The Ming Dynasty: The most ruthless imperial grandson, Old Zhu begged me not to kill him.

Chapter 789 Who's Manipulating Things Behind the Scenes?
He grabbed Dongfang Yu'er's shoulder. "Yu'er, tell me, what exactly is going on?"

Dongfang Yu'er burst into tears, "Your Majesty, I really didn't know! I have never colluded with any evil sects in the martial arts world, nor have I ever thought of harming Wan'er! This letter must have been a deliberate frame-up!"

Zhu Xiong Ying looked at her, her face streaked with tears, and felt a mix of emotions. He didn't know whether he should believe her.

Just then, a eunuch rushed in, panicking, "Your Majesty, something terrible has happened! Master Zhang... Master Zhang... he has passed away!"

"Master Zhang is gone?" Zhu Xiong Ying felt a buzzing in her head, as if a thousand bees were buzzing around her. Zhang Zheng Chang, the guardian of the Ming Dynasty, was actually dead?

He staggered back a few steps and collapsed onto the dragon throne, his face ashen. Seeing this, Dongfang Yu'er quickly stepped forward to support him, "Your Majesty, are you alright?"

Zhu Xiong Ying shook his head and waved his hand weakly, "I'm fine, just a little...shocked."

The news of Zhang Zhengchang's death struck him like a bolt from the blue, leaving him completely disoriented. Zhang Zhengchang was not only his mentor but also his greatest support. Now that Zhang Zhengchang was dead, he felt as if he had lost a solid backer, and his heart was filled with unease.

"Your Majesty, the passing of Master Zhang is the will of Heaven. Please accept my condolences," Dongfang Yu'er said softly.

Zhu Xiong Ying took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. "Yu'er, I am in a state of utter confusion. You may step back and let me have some peace and quiet."

Dongfang Yu'er nodded obediently and turned to leave the palace.

Inside the palace, only Zhu Xiong Ying remained. He sat on the dragon throne, staring blankly ahead, lost in thought.

The deaths of Zhang Zhengchang and Mu Wan'er, Jiang Huan's coup, and that mysterious secret letter—all of these things were like a giant net, tightly binding him and making it hard for him to breathe.

He rubbed his temples, trying to stay alert. He knew this wasn't the time for grief; he had to uncover the truth and find the mastermind behind it all to avenge Zhang Zhengchang and Mu Wan'er!
"Someone come here!" Zhu Xiong Ying shouted loudly.

A eunuch rushed in, "What are your orders, Your Majesty?"

"Summon Jiang Huan, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, to come to see me immediately!"

"According to the order!"

……

Jiang Huan returned to the palace and knelt on one knee. "Your subject Jiang Huan pays his respects to Your Majesty!"

Zhu Xiong Ying stared intently at him, his gaze sharp. "Jiang Huan, I'll ask you one more time: where did you get that letter from?"

Jiang Huan raised his head, a hint of hesitation flashing in his eyes, but he quickly became resolute. "I intercepted it from a martial arts practitioner, who has already been killed by me."

"A江湖人 (jianghu person)? Who is it?" Zhu Xiong Ying pressed.

“This man is named Wang Wu, and he is a member of the evil martial arts sect ‘Blood Shadow Cult’,” Jiang Huan replied.

"Blood Shadow Cult?" Zhu Xiong Ying frowned; he had never heard of this name before.

“Your Majesty, the Blood Shadow Sect is a notorious and evil sect in the martial arts world. They have committed countless evil deeds and crimes. I suspect that the death of Consort Mu and the passing of Master Zhang are both related to them,” Jiang Huan said.

Zhu Xiong Ying pondered for a moment, then said, "Jiang Huan, immediately send people to investigate this Blood Shadow Sect. Make sure to find out their background and their relationship with Consort Dongfang!"

"Your subject obeys the decree!" Jiang Huan accepted the order and withdrew.

Zhu Xiong Ying sat on the dragon throne, his mind filled with doubt. He always felt that things were not so simple.

At that moment, a eunuch rushed in, flustered. "Your Majesty, something terrible has happened! Consort Mu... Consort Mu... she... she... has been resurrected!" "What?!" Zhu Xiong Ying jumped to his feet, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief. Mu Wan'er had actually been resurrected? How could this be?

He hurriedly followed the eunuch to Mu Wan'er's palace.

Mu Wan'er lay quietly on the bed, her face pale, but her breathing was even and her pulse was strong.

"What...what exactly is going on?" Zhu Xiong Ying looked at the imperial physician, his face full of doubt.

The imperial physician was equally bewildered. "Your Majesty, I cannot explain it either. Consort Mu clearly... clearly..."

“She was already dead, wasn’t she?” Zhu Xiong Ying continued, “But now she’s alive again. How is that possible?”

The imperial physician wiped the sweat from his brow. "Your Majesty... Your Majesty does not know."

Zhu Xiong Ying walked to the bedside, looking at Mu Wan'er's pale face, feeling a mix of emotions.

Mu Wan'er's "resurrection" only deepened his suspicions. Who was pulling the strings behind the scenes?
He suddenly thought of Dongfang Yu'er. Could it be that Dongfang Yu'er was behind all of this?

He suddenly raised his head, a cold glint flashing in his eyes, "Someone, summon Consort Dongfang!"

Inside the palace, the atmosphere was heavy, like the calm before a storm.

Just then, a palace maid rushed in, panicking, "Your Majesty, something terrible has happened! Kunning Palace... Kunning Palace is on fire!"

"What?!" Zhu Xiong Ying's mind went completely blank. Kun Ning Palace, the Empress's residence, was on fire? What... what on earth happened?

He felt as if he had been caught in a huge vortex, unable to control himself and unable to extricate himself.

……

Inside the palace, Zhu Xiong Ying paced back and forth, restless and anxious. Mu Wan'er's resurrection, the sudden fire in Kunning Palace—the series of unexpected events left him in a state of utter confusion. He felt like prey trapped in a spider's web, surrounded by intrigue and treachery.

"Dongfang Yu'er, what on earth are you up to?" Zhu Xiong Ying muttered through gritted teeth. He was almost certain that all of this was related to Dongfang Yu'er. This woman was vicious and ruthless; she would do anything to win favor.

At that moment, a eunuch rushed in, flustered. "Your Majesty, Consort Dongfang... Consort Dongfang... she... she..."

"What's wrong with her?" Zhu Xiong Ying asked impatiently.

“She…she…committed suicide!” the eunuch said, trembling.

"What?!" Zhu Xiong Ying was shocked. He never expected that Dongfang Yu'er would commit suicide.

He rushed to Dongfang Yu'er's palace. There he found Dongfang Yu'er lying on the bed, her face pale and lifeless, clutching a letter tightly in her hand.

Zhu Xiong Ying opened the letter with trembling hands, and read:

"Your Majesty, I know my sins are grave, and death is not a pity. The reason I resorted to this desperate measure is because I deeply love Your Majesty and do not wish to see Your Majesty deceived by treacherous people. Mu Wan'er and Zhang Zhenren were not harmed by me, but by someone else. This person is extremely well hidden, and I am powerless to expose them. I can only prove my innocence with my death, hoping that Your Majesty can see the truth and give me justice..."

After reading the letter, Zhu Xiong Ying was filled with shock and uncertainty. Could it be that all of this really wasn't Dongfang Yu'er's doing? Who was the real mastermind behind it all?

(End of this chapter)