However...
"I remember Father Emperor only gave a jade pendant like this to one person," the prince said, then turned his gaze to the Grand Empress Dowager sitting beside. "It seems it was given to the Grand Empress Dowager, right? What's going on? What happened?"
"Princess Tianlin was assassinated last night, and this jade pendant was found on those people," Yuan Yuchuan said through gritted teeth.
Although he knew the Grand Empress Dowager couldn't have ordered the assassination of Mu Fengqie, neither could Yuan Yerui! Yuan Yerui was the one he had given the order to stay. What the Grand Empress Dowager did was clearly an act of defying the imperial edict.
"Really? The people of the Grand Empress Dowager are still alive!" Yuan Yuhan looked at the Grand Empress Dowager in surprise. This old hag was really something. Those people hadn't rebelled even after so long. It seemed he should find a chance to poach them. He remembered Father Emperor had given her quite a few secret guards back then.
"Indeed. I'm quite surprised too," Yuan Yuchuan said with a forced smile as he looked at the Grand Empress Dowager.
"Your Majesty, there must be some misunderstanding. How could I order the assassination of Fengqie?" For now, she could only claim that those people were sent to assassinate Mu Fengqie, otherwise, she couldn't explain anything else.
"Really? What's the misunderstanding? I'm quite curious too," Mu Fengqie said as she looked at the Grand Empress Dowager leisurely.
The Grand Empress Dowager took a deep breath and said, "Fengqie, you know I truly like you from the bottom of my heart. How could I send people to assassinate you? This must be a misunderstanding, and these people may not even be mine."
"Hmm? This is strange. Both the Emperor and the prince said this jade pendant belongs to the secret guards around the Grand Empress Dowager. Could it be..." Mu Fengqie paused for a moment. After glancing at Yuan Yuchuan and Yuan Yuhan, she said in surprise,
"Could it be that the Emperor and the prince are lying?"
"That's not what I meant," the Grand Empress Dowager hurriedly explained. But now she felt that the more she explained, the worse it got. She felt like she couldn't explain clearly.
"Then what do you mean? Grand Empress Dowager, I'm quite curious too," Yuan Yuchuan's sharp eyes stared directly at the Grand Empress Dowager, scaring her.
"I... I..." The Grand Empress Dowager stammered for a long time but couldn't say anything meaningful. In a hurry, she blurted out the truth. "Those people weren't after Mu Fengqie at all. They were sent to kill this bastard!"
The Grand Empress Dowager stood up and pointed at Yuan Yerui viciously. At this moment, Yuan Yuhan finally took a good look at the child beside Mu Fengqie. He always felt that this child gave him a very familiar feeling, as if he had seen him somewhere before.
Especially those eyes. Suddenly, Yuan Yuhan seemed to remember something. He looked at Yuan Yerui and then at Yuan Yuchuan sitting on the dragon throne. They were alike! Those eyes were so alike!
They were exactly the same as their father's eyes. No wonder he felt so familiar. Wasn't this the youngest son of their father? How did he get involved with Mu Fengqie? If it weren't for this incident today, he would have really forgotten that there was such a person still alive.
"Presumptuous!" After hearing what the Grand Empress Dowager said, Yuan Yuchuan slapped the table and glared angrily. "I've said that I want him to accompany Fengqie. The Grand Empress Dowager still sent people to assassinate him. Does she really not put me in her eyes?"
"Your Majesty, everything I did was for the sake of the country," the Grand Empress Dowager found that after she said this, she felt much more comfortable. She no longer had to be on tenterhooks.
"I'm the Emperor, and I've already warned the Grand Empress Dowager that women in the harem are not allowed to interfere in politics. It seems the Grand Empress Dowager didn't take my words to heart," Yuan Yuchuan looked at the Grand Empress Dowager and wished he could strangle her. She was really a woman with short-sighted views.
"Your Majesty! I'm your grandmother. Is this how you talk to me?" The Grand Empress Dowager's temper flared up, and she directly argued with Yuan Yuchuan.
Mu Fengqie glanced at the two of them, tugged Yuan Yerui, and quietly left. Let them argue here. She needed to go out and get some fresh air.
After seeing Mu Fengqie leave, Yuan Yuhan also followed her out. He didn't want to get involved in this mess.
"Fengqie, wait for me," Yuan Yuhan saw Mu Fengqie walking far away with Yuan Yerui as soon as he came out. He quickly ran over and walked side by side with Mu Fengqie.
"What's up?" Mu Fengqie looked at Yuan Yuhan and asked. Usually, didn't he always want to stick to Aru? Why wasn't he in a hurry to go back now?
"I just want to ask you how you got involved with this kid," he said and glanced at Yuan Yerui beside him without any intention of avoiding.
"It's nothing. I just took a fancy to him. Moreover, he has already apprenticed to me, so he's my person now," Mu Fengqie said.
"Are you serious? Haven't you heard of the strange things that happened to this kid?" Although Yuan Yuhan didn't believe in such things, he didn't have a good impression of Yuan Yerui.
A man who didn't know how to fight back when being bullied? He only knew how to endure. It was really a disgrace to their men. As he thought about it, he looked at Yuan Yerui contemptuously.
"What kind of look is that?" Mu Fengqie happened to see the look Yuan Yuhan gave Yuan Yerui just now, and she immediately protected her protégé.
"Nothing. I just think this kid is quite introverted. He doesn't even know how to ask for help when being bullied," What a disgrace.
"Maybe he's still young. It doesn't matter. No one will bully him from now on," The people she protected wouldn't be bullied by others.
Yuan Yuhan smiled after hearing what Mu Fengqie said. Still young? The children in the palace were all precocious. How could he still be young?
"Fengqie, I want to talk to him," Yuan Yuhan saw Mu Fengqie's expression change and immediately said, "I'm his elder brother. I just want to have a simple talk. I won't bully him."
After getting Yuan Yuhan's assurance, Mu Fengqie looked at Yuan Yerui again. After seeing Yuan Yerui nod, she took a few steps forward to give them some space.
"What do you want to say, elder brother?" Yuan Yerui wasn't as obedient in front of Yuan Yuhan as he was in front of Mu Fengqie. Instead, he was expressionless and exuded a cold aura all over.
"Humph! I knew it. You little brat are just pretending to be a pig to eat the tiger. What do you want to do by getting close to Mu Fengqie?" Yuan Yuhan said sarcastically as he looked at Yuan Yerui.
"How can you say I got close to her? It was clearly her who took me back personally," Yuan Yerui said with a wild look in his eyes.
"Come on. Your little tricks may fool others, but you want to fool me? Save it," Yuan Yuhan saw through Yuan Yerui's disguise at a glance. A little kid still wanted to pretend to be cold?
Yuan Yerui wasn't angry after being exposed. Instead, he calmly said to Yuan Yuhan, "I know you're the only one in the royal family who still has a conscience."
Yuan Yuhan glanced at Yuan Yerui, and the corner of his mouth twitched. Should I thank you for your compliment?