Chapter 149: Chapter 149

Granny Liu’s voice carried a sense of urgency, "Your Majesty, what you must investigate is when Lady Hua first appeared in the Cold Palace with a trace of life left. She begged the guards to convey the message that she wasn’t dead to you. But why did they ignore it?"

"Were they following someone’s orders?"

"What was that person’s intention?"

Three consecutive questions, each hitting the crucial points, also pierced the heart of the matron managing the Cold Palace.

Wasn’t that matron the one guarding the Cold Palace all these years? She dreaded others mentioning this matter.

But ironically, what she feared came true. ᴛhis chapter is ᴜpdated by 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭•𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢•𝓷𝓮𝓽

Xiao Lizi said, "Matron, reveal the truth immediately?"

The matron dared not speak, kneeling there, trembling, pleading for her life.

"Pleading for life?" Xiao Lizi sneered, "The princess endured over two years of hardship in the Cold Palace, yet you never reported it, and now you want His Majesty to spare you? How dare you?"

The matron shivered more violently.

Xiao Lizi didn’t completely destroy the matron’s hope, he added, "If you reveal the person who instructed you, perhaps there’s a chance to live."

Upon hearing this, the matron suddenly looked up at Xiao Lizi, seeking confirmation, "Really?"

Xiao Lizi glanced at Emperor Yongning and said, "Yes."

The matron was ready to confess, but at that moment, Marquis Zhongyong suddenly coughed. Hearing this, the matron looked toward Marquis Zhongyong, standing not far away.

Marquis Zhongyong shook his head at her again, indicating she should remain silent.

She clenched her garment, deliberated for a moment, then ultimately followed Marquis Zhongyong’s signal, choosing silence.

Xiao Lizi moved closer to the matron, blocking her view of Marquis Zhongyong, and said, "Matron, are you sure you want to die protecting those who committed wrong?"

Xiao Lizi said, "In the current situation, don’t think anyone can protect you. I’ll tell you, no one can, only you can save yourself."

Xiao Lizi said, "If you want to live, confess honestly."

The matron feared death the most; upon being intimidated by Xiao Lizi, she lost all hope in Marquis Zhongyong.

To survive, she stammered, "It—it was Her Majesty the Empress. From the first day Hua Pin was confined in the Cold Palace, Her Majesty issued a strict order not to disclose the presence of a child there."

"And denying Lady Hua enough food and clothing was also at Her Majesty’s behest. The Empress wanted to use us to torment Lady Hua and her child."

"The servant didn’t want to do it, but if the servant didn’t comply, the Empress would have killed me."

After her confession, knowing her fault, the matron kowtowed several times in Emperor Yongning’s direction, the sound of her head hitting the ground echoed loudly.

Full of grievances and choking back tears, she said, "Please...please, Your Majesty, be discerning. The servant was forced, also a victim, merely a servant!"

How could a servant dare defy the Empress?

Unless one wanted to die.

Marquis Zhongyong couldn’t believe it; instead of exploiting Jun Ning’s origin in the Cold Palace, she implicated the Empress in tormenting that mother and daughter?

Again he had shot himself in the foot.

In his fury and shame, he pointed at the matron, speaking recklessly, "You dog slave, babbling nonsense! Even the Empress cannot escape your slander. Beware His Majesty cutting out your tongue."

Emperor Yongning, holding Jun Ning’s small hand, coldly said, "Marquis Zhongyong, with evidence clear, you dare claim the Empress is slandered?"

Marquis Zhongyong, tearful, "No, the Empress must be innocent. I know my daughter’s nature best; she’s kind and would never do such things."

"Enough, I don’t want to hear this. The Empress isn’t innocent, and you, Marquis Zhongyong, deserve death even more." Emperor Yongning said as he looked to the side, at the Minister of the Ministry of Justice, who was nearly dozing off, "Minister of Justice, besides conspiring with the Astronomical Bureau to defame my beloved daughter as a bringer of disaster, attempting to incite the court officials and citizens to kill her, what else has Marquis Zhongyong done? Tell everyone clearly."

The named Minister of Justice reacted as if being awakened by a teacher while dozing in class.

He shook in fright, regaining his senses, and recklessly asked, "Your Majesty, what did you just say?"

Emperor Yongning: "......"

He wanted to drag this person out and execute him.

Jun Ning tugged Emperor Yongning’s sleeve, whispering, "Father, calm down."

This Minister probably worked all night and at his age, it’s understandable.

Emperor Yongning nodded at Jun Ning, suppressing his anger.

Xiao Lizi twitched his lips and repeated Emperor Yongning’s words.

After hearing, the Minister of Justice recounted what he investigated all night.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, Princess Anle was twice ambushed in the Black Market, actions carried out by people sent by Marquis Zhongyong."

"And regarding the recent disappearances of children in the Imperial City, they are indisputably linked to Marquis Zhongyong. The kidnapped children, evidence shows, were taken by his people."

The Minister raised a stack of confessions over his head.

The task he received yesterday was initially just to interrogate the assassins pursuing Jun Ning and help find homes for the six children rescued by the Crown Prince.

Unexpectedly, during interrogation, they revealed the abductors were also involved in child kidnappings, a sheer bonus discovery.

Everyone was surprised upon hearing this, those close to Marquis Zhongyong hurriedly distanced themselves, while Emperor Yongning looked at Marquis Zhongyong with the indifference of foreknowledge.

Xiao Lizi handed the confessions to Emperor Yongning.

Marquis Zhongyong trembled uncontrollably. He wanted to argue, but who didn’t know the Minister of Justice?

The Minister, though often appearing drowsy during court, and infuriating His Majesty to the point of wanting to kill him, acts with swift efficiency. Cases under his charge rarely result in injustice, and he quickly reaches a conclusion.

The matters he dares to voice are typically well-supported by evidence.

Marquis Zhongyong was left without room to refute.

"It’s over, completely over..."

He collapsed on the ground in abject terror.

After reading the confessions, Emperor Yongning wasted no words, immediately consigning the Empress and Marquis Zhongyong to death row, appointing the Minister of Justice to further investigate all their past dubious activities for resolution once fully exposed.

At this moment, a voice suddenly exclaimed, "Marquis Zhongyong’s many wrongdoings make one wonder if the princess he helped His Majesty find might be false as well?"

This was not impossible.