It was a pity that the Grand Empress Dowager was destined to be disappointed, for she saw nothing.
"Hmm? What is the Grand Empress Dowager denying? I haven't even said anything yet, and you're so eager to deny. Could it be that you've done something sorry to me?" Mu Fengqie cast a suspicious look at the Grand Empress Dowager, making the latter break out in a cold sweat on her back.
"Nothing. I was just too impatient. I've done nothing wrong," the Grand Empress Dowager said, wiping the cold sweat off her forehead.
"Oh, that's good. I thought those assassins last night were sent by you. Fortunately, they weren't. Otherwise, I wouldn't know how to face you," Mu Fengqie said, exaggeratingly patting her chest and taking a deep breath, as if she had really suspected the Grand Empress Dowager.
"How could that be? I like you so much. How could I send assassins to kill you?" The Grand Empress Dowager smiled kindly, looking at Mu Fengqie as if she were her own daughter.
Mu Fengqie almost vomited from the sight, but she had to smile and say, "Since that's the case, please come in and have a seat. I've already sent someone to invite the Emperor."
"What?!" The Grand Empress Dowager looked at Mu Fengqie in surprise. When did this happen? Didn't she stop Mu Fengqie's people? How could there still be someone going to call the Emperor?
"Why are you so surprised, Grand Empress Dowager? I just signaled a maid to go and call the Emperor," Mu Fengqie said with a smile, looking at the Grand Empress Dowager. Trying to stop her maid Zhufei from going out? Fine. She'd just send someone else.
She knew the Grand Empress Dowager had something to hide. Those people last night must have been sent by this old woman. The concubines in the harem didn't know much about Yuan Yerui. Even if they did, they wouldn't meddle in other people's business, because the current Emperor was Yuan Yuchuan. What did he have to do with this twelve - year - old Yuan Yerui?
They'd be stupid to send assassins to kill him.
"Mu Fengqie! You're really something!" The Grand Empress Dowager gritted her teeth and glared at Mu Fengqie. She felt she couldn't stay here any longer. Once the Emperor came, it would be even harder to explain.
The Grand Empress Dowager gave a fierce glare at Mu Fengqie and Yuan Yerui, then turned around and tried to leave in a hurry. But just as Mu Fengqie told the Grand Empress Dowager, the Emperor was almost there. It was too late to leave now.
"His Majesty the Emperor is coming—"
"Greetings to Your Majesty. Long live the Emperor!" Mu Fengqie led the group to greet the Emperor, and deliberately glanced at the Grand Empress Dowager's face while bowing.
Hmm! It had turned completely dark.
"Rise," Yuan Yuchuan rushed over with his entourage. After seeing that Mu Fengqie was safe, he let out a sigh of relief. Good. Mu Fengqie couldn't have an accident for now.
"Fengqie, is what you just told me true?" Yuan Yuchuan ignored the Grand Empress Dowager standing aside and asked.
"Your Majesty, it's true. If it weren't for Yerui blocking a sword for me last night, Your Majesty might have to hold a funeral for me today," Mu Fengqie said with a look of fear.
However, Yuan Yerui was completely confused. He didn't block any sword! Yuan Yerui glanced at Mu Fengqie and was immediately glared at fiercely by her, then he silently shut up. His master said so, so he must have blocked a sword for his master last night.
"That's good. That's good. It's good that you're safe," Yuan Yuchuan said gratefully. It seemed that leaving Yuan Yerui by Mu Fengqie's side was the right decision. At least he could protect Mu Fengqie's safety at a critical moment.
"Your Majesty, the bodies of the assassins from last night haven't been disposed of yet. I think they look like the palace secret guards. I wonder if Your Majesty could take a look," Mu Fengqie said, glancing at the Grand Empress Dowager beside her.
"What? The palace secret guards?! Who is so bold! Xiaolizi, go and carry out those bodies. I want to see whose secret guards they are!" Yuan Yuchuan was shocked, and then anger followed. Someone dared to attempt an assassination in the palace! They really didn't put him, the Emperor, in their eyes.
Xiaolizi quickly led several strong eunuchs and followed Zhufei. In a short while, they carried out several dead bodies.
"Your Majesty, all the bodies are here," Xiaolizi said as he laid the bodies out one by one.
Yuan Yuchuan took a look at their faces and quickly searched his memory for these faces. But, strangely enough, he had never seen these people before.
"Fengqie, are you mistaken? These people are not the palace secret guards at all," Yuan Yuchuan said, looking at Mu Fengqie.
After hearing Yuan Yuchuan's words, the Grand Empress Dowager let out a sigh of relief. Fortunately, it seemed that when the late Emperor gave her the secret guards, he didn't let these guards show their faces. Now, no matter what Mu Fengqie said, she couldn't be suspected.
Mu Fengqie glanced at the self - satisfied Grand Empress Dowager and said quietly, "I'm not mistaken. I'm so sure because I found this on these people."
With that, Mu Fengqie asked Zhufei to take out something and hand it to Yuan Yuchuan. Yuan Yuchuan was extremely shocked after seeing it.
"This jade pendant..." Yuan Yuchuan looked at the jade pendant in Zhufei's hand, then at the Grand Empress Dowager, and said, "I need to confirm."
He wasn't sure yet if these were the people around the Grand Empress Dowager, because this jade pendant was the one commonly used by the secret guards during his father's reign. Since he ascended the throne, these jade pendants had been replaced.
But now it appeared again. Yuan Yuchuan gave the Grand Empress Dowager a suspicious look. Only she could have such a thing.
"Someone! Summon the Regent Prince to the palace!"
When Yuan Yuhan arrived, Mu Fengqie and the others had already changed the venue, so Yuan Yuhan didn't see the dead bodies.
"Brother Emperor, why did you summon me?" Yuan Yuhan walked in impatiently. After seeing Mu Fengqie, the Grand Empress Dowager, and a little boy, he immediately straightened his posture.
"Regent Prince, do you still recognize this jade pendant?" Yuan Yuchuan placed the jade pendant in front of Yuan Yuhan for him to look at.
Yuan Yuhan squinted his eyes and looked at it carefully, then said, "Isn't this the jade pendant used by the secret guards during Father Emperor's reign? Why is there still such a thing?"
"Brother, take a good look. Is there anything different about this jade pendant?" Yuan Yuchuan looked at Yuan Yuhan and said.
After Yuan Yuchuan said this, Yuan Yuhan really noticed something different. There was a small crack in the middle of the jade pendant. This crack wasn't caused by a fall, but was carved. If you didn't look carefully, you wouldn't be able to see it at all.