Chapter 704: The Stuck Zhao Wang Lei
Chapter 704: The Stuck Zhao Wang Lei
Xi Ying didn’t visit Xinhe Palace that day immediately. He didn’t want to arouse anyone’s suspicion on himself …, especially Zhao Wang Lei’s.
However, just when he stepped out of the Imperial Court, Eunuch Wang came running to him to inform him that the Emperor wanted to see him.
Xi Ying hid the smile that was threatening to form on his lips and nodded his head.
He, without making an excuse, followed Eunuch Wang to the Imperial Study who immediately asked him to go inside.
“This subject greets Your Majesty.”
Xi Ying stood in front of the table and greeted Zhao Wang Lei who immediately waved his hand and signed him to sit.
Xi Ying could finally see the panic that the Emperor had been trying to hide in the Imperial Court.
Though no one pointed his finger at him, it was natural for the guilty one to fear that his secrets would come out when the investigation would be done.
However, what made Xi Ying more curious was what kind of reaction would Qin Wenya have once she would come to know of this.
But then he wondered if Zhao Wang Lei would even let this news reach her ears. He must be scared that Qin Wenya to prove herself innocence would reveal his dirties secret that he had been hiding for so many years.
“Prime Minister Xi, Zhen wants you to look into this matter properly.”
Zhao Wang Lei said to Xi Ying though in a calm but hurried voice.
Xi Ying would have said ‘yes’ in normal circumstances but he couldn’t stop himself from testing Zhao Wang Lei’s patience.
“But Your Majesty, Minister Xin is already looking into this matter. Would this subject not be going against him if this subject also had the matter in his hands?”
Zhao Wang Lei shook his head immediately.
His hands were clenched inside his sleeves to form a fist. He himself knew what kind of a big risk he was taking by giving this job to Xi Ying.
After knowing what kind of bog reach Xi Ying has in investigating the matters, he was afraid that Xi Ying would find out something that he shouldn’t.
However, Zhao Wang Lei couldn’t wait for so many days.
He wouldn’t be able to sleep by thinking continuously just who this person who had given the letter to Zhao Zhang Wei was and how much exactly did he know!
He needed to find out everything very soon.
As for Xi Ying finding out that it was he, Zhao Wang Lei who had killed Noble Consort Shu, he would make up some story.
So Zhao Wang Lei said
“Zhen is ordering you, Prime Mi
nister Xi, No one dares to say anything against our order …not even Minister Xin. If he has some kind of problem then he can come to us.”
Hearing this, Xi Ying nodded his head.
“Sure, Your Majesty. This subject will start the investigation immediately.”
Zhao Wang Lei was relieved. However, he had not expected that Xi Ying’s investigation will start from that moment only and the person on the first target would be him.
“Your Majesty, this subject would like to know if Your Majesty is also not sure if Noble Consort Shu died a natural death or not. After all, it was Your Majesty who was near Noble Consort Shu that night but Your Majesty didn’t say anything in the Imperial Court.”
Zhao Wang Lei stilled suddenly.
He was unprepared for Xi Ying’s question.
No matter how clever he tried to become, he knew that to make Xi Ying believe his lies, he first needed to create a story that would not have any loopholes. However, he never got much time.
At the same time, he didn’t want to say that Qin Wenya was completely free from the doubt because he doubted that he would have to use her as his shield to protect himself.
That’s why he very cleverly turned everything in the other direction.
“Prime Minister Xi, We had a physician check on Noble Consort Shu that night. The physician is already dead but it is possible that he was also bribed by the Empress.”
After finishing these words, he turned his head away as he continued with a voice that was laced with despair.
“We had always doubted Noble Consort Shu’s sudden death. However, at that time we were so full of despair that we didn’t try to investigate the reason behind her death after the physician declared that it was a natural death. The Empress…she had always resented Zhen’s beloved Consort. Since Zhang Wei had brought it now, Zhen wants to do justice to the late beloved Consort.”
Xi Ying was feeling disgusted by Zhao Wang Lei’s act but he had no choice other than to keep a straight calm face.
He just wanted to leave but before leaving, he wanted to leave another problem with Zhao Wang Lei.
“Your Majesty, if it is really true that Her Majesty had killed Noble Consort Shu then fingers can be pointed to Your Majesty as well. Though no one will dare to say anything now, afterward people will surely say that the Emperor might have known all this already but hid it to protect the Empress. After all, it was Your Majesty who had announced Noble Consort Shu’s death back then.”
Zhao Wang Lei’s face surely went pale.
Xi Ying smirked mentally.
By now, he knew that one thing tha
t Zhao Wang Lei loved the most other than Yi Jie was his reputation. He would never compromise with it.
Not only this, he had another problem as well and that was the buried body of Noble Consort Shu.
He had announced that he buried Noble Consort Shu’s body on his own, but what if the matter was investigated further and the body was found in the garden of Qin Wenya’s chambers.
How will he explain his lies!
At that time also, he would have to come running to him.
And then, he will help him and demand what he wanted him to do …and that was to remove Qin Wenya’s existence completely.