Chapter 54
**Chapter 54: Has She Been Wronged?**
...
The Yan Wang was still at the East Palace.
For two days, the Yan Wang and the officials from the Ministry of Justice had interrogated the two captured assassins, finally uncovering the identity of the mastermind behind the assassination attempt.
The attackers had come from the Yue Kingdom, collaborating with a mysterious force from the Qing Kingdom, intent on killing both the Yan Wang and the Crown Prince. However, it remained unclear whether this force had any ties to the Heng Wang.
At the lunch table, the Crown Prince sighed deeply, exhaustion etched on his face. "Aside from the Guifei and the Heng Wang, I really can't think of anyone who would want us dead."
Just then, another fit of violent coughing seized him, a metallic taste rising in his throat.
The Yan Wang quickly rubbed his brother's back and handed him a cup of tea. "Brother, leave the matter of the assassins to me. You need to focus on getting better."
The Crown Prince's condition was worsening; he coughed every night, barely managing to keep his illness at bay with the palace's medicine.
The Yan Wang was deeply worried and had been sending people into the Jianghu to search for the elusive Mo Shenyi (Mo the Divine Doctor). This doctor was notoriously hard to track down; he had recently been spotted in the Yue Kingdom but vanished just as quickly.
After sipping some tea to soothe his throat, the Crown Prince waved his hand dismissively. "It's just a minor illness, nothing serious. Let's continue our meal."
The lunch at the Crown Prince's residence was, of course, exquisite. A serving girl stepped forward and added two spoonfuls of fish soup to the Crown Prince's bowl. He loved eating rice soaked in crucian carp soup, but just as he was about to dig in, the Yan Wang suddenly interjected, "Brother, rice soaked in soup isn't good for your stomach. You should eat less of that from now on."
The Crown Prince looked at the Yan Wang in disbelief. "Yuanjing, you used to be indifferent to the idea that 'soup-soaked rice harms the stomach.' Where did you hear that?"
The Yan Wang, who had spent years riding horses and shooting arrows, had fought at the borders in his youth and was somewhat of a rough man. It was only after assisting the Crown Prince with state affairs that he had reluctantly picked up some scholarly habits.
But when it came to eating, he still had a rough edge.
"The Wei Wei told me," the Yan Wang replied. "She said that soup-soaked rice puts extra strain on the spleen and stomach, making it easier to develop gastric issues."
At the dining table, Shen Wei would often share dining habits with the Yan Wang, and he had been subtly influenced by her.
Shen Wei mainly hoped that the Yan Wang would live a long life and develop healthy eating habits to avoid dying young from stomach ailments.
The Crown Prince couldn't help but chuckle as he recalled the delicious roasted meat made by Shen Wei. "Your concubine is quite devoted. During the East Mountain hunt, she braved obstacles to find you in the wild. Since you favor her, make sure to protect her well."
The Yan Wang replied, "She lives in the palace, right under my nose. Nothing will happen to her."
The back courtyard of the Yan Wang's residence was as calm as a still pond. There had been little strife among the wives and concubines in recent years.
Shen Wei was favored, and aside from a newcomer who was too naive to see the situation and sought trouble, it seemed the Wang Fei and the other concubines would not target Shen Wei.
The Crown Prince set down his chopsticks, recalling distant memories. "Yuanjing, never underestimate the cruelty of the women in the inner court. After all, I and the Wang Fei are the best examples, aren't we?"
The East Palace was filled with concubines, yet the Crown Prince had chosen to favor the gentle and dignified Wang Fei.
He had thought that the Wang Fei's esteemed position would deter the other women from plotting against her. But years ago, when the Wang Fei finally became pregnant after much difficulty, she unexpectedly gave birth to a daughter eight months in, suffering greatly in the process.
The Wang Fei's health was severely compromised, making it difficult for her to conceive again. Their daughter was frail and sickly from birth.
The Crown Prince found it suspicious and secretly investigated. He discovered that three concubines had conspired to induce the Wang Fei's premature labor! They had even bribed the midwife, intending to put the Wang Fei in grave danger.
That was when the Crown Prince truly realized how brutal the struggles among women could be. The concubines, who appeared cultured and reasonable, resorted to unscrupulous means to vie for favor, revealing their ugly sides.
The Crown Prince warned meaningfully, "Yuanjing, remember my words: you can know a person’s face but not their heart."
The Yan Wang lowered his gaze and nodded slowly.
...
After leaving the East Palace, the Yan Wang rode back to the palace, his mind occupied with the Crown Prince's words.
He had grown quite fond of Shen Wei and was naturally inclined to protect her.
In the back courtyard of the palace, the Wang Fei's thoughts were solely on their two children, while the other concubines, like Liu Ru Yan, rarely ventured out.
The Yan Wang believed Shen Wei was in a safe position; no one would dare to harm her.
Upon returning to the palace, the Yan Wang instinctively glanced under the eaves as he stepped over the threshold. In the past, Shen Wei would always be waiting for him there, eagerly anticipating his return.
But today, the bright sunlight poured down, and the space under the eaves was empty.
Where could she be?
"Could she have overslept and lost track of time?" The Yan Wang chuckled helplessly and strode toward the Liuli Pavilion, curious about what had delayed Shen Wei.
The afternoon Liuli Pavilion was quiet. The two young eunuchs, Jixiang and Deshun, were watering the vegetable garden, while Cai Lian and Cai Ping were sweeping the white jade cool mat. Looking out over the lotus pond, he saw no sign of Shen Wei.
In this sweltering heat, could she really be napping in the stifling room?
The Yan Wang raised a hand to silence the eunuchs and moved quietly toward the bedroom in the Liuli Pavilion.
In the summer, the resourceful Shen Wei had decorated the bedroom to be refreshing, replacing the curtains with vibrant green beaded drapes that were pleasing to the eye.
On the desk, a vase held freshly cut lotus flowers, filling the room with a delicate floral fragrance. However, the Yan Wang noticed that the lotus flowers on the table had already wilted, clearly from the previous day.
Strange. Shen Wei always changed the flowers daily; why had she forgotten today?
The Yan Wang approached the bed, where Shen Wei lay curled up, draped in a thin mint-green silk blanket.
She seemed to be asleep.
The Yan Wang smiled softly, realizing she had indeed lost track of time during her nap. He didn’t want to disturb her, so he gently covered her with the mint-green blanket.
As his gaze inadvertently swept over Shen Wei's wrist, the Yan Wang's pupils constricted. He noticed two distinct red marks on her fair wrist.
"Your Highness, you’re back," Shen Wei murmured as she stirred awake, rubbing her eyes sleepily. Her beautiful eyes slowly opened, revealing lingering red veins.
The Yan Wang grasped Shen Wei's wrist, his voice low and concerned. "What happened to your wrist?"
A flicker of panic crossed Shen Wei's eyes as she stammered, "This morning, I went to the Baihu Temple to pray for blessings. I might have scratched it on a tree branch—Your Highness, I got you a talisman for safety."
Shen Wei awkwardly shifted the topic.
The Yan Wang's sharp gaze flickered.
Meanwhile, Shen Wei had already retrieved a small sachet from the bedside, containing the talisman she had requested.
She forced a smile. "Your Highness, the talismans from Baihu Temple are the most effective. If you carry it with you, you surely won’t encounter any assassins in the future."
The Yan Wang held the sachet, his eyes drifting back to the red marks on Shen Wei's wrist. As someone who had trained in martial arts for years, he could easily tell that the marks were from being bound by a rope.
Just as he was about to press for more details, a voice called from outside, "Your Highness, the Wang Fei requests an audience."
At the sound of the voice, Shen Wei's slender frame trembled slightly. This subtle shiver did not escape the Yan Wang's notice.
He felt a pang of confusion—why would Wei Wei be afraid of a servant?
Shen Wei had already lowered her head, unconsciously rubbing the red marks on her wrist. Her timid demeanor reminded the Yan Wang of a tabby cat he had cared for in his youth.
That little cat had gone missing for ten days before being found, bearing signs of having been mistreated. The Yan Wang had searched for a long time but could never discover who had harmed his beloved pet.
Until one day, the Heng Wang, that little brat, came to visit. The tabby cat had trembled in fear at the sight of him.
Shen Wei's current appearance was strikingly similar to that little tabby cat from his childhood.
"Wei Wei, come with me to the main house," the Yan Wang said, taking her hand.
As he held her hand, he felt a slight sweat in her palm.
Together, they walked to the main house in the center of the Liuli Pavilion, where the Wang Fei was already waiting. Behind her, a couple of bound individuals were being escorted by the maidservants.
The Yan Wang took his seat at the head of the table, and the maidservants respectfully presented him with tea. He lifted the cup, his gaze sweeping over the two bound individuals, his brows arching slightly.
"Who are these two?"
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