“Your Royal Brother, have you captured those bandits?”
After Emperor Qiming's anger subsided, he returned to normal and looked at the standing Jin Wang below him. He asked in a deep voice.
Before Jin Wang could answer, Nan Gong Mo stepped forward instantly, "Report to the Emperor, those people were all assassins. Most of them were killed, and those who were captured last resorted to taking poison and killing themselves."
"Prince was there as well?" Emperor Qiming's gaze shifted to Prince, raising an eyebrow and asking.
"Report to the Emperor, Your Son, the Sixth Royal Uncle, my third brother, and several young masters of the noble families went to attend the Water and Land Dharma Assembly at Wan'an Temple. After the assembly ended, we were all on our way back together when the incident occurred. We were all present and participated in killing the bandits."
Nan Gong Mo lowered his head in respect and reverence.
"Yes, Your Majesty, my son was also present at the scene. Those black-clad men kept coming in waves, totaling hundreds. It was only with the assistance of Prince Brother and Yan brother that we were able to help. My son also wanted to send reinforcements but had no one at hand."
The Third Prince also stepped forward modestly, and as he spoke, his expression was filled with remorse.
Several princes standing on the throne secretly rolled their eyes, their hearts scornful of these words.
When people don't know how many people you are secretly nurturing on the side?
Is this where you're going to cry poverty to the Emperor?
Even the Crown Prince, Nan Gong Mo, viewed the Third Prince with cold eyes.
Emperor Qiming's mouth twitched. He knew well that each of his sons had their own private power base.
However, he would not care, as long as it doesn't come to the surface and doesn't affect the situation. He wouldn't interfere with their private matters.
But hearing that Yan also had power was quite a surprise to him.
But he did not mind, instead feeling that the child had grown up. He thought maybe it was time for the young person to enter the court.
Emperor Qiming's gaze fell on the Crown Prince and the Third Prince, "If that is the case, have you identified where those assassins originate from?"
"This, Your Son does not know, but the bodies have been left behind, and orders have been given to send them to the Ministry of Justice."
Although the Crown Prince knows that they are from the Princess's Mansion, he will not say so, after all, there is no evidence.
Minister of Justice Lu Anyun, seeing the situation, instantly stepped forward and said, "Report to the Emperor. Last night, some bodies were indeed sent over. But there were no clues left on those bodies. It will require further investigation."
Emperor Qiming faintly nodded, without saying anything. He entrusted the case to the Ministry of Justice to investigate further.
At the same time, he ordered the Ministry of Justice and the Grand Secretariat to assist in investigating the case with the Ministry of Justice.
And he instructed them to find the results within one month.
The people of the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Punishment, and the Grand Secretariat were secretly complaining in their hearts, but they could not refuse the Emperor's order. They could only respectfully accept it.
After the imperial audience was over, Emperor Qiming returned to his imperial study, and the first thing he did was to send his Shadow Dragon Guards to investigate.
He wanted to see who dared to attempt to assassinate Yan and his wife.
Then he ordered to send a generous reward to Jin Wang's residence.
He also had someone carefully select some high-quality bird's nests, centennial ginseng, lingzhi (reishi mushrooms), and other precious herbs from the storeroom to send over.
These are for Yu Yao.
After all, she was carrying his grandson and had been startled, so she naturally needed to be well nourished.
If it weren't for the fear of drawing too much attention and raising suspicion, Emperor Qiming would have wanted to send a doctor to take a look.
However, thinking that the Jin Wang's residence had its own doctor, he decided to let it be.
……
On the other hand, after the imperial audience, the Crown Prince went to find the Queen in the Pepper Room.
"Your Son has seen the Queen!"
Nan Gong Mo bowed to the Queen who was seated on the bed.
"Young one, why are you being so formal with your mother? Rise up quickly."
The Queen saw her son and was overjoyed. She pulled him up with a smile.
Nan Gong Mo stood up and sat down on the side of the bed. Soon, a palace servant brought him tea.
He picked up the teacup and took a light sip, but he did not rush to speak.
The Queen looked at her son and knew that he had something to ask herself. So she addressed the palace attendants who were serving in the inner hall: "You all go down."
"Yes, Madam!"
The palace attendants of the Pepper Room left one by one, and each time they left, they carefully closed the door.
The entire inner chamber was left with only Nan Gong Mo and the Queen, and the space instantly became quiet.
Seeing that there were no more people around, Nan Gong Mo put down the teacup in his hand and looked at the Queen straightforwardly, "Mother, yesterday my son discovered that a group of black-clad people looked very much like those from your household. I don't understand, why does Mother want to attack Nan Gong Yan?"
In his eyes, even though Nan Gong Yan was very much favored by the Emperor, he ultimately came from the Jin Wang's residence and was not the Emperor's biological son. No matter how much he was liked, it had nothing to do with the throne. There was no need to expend effort on attacking him.
The Queen had anticipated her son's question and did not directly answer. Instead, she asked him in return, "Do you know the relationship between Princess Jin and the Emperor?"
This question confused Nan Gong Mo. What kind of relationship could there be between the Princess Jin and the Emperor? After all, they were just his big brother and his sister-in-law.
The affair between Emperor Qiming and Princess Jin several decades ago was only known to a few people. The news had been tightly covered up for years.
Those who knew dared not speak out, and those who didn't know simply remained unaware.
Nan Gong Mo certainly wouldn't know such a thing, let alone have heard of it.
"Does that mean there might be some hidden circumstances?"
Nan Gong Mo is not foolish, and can even be said to be extremely intelligent. He instantly thought of something.
The Queen faintly nodded, her face looked a bit uneasy. She looked at her son in front of her and did not try to hide anything.
Afterward, she slowly recounted how Emperor Qiming had pursued Princess Jin back then, and how Princess Jin had chosen Prince Jin over the imperial palace because she did not want to enter it.
Upon hearing this, Nan Gong Mo was so shocked that he stood up, his gaze fixed on the Queen, "Mother, are you suspecting that there was never a break between Princess Jin and the Emperor, and also suspecting that Nan Gong Yan is the child of the Emperor and Princess Jin?"
He just said, "Why does the Emperor treat Nan Gong Yan better than us these blood relations?"
If Princess Jin really had something with the Emperor, and Nan Gong Yan was his biological son, then everything would make sense.
He couldn't help but think of himself. If his concubine, Yan's consort, had an affair with him and gave birth to a son for him, he would also dote on that son immensely.
The woman he loved gave birth to the child, and he couldn't make it public. Under such circumstances, he would undoubtedly wish to give the child the best things in the world.
The Queen was not surprised by her son's shocked gaze, and her expression turned sad as well.
"Although I am the Queen and his wife, he has never loved me. I have never dared to hope for it. But he..." The Queen's voice trailed off, and she couldn't continue speaking.
This is what the Queen believed, but in reality, Princess Jin was avoiding Emperor Qiming. She loved Prince Jin.
But the Queen did not know these things. She only thought that Emperor Qiming and Princess Jin had been having secret affairs behind the scenes all these years, which naturally fueled her jealousy.
The Queen wiped her tears with a handkerchief and sighed, "I cannot control their actions in private, but your father went so far as to grant Princess Jin, that cheap woman, the peonies symbolizing empresses. What is my position now?"
Seeing his mother so heartbroken, Nan Gong Mo didn't know how to comfort her and simply chose not to speak.
He himself felt uncomfortable as well. Anyone who suddenly had an additional brother would feel that way in their hearts.
Especially in the royal family.
Although this matter is still uncertain, from the way the Emperor treats Nan Gong Yan, it seems almost certain.
Just that before, no one had thought in this direction.
"Which is why Mother sent people to assassinate Nan Gong Yan?"
Nan Gong Mo instinctively thought that the Queen was trying to eliminate a potential rival for him.
Although he was already the Crown Prince, as long as he did not ascend to the throne, there were many uncertainties for what would happen in the future.
The Queen slightly shook her head, "No, that's not the case. Mother only sent someone to take Nan Gong Yan's blood to confirm whether he is indeed the Emperor's child."
Nan Gong Mo rubbed his temples in frustration and said in a poor mood, "Mother, you're being unreasonable. There's no need for proof. If everyone doesn't know, the best would be to keep it a secret forever."
If everyone doesn't know, Nan Gong Yan can only be the Prince of Jin's elder son. Even if the Emperor likes him very much, he won't hand over the throne to him.
But once it's proven that Nan Gong Yan is the Emperor's son, everything changes.
Whether Nan Gong Yan restores his status as a prince or not, he has the qualifications to inherit the throne.
The Queen also thought of this point, and suddenly realized how foolish her actions had been. She panicked in her heart.
"Murong, Mother is not... Mother only wanted to find out whether Nan Gong Yan and your father had any relationship, not to make it public..."
The Queen was in a hurry to defend herself, and her words were beginning to make no sense.
She was foolish to think that her son would have more competitors. She wished for fewer princes in the palace.
"I understand that Mother had no such intention, but once something is done, there are traces left. Fortunately, I have already taken care of this matter."
Nan Gong Mo furrowed his brow and looked at the Queen, "Let this matter end here. No matter whether Nan Gong Yan is the Emperor's son or not, let it remain a secret. Don't curiosity get involved."
"I understand."
After a thorough analysis of the pros and cons, the Queen also came to her senses and no longer obsessed over the affair between Princess Jin and Emperor Qiming. She also no longer wanted to know whether Nan Gong Yan was the Emperor's child.
She just wanted her son to be able to smoothly ascend to the throne, so she would be the most honored woman in Jingchao, none surpassing her.
