My Princess and Crown Prince Are Revived
Chapter 228: The Emperor’s Arrival

Chapter 228: Chapter 228: The Emperor’s Arrival

"What’s your opinion?"

The Empress Dowager’s face was clearly very impatient now, but considering Yan Lian was a Prince of another country, she still responded with a sound.

At this moment, Yan Lian slowly stood up.

"Empress Dowager, do you really think the Princely Heir was murdered by Hu Yi?" he countered.

"She took revenge for her sister by killing Zhangzhang, a very sufficient reason to commit murder. Could it be that the ninth prince would make excuses for her?"

The Empress Dowager’s face instantly turned cold.

Right after that, she ordered Hu Yi to be brought in.

At the same time, she summoned Nan Xu and Xiang An as well.

Xiang An glanced at Hu Yi, who was thrown on the ground, covered in injuries, even her face bloodied. A flicker of satisfaction crossed his eyes.

As long as the Empress Dowager was convinced that the murder was Hu Yi’s doing, everything would be easy to handle.

Both King Nan Xu and Commandery Prince Xiang had arrived, how should he handle them?

Yan Lian was very anxious inside, but he still had to pretend to be calm on the surface.

"Empress Dowager, I am not trying to exonerate Hu Yi. I am just puzzled about something. The Princely Heir died from hanging, and the autopsy showed no signs of poisoning, so he must have been alive when he was hanged. May I ask how Hu Yi, with her delicate body and no martial arts skills, managed to hang such a big man with a rope?"

At his words, the Empress Dowager’s expression changed.

But at that moment, Princess Leshi spoke leisurely, "Wasn’t it said that a Human-eating Poisonous Insect was used? The Princely Heir wasn’t dead at the time of his hanging; it was the insect that turned him into a pile of white bones."

Upon hearing this, Yan Lian’s eyelids twitched fiercely.

Princess Leshi knew about the Human-eating Poisonous Insect, which must mean she had been watching this matter closely, keeping an eye on them.

Indeed, if she hadn’t been watching them all along, she wouldn’t have been able to rush into the Princess Residence in such a short time and then take Hu Yi away.

"A pile of white bones? Could it be that there’s a problem with Zhangzhang’s body?"

At this moment, Xiang An shouted loudly, deliberately showing a grieving expression, then choked up, "Zhangzhang, it is your father’s failure to protect you, father’s fault. Just wait, your father will soon join you."

He really was quite the actor!

If he didn’t know that Zhangzhang might not be dead, Yan Lian felt he might be deceived by Xiang An too.

"Pin’er, what exactly is going on?" the Empress Dowager turned her head and asked Princess Leshi sternly.

Princess Leshi quickly spoke up righteously about how Zhangzhang had become a pile of bones.

Seeing that the Empress Dowager was about to get angry, Yan Lian quickly spoke up again, "Empress Dowager, please hear me out. I have repeatedly confirmed with the steward and servants of the Commandery Prince Residence, and they all said that the Princely Heir was already dead when he was taken down from the rope. Now, how can there be a claim that he was killed by the Human-eating Poisonous Insect? As you know, the Human-eating Poisonous Insect only harms the living."

"Could it be that the servants of the Commandery Prince Residence were wrong?" Princess Leshi spoke with a cold voice.

She seemed determined to pin the blame on Hu Yi.

But Yan Lian calmly replied, "Why doesn’t Princess Leshi consider the possibility that the servants of the Commandery Prince Residence were lying? Or perhaps the dead person wasn’t the Princely Heir at all!"

"How insolent! Zhangzhang is dead; how dare you play tricks with him here? Ninth Prince, if you continue like this, do not blame me for punishing you severely without regard for your status!" the Empress Dowager scolded with rage.

After warning Yan Lian, her chilling gaze immediately fell upon Hu Yi.

"Despicable thing, you have such audacity to plot against the Princely Heir. Guards, chop off her ten fingers and beat her to death with sticks," she ordered furiously.

This old woman was truly cruel.

Yan Lian was very anxious. He wanted to intervene but didn’t know how to do it at that moment.

Just then, Jian Yun came up from behind him.

She spoke to the Empress Dowager in a cool tone, "Before coming to Nanduan Kingdom, this commoner had heard that the Empress Dowager was a kind-hearted, just, and discerning person. Yet upon meeting you today, it seems those rumors were not true. Before questioning someone, could you not ask why she did what she did? Do you truly not know about the innocents the Princely Heir has harmed, or are you deliberately turning a blind eye?"

As she spoke, Jian Yun’s tone grew increasingly angry.

She was questioning the Empress Dowager on behalf of Hu Yi’s sister and those innocent female warriors who had died.

What?

Upon hearing Jian Yun’s words, many people there were shocked into stillness.

They never imagined she would have the audacity to question the Empress Dowager.

"Very well, very well indeed! A mere girl dares to question me. Guards, tear her mouth!"

The Empress Dowager ordered through clenched teeth.

An old nanny immediately rushed over.

Seeing this, Yan Lian had an extreme headache.

But he would never stand by and watch Jian Yun come to harm.

Taking a deep breath, he immediately stepped in front of Jian Yun and said coldly, "Empress Dowager, Jian Yun merely spoke the truth. Why must you be so angered by this?"

"Ninth Prince, it seems you are eager to leave your life here in Nanduan Kingdom," the Empress Dowager said darkly.

"If the Empress Dowager insists on disregarding the truth today and wants to kill an innocent, then you may as well kill Yan Lian as well," Yan Lian said, standing erect and expressionless.

"Hmph, ignorant of life and death! Drag them both out and beat them to death with clubs. If Yan Country asks, I have my ways of dealing with it!" the Empress Dowager continued to order furiously.

Just as the atmosphere reached a point of extreme tension, a cough was heard from the entrance.

Following that, Nan Li was helped in by the palace servants.

He had a hint of sickness in his brow, but his presence was not one to be taken lightly.

"Why does the Crown Prince find time to visit me today?" the Empress Dowager asked indifferently, sweeping a glance over him, then spoke in a muted tone.

She could not muster the slightest fondness for Nan Li.

Nan Li, unconcerned about her dislike, slowly walked forward and said in a serene voice, "Nan Li pays respects to the Empress Dowager. I heard that the Empress Dowager is judging those guilty of conspiring against the Princely Heir, so I came to see for myself."

"You came to see? Or perhaps you wish to meddle in this matter? Crown Prince, you certainly do reach your hand far," the Empress Dowager scoffed.

At this moment, Nan Xu stepped forward briskly, speaking in a sincere tone, "Empress Dowager, please don’t be angry. The Crown Prince simply wishes to share your concerns. Isn’t that right, Crown Prince?"

As he spoke, he turned and gave Nan Li a glance.

Meeting Nan Xu’s amiable gaze, Nan Li felt like scoffing.

Uncle Nan Xu is, as always, "benevolent." Yet, they all knew that the most poisonous snake in Nanduan Kingdom was him.

Nan Li had no desire to mince words with them. He continued to look up at the Empress Dowager and said lightly, "Regarding the matter of Zhangzhang, the culprit is not the person you’ve apprehended."

"Does the Crown Prince also intend to stop me? Is this concubine Hu some enchantress, that you all speak on her behalf? The more you try to prevent me from killing her, the more I am determined to do it!"

The Empress Dowager sneered, then was about to continue giving orders.

But at that moment, from outside came a declaration "The Emperor arrives!"