Chapter 296 Everyone Had A Plan
The Crown Prince did not expect Long Tianyu to change everything.
It was only right to save the Emperor first. Going by this alone, the suspicion about Long Tianyu was greatly allayed.
If the Crown Prince stuck to Long Tianyu, others would not suspect him at all.
The Crown Prince was glaring at Long Tianyu with hatred. But he had to let it go.
But the fact that Lin Mengya would be under his control for the next few days, made him think up of lots of venomous schemes in his heart, immediately. Long Tianyu would be defeated as long as Lin Mengya was under the Crown Prince’s control!
“Yu’er, you should be awarded for your brave rescue. But it’s an unexpected incident and I was very scared. Let’s go back to my palace, Princess Yu. May a big fortune follow a narrow escape. The Crown Prince, remember to make a good arrangement for every family member. Yu’er, Han’er, I’ll leave the guarding of the Palace to you.”
“Yes, we will abide by your order.”
Long Tianyu was informed that the a.s.sa.s.sin had slandered him just before he died.
As Princess Yu, Lin Mengya had to stay in the Palace to a.s.sist in the investigation and also to treat the Emperor. But there had to be a big conspiracy.
While following behind the Empress, Lin Mengya repeatedly looked back, and then disappeared out of his sight. What Long Tianyu could do was to clasp his hands tightly. “She’ll be fine. The Empress proclaimed publicly that she would keep her in the Palace, so for the moment, the Empress can’t do anything to her.”
But the comforting thought was not enough to stop him from being angry.
Long Tianyu turned to look at the Crown Prince, who was pacifying the family members.
“How much does he know about the scheme?”
Chongqing Palace was in a mess, but the other sites in the palace were not affected.
The Imperial Garden was covered in ice, desolate but clean. Lin Mengya learned more from the calmness of the Empress, than from the mortal danger.
Yongle Palace, where the Empress rested, could be seen through the Imperial Garden, looked splendid, as it glowed with bright candle lights.
Lin Mengya was tense, but had to follow the others into Yongle Palace.
She went to the Empress’s resting palace for the first time. The Empress adhered to conventions of propriety and so Yongle Palace looked magnificent, but was not luxurious, in the least.
The Empress went straight into the main hall, and instantly, her maid came to help her take off her heavy outer clothes and brush her hair.
After a cup of tea was served, everything was done.
“We’re family. Don’t be a stranger. Come on, show Princess Yu her seat.”
The Empress deliberately left Lin Mengya standing there. If not, she would have said something earlier when Lin Mengya stood there, unmoving like a piece of wood.
“It’s alright. Thanks for your seat.”
Lin Mengya behaved in a gracious manner, and only said a few necessary words after sitting down, like an obedient girl. But everyone knew that it was only a temporary period of peace for now.
The Empress glanced at her quickly, finding that she was much milder and steadier in temperament, than when she just got married. But the Empress was not ignorant about what Lin Mengya did outside.
“She has grown more powerful.”
“I heard that you’re skilled at medicine. Well, take my pulse and I won’t need those doctors from the Imperial Hospital.”
“You want me to take your pulse?” After thinking about it, Lin Mengya had to take it.
Lin Mengya came close to the Empress, and then put her fingers on her wrist.
Lin Mengya was a master of poison, but she had also studied the four basic diagnostic methods of TCM.
Baili Rui did not live up to his name as Saint of Poison, and was more skilled at this than those imperial doctors. Of course, Lin Mengya, as his student, would not be a dabbler.
“Mother, you’re in good health. Some sedative medicine is enough.”
Then before everyone noticed, only Lin Mengya and the Empress were the only ones left in the whole hall.
After a short period of silence, the Empress smiled faintly.
“Right now, are you wondering why Concubine De is still under my control without getting out of Prince Yu’s Mansion?”
Lin Mengya was stunned. “The Empress is talking about this publicly. It implies that she is very confident that I would keep it a secret.”
“You’re smart, Your Highness. Everything I’m thinking of, can’t escape from you.”
Lin Mengya replied in a cold voice. There were only the two of them in the palace now, so there was no need to talk in a roundabout way. Besides, it was not the first time for her to confront the Empress.
“How sweet you are. I nearly can’t say no to you. But unfortunately, you were born in the wrong place and married the wrong man. I don’t need to keep it from you that the Concubine De in Prince Yu’s Mansion now, is someone I have placed there. The real one is still in my palace. I see her as my sister, so I want her to stay and talk about the old days with me. I hope you keep it to yourself. You’re smart enough to know what you can and can’t do.”
“A warning?” But Lin Mengya did not believe that it was the whole story.
“You want to treat His Majesty and I appreciate your filial piety. But every word and action you make in the palace should be in accordance with our rules. If you disobey the rules, someone will be punished in your place.”
A wisp of coldness flickered across the Empress’s eyes.
It was a plain warning. If Lin Mengya did something the Empress disliked, Concubine De’s life would be in danger.
“For G.o.d’s sake! How could she threaten me using Concubine De’s life!”
But she recalled that she had also threatened the Empress with the Crown Prince’s life,
Lin Mengya found that she was not suffering any losses. It was a t.i.t for tat.
“Yes, I’ll do as you wish. I’m impressed by your intelligence, Your Highness. But there’s a piece of advice, the wages of sin is death. There’s also a folktale saying that you will encounter a ghost if you walk about at night too many times. There is no perfect plan in the world. I hope that no wraith will come and disturb you when you rest at night.”
Lin Mengya said this directly. The Empress already knew clearly who she was. If she continued to restrain herself, the Empress would think she was a timid person, easy to bully.
She was not that poor girl from before.
Although her power was not equal to the Empress’s yet, Lin Mengya held a card in her hand, which could save her life.
“You’re really Miss Lin. But it’s none of your business. From today on, the small courtyard beside the resting palace of His Majesty, is where you will live. Come on, show Princess Yu out.”
Lin Mengya was the first person brave enough to antagonize her like this, for many years.
The Empress watched the lady in front of her making a full, polite greeting, and leaving after her maid.
Yongle Palace was empty and cold enough to freeze the Empress’s facial expression.
“Your Highness, Princess Yu has gone to the small courtyard.”
Aunt Qinglan, the maid closest to the Empress, lowered her head in front of the Empress and said respectfully.
“She’s not simple. Ask them to be cautious. How is His Majesty?”
Some unfathomable coolness could be seen on the honorable face of the Empress.
“Don’t worry, Your Highness. I’ve withdrawn our people from the resting palace of His Majesty. In the next few days, no matter what happens to His Majesty, other people will take the responsibility.”
Qinglan cracked a proud smile.
The Empress nodded and turned to look at the direction of the Emperor’s resting palace. That person told her that as long as the Emperor took his pill, even G.o.d was unable to save his life.
Those officials and princes never stopped asking about the Emperor. That was why she agreed to let Lin Mengya enter the palace to treat the Emperor. Lin Mengya was the right scapegoat for her.
“Lin Mengya, I’ll win and celebrate your death and that of your family!”
“Your Highness, the Crown Prince is waiting outside.”
The eunuch announced outside the palace. A flicker of hatred flashed in her eyes.
But the Empress hid her emotions well, even the closest maids were unable to see what she was really thinking of.
“Let him in. Qinglan, you can leave now.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Qinglan left, after making a bow. The Crown Prince, who had already changed his clothes, came into Yongle Palace, in a servile manner.
“Greetings, mother. I’m sorry to scare you, mother. I’m worried about you so I came to see you, mother.”
There was indescribable anxiety deep inside his heart.
The Empress had given him more freedom than before. Even when he did something wrong, the Empress did not recall him to her palace for scolding.
The Empress was his dearest mother, but she was becoming distant from him, as if there was a mountain between them.
“You’re sweet. I’m fine. Have you comforted our relatives? Don’t leave out anything. If my memory serves me well, you were the one who arranged for those guards in the Imperial Palace tonight, right?”
There was already a little anger in her heart.
She had already known that Long Tianyu would take action to take the Emperor away. She sent a maid to present samite boxes to Lin Mengya, so that Long Tianyu would be under her control.
It was not the best time to offend Long Tianyu so openly.
She already had made the perfect arrangement. But the Crown Prince, her stupid son ruined her plan and nearly made the Emperor die in a fire!
Fireworks were used after a close examination, and it was impossible for them to drop to the resting palace of the Emperor. If the Crown Prince had not planned it on purpose, how could it be so coincidental that the series of accidents happened!
“I’m sorry, mother. I thought that there were too many guards in the palace and they might disturb father. Besides, our guests tonight were the royal family members. Strangers had no chance to come in. So, so I made a decision for myself to recall some guards out of the palace.”
The Crown Prince felt wronged as well. He had made a good preparation.
As long as the Empress cooperated with him, he would definitely put the blame of a.s.sa.s.sinating the royal family members on Long Tianyu.
His heart was full of hatred against the Empress. “Mother, why did you not listen to me for once? Even those perfect chances to defeat Long Tianyu were all missed, because of you!”