Xue Wenjie stood up from his chair and walked step by step to Zhu Keyu, his expression so cold it could drip water, "Zhu Keyu, are you provoking this King's patience?"
"Your Highness, spare me, Your Highness, spare me!" Zhu Keyu quickly pleaded for mercy.
His mind was also racing. He was certain that the incident had happened while he was in Zhaoyuan Palace, and the Empress was not there at that time.
A thought flashed through his mind. The Empress must have disguised herself as him and met with the Regent.
The Hua family patriarch was a fake, and it was definitely the Empress who leaked this information.
Understanding this, Zhu Keyu breathed a slight sigh of relief. He raised his head, his earlier panic gone, and said, "Your Highness, even if it's fake, you know, and I know. That's enough."
Xue Wenjie narrowed his eyes and said, "Lord Zhu, what do you mean by that?"
Zhu Keyu continued, "Your Highness's goal is only to remove the Prime Minister. Having this pretext is enough. As for whether the Hua family patriarch is fake or not, it is no longer necessary. Many people saw the Hua family patriarch die at the restaurant at that time."
Xue Wenjie's expression improved slightly. "Lord Zhu, I hope you won't disappoint me at the trial of the three judicial authorities in three days."
Zhu Keyu trembled all over, lowered his eyes, and said, "Yes, this subordinate will not disappoint Your Highness."
"You may withdraw!" Xue Wenjie said.
After Zhu Keyu withdrew, Xue Wenjie walked to a corner of the room and said coldly, "Young Master Jin, do you think this Zhu Keyu can be trusted?"
A figure emerged from the inside, "Your Highness, I find tonight's events somewhat peculiar."
Xue Wenjie's gaze became pensive for a moment, then he waved to summon a servant and asked, "Has there been no news from the palace?"
After a while, receiving no news from the palace, Xue Wenjie said, "Young Master Jin is overthinking it."
Jin Ming said, "Your Highness, what are your plans for the trial of the three judicial authorities in three days?"
Xue Wenjie sneered, "Naturally, to ensure Hua Yunjin never returns."
"Your Highness, what if things are not so simple?" Jin Ming felt a sense of unease, believing that the trial of the three judicial authorities might not be able to eliminate Hua Yunjin.
"Rest assured, Young Master Jin, this King has made thorough preparations. Hua Yunjin is doomed this time." Xue Wenjie was full of confidence, and even the slight worry from earlier had completely disappeared.
After returning from the Hua mansion, Feng Yu returned to his resting place. He was the publicly recognized Feng Yin of the Empress, so he had his own living quarters in the palace. This place was not far from Zhaoyuan Palace, and the Empress could summon him at any time, and he could appear before her immediately.
At this moment, the Empress did not need him, so he could return to rest.
"Lord Feng Yu, someone wishes to see you." Feng Yu, who was about to wash, heard the voice of a palace attendant outside the door. He was somewhat surprised but opened the door and walked out.
A young girl in a light purple dress sat by the stone table in the courtyard. She was not old, about the same age as the Empress.
Feng Yu did not remember knowing any young girl of this age.
"I am Feng Yu. May I ask what business you have with me, young lady?" Feng Yu asked.
The girl turned her head, revealing a delicate face. Because she was young, it still held a hint of childishness, but in time, she would undoubtedly become a beautiful woman.
Under the dim palace lamp, Feng Yu felt a sense of familiarity, but he still said, "Please state your name, young lady."
Upon hearing this, the girl chuckled and said, "Feng Yu, have you read too many storybooks? You want me to state my name?"
Feng Yu was stunned. He took a few steps closer and then realized that the young girl in front of him was indeed someone he knew.
The Regent's beloved daughter, Princess Yunlan.
"Greetings, Princess Yunlan." Feng Yu bowed.
Xue Yunlan stood up from her chair and walked towards him.
A faint, refreshing scent wafted towards him as she approached, and he knew it was the scent unique to young girls.
Feeling Xue Yunlan getting closer, Feng Yu subconsciously took a step back, "Princess... please stop."
"Stop? Why stop? I won't!" Xue Yunlan took another big step forward. Just as she was about to touch Feng Yu, he stepped back again.
Seeing this, Xue Yunlan stamped her foot in anger, "Feng Yu, why are you doing this?"
Feng Yu said, "Princess, men and women should not touch each other."
Xue Yunlan bit her lower lip, her face flushing slightly, "Feng Yu, are you truly ignorant, or are you pretending to be?"
"I am ignorant," Feng Yu replied.
Xue Yunlan laughed angrily, shaking her head, "Why would I get angry with a block of wood like you? I've come to bring you medicine today."
Feng Yu was taken aback. Xue Yunlan continued, "Did you apply the medicine I gave you before?"
Feng Yu remembered that he had been punished for not completing the Empress's task. He didn't care about a few dozen strokes.
"Princess, they are minor injuries and not worth mentioning. You don't need to bring medicine," Feng Yu said indifferently.
"Are you a real blockhead or a fake one? You call those dozens of strokes minor injuries?" Xue Yunlan was surprised.
Feng Yu bowed and said, "Princess, it would be best if you do not come again in the future."
Upon hearing this, Xue Yunlan's gaze faltered. Angrily, she threw the medicine in her hand onto the stone table, "This princess will never come again. Blockhead, blockhead..."
The young girl turned and left in shame and anger.
Only when her footsteps faded did Feng Yu look up again, gazing at the solitary medicine bottle on the stone table. After a moment of hesitation, he still walked forward, picked up the bottle, opened it, and sniffed. It was just wound medicine.
After leaving the palace, Xue Yunlan angrily got into her carriage. The moment the curtain was lowered, all her anger disappeared.
She licked her lips and said to someone inside the carriage, "Soon, very soon, this Princess will be able to capture him."
A girl's giggling voice came from inside the carriage, her voice somewhat childish, "Xue Yunlan, you have so much confidence in yourself?"
Hearing this, Xue Yunlan's gaze sharpened, and she said coldly, "Yan Zhao, I cannot bewitch him, but a mere Feng Yin is certainly within my capabilities."
"That's good. I look forward to your performance, but don't disappoint me."
"Disappointment? That does not exist in my world," Xue Yunlan said with a proud smile, then shouted to the outside, "Return to the mansion."
From the shadows, a person emerged. A black veil covered her entire body. Under the dim candlelight, a beautiful face was revealed, but her eyes were exceptionally cold, with a hint of chill.
"Your Majesty, do you need this servant to remind Feng Yu?"
The girl shook her head, "Feng Yin holds a very important position within the imperial power. All I want is loyalty. If he cannot even control his own emotions, then I do not need such a person."
She needed not only Feng Yin but also their loyalty.
Therefore, Feng Yu, don't disappoint me.
"Your Majesty, Young Master Lin and Young Master Li have started fighting?"
Xue Zining was stunned and only came back to her senses after a while, "You... you said who started fighting?"
The palace attendant swallowed, "It's... it's Young Master Lin and Young Master Li."