The Crown Prince's pupils dilated in shock.
A person in the extreme state of struggling for survival would never lie.
He knew that the Eldest Princess was greedy, venomous and did all kinds of evil. But he never expected that she would collude with the enemy and betray the country just for a treasure!
Colluding with the enemy and betraying the country was the bottom - line that the Emperor could never tolerate.
Even an ordinary person in the Great Zhou Empire who colluded with the enemy and betrayed the country would be sentenced to the Lingchi punishment.
However, the Emperor's favorite eldest sister, whom he always protected and was reluctant to punish, was so absurd that she colluded with the Huns for a treasure, resulting in countless casualties and rivers of blood!
The Crown Prince had always been troubled by the lack of solid evidence to bring down the Eldest Princess.
Unexpectedly, the Yue family had become a breakthrough!
The Crown Prince's guards surrounded Yaoguang tightly, layer upon layer.
Yaoguang stared warily at the Crown Prince, but showed no sign of trying to escape.
The Crown Prince looked solemn. Stepping on the blood - soaked ground, he walked towards her step by step.
"Don't kill him for now."
Yaoguang twirled her sword gracefully and pointed the tip at Yue Chengkong's throat.
Yue Chengkong's dying body began to twist violently again. Gasping for breath like a bull, he pleaded without any dignity, "Don't kill me, don't kill me..."
"My father, mother, three elder brothers and five - year - old younger brother all died under Yue Chengkong's sword. Please tell me a reason not to kill him, Your Highness the Crown Prince."
The Crown Prince's guards were on high alert, waiting for his order. Once the order was given, Yaoguang would be shot to death by a volley of arrows.
The wind in the yard seemed to stop. Everyone held their breath.
Yaoguang calmly met the Crown Prince's gaze.
The Crown Prince took two more steps forward, crossing the safety distance and putting himself within Yaoguang's striking range.
"It's easy to kill Yue Chengkong. But to deal with your real enemy, it's absolutely impossible for you alone."
His face was cold and solemn, but his tone was sincere.
Yaoguang raised her eyebrows slightly. "Your Highness means that you're willing to help me?"
"Spare his dog's life. I promise that I'll not only help you avenge your family, but also help you restore your kingdom."
This was exactly what Yaoguang had been waiting for. "Your Highness is well - known for keeping your word, even in our Gaochang Kingdom. I'm willing to trust you."
She threw away the sword in her hand. Yue Chengkong was so excited that he almost cried, as if he had escaped from death. "Thank Your Highness for sparing my life, thank the Princess for showing mercy. I'll definitely cooperate with the investigation and tell everything I know!"
"Shut up, unfilial son! The Eldest Princess is the benefactor of the Yue family. How can you slander her just to save your own life!"
The old lady of the Yue family wasn't fainted by the miserable state of her son, but was almost fainted by Yue Chengkong's words.
She even regretted that Yaoguang hadn't acted faster. If he had died earlier, the whole Yue family might have been saved!
In order to survive, Yue Chengkong didn't care about anything anymore. The only intact part of his body was his mouth. "Mother, you're so muddle - headed. The Eldest Princess treats our Yue family as her money - bag and a pawn on the battlefield. She hides behind us and lives a luxurious life. Why should I risk my life for her!"
"You..." The old lady of the Yue family was so angry that her whole body trembled. She rolled her eyes and fainted.
The Yue family was in a complete mess.
The Crown Prince ordered to seal off the whole Yue family. No one was allowed to enter or leave.
Yue Chengkong was carried away for treatment, and Yaoguang was taken back to the government office by Shi Minglang.
"Your Highness the Princess, please forgive my rudeness."
Yaoguang had attempted to assassinate someone in public. She had not only killed more than a dozen guards of the Yue family, but also nearly killed Yue Chengkong. So she had to be labeled as a "criminal".
Shi Minglang respected Yaoguang very much. What a strong belief and willpower it took for a weak woman who had suffered the destruction of her country and the death of her family to endure all the hardships and reach this point!
He no longer regarded her as Liang Yuzhou's maid, and respectfully called her "Princess".
But in front of everyone, the shackles still had to be put on.
Yaoguang didn't mind. She simply stretched out her hands.
Shi Minglang put the shackles on her and whispered nervously in her ear, "It's just for show. You have to explain it to Liang Yuzhou. Don't cause me any trouble."
Yaoguang's eyebrows twitched slightly, and a look of worry flashed across her eyes.
"The person you should worry about is not my master."
...
As soon as the old lady of the Chu family got home, she summoned all the Chu family members who had attended the banquet.
The kind - hearted old lady looked cold and serious, and her tone was more severe than ever.
"Everything you saw and heard today must not be spoken of a single word outside! Any sensible person can see what's going on. It involves the imperial power struggle. Once you get involved, it means death!
If anyone is tired of living a good life and gossips outside, and if it reaches the ears of those with ulterior motives and they report our family, it will be a crime punishable by the execution of nine generations of our family!
Count how many heads you have on your shoulders. Are you all tired of living?"
The whole Chu family was shrouded in an atmosphere of uneasiness. Everyone held their breath, and not even a cough could be heard.
The old lady of the Chu family ordered Chu Shangxu, "In the next few days, tell others that I'm ill. I won't receive guests or go out. All the younger generations of the Chu family must come to my courtyard to take turns taking care of me. Unless it's a matter of life and death, no one is allowed to go out!"
No one dared to say a word of objection.
When most of the people had left, Chu Yueying rushed to the old lady of the Chu family in a hurry.
"Grandma, why isn't Sister Wanchu here?"
The old lady of the Chu family had just let out a sigh of relief, but her heart tightened again. She had been too busy to notice Wanchu.
It was only after Chu Yueying's reminder that she realized that she hadn't seen Wanchu since they returned from the Yue family!
Before the bloody incident in the Yue family, Wanchu had been with the Crown Prince.
Later, the Crown Prince came out alone.
Wanchu should have been left in the room by the Crown Prince.
Was she still with the Crown Prince, or had Liang Yuzhou taken her away during the chaos?
The old lady of the Chu family didn't dare to draw a conclusion just by guessing.
She called Chu Shangxu. "You go out quietly and ask if the Taoist priest Qingzhou is in the Songhe Taoist Temple. If he is, invite him out and see his state. If he isn't, tell him that I'd like to invite him to our family to conduct a religious ceremony in a few days. Ask the Taoist priest in the temple to convey the message. Don't ask anything else."
Chu Shangxu was also worried about Song Wanchu. Frowning, he asked, "Mother, in my opinion, it's very likely that the Crown Prince forcibly kept Wanchu. Wouldn't it be more direct to ask the people around the Crown Prince?"
The old lady of the Chu family glared at him angrily. "Are you tired of living? The Crown Prince is kind - hearted and gentle, but what's our status? How dare we question the Crown Prince about whether he has kept someone?"
Chu Shangxu was instantly scared into a cold sweat.
During the days when the Crown Prince had been in the Chu family, he had been polite and never bullied others with his power. Chu Shangxu had almost forgotten that he was the future emperor. If they offended him, he could decide the life and death of the Chu family with a single word!
Even if the Crown Prince had forcibly kept Wanchu, the Chu family had no right to inquire!
Just as Chu Shangxu was about to set off for the Songhe Taoist Temple, Xia Anzi came.
He was the most capable servant of the Crown Prince. Even the first - rank officials in the court had to treat him with respect. The old lady of the Chu family received him personally.
Xia Anzi smiled and said, "The Crown Prince knows that the old lady is worried about Miss Song. So he specially sent me to convey a message. Miss Song was greatly frightened. The Crown Prince was worried about her health, so he specially ordered the imperial doctor who accompanied him to examine Miss Song.
The imperial doctor said that Miss Song needed to recuperate in a quiet place. Coincidentally, the Crown Prince took a fancy to a secluded mansion and settled Miss Song there. When she recovers, the Crown Prince will personally bring Miss Song to visit the old lady and the other elders of the Chu family."