Chapter 466: King Shu Provokes Public Outrage

Chapter 466: Chapter 466: King Shu Provokes Public Outrage

The Ministry of Justice took over the case, and Xie Ming’an was personally in charge of the thorough investigation. The Emperor, in his fury, declared that if he found out who tried to assassinate Princess Funing, he would execute their entire clan!

All the court officials watched the case closely, and the results came out quickly.

It turned out to be an assassination arranged by a minor fifth-rank official in the court. He took his own life at home to escape punishment, leaving behind a suicide note pleading with the Emperor to spare his family.

However, the Emperor could tell with a single glance that the man must have been taking the blame for someone else. Unfortunately, the captured assassins all testified that he was the one who had given the orders.

With no further leads to investigate, the Emperor could only order the execution of his entire clan to serve as a warning to the entire court.

On this day, King Shu had just boarded his carriage to go out when it came to a sudden halt, nearly causing him to fall.

He frowned and berated the driver, "What’s going on?"

The driver’s faintly worried voice came from outside. "Your Highness, the Minister of the Ministry of Justice, Mr. Xie, has blocked our carriage."

King Shu was startled. The next moment, Xie Ming’an’s voice sounded from outside.

"Your Highness, there are a few things I’d like to discuss with you alone." He spoke respectfully, but as soon as he finished, he abruptly lifted the carriage curtain.

His dark, deep-set eyes were brimming with anger, making King Shu feel inexplicably guilty.

He sat down right next to King Shu. "Your Highness must have heard about the assassination attempt on my sister, Ningning?"

King Shu composed himself. "Of course, I heard. Thankfully, Princess Funing was protected by the heavens and wasn’t injured. Those damned assassins are truly wicked beyond redemption. It’s a good thing Mr. Xie is so young and capable, finally managing to root out the mastermind."

Xie Ming’an’s thin lips twisted into a mocking smile.

He stared at King Shu with his dark, unnerving eyes. "A fifth-rank official, who has never had any interaction with my sister, claims his reason for trying to kill her was because he couldn’t stand her tyrannical behavior. Don’t you think that sounds a little fake?"

King Shu fell silent. After a moment, he nodded in agreement. "It does seem a bit off."

"Not just a bit off, it’s completely wrong. Even people who don’t know my sister have heard about her donating silver and grain. Whenever a natural disaster strikes, is there anyone in all of Cangyun Country who hasn’t benefited from her kindness and aid? For that official to say such things, he must have been pushed to his absolute limit, spouting nonsense before his death."

Xie Ming’an stared at him, his sharp, cold gaze like a knife about to pierce right through King Shu.

King Shu could only offer a placating smile.

"It only goes to show how stupid he was. Mr. Xie, you shouldn’t waste your anger on someone like that. Hasn’t the case already been solved?"

"The case may have been ’solved,’ but I don’t believe for a second that he was the true mastermind." Xie Ming’an smiled faintly.

He might as well have written his suspicion across his face.

King Shu’s expression changed. "Mr. Xie, what are you implying? Surely you don’t suspect that *I* hired someone to assassinate the Princess?!"

Xie Ming’an raised an eyebrow, his deep-set eyes carrying an icy chill that seemed to see right through people.

"I wouldn’t dare make such wild accusations. I came to see you today, Your Highness, to make something clear. I originally had no intention of meddling in your affairs."

"But as you also know, Your Highness, my sister was lost and adrift for years, only found recently to finally enjoy a better life. She has suffered so much, and we, the Xie family, decided long ago that we would never let anyone who makes her suffer get away with it."

"So, if Your Highness happens to know who the real culprit is, perhaps you could pass on a warning for me. Don’t push me too far. Otherwise, I will be the first of the Xie family to fly into a rage and seek revenge."

The vicious glint in his dark eyes was no act.

King Shu’s heart jolted. Before he could react, Xie Ming’an gave a cold smile, bid his farewell, and swept aside the curtain to exit the carriage.

Lifting the curtain to look, King Shu saw him mounting a fine horse and riding off with his guards.

"He’s truly insane, daring to threaten me," King Shu muttered, but the memory of Xie Ming’an’s gaze still made him frown.

’He’s a man of his word.’

’I was too careless this time. I didn’t remind the assassins Jing Chun found to be wary of a counterattack from Princess Funing.’

’After all, that child has a maturity and cunning beyond her years.’

’And now look. I’ve truly been hoisted by my own petard.’

At that moment, Mo Lingwei was with the Emperor, sitting with his arms crossed and a grim expression on his face.

The young man said nothing. His expression was simply dreadful as he stared at the Emperor for a long while.

The Emperor sensed he was in a foul mood and had planned to let him calm down on his own. Otherwise, if he spoke first, his son would surely snap back at him in anger.

But the Emperor had been looking down, reviewing memorials, for quite some time, and he could still feel that sharp, cold gaze fixed on the top of his head. Not only was it distracting, but it also made him feel restless.

The Emperor couldn’t take it anymore. He put down his brush. "If you have something to say, just say it. Don’t just stare at me without a word. What is it?!"

Mo Lingwei said coolly, "If I say it, Father, you might get angry."

"I’m not so easily angered. Besides, we are father and son. What can’t we say to each other frankly? Go on, I’m listening. I promise I won’t get angry." The Emperor smiled with great patience.

The next second, Mo Lingwei said with a dark expression, "Can you depose my uncle?"

The Emperor was stunned, then slammed his hand on the desk and shot to his feet. "You brat, what nonsense are you spouting!"

Mo Lingwei had expected him to get angry and let out a scoff.

"See? I told you you’d be upset."

"Of course I am! Your uncle is my own brother, and he has always taken good care of you."

"I’ve been thinking back carefully these past few days. During the time after I had just lost my mother, the one who took care of me was Princess Shu, not him."

On the contrary, Mo Lingwei had never paid much attention before. It was only after careful recollection recently that he realized that during the time he was taken into the Shu Royal Mansion, it was always Princess Shu who was by his side.

She soothed the heartache of him losing his mother, while King Shu always used business as an excuse to be away from the mansion all day.

He would only return at night, occasionally bringing back a toy he had bought or telling him an interesting story, and that was considered "spending time with him."

Mo Lingwei had always thought of King Shu and Princess Shu as a single entity, but it wasn’t until he recalled their time together in his childhood that he realized King Shu had done almost nothing.

After Princess Shu had given Mo Lingwei all her attention and care, King Shu only needed to say a few words to make Mo Lingwei believe he was just as thoughtful as his wife.

At that time, she had even just recently suffered a miscarriage with her second child, yet she still took care of Mo Lingwei’s fragile emotions.

All these years, the person Mo Lingwei was truly grateful for was Princess Shu for her devotion—definitely not the King Shu who only occasionally showed his face.

The Emperor was incredulous.

"You used to sing your uncle’s praises, always considering them in everything you did. Why the sudden anger towards him?"

Mo Lingwei pressed his thin lips together and looked at the Emperor.

"I suspect that he was behind both the previous assassination attempt on Xie Ming’an and this recent one on Shen Ningning."

The Emperor froze for a moment, then chuckled. "How could that be possible?"

Mo Lingwei’s dark eyes were cold and steady. "I know it might be hard for you to believe, Father. After all, when a man has put on an act for so many years, everyone comes to believe that’s who he truly is."

"But I came today precisely to ask you, Father, to give me a chance to test him. I will show you his true face."

At this, Mo Lingwei’s thin lips pulled into a cold smile.

The young man’s expression was full of unbridled confidence.

"Perhaps, when the truth is revealed, you’ll be even more eager to take my uncle’s life than I am, Father."

Seeing how decisively he spoke, the Emperor couldn’t help but wonder if the boy really knew something.

He hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Alright. Let’s hear your plan."

What Shen Ningning didn’t know was that because of the attempt on her life, her family had gone mad with rage, and for her sake, Mo Lingwei was about to pull the Emperor into a complete and utter falling out with King Shu.