Chapter 954 Duke Yong Died
Qin Yuru indeed met Prince Chenâs carriage at the intersection, but she didnât have a chance to get close to it. She took a few steps forward, but a guard whipped her heavily to the ground and injured her face. Then, more guards rushed over and took her down before she could say a word.
Two guards with swords quickly caught her, one rudely stuffing her handkerchief into her mouth and the other tying her hands up together with a thick rope.
Mei Xue was so stunned when seeing the scene that she didnât dare to show up. She hid behind the carriage and watched the guards from Prince Chenâs Mansion drag Qin Yuru away as if they were pulling a dead dog.
They didnât take her to Prince Chenâs Mansion. Mei Xue followed them and saw the two guards drag Qin Yuru into the Ministry of Justice!
Many passers-by also followed Qin Yuru till they reached the entrance of the Ministry of Justice, but none of them had ever noticed Mei Xue. They gossiped about it with curiosity and guessed which family Qin Yuru came from. âOrdinary families cannot afford those clothes!â
After Qin Yuru was dragged inside, Mei Xue was deep in a panic. She dared not stay there any longer. She rushed back to Duke Yongâs Mansion to ask Old Madam of Duke Yongâs Mansion for help.
When reaching the gate, she bumped into a servant, and they both fell to the ground.
The servant suddenly cried loud, âDuke... Duke Yong fell into the river and died!â
The doorman was startled. âWho... Who are you talking about?â
âDuke Yong! Hurry up and report to Old Madam and Countess Yong! Duke Yong had an accident! He... he fell into a river and drowned on his way home!â The servant panicked and burst into tears.
Mei Xue became limp, sitting on the ground and staring at Duke Yongâs Mansion in front of her. She felt hopeless now as much as she was looking forward to a happy life when Qin Yuru and she came back here.
âEven Duke Yong encountered bad things. Who else could help Missâs business now?â
Duke Yongâs Mansion was indeed in continuous disasters. Scandals about them were exposed one by one.
First, Madam Di was burned to death in Ningyuan Army Generalâs Mansion by her biological daughter, Qin Yuru, the Eldest Young Madam of Duke Yongâs Mansion. Second, this First Miss Qin was actually the biological daughter of Grand Princeâs fourth son instead of Ningyuan Army General. Third, Duke Yong could not bear the blow and drowned in a river.
Of course, there were different versions of Duke Yongâs drowning. Some said that Duke Yong jumped into the river because he failed to go over the shock.
Others said that he was pushed into the water.
âAnother event was also happening on the bank when Duke Yong passed by the river. Someone was catching a thief, and lots of onlookers gathered to watch the scene and accidentally pushed some passers-by into the river, including Duke Yong. But he was the only one who died in the accident! He had been dead when he was fished out of the water!â
âGeneral Qin raised the daughter for more than ten years, but it turns out she is not his biological daughter! How ridiculous it is! That daughter even killed her mother, which has been confirmed by Old Madam of Duke Yongâs Mansion...â
âYes! Old Madam of Duke Yongâs Mansion has the evidence. Qin Yuru is indeed not Qin Huaiyongâs biological daughter. Her real father was Chu Huairan!â
âIt is also true that Qin Yuru killed her mother! When the murderer escaped to Prince Chenâs Mansion and wanted to threaten Princess Chen, she was taken down and directly sent to the Ministry of Justice by Prince Chen.â
âOnce it is confirmed, she must be executed even if she is a noble lady!â
The Ministry of Justice executed prisoners after the autumn harvest.
There was also hearsay among people that Qin Yuru was about to tell Princess Chen a secret at that time, but Princess Chen didnât want to hear it and drove her out.
âWhy did Qin Yuru want to tell secrets to Princess Chen, with whom she was at odds? When Qin Yuru went to Grand Princeâs Mansion, she stayed there for a long time. Didnât she talk to her biological father and grandfather about the secret? Grand Prince recognized her without hesitation, didnât he?â
More and more people began to suspect Grand Prince, who rarely appeared in front of the public. âDid Qin Yuru really not tell him? What is the secret about?â
Classified reports were sent to the Emperor one after one. Informed that Duke Yong once met some of his sons before he died, the Emperor flew into a rage and scolded those princes.
Chu Liuchen was not involved. He was in the Imperial Palace at that time, and the reports said Duke Yong had never been to Prince Chenâs Mansion.
Prince Yue and Commandery Prince Qing were the most suspicious. Their faces were swollen because the Emperor threw several indictment books on them.
As a spectator, Chu Liuchen did not care about the Emperorâs anger and didnât speak until the Emperor ran out of the indictment books. âDuke Yong had a secret, Uncle the Emperor!â
The Emperor stopped his hand holding a book and looked at Chu Liuchen. âWhat secret?â
âI have no idea. I heard of it from Princess Chen, who heard about it from Qin Yuru. When Qin Yuru saw me return to my mansion, she rushed over and desperately wanted to talk with me. I think she knows what Duke Yongâs secret is. Otherwise, she wouldnât have been so confident in front of us!â Chu Liuchen said casually.
Chu Liuchen was the only prince who wasnât rebuked by the Emperor. Even Chu Liuzhou and Chu Liuxin couldnât escape.
âUncle the Emperor, Qin Yuru has rarely come back to Ningyuan Army Generalâs Mansion since she married into Duke Yongâs Mansion three years ago. If she knows some secrets, they must have something to do with Duke Yongâs Mansion. What kind of secret she thought could make me think highly of her?â
âWhat Qin Yuru thought would interest Chu Liuchen?â The Emperor couldnât figure it out, but he knew it couldnât be anything trivial. His cold eyes fell on Chu Liuyue and Chu Qing. âThe two once met Duke Yong in secret, didnât they?â
One was his son, and the other was his nephew!
âQin Yuru didnât get along well with Princess Chen in the past. She tried to kill Princess Chen several times and intended to shift all her scandals to my princess. In such cases as these, I donât think Qin Yuru would ask Princess Chen for help unless the secret she used to trade is something really serious!â
Chu Liuchen blinked his eyes and smiled slightly, calm and elegant.
However, Chu Liuyueâs heart skipped a beat, and he subconsciously looked down. It was the secret between him and Duke Yong! The secret was the reason why Duke Yong died.
âI cannot let Father know about this secret. Otherwise, I will be the next one who dies!â Chu Liuyue thought.
He clenched his fists and didnât dare to speak. He just kept silent and lowered his head as if he had just been punished. No one knew how scared and worried he was at the moment. âHow much does Qin Yuru know? Will she give me away?
âI should have sent someone to kill Qin Yuru at that time, so this slut will never have a chance to ruin my plan!
âHas the invalid Chu Liuchen already known something?â
âWhy not question Qin Yuru?â the Emperor thought for a moment and said coldly.
âIâm afraid itâs too late, Uncle the Emperor.â Chu Liuchen shook his head.
âHow could it be too late?â The Emperor frowned.
âUncle the Emperor, I am afraid that when she was making a scene in front of my mansion, lots of people, including the person behind, have heard something. She is now in the prison of the Ministry of Justice, but outside people still get access to her. You can no longer get anything from Qin Yuru!â Chu Liuchen shook his head with a smile.
The Ministry of Justice had strict rules, but criminals like Qin Yuru were allowed to meet families. Whatâs more, she didnât commit any political crime. Anyone could meet her as long as they gave some money!
Qin Yuru must have been told to keep the secret! She was at such a dead end that it was useless to threaten her with even her life.
âThen what should we do?â The Emperor nodded and thought what Chu Liuchen said made sense. âI have never thought about such a situation.â
âWhy not investigate Duke Yongâs Mansion directly, Uncle the Emperor? Since Qin Yuru could find it out there, you can too!â Chu Liuchen smiled.
Chu Liuyue was alarmed.
âRansack Duke Yongâs Mansion!â The Emperor thought it was reasonable, so he slammed his hand on the table and gave the order at once. âI donât believe that Duke Yongâs Mansion can keep the secret forever!â
People said Duke Yongâs death was either an accident or a suicide because he couldnât bear the suffering. However, the Emperor didnât buy such hearsay. It was so coincidental that he couldnât help suspecting it.
The head of the Minister of Justice took the order and left. He was going to deal with the cases of Duke Yongâs Mansion.
âYour Majesty, Zhaoyi Di is kneeling outside!â Derong came in and whispered in the Emperorâs ear.
âLeave her alone!â The Emperor waved his hand coldly.
Derong didnât dare to say anything more. He walked out of the Imperial Study, outside of whose door knelt a woman in thin clothes. She lowered her head and said nothing with a palace maid kneeling beside her. As soon as the palace maid saw Derong, she called in a pleading voice, âMr. Derong!â
âYouâd better go, Zhaoyi Di. I canât ask His Majesty to do anything for you! Iâm just a servant,â said Derong. The Emperor was in a bad mood so that no one could cry for mercy in front of him now.
âIâll keep kneeling!â Zhaoyi Di raised her head and said with a haggard look. âHow can I leave now after such things happened to my family?â
âIt has nothing to do with you, Zhaoyi Di. It is all about the Eldest Young Madam of your mansion!â Derong also thought Qin Yuru was the main cause of everything bad. âShe is simply a jinx. When she was in Qinâs Mansion, she brought misfortune to the Qin family and made people detest them! Now she was in Duke Yongâs Mansion and just did the same to the Di family.
âIf His Majesty figures out something in Duke Yongâs Mansion, the entire Duke family might be over.â
Zhaoyi Di looked at Derong tearfully and said, âDerong, someone must plot against my brother. Please report to His Majesty that I need to talk with him!â
Derong hesitated for a moment and replied, âItâs not that I donât want to help you, Zhaoyi Di. No one can help you in this!â
âIt wonât put you in a difficult situation, Derong. I want to talk with him about Duke Yongâs Mansion. When my brother came to visit me the last time, he gave something to me. It may be useful for His Majesty,â Zhaoyi Di pled again.
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