Chapter 20: The Imperial Uncle’s Breaking Point! 

As soon as those words were spoken, not only did Prince Qin’s residence fall into complete silence, but even the surrounding streets were deathly still.

Zheng Jichang’s face turned ghastly pale, drained of all color, as if he were no longer human.

For over a month, His Majesty and the Imperial Uncle had carefully plotted—first, gravely injuring Prince Qin, then seizing control of the military forces and framing Prince Qin’s third son for practicing sorcery. All of this was meticulously planned to eliminate Prince Qin’s loyal faction without disrupting military or civilian morale.

Yet who could have imagined that this audacious brat would expose their entire scheme so brazenly?

Now that things had escalated to such a degree, it was no longer something a mere Imperial Guards commander like him could handle.

Zheng Jichang furrowed his brows and called over a trusted subordinate, instructing him in a low voice:

“Hurry and report to the Imperial Uncle, tell him…”

His expression darkened as his gaze fell upon Sheng Yichen, who stood casually holding a small child in his arms. Taking a deep breath, he continued:

“Tell him that I carried out the ordered search of Prince Qin’s residence and discovered supposed cursed objects—not in the old princess consort’s courtyard, but rather in the secondary household of Prince Qin’s manor.”

“Yes, sir.”

The subordinate exchanged a meaningful glance with Zheng Jichang—no further words were needed.

Without delay, he cupped his hands in salute, then swiftly mounted his horse and galloped toward the Imperial Uncle’s estate.

—

Meanwhile, several streets away, a luxurious four-horse carriage slowly came to a stop in front of the Imperial Uncle’s residence.

A graceful maid stepped down first, holding a palace lantern. Then, with a delicate motion, she lifted the golden jade curtain, stepping aside to allow the black-clad man inside to disembark.

Imperial Uncle He Huaiyuan had spent the day at Prince Qin’s secondary household, attending a jade-appreciation banquet while secretly finalizing his plans to eradicate Prince Qin’s faction.

After mentally reviewing everything multiple times, he found no flaws in the scheme.

The looming threat that had haunted him for years was finally about to be eliminated. Feeling at ease, he had even indulged in a few drinks during the carriage ride home—a rare occasion for him.

Now, slightly intoxicated and in high spirits, He Huaiyuan disembarked, relishing the crisp night air despite the bitter cold.

But in the next instant, his euphoria was shattered by the wailing cries coming from within his estate.

He Huaiyuan’s heart lurched. Looking up, he saw that the massive, imperial-gifted gold-lettered plaque that once hung above his residence’s entrance was gone!

Not only that, but the glazed tiles from the roof, the bronze guardian beasts, and even the stone lions at the gate had vanished!

The most outrageous part? Even the gilded door studs, the painted carvings on the lintel, and the white marble floor tiles—everything had been stripped away!

All that remained were a few pitifully bare white walls, making the place look no different from an abandoned temple left in ruins for decades.

He Huaiyuan rubbed his eyes in disbelief.

Glancing around, he confirmed that the layout of the surrounding streets remained unchanged. Only then did he accept the horrifying reality—this devastated ruin was indeed his own residence.

A surge of fury erupted within him. His well-maintained, handsome face twisted with rage as he kicked the uneven stone steps in frustration.

“Where are my personal guards?! Where are the Jinwu Guards?! Right here, under the very nose of the Emperor, someone dares act so brazenly? Is there no law left in this land?!”

At the sound of the Imperial Uncle’s voice, several concubines came rushing out, sobbing uncontrollably.

“Wuuu… My lord, you must seek justice for us! Some thief with unfathomable means managed to bypass all the guards and emptied out my private treasury!”

“Wuuu… And my dowry! All eighteen chests of it! The gold and jewelry you gifted me are gone! I was saving those for Nan’er’s wedding—now it’s all gone! Wuuuuu…”

“Wuuu… My lord, my treasures… all of them… gone!”

Third Concubine, who had just returned from a pleasure house, hid among the other weeping women, sobbing uncontrollably.

Over the years, she had spent great effort securing the Imperial Uncle’s favor, acquiring all kinds of exotic trinkets said to enhance intimacy.

Playing with those things in private with the Imperial Uncle was one thing…

But who would have thought that the thief was so depraved?! Not only did they take the household’s gold and jewels, but even those intimate trinkets—every last one of them—were gone!

The mere thought of it made her want to crawl into a hole and disappear from sheer embarrassment!

The Imperial Uncle, He Huaiyuan, was surrounded by his concubines, their cries drilling into his already pounding head. Before he could fully process the catastrophe, a group of disheveled guards came rushing toward him.

“My… my lord! Disaster! Thieves broke into the estate tonight! They drugged multiple groups of guards without a sound! Several squad leaders are still unconscious!”

“My lord! The estate’s treasure vaults… all emptied out!”

“It’s not just the vaults! The rooms, the tea house, the study, the kitchen, the flower hall—everything’s been cleared out! Anything that could be taken… was taken!”

“My lord! Even the secret chamber beneath the ancestral hall—it’s been broken into and completely looted!”

“WHAT?!”

He Huaiyuan’s tiger-like eyes widened in shock, his voice breaking into a shriek.

The secret chamber beneath the ancestral hall?!

That was the high-security vault he had commissioned from the legendary mechanism master, Zhang Lingshu!

For years, he had stashed all his most valuable treasures and confidential documents inside, treating it as the most sacred and secure place in his entire estate.

Even his most beloved son didn’t know of its existence—

And now, it had been wiped clean by thieves?!

He couldn’t comprehend it. Just how skilled were these thieves, to not only discover a chamber built by a master but also break into it within such a short time?

But there was no time to think! He had to see what was left.

Shoving aside the wailing concubines, He Huaiyuan strode forward, barking orders as he went:

“Where are the Jinwu Guards?! Summon the Grand General of the Jinwu Guards immediately! How is it that something this massive happened under the Emperor’s very nose, yet not a single guard has come?!”

“My… my lord,” a steward stammered, “The Jinwu Guards just sent word—over a hundred noble and ministerial estates across the capital were also burglarized tonight! The Grand General is currently inspecting each one and… cannot spare the manpower for us at this time.”

“You… You’re telling me…”

He Huaiyuan’s jaw nearly hit the ground in shock. Before he could demand further explanation, the thunder of hooves rang out.

A mounted messenger sped into the estate, barely dismounting before hastily saluting and gasping out his report:

“My lord… Commander Zheng has led troops to search Prince Qin’s residence for the alleged cursed artifacts… And… and they were not found in the Old Princess Consort’s courtyard… but in the courtyard of Imperial Physician Sheng!”

As those words fell, He Huaiyuan felt as if a massive boulder had crushed his chest, making it impossible to breathe.

But the soldier wasn’t finished.

“Furthermore… the Third Young Master of the Sheng family publicly accused the royal court of persecuting loyal subjects. His voice, imbued with inner strength, carried across several streets, ensuring that everyone heard him clearly.”

“Now, over a thousand commoners have gathered outside Prince Qin’s residence—demanding an explanation from you!”

He Huaiyuan: !!!!!!!!