Chapter 522: Taking Orders From Whom?
As he spoke, Zhao Chengyin took a stack of papers from his robes.
"This is the transcript of Lord Lu’s testimony, the autopsy reports for the five men, and a portrait of the mastermind. Please, Eldest Princess, look them over!"
Of course, this wasn’t the portrait Lu Yu had provided. It was one he had drawn himself this morning after capturing the man.
The Eldest Princess didn’t particularly want to look at them.
She had already guessed who was behind this investigation.
Nevertheless, she took the papers and read them carefully, one page at a time.
After reading the incredibly detailed descriptions, the Eldest Princess fell silent for a long time before saying, "...These are indeed all very important clues..."
’It was one step short of them just dropping the culprit right in front of me.’
Zhao Chengyin said, "Yes. That is why I ordered my men to conduct an overnight investigation, focusing on anyone who appeared near Qingyang Building within the last three days. The deceased assassins had a Yizhou-Quan Chuan accent, which the waiter remembered quite clearly. This ultimately allowed us to identify the culprit who had met with them. When I arrived with my men, the man was still fast asleep in his bed."
Ye Chutang glanced at the sky outside.
’So they caught him before dawn.’
’That was about an hour ago. Not too long, not too short—plenty of time for the Shuntian Prefecture to lock him up and conduct a thorough interrogation.’
The Eldest Princess frowned slightly. "So you’re saying the assassins were not from the Capital City?"
She couldn’t help but turn to Ye Chutang. "Chutang, do you know anyone from that area?"
Ye Chutang shook her head.
The Eldest Princess grew even more puzzled. "Then... they were deliberately hired from outside the capital to carry out the assassination?"
Zhao Chengyin immediately replied, "I have already questioned him. He recruited all five assassins from out of town, and he taught them what to say to Second Miss Ye. His goal was to conceal his true identity."
Ye Chutang nodded slightly.
"At the time, they claimed to be the same people who assassinated my father three years ago. I didn’t think they matched the description, and it turns out I was right."
"You are very perceptive, Second Miss Ye. They were indeed trying to pin the blame on someone else, to mislead everyone into thinking it was the same people from years ago seeking revenge against you."
The Eldest Princess’s expression grew colder. "They certainly went to a lot of trouble. Have you discovered his true identity?"
Zhao Chengyin clasped his hands. "In response to the Eldest Princess, I have only discovered that the man is named Wu the Fourth. He spends his time drifting around the Capital City, often consorting with all sorts of unsavory characters. The man has no legitimate trade, yet he is never short of money. More importantly, after raiding his residence, I found that he had hidden many items for Disguise. It seems he regularly assumed several different identities."
The more they heard, the more something felt off.
Chen Songshi couldn’t help but frown. "Such bizarre behavior... it sounds like he’s a spy."
At his words, everyone tensed up.
A spy in the Capital City meant this was far more than a simple assassination!
"Did you get anything else out of him?!"
Zhao Chengyin, however, hesitated, looking troubled.
"Well... after he was captured, he refused to say a word. But when I had my men conduct a search, we discovered that he... he seems to..."
Seeing his hesitation, the Eldest Princess said,
"What did you discover? Just say it!"
Zhao Chengyin paused, then finally spoke, enunciating each word.
"I discovered that he had close dealings with the Prince Qi Mansion. He would secretly visit the mansion at regular intervals. It seems... he’s one of their men."
The Eldest Princess was stunned. "What did you say!?"
Everyone else in the room was also stunned.
But they quickly understood—this Wu the Fourth might really be one of Xiao Chengxuan’s men!
As a Prince who was highly favored by His Majesty, Xiao Chengxuan had enjoyed a great deal of prestige over the years.
But maintaining that prestige required a significant investment of effort and money.
Planting agents throughout the capital to gather information and maintain a sharp, vigilant eye—this was not a new tactic.
In fact, it wasn’t just Xiao Chengxuan; many powerful and high-ranking figures had their own informants.
But these people were typically only responsible for relaying information. They would never get blood on their hands, as it was far too much trouble.
Unless he was mad.
Or his master was!
The Eldest Princess’s brow furrowed deeply.
"Do you have proof!?"
...
「Anhua Palace.」
Xiao Chengxuan had been locked away here, sleepless all night.
He didn’t know when he would be exiled.
Yizhou?
’If I’m really sent to a barbaric place like that, it’s a death sentence!’
’I don’t want to leave the Capital City, but... but what can I do now?’
Xiao Chengxuan looked at the tightly shut doors again, his heart filled with dread.
’Right now, who is there that can help me?’
Suddenly, the sound of synchronized footsteps came from outside, growing closer.
Xiao Chengxuan’s heart leaped into his throat. ’They’re coming for me!’
He instinctively gripped the arms of his chair.
"Open the doors."
The guard’s cold voice made Xiao Chengxuan’s heart pound.
The next moment, the doors were opened from the outside. A contingent of the Imperial Army, clad in armor, filed in and flanked him as they advanced.
Xiao Chengxuan instinctively backed away, his entire body screaming resistance.
But in his current state, how could he possibly be a match for them?
"Move!"
It was only after he was led outside that Xiao Chengxuan belatedly realized they weren’t heading for the palace gates.
’They aren’t escorting me out of the palace?’
Seeing the soaring golden eaves ahead, a flicker of hope ignited in Xiao Chengxuan’s heart.
"Are you taking me to Qiyuan Hall? Has Imperial Father woken up? Does he want to see me?!"
No one answered.
Xiao Chengxuan even saw a hint of mockery in the eyes of the guard beside him.
’Mockery?’
Xiao Chengxuan’s unease grew, but he truly couldn’t imagine how things could get any worse. He had already fallen so low.
That question was finally answered when he was led into a side hall of Qiyuan Hall.
He was being accused of secretly ordering the assassination of Ye Chutang!
"Slander! This is slander!"
Xiao Chengxuan was in utter disbelief, his chest feeling as if it were about to burst.
"During this entire time, I could count the number of people I’ve seen on one hand! I’ve been watched every second of every day! How could I possibly have done something like this?!"
He was incandescent with rage and resentment.
"I’ve already admitted to the things I’ve done! But I will not confess to something I haven’t done, not even on pain of death!"
Xiao Chengxuan felt like he was going mad.
Why in the world was everyone relentlessly slinging mud at him?
It was as if an invisible hand was pushing him, bit by bit, into an abyss, determined to see him damned for all eternity.
And he didn’t even know who was behind it!
The Eldest Princess’s brow knitted slightly.
The others exchanged glances, momentarily at a loss for words.
They, too, felt that something was amiss, but they couldn’t quite put their finger on it.
Suddenly, Ye Chutang asked, "This Wu the Fourth... was he one of your men?"
Xiao Chengxuan choked on his words.
He gritted his teeth.
"He was! But that was in the past! Ever since I was placed under house arrest at Chengxin Lake, I have neither seen him nor had any contact with him!"
Ye Chutang looked thoughtful.
"Then why would he want to kill me? Besides you, who else could order him to do it?"