Chapter 20: Utterly Lawless

After being allowed to speak, Imperial Censor Hu, filled with righteous indignation, began his accusations against the Princess, detailing her various heinous crimes with fervor and saliva flying.

General Xiao, his expression dark with anger, patiently waited for Imperial Censor Hu to finish before continuing, “My daughter merely accompanied her mother to the Princess’s Residence, wanting to see her brother. Little did we expect the Princess to order her killed! My heart aches, Yingxue was only sixteen, her prime years just beginning. The Princess’s casual attitude towards killing is chilling. Your Majesty, please do me justice and bring my daughter’s killer to account!”

General Xiao spoke with a tone of anger and determination, demanding answers and justice.

Understandable, really.

As a military commander with authority, having his son caught in a scandal, punished, imprisoned, followed by his daughter’s murder, how could he possibly swallow this humiliation?

If Yan Qing wasn’t the infamous lone star of calamity accepted by the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, or if this act was committed by the Emperor himself, General Xiao might have rebelled without hesitation.

While Yan Chen was overwhelmed, deep down, his suspicions about the Xiao family had unwittingly dissipated.

Yan Qing had even killed a member of the Xiao family, making any collusion seem highly unlikely.

“To be frank.” Seated on his chair, his demeanor frosty, “Yan Qing also poisoned me.”

What?

Both General Xiao and Imperial Censor Hu were stunned, looking at the Emperor in disbelief before slowly turning to the court physicians present in the study.

“How dare she?” Imperial Censor Hu seemed dumbstruck, “Regicide… She dares commit regicide? How could she dare commit regicide?!”

Yan Chen closed his eyes briefly, his tone turning colder, “For now, we can only wait and see the Regent’s response.”

As a new Emperor with a shaky foundation, dealing with Yan Qing wouldn’t be easy. Deploying the Imperial Guards, he feared facing the Qilin Guards under Yan Qing’s command. If General Xiao were to mobilize his forces—requiring regular troops to handle a mere Princess—would only invite ridicule from all.

If he turned a blind eye to this, the Emperor would appear afraid of handling matters.

The Regent held military power and had influence at court, making him more effective than Emperor Yan Chen in such situations. If he chose to intervene, Yan Qing would not stand a chance.

“I know too little about Yan Qing in these years.” The Empress Dowager, her disdain evident, sat in her chair without bothering to hide her feelings, “I never expected her to become so rebellious and disrespectful after being exiled, lacking any sense of reverence.”

General Xiao remained silent for a moment before speaking, “I have a proposal, I wonder…”

“Go on.”

“Cancel the marriage between the Princess and Jinghan, and order the Princess to return to Zhuque City.” General Xiao lowered his gaze, his eyes dark and profound, “In the future, find an excuse to accuse the Princess of colluding with the King of Zhuque, plotting rebellion. Send troops to attack Zhuque City, providing a legitimate reason to eliminate the King of Zhuque and punish the Princess, achieving two goals at once.”

Four hundred years ago, several trusted generals were rewarded with territories named after the four mythical beasts: Qinglong, Baihu, Zhuque, and Xuanwu, guarding the four directions.

Over the centuries, the power of these Four Kings grew, each commanding their own armies and possessing fertile lands, posing a threat to imperial authority.

Before his death, the late Emperor appointed Yan Cang as the Regent to counter the ambitions of the Four Kings.

However, with internal and external threats facing Yong Dynasty, the rebellious Princess and the Regent being Yan Chen’s feared uncle, the situation was indeed precarious and challenging.

Yan Chen remained silent.

He was considering General Xiao’s proposal, but it was too early for such thoughts.

His plan, as instructed by the late Emperor, was to use Yan Cang to restrain the Four Kings and Yan Qing to constrain the Regent, giving him time to solidify his rule and gain popular support.

Cancellation of Yan Qing and Jinghan’s marriage would ruin the late Emperor’s plan and render his efforts futile.

After a moment of quiet contemplation, Yan Chen realized that his impatience with Yan Qing was unwise—antagonizing her so early would not benefit him.

Exiled for these ten years, Yan Chen was unaware of what Yan Qing had experienced outside, nor did he know the source of her confidence.

If it was due to the backing of the King of Zhuque… Yan Chen’s thoughts narrowed. For now, he couldn’t act against her.

“General Xiao’s proposal is excellent.” Yan Chen rose, personally helping General Xiao and Imperial Censor Hu to their feet, “I will provide you with an explanation for today’s events. Miss Xiao’s death will not be in vain, and Yan Qing will not tarnish the reputation of noble families. I will order her to release young Master Hu promptly.”

However, this statement was essentially meaningless.

While Imperial Censor Hu’s son could be released, General Xiao’s daughter was already dead. Even if he provided an explanation, the dead could not be brought back to life. Yet, the Emperor did not mention how to handle the Princess.

General Xiao’s expression soured slightly, but he couldn’t show his displeasure, it would be disrespectful.

“I will discuss this matter with the Regent.” Yan Chen said, “Both of you may leave for now. Await my further instructions.”

General Xiao harbored discontent but had to suppress it.

As a military commander, he needed to be extremely cautious in his actions. Unlike civil officials who could offer strong advice, if he were to display a strong attitude and pressure the Emperor, he might be suspected of harboring rebellious intentions.

Containing his anger, General Xiao bowed, “Yes, I take my leave.”

Exiting the study, his expression darkened instantly as he clenched his hands at his sides.

“General Xiao, please accept my condolences.” Imperial Censor Hu sighed, lowering his voice, “The situation is unstable, the Emperor has just ascended the throne, and with the Princess’s recent actions upon her return from Zhuque City, it’s unexpected by all…”

General Xiao remained silent, his features clouded with concern.

Since the Princess’s return from Zhuque City, first with Jinghan’s imprisonment, then Yingxue’s death, he couldn’t help but suspect whether Yan Qing was intentionally targeting the Xiao family.

Why would she act so ruthlessly, especially after just a visit to the brothel? Yan Chen couldn’t help but wonder where her animosity stemmed from after ten years in Zhuque City with no prior connection to the Xiao family.

General Xiao couldn’t make sense of it no matter how much he thought about it. What had gone wrong?

As they were leaving the palace, they coincidentally encountered the Regent. He was dressed in a lightweight black robe, exuding a cold and intimidating aura. Despite being only in his late twenties, his presence made even General Xiao, a seasoned military commander, feel uneasy.

Yan Cang dismounted and walked towards the palace gate. General Xiao and Imperial Censor Hu respectfully greeted him, “Greetings, Prince Regent.”

“No need for formalities.” Yan Cang walked into the palace gate, speaking as if addressing the air, not sparing a glance or a word for the two men, displaying an aloof and almost dismissive attitude.

Imperial Censor Hu couldn’t help but sigh again, “The temperament of the royal family of Yong Dynasty is so strong. The Emperor has a challenging time. General Xiao, we should be more understanding towards the Emperor.”

“Imperial Censor Hu, your words are quite amusing.” General Xiao’s expression darkened, “It seems easy for you to preach understanding when your son wasn’t beaten, imprisoned, and your daughter wasn’t killed.”

Imperial Censor Hu frowned, “General Xiao, why speak in such a manner? My daughter wasn’t killed because she didn’t provoke the Princess. If your daughter hadn’t offended the Princess, the Princess wouldn’t have killed her, would she?”

Pausing, he continued, “Furthermore, how can you say my son wasn’t imprisoned? Wasn’t he forcefully taken to serve as a slave in the Princess’s residence?”

General Xiao, with a cold demeanor, turned and left, uninterested in further conversation with Imperial Censor Hu.

^[1]I edited some chapters, about the four Princes, it is now four Kings, and Yan Cang the Prince Regent, the Late Emperor’s brother is said to be the one who can suppress the four Kings from the four … Continue reading