"It is my fault! I knew the importance of the fan, and I just wanted to present it to Your Majesty and the Empress for identification. Whose possession could this item possibly belong to? I never expected..."
When all the evidence was driving everyone to firmly believe in the identity of the deceased in White Moon Alley, there was already a vague suspicion in everyone’s heart. Even if this person wasn’t from the Imperial Family, they must have been of significant importance to the Royal Clan!
For only in this way would Prince Rong and his son go to such lengths in panic, risking their lives to conceal it, that even after the other party’s corpse had been destroyed, they still had to hold on to these pieces of evidence to protect themselves in case the matter ca to light in the future!
No one ever imagined that the deceased would be so important as to be the eldest son of the Empress!
The Emperor placed the letter on the kang table, and his voice, which was already a bit hoarse, seed even more strained as he spoke.
"This letter is clearly an instruction in secret for soone to target Yi Yi. Since it’s with Prince Rong, does it an that Prince Rong was once instructed to harm Yi Yi? The person they killed in White Moon Alley was my Yi Yi?"
Even though he is the Son of Heaven, when it ca to ntioning his own child at this mont, he discarded all titles that showcased his status. Human sentints were clearly no different regardless of one’s stature.
Pei Zhan bowed: "According to the eyewitness, my mother-in-law testified that the ones killed in White Moon Alley were a father and son pair. However, what was the age of the Imperial Grandson at that ti? Did he have any descendants?"
The ti of the last news of the Empress’ eldest son coincides exactly with the occurrence of the bloodshed in White Moon Alley, making it almost certain that the deceased was the eldest son.
But since it concerns the bloodline of the Imperial Family, it must be handled with utmost caution, with no room for error.
"He was ten years old when we got separated, during our journey north. To be precise, this was within the borders of Huzhou, as we were stationed in Huzhou City. That night we ca under sudden attack by enemy forces. He was originally with his father in the camp—he was very brave and smart, skilled in martial arts from a young age, reading military books. When military strategies were being discussed, he’d quietly listen and ask questions if he didn’t understand, so everyone loved teaching him, and his father cherished him the most!
"That night when the fighting broke out, he was present, wielding a short sword, rushing in to protect , but there were too many of us, and he only had a few guards, eventually engaging the enemy.
"I foresaw the worst outco, so I left him a fan, this very fan! I thought of dividing our troops to evade the enemy, and if I were to die, this fan would remain with him as a rembrance. If I survived, we would et again because of this fan!
"I rember clearly, when I made the life-and-death decision, he calmly took out the handkerchief I embroidered for him from his sleeve and wiped my tears, then resolutely told that we would et again, stating that none of us would die!
"Later, when His Majesty and the others finally defeated and drove away the enemy, we counted our numbers, only to find he was gone!
"He was neither seen among the living nor found among the dead!
"We searched for three whole days and nights, turning over almost every inch of the city, and finally, an old soldier guarding the city gate by the foot of the city wall said he saw him leave the city that night on a small horse, accompanied by two guards!
"We quickly tallied the guard count and indeed, two guards were also missing!"
The Empress said this all in one breath, her body still crouched.
The Emperor placed his hand on her arm, trying his best to make his voice gentle: "Ming Zhi is asking about Yi Yi’s age, please calm down first. Let’s clarify what actually happened."
The Empress collapsed at the edge of the couch, tears suddenly streaming down.
"My Yi Yi was only ten years old, already thinking of sacrificing himself to protect his mother, yet he disappeared just like that. As his mother, the Empress of Great Zhou, with countless resources and conveniences at my disposal, so many years have passed and I still have not found out where he is!
"All these years, not a day has gone by without guilt! You know he was our first child, and it was during the hardest years that he was there with us!"
The Emperor heard this, and a trace of pain flashed through his eyes.
He turned to Pei Zhan: "Yi Yi was ten years old when he went missing. Two years later, we entered the capital city and secured the realm.
"According to what you said, the event in White Moon Alley happened, and by then he would have been twenty-eight.
"At that age, if he had already given the empire an Imperial Grandson, it would also be quite normal!
"Now—" He raised his eyes, looking at the young generals before him, finally resting his gaze on Liang Zhi: "Liang Zhi and Du Mingqian, hear the decree. You two are imdiately to proceed to Prince Rong’s Mansion and bring Prince Rong, Princely Heir Yang Zhan, Zhang Huan, and Zhang Shicheng, all before at the imperial court without fail!
"Furthermore, issue orders to the Minister of the Ministry of Justice, Deputy Minister, Imperial Censor, Vice Imperial Censor, and the Crown Prince—"
His gaze suddenly turned sharp as he said this: "Have them all co before !"
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