Yuqiongyin

The carriage of the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion was speeding through the streets of the capital. A circle of copper plates was inlaid on the edge of the wheels, making a low and steady sound, raising a cloud of light dust on the official road, attracting the attention of the people.

They didn't know what had happened, but when they saw the army of the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion, they naturally guessed that something big must have happened in the palace.

The interior of the carriage is exquisite and comfortable, with the inner wall inlaid with warm-colored wooden boards and elegant patterns carved on them. The carriage is covered with soft brocade cushions and small armrests on both sides of the seat.

The top is decorated with fabrics such as silk and painted with exquisite starry sky patterns; sachets are hung on the inner wall, exuding a light and elegant fragrance.

The car window was covered with a tulle. Xie Chenning leaned on the armrest and opened the curtain with one hand. The scenery outside the window quickly receded like a painting, but the interior of the car was leisurely and relaxed.

In the corner was a small tea stove, with a blazing charcoal fire illuminating the interior of the car. Next to it was an exquisite tea can filled with precious tea leaves.

Wei Ke was wearing a plain robe and sitting quietly in the carriage.

He looked calm and composed. He picked up the teapot on the stove with his slender fingers and shook it gently. The water inside had been boiled to the right temperature.

He opened the tea can, pinched out a handful of tea leaves and put them into the teapot. The tea leaves stretched out under the impact of hot water, and wisps of tea fragrance instantly spread.

The carriage was slightly bumpy, but this did not affect his actions of making tea at all.

Xie Chenning lowered the car curtain and turned to look at Wei Ke. Through the gauze of the car window, mottled light and shadows fell on him.

He was lowering his head and methodically pouring the iced tea into a white jade teacup. The tea was swirling in the cup, clear and transparent.

He gently picked up the teacup, brought it to his lips, took a sip, and the bitterness and sweetness of the herbal tea spread on his taste buds.

"You are quite pleasant."

Wei Ke put down the teacup and smiled softly, "I never expected that the Duke of Zhenguo would suddenly break into the palace and take you away. But it's okay. There are too many disputes in the palace. Go back to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion and have a good rest."

Xie Chenning lowered her eyes slightly, "Yes, it's been three months, and I'm about to show my pregnancy. I'm afraid I'll be discovered if I stay in the palace."

"Nothing, the Queen Mother is under house arrest, Wei Ming has no ability, so he can't cause any trouble."

*

After returning to the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion, the door was closed and the atmosphere was solemn.

Xie Feisi ordered to strengthen the defense of the mansion. He knew that this action was undoubtedly a declaration of war on the royal family. Although he had no such intention, he could not retreat for the sake of his daughter's dignity.

The entire court was shocked by this incident.

The ministers were divided into two groups. One group believed that the action of the Duke of Zhenguo was extremely treasonous and a blatant challenge to the authority of the royal family.

Another faction believed that the queen was wronged and the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion was only protecting the family's dignity. Moreover, the Xie family was loyal to the court, so there must be some hidden story behind this matter.

There was a lot of discussion and quarreling in the court.

Over the past few days, the atmosphere in the capital has become increasingly tense.

Wei Ming did not make any movement from the palace, as if he was waiting for the next move of the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion.

The Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion did not give any explanation.

Inside the Duke Zhenguo's Mansion, sunlight trickled down from the sky, gently casting a layer of brilliant veil over the entire courtyard.

The yard was filled with the fragrance of flowers. Xie Chenning, wearing a simple moon-white dress, lay quietly on the lounge chair in the middle of the yard, the hem of her skirt dancing with the gentle breeze.

Her eyes were slightly closed, and her long black hair fell on her shoulders like a waterfall, gleaming with a soft luster.

At this moment, she is like a lazy and extremely happy cat, enjoying this rare leisure and peace.

In this small courtyard, the hustle and bustle of the world seem to be isolated by an invisible barrier, and the troubles of trivial matters disappear like passing clouds.

Xie Chenpin was in the martial arts training ground in the mansion, waving his spear and venting his anger.

His dissatisfaction with the royal family has reached its peak, and he is determined to make them pay the price.

*

Seeing that Wei Ming did nothing and the attitude of the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion became increasingly tough, Xie Feisi directly wrote a letter to the court, directly asking Wei Ming to thoroughly investigate the murder of the queen and severely punish the mastermind behind it.

His memorial caused an uproar in the court, and Wei Ming was caught in a dilemma facing the discussions of ministers in the court.

He knew that if he agreed to the request of the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion, it might damage the dignity of the royal family; but if he did not agree, he would not be able to bear the anger of the Xie family.

After weighing the pros and cons, Wei Ming decided to send a trusted minister to the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion to appease the people, and said that he would thoroughly investigate the matter.

However, Xie Feisi was not satisfied with the emperor's move.

He was well aware of the complex relationships in the palace and was worried that this thorough investigation would come to nothing. After all, the real murderer was the Queen Mother.

Xie Feisi stood in the court with his head held high and his chest puffed out. He stared at the emperor on the throne with a firm and sharp gaze and said righteously:

"Your Majesty, this matter is of great importance. It concerns the safety of our queen. Please come forward in person, thoroughly investigate this matter, and give a clear explanation to the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion! Otherwise, it will be difficult for me to give a decent explanation to the queen's mother. I hope that Your Majesty can understand my difficulties and solve this important matter as soon as possible to ensure that the queen is safe and sound in the future, and let everyone in the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion rest assured!"

These powerful words echoed in the huge court, like a sudden explosion of thunder.

As soon as this request was made, the court, which had originally had some slight noise, instantly fell into deathly silence.

The ministers were all silent, not daring to make a sound, for fear of accidentally angering the two people who were at the center of the storm.

Pairs of eyes, some in panic, some in confusion, some in solemnity, were staring at Xie Feisi and the emperor sitting high on the dragon throne.

They knew clearly in their hearts that Xie Feisi's move today was simply forcing the emperor to a dead end! This undoubtedly put the emperor in a dilemma where he could neither advance nor retreat. If he was not careful, he would lose his head.

At this moment, the atmosphere in the court was so depressing that it made people breathless. Everyone felt their hearts were heavy, as if a huge stone weighing thousands of pounds was pressing on them.

As time passed, this suffocating silence continued, with no sign of being broken.

However, something unexpected happened to everyone - Wei Ming, who had been silent, actually compromised.

After the court session, the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion began to prepare for various situations that might arise in the future, while Xie Chenpin arranged military drills in the mansion in case of emergency.

In the palace, Wei Ming was also actively planning. He knew that if this incident was not handled properly, it might shake the foundation of the country.

He must find a proper solution that can both maintain the dignity of the royal family and calm the anger of the Xie family.

…………