Chapter 789 - 742: Scapegoat
Zhao Hua was well aware that he was just a commoner, without any official position, and young; his status was indeed light. When he returned home, neither his grandfather nor his father would allow Yan’er to suffer any grievance.
With them stepping in, Huangfu Yuxuan couldn’t evade responsibility.
If he pushed Huangfu Yuxuan too hard at this moment, it might backfire.
Therefore, he said to Princess Ning, "I kindly request that you thoroughly investigate this matter quickly. This result, I must also report to my father and grandfather!"
This was using Grand Tutor Zhao to exert pressure. The displeasure in Huangfu Yuxuan’s heart increased, but at this moment, he was also somewhat disordered and couldn’t bother to argue.
Princess Ning cursed inwardly but had no choice but to nod in agreement, and then went outside to give instructions in quick succession.
As Huangfu Yuxuan was leaving, he cast a cold glance at Xia Wenjin. That glance held not only frustration but also anger, and more than anything else, complexity...
Was she destined to become the woman he could never obtain?
He had come this far, how could he be willing to accept it?
Prince Ning Mansion quickly came out with the results of the thorough investigation; someone had burned incense with aphrodisiac properties in the room.
During the meticulous investigation of the mansion, they traced it to a maid named Ling Dang, who confessed. She was dissatisfied with Princess He Ye for punishing her laziness, so she deliberately placed this item in the room, intending to disgrace the noble ladies who went to change clothes, to achieve her revenge against Princess He Ye.
She hadn’t expected that the noble ladies would really be disgraced, and even less, that a man would come into the area.
This result was unacceptable, as they still needed to exonerate Huangfu Yuxuan.
So the investigation continued.
It led to discovering a steward of the Prince Mansion.
This steward’s identity was extraordinary; he was actually a remnant of the Dragon Nest Tribe from years past, resentful that Nanxia annihilated their tribe, he harbored a strong desire for revenge. However, given Nanxia Country’s power, he merely managed to infiltrate Prince Ning Mansion as a minor steward, incapable of enacting revenge on his own.
At this grand event, he knew Huangfu Yuxuan was the Imperial Grandson and also knew Ling Dang was discontent with Princess He Ye, so he took advantage of a moment when Huangfu Yuxuan was alone, drugging him and bringing him unconscious to the changing room.
These two individuals were beaten to death with rods on the spot.
However, this so-called truth was truly clumsy and hard to believe.
But who cared about that? For Huangfu Yuxuan, as long as there was an explanation on the surface declaring his innocence, it was sufficient.
For the Zhao Family, as long as there was a surface explanation showing Zhao Keyan was framed, it was enough.
Although riddled with loopholes, this explanation sufficed to conclude the matter.
Huangfu Yuxuan acknowledged it, the Zhao Family acknowledged it, and Prince Ning Mansion acknowledged it, which was enough.
Xia Wenjin and Huangfu Jingchen said nothing.
Xia Wenjin realized that Prince Ning Mansion would never reveal Princess He Ye’s involvement, and perhaps she wasn’t the only one aware of this entire affair.
Huangfu Yuxuan was aiming to deal with her.
And Zhao Keyan appearing here was her own choice.
While Huangfu Jingchen was angry that Prince Ning Mansion dared to plot against Xia Wenjin, speaking up now wouldn’t rectify the injustice for Wenjin, but instead, it would complicate things further. Speaking out was of no benefit.
Prince Ning Mansion dared to collude with Huangfu Yuxuan; it seemed their life had been too comfortable, he remembered Prince Ning Mansion well!
Zhao Keyan hurried back to the Grand Tutor Mansion under Zhao Hua’s escort.
Huangfu Yuxuan also returned to Prince Liang Mansion, full of frustration and anger, and Wei Jian hurriedly went back to report the matter to his father and grandfather.
The guests at Prince Ning Mansion had no mood to stay any longer, and naturally, Prince Ning Mansion had no mind to host them.
As the guests departed, the lively Prince Ning Mansion returned to tranquility, leaving only Prince Ning, lost in heavy thoughts, in the main hall, with Princess Ning and Princess He Ye also summoned.
Prince Ning felt a headache.
Other mansions could host banquets without any issues, so why did hosting a banquet at his mansion result in such a fiasco?
Moreover, the affair involved an Imperial Grandson and the daughter of Grand Tutor Zhao?
Could he, a leisure prince, afford to offend either of these two?
At this moment, Princess Ning came in first.
Prince Ning abruptly stood up, staring at Princess Ning, and asked in a deep voice, "What exactly is going on?"
Others might not know, but how could he not?
When did his mansion become a refuge for remnants of the Dragon Nest Tribe? Moreover, Ling Dang, the maid, had been by He Ye’s side all along, a trusted and clever person. Even if He Ye did punish her, Ling Dang, a mere maid sold into the mansion from a young age, wouldn’t dare to act with such audacity.