The Eighth Imperial Princess, Xiao Linyue, pupils contracting sharply, whipped her head around to look at the eunuch and shouted harshly, "What did you say? What happened to Imperial Elder Sister? Were the assassins captured?"
The eunuch prostrated himself on the ground, weeping bitterly. "Your Highness… the Eldest Princess… her injuries are grave. The imperial physicians are doing everything they can to save her! The assassin… the assassin was executed on the spot. He was… he was a low-ranking menial from the palace. In his room, we found… found…" As if terrified beyond measure, he did not dare continue.
"Found what?" the Emperor asked coldly.
The eunuch's entire body trembled. He slammed his head against the ground. "We found… a rubbing of a private seal from… from the Eighth Highness's residence, and… and a black-money draft from the Northern Frontier!"
Boom—!!!
It was as if a bolt of thunder had struck the square!
The Eldest Princess had been assassinated, and in the assassin's room were a rubbing of the Eighth Imperial Princess's private seal and a black-money draft from the Northern Frontier? What did this mean? That the Eighth Imperial Princess had ordered the assassination of the Crown Princess?!
Xiao Linyue's face instantly turned ashen, veins bulging at her temples. She suddenly drew the sword at her waist, the blade pointing straight at the eunuch. "You castrated dog! How dare you slander me with such lies!" The murderous aura that erupted from her was almost tangible, terrifying the eunuch into a shrill scream, nearly knocking him unconscious.
"Linyue!" From the imperial throne, the Empress's voice suddenly rose, carrying unquestionable authority. "Put down the sword!"
Xiao Linyue's chest heaved violently. Flames of humiliation and rage burned in her eyes as she stared at the eunuch for a long moment, then slowly swept her gaze across the surrounding looks—some shocked, some fearful, some gloating.
In the end, she forcefully sheathed her sword, dropped to one knee, and said, "Father Emperor, please see clearly! This daughter harbors absolutely no such intent! This is a deliberate frame-up, meant to kill two birds with one stone—eliminate both this daughter and Imperial Elder Sister at once! I beg Father Emperor to investigate thoroughly!"
Her defense was logical and reasonable. The Eldest Princess being assassinated brought her nothing but harm, not a single benefit. It would instead make her the prime suspect and invite catastrophic disaster. Who would do something so foolish, harming others without any gain?
Unless… someone wanted to bring both of them down at the same time.
That thought slithered like an icy venomous snake into many hearts. A deathly silence fell over the square, broken only by heavy breathing and suppressed sobbing.
The Empress remained silent, her gaze slowly sweeping over the dense crowd below—over the shaken ministers, over the kneeling Eighth Imperial Princess, over the distant direction of the Eldest Princess's sleeping palace—until it finally settled on the dark-cyan figure who had been standing silently in a corner all this time.
"Yuhuang," she suddenly spoke, her voice terrifyingly calm.
Xiao Yuhuang stepped forward slowly, walked to the foot of the imperial steps, and bowed. "This daughter is here."
"You have been in the capital all this time and are fairly familiar with palace affairs," the Empress said indifferently. "In your view, how should this matter be handled?"
Such a thorny, such a scorching-hot problem was being thrown to the most inconspicuous, most powerless Third Imperial Princess?
Countless gazes instantly focused on Xiao Yuhuang, filled with scrutiny, suspicion, surprise, and a trace of barely perceptible pity—was Her Majesty putting her over the fire to roast?
Xiao Yuhuang raised her head. Her face was still pale and calm, her eyes clear. Meeting the Empress's unfathomable gaze, she spoke slowly, her voice clear and steady.
"In reply to Mother Emperor, in this daughter's foolish opinion, an attack on the Crown Princess is a heaven-shaking event that undermines the very foundation of the state. However, at this moment, there are two matters even more urgent than asking 'who is the real culprit.'"
"Oh? Which two?"
"First," Xiao Yuhuang's gaze turned toward the direction of the Eldest Princess's sleeping palace, her tone solemn.
"Imperial Elder Sister's injuries and safety are of utmost importance. The entire Imperial Medical Academy must be mobilized, sparing no cost to save her. Furthermore, the palace must be sealed immediately, guarded personally by those trusted by Your Majesty.
All personnel and items entering or leaving must be strictly investigated, to ensure Imperial Elder Sister's absolute safety and to prevent anyone from tampering further."
She placed concern for the Eldest Princess's safety and the scene itself first—perfectly reasonable, and also demonstrating sisterly affection and steady judgment.
"Second," her gaze returned, sweeping over the kneeling Eighth Imperial Princess and the collapsed eunuch.
"The appearance of the Eighth Imperial Sister's private seal rubbing and the Northern Frontier draft is far too coincidental and clearly fabricated. However, the one who framed her was able to obtain a rubbing of the Eighth Imperial Sister's private seal and forge a Northern Frontier draft. Their power is extraordinary, and they must have internal accomplices within the palace.
This daughter believes that the most urgent task is not to interrogate the Eighth Imperial Sister—doing so would play directly into the framer's hands—but rather to immediately have Mother Emperor's trusted confidants, together with the Ministry of Justice, the Court of Judicial Review, and the Inner Palace Guard Command, form a special task group to thoroughly investigate all palace personnel backgrounds, contacts, and abnormal assets over the past years, especially those who could access the personal effects of the two Highnesses and those possibly connected to the Northern Frontier.
Even if we must dig three feet into the ground, we must unearth the mastermind who dares to be so audacious and intends to throw the court into chaos!"
She did not directly exonerate the Eighth Imperial Princess, instead directing the spearhead toward the more deeply hidden "mastermind" capable of scheming against two imperial princesses at once. This proposal appeared impartial and just, while expanding the scope of investigation and avoiding an immediate focus on any single party.
At the same time, it deftly guided investigative authority toward "Mother Emperor's trusted confidants" and a joint review by the three departments—meaning that whoever could lead or influence this investigation would hold enormous initiative.
The Empress looked at her deeply. After a long while, she finally said slowly, "What Yuhuang says makes sense."
She immediately issued orders. "Transmit my decree: the Director of the Imperial Medical Academy shall lead all imperial physicians to the Lintian Sleeping Palace at once and devote themselves fully to treatment, without the slightest delay! Seal the sleeping palace. Let the Second Imperial Princess and the Sixth Imperial Princess, together with the Chief Steward of the Inner Palace, guard it. Without my written order, no one is to enter!"
"Furthermore, command the Minister of Justice, the Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review, and the Commander of the Imperial Guards to immediately establish a 'Crown Prince Assassination Case' task office, directly under my authority, to thoroughly investigate all suspicious persons and matters within the palace.
Regardless of whom it involves, investigate to the very end! Third Imperial Princess Yuhuang… shall assist from the side and provide detailed information on palace affairs."
Xiao Yuhuang had been named to "assist"! Although it was only "from the side," providing "palace details," this meant she had officially entered the core investigative body at the heart of the storm, gaining legitimate authority to intervene in the matter.
The Eighth Imperial Princess, Xiao Linyue, abruptly raised her head to look at Xiao Yuhuang, her expression extremely complex—shock, scrutiny, resentment, and a trace of fury at being swept into a chessboard beyond her control.
She opened her mouth as if to say something, but in the end, she clenched her teeth and lowered her head. At this moment, any objection would only seem like a sign of guilt.
Those aligned with the Eldest Princess turned pale with despair. The Crown Princess's life and death were uncertain, the investigative authority had been seized directly by the Empress, and the Third Imperial Princess had been brought into it as well. The situation had completely spiraled out of control.
A sudden assassination, a clumsy frame-up that was full of holes—originally, it might have completely cast the Eighth Imperial Princess into the dust, or pushed the Eldest Princess into even greater danger. Yet with just a few short words, Xiao Yuhuang redirected the storm into far darker depths and won for herself a critically important foothold.
The ritual assembly ended hastily in an eerie and terrifying atmosphere. Everyone was ordered to return to their residences, forbidden to go out without summons, and forbidden to contact one another.
In the carriage on the way home, Father's face was ashen, Mother tightly gripping my hand, her palm icy cold. We all knew that the real bloodshed had only just begun.