Salted Fish Chapter 61

 Chapter 61

Initial Clues

Xiao Xian concealed the fact that Consort Xian punished him by making him kneel. He only said that he had indeed been ill, but it wasn't a serious illness, and he already recovered significantly before going to the Rining Hunting Grounds. He claimed that Consort Xian didn't want him to go hunting because she feared he might pass the illness to the Emperor.

The Emperor's expression remained unchanged as he listened, but his gaze towards Xiao Xian grew colder. The Emperor had already had the matter investigated by the imperial guards, and Xiao Xian's account did not match the facts. This indicated that Xiao Xian was aware of certain things and was complicit.

The Emperor could be a father when not threatened by interests, but the word "father" always came after "sovereign." Sovereign first, father would come second.

After Xiao Xian finished speaking, the Emperor said coldly, "Zhen have heard what you said. You may leave now."

Xiao Xian detected the coldness in the Emperor's words, and his heart couldn't help but fill with anxiety.

He knew that Consort Xian had high expectations for him and that it was impossible for her to have no thoughts about the Crown Prince's position. The time Consort Xian punished him to reflect was after he returned from Xiao Yi's place and found Consort Xian urging him to study again. He suddenly imitated Xiao Shan, retorting to Consort Xian and then using the excuse of wanting to see the Emperor to run away.

However, he couldn't truly emulate Xiao Shan and didn't actually go to see the Emperor. He couldn't possibly go to the Emperor and speak ill of Consort Xian. In his panic, he hid by the rockery in the Imperial Garden for an hour before returning.

Consort Xian, naturally aware of his whereabouts, was very angry and gave him a severe scolding, treating him coldly for several days. Ever since Xiao Xian was very young, Consort Xian had done this. Whenever he didn't want to study or make an effort to please the Emperor, Consort Xian would say that someone like him didn't deserve to be her son. If he continued like this, she would rather give him away.

Every time Xiao Xian heard those words, he was terrified. He feared being abandoned by Consort Xian, so he always obeyed her.

But honestly, perhaps because he was getting older or because he envied Xiao Shan's carefree freedom, those few days without his mother's constant scrutiny and without having to study and recite every day felt incredibly liberating to Xiao Xian. He felt a bit anxious, but also truly relaxed.

If Consort Xian didn't constantly criticize and provoke him, he even thought he could continue living like that forever.

However, Xiao Xian's attitude only added fuel to the fire for Consort Xian. She called him over and gave him a severe scolding in the palace. When people get angry, they often lose control, especially when Consort Xian felt that Xiao Xian was slipping out of her control. She was both shocked and furious. She called him stupid, accused him of lacking ambition, and said she regretted ever giving birth to him.

In the end, Consort Xian even said that if Xiao Xian didn't reflect on his actions, he wouldn't need to pay his respects to her anymore. If he didn't want to study, so be it; she wouldn't care about him anymore.

At that moment, Consort Xian's eyes were bright and full of seriousness.

Xiao Xian felt relieved at the thought of not having to study, but the idea of Consort Xian truly not seeing him anymore filled him with fear. So, he knelt on the ground and reflected on his mistakes.

The wind was cold that day, and so was his heart. The moment he knelt down, he felt as if he would never be able to escape.

That night, Xiao Xian fell ill. It wasn't a severe illness, but it was mainly due to his emotional distress. When Consort Xian reported to the Emperor that he was ill and needed to stay in the capital to take care of him during the autumn hunt, he was actually a bit scared.

Under the Emperor's watchful eye, even if Consort Xian wanted to scold or beat him, she had to be mindful of eavesdroppers.

When the Emperor took the palace concubines out of the palace, Consort Xian became the most powerful person. If she wanted to do something to Xiao Xian, no one would notice afterward.

Fortunately, the Emperor saw that he was just in low spirits and didn't agree to leave him behind.

At the Rining Hunting Grounds, Consort Xian still kept a close watch on him, but at least he didn't have to study there, and at least he could breathe freely.

On the night of the assassination attempt, after everything settled, the Emperor was furious, the Crown Prince investigated the case, and the Emperor ordered a lockdown. Xiao Xian only knew that during those days, Consort Xian looked very troubled and anxious. She paced back and forth in the tent and hadn't slept well for several nights.

Xiao Xian asked her what was wrong, and Consort Xian only said she was scared.

After that, they returned to the palace. The days back in the capital were calm for two days, and then Consort Xian was suddenly imprisoned, and he couldn't even see her shadow.

Xiao Xian wasn't sure if Consort Xian had anything to do with the assassination attempt on Xiao Jin.

But in front of the Emperor, he still wanted to protect Consort Xian. So, when he sensed the coldness in the Emperor's eyes, he didn't get up to leave. Instead, he knelt on the ground and said, "Father Emperor, this prince wants to know what crime my mother has committed."

No one had told him the truth, and he couldn't guess it based on his own speculations. So, he thought it better to ask directly.

The Emperor initially wanted to dismiss him, but then reconsidered. There was no point in hiding these matters from Xiao Xian. Rather than letting him hear the truth from others, it was better for him to hear it directly from his father.

So, the Emperor explained the situation with the dancer and the eunuch, including the background and consequences.

After listening, Xiao Xian quickly said, "Father Emperor, although I am young, I can sense that there is more to this matter. That eunuch was severely punished by Mother Consort and nearly lost his life, so it's possible he harbored resentment. As for the dancer, from what you said, it seems she had feelings for someone else and resented Mother Consort. Such hatred is understandable. I hope Father Emperor will investigate thoroughly."

"What you said, Zhen have also considered. But Zhen’s imperial guards found correspondence over the years between the eunuch and Consort Xian. Zhen had it examined, and the handwriting matches that of Pei Huan, the head palace maid who has served your mother for years. If you say she had contact with the eunuch without your mother's knowledge, Zhen simply doesn't believe it. Moreover, Zhen had the dancer thoroughly investigated, and she had no contact with anyone else. Regardless of the dancer, just considering the eunuch's punishment, it could very well have been a ruse. The Rining Hunting Grounds, where Zhen goes every two years, is a well-known habit. Planting a mole there to deliver a fatal blow at the right moment shows considerable planning."

Xiao Xian felt a chill in his heart. He wanted to refute the Emperor's words, arguing that the letters could be forged.

Perhaps Pei Huan was manipulated by someone else, or there might be other reasons.

But Xiao Xian's mind was blank, and he didn't know what to say.

However, the Emperor didn't wait for him to gather his thoughts and dismissed him again, telling him to stay in his room and study, and not to get involved in these matters.

Xiao Xian left the Ganming Hall in a daze. After walking a short distance, he suddenly stopped and turned back, intending to see the Emperor again. This time, he was stopped by the guards.

He struggled, and the guards, not daring to harm him, could only block his way, saying, "Fifth Prince, the Emperor does not wish to see you right now. Please don't make it difficult for us."

Xiao Xian said, "Move aside. I need to see Father Emperor."

The Emperor had given his orders, so the guards naturally didn't dare let him through. However, they didn't harm him, intending to wait until he tired himself out before taking him away.

Xiao Xian was both angry and anxious, but being small and weak, he couldn't break free.

During the standoff, Xiao Shan, who was entering the palace to see the Emperor, saw the scene. He approached and asked, "What are you doing?"

The guards released Xiao Xian and saluted Xiao Shan. Xiao Xian didn't move; he looked at Xiao Shan, his lips trembling, but he couldn't utter a word.

Seeing Xiao Xian's desperate expression, Xiao Shan casually pointed to one of the guards and asked, "What's going on?"

The guard he pointed to explained the situation.

Xiao Shan frowned and looked at Xiao Xian, saying, "Is it really necessary to make such a face just to see Father Emperor? I'm going to see him anyway; you can come with me."

Xiao Xian could hardly believe what he was hearing. His eyes lit up, but then he looked at Xiao Shan with suspicion.

The guards blocking Xiao Xian became anxious and said, "Your Highness, the Emperor has said..."

"The Emperor said, the Emperor said. What exactly did he say? He told Fifth Brother to study well. Once he sees Father Emperor, he'll naturally go back and study diligently. Did the Emperor ever say he couldn't see him?" Xiao Shan's expression showed some impatience. "Fifth Brother is a prince, Father Emperor's son, and not an enemy. Why are you stopping him from seeing Father Emperor? Do you need him to hit himself with a brick or hold a sword to his neck before you'll let him see Father Emperor?"

The guards: "..."

They suspected that Xiao Shan was openly teaching Xiao Xian to threaten them, and they had evidence.

Xiao Xian: "..."

Although it was inappropriate, he felt that Xiao Shan was right.

***

The Emperor was waiting for Xiao Shan in the Ganming Hall.

He didn't expect to see not only Xiao Shan but also Xiao Xian.

Seeing the two of them enter the Ganming Hall together, the Emperor's eyes showed a hint of surprise.

Given the current situation, with Xiao Shan injured and Consort Xian being a major suspect, it was unthinkable that Xiao Shan would stand with Xiao Xian.

Such a scenario was impossible to imagine.

With Xiao Shan's cunning, he would seize the opportunity to ensure Consort Xian's downfall.

So, the Emperor was very curious about what was going on and asked, "Why did you two come together?"

Xiao Xian hadn't figured out how to respond, but Xiao Shan directly recounted the earlier situation and then shared his perspective: "Father Emperor, Fifth Brother is a prince. It's unbecoming for him to be crying and causing a scene in the palace. I found it embarrassing, so I brought him along."

After saying this, Xiao Shan tilted his chin towards Xiao Xian and said, "Fifth Brother, weren't you just desperate to see Father Emperor? Now that you're here, speak up."

Xiao Xian: "..."

Although Xiao Shan had helped him, he felt an urge to hit him.

Xiao Xian took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to hit someone. He knelt before the Emperor and said, "Father Emperor, I did not intend to cause trouble. I only wish to earnestly request that you thoroughly investigate the assassination attempt on the Crown Prince at the Rining Hunting Grounds."

The Emperor looked at Xiao Xian calmly, then turned his gaze to Xiao Shan, whose expression remained unchanged, and asked, "You are the biggest victim in this matter. What do you think?"

Xiao Shan said, "Investigate it thoroughly. If there are doubts, they should be cleared up. Once the investigation is complete, Fifth Brother won't feel wronged, and I can also breathe a sigh of relief."

The Emperor raised an eyebrow. "So, from what you're saying, you think there are still doubts about this case?"

Xiao Shan blinked innocently and said, "Father Emperor, that's not what I meant. I just think that if we're going to investigate, we should do it thoroughly. We shouldn't wrong an innocent person, nor should we let a guilty one go free."

The Emperor wasn't fooled by his expression and asked directly, "Speak up. What are your thoughts?"

Xiao Shan said, "I do have some thoughts, but I'm afraid you'll be angry if I say them."

The Emperor narrowed his eyes. "You have my pardon."

Xiao Shan became more animated and said, "Father Emperor, this is what I think. Fifth Brother is still very young and hasn't achieved any great feats. Even if Second Brother were assassinated, the position of Crown Prince wouldn't fall to him. Instead of wasting effort on such an act, it would be more beneficial to think about how to secure advantages for him. Assassinating Second Brother brings no benefit. Of course, it's also possible that someone with a twisted mind decided to do this."

"There's also the possibility that someone wanted to muddy the waters and fish in troubled waters*. To do that, they would need to first bring down Second Brother, the Crown Prince. If the dagger had been aimed at you, Father Emperor, then Second Brother would be unable to clear his name, no matter what. However, at the hunting grounds, you were surrounded by many guards, and that woman couldn't get close enough to harm you. So, it's possible that the assassin turned to attack Second Brother instead. From this perspective, there are still doubts surrounding Second Brother."

*For those that are unfamiliar, muddy the waters mean making an issue or a situation more confusing by introducing complications; while fishing in troubled waters means to try to win an advantage from a difficult situation or from someone else's problems.

"Now, all the evidence points to Consort Xian, and Father Emperor, you might have other thoughts as well. After all, the evidence against Consort Xian seems reasonable yet full of loopholes. It appears flawed, but upon closer inspection, it holds endless possibilities."

"These pieces of evidence were all investigated by Second Brother. It's normal for you to have doubts. As the most direct victim, my request is the same as Fifth Brother's: I hope you will thoroughly investigate this matter and clear Second Brother's name."

"I have one more request. Since this involves several princes, let other court officials investigate this case."

Xiao Shan's lengthy speech caused the Emperor's face to darken.

Beside him, Xiao Xian's legs went weak. When Xiao Shan mentioned the dagger being aimed at the Emperor, he immediately knelt down.

Xiao Shan was a madman, speaking so bluntly. Even at his young age, Xiao Xian knew that such words could be seen as openly cursing the Emperor, which was a deadly offense.

Not to mention the rest of his speech, which implied...

"Are you saying that Zhen is overly suspicious?" the Emperor asked, his tone dark.

In his heart, Xiao Xian nodded vigorously. To him, Xiao Shan's words clearly carried that implication.

Accusing the Emperor of being overly suspicious was akin to courting death.

And that was indeed Xiao Shan's intention. Upon hearing the evidence Xiao Jin uncovered, Xiao Shan's heart skipped a beat.

What if the assassination attempt at the hunting grounds was part of a larger scheme?

The attack at the hunting grounds resulted in Xiao Jin being injured, and he was the one investigating the case.

Perhaps the mastermind never intended for Xiao Jin to be the one injured.

But with Xiao Jin investigating the case due to his own injury, combined with the issues in the Eastern Palace, it would be difficult for him to remain completely impartial, no matter how just he tried to be.

As was just mentioned to the Emperor, the evidence uncovered was too conspicuous. Given the Emperor's suspicious nature, he would undoubtedly overthink it. The Emperor always had a way of presenting one thing on the surface while harboring another in secret.

If it turned out that there was a possibility of false accusations, the Emperor would suspect all the princes, including Xiao Jin.

Xiao Shan didn't want the Emperor to overthink things. The more one dwelled on certain matters, the more suspicious they became. Xiao Jin's position as Crown Prince wasn't entirely secure, so Xiao Shan took the opportunity to speak openly.

The Emperor could suspect whatever he wanted, but his suspicions shouldn't be exploited by those with ulterior motives. If they missed the real culprit because of this, then Xiao Shan's suffering would have been in vain.

Saying these things carried a certain risk. The Emperor valued his dignity, and breaking that facade wasn't ideal. Xiao Shan needed to find a way to smooth things over.

So, when the Emperor asked that menacing question, Xiao Shan's mind raced, but his expression remained unchanged as he said, "Father Emperor, you are the Son of Heaven, the Emperor of Da Zhou. You don't have the ability to see and hear everything yourself; you rely on reports from others. Human nature is complex and ever-changing. A single extra word or a missing detail in a report can lead to entirely different outcomes. Da Zhou's territory is vast, and its people are numerous. If you didn't have some suspicion towards those around you, you wouldn't be a competent Emperor."

"So, it's normal for you to have suspicions, Father Emperor. Not having any suspicions would be abnormal."

Xiao Xian: "..."

Xiao Shan dared to say even this; what wouldn't he dare to say?

The Ganming Hall fell into silence. The Emperor felt both anger and helplessness towards Xiao Shan.

After a long silence, he said, "Xiao Xian, you may leave. I have something to discuss with your third brother."

Xiao Xian quickly got up and left. He feared that if he stayed any longer, the Emperor, provoked by Xiao Shan, might directly convict Consort Xian.

"You really dare to say anything," Xiao Xian heard the Emperor say coldly as he walked out the door.

Xiao Shan's voice, laced with a smile, responded, "Father Emperor, these are all my true thoughts. You are wise, and my little schemes can't be hidden from you. Instead of keeping them to myself, it's better to speak out and let you help analyze the situation."

Xiao Xian wanted to turn back and see what was happening inside, but his legs felt weak, and he didn't dare.

However, he knew in his heart that Xiao Shan dared to say such things today all for the sake of Xiao Jin.

Xiao Xian felt a twinge of envy. As he walked out of the hall, he thought he should head back to his residence, but somehow, his legs turned towards the Eastern Palace.

The guards behind him wanted to stop him, but remembering Xiao Shan's words, they hesitated and withdrew their arms.

If Xiao Xian harmed himself, their heads would be on the line.

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