The Duke's Pampered Darling is So Scheming

Chapter 490: Chapter 490: Appeal

Zhao Xuanping shook his head. ”This has nothing to do with Second Miss Ye.”

Ye Chutang chuckled. ”Doctor Zhao, you trust me that much?”

”It’s not for any other reason. I just believe that a person of Second Miss Ye’s character would never have said anything unless she was absolutely certain.”

Zhao Xuanping sighed.

”Ultimately, we were too hasty when we wrote the prescription. If only we’d consulted Second Miss Ye from the start, we might have avoided all this trouble.”

His words betrayed a deep trust in Ye Chutang’s medical skills, showing no doubt that she was correct about the flawed medicinal catalyst.

Ye Chutang lowered her gaze in thought for a moment before offering a comforting word. ”His Highness is a virtuous man, and heaven will see him through. He will surely survive this ordeal.”

Zhao Xuanping gazed at Xiao Chengqi, who lay on the bed with his eyes shut and his face pale. ”I hope so!”

「The Imperial Study Room.」

Several Cabinet Ministers were discussing the peace talks with the Wazhen.

”The Wazhen initiated these peace talks. The Ministry of Rites has already sent a swift reply, inviting them to send an envoy to the Capital City to negotiate the details.”

Tang Zhongli spoke. ”What the Wazhen Master wants is simple: open trade. These talks will likely revolve around that single issue.”

The Wazhen were short on supplies. If the border markets were opened, they could trade their horses for grain and textiles, which would vastly improve their living conditions.

”That part is negotiable,” Chen Songshi said, stroking his beard. ”They can’t afford a war right now, so an agreement should be possible. The question is... who will they send this time?”

Dealing with those Wazhen Masters would be no simple task.

After a moment of thought, Tang Zhongli turned to Shen Yanchuan, the only man in the room who was not a member of the Cabinet and had been specially invited for this meeting.

”Princely Heir, you have clashed with the Wazhen Master a few times, so you know them well. In your view, who will Mu Mu Zhen’er dispatch?”

All eyes in the room turned to Shen Yanchuan.

While Emperor Muwu had fought the Wazhen in his younger days, he had resided in the Capital City for years and was no longer well-acquainted with their current state of affairs.

As for the other Cabinet Ministers, they were even further removed. Ensconced in the high halls of the court, none of them could compare to Shen Yanchuan’s knowledge of the wars on the Northern Border.

Thus, Shen Yanchuan’s opinion was of great importance today.

Shen Yanchuan considered for a moment. ”Mu Mu Zhen’er places great importance on these talks. He will most likely send his eldest son, Ugle, to the Capital City. The man is brave and cunning, utterly ruthless, and no easy mark.”

Chen Songshi understood, his brow furrowing slightly. ”Princely Heir, are you saying that if he comes, we’re in for a tough fight?”

Shen Yanchuan nodded. ”He’s the type who never accepts a loss. I expect he won’t make concessions easily during the negotiations.”

Though the Wazhen were the ones to request peace, their appetite was large. They would absolutely seize this chance to extort a hefty price.

And Ugle, even more so.

When the time came... progress would likely be far from smooth.

But Tang Zhongli wasn’t worried. ”Even if it is him, it’s of little consequence. Once he’s in the Capital City, could we really let him run wild?”

Hearing this, Emperor Muwu nodded as well. ”Indeed. When the time comes, you will be responsible for the negotiations. Be sure to quell their arrogance.”

”Your servant obeys.”

Emperor Muwu then turned back to Shen Yanchuan. ”By my calculations, the Wazhen envoy should arrive in half a month. We still have some time until then. Why don’t you take a trip to Qingzhou?”

At his words, a delicate silence fell over the Imperial Study Room.

’Qingzhou?’

’His Majesty must be sending him to investigate Xiao Chengxuan’s assassination attempt on Ye Chutang.’

With so much happening recently, the matter had been pushed aside. Everyone had assumed His Majesty was unwilling to pursue the investigation, so they had all turned a blind eye and avoided bringing it up.

’And now this... Is he finally getting serious?’

Shen Yanchuan did not answer immediately, however.

After a brief pause, he finally said, ”Your servant would like to go at a later time. I ask for Your Majesty’s permission.”

Emperor Muwu was somewhat surprised. ”Why is that?”

Shen Yanchuan paused. ”Your servant is remaining in the Capital City for an important, unfinished matter.”

”An important matter?”

’What could be so important that he would even tactfully refuse a decree from Emperor Muwu?’

Shen Yanchuan nodded. ”Yes. It is very important.”

Chen Songshi shot him a furtive glance. If there weren’t so many others present, he would have asked him outright.

He had more or less watched Shen Yanchuan grow up and had rarely seen him like this.

’What on earth could it be?’

However, Emperor Muwu didn’t press him, merely nodding. ”Very well.”

His gaze fell upon the imperial desk, his expression grim.

Shen Yanchuan’s gaze followed. Lying there were the case files just submitted by the Ministry of Justice.

He didn’t need to guess; they were all related to Xiao Chengxuan.

Shen Yanchuan quickly looked away, his expression impassive.

’It had come to this. No matter how reluctant Emperor Muwu was to punish Xiao Chengxuan, he could no longer put it off.’

Finally, Emperor Muwu broached the subject himself. ”What of those Nanhu Swordsmen?”

Chen Songshi replied, ”Your Majesty, the men are still being held in the Ministry of Justice Prison, awaiting your judgment.”

Waiting.

Everyone was waiting for the outcome.

Whether the Nanhu Swordsmen lived or died was irrelevant. The one who mattered was—Xiao Chengxuan!

Emperor Muwu’s jaw tightened, his face turning ashen.

He refused to believe that his most cherished and favored son could be so foolish, so mad as to commit treason by colluding with the enemy. But the evidence was now laid out before him, and he could no longer make any excuses for him.

After a long silence, Emperor Muwu finally spoke.

”In that case...”

”Your Majesty!”

Before he could finish, a woman’s mournful cry suddenly came from outside.

”I beg an audience with Your Majesty! Cheng Xuan is innocent! He was framed! Please, Your Majesty, grant me an audience! I have been wronged! Cheng Xuan has been wronged!”

The men in the room exchanged glances.

’So Consort Ru had come to make a scene after all.’

A look of disgust crossed Emperor Muwu’s face. ”Are you all useless? How can so many of you fail to stop one person!”

Hearing his roar, the palace attendants outside trembled and scrambled to pull Consort Ru away.

But today, Consort Ru was resolute.

Staring at the tightly closed door, she hardened her heart.

”If Your Majesty will not see me, then I shall kneel here indefinitely!”

With that, she fell to her knees with a THUD!

”I swear on the lives of my entire Jiang family: Cheng Xuan absolutely did not betray you by colluding with the Nanhu!”