Xiao Rongche's entire body tensed. His eyes, like frightened moths, quickly darted away after colliding with Xiao Chengjing's gaze.
"I only just learned about the County Princess being assassinated, so how could I have sent people to kill her? I am wrongfully accused."
Xiao Rongyan looked indignantly at the Emperor sitting on the dragon throne, his tone carrying a trace of grievance from being falsely accused.
"Imperial Father, I have no enmity with County Princess Linghui, so why would I send assassins after her? This matter is absolutely a frame-up."
Song Jinzhao turned her head to look at the two of them. "Your Highnesses keep claiming innocence, but why didn't the assassins frame anyone else? Why only frame you?"
"You must know that framing a prince is a capital offense."
After speaking, she knelt towards Xiao Chengjing on the dragon throne.
"Your Majesty, according to the confessions of the three assassins, it was the Prince of Qi who ordered his personal guard Cen Yue to give the death-sworn assassins the mission to kill me. Mo Liu, the death-sworn assassin who confessed against the Prince of Ying, even gave the name of Zhao Zhihe, a commanding general of the Prince of Ying's estate. I implore Your Majesty to immediately issue an edict to arrest these two men and bring them to justice. When the time comes, the truth will naturally be revealed."
Xiao Chengjing narrowed his eyes and ordered, "Fan Guanshan, heed my command. Immediately take the Imperial Guards to the Prince of Qi's estate and the Prince of Ying's estate to arrest these two men and bring them to justice."
Fan Guanshan knelt to receive the edict. "This humble official obeys."
Seeing Xiao Rongche and Xiao Rongyan kneeling silently on the ground, a flash of speculation crossed Song Jinzhao's eyes.
Not long after, Fan Guanshan hurried into the imperial study and knelt.
"Answering Your Majesty, this humble official led men to search the estates of the Prince of Qi and the Prince of Ying thoroughly, but did not find Cen Yue and Zhao Zhihe. The stewards of both estates said they hadn't seen them since early morning. They must have fled in fear of punishment."
Xiao Rongche immediately knelt and begged for mercy. "Imperial Father, I am completely unaware of this. Someone must have bribed Cen Yue to plant evidence and frame me."
Xiao Rongyan spoke with a resonant and forceful tone, "Imperial Father, General Zhao would absolutely never assassinate the County Princess. Someone must have kidnapped General Zhao in order to deal with me."
"I beg Imperial Father to immediately order the lockdown of the city. We must find General Zhao to return my innocence."
Song Jinzhao said sarcastically, "I am afraid Cen Yue and Zhao Zhihe have already been silenced by Your Highnesses. In my opinion, what we should be looking for is not people, but corpses."
Xiao Rongyan angrily rebuked Song Jinzhao.
"Watch your words, County Princess. General Zhao is responsible for the safety of the entire Prince of Ying's estate. I would even entrust my own life to him, so how could I kill him?"
"I know the County Princess is extremely furious at this moment, but you cannot make arbitrary judgments and play into the hands of the real mastermind."
The corners of Song Jinzhao's mouth curled into a cold sneer.
"Then His Highness the Prince of Ying should tell us, who exactly is this real mastermind behind the scenes?"
"Who has formed such a massive grudge with the two princes that they would not hesitate to assassinate me just to frame you?"
"And who in the entire capital could cultivate so many death-sworn assassins?"
The imperial study was dead silent. The eyes of Xiao Chengjing, who sat on the dragon throne, were dark and unreadable.
Unless the two of them were framing each other, who else would dare to frame the current princes?
Seeing that none of them spoke, Song Jinzhao faced Xiao Chengjing and spoke again.
"Answering Your Majesty, I still have another doubt in my heart."
"Yesterday, Imperial Physician Hong and I took Attendant Hai's pulse. The fetal pulse was clearly very stable, yet the young mistress complained of stomach pains and kept me there until evening before letting me leave."
"I usually leave the palace before noon. Yet yesterday, the assassins seemed to know well in advance that I would leave the palace at that later time, and set up an ambush ahead of time. I have reason to suspect that Attendant Hai was faking her illness. I beseech Your Majesty to summon Attendant Hai here for a confrontation."
Xiao Chengjing frowned and instructed Zhao Yande, "Have someone bring Attendant Hai over."
Kneeling on the ground, Xiao Rongche nervously clenched his fists, his heart pounding incessantly.
Xiao Rongyan, kneeling on the right side, glanced at the Prince of Qi.
He himself had not instructed Attendant Hai; the one who instructed her must definitely be his good older brother.
Since he did not sweep his tail clean, he might as well let him take the fall for all the crimes.
Outside the Hall of Preserving Harmony, the civil and military officials who had come to attend the morning assembly had already been standing for two hours.
An impatient official could not help but say to Gu Qishan, "Prime Minister Gu, it is already late morning. Will this morning assembly still be held?"
"How about you go and ask the Emperor?"
Gu Qishan remained expressionless. "The Emperor has issued no edict, so we simply wait."
Helpless, the crowd stood back in their original places.
So much time had already passed, and no one knew what the situation was inside the imperial study right now.
Was the assassination case really done by the Prince of Qi and the Prince of Ying?
It was worrying them to death.
Just as everyone thought Attendant Hai was about to arrive, the little eunuch who had gone to deliver the message came running in, stumbling and crawling.
"Your Majesty, terrible news! Attendant Hai fell into the lotus pond in the Imperial Garden. The imperial physicians rushed over and said she might not make it."
