The Sickly Emperor Is Only Immune to Me

Chapter 51: Chapter 051 Killing Sin

He Ying had not originally thought this way, but Sang Ruoshui’s words still stimulated his already sensitive nerves.

It concerned Sang Yan, and he had been confused with worry. Upon learning that the madwoman had injured her, he ordered her execution without considering that beyond the coincidence, it could very likely have been a scheme.

“Go investigate.”

His expression stern, he looked at Pei Muyang and issued an order, “Have the Prison Department carry out the investigation. If they try to fob me off like last time, they can all quit their jobs.”

“Yes.”

Pei Muyang took his leave to carry out the order.

Sang Yan was quite helpless about this: “Emperor, it really isn’t such a big deal.”

He Ying was serious and earnest, “When it concerns your safety, there are no small matters.”

Sang Yan: “…”

Such sweet nothings!

She didn’t know what to say for a moment.

Sang Ruoshui suppressed the sourness in her heart and envied, “Sister, the Emperor’s heart for you is truly sincere. With the Emperor cherishing you so much, I am also at ease.”

She was complimenting the Emperor at every turn.

He Ying, feeling pleased, let her stay with Sang Yan longer, while he went to wash up.

There was also the matter of the prayer ceremony at Long Chan Temple; they needed to set off soon.

Sang Yan watched the Emperor leave and did not indulge in a show of sisterly affection with Sang Ruoshui. Instead, she looked to Qiuzhi and asked, “After I fainted, how did the Emperor deal with those people?”

Qiuzhi hesitated for a moment. Under Sang Yan’s insistent gaze, she slowly said, “Those guards were punished with eighty blows and removed from their posts.”

Sang Yan’s expression grew somber, “In the end, I am the one who brought them misfortune.”

Qiuzhi reassured, “Miss, don’t think that way. Those people did indeed neglect their duties. The Emperor is right, Miss left the Emperor’s chamber, and they knew nothing about it, didn’t follow or protect you, which was a dereliction of duty. Had something happened to you, their deaths would not suffice to atone for their sin.”

“And you have the nerve to say they were neglectful of their duties, while you, a personal maid, are even more so.”

Sang Ruoshui, wanting to replace Qiuzhi with someone of her own, started stirring trouble again, “You let the mistress go to such a secluded place, the Emperor should have killed you first!”

After scolding harshly, she turned to Sang Yan with a sudden gentle smile, “Sister, your maid is incompetent. I’ll have Xiangxiu follow you instead.”

Xiangxiu was her confidant.

Following Sang Yan would be akin to being with the Emperor, and she would also be privy to the Emperor’s preferences, among other things.

Her mind was racing with calculations.

Sang Yan was not foolish, naturally, she wouldn’t keep someone else’s spy around. Even though she knew Xiangxiu was good, she was ultimately someone else’s confidant and couldn’t be trusted.

“I appreciate your concern. However, Qiuzhi has been with me since childhood; she is not a dispensable maid in my heart.”

She tactfully declined.

Sang Ruoshui hadn’t expected to succeed at once, and smilingly said, “Sister, your heart is too soft.”

The soft-hearted Sang Yan turned to Qiuzhi and inquired about the Cold Palace, “What about the person who hurt me?”

Qiuzhi shrank back, too frightened to speak.

Sang Yan felt a chill in her heart, guessing, “Did the Emperor kill her?”

Qiuzhi nodded slowly and reluctantly.

Sang Yan felt as if something was clutching her heart, a stifling discomfort, “It was not necessarily a crime deserving death.”

As a modern person, she truly could not bring herself to see life as worthless.

Qiuzhi tried to console her, “Miss is compassionate. But the madwoman did indeed injure the Miss, her sins are unforgivable.”

The pain in her neck was fine and continuous, unending.

Upon reflection, the fear of that night still lingered in her heart.

Yet she had ultimately not been in mortal danger while the other person had died.

“Spend a bit more silver and ensure she has a decent burial.”

The person was already dead, and guilt could do nothing for the deceased, so this was all she could do now.

Qiuzhi agreed with an “Okay” and took the silver to make arrangements.

Sang Ruoshui, finding the event uninteresting, exchanged a few words and then took her leave.

Leaving the side hall, she lifted her skirt, boarded her carriage, and huffed, “She isn’t even truly the master of this harem, yet she puts on a show of being kind and benevolent. She knows how to manage her reputation well. Could she also be aspiring to become the Empress? The Emperor is the only one who falls for her act. Utter hypocrisy!”

Xiangxiu listened but did not join the conversation, thinking to herself: You see others as you are yourself. Miss Sang truly is a Bodhisattva-like person.

Bodhisattva-like, Sang Yan rested in the side hall for an entire day.

By dusk, she still wanted to go see the Cold Palace.

Upon hearing this, Qiuzhi’s complexion suddenly changed but quickly returned to normal as she laughed and tried to persuade, “That Cold Palace is inauspicious. Miss, better not go. Otherwise, if the Emperor finds out, he will worry again.”

Sang Yan knew her concerns and said, “Then let’s bring more guards.”

Qiuzhi: “…”

Unable to stop her and seeing her walking out, Qiuzhi was frantic with sweat.

You can’t go to the Cold Palace! @@novelbin@@

She heard that the Cold Palace was in the midst of an investigation and many had been killed.

“Miss—”

Qiuzhi sprinted a few steps, blocking Sang Yan’s path, and smiled, “Does Miss know where the Emperor has gone?”

She hoped to sidetrack the conversation with the whereabouts of the Emperor.

Sang Yan was indeed somewhat interested and asked, “Where did he go?”

Her steps did not halt even as she asked with a smile.

Qiuzhi replied with a smile, “The Emperor personally went to Long Chan Temple to pray for your blessing.”

“Really?”

After a moment of stunned silence, Sang Yan sighed, “It would be proper for him to create less karma on my behalf.”

Qiuzhi did not care about karma and continued to persuade, “The Emperor should be returning now. Maybe Miss could go to the palace gates to greet him? The Emperor would surely be pleased to see Miss.”

Sang Yan felt a momentary urge but insisted, “Let’s go to the Cold Palace first. I fear that the people below are not handling things properly.”

She knew too well that the people of the Imperial Palace were accustomed to pandering or downplaying others.

The man was a criminal, dead; it would be hard to ensure that they wouldn’t take bribes to slack off their duties.

Unable to persuade her, Qiuzhi could only follow with a troubled frown.

The entourage soon arrived at the Cold Palace.

The Cold Palace.

It seemed even chillier than the night before.

Even though it was a sunny day with a high sun.

The air was still thick with the scent of blood.

Sang Yan’s complexion paled, and after stepping off the carriage, she covered her nose and hurried inside.

Inside there was cleaning in progress.

Traces of blood still remained on the ground.

Suddenly understanding, she cast a cold glance at Qiuzhi without saying anything, but it was enough to frighten Qiuzhi to her knees.

“Miss, please forgive me; I did not mean to hide it.”

With tearful eyes, Qiuzhi explained, “The Prison Department was carrying out the Emperor’s orders, as you know.”

At that moment, corpse after corpse wrapped in white cloth was carried out.

Sang Yan’s lips parted slightly, her body chilled to the bone, wobbling so much she nearly lost her footing—were more people dying because of her?

The Prison Department!

A notorious institution for cruelty depicted in film and television!

How could she have forgotten their methods?

How could the lowly discarded women of the Cold Palace possibly survive unscathed in their hands?

“Lord Sang, rest assured, this humble official has ascertained the truth—”

The Chief of the Prison Department, Wang Lishuo, stepped forward and bowed, his expression cold as he spoke of case developments, “This person was a concubine of the late Emperor, demoted to the Cold Palace due to jealousy. Not long ago, Princess Consort Li made a mistake and was also sent here, having frequented visits with this person. Later, Princess Consort Li fortuitously left the Cold Palace, and upon learning that you had shown favor to the Xuan Family, she deduced you would come here in person and thus set this trap. Fortunately, the heavens protected you, and you escaped harm.”

Sang Yan didn’t care for this.

She couldn’t take in anything, simply asking with a distressed face, “How many people did you kill to come to this conclusion? Huh? How many more do you want to kill?”

Everything was too smooth.

Sang Ruoshui stirred up trouble, and then it was discovered that Princess Consort Li was involved.

Who else was plotting? Who stood to gain?

This deep and dark Imperial Palace was truly… a den of human malice and cunning ghosts!