542 Announcement to the World
“How can that be? Father, don’t you believe me?” The Queen denied. It was just a matter of words to admit her mistake, but some people would not give up until they saw the coffin.
The Queen met the Emperor’s stern gaze and said, “You can choose not to believe me, but don’t you believe yourself too? Back then, you and the ministers saw it with your own eyes in Taichu Hall. The holy artifact recognized me as its master, and I made all the Gu beads light up.”
Back then, there was such a thing, but the Gu worm that recognized her as the master was not the holy artifact of Nanzhao. It was just a powerful Thousand Gu King. In order to forcefully increase the aura of the Thousand Gu King, Gu Elder Meng fed the Thousand Gu King medicine. Although it emitted an aura similar to a holy artifact for a period of time, not long after, the Thousand Gu King’s essence energy was exhausted and it died.
However, no one would investigate.
For a long time after that, the Queen did not expose herself. Firstly, it was because everyone believed the truth that they had seen with their own eyes. Secondly, not many people could sense the aura of the holy artifact, not even Gu Elder Meng.
The State Preceptor could, but he was from the Queen Manor. No one would have expected this. Under the double guarantee, this lie perfectly blinded everyone until tonight when something happened to the Queen at the banquet.
The Queen grabbed the Emperor’s wrist and said firmly, “Father, you have to believe me. Someone really stole the holy artifact from me.”
“They infiltrated the Queen Manor?” The Emperor asked.
The Queen nodded sincerely. “Yes, the Queen Manor’s defenses are not foolproof.”
The Emperor said indifferently, “Even so, are you telling me that a Gu Supremacy has appeared in the Nanzhao Nation?”
The Queen was speechless.
Hundred-feet Gu Elder and a Thousand-feet Gu Supremacy. It was said that the Gu Supremacy’s strength was far above the Gu Elder, but in fact, no Gu Supremacy had ever appeared in the Nanzhao Nation. It was said that one had appeared in the Ghost Clan, but that was hundreds of years ago.
The Queen was only concerned about being stubborn just now and forgot how difficult it was to control the Ten Thousand Gu King.
If not for that, why would the Ghost Clan be willing to give up the Ten Thousand Gu King? However, no one in the Ghost Clan could subdue that little thing, so it was useless to keep it. They might as well use it to make a deal with Nanzhao. At least they could exchange it for a beautiful Princess.
“I don’t know. I didn’t see him.” Even if the appearance of the Gu Supremacy was even more impossible than stabbing the heavens, she could not admit that she had not let the holy artifact acknowledge her as its master. In short, if she did not relent, her father would have no evidence.
The atmosphere in the room became a little strange. The Emperor looked at his daughter without blinking.
The Queen understood that her father would not believe her words so easily, but was her father the only one in disbelief in the entire incident? She was still wondering which suicidal thief had barged into the Queen Manor and stolen her holy artifact.
The Queen Manor had actually been robbed, and it was a holy artifact that had been guarded tightly. Who would believe it if word got out?
Seeing that the Emperor’s gaze was getting colder and colder, the Empress could not help but say, “The child had already said that it was stolen, why don’t you believe her? I was there too. I saw it too. The holy artifact belongs to Yan’er, and Yan’er is the destined master. Or do you not like Yan’er anymore?”
“How can that be?” The Emperor restrained the cold expression between his eyebrows and said gently to the Empress, “Such a big thing has happened. I have to ask clearly so that I can give an explanation to the guests who came to attend the banquet tonight.”
An explanation for what? The fact that the holy artifact was stolen from the Queen Manor and the Queen had hid from them until tonight?
The Emperor had a headache!
Fortunately, she was the Empress’s child. If she was the bastard child in Consort Yun’s stomach, the Emperor would have long punished her for deceiving the Emperor!
The Empress hugged her daughter and looked at the Emperor in a daze. The Emperor sighed softly. “Got it. I’ll deal with it.”
This meant that he was willing to protect her. The Queen was not sure if her father believed her, but she knew that as long as she was her mother’s flesh and blood, her father would definitely not bear to hurt her.
That night, the Queen stayed in the Empress’s bedchamber to rest. She did not sleep well and tossed and turned.
The Empress patted her hand. “Don’t worry, your father will get it done.”
“Thank you, Mother,” the Queen said.
“Silly child, why are you thanking me?” The Empress said gently.
The Queen looked into the Empress’s gentle eyes. “Father dotes on me because of you, Mother. Of course I have to thank you.”
The Empress smiled. “Nonsense. Your father dotes on you firstly because you’re his flesh and blood, and secondly because of me.”
The Queen approached the Empress’s arms. “I’m very happy to be your daughter.”
In the end, the news of the Queen being poisoned by a Gu still leaked. After all, there were many guests who came to attend the banquet. There were many people and the news spread without waiting for the Emperor to give them a gag order. Of course, no one dared to discuss the details of the Queen embarrassing herself. They were only puzzled as to whether the Queen was really poisoned and why.
“The Queen has indeed been poisoned by a Gu,” the Emperor said as he appeared at the banquet.
Everyone was shocked. Didn’t the Queen have the holy artifact? How could she be poisoned?
The Emperor explained, “The holy artifact was stolen.”
There was another gasp in the hall!
The Emperor continued, “On the first day the holy artifact was stolen, the Queen entered the palace to apologize to me. I originally planned to announce the truth to the world after investigating the matter, but I didn’t expect such a thing to happen. I’ve failed my duty.”
He took the blame for himself, making everyone not know what to say. Therefore, even though they knew that it was the Queen’s fault, no one could bear to reprimand her because of him.
However, everyone still did not understand why the holy artifact would be stolen. It was fine if the holy artifact did not recognize its master, but the holy artifact that had already recognized its master would not leave easily.
It was not difficult for the Emperor to understand everyone’s doubts. After all, when he heard the news, he thought that this was impossible like everyone else. The only difference was that he had the guts to question the Princess, but they could not.
It was enough to lower his status once. The Emperor would not lower his status a second time. He said solemnly, “It’s the Queen’s duty to protect the holy artifact well, and she’s definitely responsible for that. However, the thief who infiltrated the Queen Manor is the true source. I will punish the Queen and also arrest the thief.”
“But…” A prince spoke. Although he was about the same age as the Emperor, in terms of seniority, the Emperor still had to call him uncle. He said, “I’m afraid no one in the world has the ability to take the Queen’s holy artifact, right?”
The Emperor said unhurriedly, “There wasn’t in the past, but from now on, there is.”
“What kind of Gu Master is someone who can touch the holy artifact?”
“I heard that not long ago, a few Seventy-feet Gu Elders appeared in the Gu Hall.”
“How can the holy artifact be compared to those Gu worms in the Gu Hall? I’m afraid Gu Elder isn’t enough…”
The Emperor did not make it clear, nor did he stop everyone from whispering. Although it was unbelievable, no one dared to question the royal power and the Queen. They could only force themselves to accept another ridiculous guess.
Compared to the theft of the holy artifact itself, the Emperor was more concerned about who had infiltrated the Queen Manor to steal the holy artifact and who had infiltrated the palace to poison her.
The culprit seemed to be terrifyingly powerful.
In the Helian Manor, the “terrifyingly powerful” little black eggs took their bath, put on their little clothes, and lay on the soft bed. As they dried their stomachs, they grabbed the little milk bottle and drank the milk.
The next day, there was earth-shattering news in the Capital—the holy artifact had been stolen. The Emperor had offered a reward of ten thousand taels of gold to capture the thief.
When the news reached the Helian Manor, Yu Wan was studying the small box brought back by Qing Yan and Yue Gou in Grandma’s room. It was just an inconspicuous box. Was it really as Qing Yan had said that such a powerful mechanism was hidden?
Yu Wan scrabbled as Old Cui entered the house while chewing on a drumstick.
“Girl, something happened. Do you want to hear what it is?” Old Cui gloated.
Yu Wan shook her head and said, “I can tell that nothing good will happen from your appearance. I won’t listen.”
“Hey! Don’t malign me. How is there nothing good? Do I look like the kind of person who gloats?” Old Cui glared at Yu Wan and danced on the spot. “The Queen lost the holy artifact! The Emperor punished her to reflect on her mistakes for three months!”
Yu Wan looked at him strangely and said, “What does the punishment of the Queen have to do with you? What are you happy about?”
I’m not happy for me, I’m happy for you and Little Jiang! They’re born from the same father, so why is she a national treasure and Little Jiang a stinky foxtail grass?
The old man rolled his eyes at Old Cui without batting an eyelid. The Eldest Princess’s background was originally a secret of Ah Wei’s family. Of course, Yan Jiuchao also knew. But Ah Wei’s family didn’t know that Yan Jiuchao also knew. In short, this secret shouldn’t be told to anyone. However, ever since he became friends with Old Cui, the old man accidentally let it slip.
Old Cui cleared his throat. “You’re right. It doesn’t seem to have anything to do with me.”
Yu Wan spread her hands and said, “That’s right. It’s not like my mother is also a Princess, right?”
The old man choked on a mouthful of tea.
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