TGCFNM -Chapter 549 He Can’t Turn Back

The next day.

Chu Ling made a grand show of leaving the capital. She spent the entire day at the abandoned manor again, and when she returned, she reported that she had traced the owner of the abandoned residence—it was the former Crown Princess. The Crown Princess had been secretly assassinated.

After uncovering this case, Chu Ling went to the palace to report to the Emperor.

She also argued that since Fu Qingyu, as the orphan of the Crown Prince, could not only seek justice for the Crown Prince but should also uncover the truth about the Crown Princess’s death, Fu Qingyu should take the lead in investigating this case.

The Emperor agreed.

Thus, Fu Qingyu left the palace with Chu Ling to investigate the case in the outskirts of the capital. At the same time, Fu Qingyu ordered Qingtong to guard the Eastern Palace, with Commander Ban providing protection nearby.

Once outside the palace, Chu Ling smirked sarcastically: “She’s inside the palace, and you’re still worried? Do you think I can fly into the palace and commit murder?”

“No.” Fu Qingyu didn’t explain further and simply looked at Chu Ling. “Everything you said… is it true?”

Chu Ling composed herself. “It’s all true. Not a single word is false.”

Fu Qingyu’s expression turned serious. “Do you have any suspects?”

Chu Ling shook her head. “I don’t know who to suspect. The former Crown Prince and Crown Princess truly died tragically, but as their orphan, you can uncover the truth for them and let their souls rest in peace.”

Fu Qingyu hesitated briefly, then nodded: “I will.”

In the following days, they went to the manor every day, looking for clues, and they also revisited Lu Shi to see if anything had been overlooked.

After this incident, although Lu Shi’s investigation into Chu Yue was blocked due to her unconscious state, the combined complaints from Prince Rui, Prince Su, and Prince Chu caught the Nangong family completely off guard.

Nangong Rong knelt on the ground, hearing the rebukes from above, and the things he confessed were the very deeds for which he had once been praised.

Those deeds had made him Prime Minister.

And now, those same deeds caused him to lose the position of Prime Minister.

The veins on the Emperor’s forehead bulged, his entire being like an enraged old lion, wanting to rush forward and tear Nangong Rong apart. But he was powerless; even his claws could only tremble in place. Apart from roaring in fury, he could do nothing.

Eunuch Zhang recalled how, the previous night, Prince Rui secretly came to inform him that the Nangong family had aligned with the Empress Dowager. He also said that Chu Yue had cooperated with Nangong Jing to kill Prince Xiao… He explained that the Nangong family, realizing there was no path forward under the Emperor, had chosen Fu Qingyu as the younger emperor instead.

“The Nangong family has now begun assisting the young emperor. That emperor will remember their loyalty, and so the Nangong family will be rooted in the Great Zhou for generations… Father, if we allow this to continue, no one will be able to curb the Nangong family’s ambitions. For they will be the only noble house in Great Zhou. Who knows—they may try to go further… At that point, the bloodline of Great Zhou will be broken. Great Zhou will no longer bear the Xiao name—it will start bearing the Nangong name.”

Eunuch Zhang recalled how, after Prince Rui boldly said this, the Emperor did not immediately explode in anger but only twitched his cheeks slightly, even feeling a bit anxious.

At that moment, he realized that the emperor he had served for half his life was truly aging; he had begun to feel fear.

Eunuch Zhang looked at the kneeling Nangong Rong, reflecting on how he had looked when being commended, when being appointed Prime Minister…

Everything had changed too quickly.

“Bring him forward!”

“Nangong Rong fully confesses to framing the Crown Prince. By imperial decree, Nangong Rong is sentenced to death, the Nangong family title is revoked, all lands allocated to the family are returned in full, and the title of White Tiger will also be rescinded…”

With that, the Emperor strode away.

Eunuch Zhang sensed something was wrong, hurriedly stepped forward, speaking softly but also supporting the Emperor.

“Medicine… medicine!” The Emperor gritted his teeth, his voice urgent, anxious, and angry as he looked at Eunuch Zhang.

“Prepared, Your Majesty. Rest assured,” Eunuch Zhang said, hastily helping the Emperor back to the bedchamber.

When the medicine arrived, the Emperor lifted the bowl and drank it. Only then did the trembling in his hands disappear. His whole body seemed rejuvenated, vigorous and full of life, as if he had grown ten years younger.

“Go, issue the decree. I will summon Consort Liu tonight.”

Eunuch Zhang nodded and replied, “Yes.”

“Wait! Not yet,” the Emperor suddenly said, rising to his feet, hands clasped behind his back. “I remember the Nangong family has quite a few unmarried daughters, doesn’t it? Bai Hu is among them, isn’t she? Bring them all to the palace and have Wushuang prepare medicine for them.”

Eunuch Zhang shivered involuntarily but immediately complied, rushing out to give the orders.

Meanwhile, at the Nangong residence, although Nangong Rong had been sentenced to death and the name Bai Hu was officially revoked from Nangong Jing, they were not worried at all. They simply stayed quietly in the mansion, waiting.

Sure enough, although the imperial edict had been issued, no one came to take them.

It turned out the Empress Dowager had come to advise the Emperor, saying that with the birthday banquet approaching, seeing blood now would be inauspicious. She ordered the Nangong household to be sealed and watched for the time being. After the banquet, the Emperor could deal with the disloyal at his leisure.

The Emperor looked at the Empress Dowager and respectfully acknowledged her words.

Having achieved her purpose, the Empress Dowager turned to leave, but suddenly asked before departing, “That young disciple of Lord Lu, Chu Ling… doesn’t she look like the Empress?”

The Emperor laughed heartily. “Look like her? Even the Crown Prince only resembles her slightly. That Chu Ling, someone unrelated and unconnected, how could she possibly resemble the Empress?”

The Empress Dowager sighed. “Yes… how could she… perhaps it’s just my age; my eyes aren’t what they used to be.”

“Your Majesty, rest assured. At the banquet, I have prepared a special blessing ritual for Your Highness, wishing you health and longevity as enduring as the Southern Mountains,” the Emperor said, smiling.

The Empress Dowager gave a faint smile. “Thank you very much, Your Majesty.” With that, she left.

The Emperor’s face darkened as he sat down and called out, “Summon Master Wushuang.”

“Yes.”

Outside the capital, at the abandoned estate.

Chu Ling knelt in a corner of the wall and found a broken arrowhead. Its construction looked vaguely familiar…

“Master Chu, Chu Yue has woken up,” Fu Qingyu said as if suddenly remembering, turning to smile at her. “She opened her eyes last night for a moment, then passed out again. This morning she woke completely, and I remembered to tell you.”

Chu Ling held the arrowhead and stood, a hint of regret in her voice. “Truly an indestructible little pest.”

“A little pest?” Fu Qingyu looked puzzled but continued, “She said she really wishes she could kill you, and that now she could easily do it.”

Chu Ling turned to Fu Qingyu. “If you think you can use this to threaten me into standing on your side, you’ve miscalculated.”

Fu Qingyu’s expression softened slightly, his gaze neutral.

“Master Fu, do you remember that time we went to the country estate and it started raining on our way back, so we temporarily took shelter at your place?” Chu Ling said, clutching the arrowhead as she approached.

Fu Qingyu frowned. “Master Chu, what are you trying to say?”

“Have you ever heard that on rainy days, one can see some… unclean things?” Chu Ling’s tone betrayed a hint of panic. “I don’t even know if I imagined it… but it seemed like there was a middle-aged woman walking back and forth in the house, opening and closing her mouth, saying something… An’er?”

“Nonsense!” Fu Qingyu snorted. “Master Chu, although I’m leading this case, you must also investigate seriously.”

Chu Ling shrugged. “I am investigating. Isn’t this evidence? The structure of this arrowhead is somewhat similar to the one used the day we shot Xiao Yunsheng and Commander Xiao.”

“Then, Master Chu, it seems you’ll need to make a trip to Prince Su’s residence and investigate thoroughly,” Fu Qingyu said, turning to leave.

Holding the arrowhead, Chu Ling watched Fu Qingyu’s departing figure and slowly spoke, “He can’t turn back now.”