A sinister smile curled up on Cang Xuan's peerlessly handsome face, as fair as white jade.
"I'm quite curious, Lord Zhang. Why on earth did you try to poison me and send so many killers to ambush me? Do you know that according to the laws of the Great Chu, harming a colleague is a capital offense?"
"You scoundrel! You're just being tricky and spouting nonsense! For the sake of avenging the empress, even if I kill you, what's wrong with that?" the official controlled by Cang Xuan hissed through gritted teeth, admitting his misdeeds.
The prefect's face turned solemn upon hearing this.
"If that's really the case, I'm afraid I'll have to trouble you two gentlemen to come with me."
Once they arrived at the prefectural yamen, this incident would be escalated into an official power struggle. The official knew that he had failed his mission as he couldn't kill Cang Xuan today. Suddenly, he broke free from Cang Xuan's restraint, rushed to the window, and shouted outside:
"The empress is the mother of the nation. She has been on the throne for decades, virtuous, kind, and reasonable. She has managed the harem in perfect order without any mistakes. She is truly an exemplary woman for the world. But now, just because of the words 'ominous star', she is regarded as an evil spirit and is to be sent to the State - Protecting Temple to be humiliated by a bunch of monks. This is truly unjust!"
The passers - by outside the Zhenman Tower heard his speech and stopped to look this way.
"The grand councilor Cang Xuan is a cunning and treacherous man. He uses star - watching techniques to win the emperor's favor and manipulate the court. He is the real 'ominous star'! As long as this traitor is not eliminated from the Great Chu, there will be no peace!"
The common people below began to discuss, and most of their words were about "Cang Xuan" and "scoundrel".
The official laughed maniacally: "Traitors are in power in the Great Chu. The emperor is deceived by villains. The Great Chu is on the verge of extinction! It's doomed!"
Hearing this man cursing the Great Chu to perish, the prefect quickly shouted to the yamen runners beside him: "What are you standing there for? Hurry up and cover his mouth. Take him back to the prefectural prison!"
But before the yamen runners could step forward, the official surnamed Zhang supported himself with both hands and jumped out of the window, committing suicide.
"Ah—Someone's dead!"
The onlookers outside the Zhenman Tower screamed in terror and scattered in all directions.
The prefect of Shengjing never expected to see such a tragic scene when he arrived at the Zhenman Tower. He turned to look at Cang Xuan, let out a sigh, waved his hand at the yamen runners, and said in a deep voice, "Take all these corpses back."
Cang Xuan stood in the back, wiping the blood off his sword with a handkerchief. There was not a trace of panic on his face; instead, he seemed quite interested.
Everything that happened today was within his expectations.
The Cloud - Floating Pavilion had all the information, including who had given the order to the official who had jumped to his death, how he had communicated, how he had obtained the poison, and how he had contacted the killers.
The only thing he didn't anticipate was that Su Yuanyuan would appear at the Zhenman Tower and suddenly rush into the private room, knocking over the wine cup and the poisoned wine in his hand.
God knows how panicked he was when he saw her. He was so afraid that the killers lurking in the building would harm her.
Fortunately, she was smart enough to understand his hint and left the Zhenman Tower in time with her elder brother, so she wasn't affected.
This little girl was really helpless.
But somehow, a hint of joy welled up in his heart.
On the second floor of a teahouse not far from the Zhenman Tower.
Watching the yamen runners carry out one corpse after another, Su Huaisheng looked at Su Yuanyuan in front of him with a complex expression.
It was the two of them who had gone to the prefectural yamen to report the crime.
Hearing from Su Yuanyuan that someone was about to commit murder in the Zhenman Tower, not only the prefect of Shengjing but also Su Huaisheng was shocked.
As the son of a former frontier - guarding general, although Su Huaisheng had no ambition to fight in the army, he considered himself to have good martial arts skills and the ability to sense danger. But just now, he didn't notice that there were killers lurking in the Zhenman Tower from beginning to end.
He never thought that he was even inferior to his younger sister!
As the last corpse was carried out, Cang Xuan leisurely left the Zhenman Tower. He was still wearing the cloak stained with wine, but even though so many people had died inside, there wasn't a single drop of blood on his cloak, which showed how good his martial arts were.
Looking at Su Yuanyuan in front of him, Su Huaisheng said, "Yuanbao, look. This is the end of a traitor. Even when he's having a drink, there are people trying to assassinate him. Did you hear what the man who jumped said? We'd better stay as far away from him as possible."
Su Yuanyuan's hand on the window sill tightened slightly, and her brows furrowed.
She had, of course, heard.
That was why she was even more worried.
She knew how important a good reputation was to a person. The people outside didn't know what had happened in the Zhenman Tower at all. Just based on that man's few words, most people would probably believe it.
But looking at this scene, she was powerless to change it.
How could a young lady from a boudoir influence the strife in the court?
At this moment, she couldn't help but be glad that she had donated 30,000 taels of silver as merit to the City God Temple a few days ago. She believed that one day, this act would surely be of great use!
Watching Cang Xuan get into the carriage and leave, Su Yuanyuan and Su Huaisheng also left the teahouse they had just bought and returned to the Duke's Mansion.
Cang Xuan thought that what had happened at the Zhenman Tower today would serve as a warning to Su Yuanyuan, showing her the kind of crisis lurking around him and making her back off. But from this day on, he realized how naive he had been.
Early the next morning, when he was on his way to the morning court, sitting in the carriage with his eyes closed in meditation, he suddenly opened his eyes.
"Tienshu, there's someone following us behind."
Tienshu leaped out to investigate upon receiving his order but came back soon, looking rather strange as he said, "My lord, it's... Miss Su, the fourth daughter of the Su family."
Cang Xuan sat up straight. "Who?"
Miss Su, the fourth daughter? What was she doing here?!
Cang Xuan didn't realize that he was gripping his black jade fan tightly.
"However, Miss Su is not alone. The marquis and his wife of the Duke of Yong are with her. I suppose Miss Su is seeing the marquis of the Duke of Yong off to the morning court."
Cang Xuan let out a sigh of relief, but somehow, a sense of loss welled up in his heart.
That was fine. But in the next two days, whether he was going to court or having a drink, he could always see a certain figure nearby. But every time he wanted to find a way to drive her away, he would find other people around her.
It was either Wei Linlang, or one of her elder brothers, or the daughter of the minister of the Ministry of Justice.
Did she think he couldn't tell that she was doing it on purpose?
Cang Xuan was very angry. He was angry at her stubbornness, but since she never made any explicit moves, he couldn't do anything about her.
However, on the third day, when he went out for the morning court as usual, he found that Su Yuanyuan didn't come.
The grand councilor, standing at the head of the court officials, seemed extremely calm, but his heart was filled with anxiety.
She didn't show up today. Could something have happened to her?