Song Chaoyu had to admit that the Empress's choice to act against Mu Changxi at this time was wise.
But she understood better than anyone that Mu Changxi had never once considered taking the太子's place.
Moreover, they had long agreed that once everything settled, they would leave, never to return to the capital.
Looking at Hu Yonghao's righteous demeanor, Mu Changxi could only sneer, "So the Empress is this impatient?"
Song Chaoyu also had a question for Hu Yonghao: "Does the太子 know about this?"
Mu Changxi was stunned; he had never thought to ask this question.
It was as if, even at this point, he still absolutely trusted the Crown Prince.
Hu Yonghao frowned slightly, his tone uncertain: "I don't know."
"His Highness should not know."
It was Mu Changxi himself who spoke: "If he knew, we wouldn't be seeing Hu Yonghao today. I believe in His Highness, no matter when."
Song Chaoyu knew that unless the Crown Prince personally held a knife to Mu Changxi's throat, he would not abandon this thought.
Song Chaoyu also hoped that in this cold imperial city, there could be a trace of "humanity."
She nodded: "Alright, I will stand with you. I believe in the太子."
"Alas!"
At this moment, Hu Yonghao sighed and shook his head: "No wonder... His Highness the Crown Prince has always trusted you so much. Fine, fine! The Empress's move is destined to fail. What do you want to do? Just unleash it!"
Mu Changxi had no intention of harming Hu Yonghao, he merely asked Hu Yonghao: "Where is Prince Wen?"
Hu Yonghao lowered his head and told the truth: "The Empress knows that His Highness the Crown Prince is a person of deep loyalty and righteousness. If Prince Wen is in trouble, it would sadden His Highness. Therefore, the Empress had already rescued Prince Wen and sent him back this morning when she knew you were leaving the city. He should be in the palace now, so His Highness can rest assured."
Only then did Mu Changxi move his soft sword away from Hu Yonghao's neck, his eyes deep: "How does the Empress intend to treat us, husband and wife?"
With things having reached this point, Hu Yonghao saw no need to hide anything from Mu Changxi.
He pointed to the well: "Kill you both, then throw you into it, and seal the well. To the outside, we will claim you never came to Ping'an Village. Even if the Emperor investigates in the end, I can risk my life and say it was Mu Hansu's idea."
Song Chaoyu glanced coldly at Hu Yonghao: "What? You are willing to go this far for the Empress?"
"Yes."
Unexpectedly, Hu Yonghao did not object, even nodding: "The Empress saved my life, and the lives of my family. For the Empress, I am willing to go through fire and water without hesitation. It is only a pity that I failed to carry out the Empress's orders today, which is my dereliction of duty!"
Song Chaoyu didn't know what to say to Hu Yonghao!
She looked at Mu Changxi: "What do we do?"
Mu Changxi pulled Hu Yonghao: "Take him to His Highness the Crown Prince!"
However, this single sentence made Hu Yonghao suddenly look up, fear entering his eyes: "No! No! I cannot go to see His Highness the Crown Prince like this, His Highness will surely blame the Empress! No, I beg His Highness Prince Chang to forgive me! Even if His Highness kills me, do not take me to see His Highness the Crown Prince!"
With Mu Changxi, nothing was impossible.
His gaze grew colder, and Song Chaoyu also glanced at Hu Yonghao: "If it weren't for His Highness the Crown Prince, it wouldn't be as simple as taking you to see the Crown Prince. Hu Yonghao, you underestimate the friendship between His Highness the Crown Prince and His Highness Prince Chang too much."
The Crown Prince was also one of the people Mu Changxi cared about most in this world!
They bound Hu Yonghao and, upon returning to the entrance of Ping'an Village, found all of Hu Yonghao's men captured.
Seeing Hu Yonghao's defeat, each of them sighed and shook their heads.
Mu Changxi personally put Hu Yonghao into the carriage and then sped towards the palace.
—
At this moment, in the palace, the Crown Prince was discussing the reorganization of the Imperial Guard's establishment with the Emperor in the imperial study.
A young eunuch entered from outside and whispered something into the Crown Prince's ear. The Crown Prince nodded.
Before the Crown Prince could speak, the Emperor sighed first: "Now the Crown Prince is also keeping secrets from me, isn't he?"
"Your son dares not!"
The Crown Prince knew the Emperor was suspicious and took a step back, not wanting to arouse his suspicion.
The Emperor, however, gave a cold laugh: "Do you think I don't know how Prince Wen returned to the palace?"
This statement puzzled the Crown Prince: "Father... what do you mean?"
The Emperor tossed the vermilion brush in his hand aside and looked the Crown Prince up and down: "Don't think I don't know that you and your mother conspired to kill Prince Chang."
"What?!"
These words made the Crown Prince unable to sit still: "Mother wants to kill Prince Chang?! Why would she do that?!"
"You truly don't know?"
The Emperor looked at the Crown Prince with suspicion. The Crown Prince became visibly restless: "Why would Mother want to kill Prince Chang? So Father, you know too? But you didn't stop it!?"
The Emperor was surprised by the Crown Prince's sharpness and finally turned his head away: "I understand, she cannot kill Prince Chang."
"Heh!"
The Crown Prince sneered, only indifference remaining in his eyes as he looked at the Emperor: "Cannot kill him? Rather, you also want to see if Mother has the ability to kill Prince Chang, don't you? Father, what have you always suspected Prince Chang of?! Even if one day he wants to be the Crown Prince, and wants the throne of the Great Yue Dynasty, I would hand it over to him with both hands! Father, Mother, you are truly too much! Does Noble Consort know that you think and act this way?!"
The Emperor still wanted to reinstate the Noble Consort's position. Thinking of this, the Crown Prince found it even more laughable.
Before the Emperor could say anything, he turned and left with a sweep of his sleeve.
Leaving the Emperor alone in the imperial study, staring blankly at the Crown Prince's departing back, he felt a sense of melancholy and loss: "I have reached this point, and in the end, I have nothing? My sons all resent me. Should I, perhaps, give up this throne?"
At this moment, Song Chaoyu and Mu Changxi had brought Hu Yonghao into the palace.
Ever since Mu Hansu's rebellion, the Crown Prince had been living in the palace and had not returned to the Eastern Palace.
Seeing the Crown Prince arrive in anger, his face grim, Song Chaoyu was also somewhat surprised.
Mu Changxi, however, remained calm and led Song Chaoyu forward to pay their respects to the Crown Prince.
"There's no need for formalities!"
Before the two could kneel, the Crown Prince stepped forward and personally helped them up: "I happen to have something to tell you both. Come, let's not discuss it in the imperial study!"
Seeing the Crown Prince like this, Mu Changxi understood: "Has my imperial brother angered Father again?"