprentice, Shunzi, who served in front of His Majesty, stated that he saw it with his own eyes..."

Xu Yong’s face changed color, almost snarling as he spoke.

"That dog! I was saying that he was the one who pushed His Majesty down the steps."

Feng Yun: "How do you know it was he who pushed His Majesty from the steps..."

Xu Yong paused, "I just, it was just a figure of speech."

Feng Yun gave a cold smile and abruptly turned around.

"Xu Yong has confessed. It was his apprentice Shunzi who pushed His Majesty down the steps."

Everyone was stunned.

Could it be done like this?

Soon after, Shunzi, upon learning that Xu Yong had betrayed him, loudly proclaimed his innocence.

"It was Eunuch Xu who pushed, Eunuch Xu pushed, I had nothing to do with it."

Feng Yun said, "Dog eats dog, a mouthful of fur. That’s enough. Since you’ve admitted that someone pushed His Majesty, it doesn’t matter who did it; none of you are innocent..."

She abruptly turned and bowed to Pei Jue:

"I report to the great king, in my opinion, not a single person here is good. Let’s deal with them all."

Wei Zheng: ...

The prison guards: ...

Everyone thought the Princess of Yonghuai was a bit crazy.

It was clearly she who had turned things upside down, leading those two to accuse each other, yet she wanted to exterminate every last one, leaving no survivors.

Who adjudicates cases like this?

Isn’t this all wrongful, false prosecution?

The Princess is unreasonable and doesn’t abide by the law.

Wei Zheng didn’t believe that the Prince of Yonghuai would follow such an irrational move.

Unexpectedly, Pei Jue said just one word.

"Good."

They were living people, not melons to be chopped at will, were they?

Wei Zheng disagreed in his heart, but since the Prince of Yonghuai had spoken, the guilt of murder wouldn’t fall on him, so he naturally wouldn’t disobey the command...

As he watched the prison guards drag all the palace attendants out from the cells, Feng Yun waited expressionlessly.

Sure enough...

Upon hearing that they would soon have their heads chopped off, without even getting a last meal, a wave of wailing erupted from the crowd.

People began to blame each other, revealing old scars.

Following that...

Feng Yun heard someone shout loudly.

"I confess, I know the truth."