The Herbal Scents of Farm Life
Chapter 1440: This Person Has Quite Deep Scheming

Chapter 1440: Chapter 1440: This Person Has Quite Deep Scheming

At this moment, a sudden clarity struck her, and after swallowing her saliva, she blurted out a string of words as if they were flowing clouds and water.

"Oh?"

The man in black elongated his voice, lightly uttering an "oh".

"So, you mean to say that Yin Baiqing’s disappearance is indeed the fault of the two of you?"

"No, it’s not."

Upon hearing his words, Princess Consort Yi hurriedly denied them.

"My lord, please listen to my explanation. Although I am at fault for Yin Baiqing’s disappearance, not all the blame lies solely with me."

"Hmm? Let’s hear it."

The man in black leaned back in his chair and spoke to Princess Consort Yi.

Upon hearing this, Princess Consort Yi looked up at the man in black.

"My lord, ever since you brought Yin Baiqing to Prince Yi’s Mansion, the Emperor has always had designs on him, repeatedly trying to use banquets in the palace as an excuse to summon him and detain him.

But Prince Yi and I have always refused, and thus the Emperor could do nothing about us.

This time, however, the Emperor took advantage of our absence from the mansion to issue a decree to take Yin Baiqing away and even granted him to the National Teacher Suyang as his son. Prince Yi and I tried to enter the palace to plead with the Emperor, but to no avail.

At the National Teacher’s residence, although Suyang disdained the Emperor’s methods, a decree from the Emperor ultimately forced his hand, and he dared not return the person to Prince Yi and me, and so the matter was dragged on."

"Then how did Sui Zimo manage to take him away?!" The man in black queried.

He could ignore other matters, but how Sui Zimo managed to take Yin Baiqing away intrigued him.

Within Prince Yi’s Mansion, Yin Baiqing’s identity was that of the Fifth Young Master, even if Sui Zimo managed to extricate Yin Baiqing from the National Teacher’s residence, he should have returned him to Prince Yi’s Mansion, right?

Why did he hide the person away directly?

"This..."

Princess Consort Yi bit her somewhat pale lips, tentatively looking at the masked man before her.

"Perhaps the Emperor’s actions were so bizarre that it aroused Sui Zimo’s suspicions, my lord. As you know, Sui Zimo is a man of deep schemes. Among the many sons of noble families, the Emperor picked no one else but Yin Baiqing, and it wouldn’t be unlikely to have roused his doubts.

Moreover, I don’t know who pointed out a relationship between me and Sui Zimo, claiming that the day Sui Zimo was born was the very day I married into Prince Yi’s Mansion.

As a result, Sui Zimo grew even more suspicious."

Upon hearing this, the man in black’s hands—which rested on his thighs—tightened.

This Sui Zimo was quite something, involved in affairs everywhere. Now, he even dared to lay hands on Yin Baiqing.

It seems he knows quite a bit; otherwise, he wouldn’t keep Yin Baiqing without releasing him. Could it be that Sui Zimo had even guessed the connection between him and Yin Baiqing?

Realizing this possibility, his pupils constricted.

"Continue."

He looked at Princess Consort Yi, instructing.

"Prince Yi and I also went to Prince Mo’s Mansion to demand the person, but Sui Zimo pretended to know nothing and sent Prince Yi and me away. What’s more infuriating is that it was precisely at this time the Emperor issued a decree to the National Teacher’s Mansion."

At this point, Princess Consort Yi pursed her lips.

The Emperor’s actions provided her with the perfect excuse to deflect blame.

"The Emperor actually let National Teacher Suyang return Yin Baiqing to Prince Yi’s Mansion, which conveniently gave Sui Zimo and Suyang a chance to clear their names. That very day, Suyang noisily brought over a fake Yin Baiqing."