Chapter 317: An Old Father Treats His Daughter

Chapter 317

Unfortunately, she was ultimately a rational and disciplined person who would never allow Xia Zixi to touch her in the palace.

"That Su fellow, did Zixi grab hold of him?"

"Don't worry, Su and that brat were injured by my men and thrown into the river. By now their corpses have probably rotted away."

Concubine Wan felt relieved. The things that happened back in Changzhou all those years ago... She and Xia Zixi went through a lot of trouble to cover them up. Their current wealth and status were won at the cost of their lives.

For Su to personally go to Changzhou and dig up dirt on their past, how could she just let him bring up old stories from years past?

"Fortunately Zixi you were here, otherwise I wouldn't have known what to do." A woman must act helpless at the appropriate times.

As expected, Xia Zixi stroked her chin, his eyes filling with deeper affection. "This is just what I should do. After all, we're in the same boat, no?"

Concubine Wan smiled coquettishly. She was skilled at manipulating men. Stroking Xia Zixi's sharp jawline, she lightly kissed his lips. "Yes, we're more than just being in the same boat. We're family."

Xia Zixi smiled. "Heh~"

After sending Xia Zixi away, Concubine Wan stripped naked and called loudly, "Weimian, come in."

The smell of that thousand-year red incense was disgusting...

...

Late at night, a lowly palace maid stealthily left Rippling Palace and entered Fledgling Phoenix Palace in the dead of night.

A while later, the palace maid hurriedly disappeared into the darkness of the night, as if nothing had happened. It was as if it had been an ordinary, mundane deep night.

That night, the four blessing maids of Fledgling Phoenix Palace released a homing pigeon out of the imperial palace.

When Zhao Changdu took the note off the pigeon's leg, Gu Ying had just opened her eyes.

"Changdu, has Su He come back?" She remembered that Su He personally went to Changzhou to investigate what happened with Concubine Wan back then.

"Not yet. I received a letter earlier saying he was gravely injured and fell into the water, but was saved by someone. He stayed at Yueya Crossing in Changzhou to recuperate for a period of time." Zhao Changdu gathered the little girl into his embrace, personally feeding her the cherry cake. "But several days ago, I received word from him saying his body had recovered in Changzhou, and he needed to investigate a homicide case before returning."

Gu Ying took a bite of cherry cake, feeling uneasy inside. "Homicide case?"

"Mm." Zhao Changdu patiently wiped away the oil stains from the corners of her mouth. "Regarding Concubine Wan - back then her entire family died in a fire, two older brothers, an older sister, and a pair of parents. Only she survived."

"Wasn't that case already investigated? The murderer was a collateral branch of the Su family—" Gu Ying blurted out instinctively, but caught herself when she realized something was off. She quickly stopped talking.

She shouldn't know so many details.

She awkwardly bit into the cake, the corners of her mouth pulling into an embarrassed smile. She stammered out an explanation, "I heard it from Auntie. Auntie is also connected to the Su family and knows some inside information that isn't public..."

Zhao Changdu glanced at the panic in the young girl's eyes but didn't say anything. He only said, "That's right, at the time it was determined that the murderer came from a collateral branch of the dissolute young master Su Huai to silence Concubine Wan's entire family. The crime scene had a token from the Empress' palace that served as evidence."

Gu Ying blinked. "Empress Su wouldn't be so foolish."

She knew Empress Su, a pitiful woman with a tragic fate. She had lived her entire life only for her son. She was a true noble lady of prestigious birth and would absolutely not be stupid enough to send someone from her own clan to kill Concubine Wan and leave behind evidence and give the cold and indifferent Emperor a reason to distance himself from her even more.

For so many years she had shouldered the label of murderer. Spurned by the Emperor, vilified by Concubine Wan, even her son failed to gain his father's favor. The Su clan's reputation had also been damaged for a time, unable to hold their head high among the many prestigious clans and families of Bianjing.

She definitely wouldn't brazenly resort to such insidious tactics to deal with Concubine Wan.

Zhao Changdu smiled lightly. "Princess Ying is clever. Of course the Empress wouldn't be so foolish. His Majesty simply doesn't love her, so he won't believe anything she says regarding this case."

Gu Ying felt sorrow for them. Smacking her red lips she said, "So trust between husband and wife is crucial. Empress Su is truly pitiable..."

She had wealth, status, nobility, but lacked love. Half her lifetime was wasted in a cold marriage just for an unloving man. And now she had ruined her health as well while the inner palace completely obeyed Concubine Wan.

Zhao Changdu watched her deeply for a moment. He grasped her small hand and gently kneaded her soft fingertips. "I will always believe in you."

No matter how things turned out later, he would make sure the young girl became the happiest woman in Bianjing.