In the Cold King's manor, due to the day and night being reversed for the Zi Mu tribe, after the Cold King and his consort returned from the Zi Mu tribe, they both slept soundly.
However, they brought Ju Jianxing back to the Cold King's manor and confined him in the dungeon. After waking up, they took him to the palace to see the Emperor and recount the events of the past to His Majesty.
After hearing Ju Jianxing's account, the Emperor flew into a rage on the spot.
"You damnable beast!"
"It was you who led those people into Zi Mu village back then, and caused the entire Zi Mu tribe to be annihilated."
The Emperor glared at Ju Jianxing with his majestic eyes, causing him to tremble uncontrollably.
This Emperor, he had met him twice back then. At that time, he was the Prince Rui, deeply in love with Zi Yiyun, and his aura was nowhere near as powerful as it was now. Now that he occupied the supreme position, his gaze alone could kill.
Ju Jianxing knelt on the ground, muttering to himself as his body trembled.
"Your Majesty, this humble subject, this humble subject was merely muddled for a moment back then, and did not foresee that those people were painstakingly trying to infiltrate Zi Mu village, but rather to slaughter the Zi Mu tribesmen," Ju Jianxing explained, his face filled with fear.
"Heh! The hundreds of people in the Zi Mu tribe lost their lives because of your momentary confusion. When old Liang discovered the incident in Zi Mu village back then, he rushed to find me and bring men to rescue the Zi Mu tribesmen. However, when I brought my men to Zi Mu village, my Yiyun, my father-in-law and mother-in-law, and hundreds of lives in Zi Mu village were all lying in pools of blood."
The Emperor recalled the tragic scene after the massacre of Zi Mu village, and he felt like flaying Ju Jianxing alive.
The massacre was too horrific. Seeing his beloved die in a pool of blood that year, he experienced for the first time that feeling called unbearable pain.
He and old Liang, suppressing their grief, buried the hundreds of bodies one by one, and personally buried his beloved and his in-laws.
Even though nearly twenty years had passed since this incident, every night when he dreamt, the scenes of the Zi Mu tribesmen lying dead everywhere... his heart was still filled with immense sorrow.
"Guards!"
After snapping back from his recollection, the Emperor shouted towards the door.
Immediately, Eunuch Li and Jian Feng hurried in to receive his orders.
"Jian Feng, drag Ju Jianxing out and have him flogged fifty times, then have him thrown into prison. Remember! Do not let this man die, and this matter must be carried out secretly, without any publicity!"
After issuing his order, the Emperor gently reminded him.
"Yes, Your Majesty! This subordinate understands." Jian Feng replied respectfully.
Then, he instructed his subordinates to drag Ju Jianxing out for punishment.
Soon, the Imperial Study fell silent.
"Father Emperor, regarding the Zi Mu tribe's affairs, we have found the eyewitnesses and material evidence from that year, but we still lack someone who can expose Lin Zhenfan as the master of the Dark Night Pavilion and the Duke of Wen from the Southern Zhao Kingdom," Jun Mohan analyzed.
"Are there any remaining members of the Wen family in the Southern Zhao Kingdom?" The Emperor suddenly asked.
"When your humble subject investigated the relationship between the Duke of Wen and the Dark Night Pavilion, I discovered that Madam Wen was still alive, but her current situation is not good. After her daughter (the former Imperial Consort Rou of the Southern Zhao Kingdom) met with trouble, the Wen Duke's manor was confiscated by the Emperor of the Southern Zhao Kingdom. Originally, Madam Wen was to be exiled to the desolate lands to perform hard labor, but His Majesty, considering her kind heart, her unawareness of her daughter's actions, and with the plea of Prince Ji, exempted her from exile and allowed her to live as an ordinary citizen henceforth."
"However, she had been poisoned by her husband for many years. Although Prince Ji and his consort had people help her detoxify, her body was already much weaker than before. When your humble subject's people found her, she was already critically ill."
Jun Mohan slowly recounted what he knew.
"You two must find a way to keep her alive, and then immediately send a few trusted individuals to the Southern Zhao Kingdom to escort her to the capital. Remember! You must protect her along the way, at least to ensure she lives until the day Lin Zhenfan's true face is exposed."
The Emperor said to the Cold King and his consort after careful consideration.
"Yes, Father Emperor, your humble son (daughter-in-law) understands!" The Cold King and his consort replied respectfully.
"Mmm, Li'er, your medical skills are so excellent, you must go back and research what good medicine can be given to Madam Wen to help her recover. This Madam Wen is too important to us."
The Emperor then said thoughtfully.
Leng Ruo Li nodded obediently.
She thought to herself that she would need to understand Madam Wen's condition clearly before she could prescribe the right medicine.
"Oh, last time you helped me find the Imperial Seal, I haven't rewarded you two yet. On this occasion, you two should think carefully about what you want as a reward. However, I know you are not short of money, so you can ask for anything except money?" The Emperor said generously.
Jun Mohan and Leng Ruo Li: "..."
This old fox was saying he wanted to reward them, but on the other hand, he was asking them not to mention money. Without the reward of money, what kind of reward would that be?
The Emperor's words immediately caused a sweat to break out on the foreheads of the Cold King and his consort.
"Your humble son's duty is to help Father Emperor share his worries and solve problems, so your humble son does not require a reward," Jun Mohan said, playing along with the Emperor.
The Emperor was immediately delighted upon hearing Jun Mohan's words.
"Good, good, good, it is indeed my Han'er who is sensible, always thinking of Father Emperor in everything."
With that said, the Emperor looked at Leng Ruo Li and asked, "Li'er girl, what about you?"
"Oh, Father Emperor, your humble daughter-in-law..."
Actually, Leng Ruo Li was also about to say, "Your humble daughter-in-law also does not require a reward," but her words were interrupted by the sudden entrance of the Empress Dowager.
"Li'er must be rewarded!" The Empress Dowager loudly answered for Leng Ruo Li.
Hearing the Empress Dowager's words, the Emperor's expression instantly changed. Why was his mother always opposing him? He was just about to hear Li'er say she didn't need a reward, when his mother suddenly appeared.
"Mother, why have you come?"
The Emperor said to the Empress Dowager with a smile.
"Don't you welcome this Empress?"
The Empress Dowager asked the Emperor deliberately.
Upon hearing this, the Emperor's forehead was once again covered in sweat. Listening to his mother's words, he felt as if she had some grievance with him.
"Mother, how could your humble son not welcome you?" The Emperor said with a speechless smile.
"Hmph! You wouldn't dare! However, if this Empress hadn't come, you, the Father Emperor, would have withheld the reward for your Imperial granddaughter-in-law. How could I have given birth to such a stingy Emperor?"
The Empress Dowager looked at the Emperor and said with disdain.
The Emperor looked very embarrassed. He glanced sideways at the Cold King and his consort. He saw that they had already covered their ears with their hands and turned their gazes elsewhere, pretending not to hear anything.