The Double-Chapter 603 - 175 Private Prison_2

And Emperor Hongxiao could further endear himself to the hearts of the people, clearly demonstrating to the citizens of Northern Yan that he was an emperor of justice and integrity.

Privately or publicly, Emperor Hongxiao held no reservations regarding Princess Yongning in this case. Even if Empress Dowager Liu came crying for mercy, or Prince Cheng made roundabout inquiries, Emperor Hongxiao had Eunuch Su respond to them, refusing all audiences.

The case was jointly tried by the Dali Temple, the Ministry of Punishment, and the Censorate.

Xiao Deyin was utterly astonished when she learned of this news. She had stayed indoors at her residence these days. When she heard about the fallout between Princess Yongning and the Li Family, she was overjoyed. And when Princess Yongning was demoted to a commoner, her joy grew even more. However, nothing was absolutely certain; fortunes could change. Princess Yongning may have fallen out of favor now, but if one day she were to make a comeback, Xiao Deyin might still be in danger.

Just at this moment, Xue Huaiyuan’s accusation came like timely rain, reviving Xiao Deyin’s spirit. If Xue Huaiyuan’s accusation succeeded, according to the laws of Northern Yan, Princess Yongning would face certain death. In that case, the things she had done would remain unknown, and the Princess would no longer pose a threat to silence her, allowing her to truly rest easy.

Xiao Deyin just hadn’t expected that Xue Huaiyuan, who was rumored to have turned into a useless madman, would actually regain his clarity, and the person coming forward was Xue Huaiyuan himself. She originally thought that Jiang Li would be involved in this matter, but Jiang Li never made a sound.

However, it didn’t matter. Xue Huaiyuan didn’t recognize her. Whether it was Xue Huaiyuan or Jiang Li who filed the accusation, either was fine with her. She would act as a witness, giving Princess Yongning an extra push on her road to hell, hastening her departure.

With a smile, Xiao Deyin began to play with the zither in front of her, and the gloominess of the past several days evaporated.

...

Due to the turmoil sparked by Xue Huaiyuan’s beating of the Injustice Drum, the Princess’s Mansion in Yanjing City was sealed shut. The night guards who sealed the mansion dozed off at its gates. All the gold and silver treasures inside had been sorted, and the servants and valets were dispatched elsewhere, leaving the mansion empty. The once bustling and magnificent Princess’s Mansion had become desolate in an instant, provoking sighs from onlookers.

But the officials responsible for confiscating the mansion’s assets had no time for such sentiments, astounded as they were by its wealth. It made sense that Princess Yongning, being a princess, would have more silver than others. Yet the fortune even surpassed that of top ministers, which was rather thought-provoking. If a princess could amass such wealth, what about Prince Cheng? And those behind him? Could it imply that Prince Cheng’s silver was more abundant than the royal treasury’s?

While some people coveted the wealth, others regarded it as mere dung. For instance, Wen Ji and Zhao Ke, who were perched atop the mansion’s eaves at this moment, had been waiting for the gate guards to get drunk.

Although it was possible to accomplish certain things even without the guards being drunk, it would be more troublesome. Solving problems smoothly without being noticed was certainly a feat only the clever people from the Duke Residence could manage.

On the surrounding eaves, several other figures dressed in black lurked, all from the Duke Residence, standing by. Zhao Ke said, "They’re here."

At the same time, the two guards at the gate, with a thud, slumped against the door frame, embracing a jar of wine as they began to snore loudly.

The guards could hardly be blamed for neglecting their duties. After all, the Princess’s Mansion had already been emptied, and with nothing left, it seemed unlikely anyone else would come.

Zhao Ke and Wen Ji exchanged glances, then swiftly moved along the eaves, and upon reaching the inner courtyard, they jumped down, landing in the yard. There, Jih Heng was already waiting for them.

He was no longer dressed in fine clothing. His night attire appeared simple and neat but his features made it look anything but ordinary. He headed to the furthest room, a tea house, which only had a low table that had been cleared of even the teapot and cups, leaving nothing behind.

Jih Heng circled the room, running his hand along the wall, pausing when he reached a certain spot. He pushed hard against it, and with a soft "click," the brick recessed, followed by the entire wall slowly shifting, revealing a door.

Jih Heng led the way in, with Wen Ji and Zhao Ke closely following.

This was a long, secret passage lit by torches placed in ornate sconces, almost like an underground palace. The faint sound of water could be heard until they reached the end of the passage where space suddenly opened up, exposing an entire hidden chamber.