Chapter 382: An Unexpected Discovery of the True Culprit

Chapter 382: Chapter 382: An Unexpected Discovery of the True Culprit

Inside the room, medicinal smoke swirled from an incense burner.

The Emperor, dressed in simple inner robes, sat on the edge of the bed.

His spirits were much better. When he had first been brought over yesterday, his face had been so ashen he looked like he was on the verge of death.

Indeed, in the letter Shen Ningning had sent back to Mo Lingwei yesterday, she had made a bold request.

She had asked Mo Lingwei to bring the Emperor to the side courtyard of the Xie Mansion.

This was because if she were to rashly enter the palace to treat the Emperor now, she would surely attract the attention of the court ministers.

And the Emperor did not want his illness to be revealed.

He wanted to avoid turmoil in the imperial court.

Cangyun Country had just endured two natural disasters and could not withstand another blow.

Therefore, Shen Ningning had detailed in her letter how to secretly bring the Emperor to her home.

First, she had Mo Lingwei summon a carriage, creating the illusion that he was visiting Shen Ningning at the Xie Mansion.

After all, it was no secret in the Capital City that the Crown Prince and Princess Funing were on good terms and often met up for leisure.

However, the person inside the carriage that left the palace was actually the Emperor, not the Crown Prince.

Xie Suzhi had someone help move Wuer, who was gradually recovering, into a side room, freeing up the main house of the side courtyard for the Emperor.

There was another reason Shen Ningning had suggested the Emperor come to her home for treatment.

The spring water here was readily accessible.

She had told Mo Lingwei that the maids in the mansion used water from the lotus pond to scrub and wash the floors every day.

Moreover, the side courtyard was spacious, providing ample room to sun-dry the clothes of the Emperor and Wuer.

Besides, the initial effectiveness of the treatment on Wuer proved that Shen Ningning’s method worked.

Although the plan was audacious, Mo Lingwei agreed to Shen Ningning’s idea in order to save the Emperor’s life.

At this moment, only the Divine Doctor Sima Han was in the room.

To avoid arousing suspicion, Xie Suzhi and Xie Ming’an had gone to the morning court session as usual today.

The only person the Emperor had brought with him from the palace was his trusted subordinate, Commander Lu.

Shen Ningning’s treatment was proving very effective for the Emperor; by morning, he was already much better.

"Ningning, who is making all that noise outside?" the Emperor asked, frowning as he glanced outwards while eating the medicinal grape paste Shen Ningning had made, one spoonful at a time.

The little one didn’t hide anything and told him everything exactly as it was.

The Emperor’s expression turned incredibly cold.

Sima Han, who was grinding medicinal herbs nearby, let out a cynical snort.

"This Mr. Li comes to our mansion to stir up trouble the moment he returns to the Capital City? Ningwa, I heard his daughter was the one who gave you a hard time at the National Academy, wasn’t she?"

Upon hearing this, the Emperor’s expression grew even more grim.

He was recuperating in secret and had no desire to draw attention, yet someone just had to come looking for trouble!

The Emperor put down the bowl, his voice stern. "Have Li Hai come in and see Us."

But Shen Ningning glanced at the bowl and immediately scrunched her little eyebrows.

"Uncle Emperor, you have to finish all this grape paste to get completely better!"

The Emperor’s solemn expression melted into a smile.

"Ningning, this is too sweet. Your uncle has eaten so much already, there’s just a little left. Can I not eat it?"

Shen Ningning assertively picked up the bowl with her small hands and held it to his lips.

"No, you have to eat it!"

Helpless, the Emperor could only surrender. He listened to the little one and finished it all, only then did he repeat his stern command to those outside, "Lu Fu, bring Li Hai in!"

Immediately after, the Emperor spoke gently to Shen Ningning, "Ningning, you and the old Divine Doctor should both step out for a moment. Uncle Emperor has some business to handle."

Shen Ningning nodded. As she walked to the door, she didn’t forget to blink her big, bright eyes and add a reminder.

"Your illness isn’t completely gone, Uncle. You can’t get angry too often."

"Yes, yes, yes, We know," the Emperor said with a grin.

Once the little one and Sima Han had left, Li Hai, his face beaten black and blue until it resembled a pig’s head, was dragged in by Commander Lu.

The Emperor frowned. "Is he still alive?"

"He is," Commander Lu nodded slightly, replying respectfully, "Second Master Xie already showed mercy with his club."

Mr. Li was delirious, crying out in pain while muttering, "This official will file a complaint at the imperial court! You of the Xie Mansion have gone too far!"

The Emperor walked up to him, bent down, and narrowed his eyes.

"Li Hai, We are right in front of you. Do you see clearly?"

Mr. Li shuddered, his eyes flying open. The cloudy haze in his pupils dissipated, and upon seeing that it was truly the Emperor, he was so terrified it was as if his soul had fled his body!

「Outside.」

Shen Ningning was examining the bloodstained clothes they had thrown on the ground.

She frowned her cute little face, looking at them again and again.

"The color of this blood has turned black. There’s no way it’s from the last two days!"

Li Yuyi was still lying on the ground, unable to get up from the pain.

Meanwhile, Second Master Xie was ordering Xie Yuanjiu to pack her bags and leave today with Second Madam Xie to live at their other courtyard residence.

Xie Yuanjiu’s eyes trembled. Ignoring the filth and blood on her clothes, she cried her heart out.

"Father, are you shunning me because I brought Yuyi home and caused trouble?"

"But have you ever considered that you are also at fault, Father? If you had told me beforehand that the Emperor was staying in that room, I would never have invited Yuyi over!"

Second Master Xie looked back at Xie Yuanjiu, his gaze stern.

It was as if he no longer recognized his own daughter.

’How could it be just as Big Brother said? That Xie Yuanjiu is adept at turning the tables and blaming others, always shifting the fault for everything?’

"I did not know beforehand either," Second Master Xie said, his voice calm. "Yuan Jiu, this is the last time I will indulge your nonsense."

"Once you turn ten, I will ask your mother for a divorce."

Xie Yuanjiu’s entire body shook. "What?"

’Just for something like this, her father wants to cast her and her mother aside like a pair of worn-out shoes!?’

Second Master Xie’s gaze was filled with disappointment. "In truth, I have had this thought for a long time. I only held back because you are still young and your mother pleaded with me many times. I couldn’t bear to do it."

"But regarding today’s events, even if you don’t say it, I can see that you deliberately lured the Li father and daughter here. You wanted to use their mouths to ’teach a lesson’ to Ningning for helping the plague victims."

Xie Yuanjiu vehemently denied it. "I didn’t! Father, you have to believe me! How could I be that kind of person?"

Second Master Xie closed his eyes, no longer wanting to hear her superfluous excuses on the matter.

If the one being treated here today hadn’t been the Emperor, but that child from before, what would they have said about Ningning then? Second Master Xie could guess.

"Your mother and I were only married because of an accident. Back then, if it weren’t for your grandmother..." He suddenly stopped and sighed. "Never mind. Let’s not bring up the past. Go back to the second courtyard now and pack your things. I’ll have the housekeeper arrange a carriage to send you away."

Suddenly, a soft, milky, but fierce voice called out, "She can’t leave yet!"

Second Master Xie and Xie Yuanjiu turned to see Shen Ningning walking quickly towards them, holding up the bloodstained clothes.

Her watery eyes were fixed on Xie Yuanjiu.

"Second Uncle, do you remember Wenxiu, who died accidentally? I suspect these bloody clothes belonged to her."

Second Master Xie slowly furrowed his brow. "That maid was buried long ago. Why would her belongings still be in the mansion?"

Shen Ningning caught a flicker of panic in Xie Yuanjiu’s eyes.

"Then you’ll have to ask her, and Second Madam Xie. Second Uncle, send someone to the Ministry of Justice right now and have my second brother come back. Let him conduct the interrogation!"