"Now isn't there just an excuse falling into our laps? Ye Xinxin left the palace, and her servants are not clean - handed. We've noticed that some items are missing from the palace, so let's go and check."
The young emperor blinked his eyes, failing to react for a moment.
He never thought that one day, the means used for vying for favor in the harem would be used as an excuse by his own uncle.
However, at this moment, even such a poor excuse would do. The most important thing was to find the person as soon as possible.
Just like this, the eldest young master led his men straight to the Ye Mansion.
Looking at the gatekeeper and guards blocking the way, he showed no courtesy at all.
"Get out of the way quickly, or I'll have to use force."
The leading guard was no coward. He mustered his courage and confronted the eldest young master at the gate.
"The eldest young master is really being too presumptuous. Our masters haven't returned yet. If you just barge in like this with your men, aren't you afraid that someone will publicly impeach you in the court tomorrow?"
Shi An didn't take the guard's words to heart at all. A hint of disdain played on the corner of his mouth.
"Then you can just let those civil officials impeach me. I'd like to see how capable the people of the Ye family are. How dare they steal from the palace? Don't they think they've lived too long?"
These words immediately changed the guard's face. He gritted his teeth. Looking at the increasing number of passers - by around, he quickly spoke out to stop him, trying to save face for his masters.
"Our Ye family is a big and prosperous family. Such things have never happened before. The eldest young master mustn't just slander people at will. The Ye family has made so many contributions to the court. It's not someone that anyone can slander."
"Slander? You guys talk as if it's so nice. This is an order directly from the emperor. If you have any problems, go to the palace and confront the emperor. Now get out of the way. I'm here on the emperor's order to arrest the audacious servant girls and retrieve the palace items. Anyone who tries to stop me will be killed without mercy."
Following his words, all the imperial guards behind him drew their swords. They confronted the guards on both sides. Just as it seemed that a fight was about to break out, a voice came from the crowd behind.
"Eldest Young Master Shi comes suddenly. I didn't receive any news, so I wasn't able to greet you in time. Please forgive me. But you suddenly bring so many imperial guards to the door of my Ye Mansion without prior notice. Isn't that a bit inappropriate?"
A sharp look shot over. Lord Ye subconsciously flinched, but then he came to his senses. With so many people around, if he backed down at this moment, he was afraid that he would become the laughingstock of everyone tomorrow.
There was no other way. He could only choose to face the difficulty head - on. He led the family members behind him forward.
"I've already said that I'm here on the emperor's order. Some important items are missing from the palace. Everyone who has entered and left the palace recently has been investigated. Except for Miss Ye and a few maids, no one else has left the palace."
Lord Ye's face had turned as black as ink.
"The people of my Ye family would never do such a thing as stealing. Even if our Ye family is so poor that we have to beg on the street, we would never do such a ridiculous thing. I'm sure it must be a misunderstanding on the part of the emperor and the eldest young master. I won't see you off, Eldest Young Master."
After saying that, Lord Ye didn't intend to stay any longer. He led all the family members behind him and was about to go in.
However, Shi An hadn't achieved his goal today. How could he allow this?
He flashed forward and led his men to directly block in front of Lord Ye.
"I'm just following orders. Please don't make things difficult for me, my lord."
After saying that, he didn't intend to say more. He waved his hand, and all the people behind him rushed in all at once.
Lord Ye watched those people filing in one by one. He was so angry that he was almost foaming at the mouth.
"How dare you! You just barge into the residence of a court official. Do you not put me in your eyes at all? Fine, such a good 'following orders'. I'll personally ask the emperor in court tomorrow what this is all about."
He was so angry that he was almost in a faint. Even so, there was not the slightest hint of regret in Shi An's eyes. When Ye Xinxin left the palace, the person in front of him was no longer someone under his command.
After all the imperial guards rushed in and searched thoroughly, he nervously looked at Han Suo who came out: "How about it? Did you find it?"
The response he got was just a shake of the head: "We didn't miss a single blade of grass or a single tree here. We found nothing."
Shi An subconsciously refused to believe it.
"How is that possible? At this critical moment, they are the only ones who would dare to do such a thing."
After thinking for a while, he turned to look at the furious man. A glint of killing intent flashed in his eyes.
Also, in a place where no one else could see, Lord Ye directly shot a provocative look.
This look almost made Shi An lose control of his emotions.
Han Suo was standing beside him, so only the two of them saw that look.
Even though this look was like an admission, there was still no way to pin the crime on them.
Han Suo could only remind him in a low voice.
"Let's go back and discuss other methods. Just now, the person has already placed the thing inside. We can temporarily control the people of the Ye family. This can at least keep the empress dowager safe for the time being."
For now, this was the only thing they could do.
Shi An gritted his teeth. Just then, an imperial guard ran out of the mansion.
"My lord, we found this jade pendant in a maid's room. It was accidentally left in the noble consort's palace by the emperor before."
A cold smile played on Shi An's lips. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the panic on Lord Ye's face. His voice, seemingly a soft scolding but actually carrying internal strength, exploded in the ears of everyone around.
"What noble consort? Miss Ye has received the emperor's order and has been divorced from the palace. Now she is just Miss Ye. If you can't control your mouth next time, I won't spare you easily."
The imperial guard quickly responded, left the jade pendant in his hand, and stepped back to one side.
Shi An curled his lips: "Lord Ye, take a good look. This jade pendant was left to the emperor by the late emperor. But now it has been stolen back by someone in your mansion. I have to suspect the intentions of the people in your mansion. All this needs further investigation. Now I'm going back to report to the emperor. Please don't go anywhere, Lord Ye and the people in your mansion. The imperial guards will be guarding around."
After saying this, he led his men away with a swagger. The looks of the passers - by at the Ye family members all changed involuntarily.
Before, after the Ye family had a noble consort, they publicized it widely. So probably no one in the whole Changjing City didn't know about it.
Now this noble consort has suddenly been divorced from the palace. The twists and turns in this really make people's imaginations run wild.
Lord Ye was so angry that he fainted because of Shi An's words.
All the family members around were immediately in a panic.
"Someone! Go and call the doctor quickly. My lord, are you okay?"